WYOMING, MI -- A 31-year-old man was seriously injured in a Wyoming shooting, police said.

Wyoming police said the man showed up at an area hospital as they were investigating a report of shots fired in the 1500 block of 36th Street SW about 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26.

Police said the mans injuries were serious. They did not know if they were life-threatening.

Late Friday afternoon, police were at a Wyoming address where they believed the shooting happened. Officers planned to use a search warrant to investigate the address.

Anyone with information about the shooting can call Wyoming Police at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
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).
More than 200 inmates in a Haiti prison broke out on Thursday, with 25 killed in the mass-escape including the prison director and a notorious gang leader.

Bystanders caught up in the violence as inmates fled the Croix-des-Bouquets jail were also among those dead.

The powerful gang leader Arnel Joseph, who was killed in the mass-jailbreak, was Haitis most-wanted criminal prior to his arrest in 2019.

Still wearing his prison ankle cuffs, the gang leader fled as a passenger on a motorcycle that was later flagged down at a checkpoint, police spokesperson Gary Desrosiers said. Joseph turned a gun on the officers present who fatally shot him.

Some reports suggest a belief that the mass-jailbreak was an attempt to free Joseph, whose charges included rape, kidnapping and murder.

The gang leader ruled a shanty town called Village de Dieu, or Village of God, in Port-au-Prince along with some other communities in the region.

Though details of the mass-escape remain unclear, witnesses reported hearing bursts of gunfire at around midday on Thursday before inmates were seen fleeing from the prison. More than 400 prisoners were initially reported to have escaped.

Elsewhere, staff at a nearby clothing store said they had been forced to give items to the escaping prisoners.

The jail near Haitis capital Port-au-Prince was opened in 2012 with a maximum capacity of 872 inmates. However, at the time of the breakout on Thursday, the jail was holding more than 1,500 prisoners.

Frantz Exantus, Haitis communications secretary, told a news conference on Friday: Twenty-five people died including six prisoners and Divisional Inspector Paul Hector Joseph who was in charge of the prison.

Among those killed were some ordinary citizens who were killed by the prisoners during their escape, he added.

Mr Exantus said authorities have created several commissions and the ongoing investigation will look into who organised the breakout and why. He added in a Tweet on Friday that 60 inmates had so far been captured.

Helen La Lime, Haitis special representative of the secretary general of the United Nations, said in a statement: This prison break further highlights the problem of prolonged preventive detention and prison overcrowding, which remains a matter of concern that must be urgently addressed by Haitian authorities.

Prison escapes in Haiti, the poorest country in the Caribbean, are not uncommon. More than 200 of the 899 inmates at the Croix-des-Bouquets prison escaped in 2014, with some believing the jailbreak was designed to free the son of a prominent local businessman. After the mass-escape, officials said they were taking steps to increase security in the jail.

Elsewhere, while police attended anti-government protests nearby, all 78 inmates of Aquin prison in Southern Haiti escaped in 2019.

Two years earlier, more than 170 inmates broke out of a prison in Arcahaie, north of Port-au-Prince.

The countrys largest prison breakout was in 2010, following a devastating earthquake. More than 4,200 inmates escaped the national penitentiary prison in Port-au-Prince.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 23:49:12|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

DHAKA, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday termed the United Nations' recommendation for the country's graduation from the group of the least developed countries (LDCs) to a developing nation as a "historic" event.

Sheikh Hasina made the remarks while holding a press conference virtually in capital Dhaka about the UN recommendation for graduating from LDC status.

"It's a historic event for Bangladesh," said Hasina, adding that the transition from a LDC country to a developing nation is a matter of great pride for them on the occasion of the golden jubilee of Bangladesh.

The United Nations Committee for Development Policy (CDP) has recommended Bangladesh's graduation from LDC status along with Nepal and Laos.

Taffere Tesfachew, chair of the CDP subgroup on LDCs, made the announcement at a briefing Friday night after the second triennial review of the LDC category of UN CDP. The 5-day review meeting began on Feb. 22.

Bangladesh met all the three eligibility criteria for graduation involving income per capital, human assets, as well as economic and environmental vulnerability.

With the final recommendation from the UN panel, Bangladesh has now a five-year transition period meaning the country will formally earn the developing nation status in 2026. Enditem
The US house of representatives has approved a 1.9 trillion dollar (1.36 billion) pandemic relief bill in a triumph for new president Joe Biden.

The move came as top Democrats tried to assure progressives in the party that they would revive a derailed attempt to boost the minimum wage in America.

Mr Bidens vision to provide cash to individuals, businesses, states and cities battered by Covid-19 passed on a 219-212 vote along party lines.

Expand Close House minority leader Kevin McCarthy (AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp House minority leader Kevin McCarthy (AP)

The legislation will now go before the senate, where Democrats seem intent on resuscitating their minimum wage push. Meanwhile, disputes could erupt over state aid and other issues.

Democrats said the faltering economy and the loss of half a million American lives demands quick, decisive action.

They say Republican legislators are out of step with a public that largely views the bill favourably, according to polls.

California Democrat Maxine Waters said: I am a happy camper tonight.

This is what America needs. Republicans, you ought to be a part of this. But if youre not, were going without you.

Republicans said the bill is too expensive and said too few education dollars would be spent quickly to immediately reopen schools.

COVID-19 vaccinations are up and cases and hospitalizations are down, but let me be clear: now is not the time to relax. pic.twitter.com/oUuHCXl3s7  President Biden (@POTUS) February 26, 2021

They said the measure was laden with gifts to Democratic interests such as labour unions, and funnelled money to Democratic-run states they suggested did not need the money because their budgets had bounced back.

House minority leader Kevin McCarthy said: To my colleagues who say this bill is bold, I say its bloated.

To those who say its urgent, I say its unfocused. To those who say its popular, I say it is entirely partisan.

That divide is making the fight a showdown over which party voters will reward for heaping more federal spending on combating the coronavirus and reviving the economy, on top of the four trillion dollars (2.8 trillion) approved last year.

The battle is also emerging as an early test of Mr Bidens ability to hold together his partys fragile congressional majorities  just 10 votes in the house, with an evenly divided senate.

Expand Close The relief package bill will now go to the US senate (AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The relief package bill will now go to the US senate (AP)

At the same time, Democrats are trying to calculate how to assuage progressives who lost their top priority in a jarring senate setback last week.

That chambers nonpartisan parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, said senate rules require that a federal minimum wage increase would have to be dropped from the Covid-19 bill, leaving the proposal on life support.

The measure would gradually lift that minimum to 15 dollars (10.75) per hour by 2025, doubling the current 7.25 dollar (5.20) floor which has been in effect since 2009.

Hoping to revive that effort in some form, senate majority leader Chuck Schumer is considering adding a provision to the senate version of the Covid-19 relief bill that would penalise large companies which do not pay workers at least 15 dollars an hour.

That was in line with ideas floated on Thursday night by senators Bernie Sanders and Ron Wyden to boost taxes on corporations which no not hit certain minimum wage targets.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi offered encouragement, calling a minimum wage increase a financial necessity for our families, a great stimulus for our economy and a moral imperative for our country.

She said the house would absolutely approve a final version of the relief bill because of its widespread benefits, even if it lacked progressives top goal.
Andy Farrell hailed the top class attitude of his players after Ireland kick-started their Guinness Six Nations campaign with a resounding 48-10 bonus-point success over Italy.

A brace from Will Connors, plus tries from Garry Ringrose, Hugo Keenan, CJ Stander and Keith Earls helped the Irish bounce back from successive defeats to Wales and France.

Ireland had a fortnight to stew on their worst start to a Six Nations tournament and responded emphatically, albeit against the championships weakest team, to secure a first away win of the Farrell era.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

I am really proud of the players. Theyve shown real character over the last couple of weeks, said head coach Farrell.

Its not nice coming off two losses and waiting a couple of weeks to try and put that right.

We talked about a test of character and they have stayed strong, they have stayed very united. As a group, I think they have all pulled together and showed their leadership in different ways.

I thought we earned the right to score some points with the way that we approached the game in the first half. I thought our attitude was top class.

Will Connors scored two of Irelands six tries (Marco Iacobucci/PA)

We approached the game in the right manner, we paid the game the right respect and Italy the right respect, and I thought we punched away really well in the first half and the game opened up in the end.

Irelands dominant victory in the Stadio Olimpico sunshine could have been by a far greater margin had they not had a trio of tries  scored by Iain Henderson, Stander and James Lowe  disallowed.

Captain Johnny Sexton, returning from a head injury, added all six conversions and two penalties as the mounting pressure on Farrell was temporarily eased.

The influential fly-half was delighted to record an overdue victory.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

I thought we were outstanding. Our intent and our concentration and how clinical we were at times was very pleasing, said Sexton.

The stuff we have been learning in training finally came out in glimpses today, so I am happy for everyone.

Story continues

Defeat for Italy was a 30th in succession in the championship, dating back six years to a victory over Scotland at Murrayfield.

Fly-half Paolo Garbisi conjured a moment of magic to set up a consolation try for Johan Meyer late in the first half and kicked a further five points but it was an all-too familiar story for the hosts.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

Franco Smiths men have now shipped 139 points and 19 tries in three successive losses and their cause was not helped by quickfire second-half yellow cards for replacement Giosue Zilocchi and captain Luca Bigi.

The South African rued the indiscipline and admits there was a gulf in class between the teams.

After such a defeat you have to understand what to improve, but you have to give credit to Ireland, who were under pressure after two defeats and came to Rome with great determination, said Smith.

In Italy, at this level, many boys have to learn to play and be physically ready. They are proud and work hard, they will recover.

Franco Smiths Italy suffered another defeat (Adam Davy/PA)

They must have experience on the pitch, every week we try to improve. If all of Italy asks us to win a game, we always try, with heart and preparation.

But for now they are better than us, even if we are doing everything to become like Ireland.

These defeats burn. It is hard, but we need everyones support to take a further step.

Unfortunately we made many mistakes and today the numerical inferiority has cost us dearly against a superior team .
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday shrugged off criticism of her government's rights record as hundreds marched in a second day of protests over the death of a prominent writer in prison.

Demonstrators marched at Dhaka University chanting slogans condemning the government's treatment of Mushtaq Ahmed as well as other writers, journalists and activists.

Another protest was staged at the National Press Club, while dozens of people carried a symbolic coffin around Dhaka University demanding the scrapping of the Digital Security Act (DSA) under which Ahmed was detained last May.

The wide-ranging DSA has been used to crack down on dissent since it was enacted in 2018.

The protests followed clashes with police and security forces in the capital on Friday night. Police said six people were arrested while activists said at least 30 were injured. More protests against the death and arrests were planned Sunday.

Speaking Saturday at a rare press conference to mark a UN recommendation that Bangladesh be reclassified as a 'developing' economy, Prime Minister Hasina -- who has been in office for 12 years -- brushed aside international concerns over the law and Ahmed's death.

"What can we do if someone dies after falling sick," she said. "No death is desired. It is also not desired that unrest will be created.

"Whether the law has been misused or not depends on your point of view. I think the law is taking its own course and will do so. If someone does not commit a crime, he will not be punished in a trial," the prime minister added.

Ahmed collapsed and died at Kashimpur High Security Prison late Thursday.

The 53-year-old, a crocodile farmer and a writer known for his satirical style, was charged with spreading rumours and conducting "anti-state activities" after criticising the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic on Facebook.

Ambassadors express grave concern

Story continues

Protesters have said his death was a "custodial murder" after he was denied bail six times in 10 months.

Authorities say they have ordered a committee to investigate whether there was negligence by jail officials.

But ambassadors from 13 countries, including the United States, France, Britain, Canada and Germany, have expressed "grave concern" over the case.

"We call on the government of Bangladesh to conduct a swift, transparent and independent inquiry into the full circumstances of Mr. Mushtaq Ahmed's death," the envoys said in a statement released late Friday.

They said their countries would pursue "wider concerns about the provisions and implementation of the DSA, as well as questions about its compatibility with Bangladesh's obligations under international human rights laws and standards."

Rights groups have also raised concerns about the case and the detention of Kabir Kishore, a cartoonist who was arrested at the same time as Ahmed.

PEN America said authorities should drop charges against Kishore, while the US-based Committee for the Protection of Journalists said he had passed a note to his brother during a hearing this week stating that he had been subjected to severe physical abuse in custody.

(AFP)
For about four decades, one individual who has remained committed to keeping this conversation alive, notwithstanding the enormity of the task, broadening its scope to cater to the complication, is Toyin Falola. He has entered a golden era where no other African scholar can compete with him or match his talents, productivity, and profundity.

February 2021 will forever be remembered in the annals of African history as the month that Africa awarded its first academic D. Litt., presented by the University of Ibadan, Nigerias premier university, to the most deserving African scholar of our era, the pre-eminent and peerless scholar, Professor Toyin Falola, rated as the Number One Humanities scholar in Africa, with the most global presence in both the academic and policy world. No sooner was it announced than the news immediately spread to the corridors in the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and UNESCO. It was as if the African rebirth had occurred.

There is a larger context to this distinguished moment. The most we hear about Africa today is in the negative. Where Africa isnt left out of the conversation completely, it hardly ever features in a positive light. In the print and digital media, it is a tale of stolen dreams, missed opportunities, and stunted potentials. Africa has become the theatre of contradictions. Extreme wealth and poverty coexist in unholy matrimony, and conflict, famine, and destitution threaten to override age-long identities steeped in rich histories and proud heritages. But amid all the unpleasantness, a conversation about transformation perseveres. Begun from the earliest days of Negritude, its spirit has been sustained through the inspired era of Pan-Africanism and Nationalism and exists even now in Pluriversalism  the idea that knowledge production in and about Africa should be grounded on indigenous philosophies, theories, and experiences.

For about four decades, one individual who has remained committed to keeping this conversation alive, notwithstanding the enormity of the task, broadening its scope to cater to the complication, is Toyin Falola. He has entered a golden era where no other African scholar can compete with him or match his talents, productivity, and profundity. There is just no one like him  none with his plural versal talent. Out of earshot, he is called an Irunmole, a spirit from another world. Of course, there are variants of god-like manner (called a Yemoja in Brazil), a man that acquired the image of a sea goddess. In a previous century, Falola would be converted to a god and worshipped.

Today, his cult of followers stretch far and wide, penetrating all corners of the world. And whenever an award for humility is created, he will emerge as the winner. He brushes off what you say of him. If you relay to him some unpleasantness, Falola laughs and tells you to spend your time wisely! He says the negative person is manifesting his/her character and not describing him, and forgetting that our time on earth is so limited that it should be used carefully.

Introducing him at the conference named after him, The Toyin Falola Annual Conference on Africa and the African Diaspora (TOFAC), the vice-chancellor, Paul Zeleza of the United States International University-Africa in Nairobi, described Toyin Falola as our Ali Mazrui and Wangari Maathai combined. Someone quickly responded, Add Achebe and Soyinka! He is now rated in the policy world as the most relevant and impactful.

Perhaps Toyin Falola, pre-eminent Africanist scholar, prolific author, internationally acclaimed professor of African History/African Studies, and a towering mentor to multitudes, needs no further introduction. However, an occasion for contemplating the contributions of this erudite scholar to the elevation, direction, and span of the African discussion offers an opportunity, not only to present someone whom many might consider an unsung hero to this audience but also to catch it up with the developments on the topic (Africa) thus far. Hence this modest attempt to capture an extensive, inspiring, and very productive career devoted to uplifting Africa and its peoples by correcting erroneous narratives, providing improved perspectives and better tools for articulating and realising better outcomes.

In Nigeria, just as in other areas that have been bequeathed his intellectual interests, Falola has been involved in numerous research efforts and public contributions to complement the national discussion. He has published texts on all three major periods of the areas historical development, from the pre-colonial to the colonial and postmodern era

Over the years, Professor Falolas work has cut across a broad spectrum of topics on Africa  its cultures and traditions, politics, economy, and landscape. This is best expressed in another one of his remarkable characteristics, the knack for assembling individuals from diverse disciplines and scholarly backgrounds together in a collaborative, interdisciplinary colloquium that has over time yielded volumes of historically rich material on aspects of African history hitherto obscure. For the reason of specificity, which is critical in navigating the vast sea of publications that mark Falolas four decades of scholarly endeavour, his contributions cover a broad canvas that includes, but is not limited to, Yoruba studies, Nigerian studies, African history, and diaspora scholarship. A scholar who has generated multiple conferences, ten books on him, and two definitive solo books by Professor Abdul Bangura.

The history of the Yoruba, an identity which Falola, like others who hail from the southwestern regions of Nigeria, now share, has been better illuminated through his disposition to an in-depth study and a distinctive ability to detach himself from his object of study to offer an unsentimental, unbiased, and apolitical analysis. A case in point is an (early) article entitled Precolonial Origins of the National Question in Nigeria: The Yoruba Identity as a Case Study, which elucidates on the political considerations that have often informed the description of distinct indigenous ethnic nationalities as unified entities to score political advantages in a federation of competing multi-ethnic nationalities.

At a moment of troubles in Nigeria and the call for restructuring, this article supplies critical insights and warnings. Drawing from available sources, the article traces the development of the idea of a Yoruba identity  as a single nation united under the myth of a shared Oduduwa ancestry  to two particular developments. The first phase covers the activities of pioneer authors of Yoruba history, such as Bishop Ajayi Crowther, Sapara Williams, and Samuel Johnson, among other contemporaries. Themselves freed slaves  who had already established affinities as slaves from analogous cultures  upon return, found it easier to harp on cultural similarities and a mythical ancestry as a means of creating a common front to challenge the colonial government. The article recognises the importance of their contributions as critical primary sources for the reconstruction of Yoruba history. The second phase covers a period of consolidation by politicians such as Awolowo, whose bid to amass political influence through ethnic mobilisation, effectively ushered in the practice of politics by ethnic affiliation. In conclusion, the article draws attention to Nigerias existence as a cluster of such multi-ethnic nationalities, which can either serve as an instrument for effective structuring or summary disintegration to pre-colonial forms, given the right political conditions.

Subsequent publications, notably Yoruba Identity and Power Politics, saw Falola bringing together an impressive collection of scholars from various fields to examine the expressions of Yoruba culture and tradition in the contemporary Nigerian State. This project, which studied the Yoruba people in general, covered their evolution, cultures, traditions, and practices. The chapters, Yoruba Nation and Writing Yoruba, explain the intricacies entrenched in the Yoruba identity and how these are critical to ensuring scholars objective representations. However, his Encyclopedia of the Yoruba covers a wide range of topics on Yoruba history  art, literature, religion, language, linguistics, philosophy, demography, geography  and best describes Falolas commitment to the preservation and spread of the Yoruba culture. These efforts, directed towards furthering an understanding of the Yoruba world and politics, have led to increased interest in Yoruba culture, especially for study in academic institutions worldwide.

In Nigeria, just as in other areas that have been bequeathed his intellectual interests, Falola has been involved in numerous research efforts and public contributions to complement the national discussion. He has published texts on all three major periods of the areas historical development, from the pre-colonial to the colonial and postmodern era, contributing valuable research material, debunking erroneous conclusions, and providing historical insights into national challenges. His views command much esteem, especially for the refreshing insights their historical connections offer. Toyin Falolas active involvement in interpreting Nigerian experiences  social, political, and economic  has limited Eurocentric distortions and Afrocentric pigmentations that were manifest in the earlier historiographies on the area. His influence is extended to the methodological focus of contemporary Nigerian and Africa historical research. He has published texts that serve both as guides and source materials to students and teachers of Nigerian history.

Take his position on the place of religion in Nigerian politics for an illustration. His perspective on the topic, as delivered in Violence in Nigeria: The Crisis of Religious Politics and Secular Ideologies, has become critical in evaluating the impact of religion on state politics and political economy in Nigeria. In threading the discussion on the relationship between religion and State, Toyin Falola dispels prior notions of a limited influence by the former on a secular state by establishing its historical antecedents as a source of pre-colonial ethnic violence and political power-play. Therein a trajectory is established from the 19th century Uthman Dan Fodio Jihad in the pre-colonial period, through the colonial period of Christianity and Western education, which provided a further basis for deep division between a better exposed South and a less influenced North, all in a quest to control the state apparatus which became accessible based on educational qualification. After independence, the mutual distrust grew, giving religious colorations to national decisions and events  constitutional reviews, elections, and censuses. These occasions soon became potential kindles for religious crisis trailed by the wanton destruction of lives and properties, especially in the countrys major cities of Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, and Zaria.

The University of Ibadan should be congratulated for this outstanding record. By persuading the humble Falola, based on his excellent record of research and originality, a distinguished career, and a remarkable academic achievement, to register as a student for a degree, was an honour to the university itself.

In Africa, Toyin Falolas voice has also rung very clear and true. He has intervened in a series of challenges facing contemporary Africa with his characteristic insight and in-depth historical approach at diverse instances and through varying mediums. He called for indigenous knowledge production as a way out of Africas predicament. What African predicament is implied here? The outcome of four successive eras of rape and plunder, namely: the trans-Saharan slave trade, the transatlantic trade, colonialism, and globalisation. These have conspired to reduce Africa to a theatre of social ills, including, but not limited to, poverty, insecurity, poor healthcare, low life expectancy, ethnoreligious crisis, bad governance, corruption, human rights violations, and other undemocratic practices. As an issue that has topped the agenda of Africanist scholars for decades, it has also inspired a considerable number of scholarly efforts in conferences, workshops, and seminars that have produced large volumes of material, a good portion of which Professor Falola contributed to directly or indirectly.

After years of direct involvement in assessing the myriad problems bedeviling Africa and the quest for solutions, Falola advocated for a change in resolving them through several of his publications. In one particular 2018 publication titled The Toyin Falola Reader on African Culture, Nationalism, Development and Epistemologies, he concluded that the solutions to these African problems lay in changing African thought. Hence the call for curriculum changes in the continents tertiary institutions, from a colonial model to a new realistic one, fashioned to suit 21st century Africas demands.

Falola is one Africanist scholar who has never stopped believing in the potential inherent in a unification of purpose between Africans on the continent and members of the African diaspora community in a pan-African quest to deliver Africa. Pan-Africanism, as an idea of shared interest and purpose, uniting peoples of African descent everywhere in the world against forces of oppression, stigmatisation, and discrimination, has driven the struggles for abolishing slavery, independence, and decolonisation, and has also featured prominently in the discourse on nation-building. However, over time this link between Africans on the continent and those in diaspora weakened considerably, owing to the relative shift in focus from topics that provided the momentum in its heydays, but not enough for either party to completely give up on the motherland.

Toyin Falola yet believes that Africas diaspora community has an important role to play in changing the situation on the continent. Hence the advocacy for a rekindling of the pan-Africanist ideal which retains the potential to whip up sentiments  on both sides  powerful enough to inspire commitments to change the status quo in the motherland. In several publications, Falola addresses a range of issues, covering African diaspora communities, the differences in their experiences, the impact of their experiences on their African-ness, how they perceive their African identity, the locations, growth/expansion of African diaspora communities, the perseverance of the African spirit in these communities, and how the wealth, ideas, and experiences of these communities can contribute to changing the African narrative for the best.

The University of Ibadan should be congratulated for this outstanding record. By persuading the humble Falola, based on his excellent record of research and originality, a distinguished career, and a remarkable academic achievement, to register as a student for a degree, was an honour to the university itself. However, we must plead with its authorities not to allow the D. Litt. to be corrupted by admitting people of mediocre stature. Should this happen, the University of Ibadan would have tarnished itself and Toyin Falola, who is now in the league of Wilmot Blyden, Cheikh Anta Diop, W.E.B. Dubois, and Ali Mazrui as the pantheons of African scholarship.

ADVERTISEMENT

Bridget A. Teboh is a Professor of History at The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, USA.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
It's been three years since Tamale-based musician, Fancy Gadam, saw four of his fans die in an accident and he says he has still not gotten over the incident.



The four were part of a large group of diehard fans who were at the Tamale Airport to welcome Nigerian artiste Patoranking for Fancy Gadams big concert at the Tamale Stadium. The incident led to the cancellation of the concert and a ban on events in the area for some time.



And speaking with Graphic Showbiz, Fancy Gadam said he was still haunted by the deaths.



Since the incident, I have been through difficult times including going through a lot of counselling. I had more than four counsellors talking to me for more than a year. Although I didnt fall into depression, I had so many things running through my mind and I dont think I can get over it and totally erase it from my mind, he said.



According to Fancy Gadam, who has been very quiet on the music scene for some time, he gave up on music but it took his management and some close friends to convince him to return.



I didnt want to have anything to do with music, the reason nothing has been heard from me in a while. I was still dealing with the situation and I wish it had never happened because I dont joke with my fans and seeing four of them die was a big blow to me, he said.



He explained that the persistent calls and messages from his fans about when he is coming back with a new song is the second reason he decided to come back to music.



These are fans who were there for me when I was nobody. They show me love every day and it will not be right for me to just forget about music and just leave them there but if I had my own way, I would just quit music for good and concentrate on other things, he said.



Asked when he is coming out with something new, Fancy Gadam, who has songs such as Formula, Total Cheat, Antidote, Ma Baby and Customer and has worked with musicians including Sarkodie, Medikal, Patoranking, Kwesi Arthur and Kofi Mole, said he is almost ready with an EP.



My EP is almost ready and the fans are going to love it. I took my time to work on the EP and trust me I have the best artistes featured on it. Coronavirus or not, I am going to break through this year, he said.

Source: Graphiconline.com









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

Featured Video
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi over Sino-India standoff

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, Feb 27: Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Sino-India border standoff on Saturday, charging him with being 'scared' of the eastern neighbour.

Before the stand-off at eastern Ladakh, where the disengagement process has been completed with the withdrawal of troops, weapons and other military hardware from the North and South banks of Pangong lake areas, the Chinese 'tested the idea in Dokhlam (in 2017),' he said.

Congress mocks Petroleum minister over his remark on fuel prices

'Essentially the Chinese occupied certain strategic areas in our country. They first tested the idea in Dokhlam.

"They tested the idea to see how would India react and they noticed India did not react. And then they carried out the idea again in Ladakh and also I believe in Arunachal Pradesh," he said.

Tamil Nadu elections 2021: AIADMK-BJP begin seat sharing talks

Launching his three-day tour of Tamil Nadu ahead of the April 6 Assembly polls, Rahul Gandhi, while interacting with advocates here, reiterated his 'hum do hamare do' jibe at the ruling dispensation at the Centre.

Speaking in detail over the border standoff, Gandhi said Modi's first reaction to the Chinese incursions was 'that nobody has come into India.' 'That indicated to the Chinese that the Prime Minister of India is scared of them. That is the message he indicated to the Chinese, that he is scared of them and the Chinese understood it.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 27, 2021, 16:21 [IST]
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 10:16:50|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

GABORONE, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi said Friday that the COVID-19 variant first detected in South Africa has been found to be the most dominant in the country.

Addressing the nation on the state of the pandemic, Masisi said research has indicated that 80 percent of local cases are of the variant first detected in South Africa, which is reported to be easily transmittable.

Botswana had closed borders with South Africa except for essential travel but reopened the borders in December 2020.

To curb the pandemic, Botswanan health officials have introduced a night-time curfew and banned the sale and consumption of alcohol.

In his address, Masisi said the curfew will be extended to March 31. Enditem
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
CALHOUN COUNTY, MI -- A Calhoun County sheriffs deputy was injured when a man trying to escape police knocked her down and smashed through a glass door at the Calhoun County Justice Center.

The deputy was knocked unconscious for a short period and was later treated at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital to have glass removed from her eye and to assess any other injuries.

Police said the trouble began when an 18-year-old man failed a drug screen at the Community Corrections office. He had been out on bond on a previous charge and the positive drug test violated his bond.

Police came to take him into custody.

The 18-year-old then fled deputies.

A longtime sheriffs deputy tried to stop him and the teen collided with her, briefly knocking her unconscious. He crashed through a glass door and, once outside, removed an electronic tether.

He didnt get far, however, and was taken into custody by Battle Creek police a few blocks away. He was taken to jail on initial charges of tampering with electronic communications, violating bond, malicious destruction of property, and resisting and obstructing a police officer causing injury.

More from MLive

Pizza delivery driver charged after veering toward group, striking pedestrian

Master sand sculptor creates amazing snow sculptures in his West Michigan yard
Christian magistrate fired for sharing views on gay adoption loses appeal

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

An appeals court has upheld the firing of a British magistrate for telling media that he believes adopted children are better off with a mother and father instead of same-sex couples. The Christian man says he will take his case to the Supreme Court.

Richard Page, who is from the Headcorn area of Englands Kent County, was suspended by the NHS in 2016, a year after he shared on national television his Christian views on parenting following a same-sex adoption case.

The basis on which he was dismissed was entirely lawful and involved no breach of his human rights, said Lord Justice Underhill of the Court of Appeal on Friday, according to BBC.

The extent to which it is legitimate to expect a person holding a senior role in a public body to refrain from expressing views which may upset a section of the public is a delicate question  The issue raised by this case is not about what beliefs such a person holds but about the limits on their public expression, the judge added, according to Christian Concern.

Lord Justice Jackson said Page was not free from bias. A child's future is to be decided on the evidence before the court and in accordance with the law ... It is not open to individual judges to superimpose their own beliefs, however sincerely held.

Page called it another deeply concerning ruling from the courts against Christian freedoms.

I intend to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, he said.

The Christian Legal Centre, which supported Page, also called it an unfair and chilling decision.

The judgment sends a direct message to Christian public servants that if they allow their beliefs to influence their decision-making while in public office, they must self-censor and be silent, and are ultimately unfit for that office, the groups chief executive Andrea Williams remarked.

Williams noted that this is the first time the Court of Appeal has endorsed the perverse distinction between unlawful discrimination for Christian beliefs and lawfully dismissing someone for offending an LGBT audience by expressing those beliefs.

This is simply an artificial way to exclude Christian beliefs from the protection of the law. Nobody would get away with applying a similar distinction to any other protected characteristic. You would not get away with dismissing a homosexual for coming out as a homosexual, and then saying: we duly respect your sexual orientation as long as you keep it to yourself, she added.

"This ruling provides a green light for employers to punish Christian employees who do not fall in line with and unquestionably support LGBT ideology."

Page had worked for the NHS for over two decades before becoming a part-time director in 2012. After his suspension, he reapplied for his role as a part-time non-executive director but was denied. In August 2016, Page was told that an NHS panel ruled that it was not in the interests of the health service for [him] to serve.

In October 2017, a three-judge panel at the Croydon Employment Tribunal ruled against Page, saying he wasnt turned away from employment because of his religious beliefs but because he voiced his religiously motivated beliefs on parenting on national television.

The role at the NHS wasn't the only thing Page lost because he voiced his beliefs. He also lost his position as a magistrate with the Maidstone and Sevenoaks courts because of his comments on television.

My responsibility as a magistrate, as I saw it, was to do what I considered best for the child, and my feeling was therefore that it would be better if it was a man and woman who were the adopted parents, Page told the BBC in 2015.

During his legal battle earlier, Page said in a video posted by the Christian Legal Centre that he was simply trying to glorify God.

Were not here to look after me, he said. I ask people to pray that whatever happens, it actually does glorify God.
I just have to try, Kavin told me. They work so hard. Theyre so selfless and so kind and so generous and so hardworking. And its heartbreaking to me to see people who give so much end up having to give away the store, so to speak. COVID has just brought out the best in people and the worst of tragedies, and I just want them to get through this.
FORMER NDP premier Gary Doer makes no apology for his governments decisions on Hydro mega-projects, including the location of Manitobas third power line, Bipole III.

FORMER NDP premier Gary Doer makes no apology for his governments decisions on Hydro mega-projects, including the location of Manitobas third power line, Bipole III.

A review released Friday, which was commissioned by the current Tory government, concluded billions of dollars in cost overruns and spiralling debt at Crown-owned Manitoba Hydro were caused, in part, by a lack of government oversight and overly optimistic sales predictions.

Doer, who was premier from 1999 to 2009, when Bipole III and the northern Keeyask dam were initiated, dismissed the reports conclusions.

"Im not worried about the politics," he said.

"People are smart. They know partisan politics when they see it. And they are smart enough to see when somebody makes a claim the sky is falling and their bills are cheaper than anywhere else in Canada, except maybe Quebec.

"Building the future is always controversial," he said.

The report was conducted by the former premier of Saskatchewan, Brad Wall, who led the right-leaning Saskatchewan party.

Doer said he believes building Bipole III in western Manitoba, versus eastern Manitoba, where the provinces two other transmission lines existed, was the right thing to do. The review criticized the decision, saying it led to a massive increase in cost and Hydro debt load.

Doer said in the 2007 election, he promised not to build the line through the boreal forest east of Lake Winnipeg.

Building the third transmission line away from the two other lines reduced the chance of a major storm cutting off all power to the province, he said.

"We had the reliability issue for 50 years with the two transmission lines being too close to each other and the converter stations going into one location," Doer said on Friday.

"We fixed it when we dealt with the new Bipole III. With the two transmission lines built together, that was the original sin. We dealt with it and it got done."

Doer noted a storm in 1996 did cause problems on both main transmission lines from northern generating stations. High winds toppled 19 towers on Bipoles I and II and forced Manitobans to reduce their electrical use for several days while the towers and lines were repaired.

"The minister of emergency measures in 1996, by the way, is the present premier (Brian Pallister) when the storm hit in 1996. Its easy to point fingers when you left an empty file."

As for relying on export sales to help pay the costs of building Bipole III, Doer says hes "guilty," and proud of it. "It helps offset the cost."

Doer pointed out even Manitoba Hydro came out in recent days confirming Manitobans pay some of the lowest electrical rates in Canada.

"The public is going to judge all the political stuff, including from the existing government, on the basis of three things: 1. What are my rates? 2. Whats the source of power? Manitobans like that we have renewable energy on our grid, unlike Saskatchewan and Alberta to a great degree, and 3. We now have reliability."

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  An official from the Philippine General Hospital, one of the first institutions to receive Chinas Sinovac vaccine, said only 12% of their personnel are willing to receive the shot.

As of last night sa mga 2,000 employees, healthcare workers, support staff ng PGH mga 12% lang po ang pumapayag na magpabakuna ng Sinovac, PGH Spokesperson Dr. Jonas del Rosario told CNN Philippines Newsroom Weekend.

[Translation: As of last night, of about 2,000 employees, healthcare workers, support staff of PGH, only 12% agreed to be inoculated with Sinovac.]

He added that rollout will still push through for these workers, while the remaining 88% will still be prioritized once another set of vaccine arrives.

Del Rosario said plans for the implementation of the program are still being finalized, and that a ceremonial vaccination will be held at the PGH on Monday. This may involve hospital personnel and members of the administration, he added.

On Sunday, 600,000 vials of CoronaVac are expected to arrive in the country that will be first administered to health workers in COVID-19 referral hospitals.

Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization to the said vaccine but warned that this may not be the best vaccine for health workers, especially those exposed to COVID-19 patients, given its 50.4% efficacy rate.

After further evaluation, the countrys health experts have agreed to recommend the use of the Sinovac vaccine for the said group since this will be the first ones to be available and to already give them the protection they need. However, they are given the chance to decide whether to receive it or not based on their risk assessment.

RELATED: Only health care workers can refuse Sinovac vaccine without losing priority status  Roque

Del Rosario assured that those who declined to receive the said vaccine will still be prioritized once another batch of vaccine arrives.

Moreover, he noted that those previously infected by the virus will not be prioritized in the administration of the vaccine since there is still no data on its possible effects to recovered patients since Sinovacs clinical trials did not involve such group.
TikTok software identified users' faces to let people apply special effects to videos, but also gleaned insights about age, gender and race for content recommendation and other features, US legal filings contended

TikTok has agreed to pay $92 million in a deal to settle a cluster of US class-action lawsuits accusing the video-snippet sharing platform of invading the privacy of young users.

A legal filing Friday in federal court in the state of Illinois urged a judge to approve the settlement, which includes TikTok being more transparent about data gathering and better training employees about user privacy.

The litigation combined 21 class-action cases taking aim at TikTok and its China-based parent company ByteDance.

"The TikTok app infiltrates its users' devices and extracts a broad array of private data including biometric data and content that defendants use to track and profile TikTok users for the purpose of, among other things, ad targeting and profit," Illinois attorneys said in a filing.

Attorneys estimated in a filing that the settlement would apply to 89 million TikTok users in the United States, with most of them eligible for pay-outs of 96 cents each if they all filed claims for settlement money.

TikTok software identified users' faces to let people apply special effects to videos, but also gleaned insights about age, gender and race for content recommendation and other features, legal filings contended.

Attorneys also accused TikTok of sending or storing data in China where its parent company is based.

TikTok has denied any misuse of data, saying it only uses anonymous markers to detect where faces are and left that data on users' devices, according to legal paperwork.

Attorneys told the judge that ByteDance had been motivated to settle due to pressure by US officials to sell TikTok.

The administration of US President Joe Biden has reportedly shelved a plan by his predecessor Donald Trump to require the sale of TikTok to US tech giant Oracle with Walmart as a retail partner.

Trump had aimed executive orders at TikTok and other Chinese online services allegedly posing security risks because of ties to the Beijing government.

A Trump administration move to ban downloads of TikTok had been stalled amid legal challenges.

TikTok, the wildly popular app with an estimated 100 million US users, has repeatedly defended itself against allegations of data transfers to the Chinese government, saying it stores user information on servers in the United States and Singapore.

Early last year, Facebook agreed to pay $550 million to settle a suit accusing it of gathering facial recognition data in violation of an Illinois privacy law.

Explore further US insists on need to ban TikTok

 2021 AFP
FINANCIERE DE TUBIZE SA/NV

Allee de la Recherche 60, 1070 Brussels

Contact: Anne Sophie Pijcke, directeur, aspijcke@financiere-tubize.be

Annual financial report 2020

Regulated information

27 February 2021

The board of directors of Financiere de Tubize has established the 2020 annual financial report. This report is available on the website www.financiere-tubize.be

Dividend received from UCB:  84,4 million (against  82.4 million in 2019)

Profit of  81,0 million (against  80.0 million in 2019)

Decrease of outstanding debt from  86.5 million at 31 December 2019 to  33,5 million at 31 December 2020.

If the general shareholders meeting of 30 April 2021 approves the 2020 annual accounts, including the proposed result appropriation, a dividend of  0,68 will be payable as from 6th of May 2021 onwards at the offices, seats and branches of BNP Paribas Fortis, in exchange of coupon n 16.

Ex-dividend 4 May 2021

Record date 4 May 2021

Payment date 6 May 2021

In addition, the company Other Look SRL (Ol2EF) represented by Mrs Anne-Sophie Pijcke has given its resignation with effect at the end of the Ordinary General Assembly on 30 April 2021. The new Director of the Company will, from that date, be the company ENRE SRL, represented by its director Mr. Eric Nys, whose head office is established Place Obert de Thieusies at 7830 Silly, which will carry out missions similar to those previously devolved to Ol2EF SRL.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Advertisement

Locked-down Britons ignored stay-at-home warnings and flocked to parks and beaches to bask in glorious sunshine today as the country's Covid figures continue to plummet.

A further 7,434 people tested positive for coronavirus today - down 28 per cent week-on-week and the lowest daily figure recorded since October 2.

Today's death toll of 290 marks a drop of more-than a third on the 445 recorded on this day last week, bringing the UK total to 122,705.

In another positive sign that Britain could be nearing the end of its pandemic nightmare, more than 19.6 million people have now had their first dose of the Covid-19 jab - a rise of 504,493 on the previous day, data up to February 26 shows.

As the daily figures continue to drop and the vaccination numbers creep closer to the Government's ambitious target, lockdown-weary revellers flocked to great outdoors in their droves today to enjoy Saturday's balmy 59F (15C) temperatures.

But it comes amid warnings from police and top scientists telling sunseekers to stay indoors as the 'battle' has not yet been won.

Police were out in numbers to urge revellers to follow lockdown guidelines - with Londoners claiming fines were issued for rule flouters.

And the warm weather is set to continue tomorrow, with temperatures hitting 57F (14C) in parts - before the mercury drops next week.

Dozens of Britons gather in a park in north London today after police yesterday urged people to adhere to lockdown rules

The mild and sunny weather expected over the weekend yesterday prompted warnings from several police forces, who urged Britons not to become complacent when following lockdown restrictions. Pictured: Exeter today

In another positive sign that Britain could be nearing the end of its pandemic nightmare, more than 19.6 million people have had their first dose of the Covid-19 jab - a rise of 504,493 on the previous day, data up to February 26 shows

Really officious police presence by Tower Bridge. A dozen policemen storming up to people who are simply sitting down.



Issuing fines.



One demanded to know if I (walking by myself) lived locally to the area. pic.twitter.com/PcN5ba04DD  Tom Harwood (@tomhfh) February 27, 2021

Sunseekers enjoy an outside beer in St Neots, Cambridgeshire today amid the warm February weather

Police move on members of the public as they enjoy the sunshine and mild temperatures on Wimbledon Common, South West London

Police officers stop to issue compliance letters to motorists travelling from afar to Sandhaven Beach in South Shields, South Tyneside

As the daily figures continue to drop and the vaccination numbers creep closer to the Government's ambitious target, lockdown-weary revellers flocked to great outdoors in their droves today to enjoy Saturday's balmy 59F (15C) temperatures. Pictured: Police officers issue compliance letters to motorists travelling to Sandhaven Beach in South Shields

Officers yesterday warned the public that they would be on patrol this weekend to ensure people were still abiding by the restrictions after huge crowds ventured out last week. Pictured: Police officers issue compliance letters in South Shields

Met Police's Royal Parks unit revealed they had ticketed at least 18 vehicles parked illegally in Richmond today as revellers flocked to the capital's green spaces

It came after the force's main Twitter page wrote: 'The sun has got his hat on this weekend! 'Whilst it can be tempting to head out and enjoy the weather, we all have a responsibility to follow Covid-19 guidelines. 'Please only leave your house if it is absolutely essential. Stay home, protect the NHS and save lives'

Police forces yesterday warned the public that they would be on patrol this weekend to ensure people were still abiding by the restrictions, with Sussex Police noting concerns over 'complacency' and saying on Twitter: 'Don't stop now'

Officers yesterday warned the public that they would be on patrol this weekend to ensure people were still abiding by the restrictions after huge crowds ventured out last week, with Sussex Police tweeting: 'Don't stop now.'

Journalist Tom Harwood shared footage of two police officers approaching him near to Tower Bridge in London today.

One asks 'what are you doing here', to which he replies 'I'm on a walk'. The officer then asks if he lives locally.

Sage scientist warns Britons may follow lockdown rules less strictly after getting the Covid jab Sage behavioural scientist Professor Susan Michie has warned people may follow the lockdown restrictions less strictly after getting vaccinated for coronavirus. Following a paper of hers being published by the Government advisory group on Friday, she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'The concern is that as the vaccination programme rolls out and more people are getting vaccinated themselves and seeing other people in their community getting vaccinated, that people may drop their guard.' She said evidence comes from Lyme disease and influenza vaccine rollouts where those vaccinated were less likely to adhere to preventative behaviours. In national surveys from December, some 29 per cent of people said that after getting vaccinated they would adhere less strictly and 11% said they would not follow the rules. Advertisement

Mr Harwood shared the clip to Twitter with the caption: 'Really officious police presence by Tower Bridge.

'A dozen policemen storming up to people who are simply sitting down. Issuing fines.

'One demanded to know if I (walking by myself) lived locally to the area.'

A Met Police spokesman said: 'Officers have been speaking to people in the area throughout the day, adopting the "Four E's" process of engaging, explaining, encouraging and then enforcing to take action against any rule breakers.

'Right now the restrictions have not changed and we must all continue to follow the rules to save lives and protect the NHS.'

Earlier today, Met Police's Royal Parks unit revealed they had ticketed at least 18 vehicles parked illegally in Richmond today as revellers flocked to the capital's green spaces.

It came after the force's main Twitter page wrote: 'The sun has got his hat on this weekend!

'Whilst it can be tempting to head out and enjoy the weather, we all have a responsibility to follow Covid-19 guidelines.

'Please only leave your house if it is absolutely essential. Stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.'

Deputy chief medical officer for England Professor Jonathan Van-Tam yesterday urged Britons not to 'relax' as the UK headed into the warm weekend, warning that 'this is not a battle that we have won yet'.

Addressing a Downing Street press briefing on Friday, he told the public 'do not wreck this now' as some areas of the UK are 'burning quite hot' in terms of coronavirus infections.

However, those hit by sunny spells gathered on busy beaches and parks to make the most of the sunshine today, with dozens of people seen on the Hove beachfront in East Sussex and in Greenwich Park, south east London.

The South of England and East of Scotland enjoyed the best of the mild conditions with wall-to-wall sunshine expected until Sunday, and highs of 59F (15C) and 57F (14C) forecast today in London and Aberdeenshire.

Those in Southampton and Norwich also basked in the best of Britain's warm weather, with the mercury reaching between 53F (12C) and 57F (14C) widely across the UK - after temperatures dropped as low as -4C overnight.

Open spaces were also busy with people doing their daily exercise, which is still permitted during the lockdown - before one-plus-one social meetings outside are allowed from March 8 and the rule of six outdoors from March 29.

England and Wales have enjoyed a very mild week for the time of year, with the warmth on par with Malaga and Barcelona as Suffolk recorded 65.1F (18.4C) on Wednesday - above the average maximum for May.

Meteorologist Tom Morgan today told MailOnline the UK will experience temperatures well above the average for February throughout the weekend, with highs of 53F (12C) and 57F (14C) expected widely across Britain.

The South of England and East of Scotland will enjoy the best of the conditions with wall-to-wall sunshine expected today and Sunday, and highs of 57F (14C) forecast today in London and Aberdeenshire

Hundreds of Britons gathered on the Hove beachfront in East Sussex today during the weekend of warm weather

People gather on the beach at Hot Walls in Old Portsmouth, Hampshire today as the weather remains warm over the weekend

Families enjoy the sunshine in Greenwich Park, south east London today as temperatures soar to 59F (15C)

He added the warm weather will end abruptly on Monday, when cold air rising from Scandinavia will bring temperatures back into single figures for much of the UK.

'It is relatively mild at the moment, we're still in winter and average temperatures tend to vary from around 9C in the South to 7C in the North. But by daytime today and tomorrow we'll be seeing highs of 12C and 14C so it should feel relatively warm for the time of year.'

Mr Morgan said it will still feel cold overnight with frosts expected in parts, adding a low of -4.1C was recorded in Benson, Oxfordshire overnight on Friday.

'Tomorrow will be the last day of mild conditions before temperatures fall,' he said. 'It will potentially get very cold by the end of this week, as cold air rising from Scandinavia bringing temperatures back to single figures for most of the country.'

Crowds gather in a north London park as Britons bask in the unseasonably warm February sun on Saturday

In north London, Britons were today seen laying out picnic blankets as they enjoyed a day in the Great Outdoors

The weather has been warmer than the average for May this week, with the mild temperatures expected tomorrow also

People gather on the Exeter quayside today amid Britain's warm weather which is set to continue until tomorrow

Paddle boarders take to the water in Stratford-upon-Avon to make the most of Britain's early Spring weather

Britons enjoy the warm weather by the quayside in Exeter, Devon today as the Met Office confirmed the weather is not set to last

Friends play with a rugby ball in the winter sunshine at Victoria Park, east London on Saturday afternoon

Britons play volleyball in the sunshine at Bute Park, Cardiff today amid the glorious weather which is expected to continue

People gather in Wimbledon Common, London to enjoy the sunshine today as Britain sees highs of 59F (15C)

Britons struggle to park outside Roundhay Park, Leeds as people make the most of the sunshine this weekend

People took to the beach at the Hot Walls in Old Portsmouth to soak up the last of the sun before the weather turns next week

The glorious weather expected over the weekend yesterday prompted warnings from several police forces, who urged Britons not to become complacent when following lockdown restrictions.

Sussex Police tweeted: 'Don't stop now!' The force added it was concerned that 'people may get complacent' after 'a long year of restrictions, falling infection rates, the vaccine rollout, better weather and the roadmap out of lockdown earlier this week'.

West Midlands Police said it was 'lovely weather for a walk' and thanked people in a wood for complying with the guidelines, while South Wales Police acknowledged it could be 'tough' to follow the rules in good weather.

Dozens of Britons gather by the waterside in Roundhay Park, Leeds as people make the most of the glorious sunshine

People queue for an ice-cream in Roundhay Park, in Leeds, as they made the most of the February sun on Saturday

Families enjoy the sunshine together in Greenwich Park, south east London as temperatures are set to hit 59F in London

Britons make the most of the sunny weather on Hampstead Heath, London today as the capital is expected to see temperatures of 59F (15C)

Britons on Hampstead Heath this morning ahead of a weekend of warm weather in London

People were out early in north London today as they made the most of the warm weather before it grinds to a halt on Monday

Met Office forecaster Aidan McGivern said today will begin with 'a few mist and fog patches' for England and Wales before transforming into a 'beautiful sunny day', with cloudy patches expected south of Cumbria.

He said: 'Temperatures reaching 11C to 14C, with warm spots in London and eastern Scotland.

The mild weather will continue into Sunday, when temperatures will drop slightly to highs of 55F (13C) following a morning of widespread low cloud, mist and fog for those in northern England and southern Scotland.

'However, by the afternoon most places will brighten up with long spells of sunshine for many and it's going to feel pleasant with light winds and temperatures once again widely above average,' Mr McGivern added.

Dozens of students gathered on the Exeter quayside in the city centre on Friday, drinking beer and cider

The young people were seen drinking tins of beer and cider as the sun set in Exeter, Devon on Friday

The gathering in Exeter came regardless of lockdown restrictions in England which prohibit large groups meeting

'I think 11C to 13C so perhaps a degree or so lower compared to Saturday.'

The warm, southerly airflow bringing the mild weather since the start of last week has also been responsible for dramatic, vivid red sunrises particularly in the East after blowing Saharan dust north from Africa.

The all-time monthly record temperature of 70.2F (21.2C) was set in London on February 26, 2019. The average UK daily high for February is 43.9F (6.6C), while the same figure for May is 58.6F (14.8C). Meteorological spring officially begins next Monday.

Ahead of the warm weather, Professor Van-Tam yesterday warned that coronavirus cases are rising in dozens of parts of England, with around one in five noting increases mainly in the Midlands and the North.

He has called for the UK to 'hold our nerve', adding: 'I do worry that people think it's all over. The more they think that when it's not, the greater the headwind they're going to give to the vaccine programme and the more at risk will become the milestones set on the road map.'

His 'sobering' warnings came as the latest data confirmed Britain's Covid outbreak is still firmly in retreat, with a catalogue of official figures piling even more pressure on Boris Johnson to relax lockdown measures sooner.

Department of Health bosses recorded another 8,523 coronavirus infections and 345 deaths  with both measures down by roughly a third week-on-week. More than 520,000 vaccines were also dished out, with nearly 19.2million Britons now vaccinated.

It comes after the deputy chief medical officer for England Professor Jonathan Van-Tam yesterday urged Britons not to 'relax' as the UK heads into a glorious weekend, warning that 'this is not a battle that we have won yet'

No10's top scientific advisory panel SAGE estimated the R rate  the average number of people each Covid patient infects  is still at the lowest level since records began in June, staying between 0.6 and 0.9.

Separate statistics from one of the country's most respected surveillance studies showed England's outbreak has nearly halved in size over the last fortnight.

Office for National Statistics experts estimated 373,700 people would test positive for the virus on any given day in the week ending February 19, or one in 145 residents. In comparison, the figure was almost 700,000 two weeks ago.

But a weekly report from a symptom-tracking app yesterday warned daily cases had risen three per cent in a week, to 9,545 in the seven-day spell ending February 21.

SAGE also estimated the R rate has crept up slightly in the South East, North West and the Midlands but insisted the figure is still below the crucial level of one.

Despite the troubling trend, one leading scientist urged Britons 'not to panic' because hospitalisations and Covid deaths were still falling  and said Number 10 was still on track to lift restrictions 'sooner rather than later' because the UK is in a similar position to last May.

Professor Tim Spector, the King's College London epidemiologist who is behind the app, added: 'The difference this time is, while the variants may be more infectious, we have a vaccine that works and the older age groups are largely protected.'
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
The work of revamping the states tax system, which has been going on for weeks behind the scenes, became public Friday when Senate President Page Cortez released an announcement signed by leaders in both chambers.

In the upcoming Legislative Session, beginning on April 12th, we are putting together a plan to fundamentally change our tax structure, the eight leaders wrote in a communal letter addressed to the people of Louisiana.

Were looking to do a package and to put forward an initiative, Cortez told reporters after Gov. John Bel Edwards administration introduced the executive budget proposal off which legislators will build the states spending plan for the 2022 fiscal year that begins July 1, 2021.

Cortez said legislators want to create a simpler system that makes taxes more stable and predictable.

A tax system revamp for Louisiana is in the works with one overall goal: lowering rates Though facing a nearly $1 billion revenue shortfall, a number of state lawmakers are putting together legislation that would restructure how L

Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday at a town hall sponsored by The Advocate / The Times-Picayune that he is open to revamping the tax system, which could include lowering income tax brackets. He added, however, that he would not allow any tax reform to create that structural deficit I inherited.

Changes to the tax system between 2006 to 2008 effectively lowered collections. But lawmakers refused to make corresponding cuts to popular services, leaving state government struggling to find enough money to pay the bills year after year. After a series of back-to-back-to-back special legislative sessions frequented with often bitter rhetoric, Edwards and legislators raised sales taxes and made fiscal policy changes to stabilize the states revenue picture.

Wall Street recently praised the efforts and improved the states credit rating.

Louisianas tax sticker price looks pretty high at first glance. But a passel of exemptions, credits and deductions trim what taxpayers owe to a fairly low amount.

For instance, Louisianas personal income tax rates  from 2% for taxpayers to 6% for taxpayers making more than $50,000 a year  ranks Louisiana 14th highest nationally. But after calculating the various tax breaks, the average amount paid by individual taxpayers puts Louisiana as the ninth lowest.

One such break allows higher income taxpayers, who file deductions on their federal income tax returns, to claim that amount and reduce what they owe Louisiana.

Political Horizons: The death of Vic Stelly reminds us of what might have been It was Vic Stellys wife of 60 years, Terry, dying only 14 hours after he, both of COVID-19 complications, that grabbed the attention of peopl

Only one other state allows a deduction for federal income tax deductions. Removal of that tax break, which will require a change to the state Constitution, would allow state government to collect hundreds of millions of dollars more.

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Cortez said the money realized from removing the federal income tax deduction can be used to lower the income tax rates.

Edwards said he is open to elimination of deduction of federal deductions on state income taxes.

The idea of updating the states tax system, removing special interest exemptions, and lowering overall rates has been on the table for years.

At the beginning of Edwards term in 2017, a blue-ribbon investigatory task force  manned by economists, academics, analysts, and bureaucrats  did a study and came up with a checklist of recommendations to reform Louisianas system. None of those ideas ever gained traction enough to become law because a number of lawmakers complained that no budget cuts were included.

Still, the way Louisiana taxes and collects over the years has been layered with dozens of novel solutions, sought mostly by special interests, that lowers the amount of taxes owed.

For instance, few states tax businesses on the inventory the companies have on hand. Louisiana does.

Inventory taxes, the business community claims, keep companies from moving here or expanding once they are here. It also is one of the key revenue sources for local governments.

Legislators a couple of decades ago came up with a work around for the inventory tax. Local government could still charge the tax, but state government would issue credits, essentially using state dollars to repay the business for what locals collected.

Legislators want to phase out the property tax on business inventory. Cortez says it can only be done if another source of revenue can be found for local governments.

Among the proposals that will be introduced for debate, according to the letter:

 Centralizing state and local sales tax collection. Louisiana is one of three states where local jurisdictions collect their own sales taxes.

 Reducing and simplifying the corporate franchise tax, which effectively charges companies for doing business in the state and calculated off net worth, rather than income.
It all started with a message on Facebook.

Steve Muschlitz, who owns a car dealership in Florida and founded the charity, Wheels from the Heart, which provides reliable vehicles for single mothers in need and their children, received a message from someone that he went to Harrisburg Academy with almost four decades ago asking if there is a similar charity in central Pennsylvania. A mother with five children between the ages of four and 12, was in need of a vehicle.

Muschlitz said he wasnt aware of a similar charity in the midstate so he got the ball rolling on Facebook. And before he knew it someone donated a van and someone else donated $5,000. And on Saturday morning at Harrisburg Academy in Wormleysburg, Muschlitz and members of the community came together to give the mother of five, Jessica from Steelton a new car.

But, it wasnt just a car.

After all, there a lot of things that are needed to operate a car. Members of the community also donated car insurance, car maintenance services, gas cards and car seats. The family also received gift cards to neighborhood grocery stores and restaurants, and boxes of food. The community also helped Jessica register the car. The school also gave the children scholarships to summer school at Harrisburg Academy and gift bags to all of the children. Middle and upper school students at the school held a Denim Day during which students paid one dollar to dress in comfortable clothes to raise money for local grocery, retail and gas cards.

Nothing is done by one person or one group, said Adrian Allan, Harrisburg Academy Head of School. This is the result of [the] Harrisburg community coming together as a whole.

Allen said that this is just one of a number of service projects the Harrisburg Academy students have been working on.

Its not enough to simply learn in the classroom setting but its how you make a tangible difference, he said. Its imperative that we immerse our students in a culture of caring and perhaps even more important  doing. It must become the fabric of who they are. In order to do it takes more than just desire. You have to have the necessary skills. You have to be able to make it work. Students need to be taught the skills to establish effective service projects. At Harrisburg Academy with the international baccalaureate program, these skills are actually taught as part of the regular program, the regular lesson. Its part of our curriculum. An important part of the mission of the educators of Harrisburg Academy and for our students is to make the world a better place.

This was the first time that Muschlitz, a 1982 graduate donated a car through his charity to a family in central Pennsylvania But overall, Wheels from the Heart, has donated 127 vehicles to help mothers get kids to activities, school, medical appointments and themselves to work, grocery stores and beyond.

To me the real pandemic today is a single mom, he said. They dont get the help they need and they cant do it alone.

And while this may be the first donation for Wheels from the Heart in the Harrisburg area, Muschlitz said he hopes it will be the first of many.

Owning a car is often the first step to financial independence for single mothers and their families, he said.

Jessica, who has two jobs, told the small crowd about some of her struggles over the years. But she was all smiles on Saturday morning when she received the keys to her new van, joined by her children as she thanked God and the community.

Im so grateful for all of you today, she said.

Those that are interested in making a contribution to help this family or to help other families in need of obtaining a vehicle can make contributions to www.wheelsfromtheheart.org.
Wicklow Municipal District will write to Wicklow's TDs, asking them to lobby on behalf of the planned greenway from Wicklow town to Greystones.

Irish Rail commissioned Arup to review the Irish Coastal Protection Strategy Study (ICPSS) and revise and forecast erosion rates for the coastline from Ringsend to Wicklow town.

Planned works from Greystones to Newcastle to Wicklow town, also taking in the Murrough, could cost up to an estimated 125 million and will have significant benefits for the existing railway line as well as for the Murrough and Broadlough.

Addressing Monday's monthly Wicklow Municipal District meeting, Wicklow Town Team chairman Dave Shannon asked that the District write to Wicklow's five TDs to encourage them to continue to lobby on behalf of the greenway.

'Wicklow County Council was unsuccessful in previous funding requests because the Department were waiting for the Irish Rail coastal erosion report, which is now available. Both Irish Rail and the Department of Transport look at it favourably. This is another step on our way to getting a greenway.

'I'm not asking for any Council member to endorse the greenway. I am just asking you to endorse and do everything possible so that the Department make the funding available for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and pre-planning. We will be able then to make an informed decision on what needs to be done when we have the study.'

Cllr Shay Cullen supported the proposal to write to local TDs and Minsters requesting their continued support for the project.

'We are at the stage now where we have a coastal erosion report,' said Cllr Cullen. 'The Murrough is in serious danger with every storm and increased coastal erosion. Now we need the EIS carried out as a priority. We need Irish Rail to get behind this. Even if we don't get a greenway, protecting the railway line is still paramount for the town. We need to look at how we can push this as a Municipal District.

Cathaoirleach of Wicklow Municipal District Cllr John Snell said: 'The greenway is vital to the county town and to the whole of the east coast. The coastal erosion study held us up a bit, but thankfully that has been released.'
Posted Saturday, February 27, 2021 8:41 am

U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler was already facing a backlash from fellow Republicans after breaking with most of her party and voting to impeach former President Donald Trump.

Then she ignited national news  and briefly scrambled the end of the Senate impeachment trial  with an explosive account of Trump's refusal to call off Capitol rioters during a phone call with House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy.

And now, pro-Trump forces are working to make Herrera Beutler pay.

In a recent interview with the far-right news site Newsmax, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski boasted the Trump organization will back a candidate to unseat the congresswoman, who "caused a lot of consternation lately."

Already, three primary challengers have declared against Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, who will be up for a seventh term in 2022. All are first-time candidates who argue she betrayed Republicans by voting to impeach Trump.

They are: Joe Kent, an Army Special Forces veteran and former CIA employee; Heidi St. John, a Christian author and homeschooling advocate; and Wadi Yakhour, who worked as chief of staff at the Selective Service System in the Trump administration.

Trump so far has not blessed any of them. But he is watching the race "very closely" and "there is a a strong chance he will endorse against Herrera Beutler if a good candidate emerges," a Trump political adviser said Friday. The adviser requested anonymity because he was not authorized to make a public statement.

Herrera Beutler declined interview requests for this article. Her campaign spokesperson, Parker Truax, said in an email the congresswoman is "focused on solving problems and improving life for Southwest Washington residents."

With his false claims of widespread voter fraud, Trump raised tens of millions of dollars after losing the 2020 election. He reportedly will work to oust Republicans, like Herrera Beutler, who backed impeachment.

The feud reflects the broader division in the Republican Party between those who still view Trump as the party's leader and those who want the nation's only twice-impeached president to fade away.

A Republican anti-Trump group has pledged to spend $50 million to defend GOP impeachment supporters. And some Herrera Beutler backers argue her independent streak has strengthened her support in Southwest Washington's 3rd Congressional District, where she was reelected last year with 56% of the vote.

David Nierenberg, a Camas investment manager and longtime Republican fundraiser, predicts Trump will have his hands full over the next two years with criminal investigations and looming debts, and that he'll only fall further out of favor, even among Republicans.

"I think Trump's support already has weakened, and I expect that with the passage of time it will continue to weaken," he said.

Herrera Beutler also may benefit from Washington's "top two" primary system, which puts every candidate on the same ballot regardless of party, said J. Miles Coleman, associate editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, the nonpartisan politics newsletter at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.

"I think it definitely plays to her advantage. I would definitely say if Washington had a closed Republican primary, that would be potentially very tough for her," Coleman said.

Still, Republican activists and organizations have made their displeasure with Herrera Beutler clear, complicating her reelection prospects. The state Republican Party last month formally rebuked her, as well as U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, who also voted to impeach Trump. Last week, the Clark County Republican Party also voted overwhelmingly to censure her for the impeachment vote

State GOP Chairman Caleb Heimlich said the party normally favors its incumbents, but will for now leave endorsements in the race up to local Republican groups.

Kent: Trump not to blame for insurrection

Kent, 40, said in an interview he hadn't planned on running for office until Herrera Beutler voted to impeach Trump, and then offered herself up as "a star witness" against him. "I've been a politician now for two weeks," he said.

In voting for impeachment on Jan. 13, Herrera Beutler said Trump "incited a riot" to halt "the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next." She said Trump failed to do anything meaningful to halt the Jan. 6 Capitol assault, calling his actions impeachable based on "indisputable evidence."

But Kent, who completed 11 combat deployments over two decades, denies that Trump was to blame for the Jan. 6 insurrection. He argues Trump had "no control" over the mob, blaming poor planning by Capitol security officials for the riot that left many lawmakers cowering in their offices and five people dead.

"I can't tell you how she was feeling in that moment," Kent said of Herrera Beutler. "I think there is a good chance that was the first stressful situation she's been in."

Kent said he supported Trump in part because of his efforts to draw down the U.S.'s endless foreign military deployments, which have taken a deeply personal toll.

Kent's wife, Shannon Kent, a Navy cryptologist who had served four stints in Iraq and Afghanistan, was killed by a suicide bomber in January 2019 while fighting the terrorist group ISIS in Manbij, Syria, leaving behind two young sons.

Kent met Trump when his wife's body was returned to the U.S., and says Trump spoke with him for more than 20 minutes, expressing condolences and asking his opinion on foreign deployments. He said he supports Trump's "America First" agenda, and that he experienced firsthand the contempt entrenched federal employees had for the former president when working for the CIA after retiring from the military.

Last week, Kent disparaged President Joe Biden and an administration official wearing a hijab in a tweet: "America: end our endless wars? Biden: Best we can do is a briefing with a woman in a hijab..."

The tweet referred to a media briefing featuring Sameera Fazili, an attorney and economic-development expert who serves as Deputy Director of the National Economic Council in the Biden administration.

St. John: 'I don't do the masks'

St. John, 50, is a Christian author, podcaster and blogger who advises women about marriage and parenting, and frequently warns of Satan's influence on the world.

In announcing her candidacy, St. John cited the "severe backlash from ongoing controversial decisions" by Herrera Beutler, which she said have "caused division within the party."

St. John declined interview requests, with an aide saying she was busy traveling to a speaking engagement.

In an Inauguration Day blog post, since removed from her website, St. John echoed Trump's false claims of election fraud, calling Biden's election "the greatest vote heist in American history."

A mother of seven, St. John views public schools as morally corrupted and urges parents to take their kids out of them. In a recent podcast, she advised parents not to allow children to have sleepovers with friends because "nothing good happens after 10 p.m."

At a meeting of the Clark County Republican Party last week, St. John painted a dark picture of America, saying the nation is "at war with ourselves" and "on the brink of collapse" due to looming Marxism imposed by Democrats.

"This is a battle for the soul of America," she said.

St. John also has rejected the response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a plot by political elites to damage Trump. In a Facebook video last month, she rejected mask mandates. "I don't do the mask. It's BS of the highest order," she said.

Yakhour criticizes Trump's critics

Yakhour, 35, the third challenger to emerge against Herrera Beutler, until recently served as chief of staff at the Selective Service System, which runs the nation's military draft registration system.

He worked under its then-director, former state Sen. Don Benton, who led the 2016 Trump campaign in Washington state.

A Navy veteran who also worked on the Trump campaign, Yakhour declined an interview, with a spokesperson saying he was busy moving back from the Washington D.C. area to the district.

In a video announcing his candidacy, Yakhour flashed photos of Herrera Beutler along with other Republicans who have criticized Trump, including Utah Sen. Mitt Romney. "They aren't willing to represent our most basic principles, let alone defend them," Yakhour said in the video.

The field of challengers to Herrera Beutler may grow.

State Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, said he has been asked by hundreds of constituents to run, but he's staying out of the race for now.

Walsh said he had "a frank discussion" with Herrera Beutler after she voted to impeach Trump. He said he was doubly puzzled when she went further and encouraged colleagues to testify about Trump's failure to rein in the Jan. 6 Capitol mob.

"I think the discontent is strong with Herrera Beutler. I am kind of getting the feeling it is not going to be short-lived," he said.
A graduate of Instituto Europeo di Design in Milan, Tomasetta has extensive experience in leather goods and accessories, having worked for numerous renowned fashion brands including Prada, Chloe and Louis Vuitton. Most recently, he was Creative Design Director Mens and Womens Leather Goods at Givenchy.

We are thrilled to have Marco bring his creative leadership and vision to Montblanc to accelerate its evolution as the Maison of Luxury Business-Lifestyle," says Nicolas Baretzki, Montblanc CEO. "Marco is an agile and dynamic innovator who is also committed to the value of fine craftsmanship and timeless design that have always been central to Montblancs identity. He understands the importance of overarching brand themes across all Montblanc categories, and I am looking forward to him working with our team to refine them in a compelling way. Even though our iconic emblem will remain at the heart of everything we do, we are committed to further breaking boundaries when designing products that appeal to both existing and new clients, mirroring their shifting lifestyles and needs.

Marco Tomasetta  Montblanc

I am excited to join Montblanc, a storied Maison known for its rich heritage and its uncompromising focus on substance through the design and functionality of its products," explains Marco Tomasetta, Montblanc Creative Director. "As a designer, writing and drawing are the starting points of any design process, which is why I was immediately drawn to Montblanc - fusing tradition with pioneering design. I am looking forward to collaborating with Nicolas and the team to chart a new creative vision for the brand that bridges icons like the Meisterstuck with new design concepts across product categories that will appeal to this new Montblanc Luxury Business-Lifestyle mindset. Furthermore, there is something incredibly meaningful about being assigned the task of fulfilling the Maisons goal of creating perfect companions that will grow with their owners and become part of their accomplishments.
Shimla, Feb 26 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Speaker Vipin Parmar on Friday convened a special Assembly session to condemn the Opposition's unruly conduct of 'gheraoing' the Governor Bandaru Dattatraya and termed it 'unprecedented'.

While starting the special session, the Speaker clarified that under rule 346, he has the power to call the session under special circumstances.

'It is unfortunate that the Guvnor had to face the Congress' protest and unwarranted behavior inside and outside the house today. The state assembly, since its inception, has never witnessed such an unruly behaviour by the its members,' he said. Terming the incident 'highly pathetic,' the Speaker said it should be condemned by one and all.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mr Suresh Bhardwaj then tabled a privileged motion under rule 319 of state Assembly seeking suspension of Mr Mukesh Agnihotri, Harshvardhan Chauhan, Surinder Kumar, Satpal Raijada and Veena Kumar for the remaining part of the budget session.

Speaking in favour of motion, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that it is first time under rule 346 that the Speaker has convened the session after adjourning it earlier in the day. He said that the way Governor was misbehaved with was highly uncalled for.

The Chief Minister said that the security staff and Governor's ADC were manhandled and misbehaved with when the Governor was moving outside the Assembly complex after giving his address. The Chief Minister said that the protestors also attempted to thump the bonnet of the Governor's car which amounts to security threat and action should be taken against the Cong members.

Mr Thakur, who was behind the Mr Dattatreya when he was leaving the Assembly, said that the Congress members and leader of Opposition tried to raise some issues during the Governor's address which is a breach of house rules.

BJP members Rakesh Pathania and Vidhan Sabha Chief Whip Mr. Narendra Bragta also criticised the incident.

The Speaker read the privilege motion in the house and said that he was also accompanying the Governor and witnessed the entire incident. He then put the privilege motion for the division of house and it was approved by the BJP members by voice vote.

The Speaker announced the suspension of Mr Agnihotri, Harshan Vadrhan Chauhan, Raijada, Surinder Kumar Thakur and Veena Kumar from the house till the rest of the day of this session.

UNI ML SB 1456



* Username

This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely!
The Perspective

Atlanta, Georgia

February 27, 2021

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID 19 as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). This eventually allowed the World Health Organization to play coordinating and advisory roles in global response mechanisms. A month later, on March 11, a pandemic was declared to over 118.000 cases of coronavirus illness in over 110 countries and territories worldwide, with more than 4300 deaths attributed to the disease. To date, the global statistics of the infection is 106 million, with the total recovered placed at 59.3million, while the death toll at current is 2.32million. Out of these statistics, Africa has so far recorded 3.5% of global virus cases and 4% of global deaths, according to Africa- Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC, 2020).



Even though the disease has not affected Africa as other places but the worsening economic conditions of most African nations could potentially place them at a disadvantage of acquiring COVID 19 vaccines, and the expectation for donor interventions remains a question to ponder.



Given the power dynamics surrounding medicines, especially the current pandemic, rich and powerful nations primarily address the challenges facing their people in receiving the vaccines. In contrast, Africa continues to play at the dictates of these nations. This probably gives annoying reasons why many would think that the future of Africa remains bleak, and the possibility of attaining our vaccines remains questionable. This worrying situation continues to undermine the global efforts against Coronavirus and several preventable diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, among others. Now, the question that one would ask is where does Africa stand amid the power dynamics with regards to COVID Vaccines?



The Saga- Doubts, Insinuations, and Rejection of COVID 19 Vaccines

It is emphatic that there are frequent doubts and insinuations about the vaccines' effectiveness given the timeframe used to produce those vaccines and the new strains that continue to emerge. Another argument that ensues is that the world has placed more attention on COVID 19 than other deadly diseases. In several regions across the continent, denial and aspersion against the pandemic's existence remain increasingly cumbersome. For instance, Tanzania has insisted the country is free from Covid-19 - so there are no clear plans for vaccination. According to BBC, since June last year, when President John Magufuli declared the country Covid-19 free, he, along with his top government officials, have mocked the efficacy of masks, doubted if testing works, and at the same time teasing neighboring countries that have imposed health measures to curb the virus. The President also warned - without providing any scientific evidence - that Covid-19 vaccines could be harmful and has instead been urging Tanzanians to use steam inhalation and herbal medicines, neither of which have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) as treatments or the Center for Disease Control.



Also, the Madagascar scenarios on COVID treatment only exacerbated the exponential increment of cases than expected. The herbal used for COVID 19 treatment has not proved effective. On average, the coronavirus cases have quadrupled in the past months in the Indian Ocean Island, with more than 13,000 infections and 162 deaths from which has spread to all of its 22 regions. Though several countries received the herbal treatment from Madagascar, yet on average, there is no scientific evidence pointing to the effectiveness of such herb in treating or preventing the virus. Liberia, for example, received a few boxes of herbal tea dubbed COVID organics. Yet, the health authorities cannot show how these treatments are scientifically administered. There is no scientific information about the effect of these treatments. These expressions could simply be pointed to conspiracy theories about outbreaks and global health threats because of a lack of trust from their governments.

On the other hand, many believe that Malaria has killed over (274,000) persons in Africa, representing 67% of global statistics, and it is yet to be systematically addressed. It is noted that malaria has more deadly consequences on Africans' lives than COVID and Ebola combined. The WHO African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2019, the region was home to 94% of malaria cases and deaths (WHO, 2020).



In the same year, six countries accounted for approximately half of all malaria deaths worldwide: Nigeria (23%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11%), United Republic of Tanzania (5%), Burkina Faso (4%), Mozambique (4%) and Niger (4%). Children less than five years of age are the most vulnerable group affected by malaria; in 2019, they accounted for 67% of all malaria deaths worldwide (WHO, 2020). Now, the question that resonates with the people is, has Africa done much in investing in scientific knowledge to address the dreadful impacts of Malaria and its related diseases?



Unfortunately, it is argued that most governments in Africa are bent on retaining and strategizing for political leadership rather than primarily addressing socio-economic issues like providing comprehensive healthcare delivery and improved living conditions as emphasized in the Sustainable Development Goals. There are more robust and powerful military institutions than strong and equipped medical institutions in Africa. Nigeria, for instance, is expected to spend a total of US$9.5 billion on its defense from 2018-2022 (Future of the Nigerian Defense Industry - Market Attractiveness, Competitive Landscape and Forecasts). While public spending on health care amounts to just 3.75% of its $495 billion GDP, according to the latest available figures from the World Bank. Despite these allocations on defense, the country is yet to be free from frequent insurgency orchestrated by terrorist networks (Boko Haram). These painstaking realities will continue to exist unless we underscore the necessity of investing in scientific work/research, or the continent's future will be at a critical juncture, if not bleak.



Africa We Want - Investing In Scientific Knowledge

One would dream of an Africa that will invest its abundant resources into building and strengthening a resilient healthcare system that prevents its people from life-threatening diseases. This requires health financing and strengthening the capacity of our institutions to respond to possible public health threats and to conduct scientific research by African scientists. Sub-Saharan African nations that receive massive support from development institutions should begin adjusting their national development agendas by giving priority to building comprehensive healthcare delivery. The Africa Center for Disease Control should advocate for resources to invest in medicine, both traditional and modern treatments that will be a beacon of hope for its underprivileged populations. Investing in good governance will similarly address socioeconomic conditions and rekindle the peoples confidence and ensure full compliance.



Conclusion

To date, the global statistics of the infection is approximately 106 million, with the total recovered, is 59.3million, while the death toll currently stands at 2.32million. Out of these statistics, Africa has so far recorded 3.5% of global virus cases and 4% of global deaths, according to Africa- Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC, 2020). Instituting lockdown across the continent has proved no scientific significance but to serve as a barrier to the socio-economic sustainability of poor and impoverished families that are in extreme poverty and hunger due to systemic corruption and income disparity. African governments have spent millions of dollars on military strategies, arsenals, coverts, and political alliances, while infant and maternal mortalities remain incremental. Simultaneously, life expectancy and the human development index are discouragingly appallingly, with the average life expectancy at birth from 2008  2018 was 61.27 years (H. Plecher, 2020). The way to resolve some of these challenges is that the continent invests in good governance, scientific knowledge, and economic sustainability by committing significant components of our natural endowments on health financing, research, and empowering our scientific communities. African institute for mathematical sciences, West Africa College of Physicians and Surgeons, will enable Africas youth, especially those in the sciences, to shape the continents future through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Also, as advanced by the International Economic Forum on Africa, vaccines should be considered global public goods. The international community must strive to ensure the equitable and timely distribution of vaccines against COVID-19 and enable 60% of the African population to be vaccinated. These steps are deemed necessary for policy actions by the African Union and African governments to be committed to ensuring outcomes and subsequent impacts.

About the author: Amara Quardu Muhammad Kamara holds double master's degrees in Development Studies and Project Management at Mount Kenya University, Kenya, and the University of Kigali, Rwanda. He can be reached at [email protected]
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) has instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to resolve the issue of dual citizenship.

NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said this at a briefing following a NSDC meeting on Friday, February 26, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to him, Russia at one time used the instrument of dual citizenship when our [former] SBU head, defense minister, interior minister, and General Staff chief were citizens of the Russian Federation.

"A similar situation exists in other countries, so today we have decided to instruct the Cabinet of Ministers to develop a bill that will allow us to clearly understand who has dual citizenship," he said.

At the same time, Danilov expressed his conviction that Ukrainians who have Russian passports in the temporarily occupied territories of Donbas and in Crimea will get rid of them when Ukraine regains these territories.

As Ukrinform reported, on May 19, the Verkhovna Rada withdrew from consideration the bill, No.2590, "On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Citizenship," which was planned to be considered in the first reading. According to Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the bill on dual citizenship submitted to the Verkhovna Rada was not considered because the Verkhovna Rada experts came to the conclusion that this issue could not be settled at the legislative level without changes to the Constitution.

ish
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
My constant, even daily, use of Zoom has given me several useless insights into human behaviour, perhaps not new ones, but ones that confirm what we do and are. (Representational Image: Twitter: @zoom_us)

They say all property is theft

Hence, I own nothing and am left bereft=

My ancestors were never Earls or thieves

And depending, then, on what one believes

About making it rich through toil and sweat

Its just not true -- so Ill place my bet

On Proudhon who formulated the phrase

With which Marx disagreed -- All praise, all praise!

From Dil Deykey Dildo by Bachchoo

To zoom, a dictionary will tell you, is to travel fast or rise quickly and perhaps noisily. It must have been, I thought with some irony, that the principal instrument I seem to use to confer with anyone in the lockdowns of the plague year was called Zoom. One goes nowhere.

If it is, as I suspect, not a Chinese but an American device, there was probably no ironic intent in naming it. After all, 74 million Americans dont care whether a person is a self-obsessed habitual liar, misogynist, racist, fraudster, rabble-rousing insurrectionist, anti-democrat and fantasist, they still want to make him President. Not very high on the irony scale, then.

But one must admit that Americans are good on the onomatopoeic front. It was their popular and renowned form of literature, the comic, which gave us words for violence. I suppose bang bang may have preceded Amerigo Vespuccis discovery of Trumpistan and may have been imported, perhaps from Ireland, but adding Chitty Chitty to it was a stroke of genius attributed to the USA. But I digress.

What I meant was that the comics gave us words for fisticuffs such as sock and pow. Who cant see in their minds eye the spiked splatter of a powerful punch from Superman or Batperson landing on the villains skull as this nasty individual tilts away from the vertical? The words inside the spiked bubbles or splashes, giving visual form to the impact of fists, arent exactly onomatopoeic, as a punch sounds more like phut --but pow packs imaginative power.

So, gentle reader, Zoom, as the name of a device by which you connect to anyone (who has an appropriate electronic device, of course) anywhere in the world, may be a word that is supposed to and successfully conveys the speed of contact between stationary persons -- two or a full screen of them.

If Indians had invented the ethereal conversation device and needed an onomatopoeic name for it, they would probably have called it Dhishoom, because as far as I know its the only sound word that we have invented. It is of course Bollywood for the sound of a gun going off, and there are always two shots fired so it becomes Dhishoom! Dhishoom! The precedent is the Western bang bang -- because if its just the one word, it could merely stand for the slamming of a door. I venture to speculate that we would have called our communication device Dhishoom because having invented the word, we use it as the name of a chain of very good British restaurants. Thats not supposed to represent the explosion of your stomach when you eat there.

My constant, even daily, use of Zoom has given me several useless insights into human behaviour, perhaps not new ones, but ones that confirm what we do and are. It has also reinforced my self-consciousness in a not terribly positive way.

You see, Zoom forces you to see yourself as you speak to others and, depending on the strength of echo in your device, you can even hear yourself speak and, like me, be rather surprised at your lamentable accent, the slight lisp you hadnt noticed before and the stupid fumbles and pauses you thought others made but which your fluency was free of.

And then theres appearances, of course. Before a Zoom call, I check my hair and brush it this way and that. My creeping baldness (a family inheritance which, as they say, looking on the bright side, allows more space for rude tattoos) and the fact that I havent had a haircut since the lockdown began does funny things, in my self-conscious perception, to my appearance. The hair in the centre of my head insists on standing upright, as though I was auditioning for the role of TinTin from the French comics.

I used to despise the self-deceivers who brushed their hair forwards to hide their baldness, but now find myself wondering, comb in hand at the mirror, whether its a good strategy. Its not.

Gentle reader, in my job as a teacher, and then in my short and happy life as an agitator and pamphleteer, I have addressed countless classes, assemblies and audiences. I never began with the old opening: unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, but perhaps should have.

Zoom has demonstrated to me that any conceit I cultivate about my ability to present an argument is precisely that. I have now taken a vow during the Christian Lent to begin speaking on Zoom with that precise and modest caveat. Watch that screen!

Zoom gives one an insight into the rooms that your zoomists work or speak from. The convention is to have a bookshelf or some dignified piece of art behind you, but that may only be true of the people I associate with or speak to or watch on a televised Zoom. I wonder if others have dirty pictures or washing hanging up behind them as they interlocute.
The Ministry of Health's leaders inspect necessary procedures before injecting the vaccine to candidates. (Photo: VNA)

Long An - Nearly 300 volunteers in the Mekong Delta province of Long An are set to receive injections of Nano Covax in the second-stage human clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate from Vietnam.

The Ministry of Health began the second phase of human trials at the healthcare centre of Ben Luc district on February 26.

The volunteers, chosen from more than 800 people who registered to take part, consist of two age groups: from 18 to 60 and over 60.

They will receive two doses of either the vaccine or the placebo AIPO4, with an interval of 28 days. Each volunteer will be monitored for 12 months after the first dose.

Volunteers receiving jabs on the morning of February 26 will receive the second dose in late March.

The research outcomes of these second-phase trials will be available in late April.

The second stage human trials of Nano Covax are also underway in Hanoi.

Developed by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC and the Hanoi-based Military Medical University, Nano Covax is Vietnams first COVID-19 vaccine to reach the human trial stage.

According to a representative from the university, a total of 560 volunteers, including those with other ailments such as hypertension or diabetes, among others, will participate in the second-stage trials in both localities.

Lieutenant-General Do Quyet, Director of the Military Medical University, said that since the trial is seeing the participation of volunteers with underlying health conditions, relevant authorities are prepared for all possible scenarios and will ensure the safety of all volunteers.

The first-stage trial of the Nano Covax vaccine showed that it is likely to be effective against the B117 variant from the UK.

Vietnam is one of 40 countries and territories in the world to have begun human trials of a COVID-19 vaccine, after successfully producing coronavirus test kits early in the pandemic.

The country also has other COVID-19 candidate vaccines being developed: IVAC from the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals, VABIOTECH from the Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No 1, and POLYVAC from the Centre for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Authorities in Las Vegas arrested a Cleveland man wanted in a July 2020 homicide, the U.S. Marshals Service in Cleveland said.

Marshals in Las Vegas arrested Nayshun Washington, 26, Friday night. Investigators learned he left Cleveland and went to Las Vegas. They were originally tipped off that he was staying in one of the hotels on the Las Vegas Strip.

They later found him on South 7th Street near Charleston Boulevard, the release says. Washington will remain in Clark County Jail until he is transferred back to Cleveland.

Washington is accused of shooting and killing 32-year-old Ervin Walker on July 13, 2020, near East 65th Street and Dibble Avenue in Cleveland, the release says.

The men got into an argument and Washington shot Walker several times in the chest, the release says.

Walkers mother ran down her street and found him lying in the road, barely able to speak, police said. Neighbors told police they heard fighting followed by five gunshots.

He died on Aug. 6, 2020 of complications from the gunshot wounds, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner.

Diligent work by investigators here in Cleveland and in Las Vegas led to this fugitive being taken off the streets before any further violence can be committed by him in any city, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said in a press-release statement. Our task forces will continue to work day and night across the country to keep our communities safe.

Read more crime stories on cleveland.com:

Cleveland police arrest suspect in shooting on Case Western Reserve University campus, school says

Grand jury to consider charges against Cleveland man accused of carjacking Fairview Park resident at gunpoint

Two boys charged in fire at historic Elyria commercial building due in court Monday, records say

Pursuit of stolen car ends with 3 suspects in custody in East Cleveland

Stow police seek suspect in armed robbery of 7-Eleven
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 16:20:38|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

William White Buffalo of Cree Nation poses during the Native Indian Pow Wow as part of the annual Talking Stick Aboriginal Arts Festival in Vancouver, Canada, on Feb. 23, 2014. (Xinhua/Sergei Bachlakov)

As a matter of fact, when anti-China forces in Canada poured dirty water on China, they probably forgot their own dark record of human rights. And they should have well looked in the mirror before they slandered China's human rights development.



BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Canada's House of Commons recently adopted a motion concerning China's Xinjiang, seriously distorting facts and wantonly attacking China's Xinjiang policy. The move is a gross interference in China's internal affairs and a malicious provocation against the Chinese people.

Some Western countries like Canada by no means care about the well-being of the people in Xinjiang. Their true intention is to hinder the development of Xinjiang under the pretext of human rights, but will never succeed.

As a matter of fact, when anti-China forces in Canada poured dirty water on China, they probably forgot their own dark record of human rights. And they should have well looked in the mirror before they slandered China's human rights development.

In the 1870s, the Canadian government put assimilation of aboriginal people on its official agenda, and implemented a policy of cultural extinction against aborigines through the establishment of boarding schools.

A native Indian girl participates in the 27th annual Squamish Nation Pow Wow in west Vancouver, Canada, Aug. 29, 2014. (Xinhua/Sergei Bachlakov)

Aboriginal school-age children were forcibly taken away from their families, forced to convert to Christianity, and banned from using indigenous languages. This policy lasted for over a century, during which many children involved were sexually assaulted, beaten to death.

After years of intensive research, Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission reached a conclusion in 2015 that the country's former policy of forcibly putting aboriginal children into boarding schools can best be described as "cultural genocide."

Moreover, the progress in human rights development in Canada has been slow. In 2008, when the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Canada, among only a few countries, voted against it. It was not until the year 2016 that Canada removed its objector status to the declaration.

So far, the Canadian government has not yet solved the aborigines' problems including their low education rate, high unemployment rate and high crime rate. The average life expectancy of aborigines is nearly 10 years lower than that of other groups. The employment rate of the aboriginal group is less than 60 percent, and their income is also markedly lower.

Native Indians participate in the Day 2 of 25th annual Squamish Nation Pow Wow in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 7, 2012. (Xinhua/Sergei Bachlakov)

Between 1980 and 2015, thousands of indigenous women and children went missing or were murdered, and many of these cases have remained unsolved. A report released in 2019 concluded that decades of missing and murdered indigenous women amount to a "Canadian genocide."

Nowadays, systemic inequalities and racism still exist in Canadian society. Polls show that more Canadians see racism as a serious problem in the country. According to research from Statistics Canada in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians with Asian backgrounds are far more likely to report noticing increased racial or ethnic harassment in their neighborhoods.

Judging by the dark history of Canada, some Canadian politicians should better keep the label of "genocide" to themselves.

Across the world, there is no one-fits-all path for human rights development. These Canadian politicians should stop being human rights hypocrites, reflect on the country's own human rights situation, and focus on improving the livelihood of the Canadian people rather than indulging in speculation and prejudice against other countries.

After all, smearing others will not help solve their country's own problems. And the mask of a hypocrite will be pulled down someday. 
(Photo : From Paint) SolarWinds Executives Blame Intern for Leaking Password 'solarwinds123' Leading to Largest Security Breach in US

UPDATE: TechTimes has been contacted by a third-party spokesperson from Goldin Solutions clarifying "SolarWinds has determined that the credentials using that password were for a third-party vendor application and not for access to the SolarWinds IT systems. Furthermore, the third-party application did not connect with the SolarWinds IT systems. As such, SolarWinds has determined that the credentials using this password had nothing to do with the SUNBURST attack or other breach of the company's IT systems."

----

ORIGINAL STORY:

Several current and former top executives over at SolarWinds are now blaming a certain company intern for what was called a "critical lapse" in the company's password security that actually went sort of undiagnosed for a number of years. The supposedly leaked password was "solarwinds123" and was discovered back in 2019 on the internet by a particular independent security researcher that had warned the company regarding SolarWinds file servers being exposed.

How did SolarWinds get hacked?

Several U.S. lawmakers were ripped into the whole SolarWinds password issue in a recent joint hearing by the official House Oversight and Homeland Securities committees. The comments made by representative Katie Porter noted that she had stronger passwords than the basic "solarwinds123" to stop her kids from watching excessive YouTube on the laptop. She then noted that the company was supposed to be leading in the prevention of Russians from reading the Defense Department emails!

According to the story by CNN, Brad Smith, Microsoft President, who had also testified at the hearing, noted that there is actually no evidence that the United States pentagon was affected by the supposed Russian spying campaign. Microsoft is also one of the many companies that have led the forensic investigation into the whole hacking campaign.

What did the SolarWinds hack do?

Smith then told Porter that there is no indication to his knowledge that the official DoD was breached. The SolarWinds representatives told the lawmakers that as soon as the whole password issue was reported, it was then corrected in just a number of days. An article by Business Insider, however, still notes that a number of critical data were exposed.

However, it is still unclear as to what extent the leaked password enabled Russian hackers to access in order to spy on a number of federal agencies and businesses in what was known as one of the biggest security breaches ever in the history of the United States. Hackers had reportedly hidden a malicious code within the software updates and pushed it to about 18,000 customers as well as federal agencies.

Read Also: SolarWinds Breach: FireEye Discovers More than 25 Firms Compromised

What is SolarWinds attack?

Former SolarWinds CEO Kevin Thompson noted that the whole situation was a mistake that an intern had made. He even noted that the intern "violated" the company's password policies and had proceeded to post the password on their private Github account. He then noted that the company proceeded to take everything down as soon as the issue was identified.

There were no explanations as to why the company's technology would allow for this type of password. The current SolarWinds CEO, Sudhakar Ramakrishna, later revealed that the password had actually been used since early 2017.

Vinoth Kumar, the researcher responsible for discovering the leaked password, noted to CNN that it had been accessible ever since June 2018. SolarWinds and Kumar's emails show that this password allowed Kumar to secretly log in and successfully upload files on the company's critical server.

Related Article: SolarWinds Hack Update: Software Company Confirms No Products Were Affected; Here's Why It Was Breached

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian Buenconsejo

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Gunmen killed 36 people in two attacks in northern Nigeria on Wednesday, a day after insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades amid worsening security facing Africas most populous nation, officials and residents said.



The series of attacks by armed bandits occurred over the past 48 hours with 18 people killed each in villages of Kaduna and Katsina states and several others injured. The assailants burnt down houses, displacing the villagers.



Hundreds of people have been killed in northern Nigeria by criminal gangs carrying out robberies and kidnappings.



Such attacks have added to security challenges in Nigeria, which is struggling to contain Islamist insurgencies in the northeast and communal violence over grazing rights in central states.



The latest attack comes less than a month after President Muhammadu Buhari replaced his long-standing military chiefs amid worsening violence, with the armed forces fighting to reclaim other northeastern towns overrun by insurgents.



Last week, unidentified gunmen killed a student in an attack on a boarding school in Nigerias north-central Niger state and kidnapped 42 people, including 27 students.

Source: reuters.com









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

Featured Video
Tammy Hembrow's romance with boyfriend Matt Poole is going from strength to strength.

And on Friday, the 26-year-old gave her beau, 32, a kiss after taking part in the gruelling Nutri-Grain Ironman race in Kingscliff, on the NSW north coast.

She flaunted her sensational figure in a beige bikini as she waited behind the barricade for her boyfriend to meet her.

His number one fan! On Friday, bikini-clad Tammy Hembrow gave her boyfriend Matt Poole a kiss after he took part in the gruelling Nutri-Grain Ironman race

The elite athlete wore a bright green vest and looked very focused during the race.

After crossing the finish line, he spotted the blonde bombshell in the crowd and she was quick to get her arms around her man to give him a big smooch.

He appeared to be exhausted from the completion and rested his head on the railing.

Kiss: After crossing the finish line, he spotted the blonde bombshell in the crowd and she was quick to get her arms around her man to give him a big smooch

Deep breaths: He appeared to be exhausted from the completion and rested his head on the railing. She beamed proudly and appeared to give her beau a pep talk after his race as he caught his breath

She beamed proudly and appeared to give her beau a pep talk after his race as he caught his breath.

Tammy has been in Kingscliff this week, supporting her beau as he takes part in the Nutri-Grain Ironman series.

The fitness mogul debuted her relationship with surf lifesaver Matt in September during a trip to the Whitsundays.

That month, Matt also made his debut on his girlfriend's YouTube channel, admitting in a Q&A video that he'd been the first to say 'I love you'.

Eyes on the prize: During the race, the elite athlete wore a bright green vest and looked very focused

'I did. I am obsessed,' Matt said, before Tammy explained how he had confessed his feelings after they'd 'had a little fight' on holiday.

'We had a little fight over nothing, and then when he was trying to make up with me and apologise, he told me he loved me,' she said with a smile.

He runs a popular restaurant on the Gold Coast called Maman Bar and Kitchen.

The pair met at an event in Bali in 2019.
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
Beyond barbecues and ceremonies: Recognizing Memorial Day

For many, Memorial Day weekend is about gathering with family and grilling or attending a parade. Some find a more personal way to honor the holiday.
The pattern showing up is much, much more of what I expected in late February through March after an expected rough patch of potential ice storm, a snowstorm & cold in mid-February (with tie or exceedance of coldest of the winter). I did think early February would be warm & wet before that cold, ice & snow risk, however.

______________________________________________________________________________

Wabash River is expected to exceed flood stage now per NWS hydrologist forecasts.



The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a

* Flood Warning for

the Wabash River at Lafayette.

* From this afternoon to Wednesday afternoon.

* At 5:30 AM EST Saturday the stage was 10.1 feet.

* Flood stage is 11.0 feet.

* Minor flooding is forecast.

* Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage late

this afternoon to a crest of 12.1 feet Monday evening. It will

then fall below flood stage early Wednesday morning.

* Impact...At 12.0 feet, High water affects a few low river cabins

and county roads.

Thoughts are that Wabash will also exceed Flood stage in southwestern Fountain County, though Flood Warning has not been issued yet.

_______________________________________________________________________________

After clearing trend for chunk of area & 52-62 today, lows tonight will only drop to 45-53 with showers developing. A couple isolated t'showers are possible. Showers will taper by noon Sunday.

Some fog is possible Sunday morning.

Some partial sun is possible at times Sunday midday-afternoon.

Cold front will then pass early to mid-afternoon & temperatures will begin to fall with wind shift to northwest.

Temperatures will fall from highs of 52-63 from northwest to southeast.

0.15-0.65" rainfall is expected from northwest to southeast.

We will monitor to see if any showers or t'showers can form on the actual cold front midday to afternoon. It is not completely out of the question, but for now there isn't enough evidence to add that to the forecast. We will monitor.

Torrential, flooding rainfall is expected over the southern parts of the state to Kentucky tonight-Sunday from heavy, training t'storms.

Band of +4" of rainfall is expected.

From deep snow & ice to severe weather & warmth........some severe weather risk will occur south of our area this evening-tonight-tomorrow morning with even the risk of a couple/few isolated tornadoes.

The trend is to shift much of the rainfall south of the area Tuesday & even Thursday-Friday, bringing flooding to the same areas over & over. That area would be northern Arkansas to southern Illinois & Indiana & Kentucky to southern Ohio, West Virginia & Maryland.

Another 1-3" of rainfall is possible in that same zone Tuesday & Thursday after the flooding rainfall of tonight-tomorrow.

Here, it appears Tuesday may end up dry & Thursday night-Friday showers look quite scattered with rainfall amounts less than 0.25". We will monitor.

Cold shot should be over the Northeast with some record cold possible in New England.

It sure looks like 70 to the 70s March 9-11 time frame followed by showers & storms!

CIPS analog shows severe weather risk probability really going up during this time, largely south & southwest of the area, but this will expand northeastward with time.

These are probabilities for at least 10 reports of severe weather within 110 km of a grid point:

March 14-15 looks very warm with 70s & showers/storms risk! The March 14-15 shows the highest potential of getting some severe weather risk in here. Parameters suggest MARGINAL to SLIGHT RISK.

CIPS analog supports model analysis & my own analogs on early start to spring in the Midwest & East with warmth & cold in the West with active storm track in the middle with frequent bout of storms from eastern Oklahoma & Arkansas to the Midwest & Ohio Valleys.

These are analog probabilities of +3" of rainfall in the roughly March 9-12 time frame. Note the spots from southwestern Indiana & southeastern Illinois & then the South from Tennessee to the Gulf Coast.

Warm, spring weather will dominate in the first week of April with warmth in the Plains & eastward & cold weather in the West.

This is a good set-up for severe weather from the Mid & Lower Mississippi Valley to the Midwest & Ohio Valley, including our area.

An early-season 80 is possible here with even a couple nights with lows only in the 60 to 65 range..

Much warmer than normal here for mean temperature in early April:

It looks wetter than normal here as well.

The dryline should set up more from Kansas City to Tulsa than farther west due to drought penetrating eastward.

Droughty, hot weather will dominate the South as subtropical ridge leads to drier, very warm weather, which may extend as far north as Massachusetts & Maine.

Repeated rounds of showers & storms are possible in our region with warmth.

Vegetation should advance substantially late March to early April here (perhaps two weeks ahead of normal schedule).

This earlier-than-normal vegetation advancement makes us vulnerable to freeze damage, but like 2010 (one of the analog years), it does not look like a situation we had last year. Last year we had foliage & flowers on trees damaged or wiped out twice by near/record cold in April & early May.

The leaves on our tuliptree here at the house were completely wiped out & browned TWICE..... The tree was then set back & stressed to such a degree as to not see it reach full-foliation until late May. It took a lot of energy to re-foliate twice!

Wetter than normal here in early April:

We will likely get a cool-down right after April 10, but it does not look particularly damaging. However, frost & light freezing will be possible.

Warmth & wetness with severe weather risk should ramp up after that & last through late April to early May.

May should dry out by mid to late month overall with early arrival of summer heat.

Heat & dry weather will set in during June, setting the stage for a hot, dry summer. However, opportunities for a derecho, "Ring of Fire" MCSs & tropical moisture may give some relief from the drought if we play our cards right.

The first 100s in the area since 2012 are still expected.

Drier than normal weather & warmer than normal weather is expected through Fall overall (though tropics will be monitored for rainfall effects here).
For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe.

Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime.


Apple founder Steve Jobs (file photo) Croma, Indias first omnichannel electronics retailer from the Tata Group today announced the launch of its #AppleYou&Croma programme to commemorate the birth anniversary of Apple founder Steve Jobs. Starting February 26, customers can indulge in a truly complete experience of all things Apple' across all 180 plus Croma stores and on its website croma.com. Bringing together the whole Apple eco-system under one roof, providing expert advice to help make an informed decision, curating the best deals & offers, are just some of the benefits of this programme at Croma. With this programme, Croma seeks to plug a very evident gap in the purchase experience of consumers, who are increasingly expressing great interest in the range of products by Apple but lack thorough guidance. The lack of expert guidance during purchase and an unclear understanding of the benefits of integrated devices among consumers is one of the key reasons for Croma to launch this programme in association with Apple. The experience is complemented by amazing offers across Apple product categories. Croma with its exclusive curated offers, brings to you exciting offers that will make buying the whole Apple eco-system seem like a cake walk. On buying 2 Apple devices, customers can avail of an additional 5% Off on the second device, on buying 3 or more, customers get an additional 10% Off -- you buy more, you get more! That's not all, customers can avail of a 24 Months No Cost EMI and up to a 45% of assured buy back when they buy the latest iPhone.There are multiple offers, on other product categories such as iPads and MacBooks as well. Commenting on this exciting new partnership, Ritesh Ghosal, CMO, Croma said, " Apple as a brand takes pride in the eco-system it has created to offer its customers a seamless and secure connected experience. While Croma has long been a preferred destination for people interested in buying Apple products, we believe this unique virtue of Apple is still not fully appreciated. Through the Apple, You and Croma programme, we are partnering with Apple in bringing alive this connect securely and seamlessly for our customers". Customers can now have their best Apple experience coupled with amazing deals, all under a single roof at their nearest Croma outlet or on croma.com till March 7, 2021.





TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Labour and Social Development Minister, and Chairman of the National Childhood Committee, Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, today paid an inspection visit to the Child Protection Centre in Manama.

The visit is part of the ministers follow-up on the centres efforts to deal with cases of abuse, violence or negligence that children may face.

The minister is also keen to verify the quality of the services and procedures in place to protect children, treat them and reintegrate them into society to lead a normal life, within a secure family environment, being as an inherent right guaranteed to them in the kingdom.

The minister affirmed the Labour and Social Development Ministrys keenness to develop the professional efficiency of the Child Protection Centre, as part of its efforts to implement the provisions of Law 4/2021 on the promulgation of the Corrective Justice Law for Children and their Protection from Ill-Treatment, ratified and issued by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

He indicated that the centre provides protection for children from ill-treatment in the family and society, as well as raises awareness on ways to protect children and support their rights, in cooperation with the competent entities.

The minister was informed about the mechanisms to follow up on the situations of children who have been subjected to ill-treatment. The centre receives complaints through the toll-free hotline (998).
The Apprentice star Lottie Lion has claimed her life was ruined by the BBC show and left her resorting to meeting men on a sugar daddy dating website.

Following her much-publicised stint on the programme, which she admitted wreaked havoc with her mental health, she was driven to attempting to maintain her lifestyle by seeking older men who were 'set for life'.

The 'villain' of the 2019 series confessed that she joined Seeking Arrangement after splitting from an older man who had treated her to lavish holidays and 'paid for everything' as she wanted to maintain her lifestyle.

However, the former business analyst, 21, ultimately left the site and had to contact the police after receiving 'threats and harassment.'

Online: Lottie Lion reportedly resorted to meeting men on a sugar daddy dating website to maintain her lifestyle, after claiming her appearance on The Apprentice wreaked havoc with her mental health

Lottie - who made headlines for using 'inappropriate' racist language towards her Apprentice rival Lubna Farhan - told The Sun on Saturday that the coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on her finances.

As a result, she joined the sugar daddy website in the hopes of funding her luxury lifestyle, and getting a 'bag or holiday'.

She explained that the idea of joining the website came to her after splitting from a partner in his mid-30s who had discussed using sugar babies in the past.

The TV personality revealed that he'd often whisked her away on trips while covering all the costs, saying their relationship was 'sort of like' a sugar daddy/baby dynamic.

Jet-setter: The 'villain' of the 2019 series confessed that she joined Seeking Arrangement, and developed a relationship with a sugar daddy who 'paid for everything'

Lottie also admitted that even at the age of 18, she has never dated someone under the age of 26, as she left home at an early age and had to grow up fast.

The controversial contestant said she is now drawn to 'mature men' who have life experience and success to their name .

However her decision to seek out older, established men backfired as she said to the publication: 'Since The Apprentice I was wary in case someone recognised me, and that is what has happened.

'I was approached by a man who seemed charming, very chatty and interested in getting to know me.

'After that, its so hard to talk about, suffice to say I wont be on there any more. Ive had threats, harassment and had to speak to police.'

Lottie revealed she has struggled to stay afloat during the pandemic after constantly applying for jobs and being forced to rely on income from influencer work and savings.

Shocking: However, the former business analyst revealed she left the site and had to contact the police after receiving 'threats and harassment'

Lottie believes the downwards spiral of events was influenced by her appearance on the BBC One show, as she claimed producers contacted her to check her welfare, but it was too little to late.

The former librarian admitted her mental health has been suffering since appearing on the business competition, and resulted in her feeling like she couldn't 'carry on' anymore and taking breaks from social media to 'detox'.

She declared that the hit BBC programme should increase the minimum age of participants to 21, following the backlash she faced.

Lottie also claimed that she was made to take on a persona for her stint on the show, saying she asked to be called Charlotte but producers wanted her to be Lottie.

The TV personality alleged that TV execs preferred the sounds of 'Lottie Lion the Librarian' and she was so keen to take part that she went along with the idea.

MailOnline have reached out to BBC for a comment. While an Apprentice spokesperson told The Sun that candidates' wellbeing 'is of paramount importance.'

Crisis: Lottie believes the downwards spiral of events was influenced by her appearance on the BBC One show and believes the minimum age for contestants should be raised to 21

Lottie was caught up in reports of behind-the-scenes race rows and homophobia during her time on The Apprentice.

She is said to have referred to another contestant - Lubna Farhan - as 'Gandhi', telling her to 'shut up', adding 'Ill f**k you up' and threatening her with an 'upper cut to the jaw'.

Lottie was also accused of making homophobic remarks about gay candidate Riyonn Farsad.

She was consequently banned from The Apprentice sister shows You're Fired and You're Hired.

And last May Lottie apologised after she took to Instagram live and referred to Lord Sugar as an 'actual racist'.

Live on the wine: Lottie apologised after she took to Instagram live and referred to Lord Sugar as an 'actual racist' back in May

The former contestant took part in an online chat with fellow ex-candidate Ryan Mark Parsons , where she threw shade at the former Amstrad boss, as well as another of last year's stars Jemelin Artigas.

Three sheets to the wind on wine, Lottie mocked Venezuelan-born Jemelin's accent and said: 'If were going to talk about f**king racists, lets talk about Lord Sugar. Hes an actual racist!'

However, she and Ryan Mark later told MailOnline: 'We impersonated various candidates from The Apprentice on our Instagram live on Friday. We are aware one candidate has taken offence and can only apologise.

'Our intention was to lighten the spirits of our fans, through dancing, singing and answering questions about The Apprentice.'

According to a video sent to Jemelin and shared by her to Twitter, Lottie said of Jemelin  who moved to the UK when she was 16-years-old - that she is 'the most illegitimate person I think I know'.

Beef: The former contestant, who made headlines in 2019 for allegedly making racist remarks herself, threw shade at the former Amstrad boss

Faux pas! Ryan Mark appeared to gasp at this, to which Lottie waved around her wine glass and blamed it on the booze. 'Thats what happens when I have too much wine!' she joked

She then appeared to impersonate her Venezuelan accent, saying: '18 years ago I moved to this country and its like I didnt even speak the language, all I did was clean toilets.'

Bristolian Lottie then added: 'Its like, darling, we all started from nothing  I started from nothing.'

Ryan Mark appeared to gasp at this, to which Lottie waved around her wine glass and blamed it on the booze.

'Thats what happens when I have too much wine!' she joked.

Her Lord Sugar comments were a reference to his Twitter post in 2018, when he shared a photo of the Senegal football team during the World Cup, and compared them to people who sell goods on the beaches of Marbella.

He was forced to apologise and remove the tweet at the time, which read: 'I recognise some of these guys from the beach in Marbella. Multi tasking resourceful chaps!'
'End of the road': Episcopal Church officials react to losing $100M property dispute with breakaway diocese

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Officials in The Episcopal Church are reacting to the United States Supreme Court opting to not reverse a decision granting a breakaway diocese $100 million in church properties.

In a list of orders released Monday, the Supreme Court declined, without comment, to hear the combined cases of All Saints Episcopal Church v. Diocese of Fort Worth and The Episcopal Church et al. v. Diocese of Fort Worth.

As a result, an earlier decision from the Texas Supreme Court in favor of the breakaway Anglican diocese will be allowed to stand, with a lower court judge tasked with implementing it.

Bishop Scott Mayer of the Episcopal diocese said in a statement released earlier this week that while he was disappointed with the Supreme Court decision, we live in hope.

I ask for your prayers and urge us all to stay focused on the saving gospel of Jesus Christ and on our mission and ministries in the days ahead, stated Mayer.

In the wake of this decision we remain committed to preaching the gospel as we celebrate the sacraments, care for those in need, and strive for justice and peace.

The statement included a letter from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, head of The Episcopal Church, expressing his sorrow and disappointment that the Texas Supreme Court decision will stand.

We are today the Episcopal branch of that 1st century Jesus Movement. You, dear people of God, are those baptized and committed to this Jesus and his way of love today, Curry said.

This is nothing less than following Jesus in the work of Gods mission for the sake of the world. And what was true for them in the 1st century is true for us in the 21st.

Katie Sherrod, the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worths communications director, told Episcopal News Service that eight congregations will be looking for new houses of worship due to the decision being allowed to stand.

They have found places to thrive, but they had to start over with nothing, said Sherrod, adding that when it came to the court case, this is effectively the end of the road.

In 2008, a majority of the Fort Worth diocesan leadership voted to leave The Episcopal Church due to differences stemming from the denominations increased acceptance of homosexuality.

The leadership opted to join the more theologically conservative Anglican Church in North America, with litigation ensuing over the dozens of church properties owned by the diocese.

In 2018, the Fort Worth Court of Appeals ruled in favor of The Episcopal Church, arguing that the national denomination rightfully held the ownership of the properties.

Individual members of a parish may decide to worship elsewhere; a majority of individual members of a parish or diocese may decide to do so, stated the ruling, in part.

But when they leave, they are no longer Episcopalians as identified by TEC; they become something else. And that something else is not entitled to retain property if that property, under the terms of the deed, is held in trust for a TEC-affiliated diocese or congregation.

However, in May 2020, Texas Supreme Court partially reversed the earlier ruling against the breakaway group, citing changes made to the dioceses constitution and canons in 1989.
Joaquin Phoenix and his fiancee Rooney Mara looked every inch the doting first-time parents as they returned to their Santa Monica home on Friday.

After running errands as a family-of-three, the 46-year-old Oscar winner could be seen cradling his precious baby boy River.

Keeping a low profile, the Joker star wore a black t-shirt, matching beanie, sweatpants and a face mask amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Proud dad: Joaquin Phoenix and his fiance Rooney Mara looked every inch the doting first-time parents as they returned to their Santa Monica home on Friday

The back of his sweatshirt read: 'Save animals, bear witness, go vegan.'

Mara, 35, who gave birth to their son in September, rocked a striped shirt, beige cardigan an Converse sneakers.

Earlier in the day, she was responsible for holding their infant, who was dressed in a green and purple tie-dye shirt and striped pants.

Quality time: After running errands as a family-of-three, the 46-year-old Oscar winner could be seen cradling his precious baby boy River

As they walked across the street, Phoenix stayed close to Mara's side as she toted a large bag and kept her brown tresses in a low bun.

They both wore sunglasses to block out the California rays as they enjoyed the warm weather.

Phoenix wore a pair of white headphones around his neck and looked relaxed with one hand in his pocket.

Family-of-three: Keeping a low profile, the Joker star wore a black t-shirt, matching beanie, sweatpants and a face mask amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

The couple welcomed their son last fall, naming him after Joaquin's late brother River Phoenix, who died at 23 years old in 1993.

Director Victor Kossakovsky spilled the beans at the 2020 Zurich Film Festival in September, after a screening of the film Gunda, on which Joaquin served as executive producer.

He slipped in the news during a Q&A, after he was asked how he got the new dad involved in the film: 'He just got a baby by the way... A beautiful son called River.'

First-time mom: Mara, 35, who gave birth to their son in September, rocked a striped shirt, beige cardigan an Converse sneakers

Paying tribute: The couple welcomed their son last fall, naming him after Joaquin's late brother River Phoenix, who died at 23 years old in 1993

Sunny day: Earlier in the day, she was responsible for holding their infant, who was dressed in a green and purple tie-dye shirt and striped pants

River died at the peak of his career, with memorable roles in Stand By Me (1986), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Gus Van Sant's My Own Private Idaho (1991) already under his belt.

In September, Joaquin opened up about his late brother's legacy in a rare interview with Anderson Cooper for 60 Minutes.

The actor said: 'I feel like in virtually every movie that I made, there was a connection to River in some way. And I think that we've all felt his presence and guidance in our lives in numerous ways.'

Growing family: The animal rights advocates live in the Hollywood Hills with their two dogs Soda and Oskar, and their engagement was confirmed in July of 2019, a few months after she was first spotted wearing her engagement ring (pictured in November, 2013)

Gone too soon: River died at the peak of his career, with memorable roles in Stand By Me (1986), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Gus Van Sant's My Own Private Idaho (1991) already under his belt

They subtly confirmed the news of their firstborn's arrival in November, when they mentioned him in an op-ed for People about the migrant children crisis.

Rooney began dating her Her (2013) costar in late 2016, and they later starred together in Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot and Mary Magdalene, both of which premiered in 2018.

The animal rights advocates live in the Hollywood Hills with their two dogs Soda and Oskar, and their engagement was confirmed in July of 2019, a few months after she was first spotted wearing her engagement ring.

Beloved brother: Joaquin opened up about River's legacy in September: 'I feel like in virtually every movie that I made, there was a connection to River in some way. And I think that we've all felt his presence and guidance in our lives in numerous ways' (pictured in 1985)
A groom has asked his best friend to propose in the middle of his wedding reception, saying it added to his 'special and magical day'.

Sydney man Laiven Bene said when he married his wife Catrin on November 15 last year, he wanted to make the day extra memorable.

The newlyweds have defended the decision after receiving 'stupid' backlash when they posted a video of the romantic moment on social media.

A groom has allowed his best friend to propose in the middle of his wedding reception, saying it added to his 'special and magical day'. Pictured: The bride handed her friend a bouquet of flowers before she was proposed to

Mr Bene told Daily Mail Australia he planned the proposal because he 'wanted to do something special and different' during their wedding reception.

His friend asked for his girlfriend's hand in marriage during the bouquet throw, the bride spinning her friend around to show him on one knee with a ring in his hand.

The engaged couple are tying the knot in two months.

After posting the video on social media, Mr Bene was surprised to receive backlash from women who said the proposal 'wrecked' the wedding.

Sydney man Laiven Bene said when he married his wife Catrin on November 15 last year, he wanted to make the day extra memorable. Pictured: Mr Bene's best friend proposing

'You wait your whole life for the perfect wedding day just for someone else to make it about them, I'm a good friend but I would never allow this,' one woman wrote.

'If anyone does this on my wedding I'm throwing hands,' another remarked.

Mr Bene said the moment was 'magical' and the pair were 'more than happy to give two minutes out of our night to our bestmates.'

Others were more supportive of the decision.

'This is so beautiful and so selfless,' one said and another commented they would do the same thing for their best friend 'in a heartbeat.'
slide 2 of 6

ASTRO member and actor Cha Eun Woo posted the "b cut" shots on his Instagram on Feb. 26. In the photos, Cha Eun Woo expresses various emotions.
Like rape, the sad case of harassment in politics isnt about sex, but about power. The Prime Minister and senior ministers have been under fire in question time, as the Opposition seeks to score political points by focusing on trivialities of timing around Brittany Higgins alleged rape. But who knew what and when is immaterial. Attitudes to sex and power are the substance of this story.

To begin with, it helps to understand why women often feel unwelcome in Parliament House. One reason is often, ironically, the long overdue attempt to increase the number of women in the ranks.

As a quick primer for the uninitiated, political parties of all stripes are comprised of factions. The factions come together around principle  more or less  and vote together within the party to influence policy and select political candidates. Despite former prime minister Malcolm Turnbulls claim that the Liberal Party does not have factions, it has three: the Moderates, the Right and the Centre Right. The Labor Party has the Left and the Right faction. Even the smaller parties, like the Nationals and the Australian Greens, have factions  but I wont bore you with details.

Former Labor MP Emma Husar says men call the shots in the powerful NSW Right faction. Credit:James Brickwood

Ian McAllister, professor of Politics at the Australian National University, makes a strong case for the positive contribution factions can make to politics. They help governments maintain an internal contest of ideas that can replace the two-party system during long periods of incumbency. Seen through this lens, factions have a lot going for them.
Virginia recently became the first Southern state to abolish the death penalty. Its an enlightened public policy decision that should inspire Pennsylvania to do the same.

Death obviously is irreversible, yet death penalty prosecutions are no less immune from errors, and worse, than any other type of prosecution. Over the last 50 years, 182 people awaiting execution have been exonerated, often after serving decades in prison. These are not cases of procedural errors, but cases in which the convicted person did not commit the crime.

Some of those cases were resolved by advances in DNA analysis. In several cases, key prosecution witnesses against the accused turned out to be the murderers. In many cases, intrepid work by volunteers proved misconduct by prosecutors, often involving withheld evidence.

Given that an average of four death-row inmates a year are exonerated, it is probable rather than likely that innocent people have been executed  the ultimate miscarriage of justice.

The death penalty cannot be equitably enforced as required by the U.S. Constitutions mandate for equal justice under the law. Different prosecutors in different jurisdictions have varying policies about its application. Poor defendants are particularly susceptible because they cannot afford their own lawyers. That is a particular problem in Pennsylvania, shamefully the only state that does not help counties pay for public defenders.

And there is no evidence to suggest that the death penalty fulfills the reason for its existence  deterrence.

Pennsylvania has executed three men since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976, and has not executed anyone since 1999, while 149 men remain on death row. Gov. Tom Wolf placed a moratorium on executions in 2015.

The death penalty is a barbaric anachronism, putting the United States and Pennsylvania in league with some of the worst regimes on the planet.

This isnt a question of whether a particular criminal deserves to die for a heinous crime. Its a question of a moral and just society.

Pennsylvania lawmakers should prove that the commonwealth is one of those by ending the death penalty in favor of life imprisonment without parole.

GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy to Democrats: Pelosi Subway or Students Mental Health?

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said his party is going to introduce a motion to recommit in order to force Democrats to go on record to show if they support $140 million from the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus relief package going to Nancy Pelosi subway or instead to resources for kids who are suffering from school closures because of COVID.

Id like to announce today House Republicans will be introducing a motion to recommit that will bolster the resources families can access to help their children cope with the emotional effects of school closures, McCarthy said during a weekly press conference Friday. To do that, our proposal would shift the first 100 millionand now the extra 40 million that was added overnightthat was allocated to Nancy Pelosi subway to grants that would be used for mental health for children.

The motion to recommit is the last chance for the House to affect a piece of legislation before passage, either by amending the bill or sending it back to the committee.

According to a 2016 Congressional Research Service report, The motion to recommit is often referred to as the minoritys motion, because preference in recognition for offering a motion to recommit is given to a member of the minority party who is opposed to the bill. The stated purpose of giving the minority party this right was to allow them to have a vote upon its position upon great public questions.

For many, it has been a year of spiraling into depression. According to Virginia Pediatrics Association, pediatricians have seen a 90 percent plus increase involving, depression, anxiety, and academic struggles, said McCarthy. Through most of 2020 pediatric emergency admissions for the mental problems like panic and anxiety was up by 24 percent for young children, and 31 percent for adolescents.

McCarthy said in his own California district, current behavioral health data shows that since the pandemic started, there has seen an increase in calls about students who are suicidal.

The city of San Francisco in February asked a judge to order the immediate reopening of schools for in-person learning, saying the continued closure violates childrens constitutional right to attend and is contributing to a mental health crisis.

Public schools in the California city have been shut down for in-person learning for nearly a year despite being allowed to resume such classes since fall 2020 and officials say those in the education arena lack a viable reopening plan.

The continued closure is catalyzing a mental health crisis among school-aged children, asserts an emergency motion filed by City Attorney Dennis Herrera, quoting Dr. Jeanne Noble, director of COVID Response for the UCSF Emergency Department.

In attached declarations, doctors attest to a significant increase in children of all ages showing up at hospitals and other health facilities with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

On Feb. 12, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stated that reopening schools as soon as possible is a priority.

It is critical for schools to open as safely and as soon as possible, and remain open, to achieve the benefits of in-person learning and key support services, the CDC said in a statement.

During an interview with CBSs Face The Nation on Feb. 12, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky was asked about the long-term mental health impact of school closures, to which she emphasized the importance of school reopening as soon as possible.

We are absolutely worried about all of the collateral damage that we are going to see, not just mental healthof course, mental health, but not just mental health, Walensky said. Loss of educational milestones, food insecurity that has happened with our schools being closed, which is why we were really prescriptive with this guidance to- to provide states and localities with the information that they need so that they can open safely. Its really a road map to really try and get those schools back open.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Posted Friday, February 26, 2021 4:36 pm

Rep. Kirsten Harris-Talley, D-Seattle, often sees her grandmothers features when she looks in the mirror. She thinks of how her grandmother, a woman of color, experienced systemic racism and fought for a better life despite societal barriers in rural Missouri only a few generations before Harris-Talley.

Harris-Talley told the House of Representatives Feb. 25 she supported Juneteenth as a state holiday because of the existence of structural racism in the country today. She said what may seem like a simple acknowledgement could go a long way in building an antiracist society, one she wants her own two children to grow in.

We need to sit with those realities and have reflection on how we give service to addressing racial inequity and injustice, she said.

June 19th took one step closer to being recognized as a state holiday after the House of Representatives voted 89-8 Feb. 25 in favor of Juneteenth, the day most African American enslaved people learned of their legal freedom. HB 1016 marks one of several attempts this session to address the lasting, systemic effects of slavery and racism in the country.

The time is now. This bill is more than just about a holiday, said the bills primary sponsor, Rep. Melanie Morgan, D-Tacoma. It is about true recognition and acknowledgement that chattel slavery did happen in this country.

The law garnered support from both Democrats and Republicans, though some Republican lawmakers took issue with the fiscal impact of the bill, which would cost the state around $7 million of paid leave for state employees to take off work June 19.

Morgan said she understood the fiscal impact, but mentioned the country and Washington state in particular benefited from more than $3 trillion made off the backs of enslaved people.

Its not even close to the real cost of racial injustice, she said.

After then-President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in September 1862, news did not spread to Southern plantations for more than two years. It wasnt until June 19, 1865 that many enslaved people learned of their legal freedom.

Rep. Mike Volz, R-Spokane, supported the bill, saying he considered himself a history buff but was surprised at how little he, and many Washingtonians, knew about this historic day.

Its important to acknowledge the fact that Americans came together  white and black  to work to free the slaves, Volz said.
Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com and Israeli Aerospace Industries

Cargo carriers and e-commerce giants are buying up aging airliners and turning them into cargo jets.

Israel Aerospace Industries is one conversion firm that the likes of Amazon have entrusted with their planes.

The process can take up to around 120 days, and slots are booked years in advance.

Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.

A unique fleet of aircraft is fueling the explosive growth of e-commerce as consumers turn to online shopping during the pandemic and retailers promise faster-than-ever delivery times.

And while air travel remains signifcantly lower due to COVID-19, some former passenger aircraft are avoiding early retirement by finding a second life moving cargo. Logistics giants, meanwhile, are using the airline industry's downturn to grow their fleets by acquiring aging passenger aircraft for a fraction of what they'd sell for new.

Amazon, for example, bought 11 Boeing 767-300ER passenger aircraft from Delta Air Lines and Canada's WestJet in January for cargo conversion. While the pandemic had rendered the planes obsolete for flying passengers, they're now prime candidates to fly packages instead.

But converting a passenger plane into a cargo carrier isn't as easy as just taking out the seats. The aircraft also needs to be extensively retrofitted to handle the inanimate payload. It's months-long process currently can only be done by a handful of firms around the world, and the conversion can often cost as much as the planes themselves.

Luckily, business is booming.

Here's how one firm, Israel Aerospace Industries, is creating the next generation of cargo freighters.

Israel Aerospace Industries has been converting passenger jets to freighters for four decades now, starting with the iconic Boeing 747.

A Boeing 747-400BDSF cargo plane. InsectWorld/Shutterstock.com

Over the years, the firm has grown to become the go-to for converting some of Boeing's most-popular aircraft including the 737 Classic, and the 767-200.

A Boeing 737-200 freighter. Thiago B Trevisan/Shutterstock.com

But the main focus for newer customers like Amazon are the Boeing 737 Next Generation and the Boeing 767-300ER.

Story continues

Converting a Boeing 737-800 to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

It starts with an airplane. The customer first sends the aircraft details, including the serial number and information about the onboard systems to the firm, where a new design is crafted.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

And upon arrival, the entire interior is stripped so that engineers can rebuild with a clean slate.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

"Actually we are opening the aircraft," Yossi Melamed, general manager of the Aviation Group of Israel Aerospace Industries, told Insider, "taking everything out."

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. RONEN ZVULUN/Reuters

Passengers seats, for example, are no longer needed on these planes and are removed.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Amir Cohen/Reuters

The cabin floor is then removed and replaced with a reinforced structure that allows the aircraft to handle the weight of the cargo pallets, and allows for easier loading as rollers help guide and move the pallets.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Another key differentiator between a cargo plane and a passenger plane is the cargo door, located on the side of the fuselage. Engineers start by cutting out a section of the fuselage.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Then a "plug" is installed in its place.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

And the cargo door is installed.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

The aircraft has to be held in place while the fuselage modifications are made to ensure it doesn't twist.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Without the door, the aircraft would be limited to carrying only small packages and pallets.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Engineers then go to work on the aircraft's systems.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Some cargo carriers are opting to install a modern cockpit for the Boeing 767, for example.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. RONEN ZVULUN/Reuters

Windows are also covered as there are no passengers.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. RONEN ZVULUN/Reuters

And a rigid barrier is installed to protect the cockpit from the cargo in the back.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Amir Cohen/Reuters

Once all the modifications are complete, the aircraft is cleaned and washed while paperwork is completed behind the scenes.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

The newly-converted aircraft then takes flight to test its airworthiness in the new configuration, followed by delivery to the customer.

Converting a Boeing 737-800 to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Some newly-converted freighters will have a trace of their former life. This aircraft once flew for American Airlines, for example.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

The conversion process takes, on average, around 100 days. But if a customer chooses to have the firm handling extra work like maintenance and painting, it can take as long as 120 days.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. RONEN ZVULUN/Reuters

Israel Aerospace Industries has completed over 700 of these conversions on a wide range of aircraft from business jets to passenger jets.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Melamed estimates that between 60%-70% of Amazon's Prime Air fleet is comprised of aircraft converted by his firm. "I want to believe that Amazon is trusting us and we are trusting them," Melamed said.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Aircraft are converted at three of the firm's sites around the world in Israel, Mexico, and China. Another location is slated to open this year, though the location remains a secret. The company plans to have seven sites by 2024.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Melamed is confident that the demand for freighters will only grow in the next few years as commercial passenger flights, which also carry cargo, took a big hit during the pandemic.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. RONEN ZVULUN/Reuters

"[Freighters] kept the world moving when all the commercial passenger business was down," Melamed said.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

But even once the pandemic ends and traffic returns to 2019 levels, Melamed believes that freighters will continue to be in demand as the amount of freight that needs to be transported across the globe increases.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Israel Aerospace Industries is also leading the charge on a new freighter plane, the cargo variant of the Boeing 777-300ER, nicknamed the "big twin." It will be the largest twin-engine Boeing cargo plane when it flies.

Converting a Boeing 777-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

"I would say that it's the best candidate to be converted after the 747," Melamed said.

Converting a Boeing 777-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Read More: Boeing just announced the definitive end of the legendary 747 as cargo giant Atlas Air places an order for the final 4 planes

So why don't airlines just buy new aircraft? It comes down to how cargo airlines utilize their freighters.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

A new aircraft flying for Delta Air Lines or American Airlines might be flying all the time while a Boeing 767 for Amazon might rest longer in between flights, also known as having a low utilization rate.

A Delta Air Lines Boeing 767. Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/Getty

It makes more economic sense to spend less on aircraft with low utilization rates, just like a commuter wouldn't want to have a Mercedes as a station car.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

And of course, boxes don't care if they're flying in a new Boeing 767 or a 30-year-old Boeing 767.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. RONEN ZVULUN/Reuters

A 767 conversion can cost as much as $13-$14 million, according to Chris Seymour, head of market analysis for Cirium. That's around as much as a used 20-year Boeing 767 in "superb" condition might cost.

An Amazon Prime Air Express Boeing 767-300F cargo plane. Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

Read More: The airline industry's loss is Amazon's gain as the e-commerce giant purchases 11 Boeing 767 airliners to use as cargo planes

And of course, there's the maintenance issues associated with purchasing an older aircraft.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. AMIR COHEN/Reuters

But even if a company spends $30 million in total on acquisition, conversion, and maintenance costs, it's still cheaper than paying the current list cost price of $220.3 million for a new Boeing 767-300F.

A FedEx Express Boeing 767-300F cargo plane. Sundry Photography/Shutterstock.com

Source: Boeing

Demand is currently sky high. While the process only takes a few months, new 767 conversion customers may have to wait almost two years as Israeli Aerospace Industries is fully booked through 2022.

Converting a passenger aircraft to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

"If somebody will insist that he wants a slot [for 2022], I would say go to the Western Wall, put in a piece of paper, and ask God for a slot," Melamed said.

Converting a Boeing 767-300ER to a cargo plane. Israel Aerospace Industries

Read the original article on Business Insider
After a busy June, I took a few days off to look at some suckler cow herds in Yorkshire and Perth in Scotland.

The suckler cow in Scotland is still a highly valued animal.

The breed I am interested in is called 'Stabiliser'.

They are actually not a pure breed but a cow made up by four breeds, but the Stabiliser society is recognised as a pedigree breed organisation under EU regulations.

The cow is bred to have a moderate frame and be functional with calving ease, high fertility along with longevity.

Their offspring should have good growth and carcase merit. She is then well suited to be crossed with a terminal sire.

The four breeds that make up the Stabiliser are the Simmental, Red Angus, Hereford and Gelbvieh.

They were first bred in America by the Meat Animal Research Centre and established in Colorado by the Leechman Cattle Company.

Their numbers have been slowly growing across Britain in the last few years.

The initial idea was to use a four breed composite to breed a predictable result - calves of the same shape, colour and grade.

With a lot of the store cattle in America going into feedlots, the feedlot owners like even batches of cattle and at the other end the factories like even batches of carcases.

In my own beef cattle there is huge variation in the weights of the carcases from the same stock bull.

The stock I looked at on one farm was remarkably even, the cows were red and all the calves were red in colour, albeit the breed can also be black.

But there are still only 52,000 registered Stabilisers in Britain on around 500 farms so the idea of the breed is still only gathering momentum.

On one of the farms I visited in Yorkshire, the Stabiliser suckler herd was used to utilise steep grassland on the farm. The farm manages to deliver high quality beef from a low cost production base.

One of the other pluses of the Stabiliser breed seems to be the high calf survival rate.

The farm I visited had been finding it difficult to source replacement heifers from the dairy herd especially with the high level of Holstein blood in the dairy herd.

They found high calving difficulties along with slow re-breeding and poor cow longevity with some of these dairy offspring replacements.

The group of farmers that I visited formed a group in which their beef is marketed locally under the Givendale Prime brand as a naturally reared with a high eating quality product.

The group supply Morrison's supermarket with both bulls and steers. Most of the heifers are kept or sold as replacements to other farmers.

No one breed is perfect, but I think all options should be looked at to keep the beef industry in Ireland moving forward.

Back on the farm all of the silage for the winter of 2018 has been gathered up with the slurry tanks emptied to the last.

The slurry was spread on the silage stubble at the rate of 2000 gallons per acre. It got some nice rain to gently wash it in and you can see the results in the aftergrass.

Next on the agenda is to get the dung spread lightly on two of the poorer fields. It might sound a little early, but I find it does a great job on these fields for the rest of the grazing season.

The calves are due their first wormer dose of the summer along with the yearling cattle before they are moved to fresh grass.

I find treating for lungworm at this stage of the grazing season really pays benefits later in the year. All cattle seem to be doing well except the yearling bullocks which are now off target.

John Joyce farms at Carrigahorig, Co Tipperary
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region


Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 09:25:12|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

SANTIAGO, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Representatives of the Chilean government on Friday received a fourth shipment of vaccines from Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac to continue the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Three previous shipments of Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine arrived in the South American country on Jan. 28, Jan. 31, and Feb. 25 respectively.

The new vaccines "will allow us to continue with the vaccination schedule that we have set ourselves, and also ensure the second doses," which will begin to be administered in March, Chile's Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza told reporters at Santiago's airport, where she oversaw the delivery of the shipment.

"We are very proud of these doses with which Chile has been able to vaccinate more than 3.2 million people" due to a joint effort that began a year ago to ensure vaccines can reach all regions of the country in a timely manner, Daza said.

The mass vaccination program aims to "achieve the immunity of the population," Daza said.

This week, people over 65 years old were vaccinated in various parts of the country, along with dialysis patients and those with transplants, and teachers aged 40 and over.

The Sinovac vaccines were approved for emergency use on Jan. 20 by Chile's Institute of Public Health.

Chile's mass vaccination drive began on Feb. 3, with a goal of immunizing 5 million people in high-risk groups in the first three months of the year, and another 15 million people by midyear. Enditem
Walter Moses Burton, the first Black sheriff in Fort Bend County, will now have a portrait honoring him in the countys courthouse.

During a press conference on Friday afternoon, county officials unveiled a black & white portrait of Burton, who served after the Civil War, at the historic courthouse in Richmond. The portrait, originally from the Texas Historical Commission, comes from the period when Burton served in the state legislature, according to the county.

Some people leave from this world, but they leave their mark for all of us to learn and to cherish and hold close to our hearts, said Fort Bend County Judge KP George. It is an inspiring story.

In 1869, a few years after the Civil War ended and slaves were freed, Burton was elected the first African-American sheriff in Fort Bend. He went on to serve four terms as a state senator, representing Fort Bend, Waller, Wharton and Austin counties.

Burton was originally brought to Texas by his owner, a North Carolina planter named Thomas Burke Burton, according to Merline Pitres book, Through Many Dangers, Toils and Snares: Black Leadership in Texas.

Thomas Burton owned a plantation and other large farms in the county. He later sold plots of his land for $900 to Walter Burton, who became one of the richest and most influentia Blacks in the county.

During Reconstruction, African-Americans for the first time were granted the right to vote and seek public office. Newly freed slaves outnumbered whites in many southern counties, setting the stage for Burton and other Blacks to get elected.

At the press conference, Fort Bend commissioner Grady Prestage, recalled the effort to name a Fort Bend ISD elementary school after Burton.

His story was a very good one, but had some tragedy too, said Prestage. He was a sheriff, but he had limited authority to arrest white citizens.

While Burton served as sheriff, a white deputy was hired to arrest all white persons. It is unknown whether Burton was allowed to arrest whites, Pitre noted in her book.

Burton was elected to the Texas state Senate in 1873, though his election was contested by a white Democratic opponent on the grounds that Burtons name had been listed on the ballot three different ways. The Senate confirmed his election.

Despite the setbacks, Burton, who was described as tall, broad-shouldered and with whiskers that turned gray, became a well-respected senator, wrote Lawrence Rice in his book, The Negro in Texas 1874-1900. He was referred to as the best-dressed man in the Senate, with a peacemaking tone. Senators even gave him a gold-headed ebony cane as a sign of respect.

Burton was an advocate for education, pushing through a bill that helped establish the Prairie View Normal School, now Prairie View A&M University, according to Pitre.

Burton also served as the first Black Tax Assessor-Collector for the county.

During the ceremony on Friday, Burton was honored by other current Black officeholders. Carmen Turner, who was recently elected as the first Black county tax assessor-collector since Burton, also came to pay tribute.

Eric Fagan, who was elected in November as the first Black sheriff since Burton, also paid homage to the former sheriff.

One reason that Im standing here is because of men like Walter Moses Burton, said Fagan. Hes a trailblazer. He broke the glass ceiling.
The Canadian Press

CANBERRA, Australia  An Australian court has rejected a challenge to the federal governments draconian power to prevent most citizens from leaving the country so they dont bring the coronavirus home. Most Australians have been stranded in their home nation for more than a year under a government emergency order made under the powerful Biosecurity Act. Australia is alone among developed democracies in preventing its citizens and permanent residents from leaving the country during the pandemic except in exceptional circumstances. The libertarian group LibertyWorks argued the government dids not have the power to enforce the travel ban. But the three judges ruled for the government Tuesday. They said Parliament knew the laws impact would be harsh when it passed the Biosecurity Act in 2015. ___ MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:  UK does surge vaccinations at a rugby stadium in London to fight off the variant first found in India  American veterans return to Memorial Day traditions as pandemic eases  China re-imposes travel curbs on southern province after fresh virus cases  Vietnam to test all 9 million residents of Ho Chi Minh city amid outbreak ___ Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: GENEVA  The World Health Organization is announcing a new nomenclature for the COVID-19 variants that were previously  and somewhat uncomfortably  known either by their technical letter-number codes or by the countries in which they first appeared. Hoping to strike a fair and more comprehensible balance, WHO said it will now refer to the most worrisome variants  known as variants of concern  by letters in the Greek alphabet. So the first such variant of concern, which first appeared in Britain and can be also known as B.1.1.7, will be known as the alpha variant. The second, which turned up in South Africa and has been referred to as B.1.351, will be known as the beta variant. A third that first appeared in Brazil will be called the gamma variant and a fourth that first turned up in India the delta variant. Future variants that rise to of concern status will be labeled with subsequent letters in the Greek alphabet. WHO said a group of experts came up with the new system, which will not replace scientific naming systems but will offer simple, easy to say and remember labels for variants. ___ LOS ANGELES  Californians headed to campgrounds, beaches and restaurants over the long holiday weekend as the state prepared to shed some of its coronavirus rules. Southern California beaches have been busy with families barbecuing and children playing in the sand and surf. Business owners say theyre scrambling to hire workers to keep up with the customer demand since virus cases have fallen and vaccinations have risen. The surge in travel and recreation comes as California prepares to relax social distancing and masking rules June 15 if coronavirus cases remain low. Newly reported infections in the state have fallen below 1,000 on some days. The positivity rate has been 1%. ___ WINDOW ROCK, Ariz.  The Navajo Nation is reporting two new confirmed COVID-19 cases and no additional deaths. Tribal health officials say the latest figures released Sunday night pushed the total number of cases since the pandemic began more than a year ago to 30,841 on the vast reservation that covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The known death toll now is 1,324. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez says people must continue getting vaccinated, wear face masks and practice social distancing while honoring soldiers on Memorial Day. ___ LIMA, Peru  Peru announced a sharp increase in its COVID-19 death toll, saying there have been more than 180,000 fatalities since the pandemic hit the country early last year. The announcement was made in the presidential palace during the presentation of a report by a working group commissioned to analyze and update the death toll. The results of the study put the new toll at 180,764 in a population of about 32.6 million, compared to recent data indicating that 69,342 people had died from COVID-19. Health Minister Oscar Ugarte said the criteria for assigning the new coronavirus as a cause of death were changed. Previously, only those who had a positive diagnostic test were considered to have died from the virus, but other criteria have since been incorporated. The new toll from COVID-19 includes deaths reported between March 2020 and May 22 of this year. Among Latin American countries, only Brazil and Mexico have reported higher death tolls from the disease. On Monday, the coronavirus monitoring site of Johns Hopkins University was reflecting the previous figure of just under 70,000 deaths in Peru. Questions about Perus death toll surfaced soon after the beginning of the pandemic. ___ ANKARA, Turkey  Turkey announced a further easing of its COVID-19 restrictions, including a relaxing of nighttime and weekend curfews, following a decline in the number of infections. Following a Cabinet meeting, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said restaurants and cafes  which were only able to open for delivery or take-away food  would be allowed to accept sitting customers until 9 p.m. as of Tuesday. Businesses such as gyms and amusement parks would also be allowed to reopen until 9 p.m. The start of nighttime curfews was pushed back by an hour, to start at 10 p.m. Erdogan said Sunday curfews are to remain in place but people will be free to leave their houses on Saturdays. Civil servants will continue working remotely or in shifts in offices. Meanwhile, the countrys education minister said primary and secondary school students would return to their classes for in-person education two times a week. In less populous towns and villages, schools would reopen full time. Earlier this month, the number of daily COVID-19 infections dropped to below 10,000 for the first time since March 1, after reaching a record-high of more than 63,000 daily cases in mid-April. On Monday, the Health Ministry posted 6,933 new cases and 122 deaths in the past 24 hours. The total death toll in the country stands at 47,527 with more than 5.2 million infections. ___ DETROIT  A large mural honoring a firefighter and other Detroit public employees who died from COVID-19 has been unveiled on the side of a building. Capt. Franklin Williams of the fire department dominates the painting. But there are images of a bus driver who made an emotional plea for protection from COVID-19 before he caught the virus, and 5-year-old girl Skylar Herbert, who was the daughter of a firefighter and police officer. This mural represents community heroes representing those institutions who also fought for our country by putting on a uniform and fighting an unknown enemy: COVID-19, said Odie Fakhouri, chief operating officer of the Arab American and Chaldean Council, which owns the building on Seven Mile Road. Williams, 57, was eligible to retire from the fire department but wanted to work until age 60. He died last summer. The mural, which faces a Detroit fire station, was created by artist Charles Chazz Miller with assistance from students at University of Detroit Mercy, the Detroit Free Press reported. It was unveiled Sunday. ___ FALLON, Nev.  Doctors and nurses are staffing mobile clinics throughout the U.S. to ensure people in tiny towns and far-flung rural areas can get vaccinated. In Nevada, Arizona, Kentucky and elsewhere, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has dispatched the mobile units to places that lack pharmacies, clinics and other vaccination sites. Volunteer doctors and nurses in Nevada have teamed up with the National Guard to deliver thousands of shots to communities that state officials say couldnt offer vaccinations any other way. Its one of many efforts underway as the nation struggles to reach herd immunity as interest wanes in vaccinations. ___ BERLIN  German Chancellor Angela Merkel says a rule that allowed the federal government to require strict pandemic measures in regions with high rates of infection can expire at the end of June, as the country has seen a steady decline in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. Merkel told reporters in Berlin that the so-called emergency brake she pushed through despite resistance from some state governors had indeed had an effect in flattening the curve of infections. Germanys disease control agency said it received reports of 1,978 new cases of COVID-19 and 36 deaths Sunday. A total of 88,442 people have died as a result of a coronavirus infection in Germany and the country has recorded almost 3.7 million cases since the start of the pandemic. ___ VATICAN CITY  Pope Francis is praying for an end to the coronavirus pandemic and the economic, social and interpersonal problems it has caused. Francis presided over a special evening ceremony Monday in the Vatican Gardens that featured recitation of the Rosary, Scripture readings and hymns sung by some 300 people. It was the conclusion of a monthlong prayer marathon that began May 1 with a similar service in St. Peters Basilica. Francis sat before a reproduction of one of his favorite icons of the Madonna, known as Mary Untier of Knots. Those devoted to the icon pray for Marys intercession to help resolve their problems. Opening the service, Francis said there were many knots tightening around our existence and tying up our activities: they are the knots of egoism, indifference, economic and social knots, knots of violence and war. ___ PARIS  France opened up virus vaccinations to adults of all ages starting Monday, earlier than originally scheduled, as vaccine deliveries have picked up speed. More than 48% of Frances adult population has had at least one dose, and more than 20% have had two, according to public health authorities. After a slow start blamed on bureaucracy and delayed deliveries, France has now administered more than 36 million vaccine doses. Anyone 18 and over can sign up for an injection. And 12 to 15-year-olds should have access soon too, after the European Medicines Agency authorized use of the Pfizer vaccine for that age group last week. Prime Minister Jean Castex said the horizon is clearing but warned be people to stay vigilant. France has registered more virus infections than any European country, and more than 109,000 deaths linked to COVID-19. Virus patients still occupy more than half of the intensive care beds France had before the pandemic but their numbers have been falling for weeks and the country is gradually reopening its restaurants, businesses and tourist sites. ___ LONDON  British health authorities are aiming to vaccinate 15,000 people in one day at Londons Twickenham rugby stadium as part of a race to contain a fast-spreading coronavirus variant. The strain, first identified in India, accounts for a majority of new cases in the U.K., which is seeing a rise in infections after weeks of decline. Scientists say the variant is more transmissible than even the previously dominant strain first found in the U.K. but current vaccines are effective against it. Many scientists are urging the Conservative government to delay plans to lift social distancing and other restrictions on June 21, arguing that more people need to be vaccinated before measures can be eased safely. The government will announce its decision on June 14. Three-quarters of U.K. adults have had one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and almost half have had both doses. The Twickenham walk-in vaccination center is offering jabs without an appointment on Monday to people from northwest London, a hotspot for the Indian-identified variant. Health officials in the northwest England town of Bolton, which had the highest rates of the new variant, say infections are starting to fall after a mass testing and surge vaccination campaign. ___ NEW YORK  Bars and restaurants no longer have to close at midnight across New York state, as its coronavirus curfew for indoor dining ended Monday. With that, establishments can return to the closing times that their liquor licenses or other regulations allow. A similar pandemic curfew for outdoor dining ended May 17, although some local governments have their own closing-time rules for outdoor tables. Restaurateurs have been looking forward to the later hours as they try to recover from the shutdowns and other limitations on their business during the virus crisis. The lifting of the curfew is critically important, the NYC Hospitality Alliances executive director, Andrew Rigie. Were a 24/7 city, so theres tons of people that would still be out eating and drinking after midnight. ___ The Associated Press
The Expedition 64 crew members are revving up their spacewalk preparations as they juggle an array of advanced space science aboard the International Space Station today.

NASA Flight Engineer Kate Rubins spent Wednesday morning readying a pair of U.S. spacesuits that she and fellow NASA astronaut Victor Glover will wear on Sunday. Rubins was joined by astronauts Michael Hopkins of NASA and Soichi Noguchi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) helping with the spacesuit fit checks today which consists of attaching the correctly sized leg, arm, glove and helmet components. All four astronauts called down to Mission Control in the afternoon to review Sunday's spacewalk procedures.

Glover and Rubins will exit the station on Sunday about 6 a.m. EST to begin readying the station for upcoming solar array upgrades. Rubins will go out again on Friday, March 5, with Noguchi to work on coolant gear and communication systems. NASA TV will broadcast both spacewalks live.

Glover also had time for research work today as he serviced parts inside the Combustion Integrated Rack to support flame and fuel studies safely. NASA Flight Engineer Shannon Walker replaced communications gear inside the Human Research Facility that enables biological and psychological observations of astronauts.

Commander Sergey Ryzhikov worked on batteries and cameras before incubating and photographing microbe samples. Flight Engineer Sergey Kud-Sverchkov checked out Russian life support systems and ventilation gear Wednesday afternoon.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads

CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack) Fluids and Combustion Facility: The crew replaced the CIR FOMA Cal Unit. The CIR includes an optics bench, combustion chamber, fuel and oxidizer control, and five different cameras for performing combustion investigations in microgravity.

Micro-16: The crew printed an on-board copy of the checklist for the Syringe Pump Sequence and Valve Position. Loss of muscle mass and strength present a major challenge for astronauts on future long space voyages. Determining Muscle Strength in Space-flown Caenorhabditis elegans (Micro-16) uses this tiny worm to test whether decreased expression of muscle proteins is associated with decreased strength. The research team developed a new device to measure muscle strength in multiple generations of space-reared C. elegans worms and compare that strength to postflight muscle gene expression analyses.

HRF-1 (Human Resources Facility-1): The crew removed the Payload Ethernet Hub Bridge (PEHB) from the HRF-1 Rack and partially replaced it with an improved Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway (PEHG). There were some issues with the cable installations and ground teams are evaluating a troubleshooting plan to complete the rest of the installation. The rack was placed in a safe configuration. HRF-1 provides an on-orbit laboratory that enables scientists conducting human life science research to evaluate the physiological, behavioral, and chemical changes induced by space flight. Research performed using HRF-1 provides data to help scientists understand how the human body adapts to long-duration spaceflight.

Systems

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) On-orbit Fitcheck Verification (OFV): The crew performed a fitcheck of EMUs 3009 and 3015 in order to verify correct EMU sizing prior to the ISS Roll Out Solar Array (IROSA) Prep Extravehicular Activity (EVA). During the OFV, EMU 3015 failed an automated leak check. Initial troubleshooting of the EMU was unsuccessful. Eventually, the crew as able to isolate the Lower Torso Assembly (LTA) as the suspect component and swapped the component with another LTA from EMU 3006. EMU 3015 successfully passed the leak check and the OFV was completed for both EMU 3009 and 3015 and suits are in a nominal configuration.

EVA Preparations: The crew completed several activities in preparation for the IROSA Prep EVA. The crew reviewed a detailed timeline, the tool configuration summary, the sharp edge briefing, notes, cautions and warnings, and Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphic (DOUG) animations. The crew also performed a Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) powered hardware checkout for glove heaters and EMU TV on EMU 3009.

Completed Task List Activities:

None

Today's Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

X2R19 Software Transition Commanding (Day 2 of 4)

EMU OFV Support Commanding

Crew-1 Dragon Checkout

Look Ahead Plan

Thursday, February 25 (GMT 056)

Payloads:

PBRE Water inspect (NASA)

Food Acceptability (NASA)

Food Physiology Brief (NASA)

Industrial Crystallization Facility (ICF) install (NASA)

CIR FOMA Calibration prep part 1(NASA)

Micro-16 Microscopy, Experiment setup and init. Ops (NASA)

ELF Fastener R&R, Cartridge Install (JAXA)

TOHOKU2021 Ops (JAXA)

CBEF Ethernet cable reconnect (JAXA)

Systems:

EVA Procedure Conference

EVA DOUG Review

EVA Tool Config

IFM Hatch Seal Inspection

Friday, February 26 (GMT 057)

Payloads:

PBRE Water inspect (NASA)

HRF VEG POMS Qstn (NASA)

ICF SCGC Module install (NASA)

CIR FOMA Calibration prep part 2 (NASA)

Micro-16 Experiment setup and load (NASA)

Food Acceptability (NASA)

Asian Herb Watering (JAXA)

JAXA video Take 5 (JAXA)

FLARE (SCEM) Power cable connect (JAXA)

EPM SMSC R&R (ESA)

Systems:

EVA Tool Config

EVA A/L Fitcheck

EVA Cuff C/L Print

RGN Tank Manual Fill

Cygnus Cargo Ops

Saturday, February 27 (GMT 058)

Payloads:

PBRE Water inspect (NASA)

M16 USB drive removal (NASA)

CIR vlv Timer set (NASA)

ISS HAM powerdowns (NASA)

Systems:

Cygnus Cargo Ops

EVA Procedure Review

EVA Isle Prep

EVA Tool Audit

EVA Equipment Lock Prep

Today's Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

REBA Powered Hardware Checkout

Equipment Lock Prep Part 1

EMU On-orbit Fitcheck Verifications

EVA Procedure Reviews

EVA EHIP Check

EVA SAFER Practice (DEFERRED)

AULD Battery Charging

 1 Absorption Cartridge Regeneration

Replacement of Condensate Pumping Unit () and  Control Panel

Replacement of [] urine receptacle () and filter-insert (-). [] toilet activation after replacement

Changeout of Dust Filter 1-4 Cartridges in SM

Charging Scalar DG-3X Battery

Acoustic Monitor Data Transfer and Stow

HRF Rack 1 PEHG Install (PARTIALLY COMPLETED)

Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) - JEM

Antimicrobial Coatings Touch

Micro-16 Checklist Print

Astrobee OBT Review

PBRE/MSG Water Release Inspection/Cleanup

Combustion Integrated Rack FOMA Cal Unit Replacement

ASEPTIC. Retrieval of Poverkhnost No.17.1 and Vozdukh 17.1 devices from thermostat. External inspection of culture media in devices

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.

Boots and shoes lined up for clients of the Berkshire Immigrant Center. A Williams College intern is creating a website where the clothing and home wares can be viewed and selected, making it easier for those without access to transportation. Some of the items stored at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. PreviousNext

Berkshire Immigrant Center Steps Up to Serve Vulnerable in Pandemic



Volunteer Alexa Bermudez sorts items donated to the Berkshire Immigrant Center in Pittsfield. PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Keeping food on the table and a roof over your head during the pandemic is nearly impossible for millions of Americans.

Now try doing it when you cannot receive even the meager financial assistance that is coming out of Washington, D.C.

That is the reality for scores of immigrant families in Berkshire County. The Berkshire Immigrant Center is working to support those families now more than ever, but the non-profit can only do so much.

"I receive tons of emails back from clients in all caps saying, 'God bless you,' and 'Thank you,' and then a week later they're asking if we have any more aid available," BIC assistant case worker Emma Lezberg said this week. "We're not meeting the need that's there.

"I hate to write back to a client and say we don't have any more funds for you right now."

As great as the need has been, the BIC has been able to address part of it through a COVID Relief Fund that it started last March. As of mid-February, the fund had raised more than $350,000 to help support local undocumented families. In December, a separate effort led by BIC volunteers raised nearly $5,000 to send holiday gift cards to the center's clients.

"Both our ongoing COVID Relief Fund efforts and our holiday gift card drive show just how committed the community is to showing support for local immigrants," BIC Executive Director Michelle Lopez said in a news release. "Immigrants are vital to our local economy and culture, and the Berkshire Immigrant Center is committed to helping our most vulnerable clients during this difficult time."

Lezberg said the Berkshire Immigrant Center has helped about 165 families with emergency funds since March. That includes undocumented clients and clients who have documentation but don't qualify for government assistance for some other reason.

"Typically, a lot of the funding we receive has stipulations that say we can't send a check directly to a client," she said. "We have to send money to a landlord or a company.  We'll say, send us a copy of the landlord agreement, the lease, and we can send a check directly to the landlord. Or a client might take a picture of a Berkshire Gas bill and send it to us so we can pay it directly."

The BIC is used to such workarounds.

"We have a lot of clients who are really struggling but who are applying for asylum or citizenship," Lezberg said. "It's prohibitive, the fees that they have to pay. In the past, if a client needed to apply for something and it was a $500 fee, we couldn't pay it directly but we'd pay $500 toward rent to offset it. Because funds were limited, we couldn't do that too often."

Those limited funds were pushed to the limit when the pandemic hit, thus the need for a special relief fund.

Immigrant residents of the Berkshires are particularly hard hit by the economic downturn that resulted from government-ordered business closures in the spring  and not just because the initial federal stimulus legislation excluded undocumented residents.

"We have a lot of clients who are people working in restaurants or caregivers for people who, in some instances, died of COVID or who don't want people coming into their homes anymore," Lezberg said. "Access to jobs can be difficult anyway, especially for people who don't have driver's licenses, and Massachusetts doesn't allow undocumented people to have driver's licenses.

"There already is a limited space in which our clients can look for work, and then the downturn happened."

State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, and Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, are co-sponsoring emergency legislation in Boston to address part of that problem. HD. 448 reads, in part, "Persons who do not provide proof of lawful presence, including those who are ineligible for a Social Security number, shall be eligible for a Massachusetts license if they meet all other qualifications for licensure and provide satisfactory proof to the registrar of identity, date of birth and Massachusetts residency."

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the District of Columbia and 16 states, including New York and Connecticut, currently allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.

Transportation issues also came up with a recent BIC initiative to create a "sort of secondhand store" for clients to connect them with donated clothes and household items. Lezberg said that the center was lucky when its host, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, let the center use auditorium space unused during the pandemic to display items available to BIC's clients.

The problem is those clients are spread throughout the county and cannot always get to BIC's East Street home to select items, so staff describe items and talk about sizes over the phone and then deliver them. The center has been trying to scale up the service, and it had a breakthrough this winter.

"We have an intern from Williams College who is working to create a website, an online store where clients can go on the website, see the items we have, hit reserve and give us their contact information and whether they have transportation or not," Lezberg said. "The website is built. We just need volunteers to come in and take pictures of all the items."

Lezberg said the center's volunteer base was eager to pitch in, just like individuals, businesses and granting agencies were happy to help build up the center's COVID Relief Fund.

Generosity to non-profits like BIC and cooperation among non-profits are two of the tools Berkshire County uses to help support its at-risk residents. And workers in those non-profit agencies hope the spirit of giving outlasts the pandemic because the need surely will.

"What I'm particularly worried about is we have a moratorium on evictions right now, but for many months service providers who work with the immigrant community and others have talked quite a bit about making sure our clients can keep up with rent payments because, eventually, the moratorium will be lifted, and we don't want to see a huge wave of evictions," Lezberg said.

A coalition of nonprofits has met regularly to try to figure out where the gaps are and how to fill them.

"It's wonderful that we can help so many clients right now, but even if our payments are $300 and we can do that each month, rent costs more than $300," Lezberg said. "A lot of our clients are shared with other organizations  $300 from us, another $300 from a different agency. Between all of us, we hope we can be meeting that need."

To donate to the Berkshire Immigrant Center, visit its website at berkshireic.org.
Updated plans to reduce emissions, submitted so far by about 75 nations ahead of November's COP26 summit, barely make a dent in the huge cuts needed to meet global climate goals, the UN climate chief said on Friday, calling for redoubled efforts. A UN report summarising the revised climate action plans - covering about 40 per cent of countries in the 2015 Paris Agreement and 30 per cent of planet-heating emissions - said they would deliver a combined emissions reduction of only 0.5 per cent from 2010 levels by 2030. "That simply is not good enough," said Patricia ...
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Activists hold banners and shout slogans during a demonstration following the death in jail of Bangladeshi writer Mushtaq Ahmed in Dhaka, Feb. 26, 2021.

International rights groups and foreign envoys on Friday voiced grave concern about the repression of free speech in Bangladesh after a writer arrested under its draconian Digital Security Act died following ten months in jail for anti-government remarks.

Mushtaq Ahmed, a 53-year-old businessman and writer, died late Thursday after suddenly falling ill at a high security prison in the central city of Gazipur, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told reporters.

He had been refused bail six times since his arrest  the last time two days before his death.

Ambassadors of 13 foreign missions in Dhaka, including those of the United States, Canada, and several European countries, expressed grave concern over Ahmeds death.

We call on the Government of Bangladesh to conduct a swift, transparent, and independent inquiry into the full circumstances of Mr. Mushtaq Ahmeds death, their joint statement said.

Ahmeds shocking death has sent a chill through Bangladesh civil society, according to Brad Adams of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Posting satire about the ruling Awami League on Facebook should not amount to the equivalent of a death sentence, Adams, Asia director at the global rights watchdog, said in a statement.

Covid-related criticism

Ahmed had published an article on Facebook criticizing the shortage of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers amid the coronavirus pandemic, PEN America and HRW said.

He had also shared satire artist Ahmed Kabir Kishores cartoons about alleged corruption in the government response to the pandemic.

Ahmed and Kishore were arrested in the first week of May 2020 and charged with violating the Digital Security Act.

They had been arrested on charges of spreading anti-government remarks and rumors regarding the coronavirus situation and various law enforcement agencies, on social media, police said at the time of their arrest.

The act punishes those who produce or distribute content that hurts religious sentiments or religious values or destroys communal harmony, or creates unrest or disorder with up to10 years in prison.

It allows police to arrest people without a warrant and seize computers, electronic devices or a whole computer system if they suspect online crimes could take place.

Last year, at least 142 people faced cases under the Digital Security Act, which was passed by the ruling Awami League government in October 2018, according to rights group Odhikar.

Most of the cases were filed by the law enforcement agencies or the leaders of the ruling party and their front organization. And the courts rejected bail for many of those arrested, an Odhikar spokesperson said.

Friday marked the death anniversary of secular blogger Avijit Roy, who was hacked to death by al-Qaeda-affiliated militants six years ago. Roy was killed at a time when a surge in Islamic extremism targeted writers, activists and intellectuals for their alleged atheism.

In the past, we saw that the extremists and militants killed the people for difference of opinion. Now we see the writers are being arrested and they have been dying in jails for writing against the government, Robin Ahsan, a Bangladeshi poet and publisher, told BenarNews on Friday.

Citizens light candles on the spot near Dhaka University where secular writer and blogger Avijit Roy was hacked to death, to commemorate the sixth anniversary of his murder, Feb. 26, 2021. [BenarNews]

Concern for Kishore

The Bangladesh government has set up a two-member inquiry committee to investigate Ahmeds death, S. M. Tarikul Islam, deputy commissioner of Gazipur district, told reporters on Friday. The committee has been told to submit a report in two days.

Home minister Khan said that a post-mortem would reveal the cause of Ahmeds death.

What I have come to know from the inspector general of prisons is that he was given treatment at the prison hospital as he suddenly fell ill. As his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to Tajuddin Memorial hospital in Gazipur. He died there, Khan said.

He said Ahmed was in jail because he had violated law and order or the faith of others more than once in his writings. That is why many people filed lawsuits.

But Ahmeds father described his sons detention differently.

They have committed grave injustice with my son, Abdur Razzaque told Al Jazeera.

I am not in a position to say anything further. My only son is dead.

In its statement, the press freedom advocacy group Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said that Ahmed appeared to be in decent health when he appeared in court on February 23.

Local media reported that both he and the cartoonist Kishore were visibly underweight earlier this month.

Ahmeds death sparked calls for the immediate release of Kishore, who is diabetic and has reported abuse by prison guards, according to the advocacy group Cartoonists Rights Network International.

But we are now quite convinced that the cartoonist is in imminent danger of death. His immediate release is absolutely essential, it said.

In December, human rights experts at the United Nations had expressed serious concern about Kishores incarceration, saying his health was deteriorating.

Criticism of government policy, including through political satire and cartoons, is permitted under the rights to freedom of expression and cultural rights, and should not be criminalized, they had said.

Worst form of repression

Ahmeds death inspired a chorus of calls for the repeal of the Digital Security Act.

Rights group Amnesty International said it was evidence of the worst that can happen given Bangladeshs practice of prolonging detention of people without trial or conviction.

We are witnessing the worst form of repression that a law like the Digital Security Act can bring on a person. No one should have to die solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression, Amnestys Saad Hammadi said on Twitter.

The Bangladeshi government must move immediately to repeal the Digital Security Act, which it has used repeatedly and unjustly against journalists, said Aliya Iftikhar, CPJs senior Asia researcher.

Hundreds of people protested in various parts of Dhaka Friday over Ahmeds death. A rally in Dhakas Shahbagh Square caused traffic jams, and police fired tear gas on hundreds of angry protesters calling for justice and repeal of the law.
A total of 74 volunteers were given the Vietnamese COVID-19 vaccine, Nano Covax, in phase II of human trials on Friday.

Nanocovax is Vietnams first COVID-19 vaccine reaching the human trial stage, developed by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC and the Military Medical University (MMU) in Ha Noi.

According to a representative from MMU, the phase 2 was held concurrently at two places, 35 were given the jabs at the MMU and Pasteur Institute in HCM City will administer the shots to 39 volunteers in the southern province of Long An.

The Phase 2 trial is expected to see the participation of up to 560 volunteers aged 18-60. Some of them have underlying health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes but are not too severe.

The trial of the vaccine at the two places, compared to the first phase where the vaccine is being administered in Hanoionly, could speed up the progress by shortening the study time to three months instead of six months while ensuring scientific data is accurate, the representative said.

The first 35 volunteers in Hanoiwere chosen among about 300 people who registered to participate in the second-stage trial of the vaccine at the MMU after undergoing rigorous medical examinations.

They are divided into four random groups to receive three doses of 25mcg, 50mcg and 75mcg of the vaccine or a placebo.

Because the trial sees the participation of volunteers with underlying health conditions, we have been prepared for all scenarios and ensured safety for all volunteers, said Lieutenant-General Do Quyet, Director of the Military Medical University.

He said the results of the trial would be announced in May before the third stage trial during which only one single shot of the vaccine is to be injected for 10,000-15,000 people from domestic and foreign pandemic-hit areas.

Test results of the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccine showed that it is safe and has no serious complications and might be effective against B117, the new variant in the United Kingdom, Quyet said.

He also said the research team would evaluate the immune response carefully in the second phase.

Although we have shortened the trial of the vaccine by half with great efforts by the research units, more efforts should be made and the compliance with set standards is a must, said Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Damas he visited the first 35 volunteers on Friday.

He stressed the need to have a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Vietnam as quickly as possible, adding that the successes of the trial would not only serve as effective against COVID-19 but also boost the pride of Vietnamese scientists who take part in the research and development of vaccines as well as of the public at large.

At the vaccine administration site in the southern province of Long An, a 57-year-old man from Thanh Phu Commune in the provinces Ben Luc District told Vietnam News: After I heard about the second phase of human trials on the media, I went to the health centre to register as a volunteer.

I feel very happy to get the vaccine.

Another volunteer, 51, from the same commune said: I was provided careful counselling about the vaccine. I also read about the results of the first phase. I trust the vaccines effectiveness. I was happy to be selected.

Nguyen Ngo Quang, deputy director of the Department of Science, Technology and Training, said: Besides importing COVID-19 vaccines, the country also has to research and develop the vaccine to ensure health security.

The imported vaccines are only meant for use now, and the country has to rely on domestic production in future, according to Quang.

The country also has other vaccine candidates being developed by the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals, the Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No 1 and the Centre for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals.

VNS
The pandemic, the climate crisis, and crisis in agriculture call for sustainable solutions, which are acknowledged by NITI Aayog, but did not find a thrust in the budget. A positive growth in agriculture during the pandemic shows its resilience, but it is intriguing that food inflation remained high and its possible link with the three farm produce laws should not be overlooked. It is worrying that crop loans for input-intensive production are non-serviceable.

Indias Union Budget of 202122 is special in many ways. It has been presented digitally, and hence, a green budget in that sense. But, more importantly, it is the 75th year of Indias independence. This assumes importance because a farmers protest against three laws on trade and storage of farm produce has been ongoing for three months now. There has been an ongoing pandemic that led to a -7.7% decline in Indias real income for 202122. This is the fifth decline in the nations income since 195051, but the first one without a decline in agriculture and allied activities. This implies that the farming community has, during this unprecedented time, come forward to contribute their bit for the economy. It is in this context that this article will look into what is implied for agriculture in the budget.

At one level, one may argue that the pandemic, the farmers protest, and an annual bookkeeping exercise of the government in the form of a budget are all independent activities. But, at the same time, one cannot keep aside the fact that a zoonotic origin disease leading to the pandemic, the climate crisis with its links to a persistent crisis in agriculture, and the role of the state in addressing these concerns are interrelated. In fact, their interconnectedness has assumed global importance by the sustainable development goals, the invoking of the Anthropocene in the Human Development Report 2020 (United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] 2020) or in The Economics of Biodiversity (Dasgupta 2021). The implications of the breaking down of planetary boundaries have also been evident closer home with the glacial burst in Uttarakhand in February 2021 and the cyclones in summer months in the Bay of Bengal (Fani in May 2019 and Amphan in May 2020). Besides, as per the Economic Survey 201718, the long-term trend points to increasing temperature, decreasing rainfall, and an increase in extreme precipitation events such that short intense wet spells go hand-in-hand with long dry spells (GoI 2018; also see Singh et al 2014). These have implications for agriculture.


For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe.

Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime.
New Delhi:

Pakistan's ruling party may field former PM Nawaz Sharif's wife Kulsoom or his daughter Maryam from the seat that fell vacant after he was disqualified by Supreme Court from holding office.

Sharif was disqualified for not disclosing his assets.He ceased to be a member of Parliament. Earlier ruling party of Pakistan has decided that the Sharif's younger brother Shehbaz Sharif would contest election from NA-120in Lahore, vacated by Mr.Sharif so that he can become Prime minister.But later on decided to let him continue his term as CM of Punjab.

The PML-N leader on condition of anonymity, said that party has a lot of respect for Ms. Kulsoom as she is the symbol of courage for many party members who remember the time when she led the party after Mr. Sharif was imprisoned by former military dictator Pervez Musharraf following the 1999 coup.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
With Johnson & Johnsons new coronavirus vaccine about to come on the market, the company says it can have 100 million doses available by June. That is especially significant because the J&J vaccine can be stored far more easily than the existing vaccines from Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna, and it requires only one, rather than two doses.

Meanwhile, evidence is clear that the existing vaccines are highly effective. In nursing homes nationwide, where COVID-19 has killed 161,000 of the 508,000 U.S. victims, most people have received at least one dose. New cases have declined by more than 80% and deaths have fallen by more than 65%.

Infection rates and deaths continue to plummet in the general population, as well, even though only 14% of people have received one dose and 6.5% have received both. In Pennsylvania, the respective rates are 14% and 5.6%.

The Biden administration came into office pledging to ensure the vaccinations of at least 1 million people a day, but the rate is now 1.51 million a day and climbing.

With the existing producers increasing their supplies and J&J coming on the market, that rate should accelerate. The administration and the House have included $40 billion in the pending coronavirus recovery package to help drive vaccine distribution. Congress quickly should pass it.

Meanwhile, the administration should turn its focus to a more aggressive vaccine promotion effort. The vaccines work as projected, but will not have their full effect in overcoming the pandemic unless enough people receive one.

Democrats Ignore Antifa, Black Lives Matter in Calling Out Domestic Terrorism: Rep. Greg Steube

Democrats in their efforts against domestic terrorism have focused on right-wing groups and have not acknowledged violence from groups with a different ideology such as Antifa and Black Lives Matter, according to Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.).

The way the Democrats define domestic terrorism is white nationalism, far right extremism. Its not Antifa, its not Black Lives Matter, Steube, who represents Floridas 17th congressional district, told American Thought Leaders at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday.

Earlier this week, at a House hearing on domestic terrorism in America, Steube played a video showing organized rioting, arson, looting, and deadly violence across the United States in 2020.

I put every one of the Democratic witnessesafter I showed a video of all the atrocious things that happened in this country over the summer, and all the violence that happened over the summer[I] asked each one of them and read them the definition of what domestic terrorism is, and not a single one of them would agree that what Antifa and Black Lives Matter did to our country and the cities all over was domestic terrorism, he said, adding that the Democrat witnesses either refused to answer the question, or called it civil disobedience.

A man holds a Black Lives Matter sign as a police car burns in front of him during a protest outside CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 29, 2020. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

The term domestic terrorism is defined under the USA Patriot Act of 2001 as referring to activities that involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State [and] appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

If you read that [definition], what Antifa, Black Lives Matter [did], what happened in Minneapolis after the George Floyd shooting, all of that would be considered domestic terrorism, Steube said. So to say that thats not and thats peacefully protesting, and then [to say that] what happened Jan. 6 is domestic terrorism is not appropriate. Its not an appropriate application in the law.

Rioters light a fire at the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in Portland, Ore., on July 27, 2020. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo)

Steube said he has called out the violence by Antifa and Black Lives Matter in the same way he had condemned the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol building. He said of Democrats stance, If were starting to focus on one side of the political ideology, and not the other, I think [it] is very, very dangerous for the future of our country.

If you violated law, by illegally entering the Capitol on Jan. 6, and caused destruction of property, illegally entering a federal building, you should be held legally accountable for that, just like the protesters, and Portland and Seattle and Antifa and Black Lives Matter and what happened in Minneapolis, where they destroyed federal property, they should be held accountable too, Steube said. But the Democrats dont want to go after the far left, progressive, violent actors, they only want to go after conservative violent actors.

In a statement on Wednesday, Steube noted that prominent House Democrats have called Antifa a false issue and a myth.

Journalist Andy Ngo, an expert on the anarcho-communist group, previously told The Epoch Times that Antifa is more than an idea. He said that Antifa is also a movement that has networks of organizations, and some of them are organized into formal groups.

Weaponizing the Law to Target Political Ideology

Steube alleged that the USA Patriot Act has been used to pursue without a warrant people who were in Washington on Jan. 6.

Thats why theyre defining it domestic terrorism. If they define it as domestic terrorism, then they can use the Patriot Act and investigate and surveil American citizens without a warrant, he said.

While there were those who committed violence on Capitol grounds, many others who were in Washington on Jan. 6 were engaged in peaceful protest and did not commit any violence.

Youre weaponizing the Department of Justice for political reasons, just like what we saw happen in Russia collusion, just like what we saw happen to the Trump campaign before Trump got elected, Steube alleged.

He added: You saw reporting where Bank of America was giving information of people who are using ATMs in Washington on Jan. 6. I know, in fact, that theyve been going through cellphone records of those people that were that were there on Jan. 6. You normally wouldnt be able to do that without a warrant under our Fourth Amendment rights under our Constitution, but theyre using the Patriot Act to go after domestic terrorismin their ideological lenswhich I think is very, very dangerous for the future of our country.

Mark Lutton on the Great British Bake Off with Noel Fielding, Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood

We may not be able to travel - but a Northern Ireland man who starred on the Great British Bake Off is aiming to bring a flavour of the world to Instagram.

Mark Lutton, who appeared on the latest series of the hit Channel 4 show, has launched a cookery and baking project showcasing global cuisine to keep him busy during lockdown.

Mark, originally from Portadown, has started 'The World at Your Table' project on his Instagram page which will see him posting a different recipe from 28 countries each day for 28 days.

The 32-year-old project manager, who is based in Liverpool, failed to prove he was full of eastern promise as the series - fronted by Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith - marked its 100th episode with its first Japanese-themed week during the 11th series last October.

In a video interview with online media outlet the Guide Liverpool, he revealed he decided to kick-off the project to satisfy his wanderlust.

"It's all come about because at the minute no one can go anywhere, there's no travel. No one's going on holiday. No one's going anywhere outside of their own city," he said, "And for me travel has been a big part of my life. So I wanted to bring to my Instagram a number of dishes from countries all across the world.

"It's called The World at Your Table and what I'm doing is sharing 28 recipes from 28 countries over 28 days."

Mark stressed he had chosen "easy recipes" that can be done in any home kitchen with ingredients easily accessible.

"As part of that I've also got some live cookalongs... There will be some Northern Ireland recipes in there too."

The talented baker added that he also decided to embark on the recipe challenge to alleviate lockdown boredom.

"How many walks can someone go on in a week?" he laughed.

"I think during the first lockdown we saw a massive rise in people buying baking ingredients, sour dough starters were developed. There was banana bread galore.

"The main motivation in the third lockdown for me is just generally that I feel that I actually don't want to do much. Just switch off at night and go to bed and repeat it the next day."

Describing the ongoing restrictions as "really hard" to "keep pushing through", he said he was trying to break the monotony of the "four walls of your house".

"The timing of this really is to bring a little bit to people's Instagram," continued Mark.

"Hopefully it will give them some inspiration in the kitchen."

Due to the pandemic, the latest Bake Off series was shortened to six weeks, and the Northern Ireland man revealed he had learned that he had won a coveted place on the show on the same day that the UK went into full lockdown - March 23, 2020.

"I was wondering if it was actually going to happen," he recalled.

"It was mixed emotions. I definitely felt that it wasn't going to happen... And it was around the time when you couldn't get baking ingredients so it was a nightmare from a baking perspective."

He continued: "And then we ended up in a 'bubble' with all the other contestants and the crew and cast. It was phenomenal. Obviously my experience has been very much of the Covid time... It really is what it's like on TV."

Reflecting on his time on the show, Mark said it didn't "feel like a distant memory at all - it feels like yesterday".

"It was incredible and it was exactly what I'd expected it to be and even better than that," he said.

Mark's recipes can be viewed via his Instragram account: @thebakingbuddha
A very radiant Pippa Middleton looked all smiles as she headed out with her two-year-old son Arthur after it was reported she is expecting her second child with husband James Matthews.

Kate Middleton's younger sister, 37, who appears to show what could be first hint of a blossoming baby bump, cut a stylish figure as she took to the streets of London in a smart grey checked coat as she enjoyed the first glimpses of sunshine following last week's icy weather.

Offering a big grin to passers-by as she held onto Arthur's hand, it was the fourth time Pippa was spotted out since reports she's 'pregnant with her second child.'

Typically on-trend, Pippa completed her outfit with a pair of thin black tights, biker boots and a black roll neck.

Pippa Middleton, 37, looked all smiles as she headed out with her two-year-old son Arthur in London today

Kate Middleton 's younger sister cut a stylish figures in a smart grey checked coat as she enjoyed the first glimpses of sunshine following last week's icy weather

Pippa also donned a pair of oversized sunglasses to add a touch of glam, and wore her brown hair in a half-up, half-down style.

It was reported in December that Pippa, who is already the mother of Arthur, two, may be expecting a second child.

A source close to the Middleton family told Page Six: 'Pippa and James are thrilled, it's fantastic news amid a difficult year. The entire family is delighted'.

The couple declined to comment on the reports.

Pippa, added a touch of glam to her otherwise casual outfit with a pair of sunglasses, and opted to wear her brown hair in a half up, half down style

The sighting marked the fourth time Pippa (pictured) was spotted out since reports she's 'pregnant with her second child'

Kate Middleton looked in high spirits as she held onto her son Arthur's hand (pictured)

The new baby will be cousin to Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, also two.

Hedgefund billionaire James, brother of reality TV star Spencer Matthews, and author Pippa currently reside in a 17 million six-bedroom home in London.

As well as a trio of royal cousins from their aunt Kate, the new Middleton-Matthews baby will also have cousins on their father's side.

Theodore Frederick Michael, two, and Gigi Margaux Matthews, five months, are the children of former Made in Chelsea Lothario Spencer Matthews and his Irish model wife Vogue Williams.

It was reported in December that Pippa (pictured), who is already the mother of Arthur, two, may be expecting a second child

Typically on-trend, Pippa (pictured) completed her outfit with a pair of thin black tights, biker boots and a black roll neck

Pippa could be seen looking down as she chatted with her two-year-old son Arthur in London on Friday

The Matthews family owns the Eden Rock resort on St Barts, one of the region's most exclusive hotels beloved by many famous faces.

Pippa and James tied the knot in 2017 at St. Mark's Church in Englefield, the estate of former Conservative MP Richard Benyon.

In 2018, Pippa welcomed baby Arthur in the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital, the same place where sister Kate gave birth to all three of her children.

The socialite and columnist documented how she stayed active during her first pregnancy for Waitrose Weekend magazine revealing that little Arthur follows in the active family's footsteps.

'Now that Arthur is 11 months old and more mobile, I have been trying to come up with different activities to do with him,' she wrote in September 2019.

'I needed to find something more than just park walks in the pram. Our local baby gym has been a saving grace. It's a big space full of fun, soft objects, playmats, stairs, balls, swings, mini trampolines and more to stimulate and physically engage babies and toddlers,' she added.
All three Detroit-based automakersFord, General Motors, and Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler)have announced that plans to roll out distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to workers are delayed due to vaccine shortages, according to a report published in the Detroit Free Press last week.

Workers at the FCA Warren Truck Plant in Warren, Michigan (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

General Motors had plans to inform workers in December when they would be able to receive the vaccine and how the company planned to administer it on a voluntary basis. Ford had bought 12 ultra-cold storage freezers to keep doses of the Pfizer vaccine, freezers which still remain empty. Thus far, neither company has made their vaccination plans public.

Stellantis is the only company of the Big Three automakers that has administered first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to any of its employees. It was only able to secure 1,200 first-dose shots through the Boone County Health Department to administer to just over one-third of the workforce of 3,580 at its Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Illinois. Stellantis has no plans in place for getting vaccines to the rest of its global workforce.

Two questions arise from the situation. First: Why has the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine been farmed out to private corporations like GM in the first place for the exclusive use of their employees?

Second: Why are autoworkers, manifestly nonessential workers, being given priority while many health care workers, grocery store workers, logistics workers, the elderly and medically vulnerable have yet to receive vaccines?

Vaccine distribution, like the overall response to the pandemic, has exposed the criminal incompetence of the ruling class and its indiference to the preservation of human life. The vaccination effort has been marked by a lack of systemization and planning, with the result that only a small percentage of the US population has been immunized.

The US has taken a decentralized approach to vaccine distribution, leaving it up to the resources of local and state-level health departments to secure and distribute the temperature-sensitive Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to hospitals, commercial pharmacies and health centers. Members of the public have been largely left to fend for themselves in scheduling appointments, finding vaccination sites that have supplies available, and transporting themselves to get the shots.

The systematic defunding of public health by capitalist governments has contributed to this debacle both in the US and globally. The companies that produce the COVID-19 vaccines currently administered in the US, Pfizer and Moderna, rely on special equipment and supplies to produce the vaccine. The companies are facing a bottleneck as they compete against one another to buy up scare components, such as lipids, that are needed for vaccine production.

A shortage of the syringes needed to administer the vaccine is also creating administration delays, according to a February 13 report by the Madison, Wisconsin, journal Capital Times. The winter storm that devastated much of the US with relentless ice and snow over the past several weeks has also delayed shipments of the vaccines to and from major transport hubs in the US, exacerbating and prolonging existing shortages.

Speaking to the Free Press, Stellantis spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said, We have no control. Like everyone else, its the state and local governments that are determining when and how many. ... Were working with Boone County on getting a second dose for the 1,200 people who got the first shot. When theyll have more for the rest of the plant, thats for them to determine. We wait.

The continuation of auto production, involving massive factories that serve as vectors of COVID-19 transmission while the pandemic continues unchecked, cuts across any rational plan to contain the pandemic. The same is the case for the drive by the Biden administration to reopen face-to-face instruction in schools based on the false claim that schools are not sources of the spread of the virus.

Democratic and Republican officials have supported the designation of auto manufacturing as critical industries, giving an official cover to the crude prioritization of profits over human lives. This has been abetted by the United Auto Workers, which has supported to the hilt the restart of auto production by providing a smokescreen of inadequate safety measures while helping management cover up the spread of the coronavirus in the auto plants.

But autoworkers know that, unlike health care workers, food production and distribution workers, and transportation and logistics workers, their jobs building cars that will sit for months in lots are not truly essential to the functioning of society during a pandemic. They are only essential to the handful of wealthy elites who make a profit from the vehicles they produce.

As one worker at the Stellantis Sterling Heights Assembly Plant told the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter, It doesnt make sense to be building $60,000-80,000 vehicles during a pandemic and making record profits. How are they even doing that? To get through a pandemic and not miss a beat? The companies are being propped up by the government and the upper echelons are profiting.

The United Auto Workers accepts uncritically that all considerations of health and safety are to be subordinated to the profit requirements of the auto companies The UAW continues to work with the Biden administration, the Detroit Three and all of our employers on vaccine distribution plans, UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg told the Free Press. Those plans will be implemented when the vaccine is available, how much is available at a given time and other distribution variables by state.

In 2020 GM made a pretax profit of $9.7 billion, up from $8.4 billion in 2019 despite a drop in auto US sales from 2.9 million to 2.5 million vehicles and the outbreak of the deadly pandemic. Ford did not beat its 2019 profits, but still accumulated a substantial $2.8 billion in earnings before interest and taxes for 2020, a huge sum considering the global fall in vehicle sales.

These vast profits were sweated out of the labor of workers, who were forced back to work in unsafe factories globally, beginning in the US in May 2020. The resumption in production followed wildcat work stoppages by rank-and-file workers across the globe, in defiance of the United Auto Workers (UAW) and other trade unions, that forced plants across North America and in Europe to shut down in March 2020 as the pandemic began to spread rapidly.

The US-based auto corporations began herding workers back into unsafe plants in May with the help of the UAW and Democratic lawmakers like Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker and Michigan Representative Debbie Dingell, whose district includes the area where Fords Dearborn Truck Plant is located.

Workers have reported that no stepped-up safety precautions are being taken as new, more infectious variants are on the rise throughout the US. Early on, workers were given flimsy masks while cleaning supplies, hand sanitizers and gloves ran out regularly, and social distancing was impossible as thousands of workers per shift were called back.

As cases among autoworkers mounted and workers died of COVID-19, the UAW worked with the corporations and the media to systematically black out information on workers who tested positive in the plant and who may have died. As a result, countless numbers of autoworkers continue to fall ill with COVID-19 and die all for the sake of corporate profits.

A Stellantis worker from Kokomo, Indiana voiced frustration with the distribution of the vaccines: They asked us on our log-in questionnaire if we were interested in getting a vaccine. This was on our entry questions about COVID-19.

There has never been a real plan on how to roll out the vaccine. Theres no excuse for the lack of organization. Its chaos! All these same situations seem to repeat themselves. Empty promises. Its more of the same. All talk and no action. There needs to be a plan for every issue, a problem with a solution. [Biden] put so many experts in place, he needs to make use of them. [The Democrats] can only make promises they cant keep. They talk a good game, but never follow through.

Several programmatic demands necessarily flow from these realities:

All nonessential businesses must be shut down and all workers and small businesses must be provided full compensation.





Workers must demand an end to the anarchic free-for-all of the rollout and insist on a science-based and centralized effort to distribute vaccines, beginning with the most vulnerable sections of the population, as quickly and widely as possible. A portion of the massive sums of wealth that have driven up the stock markets must be expropriated from the corporations to implement and carry out these efforts.





Finally, this must be an international effort. The pandemic itself respects no national boundaries and no national program is sufficient to solve it. The working class must demand a stop to the disproportionate buying up of quantities of vaccines and treatments by wealthier countries in order for it to be distributed equally worldwide.

The fight for these essential measures clashes with the profit requirements of the corporations. They raise the necessity for the adoption of a socialist program, ending the anarchy of capitalist production by placing the auto industry, pharmaceuticals and other giant industries under the democratic public ownership of the working class.

To fight for these measures the working class must organize independently of the union by building and expanding a network of rank-and-file safety committees to link workers up across industries and national borders in opposition to the homicidal policies of the ruling class.
The man at one point advanced toward officers in a threatening manner while his hand was concealed under his shirt. He also made references to having a gun, according to the release.

Welcome Guest! You Are Here:

When ABC TV presenter Yumi Stynes and former Dolly Doctor Melissa Kang sat down two years ago to write a handbook for teenagers about consent, they couldnt know they would be launching the book in the midst of a national conversation about sexual assault.

Its a topic that has been thrust into the spotlight in recent weeks with Brittany Higgins alleged rape in Parliament House and online testimony that sexual assault by peers is endemic within the social circles of Sydney teenagers.

Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes, co-authors of the forthcoming book for teens, Welcome to Consent. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Parents have called for schools to do more to teach students, boys and girls alike, about sexual consent at an earlier age. Consent forms part of the NSW syllabus but is sometimes ticked off by hosting a guest speaker rather than building it into lessons more holistically.

The book, Welcome to Consent, to be published in June, could be a welcome tool for parents and educators who are realising that they need to tackle the topic in much more detail. One mother told The Sun-Herald schools should instruct students with scenarios similar to how learner drivers are taught the road rules.
Four Arrested On Graves County Drug, Gun Charges

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Numerous complaints of suspicious activity at a home on KY 2205 near Farmington led to a surveillance operation Thursday.

FARMINGTON - Four people were arrested in Graves County Thursday on various drug, theft and gun charges.

Police came in contact with four people, including 30-year-old Charles Ahlfield, who was wanted on charges related to a vehicle theft that occurred on January 30. He was arrested on charges of criminal mischief, receiving stolen property and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also served with arrest warrants out of Carlisle County and Logan County.

Deputies said a significant amount of drug evidence was seized including crystal methamphetamine, marijuana, approximately 100 syringes that had been used to inject methamphetamine, several sets of electronic scales, glass meth smoking pipes, a handgun, several dosage units of Xanax and a sawed of shotgun.

The other three suspects at the scene were arrested. Forty-year-old Jonathan Reed is charged with trafficking in meth, possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Forty-year-old Angela Reed is charged with possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia. And 34-year-old Amber Stoltenburg is charged with trafficking in meth, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.



All four were lodged in the Graves County Jail.
The document is expected to be ready within the next two months.

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to draft a bill on dual citizenship.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov announced this at a briefing after an NSDC meeting on February 26, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

Read alsoUkraine slaps sanctions on ex-senior officers over support of Russian aggression in 2014

According to him, the bill should be drawn up within the next two months.

The issue of dual citizenship was on the agenda of the NSDC meeting, Danilov said.

"It is very important for our state. You know that we are moving towards civilized countries that allow dual citizenship. But for our country there are certain challenges associated with the fact that at one time, unfortunately, Russia used this tool  when our chief of the SBU [Security Service of Ukraine], the interior minister, the defense minister, the head of the General Staff were citizens of the Russian Federation. We cannot let it happen again," he stressed.

Danilov says similar challenges exist in other countries as well. Therefore, he said, the NSDC on February 26 decided that the government should propose a bill within two months that "will allow us to clearly understand persons with dual citizenship."

He also mentioned forced passportization by Russia in occupied territories of Ukraine.

According to him, those people who today are forcibly given citizenship in the occupied territories  Crimea and part of Donbas, they, "relatively speaking, receive those Ausweises [an allusion to ID documents issued by Nazi Germany's authorities to local residents during the German occupation of Ukraine in 1941-1944] that enable them to somehow live in that territory."

The NSDC secretary predicts that when the territory is liberated, people will get rid of "the papers that are being provided to them there today."

Answering a question from journalists what this bill should stipulate, Danilov explained that officials, lawmakers and those citizens who work in government agencies should not have dual citizenship.

Other related news reports

Reporting by UNIAN
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-26 23:21:22|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

People enjoy recreational activities at a canteen for senior citizen in Yingshan Village, Longxun Township, Dehua County of Quanzhou City in east China's Fujian Province, Dec. 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- China is able to secure the payment of old-age pensions on time and in full despite reductions in social-insurance premiums last year, the country's human resources minister said Friday.

The balance of China's old-age pension fund currently stands at 4.7 trillion yuan (about 726 billion U.S. dollars), Zhang Jinan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, told a press conference.

To alleviate the corporate burden and protect the job market against the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Chinese government slashed 1.54 trillion yuan of social-insurance contributions from employers in 2020, of which 1.33 trillion yuan was old-age pension premiums, according to Zhang.

Despite the revenue loss, the government managed to pay the old-age pensions on time and in full last year, even increasing pension payments to benefit some 120 million retirees.

Zhang was confident in future old-age pension payments, as he expects an annual operating surplus from the old-age pension fund this year.

Increasing central fiscal support, available investment channels and expanding social-security strategic reserves would also back the timely and full payments of old-age pensions, he said. 
More than 160 Confederate symbols were removed across the nation last year, according to an annual survey taken by the Southern Poverty Law Center. George Floyds death launched a nationwide reckoning with racism and renewed calls to remove these monuments.

The Southern Poverty Law Center released new figures on Tuesday, which was part of an update to a report that looks at public symbols associated with the Confederacy across the country.

SPLC reported that 168 Confederate symbols were removed or renamed from public spaces in 2020. This figure includes statues and flags, monuments, and seals, official state holidays, names of schools, streets, and other public spaces, CNN reports.

Virginia led the nation in removals. Confederate symbols in public spaces had long been a contention source in the state and across the nation.

The conversation came back up again after Dylann Roof killed nine African Americans in 2015 in a church in Charleston, South Carolina, and again after White nationalists marched to protest the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.

Some Confederate monuments and other namesakes began to come down in the years following those attacks. The killing of George Floyd at the hands of police launched widespread protests over systemic racism and renewed interest in taking the symbols down.

According to a Quinnipiac University poll, most Americans supported removing Confederate statues from public spaces around the nation.

Of the total 168 Confederate symbols that were removed in 2020, 94 were monuments, according to the SPLC.

While progress has been made, there is still more to be done. More than 2,100 Confederate symbols, including more than 700 monuments, remain publicly standing in the country, SPLC said in its report.

Confederate symbols continue to be painful memorials to White supremacy. For many, these statues must come down to move forward.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to media with Federal Member for Boothby Nicolle Flint (R) at a building site in Oaklands Park, the seat of Boothby on May 14, 2019 in Adelaide, Australia. (Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)

Liberal Politician Nicolle Flint Wont Run in Australias Next Election

Federal coalition MP Nicolle Flint has said she will not recontest her South Australian seat of Boothby and will quit politics at the next election, with senior Liberals paying tribute to her strength in the face of bullying.

The second-term Liberal MP and deputy whip has been vocal about problems facing women in Parliament, calling out what she described as sexist rubbish they too often were forced to deal with.

Senator Simon Birmingham, the most senior South Australian in the government, referred to the treatment of Flint in thanking her for her service.

Since 2016 Nicolle has been a committed and strong voice for the people of Boothby, he said in a statement. Enduring the most grim of election battles in 2019, Nicolles unwavering strength and devotion to her community saw her rise above the unsavoury actions of others.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison issued a statement on Friday night, also taking aim at the unacceptable behaviour.

The public attention from being a parliamentarian does sometimes attract unacceptable behaviour, and I have admired Nicolles efforts to stand against the bullying and nastiness of particular groups and individuals, Morrison said. I wish her all the best for what comes next.

Flint did not outline the reasons for her decision, but promised to continue working hard for her electorate until the election.

It has been an honour to represent the people of Boothby over two terms and I am grateful to them, and to my Liberal Party members, for giving me this opportunity, Flint said in a statement.

Flints Boothby electorate is held by a margin of 1.4 percent.

AAP
Saturday, February 27, 2021

Last week, I blogged about the dominance of Delaware organizational law and its implications for the laws of other states. Which is why I was so interested to when Omari Scott Simmons posted his new paper, The Federal Option: Delaware as De Facto Agency, which takes a (sort of) different view. He argues that Delaware has become de facto federal agency, delegated by the federal government the power to make corporate law nationally, and that this system works well for now, though there might be circumstances where federal chartering  and the structural oversight that would come with it  might be appropriate. These could include situations where companies have received governmental bailouts, or where companies have committed significant wrongdoing and subject themselves to federal oversight as part of their settlement.

Of course, the concerns Ive expressed in my posts are of a slightly different order  theyre about Delaware organizational law extending beyond the boundaries of internal affairs (and Delawares ability to define those boundaries in the first place)  but still, its an interesting holistic look at Delawares role in the corporate governance ecosystem. Here is the abstract:

Despite over 200 years of deliberation and debate, the United States has not adopted a federal corporate chartering law. Instead, Delaware is the Federal Option for corporate law and adjudication. The contemporary federal corporate chartering debate is, in part, a referendum on its role. Although the federal government has regulated other aspects of interstate commerce and has the power to charter corporations and, pursuant to its Commerce Clause power, preempt Delaware, it has not done so. Despite the rich and robust scholarly discussion of Delawares jurisdictional dominance, its role as a de facto national regulator remains underdeveloped. This article addresses a vexing question: Can Delaware, a haven for incorporation and adjudication, serve as an effective national regulator? Following an analysis of federal chartering alternatives, such as the Nader Plan, the Warren Plan, the Sanders Plan, and other modes of regulation, the answer is yes, but with some caveats and qualifications. Delawares adequate, if imperfect, performance as a surrogate national regulator of corporate internal affairs argues against the upheaval of the existing corporate law framework federal chartering would bring. Even in the contemporary moment where longstanding concerns about corporate power, purpose, accountability, and the uneasy relationship between corporations and society are amplified, Delaware can continue to perform an important agency-like role in collaboration with federal regulators, and regulated firms. A deeper examination comparing the merits of federal corporate chartering with Delawares de facto agency function illuminates the potential of existing and future reforms. This article concludes that federal chartering proposals have an important impact despite not being adopted for centuries. First, federal chartering proposals encourage policymakers to look beyond the status quo toward greater hybridization in regulatory design. Second, elements of previous federal chartering proposals have historically become successful a la carte reforms or part of other successful reform measures. Third, federal chartering proposals provide value as a bargaining tool where the threat of more intrusive federal regulation makes other reform methods more palatable to diverse corporate constituencies.

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/business_law/2021/02/simmons-on-delaware-as-a-de-facto-federal-agency.html
A dose of COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech is prepared at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, England. (Owen Humphreys / Associated Press )

A lot of us have engaged in some bold mixing-and-matching during the pandemic  office attire on top, pajama pants on bottom, for instance  and been none the worse for it.

Imagine doing the same with COVID-19 vaccines, perhaps pairing a first dose of the AstraZeneca product with a second dose supplied by Novavax. Will the consequences of such mixing be any graver?

Its hardly an idle question. Either by accident or design, some mismatched dosing is inevitable, experts say.

Two vaccines are currently being rolled out across the United States, with a third expected to join them next week and two more likely to come over the next several months. All but one were designed to be delivered as two-dose regimens.

An additional 69 vaccines are in clinical development across the globe, and nearly two-thirds of those were designed to generate immunity with two or more doses.

But making sure people get the right vaccine at the right time has turned out to be a greater logistical challenge than initially expected. What's more, the unexpectedly swift emergence of menacing coronavirus variants has made it imperative to get shots into arms as quickly as possible.

Health officials in Britain proposed a radical solution to both problems: Delay second doses for up to 12 weeks so that more people could get at least some protection. Later, the government acknowledged that in exceptional circumstances, mismatched doses may be given to people who arrive for their second dose and discover that the vaccine they originally had is not available.

It seemed preposterous, especially considering that neither of these protocols was evaluated in clinical trials. If they don't work, the precious vaccine will have been wasted at a time when there's none to spare.

I wouldnt make any changes unless youve got good data, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. I dont think you mix and match without results showing it's very effective and safe.

Story continues

Now British researchers are trying to do just that.

This month, a team of vaccinologists from Oxford University began recruiting 800 or so people age 50 or older for a complex study to see whether vaccine switching could actually work.

Using an eight-armed clinical trial, they'll test vaccine regimens using various combinations and intervals of the two vaccines currently being dispensed in Britain: one made by Pfizer and BioNTech, and another developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca.

A researcher works on the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. (John Cairns / University of Oxford)

In announcing the mix-and-match vaccine trial, Dr. Matthew Snape cited experiments in mice in which combinations of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines boosted immunity better than two doses of either one alone. Perhaps it would work in humans as well.

Both vaccines prime the immune system to target the coronavirus' spike protein, which plays an instrumental role in the infection process. But they home in on different parts of the spike, and they deliver their payloads by two very different means.

The AstraZeneca one uses a modified cold virus to present the spike protein to the immune system, while the Pfizer one hands over genetic instructions for making the spike protein and relies on human cells to produce it.

Additional COVID-19 vaccines made by Novavax and Johnson & Johnson also focus on the spike proteins on the virus surface, and researchers expect to add them to the trial as it proceeds. (Johnson & Johnson's vaccine candidate is designed to be administered as a single dose, but the company is testing whether a second dose, delivered 57 days after the first, would provide a higher level of immunity.)

The British trial is expected to release its findings in June.

That mouse study cited by Snape has encouraged scientists belief that combining vaccines will kick the body's immune system into a higher gear. By nudging it through different means and training it to recognize new and different pieces of the virus, these mismatched regimens could not only generate neutralizing antibodies but boost production of a specialized class of immune cells called CD8+ T-cells.

The neutralizing antibodies that are produced in response to most vaccines specialize in hunting down and killing free-floating viral particles as they circulate in the bloodstream. Fielding an army of CD8+ T-cells as well would empower the immune system to find and kill cells that have already been infected and turned into virus-copying factories. That would end an infection faster and more completely.

These T-cells also have long and specific memories of what the SARS-CoV-2 virus looks like. That means immunity might last longer when this army of immune cells is strongly recruited.

An atomic resolution 3-D model of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, surrounded by antibodies that try to bind to the spike proteins and prevent the virus from docking with a cell. (Visual Science)

Though mixing and matching vaccines awakened these T-cells in mice, the same response has not yet been demonstrated conclusively in humans. Nor have studies borne out scientists' hope that mismatched vaccines can be safely administered to millions of healthy people.

One potential benefit of mismatched vaccines is that if the two shots target different sets of proteins on the virus' surface, the immune system would be prepared to face a wider array of threats. That might preserve or improve vaccine-induced immunity as new variants of the virus arise.

The emergence of a new strain in South Africa has underscored the importance of having such a backup. After evidence surfaced that the variant was less susceptible to Astra-Zeneca's vaccine, Moderna began work on a modified shot specifically tailored to protect against it. Doses of the booster vaccine were sent to the National Institutes of Health for testing this week, and a new clinical trial will explore whether it expands the immunity of people who've already been vaccinated against COVID-19.

But there is recent precedent for combining vaccines that use different vehicles to deliver their immunological payloads.

The two doses of Russias Sputnik V COVID vaccine, for instance, use two kinds of viruses to transport the genetic instructions that tell the immune system which coronavirus surface proteins to look for. The first is a harmless cold virus. For the second shot that comes 21 days later, scientists engineered another innocuous cold virus to carry the cargo.

This way, there's no chance the immune system will inadvertently attack the harmless cold virus when it's time for the second dose. With a new ride, the vaccine's genetic payload can slip by unchallenged.

Russias Gamaleya Research Institute, which designed Sputnik V, took a similar approach to formulating the first and second doses of its Ebola vaccine. Several experimental HIV vaccines are also testing this approach.

The COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna use the same mRNA platform that prompts cells to construct harmless spike proteins that the immune system will learn to recognize. However, they encapsulate their instructions in very different packages (which may explain why the risk of a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis is more than four times higher for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine than the Moderna one, though both are extremely low).

In late January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told medical professionals they could offer a mismatched second dose of mRNA vaccine "in exceptional situations in which the first-dose vaccine product cannot be determined or is no longer available."

But theres a reason every multi-dose vaccine on the U.S. market  from the hepatitis B shots that start just after birth to the shingles vaccine series for adults in their 50s  comes with a recommendation to get all doses from the same manufacturer: Their safety and efficacy have been tested as an established pairing. Mix-and-match combos have not.

The problem with testing the safety and efficacy of mix-and-match combinations is compounded by the complexity of the immune system.

What we know to measure is only half the story, said Dr. Gregory Poland, a vaccine researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The British mix-and-match trial will measure the amount of antibodies in the bloodstream, but actual immunity is more complicated than that. Immunity brought about by neutralizing antibodies and immunity brought about, say, by CD8+ cells complement each other in mysterious ways.

If you alter one component of that, you no longer know if you have the same efficacy and safety, said Poland.

But this level of caution may be a luxury we can't afford in a public health emergency.

People wait in line to get a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the Balboa Sports Complex in Encino. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

In the midst of a pandemic, a natural experiment in mixing and matching may be unavoidable. Snarls in vaccine production and distribution are bound to happen, imperiling guaranteed on-time access to a second dose that matches ones first.

People in search of their second shot may not even remember what they got the first time around. And many may be willing to take whatever they can get.

Theres the ideal and theres the necessary borne of the practical, Poland said. Absent clinical trials, you do studies on the fly. But youd like to have studies.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Saudi Arabias crown prince likely approved the killing of US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, according to a declassified US intelligence report.

The document instantly ratcheted up pressure on the US administration to hold the kingdom to account over a murder that caused outrage across the world.

The intelligence findings had long been known to many US officials and, even as they remained classified, had been reported with varying degrees of precision.

However, the public rebuke of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is still a touchstone in US-Saudi relations.

It leaves no doubt that as the prince continues in his powerful role and is likely to ascend to the throne, he will forever be associated with the brutal killing of a journalist who promoted democracy and human rights.

Yet even as Joe Bidens administration released the findings, it appears determined to preserve the Saudi relationship by avoiding direct punishment of the prince himself, despite demands for significant and targeted sanctions from some Democrats in US congress as well as Mr Khashoggis allies.

The Biden Administration should ensure that repercussions for the brutal murder of Khashoggi go beyond those who carried it out, to the one who ordered it.



The Crown Prince has blood on his hands. The blood of an American resident and journalist.



We must have accountability. pic.twitter.com/99poiTPX30  Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) February 26, 2021

When questioned by reporters, US secretary of state Antony Blinken defended the US approach.

He said: What weve done by the actions weve taken is not to rupture the relationship, but to recalibrate it to be more in line with our interests and our values.

I think that we have to understand as well that this is bigger than any one person.

The conclusion that the prince approved an operation to kill or capture Mr Khashoggi was based on his decision-making role inside the kingdom, the involvement of a key adviser and members of his protective detail, and his past support for violently silencing dissidents abroad, according to the report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Though intelligence officials stopped short of saying the prince ordered the killing in October 2018, the four-page document described him as having absolute control over the kingdoms intelligence organisations and said it would have been highly unlikely for an operation such as the killing to have been carried out without his approval.

Saudi Arabias foreign ministry responded by saying the kingdom categorically rejects the offensive and incorrect assessment in the report pertaining to the kingdoms leadership.

#STATEMENT | The Government of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Completely Rejects the Assessment in the Report Submitted to USa Congress Regarding Murder of Saudi Citizen Jamal Khashoggi pic.twitter.com/VQwYpBjvvX  Foreign Ministry  (@KSAmofaEN) February 26, 2021

Shortly after the findings were released, the US state department announced a new policy, called the Khashoggi Ban, that will allow the US to deny visas to people who harm, threaten or spy on journalists on behalf of a foreign government.

It also said it would impose visa restrictions on 76 Saudi individuals who have engaged or threatened dissidents overseas.

The state department declined to comment on who would be affected, citing the confidentiality of visa records. But a person familiar with the matter said the prince was not targeted by these measures.

The US treasury department also announced sanctions against a former Saudi intelligence official, Ahmad Hassan Mohammed al Asiri, who US officials say was the operations ringleader.

Democrats in congress praised the administration for releasing the report after the Trump administration had refused to do so, but urged it to take more aggressive actions, including against the prince.

Adam Schiff, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, urged Mr Bidens administration to consider punishing the prince, who he says has the blood of an American journalist on his hands.

The president should not meet with the crown prince, or talk with him, and the administration should consider sanctions on assets in the Saudi Public Investment Fund he controls that have any link to the crime, Mr Schiff said in a statement.

Human rights activists said the lack of any punitive measures would signal impunity for the prince and other autocrats.

The chilling report from the Intelligence Community confirms what the world has long known: that Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered at the direction of top Saudi officials, including Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. https://t.co/d2XHFNlsUu  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) February 26, 2021

Without sanctions, its a joke, said Tawwakol Karman, a Nobel Peace Price winner from neighbouring Yemen, and a friend of Mr Khashoggis.

While Mr Biden had pledged as a presidential candidate to make Saudi Arabia a pariah over the killing, he appeared to take a milder tone during a call on Thursday with Saudi Arabias King Salman.

A White House summary of the conversation made no mention of the killing and said instead that the men had discussed the countries long-standing partnership.

The kingdoms state-run Saudi Press Agency similarly did not mention Mr Khashoggis killing in its report about the call, focusing on regional issues like Iran and the war in Yemen.

In October 2018, Mr Khashoggi had gone to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to pick up documents he needed for his wedding.

Once inside, he died at the hands of more than a dozen Saudi security and intelligence officials and others who had assembled ahead of his arrival.

Surveillance cameras had tracked his route and those of his alleged killers in Istanbul in the hours before his killing.

A Turkish bug planted at the consulate reportedly captured the sound of a forensic saw, operated by a Saudi colonel who was also a forensics expert, dismembering Mr Khashoggis body within an hour of his entering the building. The whereabouts of his remains is unknown.

The prince, an ambitious 35-year-old who has rapidly consolidated power since his father became king in 2015, said in 2019 that he took full responsibility for the killing since it happened on his watch, but denied ordering it.

Saudi officials have said Mr Khashoggis killing was the work of rogue Saudi security and intelligence officials.

Saudi Arabian courts last year announced they had sentenced eight Saudi nationals to prison over Mr Khashoggis killing. They have not been identified.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
A film still shows Tom and Jerry interacting with actress Chloe Grace Moretz. [Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures]

Warner Bros. Pictures' "Tom & Jerry," a live-action/animation hybrid by Tim Story, became the first Hollywood offering to hit Chinese movie theaters on Lantern Festival.

The movie is a reimagining of the classic cat-and-mouse cartoon, which sees Jerry moving into New York City's finest hotel on the eve of the wedding of the century, forcing the event's desperate planner to hire Tom to get rid of him. The ensuing battle threatens to destroy her career, the wedding and possibly the hotel itself.

An eye-popping blend of classic animation and live action, Tom and Jerry's new adventure takes iconic characters into unknown territory and forces them to eventually do the unthinkable: work together to save the day.

"Audiences will see Tom and Jerry in a way that I don't think anybody's ever seen before: a hybrid film with the classic animation that allows us to bring all the crazy stunts and gags people associate with the original cartoons into a live-action, real-world environment," noted producer Chris DeFaria.

The new movie is the first animated/live-action film in which the duo headline, but it isn't the first time they have played cat and mouse with human co-stars. Jerry appeared in a musical number with Gene Kelly in the feature film "Anchors Aweigh," and he and Tom later dove into the pool with Esther Williams in "Dangerous When Wet."

Director Tim Story was eager to take on the classic dueling duo for a modern movie audience. "When it comes to humor, Tom and Jerry -- with their slapstick, over-the-top physical comedy -- transcend time," he said. "What we've done with this film is to take this historical pair as you would normally see them in, say, a house, but put them on a much bigger canvas. Now, they're inside a huge hotel and in the presence of actual humans. Not necessarily talking with them, of course, but definitely interacting with them."

A still shows the classic cat and mouse duo, Tom and Jerry. [Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures]

The duo are set to cause all kinds of mayhem in the film. "We stayed true to the original characters," Story assured, "so basically they are running around, beating each other up... all of the things you're used to seeing Tom and Jerry do. The action is all in keeping with these characters as we've always known them."

In the real world, Chloe Grace Moretz plays Kayla who, like both Tom and Jerry, is a bit of a con artist herself. The actress has been a fan of the frenemies as far back as she can remember.

"Since I was a little girl, probably before I could really comprehend cartoons, I started watching Tom and Jerry. There's just something hilarious about them. They're kind of like the Three Stooges: going head-to-head and pummeling each other, but at the end of the day they're probably best friends," she said.

Audiences first met Tom and Jerry on the big screen in the MGM cartoon "Puss Gets the Boot." It was an immediate hit and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Subject: Cartoons. It launched a timeless series of conflict, comedy and camaraderie that continue to entertain fans everywhere.

Tom and Jerry fought their hilarious, never-ending battles through 114 cartoons in their original theatrical run and have been part of the culture ever since. The pair have featured in numerous TV series and movies, before making Warner Bros. their home in 2001. Tom and Jerry cartoons have received 13 Oscar nominations and took home seven wins.

A still shows the cat, Tom, holding an umbrella while being struck by lightning at night in New York City. [Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures]

The new film was written by Kevin Costello, based on the characters created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Costello who felt responsible to live up to the legends, said, "There's a reason these characters are still so popular, 81 years later, all over the world, and I wanted to be extremely careful to honor that. Tom and Jerry had to be themselves -- look like themselves, not talk like themselves and, obviously, engage in absurd, gleeful, over-the-top cartoon violence. I had so much fun going through the old shorts, trying to break everything down on a character level, and finding ways to recontextualize classic elements in a way that felt nostalgic but new."

Altogether, a huge number of drawings were created throughout the process, with approximately 15,000 in the pre-shoot phase, and 900 per week in the post-shoot phase over 26 weeks, amounting to an additional 25,000. Principal photography of the film wrapped in September 2019, just a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic.

To help the human stars of Tom and Jerry interact with their still-to-be-animated co-stars, puppeteers were hired to act out their performances. To capture the mix of family-friendly themes and the classic chaos of the characters, Story turned to composer Christopher Lennertz to create the score. He also worked with music supervisor Kier Lehman to put together an exciting mix of classic and modern songs, including artists such as T-Pain and Flo Rida.

"Tom and Jerry stand the test of time because we can all relate," Story summed up. "Anyone who's ever been in a family -- which is everyone -- immediately recognizes the relationship between the two of them as that love and hate of a sibling rivalry. But even though Tom and Jerry are at war with each other every day, when the chips are down, there's no one you'd rather have in your corner."

He continued, "That dynamic, played out with their incredible and timeless brand of physical comedy, is universal. That's why they are iconic characters and beloved by audiences around the world. We hope today's moviegoers, no matter their age, will feel the sense of nostalgia but also enjoy these guys in a new, cool, and contemporary way designed for today's generation."

Chinese audiences will also feel strong nostalgia, as the cartoon was introduced into China in 1989 to air on several local TV channels, and was officially imported and broadcast on China Central Television in August 1991. Generations of Chinese people grew up watching the show, and there's huge fanbase, Ah Fu, a film critic and animation historian, told China.org.cn.

A poster of "Tom & Jerry." [Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures]

Actors Chloe Grace Moretz, Michael Pena, Colin Jost, Rob Delaney and Ken Jeong star in the film. It releases into Chinese theaters on Feb. 26, 2021. It will be available to HBO Max subscribers the same day as the North American theatrical release.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Bloomberg/Getty

American airstrikes on Iran-linked paramilitaries in Syria this week were a deterrent response to attacks on U.S. forces in neighboring Iraq. Yet they also to seem have been a conscious refutation by the Biden administration of the Trump administrations wild, dangerous approach to both Iraq and Iran.

Trumps recklessness almost ignited a regional war. The Biden teams handling of Thursdays airstrikes looks very intentionally un-Trumpbut Trump left Biden with a dangerous enough predicament in Iraq that even a more careful, deliberate approach might not be enough to fix it.

On Thursday evening, U.S. aircraft bombed Iraqi paramilitary factions on the Syrian-Iraqi border, in what the Pentagon said was a deterrent response and an effort to preempt ongoing threats. An official in one Iraqi paramilitary group told Reuters that the U.S. strikes had killed one fighter and wounded four.

Biden-Ordered Airstrike in Syria Leaves 22 People Dead, Says Monitor

The U.S. airstrikes followed a Feb. 15 rocket attack on a base used by U.S. and partner forces in Erbil, the capital of Iraqs Kurdistan region, and which killed one civilian contractor and wounded others. A wounded Iraqi civilian died several days later. On Feb. 22, three rockets targeted the U.S. embassy in Baghdad but left only material damage.

The Syrian government denounced the U.S. strikes in the strongest terms. One of the Iraqi factions targeted, Kataib Hizbullah, likewise condemned American criminality.

U.S. forces are in Iraq as part of the U.S.-led international Coalition against ISIS to support Iraqi efforts to combat the jihadist group. In recent years, however, violence with Iran-linked paramilitaries has risked overshadowing the counter-ISIS mission.

Thursdays airstrikes seemed almost like a replay of U.S. airstrikes in December 2019. Then the Trump administration responded to a deadly rocket attack by bombing Kataib Hizbulllah facilities on the Syrian-Iraqi border, killing 25 fighters and injuring more than 50. After angry protesters stormed the U.S. embassy compound, Trump retaliatedin a stunning, 0-to-60 escalationby killing Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary veteran and security official Jamal Jafar (better known by the nom du guerre Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis) in a drone strike. For days, the Middle East seemed on the brink of a broader U.S.-Iran war. The tension only broke after Iranian missile strikes on Iraqi bases hosting U.S. forces injured but did not kill U.S. personnel, which, perversely, opened the way for de-escalation.

Story continues

The U.S. presence in Iraq has remained precarious ever since. Violence in Iraq has periodically surged, U.S.-led Coalition forces have evacuated most of their Iraqi bases, and the Trump administration nearly shut the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. Iraqi paramilitaries continue to maintain that Coalition forces are a foreign occupation.

You could be forgiven for a feeling of deja vu, then, at Thursdays airstrikes on some of the same Iraqi paramilitary factions, hitting the same stretch of Iraqi-Syrian borderand worrying about a repeat of the spiraling escalation that marked the start of 2020.

Yet this latest action by the Biden administration also differs from Trumps December 2019 airstrikes in some important respects.

First, the regional context is different. The backdrop for the December 2019 airstrikes was the Trump administrations campaign of maximum pressure on Iran, a strategy whose stated goals amounted, effectively, to regime change. The rocket fire on U.S. forces in Iraq that precipitated those 2019 airstrikes was seemingly part of an asymmetric response by Irans regional partners to crushing U.S. economic sanctions on Iranafter all, Iran could hardly reciprocate usefully by levying its own sanctions on the U.S.

The Biden administration, by contrast, has expressed its intention to return to the Iran nuclear deal that Trump left, which promises a relaxation of economic pressure on Iran. More generally, the Biden administration has seemed eager to reduce the temperature regionally, down from the constant atmosphere of near-war stoked by the Trump administration.

The Biden administrations messaging around Thursdays airstrikes reflected that change in the regional context. The Trump administration, in announcing its 2019 airstrikes, pointedly emphasized these Iraqi paramilitaries links to Iran. The Pentagons statement closed with a deterrent warning aimed mainly at Iran: Iran and their KH proxy forces must cease their attacks on U.S. and coalition forces, and respect Iraq's sovereignty, to prevent additional defensive actions by U.S. forces. Trump actually escalated his rhetoric further in the latter days of his presidency, threatening to retaliate directly against Iran for rocket fire in Iraq. Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over, he tweeted in December 2020.

The Biden administration, on the other hand, called the Iraqi factions it bombed Iranian-backed militant groups but mainly kept its focus narrowly on the two specific groups it alleged were responsible for recent rocket attacks. When Biden was asked by a reporter Friday what kind of message the strikes sent to Iran, he said, You cant act with impunity. Be careful. Yet officials have otherwise avoided turning the strikes into a Trump-style U.S.-Iran duel.

The Biden teams rhetorical restraint may reflect their consciousness of how to manage a larger engagement with Iran that is delicate and encompasses a number of issues, of which restoring the Iran nuclear deal seems to be the overarching priority. They may also be more sensitive to the legality of military action, and how confidently they can attribute responsibility for the Erbil rocket attack.

Even if the Biden administration were inclined to blame Iran for the Erbil attack, the real extent of Iranian control over Iraqs armed factions is debated, particularly after the killing of Suleimani and Muhandis. Without them, these Iran-linked factions have reportedly become more fractious and inclined to unilateral action.

Saudis Crown Prince Is a Killer. So Why Is Biden Just Shrugging?

In addition to its rhetoric, the Biden administration departed from Trumps approach in other key respects. The reported toll of Thursdays U.S. airstrikesone fighter, not dozenswas seemingly more proportionate to the Erbil rocket fire. The Biden administration said the bombing was conducted together with diplomatic measures, including consultation with Coalition partners whose personnel risk retaliation alongside Americans in Iraq.

Biden administration officials emphasis that they hit these factions inside Syrian territory is another seeming contrast with the Trump administration, which provoked condemnation from even Iraqi officials amicable to the U.S. last year when it unilaterally bombed paramilitaries in Iraq and killed uninvolved Iraqis. By striking instead in Syria, Biden might have mitigated concerns about violating Iraqi sovereignty and avoided political controversy that could imperil a friendly government in Baghdad.

These paramilitary factions are part of Iraqs official auxiliary Popular Mobilization Forces. In Syria, though, they operate outside Iraqi state auspices as part of the Iran-led Resistance Axis.

Still, these paramilitaries dispute U.S. officials grasp of geography. In a statement mourning the fighter killed in Thursdays airstrikes, Kataib Hizbullah said he was killed in the Iraqi region of al-Qaim specifically, implying he died on the Iraqi side of the border. Kataib Hizbullah described the man both as its martyr but also a member of the Popular Mobilizations 46th Brigade, who was standing guard on the Iraqi-Syrian border, protecting Iraqs land and people from the criminal bands of ISIS and joined the caravan of martyrs for the nations sovereignty and dignity.

Wherever the U.S. bombed, moreover, the Iraqi government might still face political blowback. How much the government of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi knew in advance of Thursdays airstrikes is unclear. U.S. officials had previously said they were supporting Iraqi authorities investigation into rocket attacks but would also act, in coordination with Iraqi partners, at a time and place of their choosing. Biden spoke by phone with Kadhemi on Tuesday; a White House readout said the two had agreed that those responsible for [recent rocket] attacks must be held fully to account.

Iraqi paramilitaries and their political allies have seized in particular on remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. In the wake of the strikes, Austin said, We allowed and encouraged the Iraqis to investigate and develop intelligence for us, and that was very helpful to us in refining the target. U.S. officials have since tried to walk that back and denied using Iraqi information in Thursdays airstrikes. But Austins comments might still endanger Kadhemi. Iran-linked factions had previously alleged Kadhemi was complicit in the killing of Soleimani and Muhandis in his former capacity as Iraqi intelligence chief.

Even if this weeks U.S. airstrikes do not spark a repeat of last years escalation, they risk perpetuating a cycle of violence that raises questions about the continued value of the U.S. presence in Iraq. U.S. and Coalition partners still play an important role enabling Iraqi forces to pursue ISIS militants, who wage ongoing guerrilla warfare on Iraqs rural periphery. Coalition forces are still in the country at the invitation of the Iraqi government; without their technical contributions, the ISIS insurgency seems likely to become more dangerous.

Yet if U.S. forces become more occupied, on balance, with defending themselves than with their counter-ISIS mission, then eventually they are a net negative for Iraqi security. With every new spasm of violence, Iraqi lives are put at risk.

This is not a dilemma of the Biden administrations creation. It was the Trumps aggressive policy of maximum pressure that seems to have started this cycle of violence. But now that the cycle is in motion, it is far from clear that even the most deliberate, finely tuned U.S. policy can usefully stop it.

The Biden administration said it carried out Thursdays strikes in a deliberate manner that aims to de-escalate the overall situation in both eastern Syria and Iraq. But now that the U.S. has acted, the initiative belongs to Iraqs paramilitary factions. They are the ones who will choose when and how to respond, and whether the Biden administrations more calibrated approach actually does any good.

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.

Srinagar, Feb 27 : Delhi Public School (DPS) Srinagar on Saturday announced scholarship and reward for the daughter of a daily wage labour who excelled in class 10 exams braving all odds against the poverty of her parents.

Parveena Ayub scored 490 marks out of 500 in the class 10 exam results, which were announced on Friday by the J&K Board of Secondary Education.

Her father, Ayub who lives in North Kashmir's Ganderbal district, is a daily wage labour who has to support a family of six including his wife, daughter Parveena and three of her sisters. The family lives in a single-room shed made of corrugated iron sheets. Ayub's income is just enough to keep his family's body and soul together.

Parveena succeeded in scoring 490 marks without any access to the Internet or by attending tuition classes.

Impressed by the rare achievement of Parveena, DPS Srinagar chairman, Vijay Dhar has announced the Satya Devi scholarship and award for her.

The award offered each year by the school carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and free schooling and other facilities at the DPS till the awardee completes the class 12th.

Dhar said the scholarship is meant for meritorious girl student of the year in keeping with the school's tradition of encouraging gender equality and promoting women empowerment.

"We feel responsible for nurturing the dreams of achievers and dreamers and under no condition can we let their dreams go waste for lack of resources. Parveena's success deserves to be encouraged and she deserves to be provided the best platform to nurture her dreams," Dhar said.

The DPS chairman has offered admission to Parveena promising her the best platform to excel in academics, other co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
ADVERTISE

Hypebot & MusicThinkTank

With the internet and digital technologies driving rapid change within the music industry, articles about new releases and who has been hired and fired are no longer enough. Our up to the minute industry news alongside insightful commentary helps our readers sift through the rumors and developments to find the information they need to keep their businesses moving forward.

Hypebot is read daily by more than 30,000 music industry professionals including executives and senior staff of music related tech firms, internet based music sites, every major label group and most indies as well as many managers, artists and members of the live music community:

Contact us for the latesst stats, ad rates and sponosorship opportunites. We also offer combined rates with MusicThinkTank.
Two Alabama man have been indicted on six counts of capital murder in connection with the killing of seven people in June 2020.

Morgan County District Attorney Scott Anderson today announced that Frederic Allen Rogers, 23, of Woodville, and John Michael Legg, 20, of Hartselle, were indicted by a Morgan County grand jury this week. They are currently being held without bond at the Morgan County Jail.

Anderson also announced that he intends to seek the death penalty against both men.

Rogers and Legg have been in custody since the June 5, 2020 killing of seven people at a home in Valhermoso Springs. Morgan County deputies that day responded to a shots fired call at a home in and found the bodies of seven people, dead of gunshot wounds. Some of the victims had been partial burned in a fire ignited by the two, investigators said.

Rogers and Legg were later arrested in Marion County, Ore., June 22 and were brought back to Morgan County later that month.

The indictment charges the defendants with six counts of capital murder for causing the deaths of Tammy England Muzzey, 45; James Benford, 22; Jeramy Roberts, 31; Roger Jones Jr., 21; William Hodgin, 18; Emily Payne, 21; and a juvenile female, 17, during a robbery, burglary, and commission of an arson.

Investigators said last year that the two men became upset with fellow members of a club and went to a Valhermoso Springs house to wipe the slate clean following several incidents, including the theft of some firearms.
The program was approved as Minneapolis prepares for the trial next month of Derek Chauvin, the white former Minneapolis police officer who was seen on video kneeling for more than nine minutes on the neck of Mr. Floyd, a Black man, as he begged for his life.

Mr. Floyds death last May touched off global protests against police brutality, some of which led to scenes of chaos in Minneapolis, with buildings burned and officers using tear gas and firing rubber bullets into crowds.

Mr. Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Jury selection is expected to begin March 8. Three other former officers who were with Mr. Chauvin during Mr. Floyds final minutes are scheduled to face trial on aiding and abetting charges in August.

The social media influencers will amplify the citys social media posts by sharing them with their followers, officials said.

Minneapolis officials want to make sure that we get the word out about whats happening with the trials and what the options are for community to engage, and particularly communities who are not utilizing, maybe, the citys website or the other traditional media sources, Mark Ruff, the Minneapolis city coordinator, told the City Council on Friday.

Lisa Bender, the City Council president, noted that the trial would be livestreamed and said that community groups had already started to inform residents about the trial process.

This is, I think, the city acknowledging that a lot of that work is going unpaid, and that the city should step up and provide resources to help fund that, she told the Council. I think, also, when were communicating about this, we need to acknowledge the harm that was caused by the city in the first place, from George Floyds death, from actions by our Police Department that followed.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 16:00:48|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

by Xinhua writers Liu Tian, Mao Pengfei

HONG KONG, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- While the bulk of limited stocks of COVID-19 vaccines are being hoarded by wealthy countries, most of the world's population, who live in developing countries, are being left defenseless in the face of the deadly pathogen.

Fighting the pandemic is a common war involving all humanity. The billions of people who will not be inoculated soon due to the uneven distribution of vaccines are exposing the Achilles' heel of global anti-COVID efforts.

LOPSIDED VACCINE DISTRIBUTION

Junaid Iqbal, a 29-year-old young doctor, joined a field hospital last year in northern Pakistan's Gilgit to fight the pandemic and his battle has lasted for almost one year.

"Never in my life had I wished to be vaccinated and immune from the virus like I did in the hardest of those days," Iqbal told Xinhua, recalling the time when his mother was infected with the virus at home, but he couldn't go back to look after her.

However, when he realized that rich countries had started rolling out vaccinations for their citizens, he became concerned that it would take a long time for him, a frontline health worker in a third-world country, to be vaccinated.

What concerns Iqbal has also worried Chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who said in January that deals between some high-income economies and manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines are undermining the WHO-led COVAX initiative, a global initiative to ensure equal access to COVID-19 vaccines for all participating countries.

Of some 50 countries where COVID-19 vaccines are being administered, nearly all are wealthy nations and 75 percent of doses have been deployed in only ten countries, according to the WHO chief, who warned earlier that "the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure" due to vaccine nationalism.

Describing global governance amid the pandemic as "the weakest in contemporary days," Khalid Rehman, director-general of the Institute of Policy Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank in Pakistan, believed that some countries are seeking to prioritize their own interests.

Prejudices that are being applied in global governance should be abandoned and the world needs to come together against global challenges with "an aim to jointly create a better future for humanity, not for one country, not for a group of countries, but for humanity at large," noted the Pakistani expert.

FIGHTING VACCINE NATIONALISM

In an effort to promote the fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, China has joined the COVAX initiative and vowed to provide 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the program to meet the needs of developing countries.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Thursday that China has provided vaccine assistance to at least 53 developing countries and exported vaccines to 27 countries.

Pakistan is the first country to get China's vaccine assistance in February. Iqbal, who worried about when he could be vaccinated, finally received his first jab, saying that the shot gave him strength to fight against the virus during the second-wave of infections in the country.

Earlier in January, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, among other Indonesian senior officials, received his first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China.

Later, many heads of state including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chilean President Sebastian Pinera received the Chinese-made vaccine shots before massive vaccination programs in their countries, showing their confidence in the Chinese vaccines.

Praising China's efforts to offer its vaccines to the international community, Margaret Chan, a former WHO chief, said that COVID-19 vaccines are in short supply, but equitable vaccine distribution, especially to developing countries, is critical as the pandemic won't be controlled until it is controlled everywhere.

"In a globalized world, our vulnerability is universal and the international community must work together in solidarity in the face of a common health crisis," she said.

A WAKE-UP CALL

"The COVID-19 pandemic is a clear test of international cooperation -- a test we have essentially failed," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sept. 24 last year during a video conference, warning that facing the pandemic, "global response is more and more fragmented."

For Rehman, the pandemic should be seen as a "wake-up call" for the international community to heed and repair the fragmented global governance system. "There has been some talk about cooperation, but it has not taken place, genuinely. So, when we say a shared future for mankind, it cannot happen without genuine cooperation among all stakeholders," Rehman said.

As Rehman said, while dealing a severe blow to global development, the pandemic should also prompt all countries of the world to reflect on the significance of global solidarity and cooperation.

Encountering such a virus threatening human lives, all members of the international community need to put aside their biases and unite without any hesitation, said Liu Di, a professor at the Faculty of Social Science of Kyorin University in Tokyo, urging major countries to restore their mutual trust and enhance cooperation to fight against the common challenge.

COVID-19 is a warning that must spur the world to action, Guterres said. "We have no choice. Either we come together in global institutions that are fit for purpose, or we will be crushed by divisiveness and chaos," he said. Enditem

(Xinhua reporters Ye Shan and Jon Day in Tokyo, Hao Yalin in Sydney, Annie Cheung in Hong Kong, as well as Misbah Saba Malik and Raheela Nazir in Islamabad also contributed to the story.)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The boroughs new congressional representative has introduced her first bill, legislation aimed at lowering tolls for Staten Islanders using money generated through split tolling.

On Friday, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) introduced the Resident Toll Commuter Relief Act, a bill that, if passed, would require agencies like the MTA to use any additional revenue generated through split tolling to provide lower tolls or fund rebates for residents on both sides of the bridge.

On Dec. 1, split tolling was implemented on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, splitting the bridges previous one-way toll in half and now charging it in both directions.

The change was made after former Rep. Max Rose fought to repeal a federal split tolling ban on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge that had been in place for over thirty years.

Malliotakis bill would require the MTA, which could net up to an additional $15 million in annual revenue as a result of the switch, to use that money to lower tolls for Staten Islanders and Brooklynites.

My predecessor was in a position to negotiate a fair deal for us, but instead chose to let the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) pocket the extra revenue from going to two-way tolling, which is estimated to be $12 to $15 million, Malliotakis said. My act rights the wrong of my predecessors bad deal and simply returns extra revenue to the toll payers in our community.

The congresswoman has long-opposed the switch back to split tolling, referring to it in the past as nothing more than a Ponzi scheme by the MTA to increase toll revenue without improving congestion or investing in Staten Island transportation projects.

I believe there was little to no benefit in moving to two-way tolling on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The MTAs own study showed a 0.1 mph increase in traffic flow, and any reduction in vehicles during the morning commute is gained in the evening, Malliotakis said, referencing a preliminary draft report submitted to the MTA in August 2018 by global consulting firm WSP.

The only true benefit for our community would be returning the extra revenue back to residents in the form of a toll reduction, she added.

MTA officials say that the agency will review the newly introduced bill.

The MTA is facing the worst financial crisis in its history with an $8 billion deficit through 2024 and we will review this legislation, which is subject to debate in Congress, said MTA Chief Communications Officer Abbey Collins.

ABOUT SPLIT TOLLING

Motorists are not being charged any more under the split tolling plan than they previously were under one-way tolling.

The bridges $19 Tolls by Mail toll has been split from a $19 one-way toll, into two $9.50 split-tolls. The E-ZPass toll has been split from a $12.24 one-way toll, into two $6.12 split-tolls.

The Staten Island Resident Rebate Program -- which allows residents to cross the bridge at a deeply discounted rate -- has also been split in half, with eligible Staten Island residents now being charged an effective post-rebate toll of $2.75 in each direction.

However, earlier this month, the MTA approved a host of toll policy changes, including increasing the cash toll to $10.17, the E-ZPass toll to $6.55 and the Staten Island Resident Discount toll to $2.95.

The approved toll increases are expected to take effect within six to eight weeks.

ABOUT THE REPORT

The report referenced by Malliotakis set out to uncover whether or not the implementation of split tolling would reduce eastbound and increase westbound traffic on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, subsequently reducing congestion on the Staten Island Expressway and in Lower Manhattan, respectively.

Under the previous one-way tolling system, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge handled approximately 112,000 eastbound and 105,000 westbound vehicles per weekday, a difference of about 7,000 vehicles.

According to the report, the implementation of split tolling will help correct this daily imbalance.

Traffic diversions between the key crossings may occur because reducing the VNB westbound toll by 50 percent would be a toll-based incentive to utilize the westbound VNB and I-278 corridor, while adding the equivalent toll to the eastbound direction would be a disincentive to use the eastbound VNB and I-278 corridor, according to the report.

With split tolling implemented, the report estimated a reduction of 4,325 eastbound vehicles per day on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, with 4,361 additional westbound vehicles per day.

However, the changes in total traffic volume are not expected to significantly impact rush hour traffic.

The highest changes in traffic volumes would occur during the off-peak periods when congestion is lower and when the VNB operates more like a regional bridge and less like a local bridge, as it does during the AM and PM peak periods, according to the report.

Diversions are less likely to happen during the AM and PM peak periods in part because the VNB primarily serves as a local bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island and because congestion along alternate routes is greater during these periods, resulting in lower anticipated diversions, the report continues.

The Staten Island Expressway is expected to see relatively small increases in westbound traffic and decreases in eastbound traffic, with the highest changes in traffic volume occurring during off-peak periods.

According to the report, the changes in traffic volume will have a minimal effect on travel speeds.

Speeds may increase eastbound or decrease westbound up to about 0.1 mph during any hour of the day, with most hours experiencing no change in speed, the report states.

However, if occurring at the right time, this slight increase could marginally improve traffic flow during the morning commute, the report claims.

Currently, during the AM peak hour, the SIE is heavily congested and operates at a very low level of service. A relatively small decrease in traffic volumes during the AM peak hour may result in better traffic flow and thus better travel speeds, according to the report.

HOW WE GOT HERE

In December 2019, following a push from then-Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn), former President Donald Trump signed a $1.4 trillion spending package that included a repeal of the split tolling ban on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, including language to split the spans one-way toll into two split-tolls.

I promised to do everything I can to end my constituents commuting nightmare, and with split tolling well see fewer out-of-state cars and trucks clogging up our expressway at no cost to residents. Im proud to have worked with leaders from both parties and all levels of government to make this a reality, and look forward to seeing the positive impact for our community, said Rose.

Prior to the signing, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge was the nations only bridge where tolling was controlled by federal mandate, a Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill put in place over 30 years ago and co-sponsored by former Congressman Guy V. Molinari to address growing congestion surrounding the spans tollbooths.

Rose spearheaded the efforts to re-establish split tolling on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, including a speech made on the House floor encouraging passage of the legislation.

Thanks to the overwhelmingly bipartisan support from every level of government, outdated federal laws will no longer create traffic on the expressway and let New Jersey truckers skip out on paying the same tolls we pay every damn day, Rose said in December 2019.
Chinese companies have bought up 17 U.K. private schools in the United Kingdom in recent years, sparking fears of expanding Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence in the country as the schools struggle financially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, British media reported.



"Hundreds of independent schools left in dire financial straits by the coronavirus pandemic are being targeted by Chinese investors," the Mail on Sunday newspaper reported at the weekend.



Some of the companies are run by high-ranking members of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, and "seek to expand their influence over Britain's education system," the report said.



According to an investigation by the paper, nine of the 17 schools under Chinese control are owned by companies controlled by Chinese entrepreneurs who are also members of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a body which maintains close ties between private sector wealth and the ruling party.



Private schools have been hard-hit by the pandemic, with plummeting enrollments and falling fees as students are sent home for distance-learning, the report said.



Before the pandemic, Bright Scholar -- a company owned by the daughter of Chinese property magnate Yang Guoqiang -- had already invested in several schools, including Bournemouth Collegiate School and St Michael's School in Llanelli, Carmarthanshire, the paper said.



Bedstone College in Shropshire and Ipswich High School are owned by London-based asset manager London & Oxford Group, which in turn is backed by China's Wanda Group conglomerate.



Riddlesworth Hall Preparatory School in Norfolk, attended by Princess Diana, was acquired by the Confucius International Education Group in 2015.



Ray Global Education, which owns two U.K.-based private schools, says the acquisitions were a part of its "Global Campus" project that seeks to promote the CCP's Belt & Road infrastructure and global influence initiative in the global education sector.



The company's president Hu Jing told Chinese state-run media in 2019 that he runs the business in accordance with "political laws, educational laws, and economic laws."



"No matter how international the school is, it is still fundamentally a Chinese school, and it must pay close heed to the political environment," Hu told journalists.



When his company set up a school in Shanghai, the first thing it did was to set up a CCP committee and choose a party secretary, he said.

British schools a weak link



Wang Jianhong, spokesman for the U.S.-based rights group Humanitarian China, said she was surprised at the sheer scale of Chinese acquisitions in the U.K. private education sector.



"British private schools are a weak link, because there is a need for investment, and the CCP is taking advantage of that," Wang told RFA.



"There is little awareness of CCP infiltration," said Wang, who lived in the U.K. for more than a decade.



Wang said any Chinese company investing in the sector would definitely need the backing of the CCP.



"The CCPs investment in British private education has been on the increase ... and there is definitely a CCP background to these companies: how would ordinary Chinese companies manage to buy up U.K. private schools?" she said.



"Compulsory education providers in the U.K. are now owned by enterprises controlled by the CCP, and the worry now is that its ideology will affect what is being taught there," Wang said.



She said a current review of Confucius Institutes in the U.K. wouldn't be enough to curb Beijing's influence.



"Even if you shut down the Confucius Institute, the CCP has other ways in, including the acquisition of private schools," Wang said. "I don't think Western countries have yet realized the extent of the CCP's involvement here."

'No idea how to resist'



U.K.-based author Ma Jian said the U.K. government was failing to perceive the risk in allowing such takeovers.



"These British politicians really are idiots," Ma told RFA. "China is using their economy to gain a political voice, but they have no idea how to resist them."



He said U.K. educational institutions also have a huge portfolio of investments in China.



"The U.K. has turned itself into a trading outpost of China, not just in terms of business, economy and trade, but also in terms of culture," Ma said. "[U.K.] universities, research institutes, secondary and primary schools have invested a lot of money in China."



He said the acquisition of U.K. private schools in entirely in keeping with China's bid to expand CCP influence around the world under general secretary Xi Jinping.



"This is all about targeting the next generation, educationally speaking," Ma said.



An employee of a Shanghai-based education-sector investment company, who gave only a nickname An, said there are also strong economic reasons for Chinese companies to be interested in the private education sector in the U.K.



The Hurun Research Institute reported in 2018 that more than 80 percent of China's wealthiest families plan to send their children to overseas schools, with nearly one third saying they would choose schools in the U.K.



"British brands are also particularly attractive to Chinese parents, who think about the aristocratic British accent and lifestyle," An told RFA.



According to a 2020 report from the Independent Schools Council (ISC), China has sent more students to private U.K. schools than any other country, a total of 10,864 at the time of the survey.



According to An, a weaker, post-Brexit pound and strong government support are also attractive to Chinese investors and parents alike.



ISC chair Barnaby Lenon told the Times Educational Supplement in 2019 that people should be jolly pleased that Chinese investors were buying up U.K. private schools.



"This obviously is the salvation of a small number of these schools. Its a good thing for those schools because it means they can remain viable," Lenon said.



Reported by Jane Tang for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Yitong Wu and Singman for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have tapped a private database containing hundreds of millions of phone, water, electricity and other utility records while pursuing immigration violations, according to public documents uncovered by Georgetown Law researchers and shared with The Washington Post.

ICE's use of the private database is another example of how government agencies have exploited commercial sources to access information they are not authorized to compile on their own. It also highlights how real-world surveillance efforts are being fueled by information people may never have expected would land in the hands of law enforcement.

The database, CLEAR, includes more than 400 million names, addresses and service records from more than 80 utility companies covering all the staples of modern life, including water, gas and electricity, and phone, Internet and cable TV.

CLEAR documents say the database includes billions of records related to people's employment, housing, credit reports, criminal histories and vehicle registrations from utility companies in all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is updated daily, meaning even a recent move or new utility sign-up could be reflected in an individual search.

CLEAR is run by the media and data conglomerate Thomson Reuters, which sells "legal investigation software solution" subscriptions to a broad range of companies and public agencies. The company has said in documents that its utility data comes from the credit-reporting giant Equifax. Thomson Reuters, based in Toronto, also owns the international news service Reuters as well as other prominent subscription databases, including Westlaw.

Thomson Reuters has not provided a full client list for CLEAR, but the company has said in marketing documents that the system has been used by police in Detroit, a credit union in California and a fraud investigator in the Midwest. Federal purchasing records show that the departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Defense are among the federal agencies with ongoing contracts for CLEAR data use.

On Friday, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform sent letters to the chief executives of Thomson Reuters and Equifax seeking documents and other information on how ICE has used the utility data in recent years.

"We are concerned that Thomson Reuters' commercialization of personal and use data of utility customers and sale of broad access to ICE is an abuse of privacy, and that ICE's use of this database is an abuse of power," said the letters, which were signed by Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., the committee's vice chair, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., the chairman of a subcommittee on economic and consumer policy.

Thomson Reuters directed requests for comment to ICE, which declined to comment on its "investigative techniques, tactics or tools," citing "law-enforcement sensitivities." Equifax did not respond to requests for comment.

ICE has not shared how often it has used utility records to track people, saying such details should be confidential because they outline protected investigative techniques.

But an immigration-case investigator appeared to note the access last June in an email to officials at the Georgia Department of Driver Services. The email was revealed as part of a Freedom of Information Act request by Georgetown Law's Center on Privacy & Technology and reviewed by The Post. In the heavily redacted email, the officer said immigration authorities are pursuing a "straight-up Pleasure Visitor" accused of overstaying a visa and that a search of unspecified utility records had showed that the target had "recently departed" from an address.

In a separate letter to a Texas sheriff's office in 2019, also obtained by Georgetown researchers and shared with The Post, a Thomson Reuters specialist said CLEAR's utility data offered investigators a powerful way to find "people who are not easily traceable via traditional sources."

Nina Wang, a policy associate at the Georgetown center, said the database offered ICE officers a way to pursue undocumented immigrants who may have tried to stay off the grid by avoiding activities as getting driver's licenses but could not live without paying to keep the lights on at home.

"There needs to be a line drawn in defense of people's basic dignity. And when the fear of deportation could endanger their ability to access these basic services, that line is being crossed," she said. "It's a massive betrayal of people's trust. . . . When you sign up for electricity, you don't expect them to send immigration agents to your front door."

ICE has a $21 million contract with a Thomson Reuters subsidiary for the data, though the subscription is scheduled to expire on Sunday. ICE published a new solicitation for a "Law Enforcement Investigative Database Subscription" in November, but it is unclear whether the Biden administration will renew the deal or award a new contract.

Jacinta Gonzalez, a senior campaign organizer at the Latino civil rights group Mijente, said her group has been alarmed and "horrified" by how quickly ICE has expanded its surveillance network through the use of private databases, which members suspect have been used by ICE officers to plan raids on people's homes.

"People would say to us, 'How did ICE get my address? I've never had interactions with the police, I've never used this address publicly,'" she said. "It puts people in a tremendously difficult situation. They have to decide whether to have electricity or subject themselves to having ICE get access to this information."

Equifax has said it gathers utility-bill records from the National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange, a consumer credit-reporting bureau that gathers data on people's account and payment history with companies including Verizon and AT&T.

The data-exchange bureau has defended its data collection as "empowering" for the "underserved and underbanked community," because the records help big companies assess the creditworthiness of people by using "alternative data sources" beyond traditional credit reports.

It's unclear whether the utility data from Equifax comes from NCTUE or some other source, though the two firms have a long-standing data-sharing agreement. Speaking of the partnership in a letter to the Justice Department in 2001, a NCTUE representative wrote that Equifax had a "commitment to find and exploit appropriate opportunities for third-party access to exchange data."

Federal laws such as the Privacy Act of 1974 regulate how federal agencies can gather or use Americans' personal information, but they do not cover CLEAR or other private databases, and federal law enforcement has increasingly turned to them for information it otherwise is not allowed to collect without a court order.

Immigration agents have accessed information from a private database of license-plate readers holding billions of records related to vehicle locations from scanners on tow trucks, toll roads and speed-limit cameras. Agents have run facial recognition searches on people's photos to see if they match any of the millions of faces in state driver's license databases.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials also have used cellphone location data without warrants to track people inside the country. The data is gathered through a mix of weather, gaming and other apps, then bundled and resold by companies to marketers and federal agencies.

An inspector general for the Treasury Department said in a letter last week to Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., first reported by the Wall Street Journal, that similar uses of commercial location data by the Internal Revenue Service could conflict with a 2018 Supreme Court ruling that found such searches should require a warrant.

Lawyers for the IRS and other agencies have argued that they had not needed a warrant because phone users had "voluntarily granted access" to the data-sharing apps.
Throughout the pandemic, there has been perhaps nowhere more dangerous than a nursing home. The coronavirus has raced through some 31,000 long-term care facilities in the United States, killing more than 163,000 residents and employees and accounting for more than one-third of all virus deaths since the late spring.

But for the first time since the U.S. outbreak began roughly a year ago  at a nursing care center in Kirkland, Washington  the threat inside nursing homes may have finally reached a turning point.

Since the arrival of vaccines, which were prioritized to long-term care facilities starting in late December, new cases and deaths in nursing homes, a large subset of long-term care facilities, have fallen steeply, outpacing national declines, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data. The turnaround is an encouraging sign for vaccine effectiveness and offers an early glimpse at what may be in store for the rest of the country as more and more people get vaccinated.

From late December to early February, new cases among nursing home residents fell by more than 80%, nearly double the rate of improvement in the general population. The trendline for deaths was even more striking: Even as fatalities spiked overall this winter, deaths inside the facilities have fallen, decreasing by more than 65%.

Im almost at a loss for words at how amazing it is and how exciting, said Dr. David Gifford, chief medical officer for the American Health Care Association, which represents thousands of long-term care facilities across the country.

If we are seeing a robust response with this vaccine with the elderly with a highly contagious disease, he said, I think thats a great sign for the rest of the population.

Vaccines get credit

Experts attribute the improvements in large part to the distribution of vaccines. About 4.5 million residents and employees in long-term care facilities have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including about 2.1 million who have been fully vaccinated.

Other factors, including the steep drop in new infections nationwide in recent weeks, may have contributed as well.

Today, new cases in U.S. nursing homes are at their lowest point since May, when the federal government began tracking such data.

What is certainly surprising to me is how quickly were seeing this, said Dr. Sunil Parikh, an associate professor of public health research and medicine at Yale School of Public Health in Connecticut, where weekly cases in nursing homes had dropped from several hundred around the holidays to as little as 30 statewide during one recent week.

Its a dramatic decline, he said, adding that more research was needed to determine what role community transmission played and whether the first dose of vaccine may offer more protection than previously thought.

In one promising sign, the American Health Care Association looked at nearly 800 nursing homes that received early doses of the vaccine in December and compared caseloads with facilities in the same counties that had not yet held a vaccine clinic. The nursing homes that got the earlier vaccine saw a 48% decline in cases among residents, compared with 21% among nearby nursing homes.

In some nursing homes, 4 out of 5 residents or more have now been vaccinated. Some states, such as Connecticut and West Virginia, have reported finishing vaccinations at all nursing homes, but many employees and a smaller share of residents nationally have declined to get the shot.

At Valley Senior Living in Grand Forks, North Dakota, more than 90% of residents agreed to be vaccinated. The high rate of uptake, combined with low levels of community transmission, has meant that life is slowly inching back to normal for the 400 or so people who live in the facilitys nursing and assisted living centers.

Residents are now allowed to visit with loved ones again, one or two people at a time. They are singing in choirs, albeit masked and spaced apart. There was even a recent Mardi Gras parade, complete with beads and music. It is a marked change from much of the past year, when outbreaks there led to months of shutdown and at least 12 deaths.

Things are better, said Garth Rydland, chief executive at Valley Senior Living. You kind of knock on wood every time you say something like that, but now I feel a lot more confident.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Feb. 26About 120 soldiers from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, on Friday boarded a plane at Manhattan Regional Airport to Miami, Florida, to help with COVID vaccine distributions.

As part of the U.S. Department of Defense's support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the soldiers will assist with a state-run, federally supported community vaccination center to help as more people are vaccinated.

Another team deployed Feb. 19 from Fort Riley to Dallas, Texas, in support of the community vaccination center at the Fair Park Cotton Bowl Stadium.

Lt. Col. Buck Carroll, commander of the Miami task force, said Friday this mission allows their team to defend the homeland in a different way.

"This is just an absolutely unique opportunity to actually see the people that we're serving and defending," Carroll said. "... Right now we have a crisis going on. (The U.S.) just topped 500,000 deaths and for us to play our part and cut down on the deaths and the toll that it is taking on our people is a great opportunity."

The soldiers on these teams include medical personnel and support staff, and they are trained to administer vaccines, care for patients and offer other organizational support. Officials said these teams are capable of administering 3,000 vaccinations per day.

Once the Miami task force lands, Carroll said they will take a little time to check in with FEMA officials to see what they need and understand how the center is operating, but they expect to be executing their mission responsibilities by the end of the week.

"Our soldiers are playing vital roles in providing lifesaving vaccines to the ones we swore to protect, the American people," said Col. Brandon Smith, commander of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, in a written statement. "I am honored we have the opportunity to help our fellow citizens and to help put an end to this pandemic."

Additionally, the 1st Sustainment Brigade has 44 soldiers supporting FEMA vaccination efforts in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Dallas, Houston, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These teams provide contracting and logistical support to combine civilian and military medical personnel.
Shaun Michael Bosse, who was convicted and sentenced to death for the 2010 killing of Katrina Griffin and her two young children, is among the inmates likely to get a new trial in federal court. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP, File)

10 Death Row Inmates in Oklahoma Could Get New Trials

OKLAHOMA CITYAs many as 10 death row inmates in Oklahoma, more than one-fifth of the states prisoners condemned to die, could escape execution because of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling concerning criminal jurisdiction in Indian Country.

The inmates have challenged their convictions in state court following the high courts ruling last year, dubbed the McGirt decision, that determined a large swath of eastern Oklahoma remains an American Indian reservation. The decision means that Oklahoma prosecutors lack the authority to pursue criminal charges in cases in which the defendants, or the victims, are tribal citizens.

Among the inmates likely to get a new trial in federal court is Shaun Michael Bosse, 38, who was convicted and sentenced to death in the 2010 killing of Katrina Griffin and her two young children. The victims were all found inside a burning mobile home near Dibble, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Oklahoma City.

Dozens of other inmates convicted in non-death penalty cases also are seeking to have their convictions tossed, which is expected to result in a dramatic increase in the workload of federal prosecutors.

Although Bosse is not a tribal citizen, the court determined that Griffin and her children were Native Americans and that the crime occurred on land inside the Chickasaw Nations historic reservation.

The decision is particularly frustrating to District Attorney Greg Mashburn, whose office prosecuted Bosse.

Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn talks with the media in Norman, Okla., on Dec. 25, 2017. (Sue Ogrocki/AP, File)

Hes benefiting from the people he killed, Mashburn said. It would be a travesty of justice if he got anything less than death.

Mashburn said another trial would also revictimize Griffins family, who were pleased with the outcome of the state trial.

Unfortunately, the law doesnt ask their opinion, Mashburn said.

Stephen Greetham, an attorney for the Chickasaw Nation, said Griffins family has reached out to the tribe with concerns that Bosse could escape his death sentence. But he says the tribe has no say in that case because Bosse is not American Indian.

Hes not subject to our jurisdiction, so its entirely at the discretion of the federal prosecutor, Greetham said.

The cases of Bosse and nine other death row inmates are being reexamined in district court to determine if the defendant or victims are enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe and if the crime occurred on a tribal reservation, according to the attorney generals office. If those conditions are met, its likely the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals will toss the convictions and force the cases to be retried in federal court where obtaining a death sentence is much more difficult.

Although federal prosecutors have the authority to pursue the death penalty under certain circumstances, if the killing is determined to have occurred on tribal lands, the tribal nation must also agree to allow the death penalty. While some Oklahoma-based tribes have indicated theyre considering that option, only one tribethe Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahomahas explicitly authorized the death penalty in federal cases.

The Sac & Fox Nation has always been a law-and-order tribe, said Carter Truman, an American Indian law expert and former prosecutor with the Sac & Fox Nation. Our position was, if one of the most serious federal crimes was committed and you had a dangerous individual defendant accused of committing that crime, the death penalty should be an option.

But none of the crimes committed by the death row inmates seeking to have their convictions thrown out took place on Sac & Fox land. U.S. Attorney Trent Shores said having to retry these cases, particularly some that are decades old, could pose unique challenges because of fading witness memories or stale evidence.

U.S. Attorney Trent Shores speaks in Tulsa, Okla., on May 14, 2019. (Stephen Pingry/Tulsa World via AP)

In theory, a blueprint is there for how to present this case and how to successfully convict this individual, but its not without inherent problems because of the time that has passed since the original crime, Shores said.

Maria Kolar, an Oklahoma City University professor with expertise in capital punishment as both a prosecutor and defense attorney, agreed retrying cases in federal court will be a challenge for federal prosecutors.

I think its going to be a tall order for a lot of these cases, and the older the case, the bigger the challenge, Kolar said. Theyll get into issues like witness availability, witness memory.

By Sean Murphy
Advertisement

Just one vaccine shot reduces the risk of being hospitalised by Covid-19 by more than 90 per cent, according to stunning new findings.

Public health officials have told Ministers that the remarkable results apply for both the Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, with the British jab proving slightly more effective.

It represents another huge boost to Britains world-beating vaccine rollout, which has now achieved nearly 20 million first injections. The hugely successful inoculation programme is threatened only by the small minority who are still refusing to have the jab.

Yesterday Prince William urged Britons to ignore conspiracy theories about the supposed dangers of the vaccine, warning of rumours and misinformation on social media. The Duke of Cambridge issued the warning during a video call with his wife Kate to two clinically vulnerable women who have been shielding with their families since March.

A Mail on Sunday investigation into the poor take-up among some ethnic minorities today finds people are falling for lies and conspiracy theories spread online.

In other developments:

This newspaper has established that a quarter of frontline NHS workers in London are refusing the vaccine;

A Mail on Sunday poll found 81 per cent of voters think it should be compulsory for medics and care home workers to have the vaccine, while 54 per cent support vaccine passports as a condition of entry to restaurants or on public transport;

Boris Johnsons poll ratings have surged since he announced his roadmap out of lockdown, which is supported by more than two-thirds of people;

Almost three-quarters of care homes bosses said they wanted to implement a no jab, no job policy;

New Covid cases have fallen by 28 per cent over the past seven days to 7,434, while deaths dropped by more than a third to 290;

The number of first-dose vaccinations administered surpassed 19.6 million, with more than 750,000 people having their second jab;

Tributes were paid to Captain Sir Tom Moore at his funeral yesterday;

EU leaders have been warned it could be 2023 before the bloc manages to offer a jab to all of its adult population;

Pubs and restaurants complained they were facing a nightmare of red tape if they wanted to reopen for alfresco service on April 12, in line with Mr Johnsons roadmap.

The new one-dose vaccination figures were calculated by comparing Covid hospitalisation rates in those who have received their first dose with those of a similar age who havent.

It helps to explain why the numbers being hospitalised are falling so rapidly in the oldest age groups.

Deaths among the over-75s have dropped by 40 per cent, while the number of over-85s being admitted to intensive care units with Covid has dropped close to zero.

The strong results for the Oxford vaccine are a rebuke to the German authorities, which last month advised against its use in the over-65s.

A single shot of either the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Pfizer jab cuts the chance of needing hospital treatment by more than 90 per cent, real world results from the NHS vaccination programme show

In a ignominious climbdown, health chiefs in both countries have now suggested they could update their policies for the Oxford University researched jab after initially refusing to give it to the over 65s.

The Duke of Cambridges remarks on vaccinations come after the Queen suggested last week that it was selfish to refuse a jab.

William and Kate spoke to mother of two Shivali Modha, who has type 2 diabetes, and said she was anxious about her vaccine after reading claims on social media.

In a video call, the Duke told her: Catherine and I are not medical experts by any means but if its any consolation we can wholeheartedly support having vaccinations. Its really, really important.

Weve spoken to a lot of people about it and the uptake has been amazing so far.

Weve got to keep it going so the younger generations also feel that its really important for them to have it.

So its great that, Shivali, youre taking the time to work it out and come to the conclusion that I need to do this because social media is awash sometimes with lots of rumours and misinformation, so we have to be a bit careful who we believe and where we get our information from. Especially for those who are clinically vulnerable as well, its so important that those vaccinations are done, so good luck.

France changes its tune on AstraZeneca jabs following Ursula von der Leyen's praise for the vaccine France's government has said it wants to 'rehabilitate' the AstraZeneca vaccine as EU leaders try to undo the doubts they sowed about the jab which have led to low uptake despite its proven effectiveness. The French health ministry admitted that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine had an 'image deficit' which had led to 'feeble' usage of the jab, with only 107,000 people immunised with it so far. It comes after Emmanuel Macron himself raised doubts about the jab's effectiveness and claimed that Britain had taken a risk by authorising it so soon, while French regulators refused to approve it for over-65s. Meanwhile the French government is considering new local restrictions to deal with a worsening Covid-19 situation as it scrambles to avoid a new national lockdown. 'We will use all possible levers to rehabilitate the vaccine,' the French health ministry said, according to Le Telegramme, days after real-world data in Scotland showed the AstraZeneca shot reducing Covid hospitalisations by 94 per cent. Germany's government is also pleading with people to take the AstraZeneca jab, while EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said that she herself would take it - despite her furious row with the drugmaker last month over missing shipments to the EU. That struggle is set to continue into the spring with as many as 90million doses missing from AstraZeneca shipments in the second quarter of 2021. An EU official involved in talks with the firm says AstraZeneca has warned that it may deliver only half of its promised 180million doses from April to June, having slowed supplies in January because of delays at a Belgian factory. The new shortage could hamper the EU's ability to meet its target of vaccinating 70 per cent of adults by summer - with Britain promising to offer one dose to 100 per cent by July 31. The EU supply shortage is seen as one of the main reasons for a widely-criticised vaccine roll-out which is lagging far behind that in Britain. While the UK has handed out 27.0 doses per 100 people, the EU is lagging behind on 6.2 and has not significantly sped up its progress in recent weeks. Von der Leyen defended her policies by pointing out that the EU had handed out 27milion doses in total compared to 17million in Britain - but the bloc of 27 countries has a population more than six times larger. She also noted that Italy had given double-doses to more people than Britain, but it has handed out far fewer doses overall. Catching up to Britain will be made even harder if AstraZeneca shortfalls continue into the early summer, as an EU official told Reuters last night. Von der Leyen told the Augsburger Allgemeine that 'I would take the AstraZeneca vaccine without a second thought, just like Moderna's and BioNTech/Pfizer's products,' Advertisement

The Duke and Duchess also spoke to Fiona Doyle, 37  an asthma sufferer  and her seven-year-old daughter Ciara, who have been shielding at home in Finchley, North London, since the crisis began.

She spoke of her anxiety knowing that there was this virus out there that was incredibly dangerous for me. It was really difficult.

The challenges facing the NHS were made clear by one GP who told the MoS of his battle to persuade one of his surgerys receptionists to have the inoculation.

The doctor, who works at a busy South of England group practice which is co-ordinating vaccinations for the local area, explained: She said that she didnt want to have it.

So one evening I sat down with her and talked through her concerns for 20 minutes. I explained all about how rigorously the vaccine had been tested, how safe it is and how important it was that as many people as possible have it.

Not to mention the fact that she was working at a surgery where we are seeing lots of elderly and vulnerable people every day.

But there was just no convincing her. She told me that the vaccine was something foreign and she didnt want it going in her body. And that was the end of that.

A survey by the Harrow Association of Somali Voluntary Organisations suggested only half of its community plan to take the vaccine  even though more than three-quarters knew someone who had died from the disease and barely any doubted its dangers.

Organisers said they were shocked by the results.

Meanwhile, 60 of Britains predominantly black churches will use services today to urge their congregations to have jabs. Leaders, some of whom have already been inoculated, will join forces to urge worshippers to seek out the facts from trusted sources.

The vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca is stunningly effective at preventing recipients becoming seriously ill from Covid-19, new analysis shows.

It is even better than the Pfizer jab at stopping people getting so sick that they need to be admitted to hospital, Ministers have been told.

A single shot of either jab cuts the chance of needing hospital treatment by more than 90 per cent, real world results from the NHS vaccination programme show.

But the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, shunned by millions across Europe because of concerns over trial data, is proving slightly more effective at stopping severe Covid-19 illness than the Pfizer jab.

Its apparent superiority even holds among over-70s, The Mail on Sunday understands, vindicating the UK drug regulators decision to approve it for use in older people.

The results are a massive boost not just for Oxford and AstraZeneca, but also the Government. Ministers have ordered 100 million doses, making it the workhorse of the NHS vaccination campaign.

The landmark results will add to growing confidence that vaccination is breaking the link between infections and deaths.

The figures were calculated by comparing Covid hospitalisation rates across England in those who have received a first dose of vaccine in the NHS rollout, to those of a similar age who have not.

They follow a Scottish study of Covid hospitalisation rates, published last week, which came to similar conclusions. Edinburgh University researchers found that by the fourth week after injection, the Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines were shown to reduce the risk of hospitalisation from Covid-19 by up to 85 per cent and 94 per cent, respectively.

Among over-80s, who are at highest risk of severe illness, a single dose cut the risk of needing hospital treatment by 81 per cent from week four onwards, when the results from both types were combined.

Well-placed sources said the larger English study found hospitalisation rates in over-70s were slightly lower among recipients of the Oxford vaccine than those who got the Pfizer drug. Last month, German authorities advised against using the Oxford vaccine in over-65s, citing lack of evidence of effectiveness from formal trials. The trials were dogged by low numbers of older volunteers.

But the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, shunned by millions across Europe because of concerns over trial data, is proving slightly more effective at stopping severe Covid-19 illness than the Pfizer jab

Germany and France look set to approve the AstraZeneca Covid jab for the over 65s in a major U-turn aimed at speeding up their shambolic vaccine drives. Pictured: A near empty vaccination centre in Germany earlier this month

EU nations including Germany are being far outpaced by Britain in the vaccine race after Brussels was late to place orders with firms including Pfizer and AstraZeneca

French President Emmanuel Macron then caused consternation by falsely claiming the Oxford vaccine was quasi-ineffective for over-65s  although he has since rowed back by saying he would have it.

In a subtle riposte to European critics, Professor Sarah Gilbert, who spearheaded Oxfords Covid vaccine project, said real-world data now provides evidence of high effectiveness of both the Oxford-AstraZeneca and BioNTech-Pfizer vaccines in preventing hospitalisation in people over the age of 80, after a single dose, supporting our confidence in using this vaccine in adults of all ages.

The results are already having a stunning impact on Covid statistics, which show hospitalisations and deaths falling fastest among Britains oldest people. Deaths in over-75s  almost all of whom have now had their first jab  fell 40 per cent in the last week. By contrast, they fell 23 per cent in under-65s, who remain largely unvaccinated. The number of Covid admissions to intensive care units among over-85s has also dropped to near zero in the last couple of weeks, Public Health England reports indicate.

In another boost for Oxford, new evidence also indicates one dose of its vaccine provides more durable protection. Updated trial results show that from three weeks to three months after first dose, the vaccine was 76 per cent effective at preventing symptomatic infection and protection did not wane.

The NHS vaccine programme is already having an impact on the number of people being hospitalised due to Covid-19

As well as reducing the number of hospitalisations, the number of deaths is also falling since the widespread rollout of the vaccine among the elderly

Protection from one Pfizer dose dipped from 84 per cent five weeks after injection, to 58 per cent after more than six weeks.

Last night it emerged that Germany is reconsidering its recommendation on the Oxford vaccine.

Professor Thomas Mertens, head of the countrys vaccination commission, said there will be a new, updated recommendation very soon, the newspaper Der Spiegel reported.

He also lamented the fallout from their January decision, saying they never criticised the vaccine, only the lack of data in over-65s.

He added: However, the whole thing went somehow bad.

EU could still be jabbing people in 2023 - while Britain's success in the Covid vaccine's 'arms race' should see the jab offered to all UK adults by July

By GLEN OWEN

Britain's success in the vaccine arms race against the EU has been such that Germanys bestselling newspaper that it envied the UK  and the number-crunching shows why.

If the major European countries dont dramatically accelerate the speed of their vaccine rollout, it could be 2023 before they have offered a jab to all adults.

PM Boris Johnson has outlined his roadmap plan to lift all restrictions in England by June 21

No 10 announced last week that it expected to have offered a vaccine to all UK adults by the end of July, as part of Boris Johnsons roadmap plan to lift all restrictions by June 21.

More than 19 million people in the UK have received at least one dose of a vaccine, compared with just 5.5 million in Germany and fewer than four million in France. If Germany keeps to its current seven-day average of injecting 114,000 people a day, it will be another 551 days before it has reached every adult  on August 28, 2022.

In France, which is managing barely 92,000 jabs a day, liberation would not come until July 8, 2022. Other countries are faring even worse: Italy is due to hit the target on December 11, 2022, while Belgium is on course for May 22, 2023.

Britains success has been hailed by No 10 as an illustration of the benefits of Brexit: the UK refused to join the EUs cumbersome vaccine procurement plan, instead striking out on its own to make early deals for millions of doses.

In its article, the Bild newspaper said: While the British are already planning their summer vacation, Germany is stuck in lockdown.

It came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would not take the Oxford/AstraZeneca shot because German regulators have not approved it for over-65s  despite the scientific evidence that it is highly effective.

French President Emmanuel Macron initially questioned the AstraZeneca vaccine, but last week admitted that the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been proven. He added that he would take it  but at 43, and given his countrys current rate of progress, he will have to wait until next year.

France and Germany's denigration of the Oxford jab is turning a crisis into a catastrophe, writes DR GUNNAR BECK, German MEP

Two contrasting public statements in the past few days tell you everything you need to know about the vaccination crisis engulfing the European Union.

In Britain, the Queen took a clear lead by declaring that anyone hesitant to take the jab should think of others and not themselves.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, meanwhile, told 83 million Germans that she would not be taking the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine  so adding to the fuel to the fire  and caused further concerns by raising the prospect of a compulsory EU vaccination passport in the spring.

I think you can guess which nation has so far vaccinated 20 million people and has set out a road map for normal life by June 21.

It is small wonder German newspaper Bild last week printed a Union Flag on its front page with the headline 'Dear British, We Envy You'

It is small wonder German newspaper Bild last week printed a Union Flag on its front page with the headline 'Dear British, We Envy You'

And which, on the other hand, has vaccinated just four million people amid huge public resistance to the AstraZeneca vaccine and an ominous warning of a third wave of infection.

Small wonder that the popular German newspaper Bild last week printed a Union Flag on its front page with the headline 'Dear British, We Envy You'.

Suspicion of the AstraZeneca jab is not restricted to Germany, of course. It is shared across the EU.

So deep is the distrust, that 80 per cent of the 6.1 million doses delivered to the bloc so far lie unused in hospital refrigerators.

In Berlin, the vaccination centre at the former Tegel Airport which only offers the AstraZeneca jab  reports that only 200 people have been turning up for the 3,800 daily appointments.

In France, Le Quotidien du Medecin, the GP's daily newspaper writes about a Paris surgery where half the patients with serious underlying health issues  those most at risk  have turned down the Oxford jab.

In an empty Belgian vaccination centre, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was said to have been dismissed as a 'low-budget Aldi' alternative.

This state of affairs has nothing to do with the actual merit of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab  or even the virtues of the vaccination programme itself as a treatment for coronavirus - and everything to do with the political posturing of the EU elite as it tries to cover up its failures by pointing the finger of blame elsewhere.

While Britain used its Brexit freedoms to obtain a range of different vaccines and organise a national roll-out, the EU went into its default mode of mutual back scratching, bickering and failure.

The roots of the problem go back to early last summer when it was slow to secure vaccine supplies, particularly in comparison with Britain.

In Berlin there are reports that only 200 people have been turning up for the 3,800 daily appointments.

By July 20 last year, the UK was able to announce it had signed a deal with AstraZeneca for 90 million doses of its vaccine. This was a calculated gamble, but one which the British government hedged by buying small numbers of additional doses from other suppliers.

It seems to have paid off  and in spades.

The EU approach was haphazard. Worse, it acted as if it were sharing out the potential spoils of a war among its member states.

In theory, the European Commission could use its buying power to ensure the rapid delivery of hundreds of millions of doses at rock bottom prices. But that ignored the dead hand of the EU bureaucracy, which is the last thing you need in a crisis.

Valuable weeks and months were lost amid furious horse-trading in Brussels. Many orders were not made until September which, despite its financial clout, put Europe at the back of the queue.

Leaders including Chancellor Merkel (pictured) and President Macron started a furious row with AstraZeneca over vaccine allocation

And those orders were badly flawed. In particular, they included an agreement to buy 300 million vaccine doses from the French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi  the same quantity as from Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca  even though Sanofi was trailing in development. The arrival of its vaccine has now been put back to the end of this year at the earliest.

The truth, of course, is that the EU had simply prioritised EU manufacturers.

Then came the blame game as leaders including Chancellor Merkel and President Macron started a furious row with AstraZeneca over vaccine allocation.

German leaders rebel against Merkels strict lockdown and push ahead with easing restrictions amid woefully slow vaccine roll-out Angela Merkel is facing a rebellion from regional leaders and voters over Germany's call to extend lockdown restrictions following of a terrible start to the vaccine rollout. Several of the country's state leaders defied the Chancellor by allowing garden centres, florists and nail parlours to reopen from Monday. Mrs Merkel had pushed for an extension to current lockdown restrictions, warning the country faced a 'third wave' of coronavirus if rules were lifted too quickly. But Germany's government system means regional leaders have power over lockdowns. Even Bavarian leader Markus Soder, one of Mrs Merkel's staunchest supporters on the lockdown, is said to have moved away from her position. A majority of citizens are now reported to support easing restrictions. A survey by ZDF television found that 56 per cent supported such plans while only 41 per cent were opposed. Chancellor Angela Merkel and state leaders are expected to meet on March 3 to discuss a gradual easing of lockdown measures that are currently in place until at least March 7. Despite Mrs Merkel agreeing with the 26 other EU nations to keep 'tight restrictions' on public life and free movement, she is expected to make a compromise after telling German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 'We always have to be flexible'. Germany's Economic Minister Peter Altmaier said he was confident that restaurants could be allowed to partially open soon so that outdoor dining on terraces and in beer gardens should be possible around the Easter weekend. Restaurants, bars and entertainment venues have been shut since early November. A stricter lockdown from mid-December forced non-essential shops, services and schools to close as well. Factories and offices have remained open. The lockdown has helped to push down infections and deaths since the start of the year. But worries over more transmissible variants of the virus and a third wave of infections persist, making it more difficult for leaders to ease restrictions. Advertisement

The last thing the EU needed was growing public opposition to the Oxford jab. Yet this is precisely what its leaders have brought about to deflect attention from their own failings and incompetence.

The damage seemed to start with erroneous reports in the German press that the AstraZeneca vaccine was only eight per cent effective for those aged over 65. The claim was immediately refuted by both Oxford University and the German Health Ministry.

But the EU gave the impression that it is more than happy for these negative reports to circulate  an attitude which is petty, protectionist and vindictive.

Doubts grew when the German authorities announced they would not allow the AstraZeneca jab to be used in people over 65 because there was insufficient data in the trials.

Results from Scotland have shown that the Oxford jab cuts the risk of hospitalisation by as much as 94 per cent.

And evidence from Public Health England revealed in today's Mail on Sunday suggests it might be even more effective than the Pfizer-Biontech rival.

The real hammer blow, however came from Macron, who claimed  without scientific justification  that the early results were not encouraging for 60 to 65 year old people. Later, he even said the vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65.

True, the European Medical Agency has approved the vaccine, but that has made little difference to the public mood.

Last month, the British government made a second calculated gamble, which again drew sneers from across the English Channel.

By delaying second doses, the UK allowed many more people to receive the initial jab.

So we are now in the situation where a third of the British population has been vaccinated, with infection and mortality rates in decline.

Germany meanwhile has vaccinated just five per cent of its population. France has vaccinated only four per cent.

Faced with this, the EU leaders have finally started to make the right noises.

Macron has claimed that he would take the Oxford jab if he were offered it  a radical change of stance.

Just a few days ago, Angela Merkel's spokesman pleaded with Germans to take 'the safe and highly effective' Oxford vaccine  although the message was clouded when 66-year-old Merkel then announced to the world that she would not be taking it because it is not appropriate for people her age!

Germans have also been concerned to hear her talk about the prospects of a vaccine passport in the spring, amid widespread fears that jabs will become compulsory.

Now, the political point scoring has left many people so confused that they're turning down appointments.

I'm not a medical doctor or an expert. I'm not even qualified to take a view on whether or not a vaccine programme is the right way forward or not. But I am certain of this: the vaccine chaos has crystallised the true nature the EU. It is in crisis or, rather, it is in state of perpetual crisis.

It is quite clear that Germany could have done so much better on its own, without the dead hand of the EU.

The Brussels true believers are hell-bent on sticking to their project, the construction of a centralised super-state. And in doing so, they manipulate the democratic and legal process left, right and centre  even if that means spreading damaging rumours about a life-saving vaccine in the middle of a public health crisis with catastrophic economic consequences. Germany's political elite is so convinced the EU can do no wrong that last year it criminalised the vilification of the EU flag, now punishable with up to three years in prison.

It is a perfect illustration of why all-too-often, harmonisation means levelling down to the lowest common denominator.

And why Britain, now freed of its chains, can finally take decisions in its own national interest.
PEKIN (AP)  Tiffany White, director of Dirksen Congressional Center in Pekin, believes it is not enough to study the actions of historical figures. To truly appreciate the role figures like U.S. Sen. Everett Dirksen played in history, it is important to examine their background and their upbringing.

I want folks to gain an appreciation for the fact that policy-makers are people, White said. The decisions they make and the way they go about their business is shaped by where they have come from.

Having recently been named to the Illinois Humanities Road Scholars Speakers Bureau, White will have an opportunity to spread her message on the value of examining the private histories of the men and women who feature in public history. Illinois Humanities, an organization dedicated to promoting a wide range of humanities throughout the state, selects speakers for its bureau every two years to make presentations on topics ranging from music to acting to history.

An organization can browse the list of speakers and select one or two of them, White said. Then they will apply to have that person come and speak to their organization through Illinois Humanities. Normally, with speakers bureaus, you have to pay an honorarium of a speakers fee. That cost is covered by Illinois Humanities. (The Road Scholar program) allows smaller, not-for-profit organizations like historical societies and libraries, who might not be able to afford a speakers fee of $250 or $500 to bring speakers into their own communities without having to incur a cost.

When she applied for the Road Scholar program, White submitted an overview of her presentation. Given her position as the director of an organization named after Pekins most prominent political figure, it is not surprising that she chose to profile Dirksen. True to her message that understanding a person facilitates understanding how he shaped events, she plans to focus on Dirksens humble origins as one of six brothers who were raised by a twice-widowed immigrant mother. She believes the presentation will have broad public appeal because it is an uplifting story of someone who overcame early circumstances to become a person of consequence.

I think its a story worth telling in Illinois, and I think its one that people can be inspired by and can relate to, White said. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 would not have happened if not for Everett Dirksen and his dedication to it, the position he held as Senate minority leader and the skills that he brought to the task of getting that legislation passed. It was one of the most consequential pieces of legislation of the 20th century.

Road Scholars serve for a term of two years, after which they can re-apply for the program. If White chooses to re-apply for the program in 2023, she will either select a new topic or alter her presentation to address a new theme. Illinois Humanities funds up to five speaking engagements a year for each Road Scholar. So far, White is scheduled to give three presentations in 2021, with the first being a Zoom presentation to a German-American historical society in Ohio later this month.

I will be giving some presentations virtually, White said. Illinois Humanities came to the decision they would not allow or support speakers giving in-person presentations until at least some time this spring because of the (COVID-19) pandemic. I think that will get extended into the summer.

While she is not allowed to give in-person presentation right now, White believes her message of Dirksens perseverance will strongly resonate with an Illinois audience, regardless of the platform.

Everybody has the potential to make a difference in this country, and we have many inspiring examples of that in American history, she said. There is greatness within all of us if we tap into ourselves in the most meaningful way possible.
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer questions US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar as he testifies before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, on Capitol Hill in Washington on Oct. 2, 2020. (J. Scott Applewhite/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Rules Committee Republicans Oppose Democrats COVID-19 Relief Bill

House Republicans voiced their opposition Friday to what they called a partisan progressive wish list of provisions in Democrats $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. GOP House members said the unspent CARES Act funds should first be distributed, then a new targeted package should be authorized.

During Fridays House Rules Committee markup for the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Ranking Member of the Small Business Committee Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.) criticized the massive package, saying he is opposed to the current $1.9 trillion price tag and what it will fund.

We now find ourselves here today, considering yet another massive COVID assistance package of additional spending, even though recent data shows that as much as $1 trillion in the previous coronavirus relief funding remains unspent. Shouldnt we first have an accurate accounting for what has and hasnt been spent? said Luetkemeyer.

In fact, many of the small business programs in Decembers COVID relief bill have not even been activated by the agencies. We should get the reforms and improvements in these programs implemented first instead of irresponsibly spending more money on programs that we dont even know will work, said Luetkemeyer.

The 116th Congress passed the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, which was signed by former President Donald Trump on March 27, 2020, and authorized funds to fight the pandemic and its economic effects. It included cash relief for individual citizens, loan programs for small businesses, support for hospitals and other medical providers, and various types of economic relief for industries.

President Donald Trump signs the CARES Act, a $2.2 trillion rescue package to provide economic relief amid the CCP virus outbreak, at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on March 27, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Luetkemeyer added: I also have concerns about the bills current expansion of the Paycheck Protection Program [PPP] beyond the original congressional intent by removing the [Small Business Administrations] important affiliation rules for nonprofits that prevent Planned Parenthood and their affiliates from receiving federal small business assistance. Our focus should be on ensuring that only true small businesses qualify for PPP loans.

Under the current $1.9 trillion relief package, Planned Parenthood would receive millions of dollars, a measure Republicans oppose.

Meanwhile, Rep. Suzan Delbene (D-Wash.), vice-chair of the Ways and Means Committee, countered Republicans claim that the package is a partisan wish list for her party, calling it instead lifesaving.

This landmark and lifesaving legislation is not a partisan wish list. Its an American wish list. An overwhelming majority of Americans, both Democrats and Republicans, support our work and to delay any longer puts lives at risk. Our blueprint as laid out by President Biden was simple: Build on the programs that have already been helping to keep Americans afloat since they were first included in the bipartisan CARES Act, said Delbene.

She emphasized the health care provision in the package, which would allow low-income families to access Obamacare.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in a Feb. 12 letter to Democrats said the goal of the $1.9 trillion package is to crush the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19.

The goals of this coronavirus relief package are to crush the virus, return children safely to the classroom, get vaccines to the people, put dollars into families pockets, and put people back to work.

Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) blasted the lockdowns by Democrat governors which he said had ruined over 100,000 small businesses and benefited large corporations like Amazon and Walmart.

This bill only rewards those liberal governors that destroyed these small businesses. Its about time we wake up as citizen legislators and defend the American working class, not the global elites, said Smith.

Chairman of the Rules Committee Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) criticized Smith for what he called divisive language and for finger-pointing at Democrat governors, insinuating that Smith follows QAnon theories, and countering the Republican claim that the current package is fiscally reckless.

I have to say that, whether you agree with this package or you dont, the time has come for us to understand that this is a national problem, and the constant polarization, the constant pitting of red states against blue states, people have had it, he said.
A review of two Manitoba Hydro mega-projects concludes that construction of the $8.7-billion Keeyask Generating Station was rushed without adequate oversight by a former NDP government that viewed hydro exports as "Manitoba's oil."

A review of two Manitoba Hydro mega-projects concludes that construction of the $8.7-billion Keeyask Generating Station was rushed without adequate oversight by a former NDP government that viewed hydro exports as "Manitoba's oil."

The review, conducted by former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall, recommends Manitoba Hydro remain a publicly owned utility but that it stick to its core business of supplying Manitobans with reliable and affordable power.

It also recommends the government establish formal measures to provide better oversight of its largest Crown corporation.

The review found that cabinet decisions to promote power export sales led to $1.2 billion being spent on the Keeyask project before it was formally approved by the Public Utilities Board.

"There wasn't a domestic need to justify Keeyask," Wall told a news conference Friday.

Brad Wall's review found cabinet decisions to promote power export sales led to $1.2 billion being spent on the Keeyask project before it was formally approved by the Public Utilities Board. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)

"What's new to this report, that hasn't been dealt with a lot, is that truly Keeyask was a merchant plant," he said. "It wasn't about domestic demand. Thats a choice government can make but they have to be transparent with Manitobans who then bear the risk."

There is no evidence the previous government carefully monitored U.S. political and regulatory volatility that could have eroded the case for exports, the report said. Neither was adequate consideration given to the effect of domestic programs designed to reduce power consumption, it said.

Key recommendations  Manitoba Hydro should remain a Crown corporation and focus on providing reliable and low-cost electricity to Manitobans. Non-core divisions of the corporation "should be considered for wind down or dispersal."  The corporation should be allowed to explore the option of considering public-private partnerships for major projects.  Hydro should have flexibility when it comes to labour for construction projects. The report says project labour agreements constrained the corporation, requiring it to employ labour from select unions that may have resulted in higher project costs. click to read more  Manitoba Hydro should remain a Crown corporation and focus on providing reliable and low-cost electricity to Manitobans. Non-core divisions of the corporation "should be considered for wind down or dispersal."  The corporation should be allowed to explore the option of considering public-private partnerships for major projects.  Hydro should have flexibility when it comes to labour for construction projects. The report says project labour agreements constrained the corporation, requiring it to employ labour from select unions that may have resulted in higher project costs.  Ratepayers should not bear the risks associated with new power-generation projects that are intended to drive export sales, rather than serve domestic needs, for an extended period of time.  The government should strengthen its oversight of Hydro to ensure the provincial cabinet is fully aware, on an ongoing basis, of the need, benefits and risks of Hydro capital projects.  Manitoba Hydro should use the services of an external consultant on future major capital projects to help minimize its risks.  The government should play an active role in evaluating the commercial risk associated with major capital projects undertaken by the Crown corporation.  Hydro should plan capital projects so multiple projects are not considered simultaneously.  Limits should be placed on the amount of money the corporation is allowed to spend in advance of final approval of a major capital project. Costs should be limited to activities required to assess the merits of the project.  Members of the Public Utilities Board, which regulates consumer power rates, should be appointed for longer terms with limited ability for government to terminate them during their terms "to ensure that members are less sensitive to politics in making their decisions. Close

The total cost of the Keeyask and Bipole III projects grew to $13.4 billion from an initial estimate of $9.7 billion, creating a substantial debt burden for Manitoba Hydro.

The review found that Manitoba Hydro recognized the need for improved power transmission reliability decades ago, but the construction of a third transmission line from northern Manitoba was timed to accommodate new northern power dams (including Keeyask) and export sales.

The decision by the former NDP government to reroute Bipole III west of Lake Manitoba, instead of east of Lake Winnipeg, added $400 million to the project, the report said. There's evidence that up to $1 billion in additional costs could have been avoided had the eastern route, favoured by Manitoba Hydro, had been pursued, it added.

The six-volume report is 14,000 pages long and weights about 140 pounds. Only one copy was printed. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)

The NDP mandated the western Bipole route in 2007, ostensibly due to a lack of Indigenous community support, and concern over the possibility of losing the UNESCO heritage designation it was seeking for the boreal forest along the east side. However, Wall said he could find "no direct linkage that would support such a conclusion."

The Wall report is a massive document, consisting of more than 14,000 pages divided into six volumes. It contains copies of numerous past studies and reports, exhibits and newspaper articles relating to the Keeyask and Bipole III projects.

The findings are based on a review of the documents relating to the projects' approval and construction processes, including internal Hydro reports, cabinet documents and interviews or submissions from 68 organizations and individuals, including past and present Hydro executives and elected officials.

Two former NDP premiers, Gary Doer and Greg Selinger, were interviewed for the report.

The Pallister government commissioned the review in the fall of 2018 with a budget of $2.5 million. Former British Columbia premier Gordon Campbell was initially tasked with the job, but he withdrew after facing allegations of sexual assault (which he denied). Wall continued the work.

Wall's company was paid $999,071 for his work, while Campbell's firm earned $607,059. The government also covered office, legal and other expenses totalling $115,748. The commission's total cost came in under budget at $1.7 million.

The total cost of the Keeyask (above) and Bipole III projects grew to $13.4 billion from an initial estimate of $9.7 billion, creating a substantial debt burden for Manitoba Hydro, a new report concluded. (Manitoba Hydro files)

Wall said government policies at the time the mega-projects were conceived denied consideration of a public-private model for their construction. The P3 approach could have mitigated the risk of rising construction costs and provided greater cost certainty for the projects, he said in his report.

"My experience with P3s is that they can also involve simply the contracting of service and maintenance to the private partner while the ownership does not change," he told reporters.

Report gives cover to PCs to privatize, unions say Critics say Brad Wall's probe of Manitoba Hydro is a political exercise by the Progressive Conservative government to pave the way for privatization of the public utility as demand for clean power sources grows. Manitobans shouldn't be fooled by what's happening, critics and a number of unions representing Manitoba Hydro workers said Friday in response to Wall's report. click to read more Critics say Brad Wall's probe of Manitoba Hydro is a political exercise by the Progressive Conservative government to pave the way for privatization of the public utility as demand for clean power sources grows. Manitobans shouldn't be fooled by what's happening, critics and a number of unions representing Manitoba Hydro workers said Friday in response to Wall's report. Changes in the U.S. and across Canada and a shift toward "green" initiatives pose a significant opportunity for Manitobans, Mike Espenell, business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2035, said Friday. The mega-projects Wall reviewed in the report stand to benefit the owners of Manitoba Hydro now more than ever, he said. It has never been more evident that our surplus firm power and inter-connection to the U.S. and neighbouring provinces is likely to propel this provinces wealth and economy for generations," Espenell said in a news release Many of Wall's recommendations  such as public-private partnerships (P3s)  would involve private businesses getting a cut, and cost the public more in the long run, critics say. "Wall's recommendation to use P3s runs counter to reams of evidence on how much more expensive P3s are to the public purse," said Molly McCracken, Manitoba director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. "Walls Hydro report cites a mental health hospital constructed in North Battleford, Sask. as an example for Manitoba to follow. What Wall does not note is that constant repairs have rendered huge parts of the hospital unusable, with patients being moved constantly, affecting their care and these costs are absorbed by the taxpayer," McCracken said. "If Hydro used P3s, any changes in design or externalities would be still absorbed by the taxpayers," she said in an email. The P3s are touted for shifting some of the risk inherent in a project from the public to a private partner, said Michelle Bergen with CUPE 998, which represents 900 clerical and technical staff at Hydro. But that also comes with a very high price tag, she said. Private firms get involved in P3s for profit, not the public good, Bergen said. At the end of the day, no private company would ever take on risk associated with building hydroelectric dams in northern Manitoba without the expectation of significant private profit, and Manitobans will be the ones paying for that profit with even less accountability. The unions said the former NDP government enacted legislation that ensures thorough oversight, transparency, and accountability for any proposed P3 project in Manitoba and the Pallister government scrapped it after taking office in 2016. The NDP called Wall's report a "smokescreen" to "distract" from privatization plans. "This a political document meant to distract the people of Manitoba from the actual damage Mr. Pallister and his PCs are doing right now," said NDP Leader Wab Kinew, pointing to a rate increase in December that wasn't scrutinized by the Public Utilities Board, and the government meddling with the Crown corporation's business. He said Wall's support for Bill 35  the Public Utilities Ratepayer Protection and Regulatory Reform Act  that shifts oversight of hydro rates from the PUB to the cabinet, at least temporarily, is contradictory. "The PCs decided to hire a friend and a political ally... to write a report that would tell them exactly what they want to hear," said Adrien Sala, the NDP's critic. The report is a "smokescreen" the government is using to privatize Manitoba Hydro piece by piece, which Sala said has already begun with the winding down of the consulting arm of Manitoba Hydro International. Both the PC government and the former NDP government meddled with Hydro to the detriment of the Crown corporation and Manitobans, said Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont. Wall's recommendation that the utility should have a more formalized "relationship" with the government  similar to a department  is a bad idea, Lamont said. "We need less political interference in Manitoba Hydro and more transparency," Lamont told reporters. Close

"(P3s) should at least be on the table," he said. "We're not saying that they necessarily be used for major projects."

Neither Premier Brian Pallister nor Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton made themselves available to the media for comment on Friday.

In a statement, Wharton said the government commissioned the review to determine why the projects went ahead "in spite of the economic and environmental evidence against them."

"This review confirms that Manitobans were deliberately left in the dark regarding Bipole III and Keeyask and provides clear recommendations to ensure that this can never happen again," the minister said.

Manitoba Hydro also issued a statement saying it was reviewing the report and looks forward to discussing the recommendations with the government.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Carol Sanders

Legislature reporter After 20 years of reporting on the growing diversity of people calling Manitoba home, Carol moved to the legislature bureau in early 2020. Read full biography
New Delhi: The general public too can now avail COVID-19 vaccines in the next phase of the innnoculation drive which begins from March 1, a citizen can walk in to a vaccination centre and get themselves registered for a dose, the government announced on Friday.

In a statement to the states, the Centre outlined new guidelines and features that are being included in the Co-WIN platform.

The Co-WIN platform is the digital backbone of the innoculation drive, and everyone has to be registered on it to get a dose. The government took the platform offline for the weekend to upgrade it which will allow all eligible people to be included.

The States and UTs were explained the basic features of version 2.0 of the digital platform Co-WIN, which is a population-scale software with capacity of processing several thousands of entries. The new phase of vaccination of age-appropriate groups will expand the COVID-19 vaccination in the country manifold, the health ministry said.

The government also said on Friday that anyone of the health care workers and frontline services staff such as police and sanitation workers who have been left out will also be allowed to seek doses at any centre they want.

With a citizen-centric approach, the fundamental shift in this phase is that citizens in the identified age groups, as also those health care workers and frontline who have been missed out or left out of the present phase of vaccination, can select vaccination centres of their choice, the statement added.

The process of registration will follow three routes, the ministry statement said. The first is for people to register themselves in advance using the Co-WIN 2.0 web portal or the Aarogya Setu application. Through this route, they can book an appointment for the vaccination at a centre of their choice.

The second option is to register on-site. While the third option will utilise volunteers and grassroots government staff such as accredited social health activists, auxiliary nurse midwives, panchayati raj representatives and women self-help groups to help people register.

All Covid-19 vaccination will be at health care facilities  where doses will be free  such as sub health centres, primary health centres, community health centres, Ayushman Bharat health and wellness centres, subdivision hospitals, district hospitals, and medical college hospitals, the Centre said.

All Private hospitals empanelled under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PM JAY) and similar State Health Insurance Schemes will also act as vaccination sites. The rate will be capped and is expected to be disclosed over the weekend.

The identity will be verified through their Aadhaar cards or Voter ID cards. People between the age of 45 and 59 will need to present a certificate from a registered medical practitioner to show that they suffer from diseases that make them more vulnerable (a list is expected from the government over the weekend).

Once anyone is given a dose, a digital QR-code based certificate will be issued.

Since the drive began on January 16, over 13 million doses have been delivered across the country. But the coverage has been lower than expected with only 48 people turning up on average for every 100 people expected for each session, government data showed.

With this decision anyone above the age of 60 and those older than 45 but with illnesses that makes them vulnerable to COVID-19 can approach government and private hospitals for doses.

It could be a crucial step now to stop the second wave of COVID-19 infections that are being reported from some states.
A civil sexual abuse lawsuit brought against longtime Southern Baptist Convention leader Paul Pressler will be allowed to proceed, a Texas appellate court decided last week in a reversal of a lower courts ruling.

The case was put on hold because the lower court ruled that Presslers accuser, Duane Rollins, missed the statute of limitations deadline to file a claim. In Texas, courts give victims of child sex abuse five years to file civil lawsuits against perpetrators.

We are pleased with the court of appeals decision, which will finally give Duane his long-awaited day in court, said Michael Goldberg, an attorney representing Rollins.

The court reversed the decision because it found Rollins was barred from reporting the abuse sooner by limitations, including post-traumatic stress disorder.

The courts opinion recognizes the impact that childhood trauma can have on individuals like Duane and provides a sensible exception to the legal barriers that so often prevent sexual-assault victims from having their allegations heard by a jury of their peers, Goldberg said.

Pressler, a retired justice of the Texas 14th Circuit Court of Appeals and a leader in the conservative movement within the Southern Baptist Church, is accused in the lawsuit of repeatedly raping one boy begining at age 14 in 1980 and continuing for 24 years. Several others have accused Pressler, now 90, in other lawsuits of sexually abusing them as children and adults over a span of 40 years.

Pressler was a youth pastor at Houstons Bethel Church, First and Second Baptist churches, a state representative and served as an appellate judge for 14 years. Pressler has denied the allegations of sexual abuse. Attempts to reach him for comment Friday were unsuccessful.

Rollins said that Pressler manipulated him so that he would not report the abuse by saying that the rapes were divinely approved and had to be kept secret because no one but God would understand, court documents say.

An altercation between Pressler and Rollins in 2003 in a Dallas hotel room resulted in a simple assault lawsuit settlement. Pressler agreed to pay Rollins $450,000 if Rollins didnt publicly disclose the cause of the fight or details about the settlement, court records say. Rollins said these payments kept him from filing a sexual abuse claim sooner.

Rollins said he first realized what Pressler had done was abuse after a psychiatric counseling session in 2015. Rollins was in prison at the time and filed the lawsuit when he was released in 2017, court documents say.

Attorneys for Rollins argued he was of unsound mind to make the allegations until his 2015 breakthrough in therapy.

Dr. Harvey A. Rosenstock, Rollins psychiatrist, submitted affidavits stating that the man had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as well as drug and alcohol abuse.

The psychiatrist said Rollins was of unsound mind which rendered him incapable of making diligent inquiry as to the reasons for his repeated intoxication followed by appropriate action.

The abuse Rollins suffered was sufficiently traumatic to cause these overwhelmingly painful memories to be defensively repressed and dissociated until a safer time in the name of survival, Rosenstock said in an affidavit.

Attorneys representing Pressler argued Rollins was of sound mind in 2004 when he filed the simple assault lawsuit and questioned Rosenstocks credibility.

However, the court ruled in favor of Rollins appeal and said in its opinion that post-traumatic stress disorder and memory loss associated with it can legally qualify as unsound mind.

The case can now return to the trial court. Rollins claim demands $1 million for damages.

hannah.dellinger@chron.com

Federal Liberal backbencher Andrew Hastie has labelled his state counterparts cornerstone green energy election promise a lemon in a scathing assessment exposing a deep rift between the two West Australian arms of the party.

Federal Liberal MPs are fuming at a state party promise to reach net-zero government emissions by 2030 by shutting down all state coal power stations in Western Australias South West town of Collie by 2025.

Federal Canning MP Andrew Hastie and state Dawesville MP Zak Kirkup.

Mr Kirkups promise stands in stark contrast to the federal governments support for coal and its 2050 net-zero emissions target. The MPs also fear it has risked the votes of thousands of people in Collie and surrounds who are either directly or indirectly employed by the coal industry.

Mr Hastie attacked the promise on Friday following state Opposition Leader Zak Kirkups surprise concession earlier in the week that the WA Liberals could not win the March 13 election.
Four West Berkshire instructors shortlisted in top 16 for the South East

THREE driving instructors from Thatcham and one from Newbury are gearing up for an awards ceremony to find the UKs best.

Martin Caswell of Acclaim Motor School, Clare Denton of Dreams Driving, Sue Smith of Jigsaw Driving School and Peter Skelton Driving School, have been shortlisted in the top 100 instructors in the UK, out of more than 40,000 instructors.

The four have been shortlisted to the top 16 for the South East region in the Intelligent Instructor Awards 2021.

The awards recognise excellence within the driver training industry, rewarding key industry suppliers, both regional and national driving schools, as well as individual driving instructors across the country.

This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the awards will take place virtually and are sponsored by Kwik Fit and Michelin.

Mr Caswell said: Even after teaching for just over 46 years, I feel quite humbled and honoured, particularly as the nominations come directly from our own pupils.

To have four of us in the local Thatcham and Newbury area is a great honour indeed. Although we are competitors, we are all very friendly with each other and I am personally always ready to help or advise my fellow instructors.

Mr Caswells book Learn To Drive... an Easier Way has also been shortlisted under the Product of the Year category.

Mr Caswell said: My book is not only being bought by learner drivers and their parents, but many instructors are buying it as a teaching tool as it simplifies driving and manoeuvre tasks.

Miss Denton said: After only three years in this industry and loving every minute, to get this nomination is overwhelming. I feel honoured and grateful for all the support I have received.

To be in the top 100 of the UK alongside three well-established and fantastic ADIs in our local area for the South East nominations is amazing.

Mr Skelton said: I am so thrilled to have made it to the top 100 shortlist and to have been nominated for such a prestigious award.

For me, it not only reflects the high standards that I set for myself and my driving school, but also the high standards that are set in Newbury and Thatcham.

Heres hoping that the winner of Best Instructor of The Year will be one of the Newbury instructors.

Driving instructors have only been able to work around seven months during the lockdown and are currently allowed to teach critical workers who already have a Practical Driving Test booked.

Mr Caswell added: It has been very frustrating for our pupils as many had driving tests booked, then had them rescheduled, only to have them cancelled again in the following lockdown.

Not only can they not receive driving lessons from us, but some will have had their Theory Test Certificate expire, as they are only valid for two years.

Many others will have 17th birthdays throughout the year and are desperate to get their driving lessons started.

Miss Denton said: The lockdown we have faced has been hard, but also rewarding after long waits for tests and getting the results they deserve.

The key is keeping a good working relationship with students and keeping them all looking forward to their dream in the near future.

The winners will be announced on March 7.
FACTORYVILLE  Seven students tossed their caps into the air Thursday to signify an early end to their years at Lackawanna Trail High School.

The students met their graduation requirements early, earning themselves a head start on life after high school and a place in history as Lackawanna Trails first and only winter graduates.

These graduates havent used the pandemic to stay home and watch movies, Principal Mark Murphy, Ph.D., said in his remarks to a small group of friends and family gathered in the high school auditorium. Theyve used it as an opportunity to chart a path that no Lackawanna Trail graduate before them has traveled.

The high school transitioned to a block schedule for the 2020-2021 school year as part of its COVID-19 mitigation efforts with the idea that fewer transitions would mean less time in the hallways.

A block schedule includes fewer classes per day with longer instruction times.

Block scheduling wont continue next fall into the 2021-2022 school year, so it was a rare opportunity for students.

They frontloaded their schedules this year so that they could finish first semester, Murphy said.

The administration decided to hold a special ceremony rather than having the students wait to walk with the rest of the class of 2021 this June.

Most of the seven students plan to enter the workforce, while some plan to further their education.

For Isabella Pietrzak, the winter graduation means getting a head start in building a future for herself and her son. Pietrzak will begin classes at the Fortis Institute this spring to become a licensed practical nurse.

I feel very proud of myself. I worked for it, even through this pandemic, she said.

Her classmate Janelle Dannecker plans to attend Keystone College for two years, then transfer her credits to the State University of New York for a degree in nursing. She viewed graduating early as an opportunity to prepare for college.

It gave me the opportunity to work more, she added.

Other winter graduates are Dalton Deacon, Haley White, Caleb Earl, Dominic Lenz and Bristen Oakley.

Other seniors at Trail were eligible, but Murphy said they decided to stay for reasons such as additional elective coursework, extracurriculars and being enrolled in the Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center.

Superintendent Matthew Rakauskas commended the seven students for showing initiative.

Theres so many negatives that have come out of the pandemic and they found a way to make a positive out of it, and stay the course and get it done early, he said.
Montevideo, Feb 27 : Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou has expressed appreciation to China for sending coronavirus vaccine to this South American country.

Pou expressed the gratitude during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Uruguay Wang Gang, according to Secretary of the Presidency Alvaro Delgado.

According to the authorities, Uruguay will launch a vaccination campaign on March 1 to combat the virus following the arrival of vaccines made by the Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac, Xinhua reported.

The first stage of the vaccination plan is aimed at inoculating teachers, military personnel, firefighters and police officers, among other essential workers.

On late Thursday, social networks such as Twitter were lit up with messages celebrating the first batch of vaccines to arrive at Carrasco International Airport, the main hub for international flights to and from Uruguay, aboard a flight from Beijing.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Black History Month has been a fixture on corporate calendars for many years.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic and a growing recognition among major companies that they need to do more to tackle racial injustices and inequalities, the Black History Month observances have taken on even greater importance in 2021. Several of the Fortune 500 firms headquartered in Connecticut have declared this month their intention to make their organizations more diverse and inclusive. Key to fulfilling those goals are initiatives that support Black employees who are still significantly underrepresented at the executive levels.

Ending 2020 and then having Black History Month in February is an opportunity to celebrate some of the contributions and gives us an opportunity to double-down on our commitments and refocus, said Michael Matthews, chief diversity officer of Stamford-based Synchrony.

Synchrony, the countrys largest private-label credit card provider, kicked off this month by publishing a statement from its executive leadership team on resolving to build a more just society.

We prioritized (in 2020) listening and learning with our colleagues, families and communities  an urgent endeavor demanding our time, our attention and our passion. We built bridges through honest conversations on race, power and privilege, the statement said in part. Through this introspection we have grown personally and as leaders. Today, the Synchrony leadership team reaffirms our commitment.

At Greenwich-based XPO Logistics, a global transportation-and-logistics provider, the programming this month has focused on the theme of Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity.

Throughout the month, employees shared their stories on the importance of family, and we celebrated current and past trailblazers, said LaQuenta Jacobs, XPOs chief diversity officer. As part of our monthly Inclusion discussion series, we invited Cassius Butts, the president and CEO of 1st Choice Credit Union, to speak about the importance of financial wellness. My conversation with Cassius was recorded and made available to our employees.

Ongoing challenges

Some Black professionals, however, look skeptically at corporate Black History Month celebrations.

Just like Pride Month, Black History Month has become a routine time of year when corporations say the absolute most while doing the least for marginalized communities, journalist Ernest Owens wrote in an opinion piece this month for The Washington Post. As a Black queer millennial, Ive grown tired of both June and February because I find myself feeling more insulted than inspired by the way the same companies who deny both of my identities any other time of the year find it suddenly mandatory to suggest otherwise.

Black History Month also highlights the need for companies to tackle systemic inequalities still faced by Black professionals.

Companies have successfully hired Black employees into frontline and entry-level jobs, but there is a significant drop-off in their representation in the higher ranks, according to a new report by consulting firm McKinsey & Co.

At the managerial level, the Black share of the workforce drops to 7 percent, the report found. Across the senior manager, vice president and senior vice president levels, Black representation runs at 4 percent to 5 percent. In comparison, 13 percent of the U.S. population is Black, according to the Census Bureau.

Those disparities extend to Connecticut. Among the 25 companies on last years Fortune 1,000 list that are headquartered in the state, nearly all of their CEOs are white.

The board (of a company) has to decide that the ranks of top management are not reflecting the racial-ethnic mix that they think can be an advantage to the organization, said Fred McKinney, the Carlton Highsmith endowed chairman for innovation and entrepreneurship at Quinnipiac University. The question is how do we develop these folks (from underrepresented groups), and how do we give them the opportunity to excel? And how do we put in place structure or processes that will benefit not only the individuals, but also the corporations they work in?

The nationwide protests last year in response to the killings of Black Americans such as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery along with the pandemics disproportionate impact on minority communities pushed many companies to acknowledge that they needed to bolster their support of Black professionals and other employees of color.

Black employees comprised 21 percent of Synchronys workforce of more than 16,500 in 2019, according to the companys most-recent data. The firm, which ranked No. 170 on last years Fortune 500 list, does not publish demographic data for its executive ranks.

The company has received many accolades in recent years for its diversity initiatives. But it announced last June that it would launch additional efforts that included the formation of a senior-level committee to focus on diversity and equality issues.

After 2020  which was so traumatic, exhausting and stressful  I think it really stretched us as people, leaders and as a Synchrony family, Matthews said. It was really an opportunity to lean in together, to grow and to be vulnerable, so we can share and strengthen those bonds  and even challenge one another in places where we disagree.

Last July, Bloomfield-based health insurance giant Cigna announced the launch of its Building Equity and Equality Program, a five-year undertaking aimed at expanding and accelerating the companys efforts to support diversity, inclusion and equality for communities of color.

As part of Building Equity and Equality, the No. 13 company on last years Fortune list, committed to publishing an annual diversity scorecard. Those metrics will help assess its progress in closing the gap between the 34 percent of its workforce who are ethnic minorities and the 10 percent representation for that group in the executive/senior officials and managerial ranks, according to company data.

At Cigna, we take an expansive view of diversity to include race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, veteran status, ability, preferred languages, work styles, generational and cultural facets, sexual orientation, and gender identity, said Susan Stith, Cignas vice president of diversity, inclusion and civic affairs. Many different cultures, beliefs, and values are represented across our more than 70,000 employees, and while diversity accounts for the broad mix of people, its our commitment to inclusion and equity that allows the mix to work as well as it does.

XPOs new initiatives last year included the creation of the chief diversity officer position, with Jacobs being the first person to take the post.

Focus on employee support

Many large companies see professional networks and development programs as some of the most effective ways of advancing workplace equality and inclusion.

Synchrony runs eight diversity networks which include the African American Network+ for Black employees and colleagues who want to support them. The diversity groups reached more than 10,000 people in 2019, according to company data.

XPO, the No. 196 firm on last years Fortune list and an employer of more than 100,000, has pursued a similar strategy. Its recently launched initiatives include eight resource groups, which encompass Black employees and allies.

Those groups focus on creating employee-led communities for connection, engagement and networking across the organization while fostering an environment that promotes allyship, leadership, mentorship and professional development, Jacobs said. As we move forward, our goal is to continue to increase our pipeline and development of diverse talent in our organization and build strong relationships with partners to help us.

For Kidest Shiferaw, a Stamford-based HR surveillance analyst at Synchrony who grew up in Los Angeles, joining African American Network+ helped her to settle in Connecticut and forge a number of close friendships with colleagues. She has worked at the company since 2017.

It allowed me to ask very open-ended questions to members of AAN where I would say Hey, is it OK that Im coming in with curly hair? Is it OK that I dont wear heels? What are the expectations?  Shiferaw said. The people I talked to in AAN are very open and real with their feedback. It really helped me gain confidence knowing that its OK to bring my whole self to work.

In addition to her membership in African American Network+, Shiferaw is also a graduate of Synchronys Skills Training for Evolving Professionals Program, a nine-month initiative that seeks to develop talent within the firms administrative teams and call centers.

I like where I am, Shiferaw said. The company is amazing, and I definitely see a future here for myself.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; Twitter: @paulschott
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
LASIK surgery has become one of the most common procedures in the US. Because of its popularity, there are a lot of myths about it. Therefore, it's vital to understand this procedure's truth and fiction to know what you're getting into. Fortunately, Dr. Gulani, one of Jacksonville LASIK surgery doctors, can give you more information about it.

What's LASIK?

It's a corrective eye procedure that fixes the cornea's shape resulting in clarity in vision. Your cornea helps you to focus light, which enables you to view images. When its shape is irregular, you may suffer from vision problems such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism. LASIK surgery is conducted through a laser that reshapes the cornea to eliminate vision problems.

Here are the misconceptions you need to know about the surgery:

1. LASIK Causes Blindness

The thought of going blind may be terrifying. Unfortunately, this is one of the popular myths about LASIK that some people are spreading. Furthermore, they claim that its blindness is usually extreme. However, most people who have undergone this procedure say that its side effects are temporary and mild.

Vision loss is a complication that may arise from this procedure. However, it's very rare. Luckily, people who suffer blindness after a LASIK surgery can have them corrected. Moreover, only people with granular corneal dystrophy are likely to be blind from LASIK surgery. If you have this condition, your cornea may be damaged during surgery.

You can determine whether you have this condition by performing a gene test. This procedure involves giving a cheek swab to a surgeon to prevent extensive testing and pain.

2. The Corneal Flap Doesn't Heal

For your cornea to be shaped, your surgeon has to access it. To do this, he has to develop a corneal flap, but once you're done with the surgery, the flap will be laid back to its original position to heal. It'll heal a day after the surgery, though you may experience some mild complications. However, research indicates that such difficulties have been reported in under 1% OF patients. That means it's scarce.

3. After LASIK Surgery, You'll Not Require Corrective Lenses

People who go for LASIK hope it'll eliminate their need for corrective lenses. However, some refractive errors may develop after the surgery. If this happens, you'll still require corrective lenses to see clearly. You can either wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, depending on your preference. However, if you have dry or irritated eyes, eyeglasses are the best fit for you.

4. LASIK Is Too Painful

No individual likes to undergo pain. That's why they do everything they can to avoid it. One popular misconception is that LASIK surgery is excruciating. However, this isn't the case because before undergoing the operation, your surgeon will administer anesthetic eye drops to keep you from feeling pain during the procedure. The drops will numb your eyes.

During the surgery, you may feel a little pressure that doesn't cause pain and only lasts for a minute or less. Other surgery parts may make you feel some sensations will aren't painful.

Conclusion

LASIK misconceptions are always popular because of individuals who don't know much about the procedure. However, your doctor can be a great source of facts about LASIK. They'll also advise you on whether you should take it or not.
The doctor who gave two aged care residents four times the recommended dose of the Covid-19 vaccine this week was once sanctioned over cannabis prescriptions, it has been reported.

It has come to light that the same physician gave what was deemed to be 'unacceptable medicinal cannabis prescriptions to patients', The Australian has written.

The doctor had conditions imposed on his medical licence by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency following complaints over his practice.

He was banned from possessing, supplying, prescribing or administering any natural or synthetic medicine cannabis products and was also required to be supervised at any practice who chose to engage in his professional services.

Following the rollout of the Covid vaccination this week, (pictured above) two major bungles happened

The Covid vaccine (pictured above) is not mandatory, which fears many will avoid getting the jab

The doctor was employed by Healthcare Australia, who have a contract to administer Covid-19 vaccinations in aged-care centres across NSW and Queensland.

'The doctor involved in the nursing home incident (in Brisbane) is a registered medical practitioner on the APHRA register and there were no conditions of the doctor's registration which prevented him administering vaccinations,' a spokesperson for Healthcare Australia told The Australian.

'The doctor is not actively working at Healthcare Australia.'

It was the first major bungle following the rollout of the vaccine this week, before on Friday 125 doses of Pfizer vaccine were thrown out at a Melbourne aged-care centre amid fears they had been refrigerated incorrectly.

Aspen Medical, who also have a contract to administer Covid-19 vaccines in aged-care centres, were 'unsure' if the 25 vials were kept at a safe temperature.

'While refrigeration was maintained, it was not possible to verify that temperature was maintained throughout,' the department said.

'Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, a medical decision was made not to use the remaining vials.'

Earlier this week, Healthcare Australia CEO Jason Cartwright stood down following the embarrassing mistake in Brisbane.

Health Minister Greg Hunt blasted the company for initially telling him the doctor had done the online course on how to administer the jab.

When officials asked for proof, the allegedly company came clean and admitted he was untrained.

'The thing that particularly upset us was the combination of somebody who was brought on untrained and then the clearly false information made despite repeated interrogation from the department,' Minister Hunt said.

'It was only uncovered late in the day after further investigation involving the Department demanding visual proof.'

Minister Hunt said the company breached its contract which would be terminated if any further breaches occurred.

The two elderly people given an incorrect dose of the Pfizer vaccine were residents at the Holy Spirit Nursing Home Carseldine in Brisbane (pictured)

Minister for Health Greg Hunt addressed the nation's vaccine rollout and bungle on Wednesday morning (pictured)

'The company did not meet its requirements under its contract with the Australian Government Department of Health,' he said.

Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck told The Today Show on Thursday that healthcare workers need to be 'very, very vigilant'.

'For a mistake of this nature to occur is quite simply not acceptable,' he said.

'I'd be really upset if my mum or dad were in a situation where they hadn't received the correct dose.'

An ambulance is seen at the entry to the Holy Spirit Nursing Home in Brisbane on Wednesday after news broke that two residents were given an incorrect dose of the Covid vaccine

Minister Hunt has since apologised to the families of the elderly patients for the error. He also confirmed the doctor has been stood down by Healthcare Australia.

It is not clear how the doctor got the dosing so wrong. One theory is that he gave two doses of the vaccine to each patient consecutively, instead of three weeks apart.

Both aged care residents aren't showing any adverse reactions to the jab.



remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Like many people last year, journalist Sarah Abo found herself having to master a brand new skill in the face of the pandemic. Id be walking down the street trying to exaggerate my smile with my eyes, the Melbourne-based reporter recalls of her new-found talent for facial gymnastics due to mandatory mask-wearing. It was the only way of communicating, so I really tried, as its such an important part of the human condition to interact with each other. The value of this connection only became more apparent to Sarah when restrictions were lifted after Victorias second wave. That first night, we got a booking at the local pub straight away. It was such a buzz, as everyone was so happy to be out. We were still in masks but when you were in a restaurant, you could take it off. It sounds silly but seeing other peoples faces again after so long was beautiful. It was so lovely to have that connection back again. The genuine warmth in Sarahs voice is whats most striking when first speaking with her  and, if honest, almost unexpected. As 60 Minutes newest recruit, joining the team two years ago at the age of 33, it could be assumed shed be a hard-nosed journo with no time for sentimentality. After all, this is someone who, just months into her new role, was hitting former British prime minister Tony Blair with tough questions (Has the UK become a bit of laughing stock in the eyes of the world?) and asking Malaysias then PM, Mahathir Mohamad, what he thought had really happened to missing flight MH370. But regular viewers of the long-running current affairs show would be familiar with Sarahs sensitivity and ability to connect with her subjects. She was brought to tears interviewing one of the 13 Australian women who was invasively strip-searched at Qatars Doha airport last October, and was equally moved as survivors of the White Island volcano eruption in New Zealand that killed 22 people in late 2019 shared their harrowing stories. To uncover the source of Sarahs delicate balance of steely resolve yet comforting manner, you only need to look at her remarkable start to life. In 1990, a wide-eyed four-year-old arrived in Australia from Damascus, Syria, with her mother, Samia, her father, Fouad, and two younger sisters, Yara and Shaza. If anyone was to put themselves in the position that my parents were in, to actually uproot your family from one side of the world to the other  I just cant even imagine doing that, says Sarah, who married her partner, Cyrus Moran, in late 2012.

Advertisement

But we would never consider that because we are so lucky to live in a country like Australia. We dont need to look beyond our own borders because its such a beautiful country and we have such freedom, liberty and democracy. The Abo family had no relatives in Australia, and only spoke limited English, so Sarah describes the move as a gamble. Settling in Melbourne, the first few months were challenging. It was so difficult for them to find their feet, she says. We were floating around between the homes of family friends who were generous enough to take us in. We were sleeping all together in one of the bedrooms, and they were in another bedroom all together. While Sarah admits it wouldnt have been easy, she says its that typical migrant story of support and helping each other get a leg up. Her parents eventually found work  her mother at La Trobe University, and her father at the Environment Protection Authority. Within time, they could afford their own home in suburban Greensborough. I cant look at my parents story and not be motivated and inspired by it, says Sarah, her voice slightly breaking with pride. Nothing is difficult compared to what they did, thats how I see it. There is no excuse not to succeed, there is no excuse not to chase a dream. It sounds like a cliche but Mum and Dad are proof of what can be achieved here by setting your heart and mind to it. There is no excuse not to chase a dream. It sounds like a cliche but Mum and Dad are proof of what can be achieved here by setting your heart and mind to it. Growing up in a predominantly white neighbourhood, Sarah recalls not meeting another Syrian during her primary school years. And while there werent many migrants in the area, she never felt discriminated against but did feel a special connection to the Italian, Greek and Asian kids she knew.

Advertisement

Any feelings I had I brought upon myself, she reflects. When I looked around, growing up, I wanted to be a bit more like the other kids: to have blonde hair and blue eyes. But obviously you grow into your identity and accept it. In the end, it is who you are. After finishing school, Sarah studied journalism at Monash University and always saw her future in feature writing. I was the yearbook editor at uni; what a geek! she says, laughing. But after finishing her undergraduate degree, she went on an overseas holiday with a friend for three months, a trip that was a transformative time for Sarah. Travelling through numerous foreign countries where you dont know anyone or your surroundings and you have to speak to people and get to know them and their stories ... she says. If it wasnt for that trip, I dont know if I would have had the confidence really to enter broadcast journalism. Sarah wears Oroton trench coat and dress, Arms of Eve jewellery. Credit:GK Photography A short stint doing work-experience for Network Ten led to work in its Adelaide newsroom before Sarah made the move back to Melbourne. In 2013, she joined SBS, working at World News and Dateline and covering major events including the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, the 2016 US presidential election, the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and the refugee crisis in Lebanon, Turkey and Greece. Then at the start of 2019, she joined Nine and the team at 60 Minutes. If they can switch on the TV and see someone who looks like them and who they can relate to, thats an achievement. Thats what were striving for. I doubt there would be a journalist in Australia who wouldnt aspire to be on a program like 60 Minutes, she says. Its such a rare opportunity that you dont necessarily think will happen. What an incredible place to work! It wasnt until I joined that I realised it opens so many doors. Within three months of starting I was sitting opposite Tony Blair. Thats when you pinch yourself and go, This is happening. 

Advertisement

Sarah wears E Nolan suit, Arms of Eve jewellery. Credit:GK Photography As a young, Syrian-born woman working on a popular current affairs show, Sarah is proud to represent the diverse audience the program attracts. I get messages from the public saying they feel a sense of joy or relief that they can watch the TV and see someone who looks like them, she says. If they can switch on the TV and see someone who looks like them and who they can relate to, thats an achievement. Thats what were striving for. Loading And its something that is close to home for the Abo family. Sunday night 60 Minutes was appointment viewing for us growing up, Sarah recalls. For my mum and dad, as migrants, it was their window to the world. It was an opportunity to show Australians what was happening across the country and in places they would never be able to go to themselves. Thirty years after Samia and Fouad made that monumental move across the globe to give their daughters better opportunities, its hard to comprehend how they must feel now, watching their eldest appear alongside the iconic ticking clock on Sunday nights. Are they beyond proud? Sarah pauses. Were so proud of them. 60 Minutes airs 8.45pm Sundays on Nine.

Advertisement
Cyber threats across commercial and government enterprises appear to be so common that seldom do we see major stories on the topic. The past couple of weeks were an exception, as gas stations along the East Coast ran out of fuel supplies, thanks to the paralyzing cyberattack on null

Bridgestone, a global leader in sustainable mobility and advanced solutions, has joined forces with Arlanxeo, a world-leading synthetic rubber producer, and Solvay, one of the worlds top science companies and worldwide leader in highly dispersible silica (HDS), both for innovation and for manufacturing, to launch a new, co-developed tyre technology platform, Techsyn.

It combines chemically optimised synthetic rubber with tailormade silica, interacting at a molecular level, to deliver outstanding performance with no trade-offs.

The new platform enables tyres to deliver unrivalled strength and environmental performance.

Bridgestone pointed out that each material found in Techsyn was developed in parallel by these three companies to create a tyre technology platform that provides unrivalled performance.

It will help these tyres achieve up to 30 per cent better wear efficiency and a rolling resistance that is reduced by up to six per cent, compared to other conventional Bridgestone EMIA4 summer products, without compromising any other performance areas.

With the goal of ensuring less tyre wear material loss, extra focus was placed on performance improvements in tyre wear throughout the development of Techsyn.

As a result of these improvements, Techsyn augments the sustainable performance of the tyres its applied to by reducing overall fuel consumption and CO2 emissions and enhancing tread mileage.

Its durability extends the designed lifespan of tyres made with it by up to 30 per cent, to ultimately result in a tyre that needs to be changed less frequently and reduces the consumption of raw materials in the long-term, it added.

Bridgestone said it was preparing implementation of Techsyn for mass production, with various tyre categories and vehicles in mind.

The trio has developed a roadmap of technologies where close collaboration will be essential to move along the pattern identified with Techsyn and create even more effective synergies.

On the new product, Laurent Dartoux, President & CEO, Bridgestone EMIA said: "As a global leader in advanced solutions and sustainable mobility, were moving forward with innovation and sustainability at the core of everything we do at Bridgestone."

"Through developing environmentally-driven solutions like Techsyn, were making great progress on delivering against that ambition," he added.

Arlanxeo CEO Donald Chen said: "We are committed to delivering outstanding, customer-centric, elastomer solutions. By bringing together in partnership the combined know-how, skill and creativity of three world-class companies that are championing different parts of the tyre supply chain, we have been able to develop a new technology platform that offers new ways to address challenges specific to the tyre industry."

According to him, Techsyn enables improved fuel economy and tyre wear properties at the same time, with no performance trade-offs.

"As a result, tyres made with Techsyn contribute to reduced CO2 emissions. Therefore this technology makes a significant contribution to improving environmental aspects, which is at the heart of the shared vision for sustainable product solutions held by the three companies that made it all happen," he stated.

Solvays CEO Dr Ilham Kadri said: "Techsyn demonstrates what can be achieved when key actors in the value chain join forces. To protect our one and only planet, we must reinvent, collaborate and co-construct solutions to design tomorrow's cleaner mobility."

"Im proud of all the teams who contributed to this project, in particular the speed with which they brought this innovation to reality," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
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.

With the passage of legalization, New Jerseys medical marijuana dispensaries are eagerly eying ways to join the pending legal weed market.

Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday signed a massive bill into law that outlines the rules and regulations for a legal marijuana market. But it didnt immediately flip a switch for legal sales to begin. A commission must still adopt rules and begin licensing new dispensaries, and the existing medical marijuana companies will likely get the first shot at selling to the public.

But first, they must certify they can produce enough marijuana for the states medical weed patients and a surplus for those 21 and older.

Now that its in place, all the [alternative treatment centers] are actively working on the expansion, said Shaya Brodchandel, chair of the New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association, an organization that includes the currently licensed medical marijuana businesses. Thats the first thing and the most important thing that needs to happen.

Its expected to take months to ramp up the medical supply. Growing new marijuana from seed to harvest can take three to four months.

Despite delays in getting the legalization law signed, the medical operators say they did not stop preparing.

We were moving forward, full steam ahead no matter what, said Patrik Jonsson, regional president for northeast operations of Curaleaf, the states largest medical cannabis provider based in Bellmawr.

Curaleaf recently got approval for its second cultivation site in Winslow Township and put plants in the building. A harvest is expected mid-year along with two other dispensaries. The new cultivation site will increase their capacity by 200%, Jonsson said.

We will easily be able to serve the medical community and continue to be a wholesale provider to other operators, he said, noting the increase also sets Curaleaf up to sell adult use.

When the Department of Health issues its first non-vertically integrated licenses (for companies that sell but do not grow and manufacture weed), wholesaling will be crucial. Those hoping to open just dispensaries can get off the ground quicker if theres sufficient supply.

And those licenses may come sooner than the legal marijuana dispensaries. A court ruled just last week the health department could resume its review of 147 paused applications. They are vying for 24 licenses.

Patients have long complained of long lines and supply shortages. The number of medical marijuana cardholders has grown by tens of thousands since Murphy took office, but the state has seen only seven new dispensaries open in that same time.

But 2021 will likely see the floodgates have opened. Several medical companies have plans to add satellite dispensaries (they are allowed two each).

And theres already evidence of the program expanding in the northern part of the state. On Tuesday, Ascend held its grand re-opening in Montclair after taking over Greenleaf Compassion Center in the fall.

Mike Conway, the regional retail manager for Ascend, speaks to officials attending a tour of the remodeled dispensary in Montclair on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021.

Ascend, a company with dispensaries in several states, has already added 20 employees and more hours to the Montclair storefront. Theyve knocked down a wall, created a sleek interior and doubled the number of registers to serve patients, who can order online and use QR codes to streamline pickups.

But the alternative treatment center isnt talking openly about a pivot to adult use yet.

We dont really know what thats going to look like, Mike Conway, the regional retail manager, said during the grand opening. Our main focus right now is to make sure we dont get distracted by that.

Greenleaf was one of the original dispensaries to receive a license in the state  and one of the only to be locally owned and operated. It had limited offerings and did not expand to open additional satellite dispensaries. Thats something Ascend plans to do.

Ascend sells not only flower, but tinctures, vapes, shake, lozenges and topicals. They never stopped serving patients during construction, Conway said.

Brodchandel said supply in the market has increased during the past two months already. But expansion gets easier with legalization, because certain investor commitments to the companies hinged on legalization becoming law.

The association will soon begin working with the Cannabis Regulatory Commission on regulations, which became fully seated Thursday. Brodchandel reiterated the associations commitment to protecting patient access, and said expansion allows for dispensaries to both better serve them and new customers.

The [alternative treatment centers] right now are hyper-focused on bringing product to market beyond the existing medical program, he said. Were working as an association to best work through the regulations and the specific details. Just as a general industry group, were extremely excited that this has passed.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Amanda Hoover may be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Germany and France look set to approve the AstraZeneca Covid jab for the over 65s in a major U-turn aimed at speeding up their stuttering vaccine drives.

In an ignominious climb-down, health chiefs in both countries have now suggested they could update their policies for the Oxford University researched jab - after initially refusing to give it to those over 65.

Officials in Germany previously raised doubts about the vaccine's effectiveness amid reports - rubbished by AstraZeneca - that the vaccine was just 8 per cent effective at protecting those in older age groups.

France's Emmanuel Macron even went as far as to claim the jab was 'quasi-ineffective' at protecting the elderly.

But with new data showing the AstraZeneca jab is effective in protecting the elderly, and with vaccine rollouts in France and Germany lagging behind Britain's, both countries now look set to U-turn.

Germany and France look set to approve the AstraZeneca Covid jab for the over 65s in a major U-turn aimed at speeding up their shambolic vaccine drives. Pictured: A near empty vaccination centre in Germany earlier this month

In a ignominious climbdown, health chiefs in both countries have now suggested they could update their policies for the Oxford University researched jab after initially refusing to give it to the over 65s.

EU nations including Germany are being far outpaced by Britain in the vaccine race after Brussels was late to place orders with firms including Pfizer and AstraZeneca

Thomas Mertens, the head of the country's vaccine committee last night said it would would 'very soon' update its recommendation on the jab.

France changes its tune on AstraZeneca jabs following Ursula von der Leyen's praise for the vaccine France's government has said it wants to 'rehabilitate' the AstraZeneca vaccine as EU leaders try to undo the doubts they sowed about the jab which have led to low uptake despite its proven effectiveness. The French health ministry admitted that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine had an 'image deficit' which had led to 'feeble' usage of the jab, with only 107,000 people immunised with it so far. It comes after Emmanuel Macron himself raised doubts about the jab's effectiveness and claimed that Britain had taken a risk by authorising it so soon, while French regulators refused to approve it for over-65s. Meanwhile the French government is considering new local restrictions to deal with a worsening Covid-19 situation as it scrambles to avoid a new national lockdown. 'We will use all possible levers to rehabilitate the vaccine,' the French health ministry said, according to Le Telegramme, days after real-world data in Scotland showed the AstraZeneca shot reducing Covid hospitalisations by 94 per cent. Germany's government is also pleading with people to take the AstraZeneca jab, while EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said that she herself would take it - despite her furious row with the drugmaker last month over missing shipments to the EU. That struggle is set to continue into the spring with as many as 90million doses missing from AstraZeneca shipments in the second quarter of 2021. An EU official involved in talks with the firm says AstraZeneca has warned that it may deliver only half of its promised 180million doses from April to June, having slowed supplies in January because of delays at a Belgian factory. The new shortage could hamper the EU's ability to meet its target of vaccinating 70 per cent of adults by summer - with Britain promising to offer one dose to 100 per cent by July 31. The EU supply shortage is seen as one of the main reasons for a widely-criticised vaccine roll-out which is lagging far behind that in Britain. While the UK has handed out 27.0 doses per 100 people, the EU is lagging behind on 6.2 and has not significantly sped up its progress in recent weeks. Von der Leyen defended her policies by pointing out that the EU had handed out 27milion doses in total compared to 17million in Britain - but the bloc of 27 countries has a population more than six times larger. She also noted that Italy had given double-doses to more people than Britain, but it has handed out far fewer doses overall. Catching up to Britain will be made even harder if AstraZeneca shortfalls continue into the early summer, as an EU official told Reuters last night. Von der Leyen told the Augsburger Allgemeine that 'I would take the AstraZeneca vaccine without a second thought, just like Moderna's and BioNTech/Pfizer's products,' Advertisement

And in a frank admission on German television station ZDF, he said: 'The whole thing has somehow gone wrong.'

Meanwhile, Alain Fischer, chairman of France's vaccine strategy orientation council, said the country would 're-adjust our vaccine strategy'.

He said the rethink was in response to new data from a recent real-world study in Scotland which showed the AstraZeneca jab's use reduced hospital admissions by 94 per cent.

It comes as the EU's vaccine rollout continues to stall and lag behind Britain's programme.

Latest figures show there have been 29.33 doses administered per 100,000 in the UK, compared to just 7.13 across the EU.

Germany (7.05 per 100,000 people) and France (6.34 per 100,000), both key players within the EU, are lagging behind the bloc's average.

Meanwhile Germany and France this week began a PR offensive in order to tackle scepticism about the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca jab.

Germany's government this week began pleading with people to take the vaccine.

France's government meanwhile said it wants to 'rehabilitate' the AstraZeneca jab - as EU leaders try to undo the doubts they sowed about its effectiveness.

Only 150,000 out of 1.5million doses of the jab had been used in Germany on Friday, with many deliberately skipping appointments after learning they would receive the Oxford vaccine.

In Berlin, the Tegel vaccination centres, which only offer the AstraZeneca jabs, say 200 people are keeping the 3,800 daily appointments, The Times reported this week.

In France, health workers have also been refusing the vaccine after President Macron's comments during the heated row over its effectiveness.

The European Medicines Agency approved the vaccine for all adults, but both France and Germany ruled that it should not be given to the over-65s.

After initially questioning its effectiveness, President Macron later said he would take the vaccine.

Angela Merkel caused further confusion when in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the German chancellor said last week: 'I am 66 years old and I do not belong to the group recommended for AstraZeneca.'

Though some interpreted this as a rejection of the vaccine, other commentators claim the chancellor was merely suggesting that others should get the vaccine first.

Meanwhile EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said that she herself would take it - despite her furious row with the drugmaker last month over missing shipments to the EU.

That struggle is set to continue into the spring with as many as 90million doses missing from AstraZeneca shipments in the second quarter of 2021.

An EU official involved in talks with the firm says AstraZeneca has warned that it may deliver only half of its promised 180million doses from April to June, having slowed supplies in January because of delays at a Belgian factory.

The new shortage could hamper the EU's ability to meet its target of vaccinating 70 per cent of adults by summer - with Britain promising to offer one dose to 100 per cent by July 31.

The EU supply shortage is seen as one of the main reasons for a widely-criticised vaccine roll-out which is lagging far behind that in Britain.

While the UK has handed out 27.0 doses per 100 people, the EU is lagging behind on 6.2 and has not significantly sped up its progress in recent weeks.

Von der Leyen defended her policies by pointing out that the EU had handed out 27milion doses in total compared to 17million in Britain - but the bloc of 27 countries has a population more than six times larger.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, pictured, says she would take the AstraZeneca vaccine despite feuding with the firm over supplies to the bloc

This woman received the AstraZeneca vaccine in a hospital in Madrid on Tuesday - but elsewhere there has been low uptake after European scaremongering about the product

She also noted that Italy had given double-doses to more people than Britain, but it has handed out far fewer doses overall.

Catching up to Britain will be made even harder if AstraZeneca shortfalls continue into the early summer, as an EU official told Reuters last night.

German leaders rebel against Merkels strict lockdown and push ahead with easing restrictions amid woefully slow vaccine roll-out Angela Merkel is facing a rebellion from regional leaders and voters over Germany's call to extend lockdown restrictions following of a terrible start to the vaccine rollout. Several of the country's state leaders defied the Chancellor by allowing garden centres, florists and nail parlours to reopen from Monday. Mrs Merkel had pushed for an extension to current lockdown restrictions, warning the country faced a 'third wave' of coronavirus if rules were lifted too quickly. But Germany's government system means regional leaders have power over lockdowns. Even Bavarian leader Markus Soder, one of Mrs Merkel's staunchest supporters on the lockdown, is said to have moved away from her position. A majority of citizens are now reported to support easing restrictions. A survey by ZDF television found that 56 per cent supported such plans while only 41 per cent were opposed. Chancellor Angela Merkel and state leaders are expected to meet on March 3 to discuss a gradual easing of lockdown measures that are currently in place until at least March 7. Despite Mrs Merkel agreeing with the 26 other EU nations to keep 'tight restrictions' on public life and free movement, she is expected to make a compromise after telling German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 'We always have to be flexible'. Germany's Economic Minister Peter Altmaier said he was confident that restaurants could be allowed to partially open soon so that outdoor dining on terraces and in beer gardens should be possible around the Easter weekend. Restaurants, bars and entertainment venues have been shut since early November. A stricter lockdown from mid-December forced non-essential shops, services and schools to close as well. Factories and offices have remained open. The lockdown has helped to push down infections and deaths since the start of the year. But worries over more transmissible variants of the virus and a third wave of infections persist, making it more difficult for leaders to ease restrictions. Advertisement

Von der Leyen told the Augsburger Allgemeine that 'I would take the AstraZeneca vaccine without a second thought, just like Moderna's and BioNTech/Pfizer's products,'

But she also continued to voice doubts about the UK's strategy of delaying second doses - a move approved by Britain's chief medical officers - as she claimed that the EU was 'catching up' in the vaccine race.

AstraZeneca is producing vaccines at two plants in the UK, one in Belgium and one in the Netherlands, but is not exporting its British-made jabs under its contract with UK ministers - although it has offered the EU doses made in India and the US.

The official said AstraZeneca planned to deliver about 40million doses in the first quarter, less than half the 90million shots it was supposed to supply.

It was also due to deliver 30 million doses in the last quarter of 2020 but did not supply any shots last year as its vaccine had yet to be approved by the EU.

All told, AstraZeneca's total supply to the EU could be about 130 million doses by the end of June, well below the 300 million it committed to deliver to the bloc by then.

AstraZeneca did not deny the EU official's claims, but said it was striving to increase productivity in order to meet its 180million target.

'We are hopeful that we will be able to bring our deliveries closer in line with the advance purchase agreement,' an AstraZeneca spokesman said.

Later in the day, the firm added that its 'most recent Q2 forecast... aims to deliver in line with its contract with the European Commission'.

'At this stage AstraZeneca is working to increase productivity in its EU supply chain and to continue to make use of its global capability in order to achieve delivery of 180 million doses to the EU in the second quarter,' it said.

A European Commission spokesman declined to comment on confidential talks but said the EU should have enough shots even if the AstraZeneca targets are not met.

An EU regulator approved the AstraZeneca jab in late January but the ruling was overshadowed by a furious political row over the delayed shipments.

After AstraZeneca warned of shortfalls but continued to supply Britain in full, the EU published its contract with the firm and claimed to have cast-iron commitments.

Brussels also imposed export controls on jab shipments leaving the bloc, but was forced into retreat after initially saying they would apply to Northern Ireland.

But AstraZeneca's CEO blamed the delays on the fact that the EU had not signed a contract until three months after Britain had tied up a deal last year.

AstraZeneca is not exporting vaccines made in the UK, in line with its separate contract with the British government.

But AstraZeneca has told the EU it could provide more doses from its global supply chain, including from India and the United States, an EU official said last week.

The EU published its 42-page contract with AstraZeneca, pictured, at the height of a bitter row over shipments last month

AstraZeneca is now forecast to make up its shortfalls by the end of September, according to a German health ministry document.

German officials expect to receive 34million doses in the third quarter, taking the country to its full entitlement of 56million out of the EU's 300million doses.

Despite its approval by EU regulators, the AstraZeneca vaccine has met with resistance in some countries - further slowing the European roll-out.

Some countries including France and Germany have refused to approve it for over-65s because of limited trial data, despite the firm's assurances that it is effective.

French president Emmanuel Macron added fuel to the fire by questioning the jab's effectiveness and claiming Britain had taken a risk by authorising it so soon.

The effect of such scaremongering is that only 187,000 AstraZeneca shots have been administered in Germany out of 1.5million due to have been delivered by last week.

German leaders have now launched a public relations push to reassure the public that the shot developed at Oxford University is effective.

'The vaccine from AstraZeneca is both safe and highly effective,' Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Monday. 'The vaccine can save lives.'

Von der Leyen has now joined in that effort, saying that she herself would take the vaccine despite her earlier feud with the company.

It comes as France may need to impose new local restrictions to deal with a worsening Covid-19 situation as it scrambles to avoid a new national lockdown, a government spokesman said Wednesday.

Infections have reached worrying levels in several parts of the country, spokesman Gabriel Attal told reporters after a weekly cabinet meeting.

The warning comes only days after the French Riviera was ordered into lockdown for the coming two weekends to contain Covid-19 which has been spreading faster in the tourist hotspot than elsewhere in France, and border controls were tightened.

Attal said similar moves could become necessary elsewhere because of 'a worsening situation' that he said 'requires rapid and strong measures'.

Within hours of that warning, Health Minister Olivier Veran said that the northern coastal city of Dunkirk would also be locked down at weekends, until further notice, after the infection rate there went over 900 for 100,000 people, close to nine times the national average.

Like on the Riviera, the some 250,000 people in the city and surrounding area would be allowed to leave their homes only for specific authorised reasons, Veran said, calling Dunkirk's infection rate 'alarming'.

But the list could lengthen further: Around 10 of France's 102 territorial areas known as departments were now in a 'very worrying situation', Attal said.

'We must continue all our efforts to avoid having to impose another national lockdown,' he said.

There was 'obviously' no certainty that such a drastic measure could be avoided, he said, warning that the government would not hesitate to order such a move if it was deemed necessary.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Long before the lockout laws or COVID-19, Oxford Street was written off as a failure. A 2008 story in this publication quoted a report for the City of Sydney which said the precinct had lost its mojo, as well as a business lobby group which described the strip as a butt crack between two cheeks.

Fast forward 13 years and the booze-fuelled violence has pretty much dried up. But the vacant shops, dilapidated appearance and general malaise remain.

Perhaps, however, Oxford Streets time has come. Owners and developers are investing hundreds of millions of dollars with big plans to install boutique hotels, gentrified pubs and creative spaces, as the council embarks on a review of planning laws in anticipation of a massive new creative and cultural precinct.

An artists impression contained in a development application lodged with the City of Sydney by developer TOGA.

In 2019, the City of Sydney council leased three blocks on the northern side of the strip, between Taylor Square and Riley Street, to investment group AsheMorgan for 99 years.
BARCELONA  It had all the markings of a free speech showdown: Pablo Hasel, a controversial Spanish rapper, had barricaded himself on a university campus to avoid a nine-month jail sentence on charges that he had glorified terrorism and denigrated the monarchy. While students surrounded him, police in riot gear moved in; Mr. Hasel raised his fist in defiance as he was taken away.

But Oriol Pi, a 21-year-old in Barcelona, saw something more as he watched the events unfold last week on Twitter. He thought of the job he had as an events manager before the pandemic, and how he was laid off after the lockdowns. He thought of the curfew and the mask mandates that he felt were unnecessary for young people. He thought of how his parents generation had faced nothing like it.

And he thought it was time for Spains youth to take to the streets.

My mother thinks this is about Pablo Hasel, but its not just that, said Mr. Pi, who joined the protests that broke out in Barcelona last week. Everything just exploded. Its a whole collection of so many things which you have to understand.
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.
The leader of the European Solidarity party, Petro Poroshenko, has said that during 2014-2019 Ukraine received a basic international document called the "Pompeo Declaration," testifying to the unwavering U.S. support for Crimea as an integral part of the Ukrainian state, the party's press service has reported.

"We received a basic international document called the "Pompeo Declaration," which clearly stated that the United States will never recognize the Russian occupation of Crimea and this is a fundamental document of the United States. Therefore, the Secretary of State on behalf of the U.S. can make such statements," Poroshenko said.

He noted that from 2014 to 2019 Ukrainian authorities have constantly kept the issue of de-occupation of Crimea on the agenda of international politics. Poroshenko, in particular, told about how, after negotiations with former U.S. President Donald Trump, the well-known and very important for Ukraine "Pompeo Declaration" appeared.

"Trump had a very specific attitude towards Crimea. But during my first visit to the White House and a meeting in the Oval Office, 15 minutes out of a 40-minute conversation we talked about Crimea. He says that there are only Russians there. I said: you don't know how many Crimean Tatars are there. There are 300,000 of them. And another million Ukrainians. That's so," Poroshenko stressed.
Muzaffarpur: In order to pay the lost money in gambling in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Kishore killed a neighborhood student by snatching a gold locket and throwing the corpse into a puddle. This incident is from Kamar Pakad Muradpur village in the district. Four days later, at two o'clock on Thursday night, the body of the child was recovered from the water. Four days of tension over the incident turned into an uproar on Friday. The villagers blocked the road with fire and protests.

The deceased student was Ajit Kumar (8), the only son of Rajdev Rai, a truck driver from Shadikpur Moraul village. He used to study in third grade. Angry family members and villagers blocked the Muzaffarpur-Pusa road near Moraul village with bamboo bat and wood. Angry people identified the other miscreants involved in the murder of the student and demanded his arrest.

The government-level was demanding compensation to the aggrieved family. DSP Eastern Manoj Pandey, who reached the spot, explained the angry people and pacified them. The DSP assured the villagers that if the Sakra police are reluctant to cooperate and take action, inform them directly on the phone, immediate action will be taken. After this, the road jam ended. The deceased Ajit was cremated after his father returned from Nepal.

Also Read:

Swati Maliwal issues notice to Delhi Police in kidnapping and murder case of minor girl

Death certificate of same dead person issued 2 times in 11 years, police started investigation

Girl kidnapped and raped in Hisar, know the matter
Covid-19 will soon be over but the effects of the pandemic will not. Like it or loathe it, life has changed irrevocably for all of us.

Weve all been social distancing, wearing face masks and using hand sanitiser for almost a year now. Thats all likely to continue for quite some time for the greater good.

At its most fundamental, coronavirus has given us the opportunity to examine our basic hygiene practices, which cant be a bad thing. With sustained emphasis on washing our hands  the main conduit for a variety of germs  surely the days are gone forever of anyone using the loo without visiting the sink and soap afterwards?

Similarly, the concept of not invading someones personal space will surely go unchallenged for evermore.

Gone too are the days of packed pubs and tables climbing on top of one another in restaurants.

New rules have required changes that could actually make the going out experience more enjoyable, and we now have the opportunity to demand that that remains the case going forward. No more overly busy bars or unpleasantly full eateries.

Were often reminded that children are very resilient  but, in general, human beings are too. New models of business have emerged as part of the pandemic survival plan, as have new ways of working.

Many firms will be considering hybrid working regimes, whereby employees spend part of the week in the office and part working from home.

That provides us with an opportunity to revise our schedules so that we can make maximum use of the entirety of the time we have. It also gives us a chance to re-examine our work-life balance.

Could we even see a four day week coming into force? Perhaps now is the time to start that conversation.

In the post-Covid world, there can be no doubting that technology will be at the forefront.

Oxygen, water, food, clothing and the internet will become the five basic necessities of a human being. Mobile phones, internet connection and computers will be an integral part of daily life.

Zoom and Microsoft Teams  which have facilitated remote working apparently overnight  are here to stay.

Both employers and employees have an opportunity to acquire new skills to get through the working day. This could confer greater flexibility, raise worker well-being and productivity, and lower firms costs. We could see more gender-balanced career paths and fewer earnings inequalities.

Thanks to the pandemic, parents have realised the value of schools and appreciated the hard work of teachers, according to Malala Funds Lucia Fry.

Governments have understood that the economy and society depends on education now and in the long term, she told the BBC.

But in many ways, the virus has also been the great unequaliser. Low income households have suffered disproportionately.

Any responsible society should see an opportunity to redress some of the imbalances between rich and poor. Sandro Galea, a professor of Epidemiology at Boston University said: We need to question why there are deep asset gaps between haves and have nots, and use this as an opportunity to ask why we continue to have entrenched marginalisation of minority racial and ethnic groups.

Social problems, he added, are hard to tackle but Covid-19 should give us the reasons to restructure our world so that there are no health haves and health have nots.

It should also remind us of the importance of investing in safe housing, good schools, liveable wages, gender equity, clean air, drinkable water,a fair economy. It should be the biggest reminder of all that our health is our wealth. Without the vaccine  found at break-neck speed  there wouldve been no future.

Its currently illegal to go on holiday abroad.

The pandemic has given us an opportunity to pay attention to and enjoy whats on our doorstep rather than leave for foreign adventures that begin and end at a hotel and beach. It has allowed us to consider how we can best utilise what we have rather than chase an elusive dream.

If its too drastic to allow Covid to have put paid to holidays abroad, perhaps we should at least embrace the opportunity it has afforded us to be more selective in our choices, and to seek out experiences rather than empty vacations?

Or maybe we should consider travel with a conscience such as charity work like building houses for those less fortunate than ourselves?

Mental health was a huge issue before the pandemic gave us a glimpse of a kinder society that understood how much we are connected and how deeply we depend on each other, according to Mark Rowland, boss of the Mental Health Foundation. Medication is not a way out of the mental-health crisis.

Post-pandemic, we now have an opportunity to, in his words, create the conditions for good mental health and prevent mental ill health, by tackling inequality, trauma, isolation and stress.

Indeed, we now have an opportunity to reimagine what we want society to be.

Long before Covid-19 struck, 40% of office workers globally felt lonely, according to author Noreena Hertz, who wrote The Lonely Century: Coming Together in a World Thats Pulling Apart.

She said: The initial euphoria of remote working has already worn off: almost half of UK workers currently working from home feel lonely. People are missing meaningful moments of connection with co-workers as well as friends.

Feeling connected to friends is an important predictor of our physical health and emotional wellbeing, and loneliness can be toxic for our health says clinical psychologist Miram Kirmayer.

The pandemic could serve as a reminder of how precious our friendships are and give us an opportunity to cultivate more meaningful connections. She added: We will eventually resume our shared activities, playdates and events. But we can all benefit from cultivating closer, more fulfilling relationships.

If nothing else the pandemic has exposed a do as I say, not as I do modus operandi for many people in power.

We had PM Boris Johnsons right hand man Dominic Cummings breaking his own rules by driving to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight.

We had DUP MP Sammy Wilsons constant refusal to wear a face mask properly. Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill who refused to apologise for attending Bobby Storeys funeral.

It has given us the opportunity to see people for who they are and ultimately to hold power to account

At the height of the first lockdown in March 2020, shopfronts were boarded up, people had battened down the hatches and the streets were empty.

Many doubted that life would return to normal, although Steven Taylor, psychiatry professor at the University of British Colombia, said: Research on catastrophic events shows that most people do bounce back. The shops however will not.

Perhaps the biggest casualty during Covid was department store Debenhams which, more than any other, represents the end of an era on the Belfast high street.

Shopping has changed forever; going down the town will never be the same again.

The online marketplace is here to stay but it brings certain opportunities with it. For starters, we can be more discerning shoppers and buy only what we need.

This is, after all, the new normal; the old one has gone, forever.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
Skies above Queensland lit up with flashing lights, on February 25, as debris from a Chinese rocket flew past the Australian state. The unusual sight prompted social media users to share pictures and videos of the space debris burning up as it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. Experts have opined that space debris poses threat to satellites orbiting the planet, therefore, it is better to burn them up in the earths atmosphere itself.

National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) reported that there were nearly 15,214 catalogued pieces of space debris in orbit around the Earth as of November 2020. However, in case, any of it falls back to earth, it is burned and consumed by the lower atmospheric layer, leaving zilch to crash on the planets surface.

Speaking about the sight to the Associated Press, Professor Jonti Horner, an astronomer and astrobiologist at the University of Southern Queensland, explained that the bright light was a piece of a rocket that launched a Chinese satellite in 2019. "The Chinese launched a GPS satellite called Beidou-3I3 back on 4th November 2019. The piece of the rocket has been tracked as a bit of space debris since - and people quickly linked it to the debris seen above Queensland. It's most likely that the rocket was entirely destroyed on re-entry, and nothing would have made it to the Earth's surface," he explained.

Read: Chinese Rocket Debris Creates Fireball Above Queensland

Read: Lara Dutta, Prateik Babbar To Share Screen Space In The Remake Of Lionsgate Play, 'Casual'

What is space debris?

As per NASA, most orbital debris comprises human-generated objects, such as pieces of spacecraft, tiny flecks of paint from a spacecraft, parts of rockets, satellites that are no longer working, or explosions of objects in orbit flying around in space at high speeds. Space junk is no one countries responsibility, but the responsibility of every spacefaring country. The problem of managing space debris is both an international challenge and an opportunity to preserve the space environment for future space exploration missions.

Read:Digital Advertising To Grow 20% By 2021, To Reach Rs 23,673 Cr By 2022: Dentsu-e4m Report

Read: Lara Dutta, Prateik Babbar To Share Screen Space In The Remake Of Lionsgate Play, 'Casual'
ZUBIN POTOK, Kosovo  Ljiljana Trifonovic, an ethnic Serb living in a waterside hamlet in northern Kosovo, never cared for American politicians  they are all against us, she said  but she took a shine to Donald J. Trump when he was in the White House.

He is a bit crazy like we are and has the same hair color I do, Ms. Trifonovic, 58, said, patting her orangey-blond mane.

All the same, it came as a rude surprise late last year when a huge banner suddenly appeared next to the reservoir outside her home declaring the water Trump Lake. Another big banner went up at the same time on a bridge down the road announcing that it would now be called Trump Bridge.

We already have our own name for the lake. Why Trump? Ms. Trifonovic asked, mystified and also annoyed by the abrupt renaming of the first thing she sees every morning when she looks out her window.
By John LeComte

Having completed 18 online courses and now working on her 19th, Theresa Novotnak raves about the VLCFF virtual learning experience.

I brag about it every place I go, Theresa said.

Joining the VLCFF is the best thing I have ever done for myself and for all of the people I have worked with over the years in my parishes, from Maine to Pennsylvania.

When I was in Maine, I even told the Bishop how much I appreciated the opportunity taking VLCFF.UDayton.edu online courses.

Retired now and living in Ephrata, PA, Theresa has been a principal, kindergarten teacher, and special education teacher and also spent two decades working for KidsPeace, a private charity dedicated to serving the behavioral and mental health needs of children, families and communities.

Its the 24/7 availability of the Dayton VLCFF classes and the ease and professionalism of the instructors," she replied when asked one reason why the classes are worth completing.

I have taken courses just because they are interesting.

Theresa began her VLCFF journey in 2009 while a Director of Religious Education (DRE)

I took courses and received my certification in Adult Faith Formation and now I am currently director of Faith Formation at my parish here in Pennsylvania, she says.

I continue taking online courses so I can learn more about my faith and share it with everyone I work with in the parish.

After a while, I loved the e-courses because there were so many people from around the world taking classes and sharing their faith.

And now, I realize the enormity of the Catholic Church and see us as ONE church.

I always tell people about the opportunities at VLCFF.

The University of Dayton VLCFF is the best ONLINE education platform.

VLCFF online is year-round, with class start dates: April 11, May 16, July 4, August 22, October 10. Some scholarships are available for those who qualify. UD Human Resources covers the cost for the faculty & staff. program. UD alumni pay the reduced fee of $40 for a 3-week e-seminar and $50 for a 5-week e-course. You can learn more about VLCFF online classes at VLCFF.UDayton.edu
 Flash

A Chinese envoy on Friday urged all parties in Myanmar to handle differences through dialogue and consultation.

"We hope that all parties in Myanmar will act in the fundamental and long-term interests of the country, properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation under the constitutional and legal framework, maintain political and social stability, peacefully solve problems that have occurred, and continue to promote the domestic democratic transformation process in an orderly manner," Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, told an informal meeting of the UN General Assembly on the situation in Myanmar.

Under the current circumstances, all parties should maintain calm and restraint, refrain from intensifying tensions, escalating the situation and using violence, so as to prevent bloodshed, he said.

"China is engaging and communicating with relevant parties in Myanmar to further facilitate de-escalation of the situation and return to normalcy at an early date," the ambassador added.

Speaking of the situation in this Southeast Asian country, Zhang said that what happened in Myanmar is, in essence, "Myanmar's internal affairs."

"The international community should, on the premise of respecting Myanmar's sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and national unity, help relevant parties in Myanmar conduct dialogue and reconciliation in accordance with the wishes and interests of its people," he said.

"The voice and measures taken by the international community should help the parties in Myanmar bridge their differences and solve problems, and avoid intensifying tensions and further complicating the situation," said the envoy.

Zhang noted that Myanmar is a member in the family of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). China supports ASEAN in playing an active role in easing the current state of affairs in Myanmar in the ASEAN way.

"China appreciates the mediation efforts of ASEAN countries. ASEAN countries are discussing the setting up of an informal special meeting of their foreign ministers, and we look forward to its early convening on the basis of consensus, thus providing a useful platform and opportunity for promoting problem solving," the envoy said, adding that "we believe that ASEAN, as a mature regional organization, has enough political wisdom to help Myanmar tide over the difficulties."

On the mediation efforts of the UN special envoy on Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener, Zhang said that China "hopes that she will keep the communication channels with all parties in Myanmar open, make extensive engagements, and actively promote peace and talks."

"The international community should create favorable conditions and leave necessary space for her work," said the Chinese ambassador.

"The problem of Rakhine State in Myanmar, in essence, should be resolved by Myanmar and Bangladesh through bilateral dialogue and consultation. We do not hope to see new difficulties in solving this problem due to the domestic situation in Myanmar," Zhang concluded.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
A 12-year-old girl is facing criminal charges after bringing stun guns into school to sell to her classmates, police say.

A staff member at Coleman Middle School heard the student had a stun gun on campus Friday.

When the school's resource officer took her out of class, she admitted to buying five of the weapons online and bringing them in to sell to other students, according to Tampa police.

A staff member at Coleman Middle School heard the student had a stun gun on campus Friday

The girl admitted to selling three of the guns on Thursday and had two of them in her possession when she was confronted, it is claimed.

She was charged with possession of a weapon at a school and taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center, reports Fox 13.

The cost of the Vipertek models owned by the student start from around $9.99 on Amazon.

Police said no one had been threatened at the school, and the resource officer is now contacting students who were sold the guns in order to retrieve them.

The girl is expected to be released pending investigation due to the non-violent nature of the offence.
If youve been wanting to invest in Bitcoin but have no idea how to go about it, then this list will come in handy for you. You can use any of these applications for trading cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum and even obscure ones like Dogecoin. These apps make cryptocurrency transactions a less complicated process and are safe to use in India. Here are five of the best cryptocurrency exchange apps you should be using in 2021:



1. Binance

 Binance

Binance is probably the most detailed and user-friendly app you can use right now for trading all sorts of cryptocurrencies. You can buy Bitcoin using Indian Rupees and even Paytm and UPI. The best part is that the app does not charge any additional fees to purchase cryptocurrencies for Indians either. You can also transfer funds between WazirX and Finance free of charge. The app also offers tutorials for beginners.



2. Coinbase

 Reuters

Much like Binance, Coinbase also offers a massive knowledge base for beginners to use if they are looking to start trading crypto. The app is simple and easy to use and offers the ability to use digital wallets to transfer funds as well. If you really want to learn everything about blockchain and cryptocurrencies, Coinbase is a great starting point.



3. Zebpay

 Zebpay

After it was shut down for a brief period, Zebpay re-launched in June last year. It offers a seamless experience on the app. The app is also lightning fast at doing transactions such as withdrawal and deposits. Zebpay also allows users to trade cryptocurrencies at the most competitive rates.



4. WazirX

 WazirX

Probably one of the most popular apps to use for crypto trading that is now owned by Binance, WazirX has seamless integration with Binance and also lets users transfer their deposits free of cost between the two apps. The integration also means that traders can buy and sell cryptocurrencies at a competitive price. You can find a total of 70 cryptocurrencies and can handle numerous transactions with ease.



5. CoinDCX

 CoinDCX

CoinDCX was the first app to support withdrawals and deposits directly from your bank ever since India lifted the restriction on cryptocurrency exchanges. You can easily deposit and withdraw directly to and from your bank account respectively. CoinDCX features over 200 cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, ETH, DASH, Litecoin, Eth, XRP, and many more.


Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 21:12:54|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

RIYADH, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi-led coalition involved in a war in Yemen intercepted on Saturday a bomb-laden drone launched by Houthi militia towards the kingdom's border city Khamis Mushait, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Malki said that the acts of the Iran-backed militia "amount to war crimes."

The coalition destroyed on Friday a missile launched from Saada governorate in Yemen towards Saudi southern region. On the same day, two Houthi drone attacks were foiled.

He stressed that the coalition would implement all necessary operational procedures to safeguard civilians in accordance with the international law.

The coalition will complete in March its sixth year of war in Yemen against Houthi militia in support of the government of the Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Enditem
Prince William has been kept in the dark over Harry and Meghans explosive Oprah Winfrey interview as he has not spoken to his brother for some time, it emerged last night.

There is mounting concern at what the Duchess of Sussex has revealed to the US chat-show host  who was reportedly told nothing was off-limits  as the couple have not informed the Royal Family of the interviews contents.

Winfrey and her production team are keeping a tight lid on Meghans revelations, with Harry appearing as the support act, after they filmed the couple at their 11 million home in California ten days ago.

The BBC and ITV are understood to still be interested, along with the Discovery channel, although BBC sources said it would not be pulling out its chequebook. Harry and Meghan are pictured in 2019

A Royal source said: Harry and William have not spoken for some time, and Meghan speaking about their relationship or relationships with the Royal Family to Oprah will not help matters. Things are still bad between them, although both want to repair that brotherly bond.

William does not know what she has told Oprah, none of the Royal Family do. They will find out at the same time as everyone else, although I doubt theyll watch it.

American channel CBS will broadcast the two-hour Oprah primetime special next Sunday, and a bidding war for international rights is still ongoing, but it is still to be decided which UK broadcaster will screen the interview.

The BBC and ITV are understood to still be interested, along with the Discovery channel, although BBC sources said it would not be pulling out its chequebook.

An insider said: Its not just about the money, its about the biggest possible UK audience hearing what Meghan has to say.

Yes, this is primarily designed for the US, but she felt she was silenced for so long in the UK and now she gets to have her say.

Harry and Meghan, 39, who is expecting their second child, have not been paid for the interview, although it is not known whether they will receive a fee for the international rights or supplemental pictures or footage used within the two-hour programme.

Royal biographer Hugo Vickers said: I imagine the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will just have one long whinge to Oprah Winfrey. Its all about their self-promotion.
Iran on Saturday asked Baghdad to "identify the perpetrators" of rocket attacks on the US embassy and other Western targets in Iraq, saying they were launched to damage Iran-Iraq relations.

A volley of rockets on Monday targeted the high-security Green Zone in the Iraqi capital, where the American and other foreign embassies are based.

The attack was the third in a week to target Western diplomatic, military or commercial installations across Iraq after four months of relative calm.

"We underline the need for the Iraqi government to identify the perpetrators of these incidents," Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said after talks in Tehran with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein.

"Recent attacks and incidents... could be designed to disrupt Iranian-Iraqi relations and destabilise" Baghdad, Zarif said in a statement.

The meeting comes after Washington retaliated for the attacks by launching overnight Thursday an air strike on facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran-backed militias near the border with Iraq.

The Pentagon confirmed President Joe Biden had authorised the strikes "in response to recent attacks against American and coalition personnel in Iraq".

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday the administration wanted to make it "very, very clear -- notably to Iran-- that they cannot act with impunity against our people, our partners, our interests."

The rocket attacks in Baghdad have not been claimed, but Washington said intelligence showed hardline pro-Iran factions operating under the umbrella of Iraq's state-sponsored Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force were responsible.

Zarif "condemned the dangerous action of the United States in attacking Iraqi forces in the border area" between Iraq and Syria, saying the air strikes were "illegal" and in "violation of the sovereignty" of both countries, according to the statement.

Iraq, scarred by decades of war and insurgency, has been a strategic battleground for arch-foes the United States and Iran, both allies of Baghdad who remain sharply at odds over Iran's nuclear programme.

The US strike was its first military action targeting such groups since Biden took office five weeks ago and came amid heightened tensions over Iran's nuclear programme after the president opened the door to resuming negotiations with Tehran toward salvaging a 2015 nuclear deal.

Short link:



Thirteen year old Becky Hynes from the mid Cork village of Aherla offered to give her parents the night off from looking after cows due to calve on their farm at the weekend.

And then the aspiring young farmer showed her agricultural mettle by delivering twin calves during Saturday night.

She had been watching the cow which was expected to deliver twins by camera during the evening and when she went to the byre to check again around midnight she noticed the cow was getting a little agitated, a sure sign of imminent arrivals.

"I went back up to the house and put on my gear and had a cup of tea, all the time keeping an eye on the camera," Becky recalled this week.

"Then around ten to two she popped out the blister, which means the calves are coming."

Becky, a second year pupil, went down with her elder sister, Chloe, who was there in case there might be difficulties, and by the time they got there the cow had given birth to the first calf.

"I sprayed it with iodine to ensure there was no infection and put it in front of the cow and then I put in my hand to check if the second calf was coming right.

"At the start I didn't really want to do it as I had never done it before but I kind of knew I had to do it so I did it.

"The calf was coming right so I gave her a bit of time and I put ropes on and I helped to get her out because she wasn't too keen on pushing the second one out when she had the first one in front of her.

"Then the second one was out and she looked after the two of them.

"We gave them their bottles of colostrum and made sure they were settled for the night."

This was not the first time Becky was involved in a calving though previously she had only calved single calves and her parents, Peter and Paula Hynes, were with her when she was assisting for the birth of twin calves.

She is clearly aspiring to follow in the footsteps of her dad, Peter, a former Farming Independent Farmer of the Year in 2017.

"I'd like to go into farming - I'd probably go to college and study agriculture with business and then go travelling for a bit and get a bit of experience in farms in different countries and then come home and do my own bit of farming.

"Farming is very much a business these days with all the paperwork," said Becky.

After delivering twin calves, paperwork, as cumbersome as it is, will be a doddle for Becky!
Popcorn

Tacos

Pizza

Chili

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chips

Seafood

Something on the grill

Ice cream because I like it cold all the time

Jambalaya

I could care less, give me summer already

Vote

View Results
Favouring continuation of trade with China, Managing Director on Saturday said goods should be procured from wherever they are most competitively available.

He was speaking at a session on 'Building Reliable Supply Chain' at the second day of the three-day virtual Asia Economic Dialogue 2021, jointly convened by the Ministry of External Affairs and Pune International Centre.

Bajaj also said that in terms of ease of doing business, operating something in one of the ASEAN countries is certainly easier than "what we encounter here in India."



"We like to believe that we are a global company, and therefore, this to my mind, from a cultural point of view, and an operational point of view, demands completeness or inclusiveness not just of employee gender, but also of having dealers, distributors and equally suppliers from all over the world.

"And that is why I believe that we must continue to trade with China. Because if we conduct our business at the exclusion of such a large country, such a large market, we will find ourselves incomplete over time, and we will be poorer for the loss of that experience," Bajaj said.

Stating that in supply chain, commitment is important, he said that a sense of mutuality and reciprocity is indispensable to building, at least, the kind of very intricate supply chain that the auto industry needs to deliver the final product to the customer.

Emphasising on the continuity in the supply chain, Bajaj said, "I say this in the context of what happened in around June or July, when our government for whatever reasons, suddenly came down hard on imports, especially from China."



"Now, to my mind, doing something like that is to cut your nose to spite your face. Because overnight, how can one source components that are simply not made in the domestic market, that you need to deliver product to domestic or export customers?" he said.

So, maintaining continuity is the second important aspect of the holistic view of supply chain, he added.

Noting that if it is cheaper to make something out of China or procure something from Thailand, Bajaj said, "we must always procure stuff from wherever it is most competitively available."



He said that since the company hopes to venture into Asia in a significant way in the future, it did an elaborate comparison of certain metrics.

Based on the five metrics - the land, labour, electricity, logistics and the legal system , " we did an exhaustive comparison of India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia " Bajaj said.

"And to be honest, we were not very pleased with the conclusion we drew for India, basis this analysis, and I think we can put it all together and call it the ease of doing business. So, our experience so far has been that, however limited, operating something in one of the ASEAN countries is certainly easier than what we encounter here in India, "Bajaj 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.)
Commemorating 50 years of defeating Pakistan in the 1971 war, Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief RKS Bhadauria gifted a legacy Alouette III helicopter to Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) and got a legacy F-86 Sabre aircraft as a return gift from Dhaka.

"To mark the Golden Jubilee of 1971 War of Liberation, IAF chief RKS Bhadauria gifted a legacy Alouette III helicopter to the Bangladesh Air Force. Bangladesh Air Force chief too gifted an F-86 Sabre aircraft that had been restored by BAF after the 1971 war. Both legacy aircraft will find a place of pride in museums on both sides," IAF stated in a tweet.

The exchange of aircraft took place in Dhaka during the four day trip of Bhadauria to Bangladesh where he visited different airbases and interacted with the top military leadership of that country.

India and Bangladesh are celebrating 50 years of the liberation war in which the Pakistan Army was thrown out of Bangladesh and 90,000 of their troops were made to surrender.

A number of events are being organised by both countries to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the decisive war.

(ANI)

FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Rohingya refugees sit on a makeshift boat as they get interrogated by the Border Guard Bangladesh after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, at Shah Porir Dwip near Cox's Bazar

NEW DELHI/DHAKA (Reuters) - India's coast guard found 81 survivors and eight dead on a boat crammed with Muslim Rohingya refugees adrift in the Andaman Sea, and were repairing the vessel so that it can return safely to Bangladesh, Indian officials said on Friday.

The Indian government was in discussions with Bangladesh to facilitate the safe return of the vessel, which was found drifting in international waters having left southern Bangladesh about two weeks ago with hopes of reaching Malaysia.

The boat had sailed on Feb. 11 from Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh carrying 56 women and eight girls as well as 21 men and five boys, officials said.

Many of the survivors, according to Indian officials, were sick and suffering from extreme dehydration, having run out of food and water after the boat's engine failed four days after leaving Cox's Bazar, where refugee camps house hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who have fled neighbouring Myanmar.

"The engine of the boat broke down earlier this week and we received an SOS from some Rohingyas, " said an Indian coast guard official overseeing the search and rescue effort from New Delhi.

"It's a humanitarian crisis and we are doing the best we can to save their lives," he said, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

"The foreign ministry is working towards sending them back to Bangladesh and India will repair or replace the boat's engine to ensure they can travel back safely."

The survivors were being provided with food supplies and medicine, and women and children have been given fresh clothes. It was unclear what arrangements were being made for the funeral rites of the people who died, the coast guard official added.

Announcing that the boat had been found, India's External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said on Thursday two Indian coast guard ships were dispatched to search for the vessel following urgent calls for help.

Story continues

U.N. RAISED THE ALARM

The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, had raised the alarm earlier this week over the missing boat.

"We understand that around 47 of the occupants of the boat are in possession of ID cards issued to them by UNHCR office in Bangladesh stating that they are displaced Myanmar nationals," Srivastava said.

Of the 90 people that had set out on the voyage, eight were found dead, and one was missing, he added.

More than 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar are living in teeming camps in Bangladesh, including tens of thousands who fled after Myanmar's military conducted a deadly crackdown in 2017.

Human traffickers often lure Rohingya refugees, promising them work in Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia.

A Bangladeshi foreign ministry statement said the boat had been traced some 1,700 km (1,056 miles) away from Bangladesh and 147 km (91 miles) from India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

"Other states, particularly those on whose territorial water the vessel has been found, bear the primary responsibility and they should fulfil their obligation under international law and burden-sharing principle," it said.

India did not sign the 1951 Refugee Convention, which spells out refugee rights and state responsibilities to protect them. Nor does it have a domestic law protecting refugees, though it currently hosts more than 200,000, including some Rohingya.

Chris Lewa, director of the Arakan Project, a group that monitors the Rohingya crisis, accused India of trying to shirk responsibility, saying keeping the refugees "at sea put their lives at further risk."

(Reporting by C.K.Nayak in New Delhi, Subrata Nagchoudhury in Kolkata and Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Additional reporting and writing by Rupam Jain; Editing by lincoln Feast and Mark Heinrich)
Paul Harris never takes a day for granted and enjoys being his own boss. After enduring over 100 surgeries, Harris is ready to sell his sanitation company and share his message of living life to the fullest. (Linda KC Reynolds)

Looking Back on Life-Changing Accident: God Reached Down and Lifted Me Out of The Gates of Hell

Paul Harris, who endured more than 100 surgeries, focuses on living life to the fullest

Paul Harris, 20, felt fortunate to have a job working as a roughneck, drilling, laying, and digging up pipe for water wells. He wasnt thrilled about the job, but at least it supported his destructive habits.

Until one day.

It started out like any other day, but this day changed my life foreverlooking back, I see that it was one miraculous event after another, said Harris, now 52.

After retrieving and loading 800 feet of pipe onto a 1965 GMC, Harriss workmate and driver, Dave, decided to get some well-deserved refreshments at a nearby gas stationthats when their vehicle started to fail.

Dave is pumping the brakes, downshifting and we were still not stopping, Harris said. He then grabbed the emergency brake, stopping inches away from a parked tractor-trailer.

Immediately, they called their boss to report the problem. Showing up with brake fluid, the boss assured them everything would be OK and they must continue driving.

Dave is pumping the brakes, Im looking at the wheels and oil is squirting out profusely, Harris said. I knew it was bad, and no way would we make it another 20 miles.

At first, Harris refused to get back into the failed vehicle.

Im 20 years old, arguing with my boss, but he intimidated me and made me feel guilty and stupid, so reluctantly I got back in the truck.

Stopping several times to add more brake fluid, they continued down the freeway. Harris was fixated on the construction zone ahead when Dave started grinding gears and smashing on the brakes.

Jump! Were not going to make it! the driver yelled.

Harris tried to open the door but the airflow kept it shut.

It happened so fast yet, it was in slow motion, Harris said.

After plowing through construction signs and hitting a K-rail, the truck flew over two lanes of traffic and landed upside down in a ravine. Still holding onto the door handle, Harris tried to push open the door. No luck.

I remember being amazed I wasnt hurt, not even a scratch.

Turning to check on Dave, he saw that a pipe had pierced the cab and the driver.

I started shaking his shoulder, telling him to get out, to get moving. I saw that he was decapitated but I didnt want to believe he was dead. I just wanted him to get out, Harris said.

Thats when Harris noticed the flames coming from underneath.

As flames engulfed the cab, Harris hammered the side window with his elbow but only hurt himself. Frantically, he began kicking the windshield.

My hair was on fire, my face was melting, but Im still kicking and kicking. I know Im going to die if I dont get out. I kick the windshield one last time with everything I gotand it doesnt break.

Surrendering to Fate

Exhausted, Harris laid with his feet on the glass and surrendered to his fate. He didnt have one drop of energy left. For the first time, just for a split second, he thought of a higher power.

All of a sudden, the window fell out, it was like God reached down and lifted me out of the gates of hell, he said. He crawled out feet first and upon standing, he was blasted by a CO2 fire extinguisher. An employee from a Dennys restaurant had seen the accident, grabbed an extinguisher, and was there the second Harris emerged from the flaming cab.

CO2 was the best thing that could be used on a burning person because it is cold and sterile. I was instantly saved from fire, Harris said.

Looking up, he saw that the employee was about to help the driver. Harris warned him: Stop! He is dead! The truck is going to blowrun! The employee fled but Harris was only able to take two steps before the explosion.

Miraculously, the flames and debris missed Harris. Looking down, Harris saw that his hands were completely black with deep cracks.

I didnt pass out but my brain thought I saw enough and I temporarily lost my vision, he said.

Later, he found out that the paramedics who showed up immediately were at the intersection waiting for a light when they witnessed the accident. Harris was medevaced to the Sherman Oaks burn center; his nurse also happened to be at the intersection and had witnessed the accident.

Miracles

Looking back, Harris said the accident was one miracle after another.

It actually saved my life and was one of the best things that could have happened to me. I promise you, I didnt think so at the time. I was addicted to drugs and alcohol, I was a very lost soul and not a good person. After the accident, I felt I had a legitimate excuse to  abuse drugsand better yet, they were free! he said.

With more than 85 percent of his body burned and enduring more than 100 surgeries, Harris focused on the few parts of his body that didnt hurt.

Its all a matter of perspective. Ten on my pain level is probably not the same as your 10. Harris said he died four times on the operating table and had a vision of demons consuming him. It was as real and scary as being burned alive. I knew I had to change my life.

Paul Harriss graduation photo was the last picture taken before he was in an accident that burned over 85 percent of his body. (Courtesy of Paul Harris)

Moving Forward

He attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and has been sober for nearly 30 years. With Gods help, he said, he was able to accept his situation. At 20, he said he was fortunate to get a glimpse of what a gift it is to be alive. He is a member of the motorcycle club Messengers for Recovery and is helping addicts.

The doctors said I probably would not live past the age of 40 and I should be extremely careful of infections and injuring myself.

After the accident, Harris married and had two children; he divorced 20 years later. Through it all, he doesnt regret one day of what he calls his fabulous life. He rides motocross with his 19-year-old son and enjoys spending time with his daughter and her family. After running his own septic company for several years, he is ready to retire and spend his time with friends in Lake Havasu, on the border between California and Arizona.

Never let a doctor or anyone tell you how long you are expected to live or what you can or can not do, he said. Harris placed in motocross competitions, shattered his collarbone, and lost a finger while racing, but that still hasnt slowed him down.

Life is too short to spend one second living in fear, he said.

Harris is in the process of rewriting his book, Living Your Destiny with remarks by Mark Victor Hansen, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul; Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People; and financial expert Robert Allen.

Linda KC Reynolds began her photography career in the U.S. Air Force. After serving six years, she worked full-time for Northrop Grumman on the B-2 stealth bomber and now freelances for various aerospace companies and other venues. She is passionate about free speech, musical production, and sharing peoples stories.

Hanoi, Feb 27 : Vietnam on Saturday reported six new Covid cases, taking the total tally to 2,432, according to the Health Ministry.

All the new cases were detected in the northern Hai Duong province, the country's largest Covid-19 hotspot. They were all contacts of previously confirmed patients, said the ministry.

As many as 1,844 patients have been given the all-clear, the ministry said, adding that nearly 64,000 people are being quarantined and monitored, Xinhua reported.

The latest wave of Covid-19 infections hit Vietnam on January 28, with 837 community cases so far confirmed.

Among them, 10 localities including the southern Ho Chi Minh City, the southern Binh Duong province and the northern provinces of Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Quang Ninh and Bac Giang, have gone through over 14 days without any new community infections, according to the ministry.
100%

Website nzica.com 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 162199 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 303861 bytes (296.74 kb uncompressed) and 20252 bytes (19.78 kb compressed).

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-02-27, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

Students at a primary school in Hanoi wear masks in class in May 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Duong Tam.

Over two million students in Hanoi would return to school on March 2, about an extended one-month Tet break and online classes due to Covid-19.

Students from kindergarten to high school levels would return to school on March 2, while those from vocational schools would return on March 8. University student schedules would be determined by the schools themselves, though the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control recommended they reopen starting March 15 to ensure social distancing measures, the municipal People's Committee said Saturday.

Previously, Hanoi students started staying home on Feb. 1, about a week earlier than the expected beginning of the Tet break due to a new wave of Covid-19 sweeping nationwide. After the one-week holiday, they continued to study online.

As on-site classes resume, parents need to take their children's body temperatures at home, prepare them masks and personal items so they would not have to share them with classmates to avoid infection, city authorities said. Schools are required to regularly disinfect areas, especially those being constantly touched, and vehicles used to carry students.

Hanoi has not recorded any community transmission for nearly two weeks. The city still has two locations under lockdown: the Somerset hotel in Tay Ho District and a neighborhood with five families in Me Linh District. Their lockdown would be lifted on Sunday.

Vietnam has recorded 2,426 Covid-19 cases so far, 548 still active.
Three more people have died from the Akyem Asafo accident that occurred Friday dawn.



This takes the death toll to 19.



The crash, which was between two VIPs on the Accra-Kumasi highway, claimed 16 lives on the spot.



Some of the bodies were dismembered.



About five ambulances rushed to the scene to convey the injured to nearby hospitals at Asafo, Kyebi and surrounding areas.



Also, heavy-duty vehicles converged on the scene to help with rescue efforts and clear the area of the wreckage.



The accident is said to have happened as one of the buses attempted overtaking the other.



The buses were two Kia Granbirds  one with registration number GT 5629-18 with passengers headed to Kumasi from Accra and the other with registration number GE 5510-15.



Both drivers were among the dead.



Some locals say a three-year-old was among the dead.



The other passengers who survived with life-threatening injuries were ferried to the Suhum Government Hospital and Akyem Asafo Health Centre for emergency treatment.



The bodies had to be extricated from the concertinaed buses by a team of first responders made up of police, firefighters and paramedics from Suhum, Bunso, Kibi, and Ayensuano.



They have been deposited at the Suhum Government Hospital mortuary.

Source: class fm









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

Przepraszamy!

Ogoszenie na stanowisku:

(Junior) Process Officer in Transaction Monitoring Investigation



wygaso z dniem 2021-03-14



Ta propozycja bya zozona przez Nordea Bank Abp SA Oddzia w Polsce

Mozliwe przyczyny wygasniecia oferty to:

propozycja zozona przez pracodawce zostaa wycofana z naszej bazy

rekruter zakonczy proces rekrutacji uzyskujac odpowiednia ilosc CV

ogoszeniodawca zmodyfikowa tresc zlecenia i jest ono dostepne pod innym adresem url

dostawca tresci usuna ogoszenie z bazy danych

zy adres WWW ogoszenia

Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w branzy Bankowosc / Leasing, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Bankowosc / Leasing

Jezeli poszukujesz pracy na stanowisku (Junior) Process Officer in Transaction Monitoring Investigation, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca (Junior) Process Officer in Transaction Monitoring Investigation

Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w miescie: odz, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca odz



Pamietaj, ze mozesz takze rozpoczac poszukiwanie pracy od strony gownej, kliknij tutaj.

Inne propozycje, ktore mogy byc w kregu Twoich zainteresowan:


Students in Hanoi are set to come back to school on March 2, according to a dispatch issued by the municipal Peoples Committee on February 27.





The date applies for students from kindergarten to high school levels, while colleges and centres for vocational training and continuing education will reopen a week later.

Relevant agencies have been asked to exert efforts in ensuring safety for students when they resume going to schools, and enforce strict measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Schools are also requested to complete the curriculum in tandem with guidelines of the Ministry of Education and Training and prepare for the upcoming national high school and secondary school examinations.

Students in the city had to stay home and study online from February 2 when new cases of locally-transmitted cases of COVID-19 were reported in the city late January.

Hanoi had not detected new cases of COVID-19 for 11 consecutive days to February 26.

VNA
MASON CITY, Iowa - Several animal rights bills have been introduced within the past two weeks in Iowa, and are moving quickly through the legislative process. The bills are pushing to remove protection for animals.

Last year, Governor Reynolds signed the Community and Pet Protection Act into law, strengthening Iowa's animal cruelty laws.

KIMT spoke to Iowa Director of the Humane Society of the United States, Preston Moore, and he says many Iowans believe the bill didn't go far enough.

Iowa is the only state in the US without an automatic felony charge for the crime of animal abuse.

Among those bills is SSB1195 - it would prevent any city/county from passing any animal protection law if it interferes with a business that profits from animals.

Supporters of the bill believe it will protect the agriculture industry in Iowa.

Moore says these bills will only reverse part of the state's progress made so far.

"The legislature seems to be more concerned about letting these cruel industries earn a profit than they are concerned with the welfare of animals and also the safety of people in these local communities, says Moore.

He adds it is the Humane Societys ultimate goal to stop these bills from becoming law.

"These bills, unfortunately, are being sold as protecting agriculture - when in fact all they're doing is protecting some of the cruelest industries we see in the state like puppy mills - and wildlife traffickers, he explains.

The passing of these bills would further impact ordinances like city limits on the number of horses owned per acre of land, protection against puppy mills, and wildlife trafficking.

These bills are under funnel deadline, meaning they have to make it through a full committee by the end of next week.
Whats wrong with the Maldives campaign is the timing, he said, noting that it started before travelers could be vaccinated. Its off. Its not the moment to do that.

When the Maldives shut its borders last March to guard against the virus, it did not make the decision lightly: Tourism employs more than 60,000 of the countrys 540,000 people, more than any other industry in the private sector, according to Nashiya Saeed, a consultant in the Maldives who recently co-wrote a government study on the pandemics economic impact.

When tourism shut down, there was no revenue coming into the country, Ms. Saeed said. Many laid-off resort workers who live in the capital, Male, were forced to moved back to their home islands because they could no longer afford it, she added.

As the health authorities worked to contain local outbreaks, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solihs advisers developed a strategy for restarting tourism as quickly as possible. One advantage was that most of the countrys luxury resorts are on their own islands, making isolation and contact tracing much easier.

We really planned this out, we knew what our advantages were and we played to them, said Mr. Solihs spokesman, Mohamed Mabrook Azeez.

When the Maldives reopened in July, health officials required P.C.R. tests, among other safety protocols, but did not subject tourists to mandatory quarantines. Around the same time, the countrys public relations agency switched its international marketing campaign and urged travelers to rediscover the Maldives.

The Canadian Press

As COVID-19 vaccine supplies ramp up across the country, most provinces and territories have begun planning to give second doses in the coming weeks. More than 23 million people across Canada have now had at least one dose of a vaccine. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says by the summer, Canada will have enough vaccines so that every eligible resident will have gotten their first dose, and by September, it will have enough doses for everyone to be fully vaccinated. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended that Canada turn toward the ultimate goal of fully immunizing the population, now that supplies of COVID-19 shots are increasing. The advisory panel said those at highest risk of dying or becoming severely ill should be prioritized for second shots, either after or alongside first doses for anyone else who is eligible for a vaccine. Since the novel coronavirus is still circulating in Canada, NACI is still recommending that the second dose be received up to four months after the first dose, in order to maximize the number of people who get at least one shot. Here's a list of the inoculation plans throughout Canada: Newfoundland and Labrador All people in the province aged 12 and older can now book an appointment for a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. So far 2.19 per cent (11,446) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Nova Scotia Appointments for an initial COVID-19 vaccine shot are now open to people 12 years of age and older. Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for use in children aged 12 and up. The Moderna vaccine is only available for those 18 and older. Under the province's accelerated vaccine plan, someone who received their first dose of vaccine on March 22 and is due for a second dose on July 5 will now be able to reschedule their second appointment for as early as the week of June 20. The province has stopped the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine as a first dose. The Health Department says the decision was based on "an abundance of caution'' due to an observed increase in the rare blood-clotting condition linked to this vaccine. The department also says it will reschedule anyone who was to receive AstraZeneca to instead be inoculated with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna "in a timely manner." --- Prince Edward Island In Prince Edward Island, residents as young as 16 can book a COVID-19 vaccine. People 16 years and older who have certain underlying medical conditions, pregnant woman and eligible members of their household can also get a vaccine. So far 8.11 per cent (12,868) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- New Brunswick Residents in New Brunswick aged 12 to 17 are now eligible to book an appointment for a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Officials also say residents 55 and older who received an Astra-Zenaca vaccine for the first dose at least eight weeks ago can now get a second dose of the vaccine with informed consent. So far 5.08 per cent (39,633) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Quebec In Quebec, all residents 12 and older can book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. The province's health minister says Quebecers 12 to 17 years old will be fully vaccinated by the time they return to school in September. Quebec also says it will shorten the delay between first and second doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to eight weeks from 16 weeks. The province says more than 5.8 million doses of vaccine have now been administered, with more than 58.1 per cent of the population having received at least one dose. --- Ontario All adults in Ontario can now book COVID-19 vaccine appointments. People turning 18 in 2021 can book Pfizer-BioNTech shots. Youth aged 12 and older can also book appointments across Ontario. They can book through the provincial online portal, call centre and through pharmacies offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the only shot authorized by Health Canada for use in youth aged 12 and older. Ontarians, meanwhile, are getting the option to shorten the interval between COVID-19 vaccine doses. Most people are being scheduled for doses four months apart, but officials say the new interval could be as short as 28 days. The plan will start with seniors aged 80 and older this week and the province will later offer second shots based on when people received their first. People will keep their original appointments if they dont re-book. The province aims to see all eligible Ontarians fully vaccinated by the end of September. Ontario is also resuming use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine but only as a second dose. Those who received the first dose of AstraZeneca between March 10 and March 19 during a pilot project at pharmacies and some doctor's offices in several Ontario communities will be first in line to receive their second dose. Ontario says more than 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered across the province. So far 4.68 per cent (687,894) of the population has been fully vaccinated --- Manitoba Manitoba is using the Pfizer vaccine for everyone aged 12 and up, and the Moderna vaccines for people aged 18 and up. These are available through a few channels including so-called supersites in larger communities. The province is also allowing anyone 40 and over to get an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine through pharmacies and medical clinics, subject to availability. People 30-39 can get a shot if they have certain underlying health conditions such as chronic liver failure or severe obesity. The province has opened up second-dose appointments to all Indigenous people aged 12 and up, to people with certain medical conditions such as severe heart failure and Down syndrome, and anyone who received their first dose on or before March 29. Provincial health officials say they now expect 70 per cent of Manitobans aged 12 and older to get a dose by the end of June. So far 7.75 per cent (106,678) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Saskatchewan Saskatchewan says it reached the step two threshold of its reopening roadmap released last week, with over 70 per cent of residents age 30 and older having received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That means restrictions will begin to be relaxed June 20, which includes easing capacity limits on retail, personal care services, restaurants and bars, although they must still maintain physical distancing among occupants or have barriers in place. The rules also raise caps on private indoor gatherings to 15, while capacity limits jump to 150 for both public indoor gatherings and all outdoor assemblies, whether public or private. Premier Scott Moe says once 70 per cent of the entire adult population is vaccinated, Saskatchewan can move to the third step of its plan and remove almost all of the remaining public health orders. Saskatchewan residents aged 12 and older are now eligible to book their first COVID-19 vaccine appointment. A school immunization program for those aged 12 to 18 will be introduced in June, but eligible residents of that age can also be immunized at clinics offering the Pfizer vaccine. Anyone 85 and older or anyone who received their first vaccine dose before February 15 can now book their second dose. Anyone diagnosed with cancer and solid organ transplant recipients will be receiving a letter of eligibility in the mail which will allow them priority access to a second dose. There are drive-thru and walk-in vaccination clinics in communities across the province. The province says 6.60 per cent (77,767) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- Alberta Every Albertan aged 12 and older is now eligible for a vaccine. As of May 27, 60.3 per cent of Albertans over the age of 12 had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The milestone means the province's second stage of easing restrictions can begin on June 10. It is subject to hospitalizations being below 500 and trending downwards. Some of the restrictions that would be lifted include allowing outdoor gatherings  including weddings and funerals  with up to 20 people. Restaurants would be allowed to seat tables with up to six people, indoors or outdoors. Retail capacity would also increase, and gyms could open for solo or drop-in activities with three metres of distancing. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, has said people who are immunocompromised can book a second dose three or four weeks after their first shot. All other Albertans are eligible to get their second dose three to four months after the first. For the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the province lowered the minimum age to 30. They are, however, reserving the remaining supply for second doses when people are eligible. More than 250 pharmacies are offering immunizations. So far 8.82 per cent (388,200) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- British Columbia British Columbia is setting an end-of-summer target for everyone in the province to receive their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has also announced a decrease in the time between the first and second dose of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, cutting the interval to eight weeks from 16 weeks. But the interval for people who received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as a first dose and are waiting for their second AstraZeneca shot may take longer. Henry said the province is waiting for results from international data on AstraZeneca, including the effectiveness of mixing vaccine shots and ongoing concerns about rare blood clots. Henry said the rollout of second doses will be similar to the first dose, with those at the greatest risk at the top of the list. Seniors, Indigenous people and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable were to start getting their invitations to book a second shot by the end of May. The province will try to ensure that everyone gets the same vaccine they were first administered, but a shortage of the Moderna vaccine may mean people will have to substitute it for a Pfizer shot. Henry said the National Advisory Committee on Immunization has reviewed the evidence on using different vaccines and has updated the guidance, confirming that while it is preferable to have the same product, it's not always possible. Pfizer and Moderna are the same type of vaccines. Families can get vaccinated together in B.C. as the government allows youth between the ages of 12 and 17 to get their COVID-19 shot. The shots will be administered at community clinics instead of in schools based on feedback from families, with 310,000 children in B.C. eligible to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has been approved for that age group. As of Friday, about 3.1 million doses of Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines had been administered in B.C., which means about 63 per cent of those eligible have got their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. So far 3.14 per cent (160,885) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Nunavut Chief public health officer Dr. Michael Patterson says Nunavut has placed an order for doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with the federal government to vaccinate people ages 12 to 17 in the territory. The Moderna vaccine is currently the only one available in Nunavut. Nunavut has opened vaccinations to anyone 18 and older. It is also offering shots to rotational workers coming from Southern Canada. In the territory, 36.44 per cent (14,113) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is now offering vaccinations against COVID-19 to young people between 12 and 17. The territory, which has only been using the Moderna vaccine, recently exchanged some of that for doses of the Pfizer product, which Health Canada has now approved for anyone as young as 12. So far 51.74 per cent (23,344) of the territory's population has been fully vaccinated. --- Yukon The territory is now vaccinating children aged 12 to 17. The government says clinics in most communities will be held in schools, while those in Whitehorse can get their shot at the Coast High Country Inn Convention Centre. The children will be getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The territory says because of limited supply and stricter handling requirements, the vaccine will only be available for a short time. It says second doses for those 12 to 17 will start on June 23 and medical travel will be supported for youth who aren't able to make the clinic date in their community. The Moderna vaccine is available to adults 18 years of age and older. The government says 59.34 per cent (24,763) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2021. The Canadian Press
Vietnam has been witnessing a solar and wind power boom for three years, becoming one of the hottest markets in the world.

The managers of a large corporation, for example, are busy these days with meetings discussing solutions to speed up the implementation of the VND2 trillion wind power project in Quang Tri province.

They are doing so in order to enjoy the FIT (feed-in-tariff) rate. The preferential prices will be applied to part or entire power plants to be put into commercial operation prior to November 1, 2021 and will be valid for 20 years.

Under the Prime Ministers Decision No 39 dated September 10, 2018, Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) will buy electricity at VND1,927 per kwh, or 8.5 US cents, from onshore wind power projects, and VND2,223 per kwh, or 9.8 cent, from offshore projects.

As such, investors have to gear up with project implementation, because they dont have much more time. But it is not easy to negotiate with the top five equipment suppliers in the world to buy equipment and turbines at this time. The equipment price has increased by 10 percent.

After signing equipment procurement contracts, they have to seek companies to install the equipment, hire transport, and do other things at the same time. They are running at full speed to put their plants into operation prior to November 1, 2021. No one knows what the electricity price will be like after the date.

The number of solar and wind power projects has been increasing rapidly in the last three years, from the north to the south, from Lang Son to Ca Mau Cape, and both onshore and ashore. Large international groups have also been flocking to Vietnam to exploit the potential market. The heat of the market seems to be beyond all expectations and predictions by policy makers.

According to EVN, as of December 31, 2020, the total installation capacity of solar projects had reached 19,400 MWp, including 9,300 MWp of rooftop solar systems, or 16,500 MW, or 25 percent of total installation capacity of the national electricity sources.

The total consumed electricity output from solar power plants in 2020 was 10.6 billion kwh, including 1.16 billion kwh from rooftop solar power systems, which accounted for 4.3 percent of total electricity output mobilized.

Meanwhile, there are fewer operational wind power projects because of difficulties in investment. The total existing onshore wind power output is 500 MW, while thousands of MW of wind power plants are under implementation.

Hundreds of trillions of dong worth of private capital have been poured into solar and wind power.

Risks

The total consumed electricity output from solar power plants in 2020 was 10.6 billion kwh, including 1.16 billion kwh from rooftop solar power systems, which accounted for 4.3 percent of total electricity output mobilized.

Mentioning the renewable energy boom, BloombergNEF commented that Vietnams story shows that small markets can quickly shift to use clean energy. Six GW of rooftop solar systems was installed in December 2020 and 4.6 GW installed in the last week of 2020 alone.

The figure was three times higher than that predicted by BNEF earlier that year and the new capacity is enough to put Vietnam into the third position among the largest solar power markets in the world.

Does the high number of renewable power projects mean an exploitation of Vietnam? The answers vary.

Investors and environmentalists believe that more renewable power projects are needed as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, some experts have warned of the problems of the overly hot development of renewable power.

In the last months of 2020 and early 2021, many investors complained they had to reduce the capacity provided to the national grid because of electricity excess in some periods (from 10 am to 2 pm, especially on weekends and holidays).

Prior to that, many solar power plants had to cut down the capacity because of transmission line overloading.

As investors could not provide all their electricity output to the national grid, they are at risk of taking a loss and failing to implement their financial plans.

Vietnam cannot use only solar and wind power because of the instability of the power sources. A mass of clouds or a rain would be enough to affect the entire system.

The fact that many investors face the risk of loss is also a problem that policy makers need to pay attention to. It is necessary to develop renewable power at a reasonable level which ensures the benefits of all parties  the state, investors and electricity users.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), the total capacity of solar power projects added to the national power development plan has reached 10,000 MW. Of this, 8,000 MW is expected to become operational prior to 2020 and 2,000 MW after 2020.

Besides, investors have registered another 25,000 MW but this has not been added to the development plan, including 12,300 MW to be operational prior to 2020 and 12,900 MW after 2020.

Luong Bang

PM orders review of solar power development-related issues Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), localities and Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) to review issues related to Vietnams solar power development.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 26)  The Philippine Embassy in Washington urged Filipinos in the United States to use extreme caution as it sounded the alarm over the rising number of attacks against Asian Americans in several parts of America.

"Filipinos are advised to exercise utmost caution in view of these incidents," the embassy said in a statement Thursday (Friday in the Philippines). "Those who experience attacks are advised to immediately call 911 to report these incidents," it added.

The embassy also called on federal, state and local authorities in the US to take action to further ensure the protection of Asians, including Filipinos.

In early Feb., a 61-year-old Filipino man was slashed in the face on the New York City subway.

Stop AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Hate, an advocacy group documenting discrimination and racism against Asians during the pandemic, received over 2,800 firsthand accounts of anti-Asian hate between March and December last year, CNN International quoted the organization as saying.

"A majority of those attacks-- about 71% -- were cases of verbal harassment, while shunning or avoidance made up about 21%. About 9% of the incidents involved physical assaults, and 6% included being purposely coughed or spit on," CNN added.

The Asian American Bar Association of New York noted in a report published early this month that from January 1 to November 1, 2020, New York Police Department saw an eight-fold spike in the number of hate crimes against Asians compared to the same period in 2019.
All state schools and further education colleges in England will be fully opened from March 8. Ahead of this, pupils in foundation year in Wales and those in Primary Years 1 to 3 in Scotland resumed face-to-face learning on February 22.

Boris Johnson holds a Covid-19 Press Conference with Chief Executive of the NHS, Sir Simon Stevens and Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, as the total number of recorded deaths from Covid in the UK surpassed 100,000. 10 Downing Street. (Pippa Fowles / No 10 Downing Street)

The Conservative government is opening schools as part of its homicidal herd immunity agenda that will see all shops opened on April 12 and the entire economy opened by June 21. School openings are a national priority of the government and opposition Labour Party so that parents are free to return to work and big business can keep the profits flowing in. A week after the March 8 openings, from March 15, the next phase of Scotland school returns, including primaries and some secondary schools, will go ahead.

For all their nauseating talk of making sure that children dont miss out on their education, the Tory government dont give a damn about the life prospects of children from working class backgrounds. These criminals are responsible for the social murder of over 135,000 people in Britainwhere Covid-19 is listed on the death certificatedepriving many children of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

On Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the lifting of what he described as the last lockdown, which he admitted would result in more infections, more hospitalisations and more deaths.

All schools must be back within a week from March 8, with the government only allowing secondary schools to stagger the return over seven dayssupposedly to allow the Covid testing of all pupils to be carried out.

Yet within hours of Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announcing his plans Wednesday, the government had torn up his policy, including that masks had to be worn at all times in school. On Thursday, School Minister Nick Gibb told Sky New s in relation to testing pupils twice a week, We want to make sure it is not compulsory in that sense, and they will need the permission of the parents. While declaring it was highly recommended to wear masks in schools, he added, We are saying it is not mandatory for schools to have masks in classrooms

Despite being key workers in workplaces that even the prime minister has described as vectors of transmission, teachers will not be fast tracked to receive a vaccination.

The maniacal policy of sending 10 million pupils and education staff and several million more college students aged 16-18 back into unsafe classrooms can only result in a vast surge of COVID-19 and places the safety and lives of children in danger. This is being enforced with less than 1.5 percent of the population (734,000 people) have had the required two vaccination doses and where the R Reproduction rate value is just below 1. It look seven months and two national lockdowns, in November and January, to get R finally below 1.

Everyone who is supporting the back to work/back to school agenda knows where this leads. Within two months of schools reopening last September, 8,000 schools suffered infections with coronavirus, with schools accounting for 29 percent of all COVID-19 clusters. The infection rate among secondary school aged pupils surged by 2,000 percent and 600,000 pupils were forced to self-isolate at home.

The government and a select group of scientific advisers continually stress that COVID does not represent a danger to children, who only suffer mild symptoms. However, in November, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), the governments advisory body, wrote that the second wave of the pandemic had seen the prevalence of COVID-19 in school-age children rising significantly, with the increase initially among those in school year 12 (age 16/17)  age 24 and young people (e.g. secondary school age). SAGE noted that The rising prevalence was first visible around the time that schools reopened.

Reopening schools is bound up with increasing the exploitation of teachers and working them to the bone, and on a shoestring budget.

The government is requesting that secondary schools deliver face-to-face summer schools, exposing pupils and staff to even more danger. Just 400 million in funding was been announced, including more for the National Tutoring Programme, on top of 300 million announced in January for catch-up projects. This amounts to just 6,000 for the average primary school and 22,000 for each secondary. Shared between just over 8 million pupils in English state schools, it equates to a mere 86 for each child.

Earlier this month, schools minister Gibb told Parliaments education committee he was open to all ideas on how to make up for lesson time lost to the pandemic. Among ideas being considered were longer school days and shorter holidays.

The pro-Tory Daily Mail hailed an extra 200 million towards the National Tutoring Programme and other tuition schemes as it could be spent on extra clubs, activities or teaching for those who have fallen behind. While noting, However, radical measures previously discussed, like permanently trimming the summer holidays or lengthening the school day, do not figure in the plans, the Mail pointed out, Despite this, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson did not rule out lengthening the school day to help pupils catch up from the coronavirus disruption.

Given the governments extensive privatisation of school aged education, the first Academies have already come forward, among these the Brighter Futures Learning Partnership Trust, which runs Hungerhill School, Doncaster University Technology College and five primary schools in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Another chain welcoming the policy, The GORSE Academies Trust, which runs 11 schools in the Leeds area, announced its intention to open over summer.

Teachers, in poll after poll and on social media, have voiced their opposition to returning to work under unsafe conditions, but are up against trade unions who are colluding in the governments plans. The National Education Union (NEU) describes Johnsons big bang reopening schools as irresponsible. Yet they have called no industrial action to prevent it. The NEU praised the Scottish and Welsh governmentswho reopened even before Johnsonstating, We believe a phased return like all other nations in the UK which is the right approach.

On Friday, joint NEU leader Mary Bousted commented in Schools Week, Now the prime minister says again that opening schools is his priority. He wants our journey out of lockdown to be irreversible. On both counts, we agree. Once back, it is crucial that pupils remain in school and continue to benefit from learning in classrooms. Unfortunately, Boris Johnsons big bang school return jeopardises that.

Mary Bousted speaking at an NEU Zoom meeting

The unions are allowing hundreds of thousands of their members to return when they know what the outcome will be. This week, Bousted retweeted a post from Schools Week reading, The Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling said its 'consensus view' was that the opening of primary and secondary schools was 'likely to increase effective R by a factor of 1.1 to 1.5 (10 per cent to 50 per cent)'.

National Association of Head Teachers leader, Paul Whiteman, could not make his support for teachers carrying out summer tuition in classrooms in the middle of a pandemic any clearer declaring, Summer schools will be of value for some pupils but it will be important not to overwhelm students.

A foretaste of the disaster to come was clear within two days of Scotlands schools reopening this week. An entire class (around 27 pupils) in Gilmerton Primary School in Edinburgh were forced to self-isolate after a coronavirus case was confirmed at the school. Pupils were told they would need to stay at home for 10 days.

The Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee is opposed to the unsafe opening of schools and is mobilising education workers, parents and students against it. We urge attendance at our next meeting on Saturday, March 6. To participate and to receive our regular newsletter register here .
Posted Saturday, February 27, 2021 8:46 am

King County prosecutors Friday charged a Washington State Patrol school bus safety inspector with two counts of attempted first-degree rape of a child following his arrest at a Kirkland hotel this week during an undercover Seattle police operation.

Trevor Smith, who lives in Everett, was arrested Tuesday night and was released the following evening after posting $100,000 bail, jail records show.

Court records do not yet indicate which attorney is representing Smith. He is to be arraigned March 10.

According to the charges, he answered an ad placed by an undercover officer as part of a sting operation by the Seattle Police Department's Internet Crimes Against Children unit, targeting people involved in sexual exploitation of minors. He believed he was trading graphic messages with the mother of two girls, ages 6 and 11, and offered the woman sexual access to his 9-month-old son.

Prosecutors have asked that a judge order Smith to have no contact with anyone under age 18, including his infant son.

"Although the State would typically allow a defendant in a case such as this to have contact with his biological children, that would be highly inappropriate in this case," Deputy Prosecutor Laura Harmon wrote in the charges.

On Tuesday, after days of exchanging messages with the undercover officer, Smith met the woman at a Kirkland restaurant to discuss details, then went to a nearby convenience store, say the charges. He met the woman at the hotel, where he expected to find two girls in a room, and was arrested, the charges say.

According to police, Smith admitted he had long had a sexual interest in children but said he had never acted on it; he also told a detective he "would be in danger of having sexual contact with a hypothetical daughter," the charges say.

Smith, who was immediately removed from his duties, worked for the State Patrol as a commercial vehicle enforcement officer assigned to the school bus inspection program, a prosecutors' spokesperson said, based on information provided by the Patrol. No children were present when he conducted safety inspections on the buses.

Snohomish County Superior Court records show Smith filed for divorce from his wife of nearly four years in November. On Thursday, she obtained a temporary domestic-violence protection order, barring Smith from coming within 100 yards of her or her son, court records say.

News researcher Miyoko Wolf contributed to this report.

___

(c)2021 The Seattle Times
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.

 Flash

Another 8,523 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,163,085, according to official figures released Friday.

The country also reported another 345 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 122,415. 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 19.1 million people in Britain have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine.

Earlier Friday, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) announced the next phase of COVID vaccinations will continue to prioritize people by age and not their occupation.

People aged 40-49 will be the next in line to get a vaccine after the over-50s and all vulnerable groups are vaccinated, according to the JCVI.

This would provide "the greatest benefit in the shortest time", the JCVI said.

Prioritising occupational groups such as teachers and police, as some suggested, could make the vaccine rollout more complex and leave some vulnerable people at higher risk for longer, it added.

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.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Union Home Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Amit Shah will visit poll-bound Puducherry and Tamil Nadu on Sunday to participate in various poll-related programmes of the party.

In a statement, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and media in-charge Anil Baluni said, "The Union Home Minister will leave for Tamil Nadu today and reach Chennai by 10:45 pm tonight. He will participate in various important programmes tomorrow." Baluni further stated that Shah will attend BJP's Puducherry core committee meeting at Karaikal.

"After the core committee meeting, he will address a public rally at Karaikal. After the public rally, the Home Minister will attend the BJP Puducherry mandal and office bearers meeting in the afternoon," he said.

After Puducherry, Shah will then reach Villupuram in Tamil Nadu where he will attend the BJP Tamil Nadu core committee meeting at the Theivanai Ammal College for Women.

"In the evening, he will address a Vijay Sankalp rally at Jankipuram, Villupuram (Tamil Nadu). After that, he will participate in the BJP Tamil Nadu mandal and office bearers meeting at Theivanai Ammal College for Women," Baluni said.

The pandemic could force the travel industry to change, giving future travellers the opportunity to become temporary locals rather than anonymous faces in a stream of mass travel, our Travel Editor writes

We're seeing a world without tourism and it's scary. Photo: DAA.

How long does it take to break a habit? Weeks? Months? A year?

Whatever the measure, I think its safe to say our travel habits are broken.

The longer this pandemic continues, the more 2019  when 1.5 billion tourists travelled around the planet  feels like a high watermark for a certain kind of mass tourism and holidays.

Of course, it may bounce back. There are vaccines, pent-up demand and household savings. But the what ifs are mounting, too.

What if testing and vaccine passports are required to make even simple journeys, for years? What if airlines start moving planes out of Ireland into markets where there are fewer restrictions, faster vaccine roll-outs and concrete plans for restarting international travel? What if flight and holiday prices rise, rather than fall?

This is what disruption looks like. Were seeing a world without tourism, and its scary. But its also an opportunity to reset.

Well before Covid, Copenhagen released a visitor strategy hailing the end of tourism, as we know it. It bid goodbye to mass travel and hello to the temporary local; a visitor that would not just seek selfies, but emotional connections and experiences based on interests and authenticity.

Read More

What felt pretentious then seems prescient now  the idea of locals and visitors co-existing, of tourism sustaining the liveability of communities rather than delivering endless day trippers or pricing people out of their homes.

New Zealand is also reimagining tourism  a recent campaign urged Kiwis to stop travelling under the social influence and to explore beyond crowded hotspots.

A year ago, we knew that overtourism was a threat. We knew we had to stop mindlessly chasing visitor numbers and start spreading tourists beyond pinch points and peak seasons; to think sustainably and attract people who would stay, engage and spend more. This isnt about elitism, or targeting the rich  its about tourism serving and sustaining locals, too.

Today, Covid has forced the chance to change upon us.

Ireland is ready. Weve seen astonishing creativity from businesses and communities in lockdown  from meal kits to public space makeovers, online gifts to upgraded greenways. This is the ideal time to overhaul sustainability plans, too.

At the same time, our habits broken, travellers are in a change mindset. We realise that we took travel for granted, and while quick city breaks and cheap sun holidays will always appeal, many of us will first turn to family reunions, home holidays or once-in-a-lifetime adventures when travel returns. Were reflecting on the role travel plays in our lives, and are newly conscious of how our spending supports communities.

The notion of fewer, more purposeful trips may threaten an industry built for mass travel, but if it makes tourism sustainable, its a hell of an opportunity, too.
The Palmer Renewable Energy biomass plant in Springfield will generate 42 megawatts of clean green power. We at Palmer Renewable have stayed silent during the on-going debate about our project in the hopes that the multi-year permitting process and seven years of unsuccessful litigation and appeals to that permit would speak for us. Unfortunately, the ongoing public misinformation about biomass and criticism of our municipal light department partners compels us to respond.

First, some facts: Every electric company must maintain its power lines by clearing tree limbs away that could break and take a line down in a storm. This is not a small effort. Where does the tree-trimming waste go after it is cut? In Massachusetts, wood debris is barred from landfills, so in most cases the tree-trimmers chip the limbs and blow them into the surrounding forest. Those wood chips on the forest floor decompose primarily to methane that is released as a greenhouse gas 25 times more destructive to our atmosphere than CO2.

This simple science is the reason that the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources study of the use of waste wood for power production, just released on December 4, 2020, concluded, using this waste wood material for power generation saves 50% of greenhouse gas emissions over a 20-year life cycle, compared to allowing it to decompose to methane on the ground. This does not even include the greenhouse gas emissions that are reduced by using biomass as an offset to fossil fuel electric generation.

Our project in Springfield will be fueled by wood waste. Unfortunately, our project has been caught up in the groundswell of opposition to other biomass projects that proposed to use forest-derived green wood chips as fuel, which have a very different emissions profile. Opponents have ignored this science and failed to make any distinction whatsoever between these two very different fuel sources.

We have also heard it said that our project will negatively impact public health in the City of Springfield.

Again, the facts and science say otherwise. As part of a rigorous public vetting and permitting process, we went well beyond any legal requirements to provide a very detailed public health risk assessment, with input from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Not only did we evaluate health impacts to the general population, but we also explored the possible impacts to local schools including asthma incidence. These studies revealed no significant air quality and public health impacts for the project. As the air permit issued by MassDEP plainly states, the facility will not adversely affect public health.

The reasons for this are clear: our projects very stringent air pollution and emissions controls, state-of-the-art technology, and the most stringent Air Plan Approval for a Biomass plant anywhere in the United States. In addition, the projects contribution of local jobs and taxes will actually improve economic conditions in the city and likely offset much, if not all, of the slight air quality impacts of the project.

An Environmental Justice analysis done during the projects environmental impact review under the Deval Patrick Administration, reaffirmed this analysis and found that our project, must meet every applicable air permitting standard and is required to avoid, minimize and mitigate environmental impacts to the maximum extent feasible. As set forth further herein, after reviewing the project impacts and the mitigation proposed, I believe the project meets this high standard . . . In the years since these decisions were rendered, air quality in Springfield has actually dramatically improved, making such concerns even less tenable.

For seven years, project opponents sought to challenge these findings. They first appealed the permit via the Administrative Hearing process in MassDEP, on the basis of the health status of the City of Springfield, air impacts of plant emissions and climate change. After reviewing the parties extensive briefs, including multiple expert witnesses on both sides, the Hearing Officer ruled decisively in favor of the project. This decision was affirmed by the then MassDEP Commissioner. Not content with those two decisive findings, project opponents appealed to Superior Court  raising these same arguments. There again, the Attorney Generals Office successfully defended the MassDEP permit decision on the grounds that the project met all applicable air quality and health standards.

We are hopeful those who have been so vocally opposed to our project will take the time to read and understand the facts and science and come to the same conclusion as every regulatory and judicial body that has reviewed our project: namely that this waste wood biomass facility will reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, lower carbon emissions using local resources, and do so in a way that does not pose a threat to public health.

(Viewpoint submitted by Dr. Victor Gatto, COO of Palmer Renewable Energy)
Posted Friday, February 26, 2021 4:39 pm

CENTRALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT

Theft

 At 8:20 a.m. on Feb. 24, a victim reported an electric bicycle was stolen from the 3200 block of Galvin Road.

 Just before 11 a.m. on Feb. 24, a victim reported scratch-off lottery tickets were stolen from the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue.

 Caitlan C. Mason, 33, of Centralia, was arrested in the 500 block of South Tower Avenue for alleged shoplifting and was released with a criminal citation.

 There was a report of a shoplift at a local business in the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue just after 4 p.m. on Feb. 25.

 Joshua Ryan, 29, of Vancouver, was arrested for alleged shoplifting in the 1200 block of Mellen Street just after 8:20 p.m. on Feb. 25 and was released with a court date.

Inappropriate Communication with a Minor

 Inappropriate communication with a minor in the 100 block of South Gold Street was reported at approximately 4:20 p.m. on Feb. 24. The incident is under investigation.

Possible Child Molestation

 Just after 12:15 p.m. on Feb. 25, there was a report of possible sexual assault against a juvenile in the 1200 block of Long Road. The incident is under investigation.

Crash

 A non-injury, two-vehicle collision was reported at the intersection of West Main and North Silver streets at approximately 3:40 p.m. on Feb. 24.

Hit-and-run

 Just after 7:20 p.m. on Feb. 25, there was a report of a hit-and-run that caused damage to a parked vehicle in the 500 block of Harrison Avenue.

Window Damaged by BB Gun

 Just before 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 24, there was a report of a window damaged by a BB gun in the 1400 block of Logan Street.

Damaged Tires

 At approximately 11:10 a.m. on Feb. 25, there was a report of damage to several tires on a vehicle in the 2800 block of Borst Avenue.

CHEHALIS POLICE DEPARTMENT

Crash

 A non-injury, two-vehicle collision was reported at the intersection of Northwest Louisiana Avenue and Northwest Chamber of Commerce Way just after 1:40 p.m. on Feb. 24.

Theft

 A man was cited just before 7 p.m. on Feb. 24 in the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue for alleged shoplifting.

 A woman was cited at approximately 11:10 p.m. on Feb. 24 in the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue for alleged shoplifting and was released.

Drunken Backflips for TikTok

 Just after 8:20 p.m. on Feb. 24, a caller requested that an intoxicated man reportedly trying to do backflips off the wall for a TikTok video to be trespassed from the 1400 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue if he returns.

Just Being Crazy

 Just after 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 24, A caller reported that a man in the 1400 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue was yelling at them not to look at the moon, flashing people and just being crazy. No arrests were made.

LEWIS COUNTY JAIL STATISTICS

As of Friday morning, the Lewis County Jail had a total system population of 137 inmates, including 125 in the general population and 12 in the Work Ethic and Restitution Center. Of general population inmates, 104 were male and 21 were female. All WERC inmates were male.

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.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
As many as 140 Democratic lawmakers have reintroduced a legislation in the Congress to prevent future Muslim bans and prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion.

The Muslim travel ban, introduced by former President Donald Trump, targeted several Muslim-majority nations and restricted the entry of people from Iran, North Korea, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Venezuela. President Joe Biden ended the Muslim ban on his day one in the office last month.

In the House of Representatives, the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act was reintroduced on Friday by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler and Judy Chu, while in the Senate it was done by Senator Chris Coons.

Indian-American lawmakers Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal and Raja Krishnamoorthi are among those who are supporting the bill.

The legislation strengthens the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, and restores the separation of powers by limiting overly broad executive authority to issue future travel bans.

When the Trump Administration issued its xenophobic Muslim ban, it was immediately apparent that it was unconstitutional, discriminatory, and morally reprehensible, said Nadler.

I am grateful that President Biden took bold action on day one to repeal this ban and reunite families, but we cannot risk the possibility of any future President reinstating this heinous policy, he said.

The Muslim ban was a hateful stain on the United States. Inspired only by bigotry and not any genuine national security concerns, the ban served only to separate families while stoking bigotry, xenophobia, and Islamophobia, said Congresswoman Judy Chu.

However, we cannot risk letting prejudice become policy again. That is why I am once again introducing the NO BAN Act to update our laws. By requiring actual evidence of a threat before there can be any such broad based bans like this, the NO BAN Act ensures that future presidents will not be able to ban people solely because of their religion, she said.

Senator Coons said, we have turned the page on the tragic Muslim ban, but now we must write the next chapter one in which no president can act through fear and prejudice to discriminate against a community of faith.

The Muslim ban senselessly upended lives and cut off thousands of Americans from their loved ones. Only through an act of Congress can we ensure that such a discriminatory and overreaching action by a president never happens again. The NO BAN Act reasserts not only the role of Congress under our system of checks and balances, but also the proud American legacy of welcoming immigrants and refugees, he said.

The Muslim ban is a stain on our nation's history a direct violation of our basic principles of equality under the law and religious freedom, said Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

Thankfully, President Biden ended this hateful ban on day one of his presidency. But we must ensure that no president can ever ban a group of people from this country based solely on their religion or nationality.

"We must ensure that mothers will not be separated from their children, that brothers and sisters will not be torn apart and that people around the world have a shot at the American Dream. I'm proud to work with my colleagues to place the Muslim ban in the dustbin of history where it belongs, Omar 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.)
London: How did it come to this? How could vaccination hubs in hard-hit Europe be begging for people to come inside? How could hundreds of thousands of doses pile up when economies are being shredded by lockdowns and patients are gasping for air in hospitals?

You dont have to search far for answers: Europes vaccine rollout has been damaged and undermined by the very same people who had a duty to build faith in it.

Newspapers and television bulletins are filled with reports of people turning down the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine or not even showing up for appointments. There are about 1.4 million doses of the vaccine in Germany but only 240,000 have been put into arms. Two-thirds of the 200,000 AstraZeneca doses delivered to Belgium are yet to be distributed to vaccine centres. Similar problems are emerging in Italy and France.

Logistic failures are partly to blame but so is hesitancy. Doubts were first sown back in January, when influential European leaders, officials and some journalists spouted a series of ignorant statements about the vaccines efficacy and waged war against its manufacturer.
An excellent and well-deserved report features one of the very best journalists working in Kansas City.

Read more . . .
The woes of convicted gangster, Prince Adu, who was caged for a total of 39 years by the Ho Circuit Court for two robberies he committed in Ho was aggravated yesterday when the court slammed him with an additional 24 years for a similar offence.



With the new sentence to run consecutively to the earlier convictions, Adu, 27, will now spend 63 years behind bars.



He pleaded guilty while his alleged accomplice, Prosper Adegbe, 32, pleaded not guilty.



Presenting the facts, Chief Inspector Stephen Atidzon told the court presided over by Mr Felix Datsomor that this time Adu, also known as Dracula; and Adegbe, 32, an apprentice steel bender in Ho on January 31, this year robbed a man who was returning from church of his motorcycle at gun point.



The prosecution said that the incident took place at the Ho Nurses Training College junction at about 11:30 pm.



The court heard that the rider managed to avoid a Toyota Corolla salon car with no registration at the junction, but the occupants of the car who included Adu and Adegbe, trailed the bike and crossed it with their car and forced the rider to stop.



The accused persons then pulled the complainant off the bike and subjected him to severe beatings amid gunshots, the court was further told.



Adu, the prosecution said, then collected the bike from the rider and his cellular phone, after which Adegbe helped to sell the motorcycle to a witness in the case for GHC900.



Thereafter, Adu gave Adegbe GHC100 of the proceeds, said the prosecution.



The accused persons were later arrested after intelligence reports gathered by the police, the court was told.



The prosecution said that after their arrest, Adegbe led the police to retrieve the motorcycle from the witness, in the Vakpo Area, near Kpando.



In their caution statements, Adu admitted the offence, while Adegbe admitted helping Adu to sell the motorcycle.



Adegbe was remanded in police custody to appear before the court again on March 12.



The court said that Adu, by his conduct deserved to be taken out of society for a long time.





Source: The Ghanaian Times









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



Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Nearly 1,000 Manitoba residents and businesses have now racked up more than $1.3 million in fines for COVID-19 public-health order violations.

Nearly 1,000 Manitoba residents and businesses have now racked up more than $1.3 million in fines for COVID-19 public-health order violations.

Provincial governments and municipalities began going after rule-breakers within weeks after the pandemic was declared last spring.

Several provinces set up online tip forms or telephone snitch lines urging people to report scofflaw neighbours. Governments quickly imposed fine structures and doled out warnings to give teeth to newly implemented emergency orders.

Nearly a year later, though, its hard to tell what effect pandemic enforcement has had on Canadians behaviour because it hasnt been studied.

Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press files Nearly 1,000 Manitoba residents and businesses have now racked up more than $1.3 million in fines for COVID-19 public-health order violations.

Its also unclear how many of Manitobas COVID fines have been paid, and how many are being appealed by those who say they either didnt break the rules, or shouldnt have to follow them. Tensions appear to be running high; a Winnipeg enforcement officer was allegedly assaulted on the job last week.

But tension between the realms of public health and politics, especially when it comes to penalties and public-shaming, existed long before COVID-19s arrival and isnt going away any time soon, experts say.

The ethos in the field of public health eschews blame and punishment in favour of encouragement and safe alternatives. (Doctors know shaming smokers won't help them quit.) But in a pandemic, when one persons actions can put many lives at risk, public-health orders have to be enforceable.

Fear of being fined has driven people "underground" and unwilling to be forthcoming about their activities, making it harder for contact tracers to do their work in several jurisdictions, says Ian Culbert, the Ottawa-based executive director of the Canadian Public Health Association.

You would be hardpressed to find a medical officer of health or a chief medical officer of health anywhere in this country that is going to say that public shaming or the use of punishment is a longterm effective tool in preventing the spread of COVID19."  Ian Culbert

Its been a concern in Manitoba, too: chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin has spoken about the problems enforcement poses for contact tracers.

"You would be hard-pressed to find a medical officer of health or a chief medical officer of health anywhere in this country that is going to say that public shaming or the use of punishment is a long-term effective tool in preventing the spread of COVID-19," Culbert says.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin has spoken about the problems enforcement poses for contact tracers.

Most public-health officials, he says, would likely prefer to see warnings issued instead of fines, which he says should only be a last resort.

Initially, Manitoba enforcement officials issued many more warnings than tickets. That changed after the province went into code-red restrictions in November, the same time the provincial government started publicly posting the names of fined businesses. Individuals arent named.

"I know that it was, oftentimes, the automatic response of some governments. I think that speaks to a desire to be perceived as taking action," Culbert says.

"It's also the easiest thing to do. It takes more time and energy to convince people to do the right thing than it does to simply punish them for doing the wrong thing."

Manitobas enforcement system has targeted repeat offenders  an explicitly anti-mask church and a small grocery store that also didnt enforce the mask rule have been fined several times since last November.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Despite orders requiring houses of worship to close, the Church of God (Restoration) in the RM of Hanover has been regularly posting livestreamed videos of its indoor, maskless Sunday services and has been fined at least six times.

Despite orders requiring houses of worship to close, the Church of God (Restoration) in the RM of Hanover has been regularly posting livestreamed videos of its indoor, maskless Sunday services and has been fined at least six times.

After its fourth $5,000 fine, Prairie Foods Plum Coulee was ordered to shut down earlier this month, according to a post on its Facebook page, explaining to commenters that it allowed customers and staff to be in the store without wearing masks if they said they had a medical exemption. A representative of the business couldnt be reached for comment.

A Manitoba Justice spokesperson said the department couldnt say how many fines have been paid or appealed because those payments are made through the provincial offences court. The department also wouldnt release any information about fines that are currently before the court  some of which are being challenged.

Three months after Premier Brian Pallister publicly shamed the Corona Hotel in Glenella for receiving a $1,296 ticket from an inspector who deemed there were people inside drinking and playing pool in violation of the health order, owner Bob Fuglsang is still waiting to find out if hell have to pay the fine.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Three months after Premier Brian Pallister publicly shamed the Corona Hotel in Glenella for receiving a $1,296 ticket from an inspector who deemed people drinking and playing pool were in violation of the health order, owner Bob Fuglsang is still waiting to find out if hell have to pay the fine.

Fuglsang maintains the hotel and bar were closed and only he and five of his family members were present, his grandson playing with the billiard balls. Fuglsang, who is contesting the ticket, has repeatedly said the inspector didnt enter the beverage room and wrote the ticket based on what he heard, not what he saw.

Since then, Fuglsang says hes received more than 100 phone calls and letters from Manitobans who are on his side.

"They said when we open up, they're all coming people that we never even heard of or seen before," he says. "So, if we ever do open up, hopefully it helps, but I don't know when that's gonna be."

Hes not the only rural small business owner challenging a COVID-19 ticket. In more than one case, online crowdfunding campaigns sprang up in attempts to help owners recoup the cost of what some community members saw as unjust enforcement.

At his dollar store in Ashern, Kai Hong has also been inundated with notes of support  and even baked goods  after he was fined $5,000 at the end of November. Hong maintains the ticket was issued because an inspector deemed his efforts to block off non-essential items with tape were insufficient, according to his son Manny Hong. Kai spoke briefly to the Free Press on the phone and referred questions to his adult son because his first language is Korean and his English is limited.

"I'll be honest with you, if my dad was doing something illegal and he got a ticket, I'll say OK, yeah, he did wrong. But that... is not fair."  Manny Hong

The language barrier may have contributed to the problem, says Manny, who lives in Toronto. The business was already dealing with significantly lower sales in the pandemic, but Kai was taking the virus seriously, his son says, adding his father told him he wasnt selling non-essential items and was issued the ticket without a warning.

He decided to challenge the fine, but set aside the $5,000 in case he did have to pay it. About a month later, Kais wife died of cancer and the family was unable to put that money toward her funeral, Manny says.

"I'll be honest with you, if my dad was doing something illegal and he got a ticket, I'll say OK, yeah, he did wrong. But that... is not fair," Manny says.

At the time, Manitoba public-health orders required business owners to restrict customers access to any products that werent on the governments list of essential goods and prevent their sales.

Seeing others break the rules, or watching the restrictions being unevenly applied, says University of Manitoba community health sciences professor Michelle Driedger, brings out peoples sense of "righteous injustice," another thing officials have to tackle as the pandemic wears on. They have to strike the right balance by conducting enforcement that shows the public health orders must be taken seriously, but doesnt create undue fear of being fined.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILE Seeing others break the rules, or watching the restrictions being unevenly applied, says University of Manitoba community health sciences professor Michelle Driedger, brings out peoples sense of "righteous injustice," another thing officials have to tackle as the pandemic wears on.

"There is no magical solution to all of this," Driedger says.

Its also not helpful, she says, for people to make snap judgments when hearing about Manitobans who tested positive and had a large number of contacts  figures that are occasionally mentioned by Roussin and his counterparts as a way to warn the public to stay home and maintain physical distance.

Driedger says the public needs to understand how quickly those numbers balloon  having two dozen contacts doesnt necessarily mean someone hosted a party. Small gatherings, even ones that fit within the current rules, can still spread the virus quickly.

Heightened concern about the potential spread of more contagious COVID-19 variants makes it even more important for the public to follow the rules, and to see consistent and transparent rationale from public-health officials and politicians. Canadians may still be more likely to trust information when it comes from medical professionals. Thats been true in recent COVID-related studies Driedger conducted.

"It's not just, 'Do this because it's the right thing to do, or, It will reduce our infections'."  Ian Culbert

"We certainly saw this in Winnipeg focus groups and in other cities," she says. "When there was a health professional providing a lot of the communication, there was much greater trust and acceptance in what was being communicated to them. There wasn't always that same kind of trust and acceptance if it was from a non-health professional or if it was from an elected official."

Earlier in February, the Canadian Public Health Association released its review of Canadas initial response to COVID-19. The review didnt look at enforcement, but among its recommendations is a call for clear and consistent communication on emergency management.

Other reviews have acknowledged Canada lacks federal public-health officials who are trained in behavioural sciences, Culbert says, and know how to properly explain the rationale behind their recommendations so the public can understand.

"It's not just, 'Do this because it's the right thing to do, or, It will reduce our infections, he says. "Often, people need more than that, especially when we're talking about a pandemic that's going on for over a year now."

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

An awareness campaign was conducted at the locations of food trucks in Juffair as well as AlSaya in Busaiteen.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism coordinated the drive with the Capital and Muharraq Police Directorates and the General Directorate of Civil Defence.

The General Directorate of Traffic, the Ministry of Health, Muharraq and Capital Municipalities, as well as the Labour Market Regulatory Authority also took part in the campaign.

Assistant Undersecretary for Control and Resources Abdulaziz Al-Ashraf stressed the importance of conducting such campaigns to ensure safe practices, adding that the number of food trucks is increasing steadily.

The campaign was carried out yesterday evening (February 26) in coordination with eight different Governmental entities, he said, adding that the overall number of food trucks has exceeded 130.

Inspectors have checked 61 food trucks  19 in Juffair and 41 in Al-Saya- to ensure that they are compliant with the required health and safety standards. The remaining tracks will be inspected during the upcoming campaigns.

Owners of eight food trucks were found in breach of the regulations, employing expatriates instead of Bahrainis, while three others turned out to be unlicensed.




Haiti - Politic : Dates of the main consultations of the preliminary draft of the new Constitution





Meetings are planned with all the main sectors of public life and in most departments to gather opinions, recommendations and insights on the preliminary draft of the new Constitution.



Main dates of the consultations of the preliminary draft of the new Constitution :



FEBRUARY 2021 :

February 11: Delivery of the preliminary draft constitution to political parties

February 18: Haitians living abroad

February 26: women



MARCH 2021 :

March 2: municipal section as local authority: issues and challenges

March 9: People with disabilities

March 23: Community leaders - Popular neighborhoods

March 30: Youth



APRIL 2021 :

April 6: Education

April 13: Civil society: personalities and associative representatives

April 20: Religion for Peace

April 22: Former Presidents and Former Prime Ministers

April 22: Private business sector, videoconference

April 23: Trade unions and farmers' organizations

April 27: Magistracy and legal professions

April 30: Political Parties

April 30: Haitian Community of Atlanta, videoconference



EPARTMENTAL ASSISES



MLRCH 2021 :

March 4-5: Center

March 11-12: Grand'Anse

March 18-19: North / North-East

March 25-26: Artibonite



APRIL 2021 :

April 1-2: Northwest

April 8-9: South

April 15-16: South-East / Nippes



SUBMISSION OF THE PROJECT: June 8, 2021



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Photo credit: Courtesy

From Esquire

Photo credit: Tyson Steele

I.



See the man. His beard hangs with ice. He reeks of smoke and burnt plastic. He stokes the dying fire. Around him in the gloom smolders what hed known and cherished and what that fire turns now to ash: his cabin, his home, his dream of living quietly here in the Alaskan wild. His dog is nowhere to be found.

He rises, stumbling forth for more wood. The snow lies chest high, too deep to travel far. The nearest road is some 45 miles off. His closest neighbor is an abandoned cabin a mile into the bush. It will take him days to cover just a quarter of that distance. If he falls through ice and into streams he will surely freeze and die. Even if he tries, he has no map to know the way.

The Valley, they call it. Matanuska-Susitna. Carved by glaciers and cupped by three mountain ranges beside a river that makes its way to Anchorage. But the man is up country even from here and it is December. Out here, no man or woman or dog ought to leave its home in December.

The man limps down an embankment. His muscles are weak from carrying logs. A ligament in his knee is torn from shoveling snow. He wears only pack boots over long johns. He has also rescued from the fire a flannel shirt, a wool sweater, a cotton long-sleeve, a summer jacket, a down jacket, food cans, sleeping bags, blankets, and a rifle from the fire. He dropped his phone escaping the flames. It is lost now beneath snow.

The night before the fire, the man had texted home, a joke on the family group chat. He sends texts every ten days or so. Itll be that long before anyone worries and then at least a week before someone reaches him here. His next supply shipment wont come by plane until the spring. A plane will have to be called. Thirty days, he reasons, before help arrives. If help knows he needs it. If help is able to come.

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Dawn appears ice blue, then pink against the snow and the tips of the willow trees. The days are short. The sun will hobble along the horizon for some five hours before retreating. Then the wind will force temperatures below minus twenty and the blackest night will once again steal across the face of the wild.

Story continues

The man throws more wood onto the fire. He has been working for ten hours, he figures, since the start of the fire near midnight through the sunrise. Hours first spent shoveling snow to smother the flames and now tossing logs to prolong its life. It burns where once the pantry of his home stood, now scorched plastic and soiled glass. What food he had recovered is barely edible. Burned sugar, congealed. Canned bricks of charcoal, some containing beef stew and some summer sausage and one mayonnaise and one tomato paste. And one pineapple, though the man is allergic to pineapple.

By the fire, the man calls out for his dog. Phil! Phil! And though the woods do not answer him, the man longs to believe his friend has returned. He speaks to him: You have to stay warm, Phil, you have to come close to the fire. Im sorry. It is all my fault.

He still has his rifle, though he has no bullets. He used them during the nights inferno. He wishes he had saved just one. The man had wanted to live here at the edge of all things, away from the roads and the cities and the mark of people. And here he is now at the edge of it all. He leaves the fire. He continues to dig.

Photo credit: Tyson Steele

II.

The land came cheap: forty acres for a third the going rate. The man, whose name is Tyson Steele, bought the land before laying eyes on it. He had been nomadic since college. Hed lived with his dogs in a shipping container in Escalante, Utah, growing his own food. Hed traveled to Mexico. Hed taught in China. He spent summers as a dockhand in Juneau where he would fillet and process and freeze and package and ship some 20,000 pounds of fish per season. He had a masters degree in English. He was 28.

He first saw the land from the air in the fall of 2018, a year before he would settle there. The land looked flat. Then Alaskas mountains opened crescent-like along the horizon. Snow-capped peaks of Denali rose up from the north. Wild and rolling and untrampled land stretched 500 miles to the west. It was like the edge of the world and it was perfect.

But the terrain was treacherous and there was nowhere near to land. So the pilot took them down into a lake three miles from Steeles plot. With his chocolate Lab, Phil, and 2,000 pounds of gear, he hiked inland. It was like swimming through trees. Willow thickets, bogs, black spruce, mosquitos and gnats, and six-foot devils clubs with spines of reverse barbs. He pulled his gear in a sled-converted wheelbarrow but everything was soaked and ruined. It took a day to travel just half a mile.

Up higher the land was dry and near fresh water. He and Phil could make a home there. Phil was now his only dog. Back in Escalante, when the nights dropped below freezing, he would huddle in the shipping container with the lab and his two beagles, Abby and Norah. But Abby died of old age, and Norah, too, was old when Steele left with Phil for Alaska. He had wanted her to stay with his parents in Utah where there was a yard. She was there when he left, and she ran after his car. He found out later she was hit by another instead and killed. Shed run for almost five miles. It was all his fault, he felt.

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

One day Steele and Phil came upon a cabin. It was made of one-by-fours and plastic tarp with a roof arched like a Viking longhouse. An old airplane engine converted into a sawmill generator and greenhouses for tobacco and tomatoes stood beside it. There was an outhouse, a tool shed, and a small airstrip for a biplane, the only way to deliver supplies in this part of the backcountry. Helloooo? Steele called in fear. A large, hunched man with rotting teeth came out and lurched toward Steele. The hermit, a man by the names of Mike Loeffler, had been living there for some two decades. He had not seen faces for some time. He smiled, happy to see Steele and Phil. Steele would spend many nights with the Loeffler, who told him stories about Vietnam and the horrors he had seen as a gunner protecting heroine shipments in Laos.

But Loeffler was an old man and he was dying of stomach cancer. The following spring, he poured Tide on the floor of his room to ward off bears, then lay down and died there. Alaska troopers carried him off. His last words to Steele whom he had promised the property: look for the shovels, do not trust the neighbor, do not trust the Catholic Church.

In the fall of 2019, he and Phil moved into the hermits cabin. The place stunk of body odor and mildew. Steele cleaned the cabin and rebuilt the shower. He kept the same mattress. He slept in the same room where the hermit had perished. The floor still smelled of Tide.

Steele and Phil settled in for the winter, their first in the bush. Their supplies were already gathered. In bed beside Phil, Steele read The Lord of the Rings. One night he fell asleep after finishing the chapter in which Gandalf faces the flames of the Balrog at the Bridge of Khazad-dum. Fly, you fools! implores the wizard.

The fire came that night.

Photo credit: Tyson Steele

III.

The sun staggers up on the second day but Steele is under the snow and he does not see the light. Hed dug a trench the size of his body, covered it with some lumber and then a tarp and then snow. Hed crawled inside and slept for fifteen hours.

He emerges from the hole now. He limps across the snow toward his ruined home where smoke still billows. It is much too thick for Steele to pick through. He decides instead to dig another shelter in a nearby hill. He encircles himself there with snow walls and puts a fire pit in the center. He carries coals from his cabin. He huddles and cooks his canned remains, leaving only to scavenge for supplies and look for Phil. Before dusk he staggers through the snow. Im so sorry, Phil. I'm so sorry, Phil. Im so sorry, he mutters again and again. He searches for tracks by the woods where his friend might have flown from the fire.

The sun dies. Steele huddles for warmth, burning logs and scavenged National Geographic magazines from the frozen tool shed. Steele reads the magazines as an offering before the flames. They tell of the lives of the apostles and of big data. He is sorry to burn them. He sleeps.

Long after dawn Steele awakes and the fire is out. Temperatures have fallen below negative fifteen. They will continue to fall each day until the Alaskan winter reaches minus forty, temperatures at which the heart and brain and organs stop functioning and a man can freeze and die within an hour.

Steele hurries from the cave to his burnt cabin for coals. But that fire too is gone, the smoke expiring in the late morning air. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! He makes his way to the toolshed, rubbing his hands together, for he has no gloves. In the shed he finds an acetylene torch and four flint starters, all frozen. The torches mix oxygen and gas to produce a bright welding flame. But they are frozen. He tries one without success. FUCK! He throws the starter across the shed. He tries the second and the third but both are also dead. His hands are without feeling. He can barely move his fingers.

He fiddles with the torch again. It hisses. And then it sparks. He grabs a magazine and lights it, and then he steals back to his cave and then to the charred cabin. It is safe to enter now. His wood stove stands in ruin, but it is functional. He decides to build his next shelter here on the rubble around that which destroyed everything.

On the fifth day he oversleeps once more. He wakes and the cave fire is gone again. The fire in the wood stove too. The torch spits but will not light. YOU SON OF A BITCH! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU STUPID FUCK! His fingers are numb. His pinky is solid white. He tries to move the wires on the torch but still it does not catch. FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! He fumbles for over an hour. He has read Jack Londons To Build a Fire a thousand times and taught it to near a hundred kids. He envisions the end: He will take his sleeping bag and his blankets and his jackets and curl up in the back of his cave.

He rises as he remembers the cans of gasoline in the shed. He picks up a Bowie knife and limps to a tree. He cannot move his fingers, and so he squeezes his hands together on the handle and uses his weight to pry the birchs skin. A chunk peels free and he soaks it in gasoline and returns to the cave. He manages a spark. The bark ignites. I HAVE MADE FIRE! He smiles but he knows he cannot let this fire go out. The welding torch will soon die forever.

He sits by the cave in the firelight and for a moment, looking out at the snow and the pale sky and the rubble of wood and plastic, he finds it all beautiful. But the thought is soon replaced by guilt.

Im so sorry, Phil. I'm so sorry, Phil. Im so sorry.

Photo credit: Getty

IV.

Steele awoke in the cabin at 1 AM because it had become too cold to sleep. He had forgotten to stoke the fire that night and the coals had died down. Phil shuffled around as Steele grabbed a headlamp and stepped outside for wood. The sky was black and clouds covered the moon. Steele was tired and when he returned to feed the flames he put the logs to the side and fed the stove cardboard instead. He knew he ought not feed a wood stove cardboard since the cardboard could rise and set fire inside the chimney. But he was cold and half-asleep, so he did it anyway and returned to bed.

He closed his eyes. He could not sleep. Behind his lids the room was getting lighter and when Steele opened them he saw a bright hole growing in the ceiling and dripping fire like a drooling mouth. He went to the kitchen and tried throwing water on the flames but the fire spat. He went for an extinguisher but when he pulled the pin he heard only a puff. He figured it could be a chimney fire so he ran outside for snow to shovel onto the coals and use the steam to kill the flames. But when he fed the stove it hissed and steam exploded into his face and scalded him and filled the house with smoke. The fire spread.

He raced outside. Against the cold black sky his cabin was silhouetted orange and flames ran along the frame. Lit cardboard had escaped the chimney and set fire to the plastic roofing. In minutes, he knew, it would consume everything.

He ran back inside to his room. Phil was huddled in the corner of the bed, hiding from the flames licking him. Phil, we have to go! Steele yelled as he began grabbing what he could. Phil cowered. Flames began to swirl. Steele pulled at Phils legs but the animal was 110 pounds and impossible to move. The fire encircled them and Steele lost his vision. He could no longer see his friend. He yelled for Phil to run and follow and then Steele fled through the fiery doorway and the snapping heat, into the cold and into the night.

Photo credit: Getty

V.

He tells himself he will be found on Christmas. There will be a flyover. Some friend or family member will send a care package, cookies or a wrapped gift, and the pilot will see the ruins and radio for help. Help can come only from the air since the snow is too deep to travel here. Steele finds a piece of chalk and makes marks on the stove. Christmas is just over a week away, he believes, but he cannot be sure what day.

He continues work. He gathers scrap A-frames and props them up around the stove. Walls are greenhouse tarp and plastic and scavenged rat-infested insulation. He stands on a charred wooden ladder and hammers boards together into a roof. The temperature falls below minus twenty and the metal nails freeze to his fingers. He can only hammer one at a time before retreating to warm his hands. The shelter takes days.

He can do no work in the dark, which comes near 4 PM and lasts until after 10 AM. He can barely sleep for fear of losing the fire, so he reads magazines and books from the shed. One tells of pilgrims and their voyage into the dark forests of the New World and Steele reads story after story of the starvation and death that came for each pilgrim. He tries a crossword book. But the clues are for children and the answers are house and cat and dog. Steele talks to himself and tries to remember the words of a book he has been writing for years. It is a fantasy like The Lord of the Rings but about an outsider who lives on the corner of an Empire in a world of banned magic. Steele sits by the fire, talking. The shelter is small but finds comfort in small spaces. He camped in Utah canyons as a kid and lived in a frigid car in grad school and then an empty professors office after teaching. At eighteen and while his classmates went off to Europe and the Bahamas on break, Steele had locked himself in a box for three days of complete darkness.

The sun rises and Steele begins work on an SOS stamped into the snow, letters fifteen feet tall. It snows, covering the tracks. He waits a day. He begins again. He shovels ash from the cabin to fill in the letters. Repeat.

Each night he panics. He wakes every two hours. He claws at his sleeping bag, preparing to flee imagined flames. He loses track of the days, making chalk marks at night then forgetting and then making more again at dawn. One morning he awakes to snow. The air feels warm. Gray clouds cover a pallid blue. Steele decides this day will be Christmas. He sings White Christmas and Winter Wonderland. He feasts on three rations of peaches, which give him canker sores. He walks to the airstrip where to the north he can see the snow-capped tips of Denali. His family are opening gifts now and maybe expecting his call. Maybe they have already sent a plane for help or to drop a gift. But who was he to deserve such a gift?

Night comes without a miracle. There has been no Christmas flyover. No one is searching for him. The temperatures continue to fall.

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

One day the sound of fighter planes. Steele can hear them practicing maneuvers over the mountains. The noises grow down the valley. Two jets duel and roar some 10,000 feet above. In the middle of his small airstrip, Steele watches the mock dogfight in awe and then he begins jumping and yelling and flailing his arms. But they cannot see or hear him. The engines sound for a time and after an hour of Steeles shouts, the planes turn and then they are gone.

The silence breaks occasionally with the burst of frozen sap. It explodes like gunshots from the trees. Bang! Bang! Echoes. Then silence again.

Another day. The crunch crunch of snow and buried metal. Steele awakes. A creature of a thousand pounds passes just outside his shelter. He has seen the tracks before and he begins dashing pans against the stove and screaming. I WILL SHOOT YOU! The hoof falls recede and Steele leaves the shelter. The moose, large and dark against the snow and having made its way back toward the trees over the SOS, his ears downward, turns to face the man. Awe, anger, envy over the animals fur, the urge to run, the desire to kill and eat, hopelessness, despair, thoughts of death and the rifle. If he had just saved one bullet for the moose or for himself. But rescuers will think he had starved and had eaten Phil, and Steele cannot bear this thought. He remembers how Phil would try and help him weed in Utah by chewing at the plants. He sees Phil playfully dive under the legs of Norah and Abby even when he got too large. His favorite word was hike and his ears would perk when Steel would say, Hey Phil lets go for a hike! How could he consume such a creature?

By the woods, the moose chews on some willow trees. And then it turns quietly and walks off into the wild.

Photo credit: Getty

VI.

Phil did not follow. When Steele escaped the fire and dropped his gear and ran around the house for his rifle, his lab was gone. Black smoke swirled around his face. He tried to reenter the flames. He dropped down. He crawled. But the fire was too hot and the smoke choked him as all the while Phil began to howl.

It was an awful, breathy howl, like a wolf. An injured howl that sounded from everywhere at once. EHHHAAAAROOOO! Rifle in hand, Steele ran back to the other side of the house where his room and Phil were ablaze. Phil was howling and Steele began screaming. He had four rounds in his rifle and standing there in the snow awash with fire light he pointed the gun into the flames. He didnt want Phil to suffer any more because suffering was worse than death. And so Steele pointed his rifle into the fire and plastic and wood and he started shooting. One, two, three shots. And all the while he was screaming and Phil was howling. EHHHAAAAROOOO! And after the third shot Steele thought that maybe the last bullet should be for himself. Maybe he would follow Phil into the night for it would be easy to follow in this way. But the thought scared him so much he fired the last shot into the fire. Still he heard the howls. He had missed each one. He had failed his friend and he was still alive and Phil was still burning. Steele could take no more and so he screamed again, a horrifying yelp full of pain and anguish that lasted for minutes and would have been heard for miles across the dark wilderness if a soul existed to hear it, but there was none.

Hoarse, Steele collapsed in the snow. Everything was now nothing but a crippled fiery heap of wood and plastic and howling. Then the bullets began to explode. Five hundred rounds he kept inside burned and shot off in the night like a machine gun, sending echoes across the forest. Steele ran. He ran for cover and then he turned and ran back toward the salvo for his food. The bullets stopped, but the air was too hot, so he began shoveling snow into the burning. He shoveled and shoveled, trying to think of nothing but the shoveling. The howling ceased.

As the flames retreated he could see. Everything was ruins. And then Steele saw Phil.

His body lay in the corner of the room, still on fire. He approached with the shovel and reached in to touch the remains. Something moved and rolled out of the fire: Phils head. It was mangled and charred but Steele could still see the Labrador's profile. He picked up the head even though it was still hot and hurt his hands. He set it down with him next to the dying fire.

Im so sorry, Phil. Im so sorry, Phil. Im so sorry.

Photo credit: Getty

VII.

January. The coldest night ices into the coldest day. Temperatures slump past negative thirty and Steele huddles in the shelter, nearly hugging the stove. He burns his hands on the metal. The chalk marks announce the seventeenth day but he cannot be sure. He lies in his two sleeping bags. He pulls them up over his face like a scorched cocoon of frost, body odor, and decay.

Racing thoughts. He worries an eyelash will give him an eye infection. He fears his food has poisoned him. Hunger never leaves. He eats now one or two cans a day, scraping the bottom and mixing in and sloshing water and ravishingly lapping every last calorie. Hed been defecating daily by running through the cold to an outhouse still intact. There from the pit of bile, rising warmth had frozen across the seat like long dirty fingers, reaching. He refuses to enter the cold now. He pees in a bucket by the stove which freezes almost instantly. The stove can only warm the shelter by ten degrees. A jar he filled with water and left on the floor froze and cracked and then burst in his sleep.

Above his head by the wood and the stove pipe, mice scurry and squeak in search of warmth. The light from the fire moves mechanically against the wall and Steele mistakes it often for the headlight of some snowmobile. The mice squeak and squeak and Steele cannot move from his sleeping bag and for the first time he thinks he will surely die. He hopes it will come tonight in his sleep. Though he could walk out of his shelter now and sit in the snow and perish, he is scared of the conscious pain.

Racing memories. He thinks of that box in his backyard where he locked himself for three days at eighteen. He had wanted to test his mind and so there he sat listening to a song on repeat. Vangelis, Ask the Mountains. The only lyric he could decipher whispered over and over again: dont follow me, dont come after. He thought someone was following him. Stop following me! he had yelled. He had scrawled on the box in marker a wood cave drawing, a Chef he called Morrison. Now on the stove Steele redraws the chef with chalk. He prays to the image which feels like a Buddha. Help me, Chef. Help me, he begs. He had no girlfriends back then. He would rather go out and hike the canyons alone. But he thinks of people now, girls and friends in grad school who had shown interest in him but whom he had never called. Alaska had waited but perhaps he was wrong to think it was waiting for him alone. He thinks now about backpacking with a boy of his own and teaching the boy about the wild.

Dont follow me, dont come after. His breath freezes before him. The cold and the hunger and the mice and the fear of fire. He sings the song and thinks of a ridge line 10,000 feet up and snow cornices and limestone fins and a rock as red as blood and a colony of ladybugs like a sanctuary beneath. Shooting stars over Escalante and the smell of sagebrush and the sound of mariachi music over the radio from Mexico. And the noon sun over Greenlands arctic and cotton grass along the hummocky bogland and purple flowers and scattered reindeer sculls. With the song comes a nature that wasnt wicked or foul but made Steeles heart so full when everything else was so loud.

He closes his eyes. He will get out. Someone will follow.

In the box after three days, his friend had come throwing stones and calling for Steele. Steele heard his name but he had forgotten the name was his. He knew it was time to leave and so he had thrown open the box door and he had emerged, his hair long, his face young and eager, the boy divested of all he had been. He was free from the darkness and the lesson he took then was that darkness will always end.

Someone will follow. He opens his eyes.

Photo credit: Getty

VIII.

See the man. His beard hangs with ice. He reeks of unwashed days and burning wood. He feeds the abiding fire. Above him, a humming comes from down the valley. The stove marks announce the twenty-third day. The man puts down his blackened oatmeal when he hears a sound above him.

He emerges into the Alaskan dawn. It arrives ice blue, then pink against the snow and the tips of the willow trees. A helicopter circles and the man waves both arms. He climbs aboard the clean vehicle, its doors of glass. He carries only some books and a sleeping bag. He apologizes for the smell.

Aboard the helicopter, he rises above scorched white earth, his home, the charred remains of his dog, and all the things the man had known and loved. He imagines critters eating the dogs body. He is free and warm and going home and yet he feels so alone.

He enters the cities once more. They terrify him. Cities with street names and taxis and so many people and everything is overwhelming. When in cities the man would often listen on his phone to the sound of chopping wood to ease his anxiety. The sound, his earliest memory.

Tonight, the man stays in a hotel. In the dark he hears only the screams of a woman in a neighboring room. Another man is beating on her and doors are opening in the hallway but no one moves to stop the yelling. The man cannot sleep. He believes he will die here having escaped everything only to perish so close to others. He leaves in the morning.

On the street a homeless woman in a wheelchair braves the cold. The man gives the woman his sleeping bag, one of his last possessions, and then the woman cries and hugs the man and the man hugs her.

And then the man turns quietly and walks off into this new wild.







You Might Also Like
Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In .

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In.
2 1 of 2 Photo courtesy the FBI Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Photo courtesy the FBI Show More Show Less



A Dallas man was arrested Friday for assaulting a police officer with a crutch during insurrection of the U.S. Capitol, according to the FBI.

Luke Coffee was seen on police body camera footage ramming a crutch into a police officer on Jan. 6 at the entrance of the Capitols lower terrace, federal charging documents say. Coffee is facing charges for assault on a federal law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon, among other alleged crimes.
The Voice of Ho Chi Minh City, together with the municipal Health Department hosted the first Vietnam medical achievement award ceremony on February 26 to honour 16 contributions to the communitys wellbeing in 2020 from across the nation.



At the event (Photo VNA)

The contributions were voted by the public from 22 nominations selected by the awards council of professionals. Three months after its launch, the award received more than 60 nominations from medical facilities nationwide.

Among the winners were the work of doctors at the Cu Chi COVID-19 treatment hospital  the first of its kind in Vietnam, and medical staff at the HCM City Centre for Diseases Control. Since the pandemic begin in the country, hundreds of medical workers in Ho Chi Minh City have taken turns to be at the hospital, while preventive medicine workers at the centre have worked day and night on contact-tracing and testing sample collection.

Another was the operation that separated 16-month-old conjoined twins  Truc Nhi and Dieu Nhi, with the sisters now able to walk on their own. The surgery was performed by 93 doctors and nurses.

VOH Director Le Cong Dong said the award is now an annual event in celebration of Vietnamese Doctors' Day (February 27).

Duong Anh Duc, Vice Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee, hoped the award will encourage more contributions to the health of the community to be made in the future.

VNA
A new movie that was shot in Central New York is finally hitting screens five years later.

As Long As We Both Shall Live, filmed and set in Utica, was released on Video On Demand and digital platforms Friday, Feb. 26. Directed by Ali Askari, the romantic thriller stars Josh Helman (Mad Max: Fury Road), Yael Stone (Orange is the New Black) and Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas).

Helman plays Malcolm, whose wife Sarah (Stone) tragically dies. A year later, he gives love another chance when he meets Nya (Jennifer Allcott) but he starts seeing his dead wife, haunting him and making him doubt his sanity. With the help of his sister-in-law Dee (Yvonne Cone) and his mentor Jim (Sorvino), Malcolm must reconcile his past with his present in order to forgive himself, mourn properly, hang onto his new love  and not lose his mind in the process.

Yael Stone appears in a scene from "As Long As We Both Shall Live," a new movie filmed and set in Utica, N.Y.Video still

According to the Observer-Dispatch, As Long As We Both Shall Live (originally titled Falling) was shot in Utica in 2016 and includes scenes at the Utica Zoo, Utica Coffee Roasting Company, The Tailor and the Cook, the Green Onion, Union Station and Mohawk Valley Community College.

Golan Ramraz, a producer and writer on the film, told the Utica newspaper they originally wanted to set it in Los Angeles and film it in Phoenix, but considered Utica when his wife, co-executive producer and costume designer Emily Sinnott Ramraz, suggested her hometown. They scouted locations with Askari and rewrote the script to make it uniquely Utica.

Ramraz, whose credits include being a production assistant on Jerry Maguire, a creative executive for The O.C. and a development executive for the 2008 Marvel film Iron Man, said Utica also made it easier to cast actors from New York City and keep the budget small.

The movie is definitely a movie that should have cost a lot more to make than it did, he told he Observer-Dispatch. Not only because of the kindness of Utica, but also because of the kindness of everyone involved.

The indie romance was acquired by Gravitas Ventures after winning multiple awards at the 2019 Hollywood Film Festival, including best newcomer for Allcott.

Rooted in the layered and tortured performance of Josh Helman, Alis film is a haunting thriller that will keep audiences guessing and make them question what is real, said Tony Piantedosi, vice president of acquisitions at Gravitas Ventures, in a statement.

As Long As We Both Shall Live is available to rent or purchase through YouTube, Apple iTunes, cable subscription services, and other platforms. The movie may also move to streaming services if VOD sales and reviews are strong, Ramraz said.

See the trailer:

RELATED:

Hollywood calls, but CNY screenwriter stays home to make movie from afar

Viggo Mortensen says new movie is a salute to Upstate NY, family dementia battle (interview)

New movie that filmed in Syracuse sells for $2M after winning Sundance award

The Ultimate Playlist of Noise review: American Highs best movie yet in Syracuse
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held a phone conversation with his Armenian counterpart, Vagharshak Harutyunyan, on Saturday to discuss the latest developments Nagorno-Karabakh and the region, the Russian Defense Ministry said

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2021) Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held a phone conversation with his Armenian counterpart, Vagharshak Harutyunyan, on Saturday to discuss the latest developments Nagorno-Karabakh and the region, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"During the conversation, the sides discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, the current situation in the region and areas where Russian peacekeepers are performing tasks in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as other issues of mutual interest," the ministry said in a statement.
In high school, I was in my typical classes of English and math and all of a sudden I had an opportunity once I got to college to go outside the normal academic realm and took a psychology class and honestly, it instantly clicked with me, she said. My interest in the field just grew from there.
New Delhi: A toy factory in Pratap Nagar area of Delhi burst into flames in the early hours of Saturday (February 27). The cause of the fire outbreak is not yet known but eye-witnesses suggest it may have been a LPG cylinder that exploded.

The ANI news agency quoted a Fire Service official saying that they received the call about the fire at around 3:47 am and 18 fire tenders were immediately pressed into service.

As per the latest reports, a total of 28 fire fighters are currently on site to help douse the flames.

On reaching the site, they found that most of the workers in the factory had escaped and were safe. However one of the workers did not manage to get out in time and died in the factory. Fire-fighting operations are underway and the cause of the fire is yet to be found.

The factory was used to make cosmetics, nail polish, children's toys and bags, all of which have been destroyed by the fire.

According to Fire Officer Rajinder Atwal, eyewitnesses informed that an LPG cylinder exploded following which the fire broke out. "A Fire Service personnel is injured and admitted to hospital. We have successfully contained the fire," he said.

A total of 28 fire tenders reached the spot to contain the fire. Cooling operations are underway.

Live TV
The Irish Cancer Society is urging people in Louth to get behind a very different Daffodil Day this year, with street sales and events not possible due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Due to the current public health restrictions the flagship fundraiser is unable to go ahead in its traditional way with street sales of fresh daffodils or daffodil pins, and community events.

However, there are still many ways for people in Louth to get involved with this year's Daffodil Day which is taking place on Friday March 26, proudly supported by Boots Ireland.

Around 845 people in Louth will receive a cancer diagnosis each year and this Daffodil Day is an important chance not only to raise vital funds for services and research but also to send people affected by cancer a message of support in these challenging times.

There are many ways for communities across the country to get involved with Daffodil Day, by hosting virtual fundraisers and collections, purchasing items from the Daffodil Day online shop, or making a donation. Go to cancer.ie/daffodil day to find out more.

Throughout the pandemic, the Irish Cancer Society has continued to provide vital services and support to cancer patients and their families across Louth. Services like Night Nursing, the Freephone Support Line: 1800 200 700 and Volunteer Driver service are available because of the vital funds raised on Daffodil Day.

Rosemary Simmons, Fundraising Lead at the Irish Cancer Society said, 'The people of Louth have always been incredibly generous in their support of Daffodil Day, but this year more than ever, we need your help. Although we cannot take to the streets to sell Daffodils, or host coffee mornings with friends, there are still so many meaningful ways for communities to raise vital funds this year. Because of the additional anxieties a cancer diagnosis during Covid-19 brings, cancer patients need your support more than ever before. Please get involved with Daffodil Day, to ensure nobody in Louth has to go through cancer alone.'

For more information visit www.cancer.ie/daffodilday
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday carried out a long-range precision strike against a practice target to mark the second anniversary of the Balakot Operations.

Notably, the practice strike was carried out by same squadron members who had conducted the air strikes on terror launch pads in Balakot in Pakistan.

While the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria flew a multi-aircraft sortie with the units to commemorate the occasion along with the squadron pilots.

On February 26, 2019, Indian Air Force fighter jets crossed the Line of Control and destroyed terror launch pads in Balakot. The strikes were undertaken days after 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed in a terror attack in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14.
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday (February 27) said Delhi's law and order situation is in "serious turmoil". While addressing the recent stabbing of a teenaged boy and murder of an eight-year-old girl. The Delhi CM went on to seek Union Home Minister intervention in the case.

Requesting the Ministry of Home Affairs, under which the state police function, to address the issue Kejriwal asked the officials to take appropriate actions in the cases.

Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia visited the home of the eight-year-old deceased girl in Khichripur. Sisodia met the family members of the victim and assured them of fair trial in the fast-track court under the guidance of the best lawyers who will ensure death penalty to the guilty.

CM Arvind kejriwal took it to his official Twitter handle to express his sadness over the crimes. "Deeply concerned by the murder of a 8-yr-old girl in Khichdipur & attack on a 17-yr-old boy in Kalkaji. Delhi's law and order situation is in a serious turmoil, I appeal to Hon'ble Home Minister & Lt. Gov (Lieutenant Governor) to take appropriate action to address the situation," Kejriwal said in a tweet.

Deeply concerned by the murder of a 8-yr old girl in Khichdipur & attack on a 17-yr old boy in Kalkaji. Delhi's law and order situation is in a serious turmoil, I appeal to Hon'ble Home Minister & Lt. Gov to take appropriate action to address the situation.  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 27, 2021

The eight-year-old girl was abducted from Khichripur earlier this week. The family has filed a complaint at Kalyanpuri police station. Later on Friday, the body of the girl was recovered from Modinagar in Uttar Pradesh.

The police said that the four accused, who had kidnapped the girl for ransom and later killed her, were arrested.

"Hurt by murder of the girl from Delhi's Khichripur. Met the family and assured trial of the case in a fast track court. The best lawyers will be engaged to attempt for death penalty to the murderers," Sisodia tweeted.

In another incident, at the southeast Delhis Kalkaji area, a 17-year-old boy was beaten up and stabbed for opposing three boys who were stalking his sister and passing "indecent remarks" on her.

The police said that the incident took place near a school on Friday (February 26). The injured teenage boy was rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre.

Atishi Marlena, AAP MLA from Kalkaji met the family members of the victim.

"Met the family of the boy who was stabbed in Kalkaji yesterday. Have assured them of full support. Also spoke to the doctors at the AIIMS Trauma Centre, who said that the boy is stable and recovering," she tweeted.

Met the family of the boy who was stabbed in Kalkaji yesterday. Have assured them of full support. Also spoke to the doctors at the AIIMS Trauma Centre, who said that the boy is stable and recovering. pic.twitter.com/eMF6RlaxYO  Atishi (@AtishiAAP) February 27, 2021

Later, the MLA also connected with the deputy commissioner of police of southeast Delhi and sought swift arrest of the accused in the case.

Live TV
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Private healthcare centres can take a 'service charge' from beneficiaries to meet their operational expenses-- syringes, needles, manpower, etc. during the COVID-19 vaccination drive. A service charge of Rs 100 will be added to the cost of the vaccines. Private centres will not be allowed to charge more than Rs 100 (plus vaccine cost) from beneficiaries.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said those who go to government centres will be administered the vaccine free of cost. While there is no official word from the government yet, AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria told ANI, "Charges of the COVID-19 vaccine would be to just cover overhead expenses which private sectors would need. Some of which may include the cost of syringes and human resources like it was done for testing where charges were fixed to ensure that those aren't misused and the private sector also doesn't suffer loss."

According to healthcare experts, the government is figuring out the judicious cost of the vaccines. Since Covaxin is more expensive compared to Covishield, the government is worried that beneficiaries might avoid Covaxin because of its higher price.

"The second phase of the world's largest vaccination drive will start from Monday in which anybody above 60 years, that may not be less than 10 crore people in the country, and 45 years plus with co-morbidities will be given vaccines in 10,000 government medical facilities and also over 20,000 private hospitals," Javadekar said. The second phase of vaccination will also include officials from the armed forces, police officials and vulnerable groups.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus immunisation drive will not take place on Saturday (February 27) and Sunday (February 28) as the CoWIN platform will be transitioning from CoWIN 1.0 to CoWIN 2.0 due to technical glitches in the platform.

(With agency inputs)

Also read: COVID-19 vaccination to be halted for two days; CoWIN app to be updated
A debt deal for Paul Coulsons new Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) will be the biggest ever in the world of high-yield green corporate bonds.

The planned $2.8bn (2.3bn) issue of new debt is part of the structure behind the spin-out of AMP as a standalone recyclable beverage can business that will have greener credentials than Ardagh itself.

Green bonds are used to fund environmentally sound projects and businesses and can attract pockets of capital not available to most corporate borrowers.

Governments and infrastucture funds have been tapping the market, but it is rarer for companies  especially higher debt non-investment grade or junk bond issuers.

AMPs bond deal is three times the size of the previous record for a sub investment-grade borrower, according to Reuters.

AMP, will be listed in the US and valued at around $8.5bn.

It is being created from a combination of some Ardagh assets with investment from partner Gores Group.

Aluminium cans are in high demand and are easier and cheaper to recycle than glass packaging helping make the new listed entity a pretty attractive business to investors with environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets, Mr Coulson told the Irish Independent earlier this week.

Ardagh Groups customers include Diageo, Heineken, Pernod Ricard, Nestle and Coca-Cola.

It employs more than 16,000 people.

Mr Coulson said the beverage can business has been very strong in part due to a shortage of cans in the United States and elsewhere.

Azhar Hussain, head of global credit at Royal London Asset Management, said the deals scale was significant, adding it could allow investors to gauge whether the greenium, or pricing benefit companies get from issuing a green bond, extends to the high-yield market.

In an investor presentation, AMP did not identify any immediate green use for the cash raised.

The vast majority of the proceeds from the bond sale and new equity issuance will go to Ardagh to help pay for the spin-out of AMP from the parent company, which will retain an 80pc stake in the new business.

Additional reporting: Reuters

Read More




Wire fraud convict, Obinwanne Okeke, widely known as Invictus Obi, has appealed against his recent sentence to10 years imprisonment by a U.S. court.

The 33-year-old Nigerian, who was arrested in the U.S. on August 6, 2019, pleaded guilty to the offence of conspiracy to commit wire fraud last year June.

U.S. authorities said victims lost nearly $11 million (about N4 billion) to the large-scale fraud perpetrated through global business email and computer hacking schemes between 2015 and 2019.

Mr Okeke, formerly celebrated internationally as a successful young African entrepreneur, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment by a court in the Eastern District of Virginia on February 16.

PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported how the judge, Rebecca Smith, also ordered him to restitute about $10.7 million proceeds of his fraud to the U.S. government.

The minutes of the sentencing proceedings seen by PREMIUM TIMES indicated that Mr Okeke was notified of his right of appeal, but waived it in his plea agreement with U.S. authorities.

Volte-face

PREMIUM TIMES has confirmed that the convict filed his notice of appeal against the sentence on Tuesday.

This newspaper on Friday obtained a copy of his notice of appeal and other accompanying documents filed at the U.S Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Virginia.

In the notice of appeal, Mr Okeke noted that he entered a guilty plea to Count One and was sentenced to 10 years as to Count One of the indictment by Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.

I, the above-named appellant, hereby appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from the above-stated sentence, he added.

The grounds of appeal are not disclosed in the notice, but he is likely going to be arguing that the sentence imposed along with restitution and forfeiture orders issued against him was excessive.

PREMIUM TIMES recalls that the convict, his relatives, and other associates, had in a pre-sentencing filing, pleaded with the judge for leniency.

He also kicked against making restitution, with his lawyer, John Iweanoge, arguing that Unatrac, one of the fraud victims, had already recovered approximately $2.5 million.

But despite his initial opposition to restitution, he and his lawyer signed in agreement to the restitution order issued by the judge on the day of his sentencing.

The judge and the Acting U.S. Attorney, Raj Parekh, who prosecuted him, also signed the restitution order.

Service of appeal

In the Certificate of Service accompanying the notice of appeal, the convict stated that he electronically filed the foregoing with the Clerk of Court using the CM/ECF system on February 23, and will then send a notification of such filing (NEF) to all interested parties and attorneys.

A notice of the Court of Appeals issued on February 25 assigned case number 21-4075 to the appeal and declared it open.

It also designated Cathy Poulsen as the case manager.

ADVERTISEMENT

Backstory

Mr Okeke was celebrated by Forbes African magazine as one of the 30 under-30 successful entrepreneurs on the continent in 2016 when he was only 28.

He operated his Invictus Group which he claimed had investments in oil and gas, real estate, agriculture, among others in Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) operatives arrested him on August 6, 2019, on a criminal complaint about computer and wire fraud to defraud Unatrac Holding Limited, which has its headquarters in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He was arrested at Dulles International Airport, Virginia, as he prepared to depart the U.S. after a visit to witness the birth of his 20-month-old daughter born on July 15, 2019.

The entrepreneur, who holds a masters degree in International Business and Counter-terrorism from Monash University, Australia, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit computer fraud.

He initially denied the charges, but later entered into a plea bargain agreement with the U.S authorities and pleaded guilty to Count 1 on June 18, 2020.

The second count of computer fraud, with a lesser penalty, was dropped as part of the plea agreement.

The judge, Ms Smith, sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment on February 16 and issued restitution and forfeiture orders against him.

The judge also ordered him to undergo three years of supervised release after completing his jail term.

He is prohibited from taking up jobs that grant access to money and bank accounts or hold positions involving investments if he will undergo supervised release in the U.S.

Mr Okeke, who had spent 19 months in detention from the time of his arrest in August 2019 till February 16 when he was sentenced, is now serving his jail term at the Western Tidewater Regional Jail, Suffolk, in Virginia.
Will Smith became a household name in the 1990s. Although he already achieved fame as a rapper, his show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, catapulted his TV and film success. However, many fans of the NBC series may have missed one element of his famous character.

Will Smith|Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank

Why Will Smith used his real name on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Smith was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 25, 1968. While growing up in Philly, he met DJ Jazzy Jeff at a house party. Soon after they met, the artists decided to form a group in 1985 and hustled their way into the music scene. In 1986, they released their first album, Rock The House. The project debuted on Jive records and included hits such as Girls Aint Nothing But Trouble, per The Source.

RELATED: Will Smith Admits His Best Female Relationship Is With Willow Smith

With additional hits such as Parents Just Dont Understand and Summertime, Smith and Jazzy Jeff became stars. However, the Bad Boys actor accrued a $2.8 million debt with the IRS in the late 1980s. To fix his debt, he accepted a starring role in Quincy Jones and Benny Medinas new show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In 2020, Smith shared that his co-star, Alfonso Ribeiro, suggested using his real name on the series.

We had talked, and I said, Look, if youre ever gonna do this show, youve gotta be Will Smith, Ribeiro recalled on Smiths Snapchat show, Will At Home.

It was such a deep insight that you had. You said, Because people are going to call you that for the rest of your life, Smith replied.

The character has a different first name than Will Smith

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premiered on Sept. 10, 1990. During the show, Smith and his on-screen alter ego share several similarities. Like his real life, the character was from Philadelphia. Additionally, they both had tumultuous relationships with their fathers and shared a passion for music.

RELATED: Jada Pinkett Smith Once Shared Why Will Smith Is Her Only Monogamous Relationship

As previously shared, Smiths character is named Will Smith. However, Will is a nickname for the name William on the show. In real life, the Ali actors real name is Willard Carroll Smith. The Oscar nominee got his name from his father, Willard Smith, Sr. Following his fathers death in November 2016, he said he felt free to be himself moving forward, per Rap Radar Podcast.

My father dying sort of released me to be me, the Seven Pounds star said, adding that it was a point of deep changing.

Smiths net worth after The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

During the height of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Smith worked on becoming a Hollywood actor. In 1993, he landed his first movie, Six Degrees of Separation. He starred in the film alongside Stockard Channing, Donald Sutherland, and Heather Graham. Smith continued to work throughout the 1990s on Independence Day, Wild Wild West, and Men In Black.

RELATED: Vivica A.Fox Shared How Jada Pinkett Smith Felt About Her Kissing Will Smith in Independence Day

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ended in 1997. Since then, Smith has remained in the public eye with blockbuster films such as Focus, Concussion, and After Earth. In 2017, he moved into the streaming realm, where he starred in Netflixs Bright. The company reportedly paid Smith $20 million for the movie and $35 million for its sequel.



At the time of publishing, Smith has a reported net worth of $350 million. Besides his hefty salary from his films, the actor and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, own several properties, including a 9,000 square foot home located in a gated community Hidden Hills, California.

Quantum quirk yields giant magnetic effect, where none should exist

HOUSTON - (Feb. 26, 2021) - In a twist befitting the strange nature of quantum mechanics, physicists have discovered the Hall effect -- a characteristic change in the way electricity is conducted in the presence of a magnetic field -- in a nonmagnetic quantum material to which no magnetic field was applied.

The discovery by researchers from Rice University, Austria's Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien), Switzerland's Paul Scherrer Institute and Canada's McMaster University is detailed in a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Of interest are both the origins of the effect, which is typically associated with magnetism, and its gigantic magnitude -- more than 1,000 times larger than one might observe in simple semiconductors.

Rice study co-author Qimiao Si, a theoretical physicist who has investigated quantum materials for nearly three decades, said, "It's really topology at work," referring to the patterns of quantum entanglement that give rise the unorthodox state.

The material, an exotic semimetal of cerium, bismuth and palladium, was created and measured at TU Wien by Silke Buhler-Paschen, a longtime collaborator of Si's. In late 2017, Si, Buhler-Paschen and colleagues discovered a new type of quantum material they dubbed a "Weyl-Kondo semimetal." The research laid the groundwork for empirical investigations, but Si said the experiments were challenging, in part because it wasn't clear "which physical quantity would pick up the effect."

In April 2018, Buhler-Paschen and TU Wien graduate student Sami Dzsaber, the study's first author, dropped by Si's office while attending a workshop at the Rice Center for Quantum Materials (RCQM). When Si saw Dzsaber's data, he was dubious.

"Upon seeing this, everybody's first reaction is that it is not possible," he said.

To appreciate why, it helps to understand both the nature and the 1879 discovery of Edwin Hall, a doctoral student who found that applying a magnetic field at a 90-degree angle to conducting wire produced a voltage difference across the wire, in the direction perpendicular to both the current and the magnetic field. Physicists eventually discovered the source of the Hall effect: The magnetic field deflects the motion of passing electrons, pulling them toward one side of the wire. The Hall effect is a standard tool in physics labs, and devices that make use of it are found in products as diverse as rocket engines and paintball guns. Studies related to the quantum nature of the Hall effect captured Nobel Prizes in 1985 and 1998.

Dzsaber's experimental data clearly showed a characteristic Hall signal, even though no magnetic field was applied.

"If you don't apply a magnetic field, the electron is not supposed to bend," Si said. "So, how could you ever get a voltage drop along the perpendicular direction? That's why everyone didn't believe this at first."

Experiments at the Paul Scherrer Institute ruled out the presence of a tiny magnetic field that could only be detected on a microscopic scale. So the question remained: What caused the effect?

"In the end, all of us had to accept that this was connected to topology," Si said.

In topological materials, patterns of quantum entanglement produce "protected" states, universal features that cannot be erased. The immutable nature of topological states is of increasing interest for quantum computing. Weyl semimetals, which manifest a quasiparticle known as the Weyl fermion, are topological materials.

So are the Weyl-Kondo semimetals Si, Buhler-Paschen and colleagues discovered in 2018. Those feature both Weyl fermions and the Kondo effect, an interaction between the magnetic moments of electrons attached to atoms inside the metal and the spins of passing conduction electrons.

"The Kondo effect is the quintessential form of strong correlations in quantum materials," Si said in reference to the correlated, collective behavior of billions upon billions of quantum entangled particles. "It qualifies the Weyl-Kondo semimetal as one of the rare examples of a topological state that's driven by strong correlations.

"Topology is a defining characteristic of the Weyl-Kondo semimetal, and the discovery of this spontaneous giant Hall effect is really the first detection of topology that's associated with this kind of Weyl fermion," Si said.

Experiments showed that the effect arose at the characteristic temperature associated with the Kondo effect, indicating the two are likely connected, Si said.

"This kind of spontaneous Hall effect was also observed in contemporaneous experiments in some layered semiconductors, but our effect is more than 1,000 times larger," he said. "We were able to show that the observed giant effect is, in fact, natural when the topological state develops out of strong correlations."

Si said the new observation is likely "a tip of the iceberg" of extreme responses that result from the interplay between strong correlations and topology.

He said the size of the topologically generated Hall effect is also likely to spur investigations into potential uses of the technology for quantum computation.

"This large magnitude, and its robust, bulk nature presents intriguing possibilities for exploitation in topological quantum devices," Si said.

Si is the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor in Rice's Department of Physics and Astronomy and director of RCQM. Buhler-Paschen is a professor at TU Wien's Institute for Solid State Physics.

###

Study co-authors include Sarah Grefe and Hsin-Hua Lai, both of Rice; Xinlin Yan, Mathieu Taupin, Gaku Eguchi, Andrey Prokofiev and Peter Blaha of TU Wien; Toni Shiroka of the Paul Scherrer Institute; and Oleg Rubel of McMaster University.

The research was funded by the Austrian Science Fund (P29279-N27, P29296-N27, W1243), the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program (EMP-824109), the Swiss National Science Foundation (200021-169455), the National Science Foundation (1920740, 1607611), the Welch Foundation (C-1411) and an Ulam Scholarship from the Center for Nonlinear Studies at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

RCQM leverages global partnerships and the strengths of more than 20 Rice research groups to address questions related to quantum materials. RCQM is supported by Rice's offices of the provost and the vice provost for research, the Wiess School of Natural Sciences, the Brown School of Engineering, the Smalley-Curl Institute and the departments of Physics and Astronomy, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Materials Science and NanoEngineering.

Links and resources:

The DOI of the PNAS paper is: 10.1073/pnas.2013386118

A copy of the paper is available at: https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1073/ pnas. 2013386118

High-resolution IMAGES are available for download at:

https:/ / news-network. rice. edu/ news/ files/ 2021/ 02/ 0301_WEYL-dev-lg. jpg

CAPTION: Photograph of a single crystal of a nonmagnetic topological material of cerium, bismuth and palladium known as a Weyl-Kondo semimetal that physicists at Vienna University of Technology used to measure the Hall effect -- a characteristic change in the way electricity is conducted in the presence of a magnetic field -- with no magnetic field applied. (Photo by S. Dzsaber/TU Wien)

https:/ / news-network. rice. edu/ news/ files/ 2021/ 02/ 0301_WEYL-Rgrp-lg. jpg

CAPTION: Rice University theoretical physicists (from left) Hsin-Hua Lai, Qimiao Si and Sarah Grefe worked with experimental collaborators at Vienna University of Technology to understand topological features of a nonmagnetic Weyl-Kondo semimetal allowed it to produce a giant Hall effect in the absence of a magnetic field. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University)

https:/ / news-network. rice. edu/ news/ files/ 2021/ 02/ 0301_WEYL-sdsbp01-lg. jpg

CAPTION: Physicists Sami Dzsaber and Silke Buhler-Paschen of Vienna University of Technology (Photo by F. Aigner/TU Wien)

This release can be found online at news.rice.edu.

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,978 undergraduates and 3,192 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 1 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance.

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Chandigarh, Feb 27 : Slamming Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for not taking action against gangsters, senior Punjab BJP leader Vineet Joshi on Saturday accused the Chief Minister of maintaining "silence" against two gangsters for vote bank politics.

"By not arresting gangster Lakha Sidhana and by not transferring dreaded gangster Mukhtar Ansari to Uttar Pradesh, it is evident that Amarinder Singh is selective in his action against gangsters, eyeing upcoming Assembly polls salted early next year," Joshi said in a statement here.

Accusing the Congress of initially "fuelling" the farmers' agitation to reap political benefits, Joshi, who is former media advisor to the Punjab government, said, "Gangster Lakha Sidhana, who is wanted by Delhi Police for his involvement in the Republic Day violence, recently attended a rally in Mehraj village but was not arrested by Punjab Police." Targeting Punjab Police for its failure to arrest Sidhana, Joshi said it "is unfortunate the police are finding technical reasons, trying to justify their inaction to run away from their responsibility." He said despite an open threat from the gangster, the police have not acted so far for reasons best known to them. He said Sidhana openly challenged the police from the rally but the police present at the rally site watched everything as a "mute spectator".

Warning Amarinder Singh not to indulge in such acts, which can cause grave threat to state peace, Joshi questioned why not just Sidhana, but the Congress government is also protecting hardcore gangster Mukhtar Ansari who is currently lodged in a Ropar jail, by not handing over his custody to the Uttar Pradesh Police.

Joshi said even the Uttar Pradesh government has informed the Supreme Court that the Punjab government is "shamelessly protecting" BSP MLA Ansari by not handing over his custody to face trial "in 10 heinous cases of murder, extortion, cheating, and fraud."

Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-26 22:30:02|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) speaks after Friday prayers in Istanbul, Turkey, on Feb. 26, 2021. Erdogan described on Friday the attempted military takeover in Armenia as "unacceptable," noting that Turkey is against all types of coups. (Xinhua)

ISTANBUL, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described on Friday the attempted military takeover in Armenia as "unacceptable," noting that Turkey is against all types of coups.

"We are against all kinds of coups. It is not possible for us to accept coups," Erdogan said after Friday prayers in Istanbul.

"If there will be a change in administration, the Armenian people will do that. It should be left to the will of the Armenian people," he added.

On Thursday, the Armenian military called for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his cabinet.

Pashinyan rejected the military's call, accusing the country's Chief of the General Staff Onik Gasparyan of attempting a military coup.
Gardai have appealed for help from the public as they attempt to piece together the circumstances that left three brothers dead in a violent tragedy in North Cork.

Garda press office superintendent Liam Geraghty told assembled media outside Mitchelstown garda station that information that may seem insignificant to those who had observed anything in the run-up to the deaths in the heart of rural North Cork could be key to investigators.

"Let gardai be the judge of what may or may not be significant," he said, as he asked potential witnesses to contact Mitchelstown and Fermoy stations on 025 84833 and 025 82100 respectively.

While the investigation is in its early stages, gardai do not believe that firearms were involved in how two of the brothers met their death.

The men have not been named officially, but have been named locally as Paddy Hennessy, who was just short of 61, Willie Hennessy, who was 66, and Johnny Hennessy, who was 59.

Initially, a male in his early 60s was discovered deceased in a farmyard at Curraghgorm, Mitchelstown and in a follow-up search, a second male was discovered deceased in a shed. The men are related, gardai confirmed.

Gardai at the scene near Killacluig church, North Cork this morning. Picture: Larry Cummins

A search for a third male, also related, began and a van connected to him was later located at an unconnected farmhouse in Killacluig, which is a few kilometres away in the direction of Mitchelstown. That car was removed from the scene for forensic examination.

In excess of 50 garda personnel were involved in the operation, Superintendent Geraghty confirmed.

At approximately midday, the garda air support unit observed the body of a male in a rural location on the River Funchion nearby.

The water unit has recovered that body which was removed to CUH by the evening, and a number of scenes remain preserved to undergo technical examination, he said.

The bodies of the two males found in the farm remained at the scene until assistant state pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster conducted her examination.

They were removed later in the evening, with a post mortem due to take place on Saturday.

Earlier: Gardai investigating murder of two brothers in north Cork find third body in river

A number of checkpoints were set up in the area and the services of the garda air support units were requested to assist in the search for the van. Picture: Larry Cummins

The Gardai have discovered the body of a third man, believed to be the sibling of two brothers who were brutally murdered in north Cork.

The dead brothers have been named locally as members of the Hennessy family, known locally as the 'Saint' Hennessys.

The bodies of the two elderly brothers had been discovered on a farm near Mitchelstown overnight.

Gardai immediately began searching for the men's brother and issued an appeal for information on a Red Toyota Corolla carvan, 03 WW 1556. It was found this morning parked at an unconnected farmhouse at Killacluig, Mitchelstown.

Gardai have now confirmed that the body of a man has been found in a river in a remote location nearby which they are working to formally identify.

It is believed the two men whose bodies were found at the farm were killed with the same implement, possibly an axe.

The alarm had been raised at about 12.30am when the daughter of one of the men contacted gardai to say that her father had been killed.

Two other brothers associated with the farm were unaccounted for at the time.

Gardai initially treated the incident as a potential hostage barricade suicide (HBS) incident and a major operation was launched.

Gardai have now confirmed that the body of a man has been found in a river in a remote location nearby which they are working to formally identify. Picture: Larry Cummins

Members of the armed support units (ASU) from Cork and Limerick and a garda negotiator were dispatched to the scene, an on-scene-commander was appointed and a cordon was thrown around the isolated property.

The armed garda units were later joined by ASU members from Cahir.

A decision was taken to commit armed members of the gardai to search the property, which contains a number of outbuildings.

They found the body of one of the men in a yard near the farmhouse.

He is in his 60s and lives in Tipperary.

The gardai continued searching outbuildings and they found the body of a second brother in a barn.

He is also in his 60s.

Gardai have now located a red Toyota Corolla van, registration 03-WW-1556 for which they had issued an urgent appeal. Picture: Larry CUmmins

But when it became clear that a third brother was not on the property the HBS incident was stood down and a search operation was launched.

Gardai later issued an appeal to trace a red Toyota Corolla van, registration 03-WW-1556.

A number of checkpoints were set up in the area and the services of the garda air support units were requested to assist in the search for the van.

They asked members of the public who had seen the van not to approach it and to contact gardai.

Just after 10am they confirmed the car had been found.

The farm and the property remain sealed off this morning.

Garda helicopter overhead at the scene where the third body was found after a manhunt in North Cork this morning. Picture: Larry Cummins

The services of the office of the state pathologist have been requested and the bodies are expected to be examined on the scene later this morning.

The bodies will be removed to Cork University Hospital later for a full post-mortem examination which gardai say will determine the course of the investigation.

But all the circumstances point to the launching later today of a double murder enquiry.

Gardai have appealed to anyone with information on the incidents that occurred last night to contact investigating officers at Mitchelstown Garda Station 025 84833, the Garda Confidential Number 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Thunderstorms - a few could contain very heavy rain, especially overnight. Low 69F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Thunderstorms - a few could contain very heavy rain, especially overnight. Low 69F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) speaks during a Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing in Washington, on June 4, 2020. (Al Drago/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

House Appropriations Committee Chief Makes Return of Earmarks Official; Every Congressman Gets 10

House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) confirmed late on Feb. 26 that earmarkswhich she termed Community Project Fundingare again part of the congressional spending scene.

Members want Congress to help their communities, particularly now as the pandemic exposed so many inequalities and needs, DeLauro said in a statement announcing the return. Community Project Funding [CPF] will allow Members to put their deep, first-hand understanding of the needs of their communities to work to help the people we represent.

Earmarks heretofore were obscure spending orders inserted, often anonymously, into major pieces of legislation that frequently benefitted a congressmans family members, favored special interests, or campaign donors.

Former Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), the main opponent of earmarks, described them as the gateway to federal spending addiction because congressional leaders in both parties used them to gain votes for legislation that an individual senator or representative would otherwise oppose.

Due to costly initiatives like the Bridge to Nowhere project in Alaska and the efforts of groups such as Citizens Against Government Waste, earmarks generated so much negative publicity and pressure for reforms during the presidencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush that both houses of Congress adopted rules initially to limit and then finally in 2011 to ban the spending tactic.

But critics contend that earmarks were never really terminated and that Congress just made it harder to identify them in legislation. And members in both parties in recent years have steadily grown bolder in pushing for an official return.

The new ground rules for CPF reflect a recognition of the poor public image of earmarks as seen in DeLauros assertion that our bipartisan reforms will produce a small number of projects with strong community support, a transparent process where no members family can benefit and where projects are audited to ensure money was spent as planned.

It wasnt clear from DeLauros description of the new CPF process how the spending measures will be subject to the auditing that all federal expenditures are at least potentially bound by through the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the inspectors general system.

DeLauro said the new procedures are intended to ensure that all CPF is dedicated to genuine need and not subject to abuse. Among the procedures DeLauro described are the following:

All Requests Online: Members are required to post every CPF request online simultaneously with their submission to the committee. The website must be searchable. The House Appropriations Committee will establish an online one-stop link to all House members project requests.

Early Public Disclosure: To facilitate public scrutiny of CPF, the committee will release a list of projects funded the same day as the subcommittee markup, or 24 hours before full committee consideration if there was no subcommittee markup.

No Financial Interest: Members must certify to the committee that they, their spouse, and their immediate family have no financial interest in the projects they request. This is an expansion beyond the underlying requirements in House Rules in order to cover immediate families of Members.

Ban on For-Profit Recipients: There is a ban on directing CPF to for-profit grantees. Members may request funding for state or local governmental grantees and for eligible non-profits.

Cap on Overall Funding: The committee will limit all CPF in one budget to no more than 1 percent of discretionary spending, a recommendation of the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.

Member Requests Capped: The committee will accept a maximum of 10 CPF requests from each member, though only a handful may actually be funded.

Notably absent from the new process is an explicit ban on CPFs that benefit campaign donors or favored special interests such as environmental activists, oil and gas operators, and defense industry contractors.

The procedures include a requirement that no vote be taken by the committee or one of its subcommittees until a CPF request has been publicly available at least 48 hours. Congress routinely waives similar rules it currently has that are intended to give every member at least three days to read proposed bills before voting on them.

The procedures also make explicit the right of an individual member to lodge a point of order against a new CPF in a bill that wasnt included in it during committee consideration.

DeLauro said additional rules governing the CPF procedure will be announced in the near future. In the coming weeks, the House Appropriations Committee will provide additional information regarding which accounts and programs will be eligible for Community Project Funding requests and the criteria necessary for consideration in those areas. In addition, the committee will provide support to members and their staffs so they can submit strong requests that meet urgent needs in their communities, she said.

Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), the ranking minority member of the appropriations panel, didnt issue a statement Feb. 26, but she has been a strong supporter of earmarks in the past.

Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-28 04:22:22|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the chamber, said Saturday that the House will continue to fight for the 15-dollar federal minimum wage, which is expected to face tough tests in the 50-50 split Senate.

"Late last night, in passing the American Rescue Plan, the Congress took a momentous step forward to ensure that, as President (Joe) Biden promised, Help Is On The Way," Pelosi said in a statement, a few hours after the Democrats-held House approved the 1.9-trillion-U.S.-dollar COVID-19 relief package amid unanimous Republican opposition.

The measure, a major legislation for Biden, cleared the lower chamber of Congress early Saturday morning by a vote of 219 to 212, with lawmakers largely voting along party lines.

In the House debate that lasted for over an hour, Republican lawmakers unanimously opposed the giant relief package, calling it a Democratic wish list, arguing that the plan includes provisions that they see as unrelated to the crisis, and that the high price tag could result in unsustainable debt for future generations.

Pelosi, however, noted in her statement that the relief plan is "coronavirus-centric," as it delivers the "decisive action" that families and small businesses demand and need.

"This package puts vaccines in people's arms, puts money in workers' pockets, puts children safely back in school, puts people back in work," said the Democratic leader. "It does so by honoring our heroes with state and local funding."

Biden's 1.9-trillion-dollar rescue plan contains direct payments of 1,400 dollars per person for working families, which is on top of the 600-dollar check in the 900-billion relief package approved in December. It would also boost federal unemployment benefits to 400 dollars per week and extend the measure through the end of September.

The House-approved bill also includes a provision to raise the federal minimum wage to 15 dollars, which would face tough tests in the 50-50 split Senate, where parliamentarians have ruled that the wage increase violates the budget reconciliation process and cannot be included.

"As we send this legislation to the Senate, the House will continue our Fight for 15, which would give 27 million American workers a raise," Pelosi said, noting that the minimum wage increase is a "financial necessity" for American families, an effective stimulus for the economy and a moral imperative for the country.

"We will seek a solution consistent with the Senate rules, and we will do so as soon as possible," she added. "Updates will be ongoing." Enditem
Progressives in the House warned on Friday that they might withhold their votes for the stimulus package if the wage increase were removed. The debate has fueled an already simmering dispute over whether Democrats should try to abolish Senate rules, chiefly those governing filibusters that mandate a 60-vote threshold to move forward, that the minority party has long used to block major legislative initiatives.

This is not a matter of whether you have the votes  this is a matter of whether you do what you said, said the Rev. William J. Barber II, a co-chairman of the Poor Peoples Campaign, a grass-roots organization that plans to continue lobbying for Ms. Harris to force a vote on the merits of the parliamentarians ruling and for Mr. Manchin, Ms. Sinema and other lawmakers to support taking the procedural steps needed for the minimum wage provision to become law. Dont hide behind a rule. Dont hide behind a backdoor meeting.

Mr. Biden has acknowledged publicly that the wage increase could fall out of the bill, and indicated he would sign the package regardless. His chief of staff, Ron Klain, ruled out the possibility that Ms. Harris would override the guidance of Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian who has said the proposal is out of order under reconciliation. Top Democrats have signaled that they have no plans to oust Ms. MacDonough, who became the first woman to hold the post in 2012, despite liberal calls to do so.

Still, White House economic officials argue that even the increase of the wage to $9.50 this year, as the bill calls for, would bolster incomes and spending for the lowest-paid workers in the economy, helping fuel economic growth.

Democrats have begun drafting alternative plans  including tax penalties for large corporations that pay low hourly wages  that could qualify under Senate rules and achieve similar goals. Top Democrats, including Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, are contemplating the possibility of including an amendment that would penalize corporations that pay workers less than $15 an hour, potentially imposing an escalating tax on the payrolls of large corporations.

Guwahati, Feb 28 : The Election Commission on Saturday kept in abeyance the Assam government's orders transferring 12 IPS and six Assam Police Service (APS) officers, who were transferred and posted elsewhere following an order on Friday.

Assam's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nitin Khade said that with the announcement of the schedule of elections to Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, the provisions of Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect, which includes total ban on the transfers and postings of all officers connected with conduct of elections.

"It has come to the notice of the Commission that the Assam government has on Friday ordered the transfer of 12 IPS and 6 APS officers. The Commission has therefore decided to keep the transfer and posting of these police officers in abeyance till further orders," the CEO said in a statement.

According to the schedule announced by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora in New Delhi on Friday, voting in Assam will be held in three phases on March 27, April 1 and 6.

In all 2,32,44,454 voters are eligible to cast their votes this time while the number of eligible voters were 1,98,66,496 in last time (2016).
With an assist from social media algorithms, theyve tapped into an online community of young people just as inclined to combat period poverty as they are. The organization is now entirely volunteer-led, and anyone can apply through HerDrive.org to host a drive. There is a vetting process before the co-founders choose and guide those who are ready to organize, promote and fundraise. At last count, Her Drive is made up of 347 groups all over the states, and their volunteers have held fundraisers in Las Vegas; Santa Monica and Palo Alto, California; and communities in New York, New Jersey and more.
I dont think there is any other contender, he said. All he needs is for Donald Trump to say  you know, I think its time for me to allow the people who have come up under me, who Ive given the opportunity to, to rise up and take leadership because we need people in the leadership for the next 20 years.
5 things you need to know Monday

News
Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has participated virtually in the First G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting under the Italian Presidency to discuss policy actions for transformative and equitable recovery.

The other issues on the agenda on Friday included global economic outlook, financial sector issues, financial inclusion and sustainable finance.

Sitharaman spoke about India's policy response to the pandemic. She said that India's domestic policies have been based broadly on supporting citizens through measures such as credit guarantees, direct transfers, food guarantees, economic stimulus packages and accelerating structural reform.

She also spoke about India's vaccination programme, which is the world's largest and the most ambitious vaccination drive. She mentioned that India has extended vaccine support to several countries.

During this meeting, G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors also discussed the implications of climate change on global growth and financial stability.

Speaking on the Presidency's proposal to undertake systematic policy dialogue on climate risk and environment taxation, Sitharaman suggested that these conversations should remain within the ambit of Paris Agreement and should be based on the principles of common but differentiated responsibility, respective capability, and the voluntary nature of the commitments.

The Finance Minister also stressed upon the importance of transfer of green technologies and scaling up of climate finance.
ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok and a similar short video platform Douyin, is looking to hire 13,000 new employees this year for its online education unit as the company aims to diversify its revenue streams. The Beijing-based internet technology firm plans to hire 10,000 professionals, including tutors and course designers, in China over the next four months, the company said on its official WeChat account. Besides, the company will also hire more than 3,000 fresh graduates during spring semester as part of its expansion plan across 11 cities, it said.

In October last year, ByteDance announced launch of education technology brand Dali for the Chinese market. Dali, meaning "forceful strength" in Chinese, hosts all the education business of ByteDance and already has 10,000 employees.

Demand for EduTech app has grown significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic in China as widespread of virus and subsequent lockdown forced students to take online classes from home.

Nine-year-old ByteDance forayed into the education sector in 2016 by investing in edtech startups and also developing its own education products.

ByteDance has come under global scrutiny amid concerns about TikTok's data collection practices. The popular short video sharing app Tiktok has already been banned in India. As per report, ByteDance is mulling to sale the India operations of TikTok to rival platform owner Glance, according to Bloomberg News. As per the report, the talks are in early stage and have been initiated by Japanese investment behemoth SoftBank which has shareholdings in Glance's parent company InMobi Pte as well as TikTok's parent, ByteDance.

Also read: ByteDance in talks to sell TikTok India ops to rival Glance
Shes had a lot to celebrate lately, not the least of which was turning 30 years old as a brand new mother.

And Emma Roberts was seen out solo in Los Angeles, California on Friday, on her way to a photoshoot.

The Scream Queens star eschewed her normally eccentric style for a cool and classic look, consisting of a white T-shirt with capped sleeves paired with black jeans.

Cool and classic: Emma Roberts was seen out solo in Los Angeles, California on Friday, on her way to a photoshoot

The fresh-faced and beautiful niece of Julia Roberts had her blonde hair down and parted at the middle.

She added a touch of extra style with black patent leather loafers on her feet, sans socks.

Emma also shouldered a fancy black leather Christian Dior purse.

Smiling with bags: The Scream Queens star eschewed her normally eccentric style for a cool and classic look, consisting of a white T-shirt with capped sleeves paired with black jeans

She was later seen smiling and carrying some additional parcels, perhaps clothing options for her impending shoot.

On her Instagram on Friday, the American Horror Story actress posed in a beautiful image on her feed  perhaps the result of the photo session.

In the visual, Roberts sat outdoors on the grass in front of some greenery, in a pink leather western-style set from Understated Leather.

Fancy shoes and purse: She added a touch of extra style with black patent leather loafers on her feet, sans socks

She tied her hair back into a low ponytail, with sections hanging on either side of her face.

Emma wore subtle eyewear by Etnia Barcelona.

The avid reader and book club enthusiast had a tome lying on the grass in front of her, Outlawed by Anna North.

The shot was styled by Britt Elkin Hines.

On her Instagram on Friday: The American Horror Story actress posed in a beautiful outdoor image on her feed  perhaps the result of the photo session

On her Instagram stories, Emma added a second shot, showing her walking away displaying the back of her pink and white ensemble.

The shirt had the slogan on the back, 'Count your lucky stars'.

And lucky is indeed what Roberts must be feeling these days, after welcoming her baby son Rhodes with her Tron actor boyfriend Garrett Hedlund two days after Christmas last year.

Lucky stars: On her Instagram stories, Emma added a second shot, showing her walking away displaying the back of her pink and white ensemble

And lucky is indeed what Roberts must be feeling these days: She welcomed her baby son Rhodes with her Tron actor boyfriend Garrett Hedlund two days after Christmas last year

And on February 10th, she turned 30 years old.

Also this month, Garrett, 36, visited the Kelly Clarkson Show, where he revealed that their newborn baby has Tim McGraw for a godfather.

McGraw, of course, costarred with Hedlund in the Gwyneth Paltrow-starring film Country Strong in 2010.
He wont even give us a date. He wont commit to anything (until) at least past November, and that puts us two and a half years out since the premier has addressed Brandon and Westman and the Prairie Mountain Health region on its own. Westman is being 100 per cent ignored.

"He wont even give us a date. He wont commit to anything (until) at least past November, and that puts us two and a half years out since the premier has addressed Brandon and Westman and the Prairie Mountain Health region on its own. Westman is being 100 per cent ignored."

 Brandon Chamber of Commerce president Spencer Day

With the daily COVID-19 numbers remaining flat to non-existent in the past few weeks for Prairie Mountain Health  we had zero new cases in PMH yesterday, for example  calls for the province to lighten the restriction load for our region have increased significantly.

While this is an understandable reaction, it remains a dangerous one for our province and our country as we are not out of the woods yet when it comes to the coronaviruss spread.

Nearly a year ago, when the virus first entered this province and we began hearing our public health experts describe the steps members of the public would have to take to "slow the spread of transmission," it was hoped that such measures would prevent a spike in COVID-19 cases and thus prevent our health-care system from being overwhelmed.

Fear gripped the population, as the province counted a daily trickle of new cases. Toilet paper flew off the shelves, the debate over the use of face masks started in earnest, and within a very short time, our citizenry found themselves under a lockdown.

A year on, masks are now a ubiquitous site on the faces of shoppers, business employees and those trying to get a modicum of exercise outdoors in these recent mild temperatures. And much of the fear we once had of COVID-19 has been replaced by growing frustration and anger over the continued restrictions that have kept many of us feeling like hostages in our own homes, and small business owners watching their livelihoods ruined.

For the president of the local Chamber of Commerce to openly demonstrate his vexation with the government, which is no doubt echoed by many local business owners and Chamber members, the situation is dire indeed, and the anger palpable.

Mr. Day told the Sun on Thursday that he wished Dr. Brent Roussin and Premier Brian Pallister had announced fewer restrictions for Prairie Mountain Health given the lower case counts in the region, calling concerns over travel between regions should such uneven restrictions be allowed "an excuse."

He also accused the premier of ignoring the needs of Westman, saying his organization has tried numerous times over the last two years to bring Pallister to Brandon for a state of the province address  but to no avail.

I can sympathize with Chamber president, in that there is a definite feeling Brian Pallister has not been the "Brandon" representative he once promised he would be upon his 2016 provincial election victory. We couldnt even get the premier to take 15 minutes to give The Brandon Sun an exclusive one-on-one year-end interview last December. Keep in mind, we are the last daily newspaper in the province outside the Perimeter Highway.

Couple that with a failure by the Tories to hold a leaders debate in Brandon during the 2019 fall election  one organized by the Brandon Chamber of Commerce and the Sun  and its easy to claim that weve been left out of this governments priorities.

But the reality is, Premier Pallister has taken time to visit Brandon, even during the pandemic; he was here for the opening of the Brandon vaccination super site and toured the Keystone Centre facility, for example, much like he took in the vaccination site opening in Winnipeg in January.

And to my knowledge, the last state of the province address Pallister gave was in Winnipeg in December of 2019, with 2020 essentially a lost year. Considering our current state is one of continued emergency, Im not entirely sure the premier would have much to say beyond what we have been witness to, day-in and day-out, for the past 12 months.

Nevertheless, having refused to allow his minister to step up to the plate and prove their worth by handling the pandemic fight, Premier Pallister has become the political face of his governments COVID-19 battle, and has thus drawn the ire of the Brandon business community, as exemplified through Days comments.

Its quite likely, I think, that if a provincial election were held in March, the premier would not be pleased with the results  whether you believe its misplaced or not, public anger is riding deep in this province.

As such, were left with new quandary. Even as public calls to end the restrictions grow, and vaccinations for seniors, our Indigenous population and frontline health-care workers move forward in fits and starts, Canadian health experts are warning that this country may yet face a third wave of the pandemic, thanks to the COVID-19 variants springing up across all 10 provinces.

Financially, the Sun has been as much affected by these restraints upon our society as any other business in the community  when you hurt, we hurt too. Yet we are forced to agree with Dr. Roussins cautious approach to reopening.

Even with the often fuzzy logic that has characterized Manitobas slow lifting of restrictions, we are better off taking the cautious approach rather than risk having to close up our businesses and shatter our social lives and mental health yet again.

 Matt Goerzen, editor
Nicola Sturgeon could resign as First Minister in a matter of 'weeks' over the toxic Alex Salmond debacle, the Scottish Tory leader has said.

Douglas Ross believes that if Ms Sturgeon is proved to have lied to the Scottish Parliament - a breach of the ministerial code - then she should 'absolutely' resign.

Such a shocking development could leave the SNP without a leader in Scotland ahead of the local elections in May, where the party is still expected to be victorious.

But speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Ross said the long-running scandal over the handling of complaints into Mr Salmond had brought 'sleaze and scandal to the heart of Scottish politics'.

Yesterday, Mr Salmond lashed out at Nicola Sturgeon for flouting the ministerial code and launching 'astonishing' attacks on him during a more than four-hour evidence session with the inquiry into the handling of complaints made against him.

Giving explosive evidence to a Parliamentary probe, the former First Minister criticised Ms Sturgeon for casting doubt on the court process that cleared him over harassment allegations, and suggested she broke conduct rules. She denies the allegations.

Nicola Sturgeon could resign as First Minister in a matter of 'weeks' over the serious allegations she lied to the Scottish Parliament about the inquiry into her predecessor Alex Salmond (pictured), the Scottish Tory leader has said

Douglas Ross believes that if Ms Sturgeon is proved to have lied to the Scottish Parliament - a breach of the ministerial code - then she should 'absolutely' resign

He complained of failures of 'leadership' and an effort to 'tarnish my reputation' as he insisted the rule of law was being put at risk.

Evidence had been 'deliberately suppressed' he said - insisting that there would not have been the same censorship at Westminster.

He also alleged that 'pressure' had been put on the police and witnesses during the criminal case, including by Ms Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell, the SNP chief executive.

The bruising evidence has raised serious questions about Ms Sturgeon's leadership and involvement in the inquiry into Salmond.

She faces a separate inquiry into whether she broke the ministerial code by lying to parliament about when she first heard of the allegations against Mr Salmond in 2018.

Mr Salmond said Ms Sturgeon had been informed of the complaints against him by March 29, 2018 at the latest - rather than four days later (April 2) as she originally claimed.

'We have lost first ministers through resignations here in Scotland for far less than what Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of,' Mr Ross told the publication ahead of Mr Salmond's evidence.

'I think there is a lot to come not just this year but in the next few weeks that would really threaten her as the head of the SNP and as First Minister. And thats before we even get into the election campaign.'

Mr Ross also urged the Cabinet Office to investigate whether Scottish civil servants broke the code of conduct in their handling of complaints against Alex Salmond.

He gave particular mention of Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans, Scotland's top civil servant, who oversaw the inquiry into Mr Salmond that described by a judge as unlawful, 'procedurally unfair' and 'tainted by apparent bias'.

The mishandling of complaints led to Mr Salmond winning a judicial review which award him more than 500,000 for legal expenses.

Her line manager is effectively Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary and head of the UK civil service, meaning he has the power to look into her conduct.

'Leslie Evans has to be answerable for her conduct and the questions that will arise from the Scottish Parliament committee,' Mr Ross told The Telegraph

He added that once the Scottish parliament had concluded it's work, UK civil service chiefs should look into what happened.

Labour interim Scottish leader Jackie Baillie agreed that Alex Salmond's evidence to a Holyrood committee 'poses serious questions for Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government'.

Alex Salmond leaves the Scottish Parliament on February 26 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He gave evidence to a Parliamentary probe into the handling of complaints made against him

Allegations, discussions, denials and a 'forgotten' key meeting between Sturgeon and Salmond November 2017: Allegations regarding Alex Salmond's behaviour are raised with the SNP by Sky News. Nicola Sturgeon said she spoke to him about this  and he 'denied it'. No further action was taken. March 29, 2018: Ms Sturgeon meets Geoff Aberdein - Mr Salmon's chief of staff - in her Scottish parliament office where she has admitted they discussed the possibility of a meeting with Mr Salmond. Ms Sturgeon  after initially forgetting about this meeting  says there was 'the suggestion that the matter might relate to allegations of a sexual nature'. April 2, 2018: Ms Sturgeon and Mr Salmond meet at the First Minister's home. According to Ms Sturgeon, this is the first time she heard of the complaints made against him. Despite this, she has insisted that the matters discussed were party business. September 14, 2018: A judicial review is launched after complaints by Mr Salmond over the fairness with how the claims against him were handled. January 8, 2019: The Scottish government conceded defeat in the judicial review a week before it was due to launch. Mr Salmond wins 500,000 in legal fees. The court ruled the probe into Mr Salmond had been unlawful and tainted by apparent bias. January 2019: Ms Sturgeon tells MSPs that Mr Salmond first told her about a probe into him on April 2. March 23, 2020: Alex Salmond is cleared of all sexual assault charges and his supporters demanded a full inquiry into the Scottish Government's handling of the scandal. October 7, 2020: Ms Sturgeon claims she 'forgot' about March 29, 2018, meeting with Mr Aberdein. January 24, 2021: Speaking on the Andrew Marr show, Ms Sturgeon denies misleading the Scottish Parliament after 'forgetting' to tell MSPs about her meeting with Mr Salmond's aide on March 29, 2018. February 2021: The High Court in Edinburgh rules Mr Salmond's evidence claiming his former chief of staff met with Ms Sturgeon on March 28, 2018, to discuss sexual assault allegations against the former first minister can be released. Advertisement

Responding to the evidence provided yesterday, Ms Baillie said: 'The former First Minister's testimony to the committee, including his assertion that the First Minister broke the Ministerial Code, poses serious questions for Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government.

'Mr Salmond's allegation that the name of a complainant was made known to his former chief of staff prior to a meeting between him and the First Minister is nothing short of explosive.

'Not only would the act of making the name of a complainant known be a grave failure to protect the person in question, the First Minister's response to this allegation yesterday may have misled Parliament and so broken the Ministerial Code.

'Mr Salmond's claim that the leak of documents to the Daily Record was "politically inspired" is incredibly serious and demands investigation by the Police.

'The claim that during the civil and criminal cases the Crown Office was not made aware of vital documents that have since been passed to the committee by the Scottish Government beggars belief.'

Ms Sturgeon has previously insisted there is 'not a shred of evidence' that there was a conspiracy against Mr Salmond and she has denied lying to Parliament.

She is scheduled to appear before the committee to give evidence next Wednesday.

Ms Baillie added: 'It is clear that Mr Salmond believes the First Minister has failed to follow the Ministerial Code on multiple occasions and that the Permanent Secretary has failed to follow the Civil Service code.

'The First Minister and the Lord Advocate have big questions to answer when they come before the Committee next week.

'I will be encouraging my colleagues on the committee to use our powers to serve a Section 23 notice on Mr Salmond's solicitors so that we may receive vital documents that have so far been withheld from us.

'Mr Salmond was correct when he said that this investigation was not about him, it is about the women who were so catastrophically failed, and this committee is determined to discover who is responsible for this failure however inconvenient that truth may be.'

But a spokesman for the First Minister said yesterday: 'The people of Scotland have shown, in poll after poll and election after election, that they back the leadership of the SNP and of Nicola Sturgeon.

'Today was Alex Salmond's chance to provide proof of the conspiracy which has been alleged - and he did not do so.

'Instead, under oath, he explicitly conceded there was no such evidence against the First Minister, and also gave testimony which directly undermined some of the central planks of the conspiracy theories.

'The First Minister now looks forward to addressing all of the issues Mr Salmond raised - and much more besides - when she finally gets the opportunity to address the committee next week.'

Mr Salmond also suggested the battle has left Scotland unfit to assume independence because it lacked leadership.

In a pointed swipe at Ms Sturgeon, he said: 'Few would dispute that our country is a better place for achieving our parliament.

'However, the move to independence, which I have sought all my political life, and continue to seek, must be accompanied by institutions whose leadership is strong and robust and capable of protecting each and every citizen from arbitrary authority.'

As the temperature rose again today, there were complaints that SNP members of the committee might be dragging out the session in a bid to prevent it getting to key elements.

Alex Salmond is giving evidence to a Holyrood inquiry today amid claims Nicola Sturgeon (pictured yesterday) will have to quit if the former first minister can prove his claims that he was the victim of a conspiracy

Ms Sturgeon has complained that Mr Salmond is spreading a 'dangerous conspiracy theory' by suggesting he was being censored to protect her.

The First Minister said her former political mentor now preferred 'creating an alternative reality' in which the 'organs of the state... were all part of some wild conspiracy' against him.

She also denied having any influence over the Crown Office's decision to request that his statement be redacted as her government faces growing accusations of corruption.

The huge row is threatening to derail Ms Sturgeon's push for another independence referendum with just two months until crucial Holyrood elections - and there are claims she will have to resign if Mr Salmond's accusations are backed up.

In his evidence, Mr Salmond was asked about text messages between senior SNP figures including Mr Murrell.

He said: 'What they speak to is behaviour which I would never have countenanced from people I have known in some cases for 30 years.

'In my opinion there has been behaviour which is about not just pressuring the police and pressurising witnesses, collusion with witnesses. We're talking about the construction of evidence because the police somehow were felt to be inadequate in finding it themselves.

'The point about this is that on the 25 of August I think it was 2018 a police investigation started, when a police investigation starts these matters are for the police. They have the investigatory function.

'They don't need assistance from Inspector Murrell... Whether people are in the Scottish government or the SNP they have no investigative function. It's a matter for the police.

Mr Salmond is giving evidence in the Robert Burns Room in person this afternoon rather than over video link

'Not only shouldn't they be doing anything other than supporting the police in their activities but they certainly shouldn't be seeking to pressurise.'

On the claims about when Ms Sturgeon knew about the allegations he faced, Mr Salmond said: 'My position is that the meeting on the 2nd April was arranged on the 29th of March. I know this because Geoff Aberdeen phoned me on the 28th March the day before the meeting to say it was going to take place. And he phoned me the day after the meeting to tell me that the meeting had been arranged for the 2nd April

'Self-evidently the only person who can invite you to their home is the First Minister.

'I heard Mr Murrell saying several times that I was regularly popping in. I just point out that I stay 200 miles away from Glasgow.

What are the key issues in the row engulfing SNP? How and why did the Scottish government mishandle allegations against Alex Salmond? The Scottish government launched an investigation in 2017 after two women made formal complaints against Alex Salmond. He launched legal action against the government's handling of the investigation and won a judicial review in January 2019, receiving 512,000 to cover his legal fees. The parliamentary inquiry is examining how ministers and civil servants conducted the probe. Mr Salmond was charged with 13 counts of sexual assault, including attempted rape, but was acquitted of all charges in March 2020. Mr Salmond has claimed he was the victim of a conspiracy by senior SNP figures to end his role in public life. What did Nicola Sturgeon know and when? Ms Sturgeon originally told MSPs she learned of complaints against Mr Salmond on April 2, 2018, when the pair met at her house. That meeting is crucial as it is unclear whether it was SNP business, or government business - which should have been officially recorded. Peter Murrell, the chief executive of the SNP and Ms Sturgeon's husband, initially said he was not at home, but later revealed that he arrived home during the discussion. He insists he did not ask what they were talking about. Ms Sturgeon has also admitted she 'forgot' about a discussion with Mr Salmond's ex-chief of staff four days earlier where they talked about the issue. The ministerial code says that 'ministers who knowingly mislead the parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the First Minister'. Ms Sturgeon is facing a separate independent investigation led by James Hamilton, who has to decide if she broke the ministerial code. However, it is thought that she is the final arbiter of whether the code has been breached. Does Mr Salmond have evidence of a conspiracy against him? Mr Salmond has said he is the victim of a 'prolonged, malicious' conspiracy by senior SNP and government figures. He has suggested Mr Murrell was part of efforts to damage him. Ms Sturgeon has demanded he presents hard evidence that is the case. However, he insisted today that he is not in the dock and the government has already conceded it acted illegally. Why was Mr Salmond's evidence to the inquiry redacted? Mr Salmond's submission to the inquiry was released online on Monday, but the Crown Office raised concerns with Holyrood about it, asking for redactions. He has raised questions about why the step was taken and whether it amounted to inappropriate interference. Advertisement

'As far as I can remember I've been to Nicola and Peter's home six times in my life. Maybe slightly more but it's not a question of just popping in.'

Mr Salmond said the four day difference might not sound significant, but if Ms Sturgeon knew about the allegations on March 29 she could not credibly argue that the April 2 meeting had been for SNP business rather than government business.

Under the ministerial code she should have corrected the record much earlier, he suggested, and there should have been an official record.

He said he had no indication that Ms Sturgeon had been part of a conspiracy to damage him.

Labour's Jackie Baillie asked Mr Salmond to confirm the timeline of events and about Mr Murrell's previous comments that the April 2 meeting was a 'Government matter'.

'Clearly before the April 2, when you were going to visit the First Minister in her home, you knew that there were complaints against you and you knew the name of one of the complainants,' she said.

'You had already established with other colleagues that you weren't resigning from the SNP.

'So when Peter Murrell said it was a government matter, and Nicola Sturgeon said it was a party matter, it would appear that Peter Murrell was right on this occasion?'

Mr Salmond replied: 'It was a government matter, it was about the complaints against me.'

Mr Salmond said earlier: 'I have no incentive or advantage in revisiting the hurt and shock of the last three years from a personal perspective.

'Or, indeed, from the perspective of two complainants, failed by the government.'

The former first minister added: 'For two years and six months, this has been a nightmare.

'I have every desire to move on, to turn the page, to resist talking yet again about a series of events which have been amongst the most wounding that any person can face.

'But the reason I am here today is because we can't turn that page, nor move on, until the decision-making which is undermining the system of government in Scotland is addressed.'

Mr Salmond claimed his ability to give evidence had been 'severely hampered' by the Crown Office.

The former first minister pointed to two orders which restricted what could be said in front of the Holyrood committee.

He said: 'The application of these provisions and threat of prosecution made to me if I offered that evidence is, in my estimation, both extraordinary and unwarranted.'

Mr Salmond insisted: 'This inquiry is not about me, I have already established the illegality of the actions of the Scottish Government in the Court of Session, and I have been acquitted of all criminal charges by a jury in the highest court in the land.

'These are both the highest courts in the land, the highest criminal court and the highest civil court.

'The remit of this inquiry is about the actions of others, whose investigation into the conduct of ministers, the Permanent Secretary, civil servants and special advisers.

'It also requires to shine a light on the activities of the Crown Office.'

He went on to claim that the committee in its inquiry had been 'systematically deprived of the evidence it has legitimately sought'.

Mr Salmond said 'some consequences' should follow on from 'unlawful conduct'.

'I think the leadership of these institutions have serious questions to answer,' he told the inquiry.

'When you get to the stage that a government behaves unlawfully  I mean, this is not something that happens very often.

'I'm on the record politically, when governments have behaved unlawfully, of regarding matters a huge and heinous thing to have happened. It's not a slight matter.

'Some consequences should follow from unlawful conduct.'

Mr Salmond refused to engage with efforts by committee members to probe his behaviour while First Minister - insisting the courts had settled the matter by clearing him.

Maureen Watt, an SNP MSP, said: 'We've heard evidence on one of the matters which eventually resulted in a complaint against you was resolved by you apologising to the woman in question.

'Was it typical for issues like this to be resolved by apology?'

Before: Mr Salmond's testimony made claims against Ms Sturgeon and her office which have now been redacted

After: The Scottish Parliament redacted the most damning parts of Mr Salmond's bombshell evidence against Ms Sturgeon

Mr Salmond said: 'I have had three years, Ms Watt, of two court cases, two judges, one jury.

'As far as these matters are concerned, I will leave it to the courts and the jury, and I'm not going to be drawn in further than that.

'The vast majority of issues were dealt with by informal procedures.'

Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton asked Mr Salmond: 'I want to ask, laying aside the charges of which you have been acquitted, and the allegations that you deny, of the behaviours that you have admitted to, some of which are appalling, are you sorry?'

Mr Salmond replied: 'In my statement I pointed out the Government's illegality has had huge consequences for a number of people, and specifically mentioned the complainants in my opening statement.

'Over the last three years, there have been two court cases, two judges and a jury, and I'm resting on the proceedings of these cases.'

Mr Salmond questioned the Scottish Government's decision to apply new anti-harassment procedures  drawn up in the wake of the MeToo movement  to former ministers.

Independent MSP Andy Wightman asked if Mr Salmond had challenged this aspect because 'you felt it was not competent ever to investigate complaints of historical sexual harassment as a matter of principle, or because you felt the allegations against you shouldn't be investigated?'

The former SNP leader told him that 'if nothing else had been wrong with policy, and as we both know there were many, many things wrong with policy, it may well have fallen on the question of retrospectivity'.

He insisted people to whom policies could be applied retrospectively would 'normally be consulted or give their approval in some way' about such a move.

Mr Salmond said: 'There was a letter, which emerged quite recently, which was meant to be sent to former first ministers, myself included presumably, but I know it wasn't sent to former first ministers.'

He claimed this letter asked former first ministers to consult ministers in their administrations about the change, saying this struck him 'as a quite extraordinary thing to be happening'.

He said he was 'not consulted' about making the new policy retrospective.

Mr Salmond was asked if, prior to November 2017, Ms Sturgeon had raised questions or concerns with him about what she would describe as sexually inappropriate behaviour.

'I have got points to make about what I believe the current First Minister has done or not done, and they will be made in response to relevant questions, relevant to the committee,' he told the inquiry.

'But I've seen it pursued on the committee that somehow Nicola Sturgeon was covering up something, that is not the case.'
A group of 300 medical workers treating novel coronavirus patients started receiving the first batch of vaccines developed by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. in South Korea on Saturday, one day after the country kicked off a free vaccination campaign. Yonhap



Three hundred medical workers treating COVID-19 patients here received the first batch of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine Saturday, one day after the country began its free nationwide vaccination campaign.



Doctors, nurses and other health professionals treating patients in the greater Seoul area were administered with their first shots of Pfizer's two-dose vaccine regimen at a state-run vaccination facility in central Seoul.



Health care workers and patients aged under 65 at long-term care facilities began receiving the first shots of the two-dose vaccine regimen developed by British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University, Friday.



A total of 55,000 medical workers at hospitals treating COVID-19 patients will receive the Pfizer shots, which were delivered to Korea as part of the World Health Organization's global vaccine COVAX Facility project.




IFC Midnight

Theres no culture or faith that horror cinema has left untouched, and that goes for Judaism as well, be it with 1915s The Golem, 2009s The Unborn or 2015s Demon. The Vigil is another work in that tradition, mining Jewish customs for a disquieting tale about unholy things that scream, claw, and corrupt in the dead of night. Writer/director Keith Thomas feature debut cannily filters its suspense through the prism of personaland inheritedJewish trauma, and given that it concerns a lonely, tormented man going mad while trapped inside a house, it also has a quarantine creepiness that amplifies its potency.

Now available on VOD (following its debut at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival), The Vigil focuses on Yakov Ronen (Dave Davis), a young New Yorker whom we first meet at an evening get-together with fellow Jews who are striving to acclimate to everyday mainstream life now that theyve fled their Hasidic communities of Borough Park, Brooklyn (a la the men and women depicted in Heidi Ewing and Rachel Gradys 2017 documentary One of Us, as well as in last years Netflix hit Unorthodox). One look at Yakov in the bathroom mirror, swallowing a pill and mustering the courage to join the group, is enough to convey his unstable state, which we soon learn is partly due to his bumpy transition into secular society. Having failed to get a job because he didnt have a resume (which he then tried to write on loose-leaf paper), and still amazed at the fact that his smartphone has a flashlight, hes a figurative babe in the woods, struggling to learnand acceptthe myriad aspects of this strange new world.

Cherry Sees Spider-Man Rob Banks, Shoot Up Heroin, and Fully Commit to a Very Messy Movie

Yakov is committed to his new path but hasnt fully extricated himself from his ultra-orthodox ties, as evidenced by the fact that after this meeting (and his clumsy handling of a womans date proposal), hes met on the street by old friend Reb Shulem (Menashes Menashe Lustig), a rabbi who wants him to sit vigil as a Shomer (i.e. watchman) for a recently deceased man named Ruben Litvak. As is Jewish practice, the Shomer must provide comfort to the dead by spending the night with them, reciting Psalms as a way to comfort their souls and protect them from evil spirits. Having just broken with his religious family and friends, Yakov has no interest in this job. Yet with no means of paying his rent, Shulems cash offerwhich Yakov gets him to increaseis too good to pass up, and he begrudgingly accepts the task, figuring itll be merely a five-hour inconvenience.

Story continues

That other Shomers have already bailed on this gig (apparently out of fear) is the initial tip-off, to us and to Yakov, that something is amiss here, and The Vigil doesnt waste time getting down to supernatural business. After meeting the spooky Mrs. Litvak (Lynn Cohen), and learning that her husband was a Holocaust survivor and recluse who never left his house and was estranged from his children and grandchildren, Yakov settles down for the night. Almost immediately, things take a turn for the worse, beginning with movement from beneath the sheet covering Mr. Litvak in the clans dimly-lit living room. Yakov takes a nap in an armchair beside the corpse and has a dream about a harrowing prior incident in which he and his young brother were assaulted by anti-Semites. When he wakes, he has a bizarre message on his phone: a video clip of himself, slumbering in the chair, shot by Mrs. Litvak, whos seen caressing his hair and cheek.

More unnatural events soon follow, including the appearance of another dead body lying in the kitchen, an unhelpful conversation with his therapist (Fred Melamed), and a drinking glass whose water suddenly turns dark and icky, causing Yakov to gag and choke on whatever it was hed just consumed. Shortly thereafter, answers come to light courtesy of Mrs. Litvak, who reveals that she deliberately alienated her brood in order to protect them, as well as via an old home movie that Yakov finds playing in the residences basement. In it, Mr. Litvak states that hes plagued by a Mazzik, an ancient parasitic demon that followed him home from the Buchenwald concentration camp and appears with its head turned completely around. Thomas has already provided glimpses of this WWII incident in an oblique prologue sequence, and he now has Mr. Litvak explain that the only way to prevent the Mazzik from gaining control of ones soul is to burn its true face on the first night it appearssomething Mr. Litvak apparently failed to do, resulting in his continuing damnation.

Even after disclosing the nature of its insanity, The Vigil remains a consistently unsettling endeavor, thanks to patient camerawork that glides along Mr. Litvaks in-repose body and through the houses hallways like a specter stalking its prey, and portentous compositions that ask viewers to inspect them for signs of paranormal activity. Matching those sharp visuals is a soundscape that segues on a dime between malevolent din and ominous silence, the latter of which is routinely employed to nerve-wracking effect. Even when the action itself is somewhat familiar, Thomas enveloping aesthetics are chilling, and in the accomplished Davis, the film boasts a sturdy dramatic center of attention.

Most inviting of all, however, is the writer/directors depiction of his highly particular milieu, and the rules and rituals that govern it. Specificity is key to both the materials scares and its empathy, which mounts as the film divulges more about Yakovs anguish and guilt, and the way it makes him vulnerable to the forces intent on consuming him. The Vigil is a story about Jewish suffering, whether today or during the Holocaust, and how it feeds on its hosts, isolating, warping, and debilitating them. Moreover, its about the futility of trying to simply shun, or run away from, that distress. With efficient and unnerving skill, it melds traditional genre conventions with uniquely Jewish elements (for example, the tefillin, which Yakov dons toward the end of his ordeal) to paint a somberand tentatively hopefulportrait of the need to directly confront the past in order to overcome and escape it.

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.
LOS ANGELES  Federal officials are expressing worry that the decline in national daily coronavirus cases is starting to flatten as one of the variants, from the U.K., is increasing throughout the nation.

They warned against states relaxing COVID-19 restrictions, saying the nation remains at a precarious point that could tip into a fourth surge before more people get vaccinated.

We are at that very precarious position that we were right before the fall surge  where anything that could perturb that could give us another surge, Fauci told reporters at a briefing Friday. We dont want to be people always looking at the dark side of things, but you want to be realistic. So we have to carefully look at what happens over the next week or so with those numbers before you start making the understandable need to relax on certain restrictions.

We couldnt say it in stronger terms: We think it is a mistake to take our foot off the gas too early, especially when we are accelerating our vaccination efforts right now, said Andy Slavitt, senior adviser to the White House COVID-19 Response Team.

Since early January, daily cases of the coronavirus and COVID-19 hospitalizations have been dropping, but the latest data suggests that these declines may be stalling, potentially leveling off at still a very high number, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said. We at CDC consider this a very concerning shift in the trajectory.

The troubling numbers came on the same day that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it will rapidly work toward issuing an emergency use authorization for a third vaccine for COVID-19, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson.

The nation is now reporting an average of about 66,350 new daily coronavirus a day over the past week, Walensky said Friday. Thats higher than the comparable figure, 64,000 new cases a day, released Wednesday.

The number of average daily COVID-19 related deaths  about 2,000 a day  is slightly higher than it was a few days ago.

We are watching these concerning data very closely to see where they will go over the next few days. But its important to remember where we are in the pandemic: Things are tenuous. Now is not the time to relax restrictions, Walensky said. Cases, hospital admissions and deaths all remain very high, and the recent shift in the pandemic must be taken extremely seriously.

The recent increase in cases comes as federal officials have voiced alarm about the continued rise in variants nationwide. The increase in cases may be a result of the widening transmission of a variant first identified in Britain, B.1.1.7, that is believed to be 50% more transmissible than the conventional strain of the virus, Walensky said.

The U.K. variant now represents an estimated 10% of coronavirus cases nationwide, Walensky said, up from between 1% to 4% a few weeks ago. Walensky also expressed concern about emerging variants in New York, B.1.526, and the California variant, B.1.427/B.1.429, that also appear to spread more easily and are contributing to a large fraction of current infections in those areas, adding urgency to the situation.

The virus is not done with us. We cannot get comfortable or give into a false sense of security that the worst of the pandemic is behind us. Not now, not when mass vaccination is so very close, Walensky said. I know people are tired. They want to get back to life to normal, but were not there yet. Give us time. We need to get more vaccines into our communities and to get more people vaccinated.

Walensky and other federal officials have repeatedly warned state and local governments against relaxing COVID-19 restrictions too quickly. Walensky has previously said it was too soon for states like Iowa and Montana to lift statewide mask-wearing orders. New York City began to permit indoor restaurant dining at 25% of capacity Feb. 12, and Massachusetts on Monday will lift its capacity limits on restaurants and allow indoor concert halls and theaters to reopen at 50% capacity, with no more than 500 people inside.

Given the trends that weve seen in just the last couple of days, I would say we cant be in a place where were lifting restrictions right now, Walensky said.

In California, five counties  San Mateo and Marin counties in the Bay Area; Yolo County west of Sacramento; and Shasta and Humboldt counties farther north  were allowed by state officials to reopen indoor restaurant dining and indoor gyms to limited capacity this week. Seven counties may be eligible to do so next week: Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, El Dorado, Napa, Lassen and Modoc.

One of the variants that concerns scientists the most is the strain first identified in South Africa, B.1.351, in which the the effect of vaccination is significantly diminished but not obliterated. Fauci said that the pharmaceutical company Moderna this week began a clinical trial to test a booster shot specifically designed to be effective against the South African variant.

Another way to deal with other versions, such as the New York and California variants, Fauci said, might be to simply give a second booster shot of the existing vaccines, which would generate an even more robust immune response that it would help deal with the problems created by the variants.

Fauci said the rise of the variants is all the more reason to get vaccinated with the currently available shots as quickly as possible when youre eligible. Even among the more concerning variants, the vaccines still offer decent protection.

Get vaccinated. The vaccine thats available to you, get that vaccine. It is important to get as many people vaccinated as quickly and as expeditiously as possible, Fauci said.

Officials in Los Angeles County have started to detect a slowing in the decline of daily coronavirus cases, said Dr. Paul Simon, chief science officer for the Department of Public Health.

On a weekly basis, L.A. County was averaging about 1,871 coronavirus cases a day over the last seven-day period, a 16% drop from the comparable figure a week earlier, which was 2,236 cases a day. That was a smaller decline than the previous week-over-week drop, in which average daily cases fell by 35%, according to a Times analysis.

A rate of 1,500 to 2,000 new coronavirus cases a day still indicates a pretty significant level of ongoing community spread of the virus, Simon said.

L.A. County on Monday will open up vaccinations to education and childcare workers; food and agricultural workers; and law enforcement and other emergency services workers who hadnt been eligible earlier. Together, those groups comprise more than 1 million adults in L.A. County.

The county is expecting 269,000 doses of vaccines to be distributed across vaccination sites in L.A. County next week, up from 211,000 doses that were distributed this week. Of the 269,000 doses, 103,000 will be set aside for first doses.

Therefore it will take considerable time to vaccinate these groups, unless vaccine supply significantly increases, Simon said. We urge the publics patience as we work through this process as swiftly as possible.

People seeking vaccines in these sectors will need to supply proof that they live or work in L.A. County and proof that they work in an eligible sector and some kind of photo ID  it does not need to be government issued, officials said.

L.A. County officials disclosed a new map Friday showcasing the disparities in vaccination rates by city and community among seniors aged 65 and over. Seniors living in South L.A., southeast L.A. County and the Antelope Valley had among the lowest vaccination rates for seniors, while the wealthiest areas had the highest inoculation rates.

For instance, Simon said, more than 70% of seniors in Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach and Calabasas had received at least one dose of vaccine as of Feb. 20, while less than 35% of seniors in Compton, Cudahy, Lancaster and Palmdale had been vaccinated.

We are implementing a number of measures to increase access to vaccination services among seniors and others in underserved communities, Simon said.

California has now administered 8.2 million doses of vaccines, Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a press briefing in Fresno on Friday, with the state averaging about 1.4 million doses a week. Soon, the goal will be to administer 2.7 million doses a week, and eventually, 4 million doses a week.

This week, California received 1.46 million doses; next week, 1.58 million doses are expected, and the week after that, 1.63 million doses, Newsom said. The governor offered an optimistic outlook for the coming weeks, considering how dire the situation in California was two months ago, when the state was ordering thousands of body bags. He also thanked California for adhering to rules to wear masks, practice physical distancing and cance social gatherings, which have saved many lives.

Newsom on Friday sought to place more attention on state efforts to increase vaccinations in the Central Valley, including sending an additional 34,000 doses to inoculate food and agricultural workers. Low-income workers in the Central Valley have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic.

Every day, we are doing better  a little bit better  on the issue of equity, and recognize we have a long way to go, so much more work to do to truly be held to account to a higher level of performance, particularly for our Latino community and our African American community, Newsom said.
ADVERTISEMENT

A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, says he will contest for the chairmanship of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) if the position is zoned to the North-east.

Mr Sheriff said this on Saturday in Damaturu, Yobe State.

Mr Sheriff, who joined the PDP from the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2014 after he fell out with his political godson, Governor Kashim Shettima, became the acting chairman of the PDP before decamping to the APC in April 2018.

He told journalists that he would contest for the position unless the zoning formula adopted by the party disqualifies him.

He said if the position is retained in his zone in the North-east, he will run for the office.

Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni is the current chairman of the caretaker committee of the party. The committee is tasked with organising a national convention where new leaders of the party would be elected later this year.

The leadership of the party has not been zoned to any particular zone of the country for now. People have expressed their interests across the country, Mr Sheriff said.

But the real thing is that whether I will run for the office or not will be determined by what the caretaker committee takes as a decision on where the leadership of the party will go. Whether it will go to another place or it will remain in our zone.

ALSO READ: Group seeks end to imposi tion of candidates in Lagos APC

If it goes to another zone, I will not contest. But if it stays in our zone, I will contest, Mr Sheriff declared.

Mr Sheriff, who accompanied Governor Buni to his village for the local government election held in the state on Saturday, said he was impressed by the huge turnout for the election.

He attributed the turnout to the improvement of security in the state and the leadership qualities of Governor Buni.

The crowd that you see here is a clear sign that peace has returned to our states, Borno and Yobe. Look at the people that turned out at Buni Gari for the local government election. This cannot happen in the past because of the activities of Boko Haram. I am highly impressed by the turnout, Mr Sheriff said.

Beyond security, the governor is also leading by example. The people love and trust what he is doing for them, he said.
Dozens of migrants packed onto four small boats were today detained at Dover by Border Force as people smugglers took advantage of calm conditions across the Channel.

Some 87 migrants attempted the crossing on Saturday as Britain basked in glorious 59F (15C) temperatures in another weekend of early Spring weather.

The migrants were brought to the Port of Dover by Border Force, with images showing at least three children among them.

Dozens of migrants packed onto three boats were today detained at Dover by Border Force as people smugglers took advantage of calm conditions across the Channel. Pictured: Dover today

It is understood up to 70 migrants attempted the crossing on Saturday as Britain basked in glorious 59F (15C) temperatures in another weekend of early Spring weather

The migrants were brought to the Port of Dover by Border Force, with images showing at least three children among them

The Home Office has said all adults who arrived in Dover were tested for Covid-19, and one person tested positive.

The department could not confirm the nationalities or ages of those involved.

French authorities also prevented two attempted crossings involving a further 51 people on Saturday.

It is believed those attempting the treacherous crossing are taking advantage of the mild weather this weekend to reach England, but conditions are expected to deteriorate at sea tomorrow.

Images from the Port of Dover today show Border Force officials in full PPE leading migrants to shore after they made the illegal crossing early this morning.

The latest arrivals mean 159 migrants have so-far been detained by Border Force this week, after another 33 people illegally crossed the Channel on Friday.

Some 49 were picked up on Monday and 77 on Wednesday, taking the total for February to 221. It is expected this month will surpass January's total of 223 arrivals.

Pictured: Migrants including two children arrive at Dover today after being picked up by Border Force in the Channel

Images from the Port of Dover today show Border Force officials in full PPE leading migrants to shore after they made the illegal crossing early this morning

Border Force officers wearing PPE escort a group of people thought to be migrants as they are brought in to Dover, Kent

The latest arrivals mean 159 migrants have so-far been detained by Border Force this week, after another 33 people illegally crossed the Channel on Friday

Some 49 were picked up on Monday and 77 on Wednesday, taking the total for February to 221. It is expected this month will surpass January's total of 223 arrivals. Pictured: Dover today

The French Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea has warned of strong tidal coefficients from Sunday to Tuesday all along the French coast.

This means the tidal range and difference in water height between high and low tide will be much larger than normal, resulting in huge crashing waves and strong currents.

A strong tide is considered to be a coefficient of 95 upwards, but Monday is expected to peak at 106.

The Maritime Prefecture added the greater mixing of water can 'make sea currents stronger and the sea more dangerous' and advises caution if entering the sea.

However, it is believed this could lead to a desperate dash of migrant crossings before the bad conditions hit.

The Home Office said: 'People should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and not risk their lives making these dangerous crossings.

'We are continuing to pursue the criminals behind these illegal crossings.

'Police patrols on French beaches and enhanced intelligence sharing between our security and law enforcement agencies has helped to prevent crossings.

'The Government is also returning illegal migrants who have no right to stay in the UK to safe countries.

'In January, new rules were introduced which make asylum claims inadmissible where people have travelled through safe countries to get to the UK through illegal routes.'
These days, weve come so accustomed with delays and pushed-back deadlines that the surprise is in hearing one company is actually able to stick to the timeline announced before the international health crisis. Toyota is one such example and, this week, it officially broke ground for Woven City.An official groundbreaking ceremony took place at the Higashi-Fuji site in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and it saw the whos who of the project come out, including Toyota President Akio Toyoda. Big words were said, as the occasion demands, but the takeaway here is that Toyota is fully committed to building this city of the future.Woven will live up to the name. Its designed as a testbed, a live-in laboratory for current and future Toyota technology, with a focus on the human element and an optimized quality of life. The number of initial residents will be small, of just 360, mostly senior citizens or families, and will expand to 2,000 in the final stages, including Toyota employees.The idea is to use Woven to try out all the stuff Toyota is working on, from AI to AVs, to create a new form of urban environment and a new type of community. One highlight is the idea of segregating traffic by areas: one for electric autonomous personal vehicles, one for pedestrians, one for people with personal mobility vehicles, and an underground area for cargo hauling. We discussed this in more detail in a coverstory on Woven City , after the CES presentation.The Woven City project officially starts today, President Toyoda says in a statement. Taking action as one has decided is never an easy task. I must express my deepest gratitude to all who have provided their whole-hearted support and cooperation to the project through today. The unwavering themes of the Woven City are human-centered, a living laboratory and ever-evolving. Together with the support of our project partners, we will take on the challenge of creating a future where people of diverse backgrounds are able to live happily.The phrase the future starts now feels like a good fit here.

The McCarthys home in Creggane. The window in the attic room where Gen. Lucas was held is visible at the gable end

This is the extraordinary story concerning the capture of General Cuthbert Lucas by the IRA and how a young student from Lackendarra, Glantane was instrumental in saving the town of Fermoy from total destruction by British forces afterwards.

Gen. Lucas was the most senior army officer ever captured by the IRA and the British Secretary of State, Winston Churchill, was aghast at such a daring capture and annoyed that such a senior army officer could expose himself to such danger. Before the centenary of the War of Independence expires it is opportune to relate the story of how events unfurled that famous day.

On Saturday 26/6/1920 Liam Lynch became aware that General Lucas, along with two other officers, Colonels Danford and Tyrrell, from Fermoy Army Barracks, were seen fishing on the Blackwater at Kilbarry near Fermoy and made plans to capture them. An IRA raiding party surprised the fishing group at the fishing hut on their return in the evening and took them prisoners without difficulty.

They had two cars on standby to escort the prisoners to a safe hideaway. The mission went well, initially, but Lucas and Danford attacked their escorts, Lynch and Clancy, in the rear car, and in the ensuing fight, Lucas surrendered but Danford made a dash for freedom; however, he was shot in the shoulder and recaptured.

The first car turned back and Tyrrell was allowed stay with Danford to get help and the rest headed to the Lombardstown Company area where Lucas was imprisoned. Liam Lynch knew the area well as he used safe houses there extensively as Brigade HQ during the war.

Gen. Lucas was held prisoner that night in the home of the O'Connell family in Lackendarra, near Glantane, where John and Michael were staunch IRA activists and another brother, Liam, gave his life to the cause in Dublin the following October. General Lucas arrived as a prisoner at about 3am on the 27th with Liam Lynch himself as chief custodian and the escort also included local man Ned Murphy along with Gerry Buckley and Gerry O'Hanlon.

Lucas was imprisoned in one of the bedrooms and Liam Lynch stayed on while Michael McCarthy, from nearby Creggane, along with the O'Connells were on guard duty.

Another brother to the O'Connells, Patrick, who was a student in St. Coleman's College in Fermoy, arrived home later that evening, on holidays, and when he entered the kitchen his mother asked if there was any news from Fermoy. He told her that all hell was about to break loose in the town as the British Army garrison threatened to bomb and burn down the town unless their general was released.

The man sitting by the fireside, Liam Lynch, who was reading a book, jumped up on hearing this and questioned Patrick about the veracity of his comments. Satisfied, he got notepaper and a pen and went to Gen. Lucas who obliged by writing a note to state he was still in command and under no circumstances was Fermoy to be touched. He also gave instructions on where and to whom the note should be delivered and now the question was how to get it there.

John O'Connell volunteered to cycle there but Lynch did not want that as it could lead to disclosure of where Lucas was held. Michael McCarthy was then given the job and set out on a 25 mile cycle to Fermoy.

When he arrived at the designated premises in the small hours of the morning the owner refused to open the door. He could not deliver it to the army barracks as he could be detained and used as a hostage, so he decided to roust up the local priest who knew the barracks and promised to deliver the note.

Some looting and damage had already taken place but the town was saved almost certain destruction by a throwaway comment by young Patrick O'Connell.

The above account was recorded by John O'Connell himself.

Gen. Lucas was transferred to the McCarthy home in Creggane, Lombardstown the following night for a short time before being moved out of the area to Clare and Limerick. A month later he escaped near Herbertstown in East Limerick and found his way to Pallasgrean RIC Barracks where he was looked after.

He was being escorted back to Fermoy when the convoy was ambushed by an IRA party but after an intense battle the convoy got through.

It was suspected he was deliberately allowed escape as his captivity was using up too much resources and drawing intense searches. His grand daughter has also indicated such an outcome.

When the British press descended in droves to hear his story and expecting to receive a lurid account of his torture and mistreatment at the hands of savages he made one telling statement when he declared the now immortal words: "I was treated as a gentleman by gentlemen". There was a lot of truth in that statement as his captors had a grudging admiration for Lucas and he, likewise, for his captors.

His personal letters indicate his participation in some farm tasks, fishing, salmon poaching at night, card playing, being chased by a bull and he was supplied with whiskey almost on demand. He recalled the chase by the bull while out exercising in Caherconlish regularly as an amusing anecdote describing how a British army general and a high ranking officer in the IRA were put on the run by a farm animal.

His grand daughter wrote: 'My grandfather, Brig. General Cuthbert Henry Tindall Lucas, was captured by the IRA in 1920 and held for over a month. He was treated exceptionally well and eventually 'allowed' to escape. It is one of the few 'good' stories to come from a very dark period during the Irish War of Independence'. A fitting tribute to his IRA captors and guards and also to his own honesty and integrity. He was especially thankful to the women who looked after him in the various houses where he was held captive.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Friday took part in a European Union summit to discuss security and defense priorities for the alliance.

Stoltenberg joined European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel at EU headquarters in Brussels where they addressed other EU leaders by videoconference.

Ahead of the meeting, at a news briefing with Michel, Stoltenberg said NATO troops are working with civilian efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to set up military field hospitals, transporting patients and medical equipment, among other efforts. He said their main focus is to ensure a health crisis does not become a security crisis.

But Stoltenberg said, the main role of the alliance is to act as a link between North America and Europe, and he welcomed the strong message from U.S. President Joe Biden regarding his commitment to rebuilding alliances with Europe.

Michel agreed saying he is "totally convinced" the Biden administration offers a unique opportunity to strengthen the partnership between NATO and the EU.


Reading is my passion. I cant imagine not having access to books, yet this is exactly what happened to Jewish readers in France during World War II. During the Nazi Occupation, Jewish people were stripped of their rights. They could no longer work in many professions. They did not have the right to enter parks or libraries.

They were in tremendous danger: a quarter of Frances Jewish population was killed. Yet librarians at the time reached out to Jewish readers to ensure they remained part of the community. My novel, The Paris Library, tells the true tale of the international team of librarians who defied the Nazis in order to hand-deliver books to Jewish readers.

American Library in Paris director Dorothy Reeder in her office in 1937. Credit:Courtesy of Janet Skeslien Charles

I first learnt about the story when I worked at the American Library in Paris (ALP). I wanted to write about the courage of the Parisian librarians during the war. I read letters from staff who worked during the Occupation and interviewed those who lived through it. At the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, I devoured memoirs by women, from foreign journalists, to a Parisienne madam who claimed that her Nazi clientele behaved correctly, to a gutsy wife who followed her husband to the army base where he was drafted.

When you research World War II, every detail feels important. The letters, news clippings and journal entries are so fascinating that you wish you could include every single person, every single moment in your book. Today, Im thrilled to be able to share some behind-the-scenes photos and stories of the staff who kept the Library open during World War II.
A special court here has ordered



the to confiscate the seized properties of Seashore Group of Companies.

"The amount generated through public auction of the confiscated properties should be equitably distributed among all the investors, who have been duped by the company", the court dealing with cases related to Odisha Protection of Interest of Depositors (Financial Establishments) Act, said on Thursday.

The attached properties include land plots measuring nearly 222 acres, gold ornaments weighing 1.386 kg, silver ornaments of about 200 kg, four luxury cars, and cash Rs 1.88 crore.

The court in December 2013 had attached these properties of the Seashore Company and its CMD Prashant Kumar Dash with the additional district magistrate, who was appointed as the competent authority.

The Economic Offence Wing of State crime branch police way back in December 2013 had registered seven cases under the Act against Prashant Dash and 44 others after receiving several complaints from investors of the company.

The financial establishment had defaulted in returning the deposits and duped the investors to the tune of Rs 500 crore.

The cases, however, were handed over to the CBI in July 2014 on the order of the Supreme Court.

The CBI had arrested Dash from Mumbai in December the same year. But subsequently, Dash got bail from the Orissa High Court in all the seven cases and he was released from jail in July 2017 after the charge sheets were submitted against him in all the cases.

(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 US intelligence report has implicated Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the murder of exiled journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.



The declassified report released by the Biden administration says the prince approved a plan to either capture or kill the US-based Saudi exile.



It is the first time America has publicly named the crown prince, who denies ordering the death.

Khashoggi was murdered while visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

He had been known for his criticism of the Saudi authorities.



US President Joe Biden is expected to take a firmer line than his predecessor Donald Trump on human rights and the rule of law in Saudi Arabia, a key American ally in the Middle East.



In a phone call on Thursday with the crown prince's father, King Salman, the president "affirmed the importance the United States places on universal human rights and the rule of law", the White House said.

According to sources quoted by Reuters news agency, the Biden administration is considering the cancellation of arms deals with Saudi Arabia that pose human rights concerns as well as the limiting of future military sales to "defensive" weapons.



Saudi authorities blamed his death on a "rogue operation" by a team of agents sent to return him to the kingdom, and a Saudi court tried and sentenced five individuals to 20 years in prison last September, after initially sentencing them to death.



In 2019, UN special rapporteur Agnes Callamard accused the Saudi state of the "deliberate, premeditated execution" of Khashoggi and dismissed the Saudi trial as an "antithesis of justice".

How was Khashoggi killed?



The 59-year-old journalist went to the consulate in October 2018 in order to obtain papers allowing him to marry his Turkish fiancee.



He had allegedly received assurances from the crown prince's brother, Prince Khalid bin Salman, who was ambassador to the US at the time, that it would be safe to visit the consulate. Prince Khalid has denied any communication with the journalist.



According to Saudi prosecutors, Khashoggi was forcibly restrained after a struggle and injected with a large amount of a drug, resulting in an overdose that led to his death. His body was then dismembered and handed over to a local "collaborator" outside the consulate, prosecutors said. The remains were never found.



Details were revealed in transcripts of purported audio recordings of the killing obtained by Turkish intelligence.

Khashoggi had once been an adviser to the Saudi government and close to the royal family but he fell out of favour and went into self-imposed exile in the US in 2017.



From there, he wrote a monthly column in the Washington Post in which he criticised the policies of Prince Mohammed.



What happened to Jamal Khashoggi?

On 2 October 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a US-based journalist and critic of Saudi Arabia's government, walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where he was murdered.



In the months that followed, conflicting narratives emerged over how he died, what happened to his remains, and who was responsible.



Saudi officials said the journalist was killed in a "rogue operation" by a team of agents sent to persuade him to return to the kingdom, while Turkish officials said the agents acted on orders from the highest levels of the Saudi government.



Who was Jamal Khashoggi?

As a prominent Saudi journalist, he covered major stories, including the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the rise of the late al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, for various Saudi news organisations.



For decades, the 59-year-old was close to the Saudi royal family and also served as an adviser to the government.

But he fell out of favour and went into self-imposed exile in the US in 2017. From there, he wrote a monthly column in the Washington Post in which he criticised the policies of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of King Salman and Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler.



In his first column for the Post in September 2017, Khashoggi said he had feared being arrested in an apparent crackdown on dissent overseen by the prince.







Source: Graphiconline.com









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

Featured Video
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Market Reports on Saudi Arabia Provides the Trending Market Research Report on United Arab Emirates Chocolate Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2021-2026) under Food & Beverage category. The United Arab Emirates Chocolate Market is projected to exhibit highest growth rate over report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, and competitive intelligence and industry reports.

The United Arab Emirates Chocolate Market was valued at USD 425.8 million in 2020 and is projected to grow at CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period (2021-2026).

- Due to the popularity of confectionery snack types and relatively high unit prices, chocolates are likely to become more of a premium snack option than an everyday snack option. However, premium brands have an affluent consumer base and are well placed to maintain or increase their retail value shares, which is supporting market growth.

- The rise in consumption for countline chocolates in the country has stimulated market growth. The United Arab Emirates is emerging as one of the potential markets for chocolates, due to the increase in international chocolate companies and domestic players, and the changing snacking preferences of customers.

Request a free sample copy of United Arab Emirates Chocolate Market Report @ http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com/marketreports/sample/reports/2354569

- Additionally, the consumers in the United Arab Emirates are preferring to gift premium boxed chocolates, which are available in varied shapes and sizes and in attractive packaging, over traditional sweets. This is further elevating the influx of premium chocolate global brands, such as Godiva, in the country.

- The UAE chocolate market was severely affected by the low sales volume due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including supply-side issues linked to quality and certification. The public sector is providing support to the strengthening partnership relationships between fine cocoa producers and premium chocolate companies to enhance the resilience of marketing infrastructure. This is expected to provide an important means of assistance to the recovery of this sub-sector.

- However, as the supply chain of raw materials required for the production of chocolates is improving, the market is expected to flourish during the forecast period with no further negative impact of the COVID-19, with online channels remaining the fastest-growing distribution channel.

Key Market Trends

Rising Expenditure on Sugar Confectionery Products In The Country

The UAE market witnessed a consistent rise in the consumption of sugar confectionery over the past few years, and the industry is predominantly driven by the consumption of chocolate products in the country. Due to international companies setting up factories in the country, to the emergence of local small-scale organizations, there is an awareness of an expanding market and demand for standard and luxury chocolate, that serves the gifting purpose as well as for personal/individual consumption. The premium packaging of chocolates opened new avenues for products under the luxury gifting categories. Chocolate producers are focusing on manufacturing new chocolate flavours that cater to changing consumer demands. For instance: In 2019, Nestle has launched a limited edition green tea matcha KitKat in selected GCC markets including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The product is combined with white chocolate to provide a sweet and fragrant flavour without artificial colour, flavours or preservatives. Such product launches are not just supporting the consumers demand for premium chocolates but are also meeting the on-going trend of organic/chocolates with no artificial food ingredients.

Box Assortments Fastest Growing Product Category

Gift giving is customary in the United Arab Emirates and regarded highly in business dealings, as well in festivals and family gatherings. Many occasions have incorporated chocolate as part of the festivities. These include the Holy month of Ramadan, Eid, weddings, births, and social gatherings. Thus, the association of box assortment chocolates with countrys gifting culture, followed by consumers indulgence in sugar confectionery products, is one of the major factors driving the segment in the country. Key players in the market have been observed to introduce unique products in the market to meet this seasonal demand. It plays an essential role in the growth of the segment and is anticipated to aid in the market's growth over the forecast period. For instance, Forrey & Galland introduced a premium range of Ramadan gift boxes, whose design was inspired by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Notably, box assortment chocolate category is projected to witness growth rate greater than 8% during the forecast period.

Competitive Landscape

The UAE chocolate market is fragmented and comprises numerous regional and international competitors. Mars Inc. is the market leader in this market study, capturing more than one-third share of the market. With a huge global presence and wide distribution networks, key players, such as Mars Incorporated, Mondelez International, Ferrero Group, Lindt & Sprungli AG, and Nestle, hold prominent shares in the UAE chocolate market. Major players, in order to retain their position within the market or gain an advantage over their competitors, have set their focus upon R&D.? Furthermore, the market for artisanal chocolate is expected to grow, particularly in some regions. Thus, new and evolving domestic companies are trying to increase their production and the overall sales by extensively marketing these products in newer markets.

Browse our full report with Table of Contents: http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com/marketreports/united-arab-emirates-chocolate-market-growth-trends-and-forecasts-2021-2026-/2354569

About Us

Market Reports on Saudi Arabia provides you with an in-depth industry reports focusing on various economic, political and operational risk environment, complemented by detailed sector analysis. We have an exhaustive coverage on variety of industries  ranging from energy and chemicals to transportation, communications, constructions and mining to Food and Beverage and education. Our collection includes over 3000 up-to-date reports all researched, analysed and published by top-notch international research firms.

Contact us at:

Market Reports On Saudi Arabia

Tel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773

Email: info@marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com

Website: http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com

Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken encouraged the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to support the resolution on Sri Lanka stating that the lack of accountability for past atrocities in Sri Lanka  Daily Mirror Sri Lanka

by Raj Gonsalkorale

The US Secretary of State seems to give an indication as to what the real agenda behind his and his countrys support for this resolution. He speaks of lack of accountability for past atrocities. This statement implies that atrocities were committed if there is to be accountability for them. This leads to the question, who committed such alleged atrocities? There were two players in the battle against the LTTE. The Sri Lankan Armed Forces and the LTTE. One or both may have committed atrocities. The Sri Lankan government exists to respond to any allegations on atrocities. The LTTE does not exist although the atrocities they committed were many and well documented.

It would have been useful if Mr Blinken amplified how this resolution will address the accountability issue as far as the LTTE is concerned as there is no one from the LTTE who could or would respond to lack of accountability on their part.

LTTE atrocities have been documented, and video footage shown on many world stages. While many very ordinary Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese were killed by them, they also killed two Heads of State, several cabinet ministers and leading politicians in Sri Lanka, and of course Tamil politicians as well.

Is Mr Blinken saying that since there is no one from the LTTE today who would acknowledge their atrocities or could be held responsible, the UNHRC should concern itself only with the Sri Lankan government and pursue action against them? Mr Blinken should know that Sri Lankans would not stand for this and if the US or any other ally of it thinks they could subjugate the country by stealth and overlook the vile deeds of a ruthless terrorist organisation, they could think twice about it.

Prior to looking for answers to the rhetorical question what is the real agenda?, it may be worthwhile to pose a counter rhetorical question and look for answers to that. This question is about the geographic location of Sri Lanka. If the country was not where it is now and thousands of kilo meters away and lost to the world in some corner of an ocean, without China having any interest in the country, would the UNHRC or the Core Group or the US have had any interest in Sri Lanka?

Would these concerned core group countries or the country and its allies suspected openly by many as the driving force behind these resolutions, shown any interest in human rights in Sri Lanka?

Readers are left to ponder and find an answer to this question.

It is reported and believed by some to an extent that the Tamil Eelam lobby groups in the US and in the countries who have allied with the US in targeting Sri Lanka, that these countries are raising this issue at the UNHRC and other forums because of the pressure exerted by these lobby groups. The following extract of a communication sent to the writer by a leading Tamil activist who wished to remain unnamed at this stage, stated what might be the reality in regard to the power and influence of these lobby groups.

This source stated there was much disgust amongst many Tamils, both within and outside Sri Lanka and wishing that the writer would highlight this in an article. The message is quoted in full, quote the Tamil Eelam lobby have the misguided idea that they are a powerful lobby group. If not for China showing an interest in the country, and making the US and India angry, they would have gone down like a lead balloon. They would have then worked with the Sri Lanka government to address issues faced by Tamil people in a spirit of cooperation with all others in Sri Lanka. This lobby has been holding a candle for the most horrible terrorist organisation in the world and never once condemning their atrocities. So many Tamil people were killed by them, not only Sinhala and Muslim people.

They are funding the setting up of a separate state in Sri Lanka and providing funds to Tamils in Sri Lanka to keep separatism alive and preventing the Tamil people and Sinhala and Muslim people in the country to find solutions to outstanding issues. If the Tamil people in Sri Lanka are to find their real enemy, it is this Eelam lobby and their supporters in Sri Lanka, who are their real enemies and preventing reconciliation amongst the people in the country. Please let Sinhala people know that a majority of Tamils want to live in peace with them unquote.

So much for these lobby groups who obviously are profiting by preventing the Tamil people living in Sri Lanka working together with all other communities to address any lingering issues that have and are affecting them. Their agents in Sri Lanka seem to be carrying out the dictates of these well-funded lobby groups. Money does talk. One is reminded on an age old saying that a beggar never wishes his or her wounds to heal for fear of not being able to beg and earn money. Keeping the Tamil Eelam issue alive seems to fall into this category of activism as these lobby groups would have to wind up and give up their privileged life style if the issue is addressed and resolved by the people of Sri Lanka and their funding sources dry up.

Leaving aside these lobby group, Sri Lanka is indeed in a vortex, with its proximity to India, its close links to China and the machinations of the US twirling it.

The conundrum that makes the vortex that Sri Lanka is in even more complex and destabilising, is India, just 20 kilo meters away, and the US, with the threat to their strategic interests by the super power in waiting, China, an ardent enemy of both.

Sri Lankans may be poor and they are not perfect like the rest of the world. Its possible that some human rights issues may have occurred in the heat of the final battle against the LTTE. However, Sri Lankans are not fools. They can see through this mirage of human rights violations advanced continuously by the US and its allies. Sri Lankans know that they have weaknesses and they know these have to be addressed by themselves and not by others whose own record on human rights is appalling to say the least.

It would have been interesting if a resolution was moved to investigate human rights violations in the US based on the revelations documented in the latest Human Rights Watch report. Unfortunately, no country would do that as its allies, in self-preservation, will not do it.

Tamara Kunanayakam, a well-respected Sri Lankan diplomat and former Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva and who has an in depth knowledge of the inner workings of the UN system in the back of her hand states that quote the countries in the Non Aligned Movement and in the Global South have a principled position against targeting a country, or naming and shaming, which is a weapon in the arsenal of the US and its allies, when they want to achieve their strategic objectives elsewhere. She says further that to fulfil the Charter responsibility to promote and encourage respect for human rights in all countries, the UNHRC has a mechanism called the universal periodic review (UPR) where all countries are duty bound to submit a report on promotion and protection of human rights in their own countries and where questions can be raised by others and a list of recommendations made by all parties. The State under review then has the opportunity to select the recommendations that it can implement and makes a voluntary commitment to do so. It is a cooperative not confrontational mechanism within which all states are treated equally, in conformity with the inalienable Charter principle of sovereign equality. It is in the interest of the NAM/Global South that that principle is respected. It is the US and its allies that sees it as THE major obstacle to its global hegemony. The UN Charter based on multilateral order is founded on the principle of sovereign equality of States, big or small, rich or poor, powerful or weak. It is the guarantor of our sovereignty. It is that order that the US wants to dismantle as an obstacle to its own ambition to a world order under its hegemony.

Sri Lankans of all hues. Tamils, Muslims, Sinhalese and others should echo Ms Kunanayakam s assertion that it is our responsibility to strengthen the United Nations not weaken it, and actively join with the Non Aligned Movement and the Global South to prevent it from being instrumentalised by the US and its allies. It is common sense that India cannot be trusted to side with Sri Lanka on this issue. If the government thinks they could be trusted, and if they do support Sri Lanka, it would be very important for all Sri Lankans to know the price that would have had to be paid to elicit Indias support.

No doubt it would be hefty price. It would be far better tactically and strategically for Sri Lanka to follow the path so well-articulated by Tamara Kunanayakam.

The US and India should know that the action of the Core Group and their supporters will only draw Sri Lanka even closer to China, and if they thought they were Sri Lankas friends who were only concerned in helping the country, Sri Lanka may well ask why it needs enemies when they have friends like the US and its allies.

The disturbing development that might be in the offing is that the Sri Lankan Government is ready to compromise with the US-UK led sponsors and accept a consensus resolution. As Ms Kunanayakam clearly explains, the compromise will be Sri Lankas sovereignty, because the resolution will be based on the Bachelet Report and resolution 30/1, both of which were rejected by the same Government, as threatening Sri Lankas sovereignty and national security. The report is based on the R2P (Right to Protect populations) doctrine that allows armed intervention, rejected by the General Assembly in 2009, as incompatible with the UN Charter and international law. If Sri Lanka goes ahead with negotiations for a compromise, they will be playing a two faced Jekyll and Hyde act and endangering alliances like NAM and Global South. Countries in these alliances will not trust Sri Lanka thereafter and we will be dictated to by a US led alliance.

A consensus resolution, once arrived at, will be a compromise agreed with the very countries who are out to break Sri Lankas alliances with the NAM and Global South, and it will be a precedent-setting resolution legitimising R2P. The implications for Sri Lanka will be worse than in 2015, because, unlike 2015, it will be argued there was a national consensus with no internal opposition to the resolution from a moribund Opposition, plus the 2/3 majority.

Since the US agenda is to bring SL within the ambit of QUAD (a group of countries comprising Japan, India, Australia and the United States) and away from China as well as friendly nations in NAM and the Global South, it is likely that a consensus resolution will be followed by imposition of the outstanding US defence agreements - SOFA and MCC by another name, completing the US defence triptych with ACSA.

Sri Lankans have short memories and they seem to have forgotten what consensus resolutions result in. In 1987, not even 3 months after Sri Lanka agreed to a consensus resolution in Geneva, ndian Air Force planes and fighter jets violated the countrys airspace with food drops to the Jaffna peninsula, and 2 months afterwards the Indo-Lanka accord was imposed on us, along with the 13th Amendment. Similarly, ACSA and the Disappearance Act allowing for extradition of Sri Lankan citizens for trial in foreign courts were imposed post 2015 consensus, along with intervention in key ministries and PMs office, etc. MCC was not signed because of resistance from several quarters although the Cabinet at the time approved its signing.

As Ms Kunanayakam says Sri Lanka has to work with countries in the NAM and Global South who are in the UNHRC, in order to defeat this latest resolution and ensure that the UNHRC complies in Ms Kunanayakam s words, with the principle of a cooperative, and not confrontational mechanism within which all states are treated equally, in conformity with the inalienable Charter principle of sovereign equality. In order to defeat the resolution, and for Sri Lanka not to compromise its sovereignty, it has to ask a friendly Member of the Council to call for a vote when the resolution is tabled. Compromising with countries hostile to Sri Lanka will be like walking into a den of hungry Wolves.

Once tabled, the passage of this resolution will be a precedent to subjugate other nations who do not have the strength or the wealth to stand against duplicitous nations like the US and its allies whose own human rights violations record is worse than that of countries they support actively without any regard to violations in those countries. This resolution therefore has to be defeated by those countries in the NAM and the Global South who are vulnerable to the machinations of these mighty powers, if not to support Sri Lanka, but at least for their own sake.

Sri Lanka and other countries in the NAM and Global South need the assistance of all countries including China, to improve the lot of their people. They need investments without strings, and not handouts. These countries should extend their hand of friendship with true concern for improving life in these countries, and not extend a hand with a hidden instrument that will injure the hand extended in return.




Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

24 Hour Access
The UP Police, through the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment Board (UPPRB), has released UP Police Recruitment notification inviting online applications from eligible and interested individuals filling Nine Thousand Five Thirty-Four (9,534) vacancies to the post of Sub-Inspectors (Male/Female), Platoon Commanders/Sub-Inspector Armed Police (Male) and Fire Service Second Officers (Male) in UP Police through direct recruitment to be posted across Uttar Pradesh in India on a fulltime basis. The online registration-cum-application process towards the same starts on April 01, 2021 and closes on April 30, 2021 as mentioned in the UPPRB Recruitment 2021 notification.

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Sub-Inspectors (Male/Female), Platoon Commanders/Sub-Inspector Armed Police (Male) and Fire Service Second Officers (Male) posts in UP Police Organisation UP Police Educational Qualification Bachelor's Degree or equivalent Experience Freshers can apply Job Responsibilities null Skills Required Physical and Medical Fitness Job Location Across Uttar Pradesh Salary Scale Rs. 9,300 to Rs. 34,800 per month Industry Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment Board (UPPRB) Application Start Date April 1, 2021 Application End Date April 30, 2021

UP Police Recruitment 2021: Age Criteria And Fees

Candidates interested in applying for UP Police Jobs 2021 through UP Police Recruitment 2021 must have completed 21 years of age and not have exceeded 28 years, with relaxation (upper age limit) for reserved categories as per the UP Police norms as mentioned in the UP Police Notification 2021.

Candidates must remit a prescribed amount of Rs. 400 as application fee (Gen/UR/OBC) for UP Police Jobs 2021 under UP Police Recruitment 2021 through online mode or any other mode as applicable. However, SC/ST/Female candidates are exempted from paying the application fee as specified in the official UP Police Notification 2021 given at the end of the article.

Also Read: NABCONS Recruitment 2021 Notification For Project Consultants Posts, Register Online Before March 5

UP Police Recruitment 2021: UP Police Vacancy 2021 Details

Post Name No. Of Vacancies Sub Inspector 9,027 Platoon Commander PAC/Sub-Inspector Armed Police 484 Fire Service Second Officer 23 Total 9,534

UP Police Recruitment 2021: Education And Eligibility

Desirous candidates applying for UP Police Jobs 2021 through UP Police Recruitment 2021 must possess a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent from a recognised University/Institution, and meet the physical and medical standards set by the UP Police norms as detailed in the UPPRB Recruitment 2021 Notification.

UP Police Recruitment 2021: Selection And Pay

The selection of candidates for UP Police Jobs 2021 through UP Police Recruitment 2021 will be done through a Written Test, Physical Standard Test (PST) and Physical Efficiency Test (PET) as notified in the UPPRB Recruitment 2021 Notification.

Candidates selected for UP Police Jobs 2021 through UP Police Recruitment 2021 will be paid emolument in the pay scale of Rs. 9,300 to Rs. 34,800 per month.

Also Read: SECL Recruitment 2021 For 329 Assistant Foreman And Clerk Gr-III Jobs, Apply Offline Before March 24

UP Police Recruitment 2021: How To Apply

Candidates applying for UP Police Jobs 2021 through UP Police Recruitment 2021 must register online on the official UP Police/UPPRB website from April 1, 2021 onwards and submit their applications on or before April 30, 2021.

Download UP Police Recruitment 2021 PDF Notification for Sub-Inspectors (Male/Female), Platoon Commanders/Sub-Inspector Armed Police (Male) and Fire Service Second Officers (Male) posts
Rochester has faced nationwide scrutiny after the upstate city saw two high-profile incidents in the past year that horrified the nation and put a spotlight on its policing practices. And now the new progressive state lawmakers representing Rochester are spearheading an effort to reform policing in the state.

So many criminal justice pieces of legislation  whether they're reforms or what have you  have come out of the downstate delegation members for years, said freshman state Sen. Jeremy Cooney, whose district includes part of Rochester. Part of that is obviously reflected in the fact that most of upstate was represented by Senate Republicans for so many years. But that's changing.

Daniel Prude died last March after police officers placed a spit hood  a mesh hood used by officers to keep people from biting or spitting on them  on him and pressed his face into the pavement. Video of his death sparked major protests and renewed debate over how law enforcement treats people dealing with mental health crises. A grand jury recently declined to indict the officers involved. Rochesters police department also drew national attention when officers handcuffed and pepper sprayed a 9-year-old girl in January.

State legislators representing the city are now sponsoring several bills in part inspired by police reform advocates. Two bills would ban the use of spit hoods and spraying chemical irritants on minors in direct response to the incidents in Rochester. But the other pieces of legislation would make larger-scale changes.

Daniels Law  which is sponsored by state Sen. Samra Brouk and Assembly Member Harry Bronson, who both represent part of Rochester  aims to move mental health response away from police departments. Named after Prude and developed with local police reform and mental health activists, the bill would establish response units made up of mental health professionals to respond to people facing mental health or substance abuse-related crises instead of armed officers. State Attorney General Letitia James recently came out in support of the bill in her response to the grand jurys decision not to bring charges against any police officers regarding Prudes death.

We are moving from a law enforcement model to a crisis support model, Brouk said.

Brouk and Rochester Assembly Member Sarah Clark also also introduced a bill to address a major ask from Mayor Lovely Warren: allowing the city to require newly recruited police officers to live within city boundaries. Only 43 out of 701 of the citys officers live within the city limits, according to data from the Rochester Police Department, amounting to just 6% of its police force. The disconnect between the police officers and the citizens I think is heightened by virtue of the fact that they come in each day from areas far beyond the city, and theyre coming in like warriors to this forsaken land, Rochester City Council President Loretta Scott said. And the attitude is different when theyre living here as guardians.

Cooney told City & State he would be introducing a similar bill, except that it would open up the ability to impose residency requirements to other major cities of a certain size, including Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, Syracuse and Albany.

Cooney is also the only upstate lawmaker who has officially co-sponsored legislation that would end qualified immunity, a legal doctrine shielding public employees from being sued while doing their job, which has been used to protect police officers accused of using excessive force from civil lawsuits. But there seems to be interest from other Rochester legislators. Brouk told City & State her team was looking into the issue. Meanwhile, Clark said she was potentially interested in serving as an Assembly sponsor for one of the two bills aimed at ending qualified immunity proposed so far in the state Senate, but was in the process of trying to understand the difference between them.

Warren and Scott both expressed support for the legislation Rochesters state delegation has put forward, including efforts to end qualified immunity.

But Warren has asked for the state Legislature to take on another proposal. I hope that our legislators will go further and amend state law so we can fire police officers who commit heinous acts for cause, as well as, allow us to throw out the existing contract with our police union and start from scratch, Justin Roj, a spokesman for the mayor, said in a statement. These additional reforms would truly allow us to create the change we seek not just in Rochester, but throughout our state.

Legislators seemed hesitant to touch the issue of police contracts, however. Am I open to it? Yes, said Cooney, who previously served as Warrens chief of staff. But I am also a proponent of organized labor. And so I want to make sure that we're not opening the door to then take away collective bargaining rights for other workers across New York.

Mikey Johnson, an organizer for Save Rochester, said he was broadly supportive of measures such as police residency requirements and Daniels Law, many of which have been proposed by grassroots activists. But he expressed frustration at the way politicians put forward the proposals without supporting other issues affecting Black New Yorkers in Rochester.

Police reform is a very important issue impacting the Black and brown community. But we realize there are a plethora of other concerns that these politicians are ignoring simultaneously. So it seems like police reform has become a sort of red herring in addressing the systemic issues that continue to keep Black folks in poverty.
THE Social Democrats are aiming to win as many as 18 Dail seats in the next general election, the partys national conference has heard.

In a speech to hundreds of delegates on Saturday evening, SocDem co-leader Roisin Shortall set out an ambitious target to build on the six Dail seats the party won in last years general election.

Ms Shortall said that the party was targeting 18 seats next time around, referring to the partys growth in local and national elections in recent years. It has 18 local authority seats and six Dail seats.

Two years ago, we trebled our number of councillors. Last year we trebled our number of TDs, and that is our ambition  to again treble our numbers in the next election, she said.

On Friday, delegates also overwhelmingly backed a motion to pursue options for growing the Social Democrats in Northern Ireland.

In her joint keynote speech with fellow co-leader Catherine Murphy, Ms Shortall was also critical of the Governments response to Covid-19. She urged ministers to take several concrete steps to avoid a fourth lockdown, including setting a target daily case number to be reached in the coming months.

Set a target case number of say 10, a low target to which we can work together to drive down the daily figures. We got them down to single digits last July - with political leadership we could do that again, she said.

She also called for greater resourcing of public health doctors; the introduction of full mandatory hotel quarantine; a government direction to employers to facilitate homeworking; greater financial support for low-paid workers; and a requirement that supermarkets and other retailers limit numbers and strictly adhere to public health advice.

She also called for the establishment of a north-south task force to agree an all-island strategy for dealing with the virus.

In her speech to delegates, Ms Murphy called for a change in the remit of the Land Development Agency to build public housing on public lands.

She also said there should be a referendum on housing as soon as possible this year to allow the State to cap the cost of building land in line with the 1973 Kenny report, which recommended controlling land costs for the common good.

Ms Murphy also called for the establishment of citizens' assembly to examine the role of religion in areas like health, education and in public life.

Civic society must exist separately. For that reason, a modern democracy has to include separating Church and State, she said.

Earlier in the day conference delegates voted to adopt policies including a universal basic income, a referendum on the right to housing and supporting the introduction of a third income tax rate.
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

One of the early gay activist talking points was that 1 in 10 people were gay, even though the activists knew this was not true. Thats why it was significant when, in 2011, demographer Gary Gates, himself gay, released a review of population-based surveys on the topic, estimating that 3.5% of adults in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, with bisexuals making up a slight majority of that figure.

Other surveys came to similar conclusions, and even as recently as 2017, a Gallup poll put the total percentage of Americans who identify as LGBT at 4.5%. The newest Gallup poll, however, puts that number at 5.6%.

More strikingly, the poll indicates that 1 out of every 6 generation Z adults (meaning over 16% of those aged 18-23) identifies as LGBT. How can this be?

Additionally, More than half of LGBT adults (54.6%) identify as bisexual. About a quarter (24.5%) say they are gay, with 11.7% identifying as lesbian and 11.3% as transgender. An additional 3.3% volunteer another non-heterosexual preference or term to describe their sexual orientation, such as queer or same-gender-loving. . . .

Rebasing these percentages to represent their share of the U.S. adult population finds 3.1% of Americans identifying as bisexual, 1.4% as gay, 0.7% as lesbian and 0.6% as transgender.

So, looking at this evidence, it would appear that, outside of 18-23 year-olds, there is no major change in the overall population that identifies as LGBT. Why, then, such a dramatic shift among these young adults?

There are two likely explanations.

One is that, in the past, a large percentage of those who felt that they were LGBT hid their identities. Now, they feel freer to be out and proud.

The second possibility is that they are being influenced by the society around them, and so they perceive themselves to be gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgender at a much higher rate. This would suggest that LGBT identity is not simply inborn and innate. It can simply be a matter of perception.

Which explanation is correct?

It is certainly possible that more young people are feeling free to self-identify as LGBT. But it is hard to explain why there is such a dramatic spike in a private, anonymous poll.

Not only so, but in different communities in America and around the world where there has been tremendous acceptance of LGBT identity, the percentages of those who have identified as such over the years has remained fairly steady.

Thats why this explanation, namely, that society is more open, does not seem adequate in explaining the significant jump in LGBT identification among 18 to 23-year-olds.

Instead, this spike should be seen as the result of the constant, pro-LGBT bombardment of children, beginning with the school system literally brainwashing children from their earliest days regarding LGBT identity. Put another way, do you really think that kids who were exposed to drag queens when they were toddlers might not be more inclined to wonder if they themselves might want to be drag queens too?

As for the impact of gay-themed propaganda on America, classically articulated by two gay sociologists in After the Ball(published in 1990), already in 2002, Gallup found that Americans estimated that 21% of men were gay and that 22% of women were lesbian. By 2011, U.S. adults, on average, estimate that 25% of Americans are gay or lesbian.

Among those 18-29, the estimate was put at 29.9%, meaning, that this age group thought that almost 1 in 3 Americans were gay or lesbian. And where, pray tell, did they get such an idea?

Perhaps the disproportionate representation of (and celebration of) LGBT characters on TV and Hollywood and comic books, not to mention the talking points in childrens schools, contributed to this misperception?

About four years ago, at a Christian apologetics conference, I surveyed a group of highly motivated high-school students, asking them what percentage of Americans they thought were gay or lesbian. On average, they put the number at 30% or more. Where do you think they came up with that number?

Back in 2001  yes, 2001  Michael Medved rightly noted, A Martian gathering evidence about American society, simply by monitoring our television, would certainly assume that there were more gay people in America than there are evangelical Christians (whereas evangelical Christians numbered, at that time, at least 20-30% of the population).

In stark contrast, even in the new Gallup poll, only 1.4% of men identified as gay (meaning, less than 1 out every 71 men), 0.7% as lesbian (roughly 1 out of every 143 women), and 0.6% as transgender (roughly one out of every 166 people).

Based on what we are exposed to in the media, let along what kids are exposed to in school, who would have imagined the figures were still this low?

In the current Gallup poll, the significant percentage of LGBT adults identifying as bisexual (54.6%) is quite striking, massively higher than the slight majority that Gates found in 2011. In other words, they are not identifying as exclusively gay or lesbian. Rather, they are expressing potential attraction to both sexes.

But this, too, is not surprising, given the bombardment of bisexual images and relationships that they have been exposed to much of their lives, not to mention the influence of pornography, where gender boundaries are often blurred. After all, today, almost anything goes. Or will anyone dare claim that, suddenly, all these people who were born bi are coming out of the closet?

When it comes to transgender identity, just think of growing up with heroes like Chaz Bono and Caitlyn Jenner and Jazz Jennings, among many others. How might this affect your own self-perception?

Today, there is an increasing body of evidence that teenagers, especially female, are more prone to identify as transgender in a mistaken effort to get to the root of some of their own emotional and psychological issues.

Anecdotally, read these painful words from a group of parents whose children have suddenly  seemingly out of the blue  decided they identify strongly with the opposite sex and are at various stages in transitioning. This is a new phenomenon that has only recently been identified. Researchers are calling it Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD), and it is epidemic among our most vulnerable youth.

Our children are young, naive and impressionable, many of them are experiencing emotional or social difficulties. They are strongly influenced by their peers and by the media, who are promoting the transgender lifestyle as popular, desirable and the solution to all of their problems. And they are being misled by authority figures, such as teachers, doctors and counselors, who rush to 'affirm their chosen gender without ever questioning why.

Looking at some of the scientific data, a March 3, 2020 article from the UKs Prospect Magazine noted, Transsexuality is a talking point like never before, and a glance at the figures sheds some light on why. The number of children, in particular, being referred to the Tavistock and Portman Foundation Trusts gender identity development service (Gids)  the NHS service through which all UK candidates for a sex change under 18 are funnelled  is up from 77 in 2009 to 2,590 in 2018-9.

Thus, alarm bells have begun to ring among a handful of psychiatric professionals about the number of teenage girls arriving at the Tavistocks door and the nature of their treatment.

This has now led to lawsuits against Tavistock, along with major reevaluations in the UK. Serious questions are being asked, and rightly so.

Abigail Shrier has documented this at length in her book Irreparable Harm (a book that Amazon will not allow the publisher to advertise on their site, although they still sell the book). Ryan Anderson has addressed it as well in his book When Harry Became Sally (a book that Amazon has now banned).

So, it is no surprise that more young adults are identifying as transgender, along with gay, lesbian, and bisexual. Not only so, but I could almost guarantee, based on stories and studies I have followed in years past, then a decade from now, many of these same people will no longer identify as gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgender.

When we also recognize the cool factor, meaning, that its often considered trendy and cool today to identify as something beyond (or different than) heterosexual, Gallups latest poll is not surprising in the least.

All the more, then, do we need to hold fast to solid, biblically-based, sexual and family values, also showing greater compassion to those whom the culture has so strongly (and wrongly) influenced.
Reflecting on the restriction of womens agency to exclusive platforms in rural North East India, this article locates womens agency in common resources, which define their sociocultural identities. The exclusivity of common knowledge, skills, practices, resources, and social security has restricted women farmers from accessing equitable power and decision-making. Womens agency in common institutions is marginalised where patriarchal practices dominate. Exclusivity cannot replace empowerment outside common village-level institutions. The emergence of an exclusive strategy to marginalise womens perspectives within the larger context of sustainability, policy formulation, political assertion, and ecological regeneration is examined.

Women farmers in Nagaland and Manipur have practised subsistence agriculture for generations. Ester Boserup in Enquiry into the Status of Women in Nagaland (North East Network 2016)1 claims that shifting agriculture is womens agriculture. Since ancestral times, women have worked on the steep slopes of the Naga Hills in North East India, which ascend from the highlands of Nagaland and Manipur. As part of a PhD research study,2 during 201516, the author travelled through the hilly terrains of the Phek, Longleng, and Peren districts of Nagaland and engaged in fieldwork in Tamenglong, Churachandpur, and Bishenpur districts and Jiribam subdivision in Manipur. During these extensive field visits and interactions with women, village institutions, key informants, women society members, women self-help group (SHG) members, and women farmers, diverse issues were discussed. The researcher captured field experiences and emerging concerns that were flagged during the interactive sessions, focus group discussions, and individual interviews.

Although rural women in Nagaland and the Manipur Hills have contributed to sustainable agricultural practices for many decades over several generations as part of their living customary traditions, their work has remained restricted to family or community work. Their work was not considered productive formal sector work that would lead to adequate employment and social security benefits. Womens ecological practices uphold the community, tribe, and village identity, which have a collective relevance in the lives of Naga women. When a woman farmer offers a freshly cooked plate of food to a family member or guest, she presents not just a satisfying meal with intense flavours, but her labourious farm work, ancestral seed heritage, the time taken to prepare the meal, and willingness to share what she gathered, collected, sowed, harvested, or preserved through the whole season. Such actions signify a deep sense of solidarity with ones living environment, community, and identity; these qualities characterise the essence of being a woman farmer.
A 34-year-old man died from multiple gunshot wounds Saturday morning, the Orange Police Department said in a release.

Orange police found Jonathan Joseph in the 900 block of Second Street with several gunshot wounds after receiving reports of shots being fired. Joseph was pronounced dead by the Precinct 1 justice of the peace.

Police have no suspect or motive at this time and are asking for the publics assistance with any information regarding Josephs death.

We are asking for the public to check their home security cameras for anything that might be associated with this case, Orange police said in a release.

The public can call Orange PD at (409) 883-1026 or contact Crime Stoppers with tips at (409) 833-TIPS.

jorge.ramos@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/byjorgeramos
Two men have been arrested after pictures circulated on social media of masked men with suspected firearms in Co Antrim.

The men, aged 57 and 48-years-old, were arrested in Crumlin on Friday evening on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Both men are currently in police custody.

"The arrests are in relation to images circulating on social media believed to have been taken at the Ballydonaghy Meadows area earlier this week," a PSNI spokesperson said.

"Police are also investigating reports of graffiti on property in the Ballydonaghy Meadows area believed to have also occurred earlier this week."

Photos emerged on social media this week of men posing in the area wearing camouflaged jackets with their faces covered, holding what looks like some kind of firearm.

One of the pictures is captioned 'RAD' with a tricolour.

Graffiti also appeared in the area warning 'IRA territory drug dealers out'.

"Enquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding this incident and appeal to anyone with any information who saw any suspicious activity in these areas overnight, to call us on 101, and quote reference number 375 of 24/02/21," the PSNI spokesperson said.



"A report can also be made online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/."
Prizewinners at a Cullen Weigh In during 2000 in the company of the late Dr. Patrick Casey. Photo: John Tarrant

Millstreet and Duhallow suffered a sad loss during the past week on the death of highly respected GP Dr. Patrick Casey.

His gentle and affable presence will be missed by the Cullen and District Special Needs Association where Dr. Pat became a man of action who used his drive and energy to support a vibrant group.

The passing of the Limerick native met with an outpouring of tributes and Cullen Secretary Moira O'Keeffe spoke of Dr. Casey delivering monumental service.

"Dr. Casey attended the first meeting of the Cullen and District Special Needs Association on May 14, 1979. Since then he has been an active member, a tower of strength and a wonderful friend to us all. His sound advice, enthusiasm and positive outlook proved invaluable over the years", she said.

"Dr Pat served many roles within the association, president, chairman and vice-chairman. He never shied away from hard work and was hands-on in any preparations that were required for our events, such as preparing the hall for the Christmas party, serving teas and preparing the facilities for the annual harvest afternoon", said Moira.

The diverse fund-raising of the Cullen Association has helped numerous and worthy causes in Rathmore, Charleville, Kanturk, Mallow, Millstreet and Beaufort with the annual Christmas party emerging a special event each year.

Expand Close Breeda ORiordan, Kathleen OSullivan, Moira OKeeffe and Dr. Pat Casey worked behind the scenes at the 2019 Cullen and District Special Needs Association Christmas Party. Photo: John Tarrant / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Breeda ORiordan, Kathleen OSullivan, Moira OKeeffe and Dr. Pat Casey worked behind the scenes at the 2019 Cullen and District Special Needs Association Christmas Party. Photo: John Tarrant

"1981 was the International Year of the Handicapped Person, this set the seeds for the first children's party hosted on Sunday, March 1st that in subsequent years became our annual Christmas Mass and party. Every year, at this party, the joy and excitement was visibly felt as each guest eagerly waited in anticipation for Dr. Pat to call their name - it meant that they were about to receive a gift, Santa would have been in the shade", said Moira.

Of course, Dr. Casey became a central figure behind the Cullen Annual Sponsored Weigh-In and it became a success story with participants drawn from western Duhallow and east Kerry.

"Our annual sponsored weigh-in commenced on January 20th 1986; from that date up until Dr. Pat's retirement in 2019, his commitment, dedication, words of advice and encouragement contributed in no small way to the success of the weigh-in. His opening remarks each year to the participants were 'the purpose of the weigh-in is to raise funds, lose weight and have fun' and, for sure, a hearty laugh was regularly heard as Dr. Pat and others enjoyed a joke, some craic and a bit of friendly banter", said Moira.

The towering legacy of Dr. Casey became evident in his profession also, through attentiveness to patients and working tirelessly for the Cullen and District Special Needs Association.

"Dr Pat's loss will be immensely felt in our association. We were truly honoured to have worked together and we will always be indebted to him for his tremendous contribution.

"We extend our sincere sympathies to all of the Casey Family on their sad loss", said Moira.
NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Best Online Psychics, Mediums And Tarot Readers Experts for Free Psychic Readings Online via Live Chat, Phone Call Or Video. Top 3 Psychic Reading and Online Tarot Readings Websites in 2021 by Psychic Experts latest reports.

Psychic Experts is one of the most well-known and trusted psychic reading websites today, with numerous netizens relying on their expertise for news regarding the psychic arts, horoscopes, tarot readings, shift in the stars, and more. Their comprehensive database includes information about websites that offer psychic reading by phone or chat, love tarot reading, etc., along with testimonials and assessments of each of these services.

Psychic-Experts.Com released a list of the three sites they thought provided the best services when it came to an online psychic reading. Psychic-Experts' list included three free psychic reading online brands - Kasamba, Psychic Source, and Keen Psychic.

With their exhaustive research, tests, and analyses of many psychic websites that exist on the internet, Psychic Experts' list is the ultimate guide to finding authentic virtual tarot readers and online psychics. The psychic arts have long been subjected to ridicule and suspicion ever since the Dark Ages when fortune tellers, witches, and prophets were hunted down; thanks to these new websites, the good name of tarot reading and fortune-telling is being restored.

Best online psychics reading sites for live personal & accurate Readings 2021:

Kasamba -Ideal for love psychics readings, offering three free minutes of reading , 70% off on the first session. Know more about Kasamba services on the official website: Kasamba

Psychic Source - Offers the best phone psychics readings for career advice, financial help and tarot card readings, extra digital security, 3 free minutes plus 75% on for the first session. Know more about Psychic Source on their official website: Psychic Source

Keen Psychic - Authentic psychic readings online, specializes on big life decisions, 10 Minutes for just $1.99. Know more about Keen Psychic on the official website: Keen Psychic

Kasamba

Best for: Love psychics readings

Reading type: Psychic chat or email

Areas of expertise: Tarot card readings, career path guidance, astrology and horoscope, love readings.

Special offer: Three free minutes and 70 percent off

Kasamba has become one of the world's leading providers of online psychics who specialize in tarot card reading, astrology, and advice pertaining to careers and love. With more than twenty years of experience, Kasamba recruits the best love psychics and fortune readers through a detailed screening process. Only the best and most efficient psychics who can deliver desired results are accepted into the community created by Kasamba; this attention to quality is the principal reason behind their success in the live psychics industry.

The art of psychic reading is difficult to master. While many psychics are born with natural talent, fully utilizing these gifts is not an easy feat to achieve. Even the most talented psychics get better with age and experience as they meet new people and learn more about human nature. Kasamba recognizes the significance of experience when it comes to providing special services to society, which is why all the psychics on Kasamba are qualified professionals with certifications pertaining to their areas of expertise and years of experience.

Once the psychics' applications have been processed and their qualifications have been verified, the team behind Kasamba works to create a detailed profile for each professional who gets enlisted. These profiles are added to their extensive database so that users can browse through and filter out the kind of psychics they specifically want. The profile also mentions basic details about the psychic service provider, including their area of specialization, the number of years they have spent perfecting their craft, as well as reviews, ratings, and testimonials left behind by satisfied customers. The profiles also show the customer how much each psychic charges for the session, as well as their availability.

More About Kasamba can be found on the official website Right Here

It is common knowledge that finding the perfect psychic, much like finding the right therapist, is a long and difficult process. Many seekers of psychic advice go through years of strife to find the right fortune teller who can connect with them on a spiritual level - it is important that there is a special and intimate relationship between the seer and the customer, which is hard to come by, so potential receivers of psychic advice need to find a teller who is as close to their preferences as possible. The profiles available on Kasamba help users sift through various seers to find the perfect match.

The reviews are also highly beneficial and act as a check on the intensive screening that the psychic recruits go through - if by any chance a fraudulent seer gets through the process, reviews left by authentic customers really allows one to see through any phonies on the website. User testimonials can also provide details about a seer's strengths and weaknesses, which gives other customers a good idea about which seers can provide exactly the service they need so that they can make an educated guess.

The price range information also prevents users from biting off more than they can chew - the better a seer is, the more they usually charge per minute. But the fact is that Kasamba has some of the cheapest rates offered by online psychic companies or the local fortune tellers that pop up if you Google' psychics near me'. Usually, sessions are charged at $1.99 for a period of ten minutes, which is ample time for an average user to get their questions answered. These low rates contribute to the democratization of psychic services so that they can have access to the best readers with a lot of experience without cashing out too much. The transparency that Kasamba provides about their fees goes to show how devoted they are to providing good psychic reading online service to the world.

Kasamba Psychics - 3 Free Minutes Readings + 70% Off - Right Here

The website also provides its users with the option to use filters as they browse through the directory. Much like sifting through search engine results, users can shortlist the perfect fortune teller using filters for the years of experience, customer ratings, and specialization. The specialization areas vary all the way from services as wide-ranged and intense as a complete chakra cleansing to something as specific as love tarot reading.

On Kasamba, customers can get answers to pertinent questions that can make or break their life. But their selling point lies in the swiftness of their service. Because they have enlisted phone psychics and chat psychics from all over the world, they can confidently offer online readings around the clock. The availability of online readings at any time of the day makes the website highly attractive to customers who do not have the time to commute to a psychic near them.

The accessibility of the service is also commendable. One can have their cards read, fortune told, and have their questions answered through phone calls, video calls, online chatting, and even emails for the traditional. As one of the few websites that allow users to mail fortune readers for sessions, Kasamba beats its opponents when it comes to ease of access. No matter where the user is or what kind of question they need to be answered, Kasamba is sure to provide results through an authentic psychic reader.

Kasamba Psychics - 3 Free Minutes Readings + 70% Off - Right Here

Kasamba always has seasonal offers and special rates exclusive to new users and free trials and discounts to make sure that the user has a good experience. For example, new users can access three free minutes with an additional 70% off on the final rates. This is a good strategy for customer retention and to make psychic reading, especially online services, more commonplace in today's non-believing society.

Psychic-Experts.com recommends Kasamba for users who need tarot card readings, career path advice, astrology readings and horoscopes, and readings pertaining to both platonic and romantic relationships, which is usually sufficient for the average seeker of psychic advice.

More About Kasamba can be found on the official website Right Here

Psychic Source

Best for: Career and financial advice, tarot readings

Type of readings: Phone, online chat, or video call

Specialties: Love life, tarot readings, career advice, energy healing, loss and grieving

Special offer: Three free psychic minutes and 75 percent off

Psychic Source , on the other hand, offers additional services like financial advice, energy healing, and relief for those who are struggling with loss or grief. In a world shaken by the effects of the pandemic that is receding very slowly, many are lost in their journey dealing with the loss of loved ones, distance, and isolation. The specialists on Psychic Source are dedicated to helping users through crises at affordable rates.

The sensitivity and understanding provided by the team behind Psychic Source is the result of three decades of experience that the firm has in providing psychic services. With an extensive user base of more than tens of thousands of users, there are hundreds of diviners and readers who have a variety of specializations and years of knowledge about human nature and the stars amongst them.

Psychic Source claims to put customers first, above all else, which is why they also provide a seamless app across platforms. In this day and age, many young people find it difficult to actually sit down in front of a computer and answer queries. In a poverty-ridden era such as ours, with countries on the brink of economic recession, there is a dangerous combination of individuals who do not have access to a computer who is in dire need of psychic advice. Having an app that functions both on iOS and Android, with all the features of a cutting edge application like tabs and categories that are easy to navigate, motivates many new-generation users to start using psychic advice to guide them in their lives.

Psychic Source - 3 Free Minutes Readings + 75% Off - Right Here

Psychic Source's commitment towards their customers has resulted in strong bonds between users and the team. To preserve this relationship, they need to make sure customers trust them absolutely, which is why they give users a chance to verify the authenticity of the psychics that are enlisted in the website through a free trial that usually lasts for three minutes. This free trial allows users to get comfortable with the idea of consulting a psychic. They also give them a chance to figure out if a particular psychic is a good match for them.

To avail of this free trial, one usually has to sign up for an account, which is a straightforward process that does not invade the user's privacy. In this era of data leaks and lack of digital privacy, internet citizens are often apprehensive about providing sensitive information to random websites on the internet. While the art of psychic predictions requires a customer to provide very personal details about themselves, Psychic Source recognizes that there is no need to push for such details in the first few steps of signing up, especially when the user still has not made up their mind to go any further than a free trial. This is why the initial signing up process is straightforward and does not ask for any unnecessary and sensitive information.

They take this respect for user privacy one step further by keeping secure databases encrypted and locked, even from the psychic readers who are enlisted on the website. Any sensitive financial or personal information is protected from any kind of data breach by multiple layers of digital protection.

Psychic Source - 3 Free Minutes Readings + 75% Off - Right Here

The company also provides the fortune-tellers with the respect of only providing them with legitimate clients. There is an additional verification process upon signing up to avoid any kind of malware, bots, or fake accounts from entering the community. This is done by a verification link generated upon signing in, which has to be authenticated through email and phone numbers. Only if a user's identity has been verified can they proceed to contact an adviser.

Post this signing up process, the user needs to give their account details through they can pay for the session. One common anxiety that new users have is about the auto-debit feature that many fortune-telling frauds ask for, which can lead to large amounts of money being lost from the account. Psychic Source tries to combat this problem by creating a wallet mechanism. Users can add money to the website's online wallet. This can be done through a variety of payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, UPI, and other digital transaction services like Paypal. This way, the company does not have direct access to the user's bank accounts. It also makes transactions easier in the case of an urgent consultation - if the user has some credit in their Psychic Source wallet, they can avail services on the go. A top-up of $10-$100 can cover any expenses necessary for urgent sessions.

Once the login service has been completed, users can begin sessions with any reader they feel a connection with. The first three minutes are completely free, which is enough time for an average customer to inform the reader about their problems and to have their queries resolved. If the user feels comfortable enough to extend the session, they will be charged as per the rate of the reader they have chosen. This option to discontinue the session before the third minute is up provided users with the control to pick the right seer for them.

More About Psychic Source At the official website Right Here

Keen Psychic

Great for: Guidance on big life decisions

Type of readings: Phone or online chat

Specialties: Tarot readings, love readings, pet psychics, life questions

Special offer: Ten minutes for $1.99

Keen Psychic is the final website that made it to Psychic-Experts.com's list of authentic online services, specializing in giving guidance to big life decisions. They offer both phone and online chats, but the one service they provide that is hard to find elsewhere on the internet is the number of pet psychics, aura readers, numerologists, and tarot readers they have enlisted. Charging a low rate of $1.99 for ten minutes, Keen Psychic has done a lot of good to the psychic community by providing cheap tarot reading online.

If you have ever Googled 'psychics near me,' Keen Psychic usually comes up in the first few results - they are the most chosen alternative among their competitors. This is because they have effectively solved the problem of finding, reaching out, and traveling to the right psychic, as well as the additional hassle of making sure the user's timings match with the fortune teller's. Because of the plethora of live psychics available on the website, Keen Psychic users always have a psychic near them or ready to be on call over the phone or over video chat. This way, users have access to proficient, experienced diviners within seconds of signing in. Considering the cheap rates on the website and the screening recruitment process, it doesn't get any better than this.

10 Minutes For Just $1.99 With Keen Psychics - Right Here

The tarot reading services offered by Keen Psychic is acclaimed by reviewers. Users are often apprehensive about the authenticity of tarot reading online, especially doubting whether the auras will be accurately read by seers when there is a physical distance between them and the user. But Keen Psychic professionals have consistently proven their talent by giving accurate readings and connecting with users on a spiritual level through virtual media like phone calls, video-conferences, etc. This is of great help in a world that is under lockdown due to the virus.

The atmosphere and company culture on Keen Psychic is also commendable. Other than just questions being answered and having a one-way relationship with the psychic, users can engage in an open-ended discussion. A method has been proven to be effective in yielding better results. This way, seers can come up with multiple solutions and predictions so that users can be prepared for any situation that they may come across.

Considering the variety of services they offer, including psychic readers who specialize in telling the fortune and well-being of animals, Keen Psychic is one of the most diverse fortune-telling websites out there, ideal for the progressive psychic customer.

More About Keen Psychic Services At The official website Right Here

About Psychic-Experts.com

Now that Psychic-Experts.com has passed the verdict on which websites provide the best psychic services and the maximum customer satisfaction, users can confidently make their choice regarding fortune-telling with educated presumptions. Just make sure that no matter how reliable the website is, you do not share personal information such as bank account details, location, etc. All the enlisted websites provide their clients with the option to report readers who violate these terms and conditions; any seer who makes a client uncomfortable is promptly removed and reprimanded for their actions. They also provide cashback policies to make sure no resources are wasted over such incidents.

SOURCE Psychic Experts
By Kate Abnett and Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior officials from Europe have urged the World Bank's management to expand its climate change strategy to exclude investments in oil- and coal-related projects around the world, and gradually phase out investment in natural gas projects, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

In the six-page letter dated Wednesday, executive directors representing major European shareholder countries and Canada, welcomed moves by the Bank to ensure its lending supports efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

But they called on the Bank - the biggest provider of climate to the developing world - to go even further, the sources said.

"We ... think the Bank should now go further and also exclude all coal- and oil-related investments, and further outline a policy on gradually phasing out gas power generation to only invest in gas in exceptional circumstances," the European officials wrote in the letter, excerpts of which were seen by Reuters.

The officials took note of the World Bank's $620 million investment in a multibillion-dollar liquified natural gas project in Mozambique approved by the Bank's board in January, but did not call for its cancellation, one of the sources said.

Many of the recommendations included in the letter are already reflected in a second-phase climate action plan for fiscal years 2021-2025 that Bank officials are now finalizing, two of the sources said. The first plan began in fiscal year 2016.

The United States, the largest shareholder in the World Bank, this month rejoined the 2015 Paris climate accord, and has vowed to move multilateral institutions and U.S. public lending institutions toward "climate-aligned investments and away from high-carbon investments."

President David Malpass told officials from the Group of 20 economies on Friday that the Bank would make record investments in climate change mitigation and adaptation for a second consecutive year in 2021.

He said it was also launching new reviews to integrate climate into all its country diagnostics and strategies, a step initiated before the letter from the European officials, said one of the sources.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Washington and Kate Abnett in Brussels; Additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

(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.)
Yves here. Democratic-party adjacent media keep declaring the Republican Party dead. Wishing does not make it so.

By Morgan Marietta, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Massachusetts Lowell and David C. Barker, Professor of Government and Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, American University School of Public Affairs. Originally published at The Conversation

Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, but his populist ideas may continue to animate the Republican Party.

As scholars of American beliefs and elections, we can envision a less Trumpy version of Trumpism holding sway over the party in coming years. We call it polished populism.

Populism is folk-politics based on the premise that ordinary citizens are wiser and more virtuous than supposedly corrupt and self-serving elites. Populist rhetoric is often expressed in cruder, coarser language than ordinary political speech  less like a politician on a stage and more like a guy in a bar.

Trump, a prime practitioner of populist rhetoric, took this to an extreme with the shorthand of Twitter and the insults of the locker room.

Polished populists take a different approach, arguing for the same policies that Trump did  limiting immigration, redistributing wealth toward the working class rather than just the poor, opposing the woke policies of social justice movements, promoting America First foreign and trade policies  but without his overtly antagonistic language.

Some Republicans are now arguing for a rejection of populism and a return to traditional conservatism. Those long-standing GOP priorities include limited government, strong national defense of American interests abroad, religious values and, perhaps most importantly, ordinary political personalities.

For two reasons  the GOPs narrow electoral defeat in 2020 and the changing demographics of the Republican Party  we believe that populist policies, if not rhetoric, will continue to be a dominant theme of the Republican Party.

Populism Versus Traditional Conservatism

The contemporary conservatism associated with Ronald Reaganin the 1980s and George W. Bush in the 2000s has several facets and factions, but it can be summed up in the phrase, You keep what you earn, its a dangerous world, and God is good.

The economic, national defense and social conservatives of previous decades tended to agree that human nature is untrustworthy and society is fragile, so the U.S. needs to defend against external enemies and internal decline.

Populist conservatism accepts those views but adds something different: the interests and perceptions of ordinary people against elites. So populism rejects the notion of a natural aristocracy of wealth and education, replacing it with the idea that people it considers elites, including career politicians, bureaucrats, journalists and academics, have been promoting their own interests at the expense of regular folk.

The Identity Divide

The recent rise of populism in America has been driven in part by a clear economic reality: The expansion of wealth over the last 40 years has gone almost entirely to the upper reaches of society. At the same time, the middle has stagnated or declined economically.

The populist interpretation is that elites benefited from the globalization and technological advancements they encouraged, while the advantages of those trends bypassed ordinary working people. Calls for trade protections and national borders appeal to Americans who feel left behind.

Populism also has a cultural aspect: rejection of the perceived condescension and smugness of the highly educated elite.

In that sense, populism is driven by identity (who someone believes they are like, and perhaps more importantly, who they are not like). For populists, the like-minded are ordinary folk  middle income, middle-brow educations at public high schools and state universities, often middle-of-the-country  and the dissimilar are the products of expensive educations and urban lifestyles.

While traditional conservatism has not vanished from the GOP, populist perceptions dominate the new working-class foundations of the party. And those reflect the emerging divide in education.

The base of the Republican Party has shifted from more wealthy and educated Americans to voters without college degrees. In the 1990s, whites who did not attend college tended to back Democrat Bill Clinton, but in 2016 they supported Republican Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton by 39 percentage points. In 2020, it was roughly the same for Trump over Biden.

The 2020 Outcome and the GOP Future

We believe the Republican Party will be slow to move away from this new identity.

Even after a pandemic, a recession, an impeachment, four years of anti-immigration sentiment and the Black Lives Matter protests, Trump still received more votes than any presidential candidate in history not named Joe Biden.

Bidens overall victory was by a margin of 7 million votes. But his victory in the Electoral College relied on a total of 45,000 votes in three states. This was similar to Trumps narrow 2016 Electoral College margin of 77,000 votes, also in three states. A strong Republican candidate, a foreign policy problem for the incumbent Democrat or a small piece of luck could shift the presidency back to the other party.

Support for Republicans even grew somewhat among traditionally Democratic African American and Hispanic voters, despite the GOPs anti-Black Lives Matter and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Clearly, Trumpism was not repudiated by voters in the way that Democrats had hoped. It is entirely possible that if the pandemic had not occurred  which was a major source of the decline in his support  Donald Trump would still be in the White House.

The GOP could conclude that its loss was only due to an outside event and not a fundamental rejection of policy. That would give the party little incentive to change course, aside from changing the face on the poster.

Over the next four years we believe the GOP will solidify the transition to a populist base, though not without resistance from traditional conservatives.

Republican victory in a future presidential election would likely require an alliance between traditional and populist conservatives, with both groups turning out to vote. The question is which one will lead the coalition.

The competition for the 2024 Republican nomination will likely also be a contest between these two party bases and ideologies, with the emerging winner defining the post-Trump GOP.

The 2024 standard bearers

The Republican contenders for the 2024 nomination and the new leadership of the GOP include a broad range of populists versus traditional conservatives.

Perhaps a leading indicator of the move toward polished populism is the shift in the rhetoric employed by Marco Rubio.

The senator from Florida was once a traditional conservative, but has shifted toward populism after his trouncing by Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primary. Recently he argued that the future of the party is based on a multiethnic, multiracial, working-class coalition, defined as normal, everyday people who dont want to live in a city where there is no police department, where people rampage through the streets every time they are upset about something.

The opposing trend toward rejecting Trumpist populism is exemplified by the shift in the arguments made by Nikki Haley. Haley, the U.N. ambassador under the Trump administration and former South Carolina governor, has rejected Trumps leadership, now arguing that we shouldnt have followed him.

These two Republicans and several others see a potential president in the mirror. Which one mirrors the current GOP will depend on the realignment or retrenchment between the populists and the traditionalists.

Polished populism  Trumps policies without his personality  may be the future of the GOPs identity.
The Indian Newspaper Society (INS) has further extended notices of disaccreditation of 30 ad agencies across India. Along with this, INS has issued fresh disaccreditation notices to 68 ad agencies as well as cancelled the accreditation of 4 ad agencies  3 from Kolkata and 1 from Delhi.

Among the fresh disaccreditation notices, Delhi topped the list with 15 ad agencies, followed closely by Mumbai and Hyderabad with 14 ad agencies each.

While issuing the notices, INS advised its member publications not to accord credit facility to these agencies during the period of notice, while making all efforts to realise their unpaid dues. The member publications were also asked to be alert to the possibility that the ad released by the defaulting agencies might be routed through other accreditated agencies.
Panaji, Feb 27 : Maratha king Chattraparti Shivaji and his son Sambhaji helped preserve Hindu culture and swadharma, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said at a Marathi day function held in Sanquelim in North Goa district.

Sawant also said that Goa and Maharashtra had rich relations over centuries adding that freedom fighters from Maharashtra contributed to the struggle in Goa to overthrow Portuguese colonial rule.

"Goa has had links with Maharashtra from the time of Shivaji Maharaj. He preserved religious and Hindu culture in Goa in his time. It was during his reign and that of Sambhaji that the indigenous religious practices were retained," Sawant said.

Shivaji's reign in the 1600s coincided with early Portuguese rule in Goa, when forced religious conversion to Christianity was rampant.

"Even in the Goa freedom struggle, Maharashtra has a big contribution. We are celebrating 60 years of freedom. Freedom fighters came from all over India, especially from the Goa Maharashtra border," he also said, adding that as many as 20 freedom fighters from Maharashtra were shot by the Portuguese soldiers for participation in the freedom struggle in Goa.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Orbital Assembly Corporation (OAC) wants to change the vacation game by building the first commercial space station.

This week OAC unveiled new details about creating a Voyager Station with artificial gravity, with construction to begin by 2025, according to Jeff Spry with Space.com.

NASA PIONEER HONORED: 'Hidden Figure' legend to be honored in NASA ceremony

The manufacturing firm introduced the idea focused on the colonization of space in a Jan. 29 virtual event updating investors and marketing partners about the "rotating Voyager Station," Spry wrote.

The company has plans to include a "space hotel" in the rotating resort with working toilets, showers, along with innovative ways for jogging, according to Spry.

The resort's design serves up to 400 people with "24 integrated habitation modules 65 feet long and 40 feet wide", according to Spry. I see many space weddings being planned in the future.

"Designed by Gateway Foundation executive team member and lead architect Tim Alatorre, Voyager will become the biggest human-made structure in space," Spry said.

But first, the question many may ask is how is this even going to be possible?

"OAC needs to test both building a station in low Earth orbit and prove the viability of stable artificial gravity in space," Spry wrote.

"The company plans to construct a prototype gravity ring that will measure 200 feet (61 m) in diameter and will be engineered to spin up to create artificial gravity near Mars' level, which is about 40% that of Earth," according to Spry.

In addition, Alatorre said artificial gravity is the key to providing humans with the opportunity of living in space long-term."Microgravity is just brutal on our bodies," Alatorre said.

The gravity ring will also serve to aid in key research, according to OAC co-founder Jeff Greenblatt.

"Once installed in orbit, its assembly will take just three days. This structure will act as the companys test base for many of the technologies to be used to build Voyager Station," Greenblatt said.

Fast forward to the future, private companies and the government will be able to utilize the Voyager for space training missions as well as give entrepreneurs the chance to create and market tourist activities in the final frontier, according to Spry.

OAC's chief technology officer, Tom Spilker, may have painted the picture best of what you can expect aboard the futuristic Voyager.

"So anyone who can afford a space hotel can go on a private spacewalk, where the only thing between you and the universe is a faceplate."

As the weather turns to be warmer in spring, dispelling cold winds throughout Ly Son Island, its the time for visitors to admire the once-a-year magical scenery in the place.

Being considered as the fairy island in the middle of the ocean, its undoubtedly a destination that travelers should not miss when traveling to Vietnams central coast province of Quang Ngai. In Spring, all the rocks and cliffs in Ly Son island are covered with mosses in various colours from yellow green to dark green and dark yellow.

Ly Son is an island belonging to the Quang Ngai coastal province, where borders Quang Nam and Binh Dinh provinces in North Central and South respectively. This island is also known as The Kingdom of Garlic because it is the only place in Vietnam where garlic and onions are grown in the sand.

The green mosses are raising from the deep ocean, covering all over the million-year-old lava rocks.

The time from late-February to early-March is the most appropriate for visitors to contemplate this wonderful scenery.

Seaweed and moss are in various colours, making up an extraordinary natural picture of the ocean.

Not only green, a few algae and moss have other funky colours. This million-year-old rock changes its cloth to dark yellow in Spring.

The lava rock in Hang Cau landscape looks like a green monster in a Walt Disneys fairy motion picture.

Not only green, a few algae and moss have other funky colours. This million-year-old rock changes its cloth to dark yellow in Spring.

The moss season in Ly Son starts from January to the end of March every year. Visitors have to wait patiently cause the field of green algae and moss only appeared when the tide recedes.

Seaweed and moss were picked up by Ly Son people and dried as fertilizer for onion and garlic. Meanwhile, several types of edible seaweed have brought about high income for the people of Ly Son.

Moss covers the most on volcanic sedimentary rocks near the tourist sites of Hang Co (Stork Cave), Thac Lua (Silk Waterfall), Hang Cau (Cau Cave) and on the rocks in front of Chua Hang (Pagoda Cave).

Hanoitimes

Specialties of Ly Son island Ly Son island is well known, not just for its beautiful beaches, but also for its delicious cuisine.
The Biden administration formally acknowledged on Friday what President Donald Trump would not, that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia approved the plan to kill the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But Mr. Biden seems to have concluded that the potential cost of taking action against the 35-year-old de facto ruler of a key American ally was simply too high.

In making the intelligence conclusions public with only minimal redactions, the administration did what should have been done a long time ago. The report was demanded by Congress more than a year ago, and its conclusions amounted to a summary of what has been widely reported: Mr. Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince living in exile and writing for The Washington Post, was lured into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, and there he was killed and dismembered by a team of Saudi assassins. That this could not have been done without at least the assent of the crown prince was generally presumed.

The intelligence communitys conclusion, set out in the two-page report, was that the crown princes control of major decision-making in the kingdom, the role of his advisers and personal security detail in the operation and his support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, including Khashoggi, all indicated that Prince Mohammed was behind the murder.

Mr. Trump knew this but had balked at publicly chastising one of the Middle Easts most powerful rulers, whom he regarded as a close ally in his feud with Iran and as a lucrative client for American arms. Maybe he did and maybe he didnt! was the former presidents morally rudderless public response to intelligence that the crown prince in fact did have a role in Mr. Khashoggis murder.
Islambad, Feb 27 : Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has renewed his open offer for dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues with India. Khan gave his statement welcoming the ceasefire recently announced between Indian and Pakistani border security forces along the Line of Control (LoC).

The Pakistani Premier said the country has "always stood for peace and remains ready to move forward to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue".

"The onus of creating an enabling environment for further progress rests with India," he said.

Khan's renewed offer for dialogue to India comes after the Director Generals for Military Operations (DGMO) of both countries mutually agreed to enforce the ceasefire from February 25, 2021 along the disputed LoC, which has remained extremely tense with escalated engagements of shelling from both sides, leaving casualties of officials and civilians.

However, Prime Minister Imran Khan marked February 27 2021 as "Surprise Day", congratulating the armed forces of the country for successfully conducting Operation Swift Retort, which led to the downing of at least two Indian aircrafts (MiG21 & SU-30) jets and the capture of Wing Commander Abhinandan.

"The country demonstrated responsible behaviour in the face of India's irresponsible military brinkmanship by returning the captured Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot", he said.

"I congratulate the entire nation and salute our Armed Forces on the 2nd Anniversary of our response to India's illegal, reckless military adventure of airstrikes against Pakistan", he added.

Khan said Pakistan is a proud and confident nation as it responded with determined resolve at a time and place of its own choosing.

Tensions have been intensifying between the two arch-rivals since February 2019, after India accused Pakistan's hand in the Pulwama terror attack and launched an air-strike at an alleged militant training camp in Jabba near Balakot, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province.

India claimed it had killed at least 350 terrorists belonging to Masood Azhar, being trained and fed there to launch terror attacks inside India. However, Pakistan rejected New Delhi's claims and stated that the only casualty caused by the Indian "botched" air-strikes was two house buildings and a crow.

In that backdrop, the latest and rare joint statement by both countries is being seen as a major development.

Analysts however, believe that New Delhi's agreement to enforcing a ceasefire at the LoC may be due to its tense standoff with China, which has been going on for months.
House Bill 133 aims to extend Medicaid coverage to eligible new mothers. The House version of the bill calls for a one-year extension, whereas the Senate version calls for a six-month extension. Advocates say the bill could reduce the states maternal mortality rate. Currently, the state offers Medicaid for two months after giving birth. Should Texas extend Medicaid for eligible new mothers for six months or one year?

You voted:
Feb. 27, 1912

Missing minister sends letter to mother

Mr. an Mrs. Vincent Signor revealed they received a letter from their missing son, the Rev. Watson Signor.

Signors letter informed his parents that he had been kidnapped by highwaymen and they took him to Cincinnati. He finished the letter by writing that he would be traveling with his kidnappers to Milwaukee.

Reading the handwritten letter, Signors mother said that it was her sons handwriting.

The case of the missing minister started back on July 10, 1911, in Scranton when he disappeared. According to the authorities, on July 10 the Rev. Signor, his wife and son, Duane, were in Scranton so he could attend a meeting with his fellow Methodist ministers. Signor was serving as minister for a church in Orson in Wayne County.

When the Signors reached the New York, Ontario and Western station in Green Ridge, he told his wife and son to go onto the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Wolff, at 2027 N. Main Ave. He told his wife he was heading downtown to take a package to the Lackawanna Laundry and to visit with the Rev. L.C. Murdock, D.D., superintendent of the Scranton District of the Wyoming Conference of the Methodist Church.

That was the last time his wife saw him. He never turned up at the Wolff residence. His wife phoned the Rev. Murdock and found out that he didnt arrive there as well.

It was learned later that he did drop the package off at the Lackawanna Laundry.

Shopping list

Fancy inspected hams were 14 cents per pound, chuck roast was 10 cents, 2 pounds of frankfurters were 25 cents, 3 large cans of sweet violet beets were 9 cents, a pound of California prunes were 10 cents, a dozen bananas were 12 cents, six pounds of fresh rolled oats was 25 cents, a large package of corn flakes was 7 cents and a dozen sweet or sour pickles were 9 cents.
on Friday said the recouping of the country's economy to a positive trajectory in the third quarter is a promising sign as it portends the end of the pandemic-induced recessionary phase seen in the first-half of the fiscal year.

Industry bodies expressed confidence that the will improve further in the comingmonths on the back of positive growth stimuli emanating from the Union Budget and initiatives like the Production Linked Incentive scheme unveiled by the government.

After contracting for two quarters in a row, the Indian economy grew by 0.4 per cent in the October-December quarter amid coronavirus pandemic, official data showed on Friday.

The gross domestic product (GDP) had expanded by 3.3 per cent in the corresponding period of 2019-20, according to the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO).

Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, said that recouping of to the positive territory by posting a growth of 0.4 per cent in the third quarter is a promising sign as it portends the end of the pandemic-induced recessionary phase seen in the first-half of the year".

He observed that one of highlights of the data is the positive momentum seen in investment demand as it grew by 2.6 per cent in the third quarter after being in doldrums for several quarters now.

"This bears testimony to the unrelenting efforts of the government to go all-out to revive investments under the ambit of the various measures which formed a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat package," Banerjee said.

"Going forward, we are confident that the growth stimuli available from the Union Budget and the additional measures including the PLI will lead to a sturdy growth path over the recovery horizon," he added.

The growth of 0.4 per cent for the third quarter of FY21 is no surprise, but it marks a significant turnaround into the Indian economy returning to a positive trajectory after sharp drops in the first two quarters,even as the war against COVID-19 is continuing, said Assocham Secretary General Deepak Sood.

According to him, the last quarter of the current fiscal should be far better.

"As pointed out by Assocham in its earlier projection, the real recovery would be seen in the FY22 , beginning with the first quarter and then picking up pace later," Sood said.

In its second advance estimates of national accounts, the NSO has projected 8 per cent contraction in 2020-21. In its first advance estimates released in January, it had projected a contraction of 7.7 per cent for the current fiscal as against a growth of four per cent in 2019-20.

The economy had shrunk by an unprecedented 24.4 per cent in the first quarter this fiscal following the coronavirus pandemic and resultant lockdowns. In the second quarter, the GDP declined 7.3 per cent due to a perk up in economic activities.

China's economy grew by 6.5 per cent in October-December 2020, faster than the 4.9 per cent growth in July-September 2020.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(CNN)  At least 42 people, including students, who were kidnapped last week in an armed raid at a state-run school in Kagara in Niger state, northwest Nigeria, have been released, the vice-principal of the school, Mallam Saidu, told CNN Saturday.

The released group included 27 students, teachers and family members, the state government said in a statement at the time of the kidnapping.

The gunmen, wearing military fatigues according to witnesses, stormed the Government Science Secondary School Kagara on February 17. A student who died during the attack was named as Benjamin Habila.

The executive governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, tweeted that those released have been received by the state government.

This comes as hundreds of schoolgirls were abducted in the early hours of Friday when armed men raided a state-run school in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria.

The schoolgirls were taken from their hostels by gunmen who raided the Government Girls Secondary School in the town of Jangebe, a high-ranking government official with knowledge of the incident told CNN.

In December, at least 300 schoolboys were kidnapped by bandits in Katsina, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's home state. The students have since been released.

These incidents have raised questions about the safety of schools in parts of northern Nigeria.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "42 people including students abducted last week in Nigeria released."
The signs of the Renaissance are everywhere in Italy.

Grand piazzas and palazzos. Metal-spiked doors. Looming archways. And, of course, all that ever-present art in the churches and galleries.

But in one city, you also get a taste of the Renaissance every time you enter a restaurant.

Ferrara, in the northern region of Emilia Romagna, was once home to the Estense court, or House of Este, which ruled the city from the 13th to the 18th centuries.

The court, on the bank of the River Po, was one of the most formidable cultural powers during the Renaissance. Writers including Boiardo, Ariosto and Torquato Tasso were employed by the court, and artists such as Bellini, Mantegna and Piero della Francesco worked for the Este family in their domineering, moat-surrounded castle in the center of town.

Their works have survived the centuries -- but so have those of Cristoforo di Messisbugo, the court's master of ceremonies and steward.

Messisbugo was one of two celebrity chefs of the Renaissance, and his prowess with multicourse banquets to impress visiting heads of state and fill the bellies of the Este great and good, led to him writing one of the world's earliest cookbooks.

His tome, "Banchetti, composizioni di vivande e apparecchio generale" ("Banquets, Recipes and Table-laying") was published in 1549, a year after he died. In it, as well as sample dinner menus and drinks pairings, he lists 300 recipes.

And it's thanks to Messisbugo that that, nearly five centuries later, the Ferraresi are still eating the Estes' favorite meals.

Because while every town in Italy has its signature dishes, Ferrara's are straight from the cookbook of that 16th-century court.

Yes, these dishes are real

First things first. To enjoy Ferrara's best known dishes, you don't want to visit in summer. And you'll want an elasticated waistband -- because the signature food here is heavy.

The city's best known dishes are pasticcio -- effectively a pie filled with macaroni cheese, meat ragu, and bechamel sauce -- salama da sugo, a centuries-old kind of sausage and mash, and cappellacci di zucca, pumpkin-stuffed pasta.

Each, though, has a twist. Pasticcio's pie crust is sweet -- yes, a meat pie in sweet pastry -- while salama da sugo is a kilo-heavy salami that's soaked in water for several days and then boiled for 10 hours to soften it into a spicy, spreadable meat that's then served on mashed potato.

Meanwhile, that super-sweet pumpkin pasta is usually slathered with meat ragu on top.

All date back to the Renaissance. In fact, salama da sugo was said to be the favorite dish of Lucrezia Borgia -- yes, that Lucrezia Borgia -- who came to Ferrara in 1502 when she married the Duke, Alfonso d'Este.

In fact, her famously long, blonde, curly locks are said to be the inspiration for another of Ferrara's famous foods: the coppia, a spiraling, four-horned bread roll, like two croissants welded together. It was supposedly created by Messisbugo for a banquet in honor of Lucrezia.

Sergio Perdonati is at work by 3 a.m. each morning to bake around 1,000 coppie per day, such is his devotion to the bread. "I think it's one of the best breads in the world," he says proudly.

His grandfather, Otello, started the family bakery, Panificio Perdonati, 90 years ago -- Sergio's sourdough starter is Otello's original, which has survived the bakery's bombing in the Second World War, and two property moves. All the rolls are formed by hand and the dough is made using vintage mixing machines.

Today, they've branched out into the sweet stuff -- including panpepato, a cake also dating back to the Renaissance, made with chunks of almonds and orange peel, and covered in dark chocolate.

Think Renaissance cocktail flairers

People have always come to Ferrara to eat.

"For sure, other courts had banquets, but Ferrara was particularly well known for them," says Dr Federica Caneparo, a historian at the University of Chicago specializing in the culture of the Italian Renaissance.

"It was especially refined, and food and banquets were a demonstration of power in front of their guests, some of whom would be ambassadors from other courts."

Italian courts had a raft of foodie professions, including the "scalco" (like Messisbugo, the supervisor), the "bottigliere" (an ancient sommelier) and the "trinciante" -- the "carver", who would put on a show for the entire table by carving meat or vegetables held in the air on a giant fork (think of a Renaissance cocktail flairer, only with knives and sides of beef instead of bottles).

"They were trusted people close to the Duke," says Caneparo. "Usually gentiluomini [nobles] by birth, or by merit. The scalco was responsible for organizing banquets and, on ordinary days, the household. The trinciante also had to be a trusted person -- after all, he was right next to the master of the house with all those big knives."

Ferrara's banquets were so famous, in fact, that poet Ludovico Ariosto included a description of one in his epic work "Orlando Furioso," she says. And no wonder -- she says that they were "spectacular, with music, dance, theater, and sculptures made of sugar or ice. They'd start with a play, or music, or both, and then they'd prepare the table." And forget our single-figure tasting menus -- these banquets could have well over 100 courses.

Mac and cheese with a sugary twist

With so much food to choose from you can be sure that the dishes to have made it into modern Ferrarese cooking are the classics.

At the modern Ca' d'Frara restaurant, guests sit on hip mustard-colored chairs and cream banquettes to eat these centuries-old dishes.

And those used to molecular cuisine might find Renaissance gastronomy equally boundary-pushing.

"You often find this sweet-savory combination in the Estense cuisine -- it's unique," says chef Elia Benvenuti. His pasticcio is an intriguing mix of a dense, meaty mac and cheese, wrapped in a cookie-sweet crust. You approach it with trepidation -- how can this ever taste good? -- but, somehow, it works. The sweet crust even seems to cut through the richness of the white ragu and bechamel sauce.

"They're symbols of the city -- part of our DNA," says chef of the traditional dishes. "I think Lucrezia [Borgia] would be happy," adds his maitre d' wife, Barbara.

Sweetening up the savory

A few minutes' walk away, locals are spilling into Ristorante Raccano, in a 15th-century cloister. Some are here for meat cooked in the oh-so-21st-century Josper oven -- what owner Laura Cavicchio describes as "one of the most technically advanced grilling machines." But others? They're here for Lucrezia's beloved salama da sugo.

This is normally one of Ferrara's more savory dishes -- the salama is so heavily spiced, it hardly needs sugar.

But Cavicchio and her children, Gabriella and Luca Montanari, like to take it right back to its Este roots by serving it with fried custard.

The salama -- made with different cuts of the pig including neck, belly, liver and tongue, with neck fat binding it all together -- is seasoned with spices including cloves, cinnamon, red wine and Ferrara's ubiquitous spice, nutmeg.

It's then aged in a pork casing for around a year, soaked in water for three days to soften it up, and then boiled for up to 10 hours.

By that point, it's as soft as jam, and chef Luca scoops it out, sprinkles it on top of potato mash, and adds mostarda (like a sweet chutney), plus the crowning glory: a cube of fried custard.

"This isn't a reinterpretation -- in the old recipes, you find it served with custard," says Cavicchio, who's combed through Renaissance recipes and history books to make it authentic.

Alongside modern dishes, they also serve "Crostino alla Messisbugo" -- chicken liver and sauteed herbs pate, smeared on toasted bread. It's another hit from the great man's recipe book.

Meanwhile, their cappellacci di zucca -- handrolled pasta pillows, like oversized tortellini, filled with sweet pumpkin and nutmeg -- come drenched in meat ragu and topped with parmesan cheese. Again, it's a combination that shouldn't work, but does. Alone, the cappellacci are offputtingly sweet to 21st-century tastes. Douse them with meat and cheese, though, and it slices through the sweetness, while amping up the taste of the sauce.

The Estes' signature "agrodolce" (sweet-savory) flavor was a conservation method, says Cavicchio. "People had vinegar, wine and salt. Marco Polo used it." And although at the restaurant they use modern techniques, including that Josper oven, they want to keep the tastes as similar as possible to their heritage.

"Over the years I've acquired a way of interpreting a recipe -- I change the cooking techniques and some of the ingredients, but you need to know the product to do that," says Cavicchio. Born just over the border in Veneto, where agrodolce flavors are also fundamental, she reads as many books about the Estes' food habits as she can and experiments to keep the final product as authentic as possible.

"Messisbugo was studious," she says. "He invented recipes with the ingredients he had and the methods available to him. He didn't have a fridge, so he used vinegar, wine and sugar. We're much luckier, but I think he'd still appreciate what we do. For us, [the heritage] is a richness."

The modern day foodie courtiers

Like everywhere in Italy, restaurants and food heritage are important to the locals. Over at Da Noemi -- a restaurant named after his grandmother, who opened up by herself in 1956 -- 23-year-old Giovanni Matteucci has a hobby unlike many people his age. He buys antique copies of Ferrarese history and recipe books.

"Sweetness was synonymous with the food of the rich," he explains. "They used lots of spices and sugar to show off their wealth." Even recipes for glammed-up egg yolk, and lasagne, had sugar and cinnamon on top, he says.

And although he says it isn't proven that Lucrezia Borgia really did love salama da sugo above all else, we do know that she adored apples -- from the shopping list she compiled for her country estate. "She ordered loads of apples and different varieties," he says. "It's also said that she liked garlic."

At Da Noemi, Giovanni and his mom, Maria Cristina Borgazzi, run the kitchen. Brother Luca, meanwhile, is the maitre d -- the modern equivalent of Messisbugo. In fact, Luca takes his role as master of ceremonies so seriously that he's decided that their reduced pandemic seating plan will stay forever. "We can pay more attention to the client this way," he says.

Speak to anyone in Ferrara, and they'll wax lyrical about their pride in their food heritage. Yet, although Italians flock to the city to eat cappellacci, pasticcio, salama da sugo and coppie, the dishes have never really conquered the rest of Italy, as other regional dishes like pizza or tortellini have.

Not that the Ferraresi care.

"Ferrara is beautiful because of the Este family, and it's the same for their dishes," says Giovanni Matteucci. "People come to Ferrara for this, and we have to protect it.

"Italy is based on its history. We don't have Silicon Valley -- this is our richness."

And, of course, their sweetness. Eating like Renaissance courtiers, here, is the most modern thing they can do.
317 girls kidnapped from boarding school in Nigeria; parents praying for 'divine intervention'

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Armed militants kidnapped 317 girls from a boarding school early Friday morning in northwest Nigeria following a wave of mass abductions in Africas most populous nation.

Nasiru Abdullahi told The Associated Press his daughters, ages 10 and 13, are among the 300 girls abducted from the Government Girls Science Secondary School in Jangebe.

It is disappointing that even though the military have a strong presence near the school they were unable to protect the girls, Abdullahi told the AP. At this stage, we are only hoping on divine intervention.

The AP reports that Musa Mustapha, a local resident, said gunmen attacked a nearby military camp and checkpoint to prevent soldiers from defending the school during the hourslong raid.

The attack began after 1 a.m. as the militants forced some girls into vehicles while others led by foot into the Rugu forest, which spans hundreds of miles across three states, The Wall Street Journal reported.

An unnamed source told CNN that a police officer was killed in the attack.

UNICEF's Nigeria representative, Peter Hawkins, called on the Nigerian government to make schools safe, expressing anger and sadness at yet another brutal attack.

This is a gross violation of childrens rights and a horrific experience for children to go through  one which could have long-lasting effects on their mental health and well-being, Hawkins said in a statement. We utterly condemn the attack and call on those responsible to release the girls immediately and for the government to take steps to ensure their safe release and the safety of all other schoolchildren in Nigeria.

Human Rights Watch, an organization that exposes human rights abuses worldwide, tweeted HRW Nigeria researcher Anietie Ewang's comment about the attack: The repeated school abductions in Nigerias northwest are a worrying sign that children have become prime targets for criminal gangs seeking recognition of financial gain.

Strong action is required from the authorities to turn the tide & keep schools safe, Ewang added on a post on Twitter.

This school attack happened less than two weeks after a similar attack in northwest Nigeria where gunmen abducted 42 individuals, including 27 schoolboys, from the Government Science College in Kagara on Feb. 17. The 42 kidnapped students, parents and teachers are still being held captive, according to CBN.

Kidnapping for ransom has become a lucrative industry for terrorist groups in Nigeria, according to The Journal.

Many children in Nigeria fear going to school due to the terrorist threat at education centers.

On Dec. 11, Boko Haram, one of the worlds deadliest terrorist groups, kidnapped as many as 500 schoolboys in an attack on a boarding school. The terrorist group later freed 344 boys after security forces negotiated their release, but many of the boys remain missing.

Dede Laugesen, executive director of Save the Persecuted Christians, told The Christian Post in an interview at the time that Boko Haram is known for grooming the young boys they capture to become terrorists. The terrorist groups opposition to education leads to a vicious cycle that breeds more terrorism.

Laugesen also accused the Nigerian government of allowing militant groups to continue to terrorize its citizens because the country receives a lot of international aid to fight terrorism.

The recent attacks on schools follow the kidnapping of the 276 Nigerian schoolgirls in 2014, which gained international attention with the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. Over 112 of the Chibok schoolgirls remain missing.

The Global Terrorism Index ranks Nigeria as the third country most affected by terrorism in the world. It reports that from 2001 to 2019, there were over 22,000 killed by acts of terror. Nigeria also leads the world in the number of Christians killed.

In December, Nigeria became the first democratic nation to be added to the U.S. State Department's list of "countries of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act.

Then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the update to the annual list of state actors that have engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
New Delhi, Feb 27, It has been a busy month for the members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), or the Quad, comprising Australia, India, Japan and the US who are also its original architects. The 3rd Quad Ministerial Meeting was held on 18 February during which the members emphasised their "commitment to upholding a rules-based international order, underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, rule of law, transparency, freedom of navigation in the international seas and peaceful resolution of disputes".

A week later, senior officials of Australia, France and India met and discussed the next steps to be taken for furthering trilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. Interestingly, their agenda included majority of the issues that were discussed during the 3rd Quad Ministerial meeting. Meanwhile, Australia, Japan and the US conducted their annual joint drills-Cope North 2021, at Guam, which focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training to enhance readiness when there is a need for deploying a large force.

Since the revival of the Quad in 2017, many countries have attempted to engage it and the QSD members have not shied from including them. For instance, in 2019, the Philippines Navy joined navies of India, Japan, and the US and conducted manoeuvres in the South China Sea. Similarly, Australia, Japan, and the US militaries held military Exercise Pacific Vanguard off Guam which included South Korea. Though not a member of the Quad, France spear headed the Exercise La Perouse in the Bay of Bengal involving Australian, French, Japanese and US navies.

Even Quad members are building issue-based networks among themselves that could exclude one of the partners. For instance, in 2020, Australia, India and Japan conceptualized Resilient Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI) to diversify procurement and overcome the risks of overdependence on a single source which could result in disruptions. The Blue Dot Network, a regional infrastructure initiative is driven by US, Australia and Japan and aims to "promote quality infrastructure investment that is open and inclusive, transparent, economically viable, financially, environmentally and socially sustainable, and compliant with international standards, laws, and regulations" with China's Belt Road Initiative (BRI) and issues of 'debt trap' in mind. Australia, India, Japan and the US were planning to join the UK led 5G alliance of ten democracies an alternative to Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications giant, amid concerns about espionage and cyber security risks.

There are at least three reasons for the ongoing transmutations in the Quad. First, is the suppleness and flexibility in the QSD which allows Members to join/leave the grouping based on respective national interests. Japan, Australia and Singapore chose to disassociate themselves from the Quad ostensibly due to pressures from China; Japan and Australia have rejoined the Quad but Singapore prefers to stay away.

Second, there is space for non-quad actors to 'participate in' and 'partake from' the Quad activities. In this context the Philippines and South Korean Navy joining the Quad naval manoeuvres is a good example.

Third can be attributed to the attractiveness of the grouping whose agenda is to stand-up to the revisionist power. The growing Chinese assertiveness has rattled the smaller powers of the ASEAN particularly the claimants to the South China Sea. These countries have been at the receiving end of the Chinese coercion and are unwilling to fait accompli. They hope to challenge China with support from the Quad.

It is useful to mention that China has been enacting/revising several laws relating to national security and defence. For instance, the 2020 Law on National Defence (LND) does not rule out use of force to protect Chinese overseas interests through naval escort missions, drills and operations. Similarly, the revised Chinese Coast Guard law envisages new 'rules of engagement' that permits use of force to enforce China's maritime claims. Under this law Chinese Coast Guard is authorized to "take all necessary measures, including the use of weapons, when national sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction are being illegally infringed upon by foreign organizations or individuals at sea." There are clear signs that numerous permutations and combinations of the Quad can be expected in the future and more States such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, etc., could be willing to challenge China's growing assertiveness through the Quad.

(Dr Vijay Sakhuja is former Director National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi. This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/
Coronavirus cases: Delhi records around 900 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours

Delhi Police ASI shoots self dead inside PCR van; investigation begins on reason behind extreme step

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, Feb 27: An Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Delhi Police allegedly shot himself dead with his service pistol in a PCR van while he was on duty at Zakhira flyover in west Delhi on Saturday morning, officials said.

The ASI, Tej Pal (55), was attached with the Police Control Room (PCR) unit. He was residing in Rajnagar in Ghaziabad, they said.

Police were informed about the incident at around 7 am, they said, adding no suicide note was recovered from the spot. The ASI allegedly shot himself in the chest, a senior police officer said.

Police supposed to collect evidence for true picture, says court on Deep Sidhu's plea for fair probe

He was rushed to ABG hospital by the PCR van driver where he was declared brought dead, he said. The PCR van was examined by the crime team, police said, adding further investigation is going on.

In a similar incident, a Delhi Police constable had allegedly ended his life by shooting himself inside a police station in Vasant Vihar area of the national capital in June last year.

Imran Khan says onus of further progress in ties on India | Oneindia News

Constable Sandeep Kumar, posted with special staff in southwest Delhi's Vasant Vihar, shot himself with his service revolver, following which he was rushed to a nearby hospital, where medics pronounced him dead.
EMILY ST. LAWRENCE, Chariho girls lacrosse, senior: St. Lawrence tied a school record for goals in a game with nine in a win over Smithfield. St. Lawrence scored 17 goals for the week and has 32 for the season.

CARLY CONSTANTINE, Stonington softball, sophomore: Constantine singled home Shea OConnor with the winning run to hand Waterford, the states No. 2 ranked team at the time, its first loss of the season. For the week, Constantine was 5 for 15.

GREG GORMAN, Westerly baseball, junior: Gorman, a junior, hit a massive home run in a win against Barrington. The homer went over the fence in center field and landed in a nearby road. Gorman was 3 for 3 with four RBIs in the game. He is hitting .571 with 10 RBIs for the season.

BRADIN ANDERSON, Wheeler baseball, freshman: Anderson, a freshman, pitched a complete-game shutout to beat Grasso Tech. Anderson struck out three to earn the first win of his varsity career.

Vote

View Results
Manitoba is now sending COVID-19 samples for genetic sequencing to detect variants within 24 hours, but officials still have no explanation for previous delays in transporting such specimens down the street.

Manitoba is now sending COVID-19 samples for genetic sequencing to detect variants within 24 hours, but officials still have no explanation for previous delays in transporting such specimens down the street.

"I dont think there are any delays in the process right now," deputy chief provincial public health officer Dr. Jazz Atwal said Friday, in response to questions from the Free Press.

His remarks come as Manitoba broadens the criteria of people expected to stay home after a contact with someone carrying COVID-19, in recognition of more contagious coronavirus variants.

The province screens all positive COVID-19 samples for the three most concerning variants, and sends them onwards to the Winnipeg-based National Microbiology Lab for sequencing, which is a much more complex process.

But getting the samples from the Cadham Provincial Laboratory to NML has taken more than a week  despite being located just 600 metres apart.

The first variant case stemmed from a sample the Cadham lab had tested Jan. 22, but chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin told reporters Feb. 9 NML had only provided the sequencing result the previous evening.

This clearly annoyed the Public Health Agency of Canada, who clarified it only took NML four days to complete the sequencing, and the sample had only shown up at the national lab 13 days after Cadham did its initial COVID-19 test.

Provincial officials have never explained that delay, saying this month it was "looking at the case to identify any logical issues."

Since then, the province has announced two other variant cases linked to flights that had arrived in Canada three weeks prior  raising further questions about how long it takes Manitoba to get such samples sequenced.

Meanwhile, the province is now requiring everyone sharing a home with a COVID-19 carrier to isolate, because of the time it takes to sequence. That means pulling Manitobans out of school and work until labs can confirm the household hasnt been exposed to a highly contagious variant.

"If someone tests positive for COVID-19, all household members will be considered close contacts and will have to self-isolate," a provincial spokeswoman wrote this week. "This is because it takes time to screen for and sequence a sample to confirm if it is a variant of concern."

This week, a PHAC spokeswoman said the national lab should take less than a week to sequence samples, once theyre received.

"NMLs work begins when the sample is received at the lab, with a goal to return results four to seven days later," the agency wrote.

Atwal said Friday that Cadham should be getting samples to NML quickly.

"Once something is screened positive from CPL, it gets sent over to the NML lab for sequencing; I think that happens within a 24-hour period," said Atwal, who did not have any explanation for why this has previously taken so long.

"Earlier on, there might have been a delay."

 with files from Danielle Da Silva

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Showing solidarity with the farmers protesting against the three new farm laws enacted last year, Noida artists performed 'Ragini' at the protest site at Ghazipur border here.

Amit Chandpur, one of the artists who performed 'Ragini' at the border said, "We are here to extend our support to the farmers who are protesting against the contentious farm laws. We will go after our performance. Today, around five to seven artists from Udham Nagar Mandli have come here." A huge crowd was there at the border to see the performance of the artists.

This is not the first time that artists have come here to support the farmers. A lot of artists had reached here earlier also to show solidarity.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Politics, properly defined, should be both a positive and a negative equation: to argue for our proposition for how to shape Australias future in national security, the economy, individual enterprise, social justice and the environment, as well as to demolish the conservatives proposition for the same. Over the last decade or more, the Labor Party has dedicated the bulk of its political energies to the former, but with insufficient attention to the latter. By contrast, the Liberal Party has had no such qualms. The Liberals since Hewson have never had a proactive policy vision for Australias future. Their single interest has been to destroy whatever policies the previous Labor government has put in place, and to run a continuing negative campaign against everything the Labor Party stands for, with the single objective of obtaining and sustaining political power. Any passing examination of Abbotts election program for the 2013 federal election, and the subsequent actions taken during his term, demonstrate this central point. The same occurred in both the 2016 and 2019 elections. The essential lesson for the Labor Party is that, as a movement, we must radically lift our negative game. We will never secure an election victory in order to deliver our program based simply on the goodness of our hearts, the righteousness of our cause or the intellectual rigour of our policies. This readjustment of the Labor Partys political strategy, to fully embrace negative campaigning, will take courage too, because it requires a departure from the comfortable but self-defeating ways of the past. It requires that we become as brutal in our politics as the Liberals and Murdoch media have been towards us for decades. Although in our case, we can do so without resorting to the outright lying of our opponents. The truth, effectively told, is already powerful enough for our purposes. As noted earlier, the Liberals, to compensate for their yawning deficit in ideas, vision and policy, and to camouflage the regressive nature of their substantive program in government, have mastered the alchemy of anxiety, fear, anger and even rage. Their purpose is to focus peoples attention elsewhere and to galvanise voting behaviour accordingly. The longstanding response from progressive politicians has been to counter the politics of fear with the politics of hope. But the ugly reality is that anxiety and fear are far more potent emotions than hope, a task made easier by the underlying uncertainties of our age and the flight to certainty and security, however illusory, that these induce. Therefore, the Labor project must embrace with equal passion and execution both a positive agenda of hope as well as a negative agenda. It requires that we become as brutal in our politics as the Liberals and Murdoch media have been towards us for decades.

Advertisement

Our political mission is to counter the conservatives emotional assault, driven by anxiety, with our own ability to mobilise peoples anger at what the conservatives are actually doing to diminish their wages, salaries, working conditions and retirement income - while increasing the cost of their education, health, childcare and aged care. It is also to explain that, while attacking the living standards of working families, these very same conservatives are delivering tax cuts to those who do not need them, and providing financial benefits, often corruptly, to their inner political circle. And then - and only then - our responsibility is to offer these very same people real hope for the future with a positive policy program that delivers both support for them and strength for the nation. The Liberals have campaigned for decades against the Labor Party on the grounds that fiscal stimulus, budget deficits, public debt, public infrastructure investment and industry policy undermine Australias economic strength by saddling future generations with unsustainable debt. On this basis, the Liberal Party argued for paying off public debt, a return to budget surpluses, deregulation, small government and low taxes as the basis of their claim to be Australias natural economic managers. Tactical changes: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in July 2013. Credit:Andrew Meares We now know this claim to have been a lie from the beginning. The Liberals now report five times the net debt than existed under the last Labor government and seven times the budget deficit, and they have now resumed the core elements of Labors national infrastructure plan with the proposed completion of the NBN. If their critique against the previous Labor government was that we believed in big government, by contrast the Liberals now believe in giant government. At the height of the GFC, government expenditure as a proportion of the overall size of the economy peaked at 26 per cent of GDP, whereas in 2020 under the Liberals it reached 35 per cent of GDP. The Liberals essential values remain individual and corporate greed. These stand in fundamental opposition to the much deeper and widely held Australian value of a fair go for all. But because greed is such an ugly value which cannot be owned overtly, Liberal strategy has always been to mask it by any other distracting device possible. This has included a wide range of campaigns all aimed at stoking a cocktail of anxiety, fear, anger, rage and xenophobia on the part of the voting public. They do this by directing peoples attention to welfare entitlement and fraud, Asian investors taking our prime agricultural land, refugees and immigrants taking our jobs, foreign threats to our fundamental national security, as well as a politically correct, now woke, culture that undermines our Australian sense of cultural identity. None of these claims can be substantiated with any credible, measurable evidence. They are political inventions.

Advertisement

Within a Labor Party subculture that constantly gravitates towards the intellectualisation of everything, one predisposed to ever more fevered work to develop policy perfection from opposition, to embark on a sustained, negative campaign to demolish the Liberal Party will take energy, discipline and, again, courage. Thats because the commentariat find negative campaigning distasteful. But if negative campaigning is so bad, then why do the conservatives spend so much time on it? Its because they know it works. And it is one of the reasons they have been in power for two-thirds of the history of the federation, and ourselves for only one-third. Labors entry point must be negative: to cause the Australian people to question, doubt and reject both the values and the policy effectiveness of the entire Liberal Party enterprise. This is necessary so that the people then begin to hear our message on how we will govern differently. We cannot cede security and prosperity to the Liberals as in-built conservative values, as some on the centre-left are tempted to do. All citizens have a legitimate expectation of being secure, just as they should aspire to individual and national prosperity through their own hard work, enterprise and success. Values of equality, a fair go for all and environmental sustainability are more familiar elements of the Labor repertoire. But if we fail to offer all five values as our foundational message to the Australian people, we will fail. Besides, our long and distinguished record of government during previous economic and national security crises means we have everything to be proud of on this score, and nothing to be ashamed of. Australia now confronts a series of global mega-changes that present us with existential challenges to navigate if we are to secure our future. The big five challenges are: the need to radically reinvent our long-term growth model, given the impact of the global technology revolution on Australias future economic competitiveness;

the impact of climate change on sustainable economic development;

the ability of working families to stay afloat amid deep economic crises and declining social equity;

the rise of China;

the management of future global pandemics. Our vision for government does not mean that we literally have to cover the field across every portfolio in public administration. In fact, from opposition, it is unwise to do so. People become overwhelmed by too much information. But they do want to know what we will do about the big things that worry them, the things that are the real sources of anxiety rather than the confected ones.

Advertisement

On growth, a seminal challenge for the Labor Party is to become the clarion-clear voice of Australian small business through reducing the regulatory burden of the sector while also minimising the tax impost on it. Small businesses are the little guys of the Australian economy who provide the bulk of the nations employment. They are a natural constituency for the Australian Labor Party. We should champion their success. Labor is stepping up its fight over industrial relations changes with a national advertising campaign featuring a knife-brandishing chef who accuses Prime Minister Scott Morrison of slashing wages and conditions. Given the growing likelihood of major employment disruptions through automation, IT and AI, Australia will need a new National Jobs and Training Agency to provide retrenched or otherwise longer-term unemployed workers with a universal training guarantee for newly emerging industries, as well as to place retrained workers in new jobs within a specified period of time. Failure to do this effectively will result in a growing generation of unemployed and alienated Australians who no longer have a stake in the countrys future. In addition, and perhaps most controversially, I believe we must aim to build a Big Australia. Neither maximum workforce participation nor productivity growth alone will generate an economy large enough and a workforce young enough to pay for the countrys future. The ageing of our population is real. The impact on future retirement income, health and aged-care costs will be prohibitive. Thats why we need to plan effectively for an optimum population size. A Big Australia is not incompatible with properly mandated urban planning, infrastructure development and environmental sustainability. Australia must transform itself by mid-century into a net-zero-emissions economy. With the right policy settings, this is entirely compatible with building a much bigger Australia. We need a globally competitive carbon price set through the market mechanism of an emissions trading scheme. We will also need to maintain and expand the existing Renewable Energy Target. Solar panels should become a mandatory part of the national building code for all new structures. And the government should directly fund the installation of solar energy equipment in public housing, ensuring that the most vulnerable, who struggle with our countrys high energy prices, immediately see a reduction in their cost of living. Sustainable economic growth has two basic conditionalities: a natural environment that can support it, and a social contract that ensures that society does not fracture as a result of the inequalities that arise from our existing growth model. Over the last seven years, wages and salaries growth has flatlined, while corporate profits as a share of national income have risen significantly. If this trend continues, political support for our current economic growth framework will eventually collapse, polarising politics away from the centre-left and the centre-right towards the extremes. This process is already well down the road in Europe and America. It also contains clear warning signs for Australia.

Advertisement

Australia must now redefine its social contract to reduce inequality before the system begins to fracture. Future tax reform must benefit low and middle-income earners, not further advantage those who dont need redress. Childcare must make greater workforce participation easier, not harder. So too with paid parental leave. Payments to the unemployed must be adjusted to maintain human dignity. The National Health and Hospitals Network, first negotiated in 2010, must be revisited with the states and territories, then fully implemented federally, to ensure that our universal health system is financially sustainable for the long term - rather than slowly dying a death of a thousand financial cuts. Then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Treasurer Wayne Swan, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development Minister Anthony Albanese in 2008. Credit:Andrew Meares The Australian social contract should be expanded by ensuring retirement income adequacy for those on low and middle incomes. The superannuation guarantee level should continue rising to 12 per cent, as we originally legislated in 2010. I do not believe we can safely guarantee the nations future in this deeply uncertain world unless we become much bigger than we are. Precisely how much bigger will be a matter for detailed research on what we will need for our future national capacity, although a figure of 50 million people should be within our reach for the second half of the century. A Big Australia is also about the size and scope of our national imagination. Ours can be a strong Australia, a competitive Australia, an inclusive Australia, a compassionate Australia and a sustainable Australia. Neither conservative, nor neoliberal, nor embracing the blind socialism of the utopians. Ours, indeed, can be a fourth way. This is an edited extract from The Case for Courage by the Hon Kevin Rudd, published March 1 as part of the new In the National Interest series from Monash University Publishing.
Last December, Emma Shi desperately needed an appointment at the civil affairs bureau in Shanghai, but could not get one. She scoured the internet to find someone who could help, quickly.

Her request: Help me obtain a divorce within a day.

Ms. Shi, a 38-year-old engineer, was trying to get ahead of a Chinese government rule that from Jan. 1, couples seeking a divorce must first wait 30 days. Ms. Shi said that forcing unhappy couples to stay married would only lead to more fighting.

To anyone, this would be very unbearable, she said. The relationship is already broken.

The new cooling-off period was introduced to deter impulsive divorces, but it prompted a scramble at the end of last year among couples urgently wanting to part ways.

Chinas steadily rising divorce rate has compounded the challenges facing the ruling Communist Partys efforts to reverse a demographic crisis that threatens economic growth. The number of marriages has plummeted every year since 2014, and officials have also grown increasingly concerned that more wedded couples were acting hastily to untie the knot.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Kalamazoo Public Schools now stands alone as the only major school district in Michigan with plans to keep instruction exclusively virtual through the end of the school year.

Others that were also conducting virtual instruction earlier in the school year have since set dates for a return to classrooms, including public school districts in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Lansing, Ann Arbor and Flint.

Kalamazoo Public Schools superintendent first announced her decision on Feb. 11 and during a Thursday, Feb. 25, meeting she reiterated the districts plan to remain virtual.

Local teachers opposed a return to classrooms. Results from a survey of KPS teaching staff found 83% of respondents wanted to remain virtual and only 17% favored a shift to hybrid instruction. A survey of parents showed a more even split between those options, with 53% of those responding wanted to stay virtual while 47% said they wanted hybrid learning.

Related: Parents have mixed reactions to Kalamazoo schools remaining virtual through spring

Parents say a lack of in-person education and socialization has been devastating for their kids. Gov. Whitmer, in January, urged schools to get kids back into schools by March 1, citing failing grades and negative effects on students mental health.

Many parents in Kalamazoo were unhappy with the districts decision to remain virtual, and have pushed school leaders to reconsider offering some in-person component. It is unlikely KPS will change course. Instituting hybrid learning, at this point in the school year, would only mean 20 days in the classroom for face-to-face instruction anyway, Superintendent Rita Raichoudhuri said Thursday.

Kalamazoo Countys coronavirus numbers have been on a steady decrease through January and February. Despite less positive cases, Raichoudhuri said, KPS is still at great risk for an outbreak and closing schools to quarantine.

A COVID incident, for a district our size, is a matter of when not if, she said. So that would have reduced the number of in-person days to the mid to low teens, while destabilizing learning routines and leaving families scrambling to secure childcare at the last minute.

Related: The pandemics psychological toll on our children

Kalamazoo student will return to classrooms, if they choose, in August for the new school year. Raichoudhuri is pledging KPS will offer families options for in-person learning five days a week or virtual learning, giving a personal guarantee during the board meeting.

Here are five things to know about Kalamazoo Public Schools decision to delay a return to classrooms until August 2021:

The motion to continue virtual learning was passed by the KPS Board of Education in a 6-1 vote. Trustee Ken Greschak voted against the motion, saying it makes KPS a profound outlier in comparison to other school districts. I think we have been giving a little bit of an artificial choice between A and B, Greschak said. He offered a solution to look at the student population in smaller segments and suggested younger children could return to in-person learning first.

Parents do have the option to switch their KPS students into neighboring districts. We think KPS can provide the supports in the education for their children this year and encourage them to work with us before they would make another decision, spokesperson Susan Coney said. But of course parents have to do whats best for their child, they know their child best. Worth noting is that the requirements of The Kalamazoo Promise scholarship would mean students leaving KPS may no longer be eligible for the offer of free college tuition.

To address students struggling with virtual instruction, in-person learning hubs are opening at two KPS elementary schools, four middle schools and two high schools starting Monday, March 1. These hubs will not include instruction but will offer tutoring support while students attend their virtual lessons.

Kalamazoo joined a pilot program to provide rapid-result testing within the district. The nasal swabs will be conducted on a voluntarily basis every week for support staff at the in-person learning hubs.

By the time in-person learning is back next school year, KPS expects all of its staff to be eligible for vaccination, Coney said. The county health department continues to allocate 25% of the vaccine supply for K-12 employees and early learning centers. Teaching staff still working in a virtual mode, like KPS teachers, are expected to get their first doses of the vaccine by the end of February or early in March, depending on vaccine supply the county receives, health department spokesperson Lyndi Warner said.

More on MLive:

Kalamazoo Public Schools will remain virtual despite strong pushback from some parents

Portage elementary school pivots back to virtual amid positive COVID cases

Group works to reduce chronic absenteeism exacerbated by pandemic in Grand Rapids-area schools

Grand Blanc schools approves plan for hybrid in-person learning

Parent beyond frustrated after Flint schools postpones in-person option 3 days before kids were scheduled to return
The Changing Of The Guard

Simon Akam Scribe, 25

Rating:

The British Army, according to journalist Simon Akam, went into the wars of choice in Iraq and Afghanistan convinced that it was the best little army in the world. It came out of them, he says, with its reputation diminished, both in its own estimation but also  and importantly  in the view of our American allies whom, embarrassingly, we had hubristically denigrated at the start of the Iraq operation.

There is little doubt that ultimately the British military failed badly in Iraq by ceding control of Basra, in 2007, to the sectarian Shia militias that we had hitherto been fighting.

It took an operation  Charge of the Knights  by the poorly regarded Iraqi security forces and their US advisers, in the spring of 2008, to regain control of the city. This was the nadir, but there had been some successes earlier in the campaign, political rather than military, before the population began to realise that we simply didnt have the resources or the will for the amount of reconstruction that the infrastructure and civil society of southern Iraq required.

The British Army went into the wars of choice in Iraq and Afghanistan convinced that it was the best little army in the world (above, British soldiers in Afghanistan in 2009)

Afghanistan was little better. Until 2006, the relatively small contingent of UK forces had been focused on Kabul and the north of the country, which was a relatively permissive environment.

Helmand was a different matter. It has been persuasively argued  and Akam rehearses the argument here  that what we had stepped into was not an insurgency but a decades-old tribal and civil conflict that neither we nor the Americans understood and in which the Taliban were, at first, only bit players.

Ultimately our involvement enabled the Taliban to gain influence, power and a leadership role that it had not previously had.

It has been persuasively argued  and Simon Akam (above during his army days, 2004) rehearses the argument here  that what we had stepped into was not an insurgency

The consequence, of course, was that lives were lost, many more were blighted by injury, and a vast amount of money was spent to no apparent benefit. There has been a moral cost too.

Since the early stages of the Iraq War, rumours have continued to surface of abuses by British personnel in both Iraq and Afghanistan. While many of these were demonstrably false, some were not.

Akam also covers the lawfare (legal actions directed at soldiers) conducted by Leftist lawyers like Phil Shiner, which has cast a shadow over the lives of many military personnel.

But perhaps if we learn the lessons from these failures, we can at least claim some mitigation? Maybe so, but Akam claims that the Army has been more interested in covering up failure than learning from it.

Indeed, this book has had a difficult gestation. The original publisher seems to have developed cold feet about the project as it was approaching completion, necessitating a switch, and there is some evidence that this was a result of pressure from people close to the military.

The defence establishment, he claims, is averse to learning the real lessons of its failures; in fact it rewards them  or some of them anyway  with promotions and honours for the perpetrators.

There is a counter-argument to this. The choice the UK made in deciding to get involved in Iraq and Afghanistan was a hard-nosed one focused on maintaining influence in a complex world and, in the case of Afghanistan, of preventing the return of a regime that had no qualms about sheltering the perpetrators of 9/11 and other terrorist atrocities.

And while it became evident that the task in both Iraq and Afghanistan was ultimately beyond our resources, the US fared little better, despite the mass and material superiority of their armed forces.

Yes, the US tidied up after us in Basra and in Helmand, but they didnt go on to win. There is clearly a lot of learning to be done all round.

And the Army would argue that it has tried to learn lessons. Not necessarily through public lamentation and breast-beating but by the development of doctrine and the assimilation of new ideas and concepts.

Akam, whom I know and spoke to for this book, implies that there has been a take the money [or medals] and run attitude among the Armys senior leadership, but that isnt something Ive seen and it would surprise me if any of the commanders I knew and worked with during my Army career had been anything other than profoundly affected by what they went through in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Changing Of The Guard is an uncomfortable read, deliberately controversial, and many will disagree with Akams conclusions, but it is important that arguments like his are given a proper airing.

Its compellingly written  I got through all 500-plus pages in two sittings  and it is certainly worth the effort.

Oddly enough, when all the dust has settled, there is still a very strong argument that the British Army is the best little army in the world but Iraq and Afghanistan have reminded us that  as the saying attributed to everyone from Napoleon to Stalin has it  Quantity has a quality all of its own and we ignore this reality at our peril.

Adrian Weale is a historian and former Army officer.
Advertisement

The Australian Prime Minister has enjoyed a quick dip in the ocean while on a trip to the beach with his family this week.

Scott Morrison was seen soaking up the sunshine for an hour at Bronte Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Friday alongside his wife Jenny and daughters Lily and Abbey.

He had spent the last fortnight away from his family in Canberra.

Wearing a pair of blue and white boardshorts, the 52-year-old was all smiles as he emerged from the surf with a pair of flippers in hand.

The Australian Prime Minister has enjoyed a quick dip in the ocean while on a relaxing trip to the beach with his family this week (pictured in Bronte Beach)

Donning a pair of blue and white boardshorts, the 52-year-old was all smiles as he emerged from the surf with a pair of flippers in hand

After a cool dip in the water Mr Morrison draped a towel over his shoulders, and the family decided to head home.

The prime minister and his wife of more than 30 years walked hand-in-hand along the pathway as their daughters skipped ahead.

The relaxing day in the surf comes after a turbulent week for Mr Morrison with a string of sexual assault allegations surfacing allegedly involving members of the government - with one dating back to 1988.

A letter was sent to Mr Morrison, as well as Labor's leader in the senate Penny Wong and senator Sarah Hanson-Young on Friday, alleging rape by a senior minister before he entered politics.

The letter came with a detailed statement attached, prepared by the complainant for her lawyer, ABC's Four Corners has reported.

Mr Morrison is seen relaxing in the surf at Bronte Beach in Sydney's east on Friday

After enjoying a swim with a pair of flippers the prime minister is seen heading back to shore at Sydney's Bronte Beach

Carrying a backpack and wearing a towel over his shoulders the 52-year-old is seen heading home from a relaxing day at Bronte Beach

Mr Morrison walks hand-in-hand with his wife of more than 30 years Jenny while at Bronte Beach on Friday

The PM's relaxing day out at Bronte Beach in Sydney comes after a turbulent week for the government with a string of sexual assault allegations

The complainant is no longer alive.

A spokesperson for Mr Morrison on Friday evening said any allegations should be referred to the Australian Federal Police.

'As per the AFP Commissioner's instruction, any complaints or allegations of this nature made to anybody - whether they're parliamentarians or journalists - should be referred to the AFP,' the statement said.

On Friday night an AFP spokesperson said in a statement the force would 'not be commenting on this matter'.

Senators Hanson-Young and Wong both released statements saying they had contacted the AFP about the letter.

Ms Hanson-Young said the information she had received regarded a 'disturbing and a very serious allegation of a criminal nature against a senior member of the government'.

Senator Wong said it was her understanding the complainant, who was 16 at the time of the alleged attack in Sydney, reported the assault to NSW Police and South Australia Police.

Four Corners says the woman reported the alleged rape to NSW police in February 2020, but took her own life in June after informing them she no longer wanted to proceed with the complaint.

NSW Police said in a statement on Friday night that a report of alleged historic sexual violence was received in February 2020 and detectives commenced an investigation.

The explosive revelations come a fortnight after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins's rape allegation engulfed parliamentary sittings, prompting Australia's major political parties to back a cultural overhaul.

The Morrison government has been under intense pressure over its response to the 2019 incident, in which Ms Higgins alleges she was sexually assaulted by a former colleague in Parliament House.

There are four inquiries under way including a multi-party investigation aimed at ensuring parliament is a safe working environment.

Ms Higgins is pushing for change after feeling she wasn't supported when she first made the allegation, leading to her withdrawing her police complaint out of fear for her job.

She reinstated the complaint on Wednesday and an investigation is under way.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds was released from hospital on Friday after being admitted on advice of her cardiologist.

Senator Reynolds, who was Ms Higgins' boss at the time of the incident, was under extreme scrutiny about her handling of the complaint.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
5 things you need to know Monday

News
Sen. Ted Cruz taunted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as he addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday, making a joke out of the New York Democrats fears of the deadly riot at the Capitol last month.

In his remarks, Cruz, R-Texas, said the U.S. faces dark times with Democrats controlling both chambers of Congress, adding dramatically that Bernie is wearing mittens, and AOC is telling us she was murdered, his voice reaching a high pitch.

The reference to Sen. Bernie Sanders sartorial choices at President Joe Bidens inauguration and Ocasio-Cortezs account of the Capitol chaos came toward the beginning of a theatrical 16-minute speech from Cruz.

He made light of his widely panned escape from frigid, blackout-plagued Texas to Cancun, Mexico, this month, and he finished the speech by promising GOP successes to come and yelling: In the immortal words of William Wallace: FREEDOM!! The outburst was a reference to the film Braveheart.

The four-day convention kicked off Thursday in Orlando, Florida, and Trump is expected to give the final speech Sunday evening.

Ocasio-Cortez has said she feared for her life during the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol. She was in the Cannon House Office Building, part of the complex, during the siege, and said on Instagram later she did not know if I was going to make it to the end of that day alive.

Her recollection of the day prompted false accusations that she had misstated where she was that day.

Ocasio-Cortezs office didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on Cruzs barb.

Cruz was recently criticized for taking his family to Cancun, Mexico, while millions of Texans shivered in their unheated homes during the disaster. Cruz later said the trip was a mistake.

Orlando is awesome, he declared. Its not as nice as Cancun. But its nice.

PRESS RELEASE  The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) No. 100 Squadron will be re-formed as the Air Force Heritage Squadron, operating from two locations RAAF Base Point Cook and Temora ahead of centenary commemorations of the service.

No. 100 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bomber and maritime patrol squadron that operated during World War II. Raised in early 1942 from the remnants of a British unit that had been destroyed in Malaya, the squadron flew Bristol Beauforts from bases in Queensland and New Guinea, undertaking torpedo- and level-bombing sorties against Japanese targets in the Pacific theatre. Following the conclusion of hostilities, the squadron was disbanded in August 1946. It will be reformed as the Air Force Heritage Squadron in March 2021 to operate airworthy warbirds.

Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester said 100 Squadron had a proud history and after a 75-year absence it was fitting that RAAF reactivates it in the same year as it commemorates its first 100 years.

First established during the Second World War in February 1942 at RAAF Base Richmond, 100 Squadron was an Air Force bomber and maritime patrol squadron, trained on Australian-built Bristol Beauforts, Mr Chester said. The squadron conducted several successful missions throughout the war, taking part in the famous Battle of the Bismarck Sea in March 1943, and eventually disbanding in New Guinea on 19 August 1946. The heritage fleet of 100 Squadron will continue to recognise the service of previous generations and inspiring the next generation of pilots.

No. 100 Squadron will fly a number of aircraft from the current heritage fleet from Point Cook, Victoria, and Temora, New South Wales.

Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Riverina Michael McCormack welcomed Temoras worthy involvement in marking the RAAFs centenary.

Temora has an extensive aviation history dating back to the Second World War, where pilots trained at RAAFs No. 10 Elementary Flying Training School, Mr McCormack said. The training school closed after the Second World War on 12 March 1946, but since then Temora has maintained a strong aviation focus, which will now include being part of the rejuvenated No. 100 Squadron. Temora Historic Flight will build on to the Riverinas lengthy contribution to the RAAF, which includes RAAF Base Wagga and the former 5 Service Flying Training School at Uranquinty. The Temora Aviation Museum, of course, has played a special role in preserving RAAF history since 2000 by flying and displaying some iconic warplanes, such as the Spitfire.

The new Air Force Heritage Squadron headquarters at RAAF Base Point Cook would provide a historical connection to the community. The reestablishment of No. 100 coincides with the Centenary of the RAAF, which was formed on March 31, 1921.

Point Cook based aircraft:

 Mustang VH-SVU A68-170

 CT4A VH-NZP A19-077

 Sopwith Pup VH-PSP

 Harvard VH-HVD NZ1075

 Sopwith Snipe VH-SNP

 RE8 VH-OTF RE8-1 0003

 Winjeel VH-FTS A85-439

 Tiger Moth VH-AWA A17-692

 P-40 A29-90

Temora Based aircraft:

 Canberra VH-ZSQ

 Cessna A37 VH-XVA

 Spitfire Mk.VIII. VH-HET

 DH Vampire VH-VAM

 Lockheed Hudson VH-KOY

 CAC Wirraway VH-BFF

 CAC Sabre VH-IPN

 CAC Boomerang VH-MHR

 Ryan STM VH-RSY

 Meteor F8 VH-MBX

 Spitfire Mk.XVI VH-XVI

 Tiger Moth VH-UVZ
Relatives of a Robstown teen and her grandmother, both killed in a car crash in San Antonio in 2019, delivered tearful courtroom statements Friday, shortly after a judge handed a five-year prison term to the distracted driver who caused it.

Fermin Hernandez Jr., now 31, was arrested May 29, 2020, on two counts of criminally negligent homicide and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the deaths of Tais Alejandra Hinojosa, 18, and her grandmother, Maria Carmen Hinojosa, 73, court records indicate.

I am guilty, Hernandez said when state District Judge Velia Meza asked whether he entered into his plea bargain willingly.

On ExpressNews.com: Teen killed in Interstate 35 crash is ID'd

According to police reports, Tais Hinojosa was a passenger in the back seat of a Toyota Yaris that was stopped in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Interstate 35 around 7 p.m. April 28, 2019.

Hernandez told authorities he was on his way home and was eating and drinking a beverage while at the wheel of his GMC Sierra pickup. His windows were open, and a lid to a plastic container began flying around the cab. He told police he reached down to the floorboard to pick it up, shortly before he rear-ended the compact car.

Police said Hernandez was not under the influence, was not using his cellphone and stayed at the scene to render aid. He was taken into custody because he had outstanding warrants in San Antonio municipal court and a drivers license violation, according to court records.

On ExpressNews.com: GoFundMe created for teen killed by distracted driver on I-35

The teen, her grandmother and another passenger, Maria Ramos, Tais Hinojosas fathers girlfriend, were all hospitalized in critical condition.

Tais Hinojosa died from her injuries at University Hospital. Her grandmother died six days later at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Im the one that survived, Ramos said in her victim impact statement. Im not sure why Im here.

Ramos and three other relatives appeared in court to give statements, interrupting themselves with crying and sobbing over their sadness at the loss of their loved ones. They expressed a hope that while Hernandez was incarcerated, he could reflect on what his distraction did to them.

So much has been taken from us, Ramos said.

Top hits: Get San Antonio Express-News stories sent directly to your inbox

Fridays hearing was delayed nearly three hours when Hernandez failed to show up. Meza issued a warrant for his arrest, and the countys Fugitive Apprehension Unit tracked his GPS monitor and went to pick him up.

Hernandez was sentenced to five years in prison on each of the three charges, which will be served at the same time. Because of the court decided his pickup was a deadly weapon, he will have to serve at least half of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.

Gretchen Flader prosecuted the case for the Bexar County District Attorneys Office. Hernandez was represented by defense attorney Gary Churak.

Hernandez, a legal resident holding a green card, faces deportation upon his release from prison.

Staff photographer Lisa Krantz contributed to this report. ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF) last week released for the first time a report outlining its financial position. The so-called 2020 Impact Report states that the organization collected over $90 million last year.

The BLMGNF was founded in 2013 by Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi in the wake of the killing of Trayvon Martin. It has since promoted and capitalized on the slogan Black Lives Matter, raising substantial sums of money, including from large corporate donors and private foundations like the Ford Foundation.

Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter [Wikimedia Commons]

According to the report, BLMGNF had approximately $8.4 million in expenses in 2020, which was distributed in the form of staffing, operating and administrative expenses, civic engagement, programs and field expenses, rapid response, and crisis intervention. This includes about $2 million spent on a get out the vote campaign to support the Democratic Party in the 2020 elections. There is no breakdown on how the other $6.4 million was spent.

The organization also reported that it has committed $21.7 million in funding to its official and unofficial chapters, in addition to 30 local organizations that received six-figure grants. These funds, it states, will go toward the sustenance of Black communities and Black movement-building. BLMGNF ended 2020 with more than $60 million in its coffers.

The BLMGNF has benefited from opposition to police violence which erupted in mass protests across the US and internationally following the police murder of George Floyd last summer. On June 2, seven days into the wave of protests, BLMGNFs website drew 1.9 million visitors, with a total of 24 million visits in the second half of 2020.

BLMGNFs report does not include any detail about who donated to the organization last year, and its leaders declined to name prominent donors. However, much of BLMs funding in 2020 can be linked to the swelling of corporate support for racialist movements, when last years multi-ethnic and multi-racial protests shook the ruling class. Multiple corporations pledged substantial sums of money, usually over a period of years, to organizations ostensibly fighting for racial equality.

The BLMGNF is part of a broader group of organizations operating under the umbrella of the Movement for Black Lives. The latter includes, in addition to BLMGNF, the National Conference of Black Lawyers and the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. Cullors is also a board member of the Ella Baker Center, which was founded by Democratic Party member and former Obama advisor Van Jones.

Technology companies were some of the largest contributors to the Black Lives Matter movement. Google pledged $12 million to various groups, while Facebook and Amazon each donated $10 million. Apple pledged $100 million for a Racial Equity and Justice Initiative that will challenge the systemic barriers to opportunity and dignity that exist for communities of color, and particularly for the black community.

Walmart announced $100 million over five years will be dedicated to creating a new center for racial equality, and Target donated $10 million to a similar cause.

Before 2020, the Ford Foundation pledged $100 million over six years to several organizations associated with the Movement for Black Lives.

The swelling financial basis for BLMGNF has led to infighting over access to the resources. Multiple local branches have accused its leadership of lack of financial transparency and accountability. Ten chapters, dubbed #BLM10, claimed that local groups have received little to no financial assistance from their parent organization. Records BLM shared with the Associated Press say that local chapters received multiple rounds of funding ranging between $800 and $69,000 since 2016.

However, #BLM10 complained that the grants are not proportionate to how much the organization has raised over the years. Additionally, they questioned the decision to remain silent about prominent donors. In its early years, BLM disclosed receiving donations from wealthy celebrities such as Beyonce, Jay-Z and Prince.

The BLMGNF foundation restructured its chapters into a separate entity called BLM Grassroots last summer. The chapters are eligible for $500,000 grants if they sign on to a multi-year agreement, including a series of demands from leadership. Only one BLM group in Denver met the demands and received funding in December.

In response to the allegations, BLMGNF co-founder Cullors, who now plays the leading role in the organization, claimed that there were misunderstandings about the organizations finances and that it was often scraping for money in previous years.

The Black Lives Matter organizations have been promoted by a section of the American ruling class as part of an effort to promote racial divisions and obscure common class interests of all workers, including in the fight against police violence. The agenda of these organizations has nothing to do with the grievances of workers and youth of any race or ethnicity. Rather, they speak for privileged sections of the middle class seeking to cash in on the promotion of racial politics to advance their own positions within the state and corporate America.
Beyond barbecues and ceremonies: Recognizing Memorial Day

For many, Memorial Day weekend is about gathering with family and grilling or attending a parade. Some find a more personal way to honor the holiday.






Despite parent company Honda's green and friendly brand image, luxury marque Acura hasn't made a grand statement about electrifying their lineup. Even as brands like Jaguar, Land Rover, Bentley, and Infiniti pledge to entirely electrify their lineups in the coming decade, Acura has held back. The reason, according to Acura head honcho Jon Ikeda, is that it's focusing on reestablishing itself as a performance brand.

In a wide-ranging interview with Automotive News, Ikeda says Acura came out of the gate strong in 1986 and did well for the first 20 years, but when the bottom fell out of the market in 2008 the brand experienced "growing pains." That spawned a period of self-reflection and, as Ikeda puts it, "What are we about?" The decision was made to go back to Acura's roots as the performance division of Honda. "That's what Acura is. That's what I fell in love with," Ikeda says.

Ikeda joined Honda in 1989, but his promotion to Acura boss in 2015 was a surprise to many, including himself. That's because Honda had a tradition of putting engineers at the helm, and Ikeda was a designer, responsible for the looks of such cars as the FSX concept, 2001 Civic Coupe, and beloved 2004 Acura TL.



See Full Image Gallery >>

When asked by AN whether Acura is worried that luxury competitors are putting stakes in the ground to claim EV brand identities, Ikeda says no. "For us as a brand, we needed to kind of refocus and reestablish ourselves as a performance brand... We want everybody to understand where we are, what we're about first. Even if we go electric we will continue to be a performance division of Honda and performance will be our focus."

To earn its performance street cred, Acura poured resources into the second-gen NSX hybrid supercar, which served as testbed for how electricity can work harmoniously with performance. They will continue to campaign IMSA race cars to earn trophies as proof, and Ikeda also wants to bring more Type S models to the lineup.

Story continues

Ikeda says Acura is still in the process of rebuilding its foundation, but when he's done he expects people to associate Acura with performance. That sure seems ambitious to us, but products like the new TLX are a helpful stepping stone. It also explains why Acura is investing in different platforms to differentiate itself from Honda.

To be clear, Ikeda isn't ruling out electrification. However, as he reiterates many times, vehicle dynamics and performance will come first, and that's what he wants Acura to be known for first and foremost.



See Full Image Gallery >>

Related Video

You Might Also Like
Matthew McConaughey made such a strong mark in A Time to Kill, its hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Had anyone else played it, McConaugheys career could have gone a lot differently, too. McConaughey said Kevin Costner and his future EdTV and True Detective co-star Woody Harrelson lost the role that would eventually make him a star.

Matthew McConaughey | Lou Rocco/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY

McConaughey appeared on the Feb. 17 episode of Rob Lowes Literally! podcast to discuss his autobiography Greenlights. Speaking of A Time to Kill, McConaughey discussed the actors who didnt get the role before he landed it.

Before Matthew McConaughey, A Time to Kill rejected Kevin Costner

McConaughey would ultimately play Jake Brigance in A Time to Kill. Brigance takes the case of Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson), on trial for killing the men who raped his daughter. Its a high profile case that attracts a lot of attention to Brigances struggling practice, which is what ultimately made Costner wrong for the role.

Kevin Costner | Warner Brothers/Getty Images

John Grisham has casting approval over that role because its based on him, McConaughey said. I think Kevin Costner was in consideration. But if hes that old, youd wonder why he wouldnt be a successful lawyer earlier.

Woody Harrelson lost A Time to Kill over another movie he made

Harrelson was more of a contemporary with McConaughey. However, his role as a serial killer in the 1994 movie Natural Born Killers turned Grisham off. Grisham would publish an editorial blaming the film for inspiring two teenage murderers and called for a boycott, according to the New York Daily News.

RELATED: Matthew McConaughey Telepathically Told A Time to Kill Director Joel Schumacher How to Film His Memorable Closing Argument

They were looking at Woody but Woody had come out in Natural Born Killers, McConaughey said. Oliver Stone and John Grisham get in an editorial fight because there was a copycat murder in Mississippi of someone that garnered some news. I heard John Grisham was going, Oh, no way that guy, Woody, who played Mickey is going to play me. That moves him out.

Matthew McConaughey was the last choice for A Time to Kill

McConaughey was still considered too new to play the lead, only two years after Dazed and Confused. However, the rest of the cast blew up.

Sandra Bullock was already in the role of Roark, McConaughey said. While You Were Sleeping comes out, now she can greenlight a movie after she was already cast in the third lead. Cant find the lead. Those things happen which make the studio think maybe we could try something out with a newbie in the role.

Matthew McConaughey and Sandra Bullock | Warner Brothers/Getty Images

RELATED: Matthew McConaughey on His Titanic Audition With Kate Winslet: I Really Thought It Was Going to Happen

Schumacher even screen tested McConaughey in secret. He had a feeling he could sell Warner Brothers on a newcomer, but didnt want to bring McConaughey onto the lot just in case.

All of a sudden I get a call, McConaughey said. Wanna screen test you, Matthew, for the role of Jake Brigance. Were going to do it on a Sunday. I believe it was Mothers Day. Were going to do it in a little studio off Fairfax [Ave]. The reason were not doing it at a studio is even if you do you great, youre probably not going to get the role and as youre coming into Hollywood, I dont want you, Matthew, to have it on your resume that you tried to get a role and screen tested for A Time To Kill and didnt get it. How thoughtful is that from the guy? Thats Schumacher.

They did cast McConaughey, the film was a huge summer blockbuster and launched McConaugheys leading man career.

Source: Literally! With Rob Lowe podcast, New York Daily News
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.

Highlights Motorola could launch the new Moto Watch series soon.

Speculations are rife that the smartwatches would be called the Moto Watch, the Moto Watch One, and the Moto G Watch.

Moto 360 Watch series was a rage amongst users but Motorola had to exit the market due to a lack of customer base.

Motorola could launch the new Moto Watch series soon. As per reports, Motorola is preparing to launch three new Motorola smartwatches in the market. Speculations are rife that the smartwatches would be called the Moto Watch, the Moto Watch One, and the Moto G Watch. For the unversed, Motorola's Moto 360 Watch series was a rage amongst users but Motorola had to exit the market due to a lack of customer base.

Twitter user Felipe Berhau has shared a few pictures of the speculated Motorola watch and claimed that the company will launch the smartwatches soon. "Not gonna claim this is exclusive since I got it from a sales presentation but seems like a square-ish Moto Watch and a new @moto360 are coming soon," he wrote. Felipe also shared the launch dates of the smartwatches. He revealed that the Moto G smartwatch would be launched in June 2021 and the Moto Watch and Motorola One Watch will be launched in July 2021.

In the pictures shared by Felipe, a square-shaped smartwatch and another one with a round dial are seen. The square-shaped smartwatch could be named Moto Watch and the other one could be named Moto One. Felipe also shared a picture of a metallic watch in silver which could most likely be called the Moto G smartwatch.

Although the specifications of the watches have not been leaked, it is expected to come with Google Wear OS. Moto G smartwatch could be the cheapest in the lineup considering the "G" moniker. If reports are to be believed, Motorola has collaborated with Flipkart for its smartwatches so they could be launched exclusively on Flipkart. As of now, Motorola has not shared any official details about its upcoming lineup of smartwatches.

Motorola is currently busy launching budget smartphones in India. The company recently launched the Moto E7 Power in India in entry-level smartphones. Motorola is now speculated to launch the Moto G30 and Moto G10. Tipster Mukul Sharma took to Twitter to reveal that Motorola plans to launch Moto G30 and Moto G10 in India soon. He said that the launch could take place in March and "could very well happen in the first week if things go as planned." Motorola is yet to make an official announcement about the smartphones



The smartphones are driven by Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets and come with interesting camera specs.
The New York Stock Exchange on Friday decided to begin formal delisting of Chinese state oil giant CNOOC Ltd based on an update to an executive order signed by former US President Donald Trump in November last year.

Prohibitions on CNOOC will take effect on March 9, 60 days after the company was added to the list that prohibits US investments, according to a guidance issued by the Treasury Department on January 27.

However, the exchange did not disclose a target date for the completion of the delisting.

The Trump administration had last year moved against certain Chinese companies that Washington said were owned or controlled by the Chinese military in an effort to ramp up pressure on Beijing.

The NYSE said CNOOC has the right to appeal the delisting decision. The exchange will include any appeal it receives in its application to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which will be submitted on completion of all procedures.

CNOOC could not be immediately reached for comment.





Lee Yul-seong is a North Korean refugee who graduated from high school in South Korea earlier this month. He delivered the speech at the first Freedom Speakers International/Teach North Korean Refugees English speech contest on Feb. 19, 2021, in Seoul. To get prepared for the contest, he was mentored by Jiwon Hyung, a student at Mercersburg Academy and a member of the TNKR Global High School Union.  Ed.







By Lee Yul-seong







I defected from North Korea in May of 2017 and arrived in South Korea in October of the same year.







When I was younger, I learned about the childhoods of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jung-Il from school and from my parents. When I received snacks on Kim Il-sung's and Kim Jung-Il's birthdays, I thought I was the happiest child in the world as I paid my respects to their portraits.







That's how brainwashed I was.







At school, the teachers told us that our father, a general, sacrificed sleep and barely staved off his hunger with tiny, unsatisfying rice balls in order to serve us. Every time I heard this story, I swore to myself that I would study so hard that I could be a worker that lifts him up.







Despite such loyalty, the North Korean authorities committed unforgivable brutality against my family. I stand before you today to talk about the atrocities the North Korean government has committed against my mother.







By sharing my mom's story, I want to help people who are suffering from similar pain and to make it stop.







My mother first went to China in 2008. According to her, the first American missionary she saw in the unfamiliar land of China was kind and gentle. My mother had learned in North Korea that American missionaries would write "thief" on children's faces and extract their blood and organs to sell them.







Contrary to what she had heard, the American pastor she met sincerely prayed for the people of North Korea and shed tears as he cried for Korea's reunification. She said she got to know God for the first time through that pastor. She wondered why we should not believe in God, and moreover, reject him, when Kim Il-sung's maternal family members were Christian. She tried to learn more about God. After my mother met the American pastor, she thought, "I want to be a child of God like he is."







I can recall those times she would look up at floating clouds in the clear, blue sky when I was young. She would say, "God is watching over us from the clouds."







Not long after, on April 10th, 2011, my mother was taken to the North Korea State Security Department under the accusation of being part of a group of 40 spies. When I returned from school, my older sister told me that six men had dragged off our mother. I burst into tears at the news.







She is my mother, not a spy.







The North Korea State Security Department found out that my mother had met a Christian in China. The security guards planned to round up my mother and other innocent people to get them to "confess" to crimes, so that they could receive commendations from their superiors and get promoted.







Later, when I found out about their true intentions, those pathetic security guards no longer counted as human beings to me. My mother told me that the head of the Security Department had blown cigarette smoke in her face and slapped her with all his strength. He kicked a delicate woman into a pitch-black cell and yelled, "Hey you! Sit up properly. This is a place where even the mute talk," demanding that she give them the information they wanted.







The guards placed a piece of wood on my mother's knees and forced her to have her hands behind her back and laughed at the sight. They then pressed the wood down with all their strength and chuckled as they asked, "How does this feel? Does it hurt?"







My mother, instead of worrying about her legs getting broken, thought about me and my sister, waiting for her at home.







They giggled as they ruthlessly hit my mother's head with a pistol. They yelled at her to plead guilty to the accusations against her, saying, "You claim to be innocent and ended up in this shape. You can either leave this place dead or frankly confess to everything and be sent away to a political reform camp. Choose wisely. No one will believe you no matter how much you deny these accusations, and you cannot escape your fate. So just confess everything."







When my mother cried and begged for mercy because she was innocent, they would force her to hang on steel bars while beating her relentlessly. She said that place was literally hell infused with the scent of blood.







My mother fought through the pain by thinking of us and was released from prison, acquitted of all charges.







The North Korean authorities are sacrificing innocent people for their own personal gain and amusement.







My mother cried as she said, "I am deeply suffering right now. The things that happened to me are so horrifying that I don't even want to think about them. But if speaking about those horrors will contribute at least a little to exposing the truth to the world and help those currently suffering, I can recall hundreds and thousands more details."







My whole family cried endless tears of suffering because of what happened. I shed many tears as I prepared this speech.







The North Korean authorities, who harm diligent and innocent citizens for their personal gain, got away with all the atrocities they committed against my mother.







What is the goal of the North Korean authorities? Do they seek to eat well and live well, at the expense of others? Is it to derive pleasure from torturing millions of people? Does Kim Jong-un enjoy enslaving almost 26 million people?







This is a shameful and grim reality.







Millions of people are fighting against Kim Jong-un today. But I tell you, that is not enough. I want to appeal to the world. If one person hears my speech and shares it with just one other person, I can always make time to share this story for that person. I believe in the power of standing on this podium and sharing this story, because this is a path that can save North Koreans and purge Kim Jong-un from the country.









The speech was edited by Casey Lartigue Jr., co-president of Freedom Speakers International and the editor of "

."


Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In .

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : More than three months have passed since the farmers agitation began. At present the number of people at the Ghazipur Border appears to be thinning, particularly in the last one month.

In fact this has been the case at the sites of protest on Delhi's borders ever since the violence on Republic Day, January 26. At the Ghazipur Border in particular, the numbers have reduced signficantly compared to the same date last month.

According to the farmers on the border, the number of agitators at the protest sites keeps changing since the farmers keep coming and going, particularly in the harvest season.

When we asked Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) media in-charge Dharmendra Malik about the dwindling numbers, he said: "We are organising a rally at Saharanpur on Sunday in which Rakesh Tikait will also participate. That is why most farmers have gone there. Let two panchayats be over, the crowds will again begin arriving to the Ghazipur border. At present, 20-25 tractors are about to reach the Ghazipur border." Ghazipur Kisan Andolan Committee (KAC) leader Jagtar Singh Bajwa told IANS: "Who says that the crowds have reduced? Please go to the stage and see for yourself. The programme hasn't yet begun, but there are people sitting there already. Since there is a Mahapanchayat in Baghpat, people from that area have gone there. Farmers are also heading to the Mahapanchayat in Rudrapur two days later." Farmer leaders may or may not agree, but the empty tents at the Ghazipur Border provide ample testimony to the fact that the number of farmers in the agitation has come down significantly.

Although the numbers used to increase on the weekend, but that is not happening any longer.

On the other hand, Rakesh Tikait has begun attending Mahapanchayats at other places. Except the days when he is present, neither do the farmers appear too enthusiastic, nor are their numbers high.

On Feb 19, a meeting was called by farmer organisations at Ghazipur Border in which district heads from Meerut, Saharanpur and Muradabad had participated. In this meeting, in light of the dwindling numbers, it was decided that the leadership will try and stop this slide and won't let the movement weaken.

BKU national spokesman Rakesh Tikait has also been saying: "More than farming, the focus must be on the movement. To ensure that the farmers' work is not ignored when they come to the agitation a panel has been formed. According to the panel four families will look after his farm when he comes here." With the rising mercury, farmers were not being seen in front of the stage. Now a shed has been built to solve this problem and shield the farmers from the harsh summer heat.

Farmers have been protesting against the Centre's three farm laws on Delhi's borders since November 26.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The logo of Planned Parenthood is seen outside the Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Center in St. Louis, Mo., on May 30, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Federal Judge Blocks Tennessee Abortion Law

A federal judge on Friday blocked a Tennessee law that required abortionists to advise patients about options for reversing a chemical abortion.

Judge William Campbell issued a preliminary injunction (pdf), ruling that the requirement is unconstitutional. Campbell opined that issuing the injunction would preserve the status quo and that the status quo is not harmful to the publics interest.

In addition, the public interest is served when the legislature acts within its constitutional limits, as set forth in the Bill of Rights, Campbell wrote.

The law has been on hold since a temporary restraining order was issued in September last year. It required abortion providers to provide written instructions to pregnant women who were intending to use a chemical to end the lives of their unborn children that the abortion is reversible through a special treatment.

The lawsuit against Tennessee was brought by Planned Parenthood, the nations largest abortion corporation. Planned Parenthood argued that the law infringed on its First Amendment rights by compelling speech that is untruthful and misleading. The judge concurred with the abortion corporation, finding that the language in the use of the word reversal in the statement did not accurately describe the progesterone therapy being offered.

The word reversal makes the mandated message untruthful and/or misleading because it promises more than progesterone therapy has even attempted to deliver, the judge wrote, adding that the message is misleading because it suggests progesterone therapy has reached a level of safety and efficacy that is not supported by medical evidence.

The injunction in Tennessee comes just a week after a judge blocked a South Carolina law that banned abortions after a heartbeat is detected in an unborn baby. That lawsuit was likewise brought by Planned Parenthood.

The Epoch Times sent a request for comment to the office of Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery. Pro-choice activists applauded the decision.

This law is a disturbing free speech violation, and we are glad the court recognized that today, Center for Reproductive Rights staff attorney Michelle Moriarty said in a statement. Doctors have free speech rightsjust like everyone doesand forcing them to lie to their patients violates those rights.


During this pandemic, Ive thought often of Eugenia Rutherford.

Some of you will remember Mrs. Rutherford, as generations of her students called her, from her years as a physical education teacher in Troy and Watervliet.

But Jeanne, as we knew her, was long retired and in her 90s when we moved into the house across the street from hers.

Coming to an inbox near you Our writers share more about the topics they cover in our newsletters. Churchill's Corner: Chris Churchill goes in depth on his latest columns, and shares what readers are saying. Sign up here. Editor's Note (subscribers only): Editor Casey Seiler shares the story behind our biggest stories of the week. Sign up here. Click here for a complete list of newsletter offerings.

In the early days of our life here, Jeanne was a kind neighbor who would wave to us from her front porch. Wed see her riding her exercise bicycle in the front window, and we would hear the stories about her.

She was jogging well into her 80s, neighbors told us. She used to cross-country ski down the middle of the street, they said. She keeps the library afloat with her reading, we heard.

But it wasnt until our daughter was born that our relationship with Jeanne blossomed. My wife would often bring the baby over to Jeannes house in the mornings, and they would talk about motherhood, life, natures beauty, everything.

My connection with Jeanne was often second-hand. When I came home at the end of the day, I would be told about the things she had said, the advice she had given, the wisdom she had imparted.

I dont think its going too far to say that my wife was in awe of Jeanne  of her strength, her patience, her knowledge, her faith. My daughter grew to love her, too.

There was something so special and beautiful about that relationship. A tiny girl who was new to the world, who was seeing everything for the first time, sitting with a woman who had seen so much.

Jeanne was born in Schenectady in 1920.

That year, Babe Ruth was in his first season with the Yankees, Woodrow Wilson was president, the first commercial radio station began broadcasting and women were finally given the constitutional right to vote.

Movies didnt have sound. Penicillin hadnt been discovered. Stores didnt sell sliced bread.

Jeanne lived through the Great Depression and the assassination of John F. Kennedy. She was born just after World War I but witnessed World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, the wars in Iraq. She watched the world change in countless ways.

And there she was, sitting day after day with a girl who was just beginning her journey. Profound doesnt begin to describe it.

I know my daughter brought joy to Jeanne, who was 98 when she died in 2018. She would smile as she watched children run and play in our yard, and she would light up when they came to visit.

But the gifts she gave us, including the insight gained from a long life lived well, were so much bigger than anything we could give her. Those gifts will stay with us forever. We talk about them often. We miss her terribly.

Jeanne didnt live to see the pandemic. And though I wish she had been with us longer, part of me is glad about that.

At her age, she would have been awfully vulnerable to COVID-19, and I hate to think of her isolated from her friends and frequent visitors, from my wife and daughter, from her large and loving family. It would have been so hard for her, a terrible way to spend her final years.

And Jeanne, Im sure, would have been saddened by the realities of pandemic life  the empty churches, the virtual schooling, the weakened community connections  and frustrated at the countrys inability to effectively confront the crisis.

I think she would have been stunned, as many of us are, by a U.S. death toll that has topped 500,000 people.

Thats the population of Albany, five times over. Its a staggering number of deaths, and we shouldnt let ourselves become numb to the scope of the tragedy and the enormity of the loss.

But Ive heard the toll discounted by some who note that many of the deaths were of the elderly or infirm. Some have even suggested that, therefore, taking strong measures against the the virus to combat its spread wasn't justified.

I dont think anyone who knew Jeanne would think that way. Nobody who saw how strong her light shined, well into her 10th decade, could downplay the loss of so many older Americans.

Many of those stolen by the coronavirus still had so much to give. Some would have had deep and lasting impacts on those fortunate enough to know them.

How many families have been denied the gift mine was given? How do we begin to weigh that loss? No number, no matter how large and staggering, can do it justice or measure what has been taken.

Eugenia Rutherford didn't die because of the coronavirus. But she has helped me understand its terrible toll.

cchurchill@timesunion.com  518-454-5442  @chris_churchill
According to a declassified US report, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman spearheaded the operation in Istanbul to capture and kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in 2018.

According to a declassified US report, Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman spearheaded the operation in Istanbul to capture and kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in 2018. Previously Turkey had claimed the killing was ordered at the highest level of Saudi leadership, implying Prince Mohammed was behind the murder. Khashoggi, a vocal critic of the Saudi regime, was killed on October 2, 2018 in Turkey. His killing had brought international outrage and damaged the reputation of Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Salman worldwide.

US Office of the Director of National Intelligence claimed in its report that they put together the evaluation with respect to the Crown Princes control of decision making in the Kingdom, the immediate association of a key counselor and individuals from Muhammad Salmans in the operation.

Saudi have been maintaining that Khashoggis killing was the work of rogue Saudi security and intelligence officials. Saudi Arabian courts last year announced they had sentenced eight Saudi nationals to prison in Khashoggis killing but were not identified. The report has been released a day after US President Joe Biden had a telephonic conversation with Saudi King Salman.

Following the international backlashes and condemnation the Saudi Prince said in 2019 he took full responsibility for the killing since it happened on his watch, but denied ordering it.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is urging Central Americans without travel papers not to go through risky trips to the United States as the southern border is closed to illegal migration.

The Biden administration is currently grappling with fast-rising undocumented migration across the southern border. During an online meeting with officials in El Paso, Texas, and Mexico's Ciudad Juarez, Antony Blinken noted that the U.S. is strictly enforcing immigration laws and border security measures, Reuters reported.

"To anyone thinking about undertaking that journey, our message is: 'Don't do it'... The border is closed to irregular migration," Blinken said.

The meeting was the start of Blinken's "virtual visit" that included conversations with Mexican ministers and Canadian officials. The U.S., Mexico, and Canada agreed to close their borders to non-essential traffic to fight the spread of COVID-19.

The number of apprehensions at the southern border has spiked since Central Americans flee the worst humanitarian crisis in a generation caused by destructive hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, the number of people going hungry in Central America has ballooned in the last two years.

Related story: Ted Cruz Slams Biden's Immigration Plan: 'They Don't Make Exceptions for Criminals, Murderers, Rapists'

Antony Blinken on Biden's Immigration Reform Plan

Ever since his campaign period, President Joe Biden has promised to undo Trump-era immigration policies that closed off routes to asylum in the U.S. But until the system for legal migration is overhauled, Biden tries to dissuade new arrivals.

According to Antony Blinken, Biden is committed to reforming the immigration system while ensuring safe, orderly, and humane processing at the border.

He said the Biden administration is working to develop a "more rational" asylum process. However, he noted that these things would take time.

Antony Blinken said the administration is already working with Mexico and Central American countries to ease the conditions that prompt people to try to reach the United States illegally.

Biden Admin to Open New Tent Facility Amid Surge in Migrants at the Southern Border

The Biden administration is preparing to open a new tent facility in Texas to hold migrants crossing the southern border, as officials struggle to deal with the combination of a surge in numbers and the challenges of the coronavirus.

A source familiar with the matter told Fox News that the facility is being opened in Eagle Pass, Texas. It is being set up in addition to a similar 185,000 square-foot site in Donna, Texas that was opened early this month.

The Fox News report said these facilities are being managed by Customs and Border Protection and are different from a Health and Human Services-run center in Carrizo Springs that deals solely with unaccompanied migrant children.

The administration has received backlash after reopening centers for migrant children. People protested on Thursday outside of Homestead City Hall, saying children should not be treated like inmates and call on the Biden administration to keep the detention center closed.

Biden reportedly plans to reopen the Homestead Detention center for migrant teens. It was closed in 2019 after numerous protests.

"It's unheard of that we are here again under a new administration when we should have been moving on to other sorts of conversations. There are alternative solutions for these kids. They have family members," Melissa Taveras of the Florida Immigration Coalition said in a Local 10 News report.

Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott also slammed Democratic leaders for the plan to reopen the center after campaigning so hard to close it, calling the party members hypocrites.

Scott said the Democrats are stopping the construction of the southern border wall and opening the borders, which caused the surge in migrant children being left at the border by the parents to try to get them in the U.S.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the center would be a place where children can get access to education, mental health services, as well as health services. Psaki added that she believes the facility's reopening is the best choice the administration made amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more: Biden to Sign Executive Orders on Immigration, With a Task Force Reuniting Families
A 26-year-old member of a Sydney gang has been arrested and charged for allegedly breaching a sweeping court order aimed at suppressing organised crime activity in the citys west.

The Auburn man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested on Friday after Strike Force Raptor officers pulled over his car in Panania.

Members of NSW Police Strike Force Raptor in October last year. Credit:NSW Police

The man was charged with 10 counts of contravening a serious crime prevention order and possessing a prohibited drug after police searched units in the CBD and North Sydney, where they seized steroids, mobile phones and clothing.

The serious crime prevention orders, issued by the Supreme Court, impose comprehensive controls to prevent the use of encrypted communications, having more than $10,000 cash, and speaking with known associates and rivals.
13 Shares Share

As an aspiring surgeon, I at times contemplate whether being creative has any effect on my future career. On one hand, if you see surgery as an art, then possibly a creative personality is beneficial. On the other hand, surgery often seems objective and clear-cut, qualities often deemed uncreative. Perhaps even my goals of surgery and my interests in artistic creation are independent, noncommunicating personality features that are unrelated and unimportant to each other. Although it may seem that being artistic is unusual for a surgeon at first, the reality is that creativity and surgery are undeniably connected. The result is one affecting the other and vice versa, like the frames of a ladder linked by its steps. Together, they allow a surgeon to continually grow in their craft and attain even greater heights.

Unsurprisingly, a surgeon is extremely attentive to precision and detail. Whether during a lipoma resection or a heart transplant, surgery has risks that range from injury to surrounding structures to anesthetic complications and more. Every aspect of the operation must be fine-tuned and closely monitored. In a similar fashion, yet without life-altering risks at stake, art often draws upon and forces such intent from the artist. Writing a poem requires a keen attention to word usage and understanding that each sound, syllable, and meaning compiles into the composite creation. A painting is a result of individual markings conglomerating into a complete image. Regardless of the art, you will find an artist who has spent the grueling hours of attentive exactness to bring it into life. The dedication of perfection is what produces a result that is clear and effective.

Such focus and precision also introduces another quality that is key to the surgeon and artist alike, which is perseverance. Once a surgery starts, there is no turning back without seeing it through. Just because a surgeon may become frustrated or tired does not allow them to simply be done. Instead, choices must be made, and the operation must be completed. Much like the surgeon, an artist also pulls upon this patient perseverance even through the worst of performances. Regardless of exhaustion or even mistakes, the artist must continue. A scratchy or pitchy note is no excuse for a violinist to pack up and leave. Or a missed queue in theater does not mean the curtain must be drawn. The show must go on despite personal discomforts and preferences.

Core to this steadfast dedication of both the artist and the surgeon is practice. No amount of innate skill compensates for a lack of rehearsal of a technique. Even the most brilliant minds disservice themselves if the time and effort is not made to practice their chosen craft. For the artist, practicing comes in the form of long hours of not only repeating certain skills but also reflecting on areas of improvement. However for the surgeon, the practice of surgical skills is similar but requires extensive supervision given the risk that errors can have. Established surgeons guide and teach their trainees as they gradually grow and reinforce their repertoire of surgical knowledge. A skillful surgeon is the product of practice defined by years of attentive effort while identifying mistakes to prevent in the future.

Perhaps being artistic might help the future surgeon in being patient, perseverant, and dedicated to precision. However, the creativity involved in arts has an even greater impact on their fluid thinking and problem-solving skills. Central to creativity is the ability to take what is known and synthesize something original. Consider an art such as abstract painting. The subject may be just a living room, but through the artists work, they create something extraordinary and unseen before. However, in medicine, creativity takes on a different appearance. Research is a great example of creativity as it continually devises new ways to build upon the known to elucidate the unknown. Even the surgeon requires creativity in the operating room. Regardless of extensive training, there is always something unexpected, whether that be anatomical variants or unforeseen complications. In those unpredicted moments, a surgeon must utilize their adaptive knowledge and find a solution quickly. Such a skill departs from the conventional knowledge of a textbook and enters the realms of creativity.

Yet equally important, being creative in surgery could likely make a more humanistic surgeon. Although procedures are often rather objective and direct, a surgeon must also become a master communicator while connecting with vulnerable, anxious patients. It is frightening for any patient to enter the operating room, but having a personable surgeon builds trust in the patient-provider relationship. Using art to help a surgeon become more humanistic is not surprising though. Art exists because a person considered what is a human experience and how to best portray that. Then the result was a connection with other people experiencing that artists perspective. Having a surgeon that already exercised these empathic and sociable skills is an undeniable strength.

Finally, creativity has an importance to the future surgeon that lies outside just the intertwining of art and surgery. The arts give people an out from the daily grind and distract from the stressors in life. Surgical residencies and careers have the infamous reputation of being time-consuming and extremely rigorous. Both the personal creation and the enjoyment of creative endeavors have a role in reducing burnout and frustration. Although arts and creativity are no substitutes for mitigating harsh work environments, for many, they could help ease personal stress while practicing surgery. Even the surgeon, as dedicated and hard-working as they are, deserves to enjoy life.

To the future surgeon, consider how creativity could improve yourself and your career. Find ways to be creative in medical school and reflect on how creativity enhances your future contributions to surgery. Both art and surgery benefit each other because ultimately, the aim is simple and the same  creating a human connection through the perfection of a craft.

Thomas L. Amburn is a medical student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
The UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution calling on all member states to support a "sustained humanitarian pause" to local conflicts, in order to allow for coronavirus vaccinations

UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2021 ) :The UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution calling on all member states to support a "sustained humanitarian pause" to local conflicts, in order to allow for coronavirus vaccinations.

Resolution 2656, adopted unanimously on Friday by the 15-member council, will enable the vaccines, which COVAX began distributing on February 24, to reach those living in conflict areas.

Briefing journalists afterwards, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus argued that more could be done.

While welcoming the historic resolution and upholding the importance of vaccine equity, he said that concrete steps should be taken to waive intellectual property rights to increase vaccine production and get rid of the virus as soon as possible.

"The virus has taken the whole world hostage", Tedros said. "The UN Security Council can do it, if there is political will".

The Council resolution calls for review of specific cases raised by the UN, where access to vaccinations is being hampered and to consider what further measures may be necessary to ensure such impediments are removed and hostilities paused.

Tedros noted that Cte d'Ivoire had received its first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine with more to be shipped to other countries in the days and weeks ahead  with the goal of getting vaccination underway in all countries within the first 100 days of the year.

Crediting the UN-led vaccine initiative COVAX, he said that fragile progress has been made, but that vaccine supplies and distributions must be accelerated.

However, he warned against bilateral deals with manufacturers producing vaccines that COVAX is counting on.

"I understand full well that all governments have an obligation to protect their own people.

But the best way to do that is by suppressing the virus everywhere at the same time", underscored the WHO chief.

"Now is the time to use every tool to scale up production, including licensing and technology transfer, and where necessary, intellectual property waivers. If not now, then when?", he added.

In a bid for more funding, the WHO chief said that Yemen remained the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with more than 20 million people desperately needing assistance. Some five million are at risk of famine, while half a million children under-five risk death without urgent treatment and the continuing spectre of COVID-19.

"This current crisis comes at a time, after years of conflict, when there is now a real opportunity for peace in Yemen. We have to act on it", he said, urging donors to generously support the 2021 Response Plan for $3.85 billion during a High-Level Pledging Event next Monday. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, WHO officially launched its Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) for 2021.

It builds on achievements, focuses on new challenges, such as mitigating risks related to new variants, and considers the road towards the safe, equitable and effective delivery of diagnostics and vaccines as part of the overall strategy to successfully tackle the pandemic, according to the WHO chief.

"The 2021 SPRP outlines how WHO will support countries in meeting these objectives, and the resources we need to do it", he said. ? During a separate ceremony, Tedros said he was "deeply humbled" to receive the African Person of the Year award.

"I do not accept this award only on my own behalf, but on behalf of my colleagues at WHO, who work every day, sometimes in difficult and dangerous situations, to protect and promote the health of Africa's people, and the world's", he said.
ADVERTISEMENT

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, was on Friday, honoured as the African Peace and Security Leader of the Year 2020.

He was among the African leaders who were honoured by the UK-based African Leadership Magazine for his outstanding contributions to peace in the continent.

Today, at the 9th edition of the African Leadership Person of the Year Awards, I was honoured as the African Peace and Security Leader of the Year 2020.

I thank African Leadership Magazine for recognising my modest contributions to peace in Africa, Mr Jonathan posted on his verified Twitter and Facebook account.

The award, presented to him during the virtual investiture ceremony titled: Intentional Leadership: Rethinking Development Priorities in Africa' is not the first time the former president would be honoured for playing a similar role.

He was awarded in 2015 by the Universal Peace Federation(UPF) as its Peace Loving Global Citizen for his decision to accept the result of the 2015 Presidential poll.

Since he lost out of the 2015 presidential race, Mr Jonathan has embarked on different peacekeeping missions to countries in the continent, one of which was his appointment by ECOWAS to head its mediation mission to Mali after a military coup.

Besides, the former president has also visited many African nations on Election Observation Mission for the Commonwealth, African Union, National Democratic Institute and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) since he left office.

He led the 2019 African Union (AU) continental bodys Election Observation Mission to Mozambique and Tanzania, a role he replicated for EISA in the last South Africa election.

Other persons also named as the magazines Persons of the Year 2020 in different categories include the Ghana President Nana Akufo Addo, ex-President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Koroma, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus and South Africas former first lady, Graca Machel.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Sino-India border standoff, charging him with being 'scared' of the eastern neighbour.

Before the stand-off at eastern Ladakh, where the disengagement process has been completed with the withdrawal of troops, weapons and other military hardware from the North and South banks of Pangong lake areas, the Chinese "tested the idea in Dokhlam (in 2017)," he said.

Read: Disengagement win-win situation for India & China, says Indian Army chief

"Essentially the Chinese occupied certain strategic areas in our country. They first tested the idea in Dokhlam. They tested the idea to see how would India react and they noticed India did not react. And then they carried out the idea again in Ladakh and also I believe in Arunachal Pradesh," he said.

Launching his three-day tour of Tamil Nadu ahead of the April 6 Assembly polls, the Congress leader, while interacting with advocates here, reiterated his "hum do hamare do" jibe at the ruling dispensation at the Centre. Speaking in detail over the border standoff, Gandhi said Modi's first reaction to the Chinese incursions was "that nobody has come into India."

"That indicated to the Chinese that the Prime Minister of India is scared of them. That is the message he indicated to the Chinese, that he is scared of them and the Chinese understood it. And since then the Chinese have negotiated on that principle," he said.

"They know that the Prime Minister of India cannot stand up to them. Mark my words, our land in Depsang, which is the most important land, is not going to come back to under this government. The Prime Minister will not get that land back. He will pretend everything is sorted out, but India is going to lose that territory," he charged.

Read: China plays down reports of India beating it at vaccine diplomacy

Giving such a message to the Chinese was "very dangerous to the future because the Chinese are not going to stop with Ladakh," he alleged. He said the government under the Congress "always dealt with the Chinese without any hesitation."

"The Chinese understood very well that India cannot be pushed around. Even in 2013 when the Chinese entered into India, we took action that forced them, forced them to compromise...we went and occupied other spaces," he said.

"They have now understood the Prime Minister doesn't have the courage...the Chinese know the Prime Minister is going to compromise," he added.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
An Taoiseach Micheal Martin condemned the protests in Dublin city-centre today and praised An Garda Siochana for their response in restoring order.

Speaking this afternoon, An Taoiseach said: "I utterly condemn the protests in Dublin city-centre today, which posed an unacceptable risk to both the public and gardai.

"The large gathering, in the face of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, showed a complete lack of respect to the people who have made huge sacrifices during this pandemic. Nor can we tolerate the thuggish behaviour or attacks on gardai, who have the publics utmost respect as they continue to protect and serve our society in difficult circumstances.

"There can be no justification for the march or the violence that unfolded, and I pay tribute to members of An Garda Siochana who moved quickly to make arrests and restore order."
Profits have fallen at RSA Insurance as it prepares to be broken up and sold.

The UK group said profits in 2020 fell 2 per cent to 483million, blaming costs related to a restructure and Covid-19.

Boss Stephen Hester said the results were 'excellent' but shares remained virtually unmoved yesterday at 675.4p.

'Excellent': The UK group said profits in 2020 fell 2 per cent to 483m, blaming costs related to a restructure and Covid-19

Last month investors voted in favour of the 7.2billion bid from Intact, a Canadian insurance firm, and Denmark's Tryg.

The companies have agreed to split RSA's business between them, separating the Scandinavian part of the firm from the UK and Canada wing.

In a blog post this week, OverDrive CEO Steve Potash said he was proud of some of the incremental gains made in the library e-book market in 2020, but insisted that the work of establishing fair, flexible, and reasonable terms for libraries and schools to acquire and lend digital content is far from over.

What began as a single model for e-books 20 years ago is constantly evolving, Potash writes, adding that OverDrives ongoing advocacy efforts on behalf of libraries are even more critical now given how the pandemic is impacting schools and public libraries. Last year we saw meaningful progress with dozens of publishers enabling more affordable options for acquiring rights to their collection, Potash writes. But we are still searching for the Holy Grail access model.

After a 2019 in which the major publishers appeared to be retreating from the library e-book marketmarked by new restrictions and price increases by some publishers, concern over the growing number of Amazon exclusives, and Macmillans unpopular decision to embargo new release e-book titles in librariesthe pandemic in 2020 prompted many publishers to relax pricing and embrace more flexibility in licensing digital content. The result, librarians and vendors say, has been a surge in digital lending with OverDrive's 2020 digital lending levels up more than 33% over 2019.

Among the various models now in play, Potash noted:

"Concurrent Use: Metered Access, in which libraries and schools can license a bundle of loans that can be used concurrently to meet high demand, and that do not expire. For example, in his post Potash cited a librarys purchase of 100 loans of the Recorded Books audiobook of the Bridgerton Series, The Duke and I and a school licensing Lerner Publishings Forgotten Bones, Uncovering a Slave Cemetery to 100 students.

"Simultaneous Use Catalogs" are also growing, Potash reported, with offerings ranging from $60 for an entire month of simultaneous use access for a romance novel to a few hundred dollars for a year of access. "Cost per Circ (CPC)" offerings have also seen increased usage, as well as Lucky Day" or Skip the Line programs, which can be customized by libraries (for example, the Loudoun County Public Librarys 7-Day Hot Picks program) and which generally offer shorter loan periods to reduce wait times for popular titles.

 Last year we saw meaningful progress with dozens of publishers enabling more affordable options for acquiring rights to their collection. 

Meanwhile, librarians suggested to PW that the Holy Grail for digital lending already exists. And though elusive, it isnt nearly as mystical as calling it a holy grail makes it sound.

The model closest to perfect is ownership, says Michael Blackwell, Director of St. Mary's County Library in Maryland and an organizer of the ReadersFirst coalition. In other words, Blackwell explains, a regime in which libraries can buy digital files and circulate them fairly, not unlike print books, under some sort of digital right of first sale. Failing that unlikely scenario, Blackwell acknowledges that flexibility is the key for librariesa point that librarians had been pressing with publishers for years, largely without success, until the pandemic forced more publishers to experiment in 2020.

I hope Mr. Potash will join in advocating for models that will include some permanent access option, without which libraries will never be able to build sustainable long-term digital collections, Blackwell told PW. At the very least, we need multiple models at point-of-license, including a perpetual license option coupled with metered or other models, perhaps coupled with a subscription model of some kind on publisher backlists. Metered options should be based on the number of circulations and not a time period. Librarians need models that best allow them to make the most efficient use of our limited funding and constant re-licensing will never do that.

ALA Senior Director for Public Policy and Government Relations Alan Inouye told PW he appreciates the broadening range of business models available to libraries outlined in Potashs post, and agreed with Potash that the digital library market is not where it needs to be. I do envision multiple models will be needed to support libraries effectively," Inouye told PW. "But while there are a few promising developments, there is much opportunity for engagement and work to be done with the publishing ecosystem. And of course the issue of pricing remains."

Meanwhile, public awareness of the issues libraries face is also growing. Last month, a new nonprofit, the Library Futures Institute officially launched, chartered to advocate for for a technology-positive future for librariesincluding broader access to e-books and other digital content.

And this week, digital advocacy group Fight for the Future rolled out a new online campaign Who Can Get Your Book, which highlights equity and access issues in the digital library market.

The campaign offers authors and publishers a letter grade, granting one point for each equitable decision in how a book is released. For example, Trevor Noahs Born A Crime receives a letter grade of D, based on the memoirs lack of availability in audiobook format due to an exclusive with Amazons Audibleas well as restrictive licensing agreements for the e-book.

Publishings ecosystem has become incredibly complicated, obscuring who is being most harmed by the dog-eat-dog war between monopolistic Amazon and the few remaining large publishers," said Lia Holland Campaigns & Communications Director with Fight for the Future, in a release. "This tool empowers all of us to finally recognize what is going on, and demand better.

After an eventful 2020, the coming year is shaping up to be another potential watershed year for digital content in libraries. Among developments on the library communitys radar: Amazon Publishing is said to be in discussions with the Digital Public Library of America to make its titles available to libraries; A lawsuit filed by five major publishers seeks to shut down the Internet Archives book scanning and lending program; The Big Five publishers are about to become the Big Four, as Penguin Random House is expected to finish its acquisition of Simon & Schuster; and after a report delivered last year, antitrust proposals for the digital market could finally surface in Congress.

Meanwhile, armed with new data from 2020, a year in which digital library lending and consumer trade book sales grew by healthy margins, Potash says he remains committed to his "quest" for fair business solutions that will work in everyones interest.

This quest will continue until we provide libraries and schools access to expansive catalogs with sustainable and scalable use models, Potash writes. The challenge for this balancing act requires that the prevailing business models are also well championed and embraced by authors and publishers.
The fallacy that America is systemically racist is rooted in arguments that the white majority suffers from subconscious racism which contaminates the entire system. Proponents of Critical Race Theory and government-created Equity insist they have yet-to-be-discovered solutions, including conditioning of those who suffer white guilt and white fragility. President Joe Biden has eagerly joined this crusade to. eliminate subconscious racism!

White Americans are kept in the dark as to the details of this enlightened reprogramming, but are told that the Bill of Rights is an impediment to these lofty new goals to eradicate systemic biases. The first step in eliminating subconscious racism is to stifle conscious thoughts: the liberties of Free Speech and Due Process are viewed as tools of oppression by the white majority.

It is axiomatic that government cannot eliminate subconscious racism. Yet, government can be very effective at fomenting racism, as numerous current and historical examples demonstrate. America is about to try its hand at this folly.

Government conditioning to eradicate human evil is hardly novel. But what happens when government seeks to do great good, by conquering the individual human will to do great evil? How will the BLM Utopian Police State eradicate human racism? Is this not the same old reconditioning Kool-aid of Pol Pot and Mao, poured into newly-manufactured George Floyd bottles?

Anthony Burgess famously delved into this subject, in 1963. In his iconic novel A Clockwork Orange, a seemingly incorrigible criminal is redeemed using science -- only, the experiment fails miserably. Burgess was delving into exactly the issue Americas extremist progressives deliberately obfuscate: the horror of government reprogramming.

In a 2012 essay, Burgess plainly explained what he had tried to express through fiction:

I had read somewhere that it would be a good idea to liquidate the criminal impulse through aversion therapy; I was appalled. What I was trying to say was that it is better to be bad of ones own free will than to be good through scientific brainwashing. I have been derided and rebuked for expressing my fears of the power of the modern statewhether it be Russia, China, or what we may term Anglo-Americato reduce the freedom of the individual. The behaviorist approach to man, of which Professor Skinner is a great exponent, sees him moved to various kinds of action by aversive and non-aversive inducements. Given the right positive inducements we shall all become better citizens, submissive to a state that has the good of the community at heart. We must, so the argument goes, not fear conditioning. We need to be conditioned in order to save the environment and the race. But it must be conditioning of the right sort....

The goal of the American Experiment was to secure equal opportunity for all. Efforts at equity aim for a sun that will melt the wings of such fairy-like dreams while depriving citizens of even an aspirational hope of equality of opportunity. Todays quixotic, counterproductive BLM movement is no different. One does not abolish racism by decree, any more than lewd thoughts. One conquers racism through love, not fear and hate.

This transfer of a sort of dark-church authority to the secular state is reflected in the COVID panic, and how quickly many Americans wish to abandon the Constitution in trust of Big Brother -- and Big Brother Pharma. Orwell warned of the power of an omnipotent state to inflict unprecedented destruction upon the human condition. It is ironic that ALL Americans are familiar with Orwells books, but so few absorb that his warnings applied to all government structures -- not just the Soviet Union.

Burgess explained that his title Clockwork Orange derived from ...an old Cockney slang phrase, implying a queerness or madness so extreme as to subvert nature, since what notion could be more bizarre than that of a clockwork orange? Todays world looks more akin to a Clockwork Black, in which the techno-state and modern alienation have pushed humanity far away from awareness of its own soul. Far too many Americans are lining up to be absorbed willingly into that dead machine.

Said Burgess:

[ W ]hen the social entity grows large, ...the governing machine becomes remote, impersonal, even inhuman. It takes money from us for purposes we do not seem to sanction; it treats us as abstract statistics; it controls an army; it supports a police force whose function does not always appear to be protective. The modern state, whether in a totalitarian or a democratic country, has far too much power, and we are probably right to fear it. Pre-natal and infantile conditioning makes the slaves happy in their slavery, and stability is enforced not through whips but through a scientifically imposed contentment. It would seem that enforced conditioning of a mind, however good the social intention, has to be evil.

Clearly, BLM activists (and Joe Biden) have not read Burgess. Antifa is well-steeped in blackness. The Clockwork Black, ticks.

And so Joe Biden declared that ... he had a mandate to achieve racial justice and root out systemic racism in this country. As with other extremists, he defines neither what that term means, nor how he will eliminate subconscious bias. Instead he confidently proclaimed:

"Again, I'm not promising we can end it tomorrow, but I promise you we're going to continue to make progress to eliminate systemic racism, and every branch of the White House and the federal government is going to be part of that effort."

Exposing in practical terms the limitations posed by Anthony Burgess, Cal Thomas recently opined:

In addition to reinstating mandatory race theory training for federal employees, Biden proposes spending even more money we dont have to fix a problem beyond the governments reach. As with original sin, curing racism is best solved internally. It is a matter of the heart. If racism is systemic, meaning it is embedded in white people, how is it possible to eliminate it? Do those on the receiving end of discrimination have a role to play? This is a question Democrats never address. If spending money is the key to limiting racism, more progress should have been made by now.

Such common sense is shunned -- soon it will be silenced as a typical gaslighting by a white person who must be silenced. There are ominous harbingers from the Biden administration:

President Biden signed four executive actions Tuesday aimed at increasing racial equity across the nation, a move the administration said was a big early step in his efforts to dismantle systemic racism, though civil rights groups made it clear they will press for more-sweeping change in the months ahead.

Time will tell how effective this government is at sweeping away subconscious hatreds, rather than inculcate new ones. The ticking of the Clockwork Black grows audible.

How could such grand designs be anything but good?

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License
Melissa Caddick could still be alive after her decomposing foot was found inside a shoe, experts say, but that theory could soon be put to bed amid another grim discovery.

Police were called to Mollymook Beach on the NSW South Coast at about 9.30pm on Friday night after walkers found stomach flesh - which included a belly button - 150km away from where her foot was found.

DNA testing will be carried out to determine if the new remains belong to the conwoman who vanished from her home in Sydney's eastern suburbs a day after it was raided by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on November 11.

Speaking on The Today Show, Associate Professor of Criminology, Dr Xanthe Mallett, said because humans can survive without a foot there was a possibility that Ms Caddick could still be alive.

Police suspect the fraudster committed suicide, but Dr Mallett says until the latest remains found are confirmed to be from Ms Caddick, the idea of her being alive couldn't be ruled out.

Human remains including what appeared to be stomach flesh and a belly button have washed ashore on a beach 150km away from where missing Sydney conwoman Melissa Caddick's (pictured) foot was found

The decomposed foot of Melissa Caddick pictured in the shoe found by campers on the NSW South Coast on Sunday

Police were called to Mollymook Beach at about 9.30pm on Friday night and will conduct DNA testing to see if the remains belong to Melissa Caddick (pictured right with her husband Anthony on the left)

Speaking to The Today Show, Associate Professor of Criminology, Dr Xanthe Mallett, said because humans can survive without a foot there was the possibility that Ms Caddick could still be alive

'When it was just a foot I would caution against the possibility that somebody is deceased. You can survive without your foot,' she said.

'Now other remains have been found that changes the picture this morning. If they are confirmed to be Melissa's, depending on exactly what remains have been recovered, it certainly looks like she is deceased at this stage.

'We have to wait until more information, if anything else, is found. A foot I would be skeptical.'

Detectives say they are now honing in on two theories and believe Ms Caddick, 49, may have committed suicide or was met with foul play.

Police suspect the fraudster took her own life, because she could have reached the Dover Heights clifftops - 300m from her $6.1million home - without being tracked by CCTV cameras.

On Sunday, campers found her rotting foot inside an ASICS Gel Nimbus shoe 50km north of the Bournda National Park.

The group of three teenage campers were near Tathra on Sunday when one of them found the shoe washed ashore.

When he turned the shoe upside down as he went to throw it out, he discovered there were human remains inside.

Officers have not yet been able to confirm how long the shoe had been in the water.

Police later used footage from the raid of her home - which had featured vision of her feet - to help identify her as the shoe's owner.

Caddick has been missing for more than three months with police now suspecting she may be dead

They have said it is likely Caddick took her own life after her home was raided by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on November 11, 2020. Pictured: Map shows the distance between where Caddick's foot was found,where she was last seen and Friday night's latest discovery

The 49-year-old was accused of swindling at least $20million from clients, including friends and family, before disappearing on November 12.

Days after she was reported missing, NSW Police used modelling to determine where her body might wash up if she had died in the water near her Dover Heights home.

The modelling deemed it possible that her body could have drifted as far south as Bermagui, about one hour north of Bournda.

Yesterday New South Wales Police said they believe Caddick (pictured) may have committed suicide but have not ruled out foul play

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing said the modelling was done in the wake of Ms Caddick's disappearance, as crews conducted extensive land, air and sea searches.

In a sworn statement tendered at the Federal Court, and recently made public, ASIC investigator Isabella Allen alleges Caddick hit her with a barrage of questions when authorities raided her $6.2million Dover Heights mansion on November 11.

Caddick allegedly demanded answers on how she was to abide by a court order freezing her assets.

Those questions includes: When would she have to appear in court? Where would she drop off her passports? Did one order mean she couldn't use her credit cards, because she used them for all transactions?

Caddick also asked how quickly she had to write up a description of her assets and liabilities, and asked: 'how am I supposed to do that when you have taken my computers?'

The route from Caddick's $6.1million home on Wallangra Road in Dover Heights (pictured) to nearby clifftops is believed to not have any CCTV cameras facing the road or street

The 49-year-old (pictured left with husband Anthony on the right) has been accused of swindling at least $20million from clients, including friends and family, before disappearing on November 12

ASIC investigator Isabella Allen alleges Caddick hit her with a barrage of questions when authorities raided her $6.2million Dover Heights mansion on November 11 (pictured is bodycam footage of the raid)

Caddick (pictured centre) is seen with her husband Anthony (pictured right), and has a 15-year-old son

The investigator replied: 'I am unable to answer that question and it may be best that you speak to a lawyer. Do you have a lawyer?'

It is believed ASIC had been investigating her for three months before the raid.

The conwoman used investors funds to prop up a lavish lifestyle, including extravagant overseas trips and designer items.

Her victims were mostly wealthy friends, some of whom invested life savings in Caddick believing they were making returns.

When ASIC and the Australian Federal Police raided the clifftop home, they seized about $1million in couture gowns, designer clothes, handbags, shoes and jewellery.

Corporate watchdog ASIC said on Wednesday the investigation into Caddick and her company would continue as they try and return funds to investors.

'ASIC's priority is to seek the return of funds to investors in the most efficient way possible,' an ASIC spokesperson said.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing (pictured on Friday) confirmed remains of the missing businesswoman have been found on the NSW far south coast. Also pictured is an exhausted looking Gretchen Atkins (left), the detective who has led the investigation

If Ms Caddick is found alive, NSW police would be able to arrest the high-flying financial fraudster.

Liquidators allege the self-styled financial adviser 'meticulously and systematically' deceived those who entrusted millions of investment dollars to her over seven years, then used the money to fund her lavish lifestyle.

'Melissa's family were informed of the identification last night and are obviously distressed,' NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing told reporters on Friday.

'Police have always kept an open mind in relation to what the circumstances were for her disappearance, including the fact that Melissa may have taken her own life.'

Campers found a decomposed foot and ASICS shoe washed up on Bournda Beach (pictured) on the NSW far south coast near Tathra

One of the investor victims ripped off by Ms Caddick reacted with shock when told by 2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham.

Cheryl Kraft Reid entrusted almost $1million of her superannuation with Ms Caddick, whom she considered as a friend and last heard from two months prior to her disappearance.

'Wow, that's a sad tragic outcome for her son but it's also just a sad tragic outcome for us because we just don't get closure,' Ms Kraft Reid told the radio program.

'Besides the news we're unlikely to see any return of that, it's pretty devastating.'

'It's not just the money, it's the consequences of what's happened to us and for the many years we've worked for zero returns because she decided to live an entitled and frivolous life.'


We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has told G20 officials that the Biden administration will drop Donald Trump's objections to new global digital tax rules, paving the way for an agreement by summer.

Trump's demand for a 'safe harbor clause' would have allowed U.S. tech giants such as Google, Facebook and Amazon to opt out of the scheme to impose a global minimum corporate tax.

Under current EU law, companies in the United States can declare profits from across the bloc in a single member state -- and most pick low-tax jurisdictions such as Ireland or the Netherlands.

France and Germany, which stand to benefit from the new scheme, applauded Yellen's move and said the new tax system could be implemented by July.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has told G20 officials that the Biden administration will drop Donald Trump's objections to new global digital tax rules

Trump's demand for a 'safe harbor clause' would have allowed U.S. tech giants such as Google , Facebook and Amazon to opt out of the global tax scheme

Nearly 140 countries have set a mid-2021 deadline to wrap up talks to modernize outdated rules on how much governments can tax cross-border commerce and set a global minimum corporate tax rate after negotiations nearly ground to a halt last year due to the U.S. proposal.

'Secretary Yellen announced that we will engage robustly to address both Pillars of the OECD project, and that the United States is no longer advocating for 'safe harbor' implementation of Pillar 1,' a U.S. Treasury official said.

Already challenging multilateral talks to reform global taxation under the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development stalled after former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin insisted on the contentious measure in late 2019.

Tax experts and finance officials around the world had warned that the U.S. proposal could have allowed big U.S. companies like Amazon, Alphabet's Google and Facebook to opt out of whatever was agreed internationally.

Yellen's statement to G20 finance ministers and central bankers was widely welcomed by European officials.

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz described the U.S. move as a major breakthrough that could pave the way for a broader deal.

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (left) and French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire (right) applauded Yellen's move. Their countries stand to benefit the most from the new tax scheme

US President Joe Biden sits alongside US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen earlier this month

'My U.S. colleague Janet Yellen told G20 finance ministers today that the United States would participate, and that the new regulations for fair international taxation should be binding for all companies,' he said in a statement after the meeting.

He said Yellen told the G20 officials that Washington also planned to reform U.S. minimum tax regulations in line with an OECD proposal for a global effective minimum tax.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, one of the most outspoken critics of the U.S. safe harbor proposal, echoed his praise.

'Finding an agreement by summer is within reach, especially now that the United States have confirmed they are dropping the safe harbor principle,' Le Maire said after the meeting.

In a letter to G20 officials released Thursday, Yellen underscored the Biden administration's commitment to multilateral discussions on the global taxation issue, 'overcoming disagreements, and finding workable solutions in a fair and judicious manner.'

Italy's finance minister Daniele Franco said the new U.S. stance should pave the way to an overarching deal on taxation of multinationals at a G20 meeting of finance chiefs in Venice in July.
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 Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, opened its 26th session Saturday to prepare for the upcoming fourth annual session of the 13th NPC, which will open on March 5.

According to the proposed agenda, lawmakers will review the work report of the NPC Standing Committee at the two-day standing committee session. The work report will be submitted to the annual assembly of the legislature in March for deliberation.

Lawmakers will review the draft agenda for the NPC annual session, the draft name list of the session's presidium and secretary-general and the draft name list of members invited to sit in on the annual session as non-voting participants.

They will also deliberate a draft law on stamp duty, a law-enforcement report of the State Council, a Supreme People's Court report on its pilot reform project, a deputy qualification report and personnel-related bills.
Check this tribute to curfews and other precautions that have earned high praise amongst politicos and the media and NOWHERE else . . .Read more:



TEXTLine
Thursday was a day of historic firsts, of alarm and outrage.

Rachel Levine, the physician nominated to become the Biden administrations assistant secretary of health, came to her confirmation hearing prepared to politely discuss matters such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the opioid epidemic, behavioral health and racial disparities in medical treatment.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., however, seemed more interested in talking about childrens genitals.

Dr. Levine, you have supported (minors) being given hormone blockers, and surgical reconstruction of a childs genitalia, Paul said, in a tirade in which he also conflated genital mutilation (a horrifying practice that public health experts view as a human rights violation) with the transition-related surgeries chosen by some transgender individuals to help their bodies conform with their gender identity.

You give a woman testosterone enough that she grows a beard. Do you think shes going to go back looking like a woman when you stop the testosterone? Paul demanded.

Levine, who most recently worked as Pennsylvanias top health official, is transgender. If her nomination succeeds, she will become the first publicly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. She would have been within her rights to be enraged by Pauls ignorance, but she responded on Thursday by repeating a steady message: Transgender medicine is a complex and nuanced field, she said twice. It was composed of robust research, and standards of care. She would be happy, she said, to come to Pauls office and discuss the issue in-depth.

She repeatedly thanked him for the opportunity to answer his questions, even the demeaning ones.

She kept her hands folded on the table, while Paul jabbed his finger in the air and dismissively scoffed, If youve ever been around children  14-year-olds cannot make this decision. (Levine is a pediatrician who created the Penn State Hershey Medical Centers adolescent medicine division. Paul is an eye doctor.)

Paul did not seem at all curious about the medical matter at hand, in which he had no expertise. He was instead alarmed and outraged. He claimed to be worried about the children, but paid no heed to guidance of medical organizations  including the American Academy of Pediatrics  that recommend treating gender-diverse children by affirming their gender identities.

In Pauls telling, children chose to be transgender because of peer pressure, or pressure from doctors. In his world, those children would be fine if only doctors like Levine would deny them treatment.

Pauls stand against medical treatment for transgender kids occurred on the same day that the House of Representatives was scheduled to vote on the Equality Act, a bill that would amend the Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

That bill had inspired similar reactions from Republican lawmakers.

Equality for who? demanded Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., from the House floor Wednesday night. Where is the equality in this legislation for the young girls across America who will have to look behind their backs as they change in their school locker rooms, just to make sure there isnt a confused man trying to catch a peek?

Boebert then meandered on to liberal indoctrination camps  also called colleges and universities  and radical ideology, and she warned that the left would imprison and take (the) children of anyone who disagreed with them.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., gave a similar speech. After her across-the-hall neighbor Rep. Marie Newman, D-Ill., posted a transgender pride flag outside of her office (Newmans daughter is trans), Greene retaliated by hanging a poster outside of her own, reading, There are TWO genders: Male & Female.

Research has not shown an increase in violence or voyeurism when jurisdictions begin allowing transgender individuals to use whichever restroom they feel comfortable in. And a hypothetical man harassing girls in a locker room would be arrested under passage of the act, just as he would and should be now. Nondiscrimination laws dont permit illegal behavior, they just give transgender kids a safe place to pee.

As for Boeberts scaremongering about the left taking children away from their parents: She seemed to be alluding to a specific case that occurred in Ohio. A pair of grandparents were awarded custody of their 17-year-old transgender grandson, who had become suicidal after the boys parents had refused to call him by his chosen name or permit doctor-recommended treatment. The custody agreement mandated independent psychological evaluation before hormone treatment would be allowed to begin, and it encouraged parental reconciliation. Boebert didnt mention any of that context.

In Boebert and Greenes telling, transgender equity meant unleashing terrifying bad men pretending to be women. Their world, like Pauls, was full of monsters determined to abuse, kidnap and mutilate kids.

The monster world is necessary to anti-transgender arguments, which depend on fear  fear of losing the things people hold most dear: their children, their safety, their faith, their sense of self.

And that fear depends on a lack of curiosity and an insistence on alarm and outrage. It depends on its propagators having the space to twist truths, to omit pertinent information, to revel in faux indignation, and to get away with it.

It depends on Sen. Rand Paul claiming that Rachel Levine isnt answering his questions, simply because he doesnt like her answer: that medical cases are complex, and there are fields of study and many experts who have dedicated their entire careers to thinking through ethical practices.

Levines nomination is historic, but it is also necessary. It is necessary because, as Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., pointed out at the beginning of the hearing, we should have a government that represents the vast breadth of humanity.

It is also necessary because Levine spent three hours sitting behind a table, wearing a patterned blazer, a string of pearls, eyeglasses and a graying haircut. She occasionally sounded nervous, but always remained calm. She spoke humbly, admitted when she didnt know answers, and stressed how honored and excited she would be to learn more and to work with everyone in the room. She was the opposite of terrifying.

If you watched her exchange with Paul, you might have seen someone behaving monstrously. But it definitely wasnt her.

Fingal County Council has provided an update on the redevelopment of Bremore Castle, where construction work is scheduled to take place in Q3 2022.

The council was responding to a question put forward by Independent councillor, Grainne Maguire, who asked for an update on the development of Bremore Castle and a timeline for any proposed works.

According to the local authority, a tender for the appointment of an integrated design team is expected to issue next month to allow for the development of the castle as a tourist attraction, including fit-out and exhibition.

It is expected that an initial concept which is currently subject of a grant application will be developed to allow for public planning consultation in late 2021.

Design development and procurement procedures will follow with intent that construction work could commence on site in Q3 2022 subject to funding.

The ambitious programme of works and exhibition will likely take 18-22 months to complete.




Haiti - News : Zapping...





The USA supports Haiti but...

"The United States supports Haiti in its efforts to combat kidnappings and gang violence; however, the updated decrees of the National Intelligence and Public Security Agency are still not in accordance with the fundamental principles of democracy, the rule of law or civil and political rights," declared the Embassy of the United States. United in Port-au-Prince.



$10 Million Canadian for Agriculture

Canada and Switzerland, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, today announced the Jaden Kreyol / PROFISUD project of nearly $10 million Canadian dollars with the NGO Agronomes et Veterinaires Sans Frontieres (AVSF) to support more than 2,500 families in Grande Anse and the South of Haiti.



Denial of the Embassy of Haiti in DR

"The Government of the Republic of Haiti, through its Embassy in the Dominican Republic, denied the information disseminated according to which there would be a link between the case of the two young Dominicans kidnapped https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33117-haiti-kidnapping-the-two-dominicans-and-the-haitian-interpreter-released.html and that of the former mayor Chevry wanted by the National Police of Haiti, who is detained in the Dominican Republic."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33106-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33098-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33035-haiti-justice-new-elements-in-the-arrest-of-the-former-mayor-of-port-au-prince-ralph-youri-chevry.html



UN and elections in Haiti

The elections this year in Haiti can contribute to the return of democracy in this country, currently in political crisis, estimates the Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, in a report submitted this week to the Security Council "This year offers Haiti the opportunity to end a troubled period of governance by decree, restore democracy and strengthen long-term stability," writes Guterres adding "The smooth running of the various electoral processes planned for the next ten months, as well as the prospect a peaceful transfer of presidential power to a duly elected successor, would greatly contribute to placing the Haitian people more firmly on the path of development, with better economic prospects."



PM and the Protestant march

On February 25, 3 days before the march on Sunday February 28 convened by the Protestant sector, Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe met with representatives of the Protestant sector. According to him, this interview took place on certain important points such as : the referendum on the new Constitution, the elections and the security situation. The Government assured these pastors that it would continue to work to resolve the problem of insecurity, particularly kidnapping.



Freedom of the press

"The Government is doing everything to protect press freedom, a pillar of democracy and the rule of law," declared Rockefeller Vincent the Minister of Justice recalling "The journalist also has the duty to verify the authenticity, the accuracy of the information and is held to respect professional ethics."



HL/ HaitiLibre



















Dr. Scott Green dialed into his virtual traffic trial from the operating room. Sacramento Superior Court/The Sacramento Bee

Dr. Scott Green dialed into a traffic trial via Zoom while performing surgery on a patient.

The California doctor can be seen in an operating room wearing scrubs in footage from the trial.

The judge postponed the trial as he did "not feel comfortable for the welfare of a patient."

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Related: A new brain surgery cured a man of his opioid addiction

A California doctor shocked attendees at his virtual traffic trial by dialing in from an operating room while in the middle of performing surgery.

Dr. Dennis Green was in an operating room when he appeared at his virtual hearing at Carol Miller Justice Center in Sacramento on Thursday afternoon, the Sacramento Bee reports.

The publication also shared footage from a live stream of the trial, showing Dr. Green wearing a face mask and scrubs with another doctor in the room, while machines could be heard beeping.

In the video, a courtroom clerk asked Dr. Green: "Are you available for trial? It kind of looks like you're in an operating room right now."

The doctor confirmed that he was in an operating room but that he was available for trial and to "go right ahead."

The clerk then advised Dr. Green that the proceedings were being livestreamed on YouTube and were open to the public, as traffic trials are required to be by law while physical access to courtrooms is being limited by the pandemic.

As Dr. Green waited for the judge to arrive on the call, he could be seen with his head down and appeared to be performing a procedure on a patient.

Once on the call, Sacramento Superior Court Commissioner Gary Link said: "Unless I'm mistaken, I'm seeing a defendant that's in the middle of an operating room appearing to be actively engaged in providing services to a patient. Is that correct, Mr. Green?" before adding: "Or should I say, Dr. Green."

After the doctor confirmed that was the case, Link responded: "I do not feel comfortable for the welfare of a patient if you're in the process of operating that I would put on a trial, notwithstanding the fact the officer is here today."

Story continues

The doctor added that there was another surgeon in the room with him "so I can stand here and allow them to do the surgery also."

However, the judge refused to continue, saying he did not think that was appropriate and that he would come up with a different date for the trial when the doctor was "not actively involved or participating in  attending to the needs of a patient."

Dr. Green apologized to the court, saying that "sometimes surgery doesn't always go as ... " before trailing off.

The trial was postponed to March 4 at 3 p.m., with Link once again noting that he was concerned for the welfare of a patient based on what he was seeing.

The Medical Board of California confirmed to the Sacramento Bee on Friday that it would look into the incident, and that it "expects physicians to follow the standard of care when treating their patients."

Representatives for Dr. Green the Medical Board of California did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
Controversial rapper Tekashi69 is facing new legal troubles after an exotic dancer sued him for aggravated battery after he allegedly bloodied her head with a champagne bottle.

The dancer, Alexis Salaberrios, filed a lawsuit Friday over what she said was a violent encounter at the Gold Rush Cabaret on Saturday, February 20, according to TMZ.

Salaberrios says in her suit that the 24-year-old rapper threw a 'deadly object with intent to commit serious bodily injury.'

Legal trouble: The controversial rapper Tekashi69 was sued by a stripper on Friday for allegedly throwing a champagne bottle at her head and leaving her with a bloody gash, according to TMZ; seen in 2018 in Philadelphia

David M. Tarlow, Salaberrios' attorney, claimed to TMZ that Tekashi69 lobbed a champagne bottle at his client's head after someone in the crowd called him a 'rat.'

The rapper was widely decried among rap fans in 2019 when he testified against gang members in exchange for a short prison sentence, after he originally faced the possibility of a 47-year mandatory sentence.

According to the lawyer, the rapper (real name: Daniel Hernandez) missed his target and hit Salaberrios in the head.

A photo provided to TMZ appears to show the top of the victim's head, where she seems to have an oozing gash and hair caked with blood.

Violent encounter: David M. Tarlow, Alexis Salaberrios' attorney, claimed to TMZ that Tekashi69 lobbed a champagne bottle at his client's head after someone in the crowd called him a 'rat'; pictured in 2018 in Philadelphia

Controversial: The rapper was widely decried among rap fans in 2019 when he testified against gang members in exchange for a short prison sentence, after he originally faced the possibility of a 47-year mandatory sentence; seen in 2018 in Miami

Salaberrios reportedly had to go to an emergency room, where she received staples to close her wound.

The dancer also targets the Gold Rush Cabaret for gross negligence after it allegedly didn't have enough security present to watch over Tekashi69, whom she claimed has a 'propensity for violence.'

After the rapper was escorted out of the club, Salaberrios alleges that club staff pressured her not to report the incident to police.

Her lawyer says she ignored that guidance and called the police.

Negligent?: The dancer also targets the Gold Rush Cabaret for gross negligence after it allegedly didn't have enough security present to watch over Tekashi69, whom she claimed has a 'propensity for violence'; seen in 2018 in Berlin

Fighting back: Tekashi69's attorney Lance Lazzaro denied that his client was involved and said security footage would clear up the matter; pictured in 2018 in Oslo

Tekashi69's attorney Lance Lazzaro denied that his client was involved in the violent encounter.

He also said that surveillance equipment in the club would be able to clear up the matter promptly.

'There are video cameras in the establishment. Its an attempt to shake him down. If he is served properly, we will immediately move to have it dismissed,' he said.

The Fefe rapper has been silent on Instagram since the fall of 2020, but he returned to posting regularly earlier this month.

He claimed in a post from Wednesday that his disappearance both from social media and music was related to his rapid weight gain, which saw him tipping the scales at 204lbs.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. All foreign mercenaries brought into the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone by Turkey and Azerbaijan should immediately and completely be withdrawn, Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian said in an interview to RIA Novosti.

The Azerbaijani leaderships decision to transform their own country into a Turkish satellite and a terror cluster is a serious threat not only for regional security but also international security, he said.

Aivazian underscored that the fact that foreign militants are present in the Azeri side has been confirmed and acknowledged by various countries and international organizations. At the same time, Turkeys role in transferring the mercenaries to Azerbaijan has been clearly underscored.

The FM reminded that several foreign fighters have been taken into custody in Artsakh and these mercenaries have admitted in their testimonies to law enforcement agencies that they had been paid to fight for the Azeris. The criminal cases have been given to relevant judicial bodies, he said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
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.
The war between Boris Johnsons fiancee Carrie Symonds and exiled No 10 aides intensified last night after she was accused of running Downing Street  with the assistance of her dog Dilyn.

Ms Symonds has been under increased scrutiny since she helped to force out the Prime Ministers senior adviser Dominic Cummings and communications chief Lee Cain last November.

Now an exasperated friend of Mr Cummings has hit out, telling The Mail on Sunday that while they wished Carrie and Dilyn well, they thought it was reasonable to question whether they should be running No 10 during a deadly pandemic.

The PMs fiancee has been accused of running Downing Street with rescue dog Dilyn

Concern over Ms Symondss influence intensified earlier this month when Oliver Lewis resigned as the head of No 10s Union unit, responsible for trying to avert Scottish independence, after just two weeks in the job.

His departure came amid claims that Ms Symonds had accused him of briefing against Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove.

The rash of departures has led the Bow Group Tory think-tank to call for an investigation into the power wielded by Ms Symonds at Downing Street.

Ms Symonds, who is the subject of a cover profile in the latest Tatler magazine headlined Carries Coup, faced fresh questions yesterday over reports that she had tried to damage the careers of leading female civil servants by briefing against them.

However, a No 10 source insisted such claims were total b******s.

Separately, Whitehall has buzzed with unsubstantiated claims of tensions between Ms Symonds and Allegra Stratton, Mr Johnsons powerful new press secretary, and with Dan Rosenfield, the Prime Ministers chief of staff.

Some of Ms Symondss growing number of allies in No 10 are said to roll their eyes when he speaks during meetings.

Ms Symonds is the subject of a cover profile in the latest Tatler magazine. It was reported the picture had been edited to make her skin look significantly smoother and brighter

Last night, Ms Stratton denied any strains, saying: Thats completely mental. Crazy.

I love Carrie and would do anything for her. When we all go out for a drink she is just the best fun imaginable. We are all a nest of singing birds.

The Mail on Sunday revealed last week how Dilyn, the Jack Russell cross owned by Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds, had played a walk-on role in the factional feud at Downing Street  including claims that he had cocked his leg over an aides handbag and chewed antique furniture at Chequers, the Prime Ministers country retreat.

There had been suggestions by members of Team Carrie that Mr Cummings was behind the hostile briefings against the dog, which have been neither substantiated nor dismissed. However, Mr Cummings is known to have been irritated by Ms Symondss determination to obtain a correction from The Times over a report about the dog being poorly trained.

There are reports of tensions between Ms Symonds and Press Secretary Allegra Stratton

Reports suggest that Ms Symonds had been disparaging about Antonia Romeo, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice, at a time when she was tipped to become Britains first female Cabinet Secretary. Ms Romeo lost out to Simon Case, a less experienced candidate.

As The Mail on Sunday revealed last year, Ms Romeo was the subject of an official investigation into allegations that she bullied staff and misused expenses in 2017, when she was Britains consul-general in New York.

After she was cleared by the Cabinet Office and promoted, Ms Romeos supporters said the allegations had a whiff of misogyny  which is the same complaint Ms Symondss allies make about the claims that she is the Lady Macbeth of Downing Street.

Reports suggest that Ms Symonds had been disparaging about Antonia Romeo, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice, at a time when she was tipped to become Britains first female Cabinet Secretary. Picture Antonia Romeo with Prime Minister Boris Johnson

A spokesman for Ms Symonds declined to comment last night.

But a Downing Street source said: These are the latest in a series of false and malicious allegations against Ms Symonds who is a private individual and plays no role in either Government policy or appointments.

'The people making these allegations should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

Tatler Poll: Young people prefer Carrie to Boris

Nearly a third of young adults prefer Carrie Symonds to Boris Johnson, a poll for society magazine Tatler has found.

The survey, which also found that 69 per cent believe that Ms Symonds, 32, influences decision-making at No 10, forms part of a cover-story on the Prime Ministers fiancee headlined: Carrie Coup.

The profile includes comments from Ms Symondss closest friend, Nimco Ali, the womens rights campaigner, who is quoted as saying: Shes fun and kind, and she wants the world to be a better and a safer place for women. Pictured Ms Symond's with her fiance Boris Johnson

The profile, which will feature in the April issue, asks: Who is the real Carrie Symonds?

'Is she the scheming Lady Macbeth pulling the strings inside No 10 or a fun-loving friend, feminist and mother, who just wants to save the planet?

The profile includes comments from Ms Symondss closest friend, Nimco Ali, the womens rights campaigner, who is quoted as saying: Shes fun and kind, and she wants the world to be a better and a safer place for women. Can someone tell me whats wrong with that?

The Tatler article features a photo of Ms Symonds taken at the State Opening of Parliament in October 2019. It was reported the picture had been edited to make her skin look significantly smoother and brighter.
'It's a significant moment and there is excitement in the air,' says GP Dr Eoin McDermott of the Blackrock and Castlebellingham Medical Centres as preparations are underway to vaccinate their older patients against COVID-19.

Starting at 9am this (Tuesday) morning, they are vaccinating all their patients aged 85 and over at a special vaccination clinic at Castlebellingham Medical Centre. The joint practice received delivery of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine yesterday (Monday) and have been busy preparing to inoculate their elderly patients, whom Dr McDermott describes as 'a very enthusiastic cohort'.

Staff at the practice have already contact all those patients aged 85 and over who have been given a time slot to attend today's vaccination clinic.

'They are very enthusiastic about getting the vaccine,' Dr McDermott said. 'In many ways it's amazing that our older population are leading the charge. They have no hesitancy in getting the vaccine. Like everyone else have sacrificed a lot over the last year . It's their Golden Years and are very excited about getting the vaccine.'

The dedicated vaccination clinic is taking place from 9am this morning and will continue until all the patients in the 85 years and over age group have got their first dose of the vaccination.

Dr McDermott and his colleagues Dr Siobhan Garavaglia, Dr Meave Baxter, Dr Sean Owens and Dr Katherine Whately, along with nurses Jo Murphy, Sheila Carey, and Medbh Burns have all received their own vaccinations already.

Expand Close Dr Sean Owens in the Covid-19 Vaccination Centre at The Medical Centre in Castlebellingham on Monday / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Dr Sean Owens in the Covid-19 Vaccination Centre at The Medical Centre in Castlebellingham on Monday

They are working hard to ensure that today's clinic goes as smoothly as possible.

It was decided to hold the clinic in the Castlebellingham Medical Centre for a logistical point of view, Dr McDermott explained.

'It has the space to allow for social distancing and also to facilitate the 15 minute observation period after everyone gets their vaccination. They will be carefully observed by the medical team to make sure they have no adverse reaction.'

'We will be running vaccination clinics every time we get a new batch of vaccines, probably every two weeks,' he said.

While the roll-out of the vaccination programme is being seen as a game changer in the battle to bring the pandemic under control, Dr McDermott said 'it is important as we go forward that we keep up all the original preventative measures, such as wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing as these are extremely important in the fight against Covid.'

Patients arriving for their vaccinations were greeted by staff who had decorated the clinic with balloons to celebrate the long-awaited roll-out of the vaccine. It was particularly poignant as the clinic is located in Blackrock/South, which at one stage had the highest incidence rate of CoVID-19 in the country, but also offers a beacon of hope for those who need it most.
A Brooklyn man faces hate crime charges for allegedly stabbing an Asian man in the back because he 'didn't like the way he looked at him,' according to police..

Salman Muflihi, 23, reportedly stabbed the 36-year-old victim with an eight-inch knife while walking near the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse in the Chinatown neighborhood in Manhattan at around 6.20pm Thursday, authorities shared.

After the attack, Muflihi ran to a nearby security guard at the Manhattan district attorney's office building on Hogan Place.

'I just stabbed someone. Where are the police at?,' he reportedly told the guard, according to ABC 7.

Scroll down for video

Salman Muflihi,,23, reportedly stabbed the 36-year-old victim with an eight-inch knife while walking near the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse

The unidentified man, who had been walking home at the time of the assault, was taken to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition

Muflihi told detectives that he stabbed the man 'because he didn't like the way he looked at him.'

The unidentified man, who had been walking home at the time of the assault, was taken to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition.

But by Friday, the man conditioned worsened to 'semi-stable' as the knife damaged vital organs. Sources shared with the New York Daily News that the man's liver and his right kidney had to be removed during surgery.

Police recovered the knife near the scene of the attack.

Police recovered the knife near the scene of the attack

While Muflihi was not initially charged with hate crime, police added the charge once they determined he was suspected for a string of attacks

The Bensonhurst resident was arrested and initially charged with attempted criminally negligent homicide, criminal possession of a weapon, assault and possession of a fake ID, PIX 11 reports.

The additional hate crime charge was added to the attempted murder and assault charges after police determined that the suspect had allegedly punched a 28-year-old Asian man in the head in Brooklyn in January.

Muflihi was also detained in September 2019 for allegedly assaulting his brother in Brooklyn.

Authorities describe the man as being emotionally disturbed.

Authorities describe the man as being emotionally disturbed. Police at the scene of the assault

Anti-Asian attacks have been on a rise in New York City since the beginning of the pandemic, with police recording 28 incidents of 'COVID-related' hate crimes

Anti-Asian attacks have been on a rise in New York City since the beginning of the pandemic, with police recording 28 incidents of 'COVID-related' hate crimes.

Mayor Bill de Blasio slammed the attack with Muflihi and made reference to the uptick in Anti-Asian crimes.

'Even as we're sounding the alarm and calling for people to band together to stop hate, we had a horrible incident yesterday, a horrible act of violence against an Asian-American man  out of nowhere, just pure hatred,' de Blasio said.

'The suspect has been apprehended. We're hoping and praying for this man as he fights for his life.'
A high powered US vaccine advisory panel endorsed mass use of a single dose Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine. This puts America just one step away from its third shot against a virus that has killed more than 509,000 Americans in 12 months.



In a 21-0 vote, the usually obscure Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), decided that the J&J shot is safe in people aged 18 and older.

US FDA scientists have already confirmed that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe and is about 66 per cent effective at preventing moderate to severe Covid-19, and about 85 percent effective against serious illness. Similar to the other Covid-19 vaccines in the US, the main side effects of the J&J shot are pain at the injection site and flu-like fever, fatigue and headache.





America, which began its historic vaccination drive on December 14 last year, has delivered a total of more than 70 million shots in arms across first and second doses combined. More than 47 million people in the US have received at least one shot. The two vaccines currently in use - Pfizer and Moderna - are both two shot vaccines spaced about 3-4 weeks apart.



J&J tested its single-dose option in about 44,000 adults in the US, Latin America and South Africa with a 2-month median follow-up. "The analysis supported a favourable safety profile with no specific safety concerns identified that would preclude issuance of an EUA," the US FDA said of the J&J vaccine.



The FDA summary noted that there were no Covid-19-related deaths and no Covid-19 cases requiring medical intervention 28 days or more post-vaccination among participants age 60 years or older with medical comorbidities in the vaccine group.



Source: IANS It's now over to the US Food and Drug Administration for the final greenlight. If the FDA clears the J&J shot for US use, only a few million doses are expected to be ready for shipping in the first week. J&J told US Congress that it expects to deliver 20 million doses by the end of March and 100 million by June. The company aims to produce around a billion doses by the end of the year.America, which began its historic vaccination drive on December 14 last year, has delivered a total of more than 70 million shots in arms across first and second doses combined. More than 47 million people in the US have received at least one shot. The two vaccines currently in use - Pfizer and Moderna - are both two shot vaccines spaced about 3-4 weeks apart.J&J tested its single-dose option in about 44,000 adults in the US, Latin America and South Africa with a 2-month median follow-up. "The analysis supported a favourable safety profile with no specific safety concerns identified that would preclude issuance of an EUA," the US FDA said of the J&J vaccine.The FDA summary noted that there were no Covid-19-related deaths and no Covid-19 cases requiring medical intervention 28 days or more post-vaccination among participants age 60 years or older with medical comorbidities in the vaccine group.Source: IANS

Shortly after 5 p.m. EST, the panel voted resoundingly on a single question: Based on the totality of scientific evidence available, do the benefits of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine outweigh its risks for use in individuals 18 years of age and older?
The General Electric logo is displayed at the top of the company's Global Operations Center in the Banks development of downtown Cincinnati, on Jan. 16, 2018. (John Minchillo/AP)

Chinese National Charged for Trying to Steal American Intellectual Property Worth Millions

A Chinese businessman residing in Hong Kong has been charged for conspiring to steal important trade secrets from General Electric (GE) for his own startup.

Chi Lung Winsman Ng, 64, was indicted on Feb. 27.

Winsman Ng and his co-conspirators allegedly chose to steal what they lacked the time, talent or money to create, said John Demers of the Justice Departments National Security Division said. Theft of American intellectual property for the benefit of foreign firms deprives American companies of the fruits of their creativity and American workers of their jobs. The Department will do all it can to disrupt this illegal and economically destructive conduct.

The intellectual property targeted by Ng and at least one other conspirator concerned silicon carbide MOSFETssmall switches that adjust electricity flow through devicesa technology worth millions.

As alleged in the indictment, Winsman Ng conspired to steal trade secrets from General Electric to start a competitor, said Elizabeth Coombe, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York. This scheme, and others like it, seek to undermine American ingenuity, which often depends on maintaining the secrecy of technological advances. We will continue to work with the FBI to hold accountable those trying to steal trade secrets from innovative companies in our district.

Ng and his conspirators are accused of attempting to develop a business to make and sell GEs MOSFET devices between March 2017 and January 2018.

The DOJ didnt obtain evidence indicating a successful transfer of the MOSFET technology to Chinese companies.

According to the indictment, Mr. Ng conspired to steal valuable and sensitive technology from GE and produce it in China, FBI special agent in charge Thomas Relford said.

Our office, the U.S. Attorneys Office, and GE coordinated closely and worked quickly to prevent that theft and the resulting damage to our economic security. Theft of trade secrets is a constant and dangerous threat to our American companies and the remarkable work they do to invent and manufacture unique technology that can change the world. FBI Albanys Counterintelligence Task Force remains committed to protecting American innovation and technology, American security and American jobs.

Ng hasnt yet been taken into custody. If hes found guilty, hell face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
(@FahadShabbir)

The US House passed an enormous, $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package early Saturday, hailed by Democrats as a critical step in funneling new funding toward vaccinations, overburdened local governments, and millions of families devastated by the pandemi

Washington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2021 ) :The US House passed an enormous, $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package early Saturday, hailed by Democrats as a critical step in funneling new funding toward vaccinations, overburdened local governments, and millions of families devastated by the pandemic.

Four days after the Covid-19 death toll surpassed 500,000 in the United States, the sprawling measure backed by President Joe Biden and seen as a moral imperative by many now heads to the Senate for consideration next week.

"After 12 months of death and despair, the American recovery begins tonight," congressman Brendan Boyle told the House chamber shortly before lawmakers approved the package on an rare post-midnight vote of 219 to 212.

No Republicans voted for the bill.

The sharply partisan result comes weeks after Biden's January 20 inauguration, when he called for unity in the face of a once-in-a-century health crisis.

The package cleared the House despite a major setback for Democrats, when a key Senate official ruled Thursday that the final version of the bill cannot include a minimum wage hike.

Biden had campaigned extensively on raising the national minimum wage to $15 an hour, from a rate of $7.25 that has stood since 2009.

He aimed to include it in the rescue plan, which directly provides $1,400 checks to most Americans and allots billions of Dollars to boost vaccine delivery, help schools re-open and fund state and local governments.

It extends unemployment benefits, set to expire mid-March, by about six months, as well as a moratorium on evictions for millions of people struggling to pay rent.

The bill is on track to be the second largest US stimulus ever, after the $2 trillion package Donald Trump signed last March to fight the pandemic's devastating spread.

Even as the Senate parliamentarian ruled against including the minimum wage language in the bill as written under budget reconciliation rules, Democrats kept the provision, highlighting their "fight for 15" as a top party priority.

"We will not rest until we pass the $15 minimum wage," Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said.

Even without the wage hike, she said the bill was critical and it would be "catastrophic" if it does not become law.

"The American people need to know that their government is there for them," she told the chamber. "As President Biden has said, help is on the way.

" - 'Dead of night' - Republicans fumed over the bill's historically high cost -- and the optics of holding such a consequential vote in pre-dawn hours.

"Democrats are so embarrassed by all the non-Covid waste in this bill that they are jamming it through in the dead of night," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said.

The measure is "bloated," partisan and "unfocused," with the majority of funding going to projects not directly related to fighting the pandemic, McCarthy said.

He and fellow Republicans accused Democrats of using a pandemic to push forward a liberal wish list.

The package "just throws out money without accountability," McCarthy added.

Over in the 100-member Senate, the rules of so-called reconciliation relate to budgetary bills that are allowed to bypass Republican filibuster efforts and pass with just a simple majority, rather than the typical 60 votes.

The parliamentarian concluded that the wage hike does not meet the standard, and since there is no Republican support for the bill in the evenly split Senate, the measure will be taken out in order for Covid relief to pass.

Progressives like Senator Bernie Sanders cried foul, insisting that the "archaic and undemocratic" rules prevent Congress from passing much-needed legislation sought by a majority of Americans.

Biden however made clear through a spokesperson that he respects the decision but "urges Congress to move quickly to pass the American Rescue Plan," and would work with lawmakers to get it over the finish line.

- Senate minefield - The message to Democrats, who control both chambers of Congress, is clear: time is running out to revive a US economy hit hard by the pandemic.

The White House budget office said the measure provides "critical" tools for tackling health crises and, like Biden, urged its swift passage.

But the Senate is a minefield. With no Republicans expressing support, every Democrat would have to vote in favor, with Vice President Kamala Harris likely needed to break a 50-50 tie.

The House and Senate texts would then need to be reconciled into a single bill and passed again before getting Biden's signature.

Progressives like Sanders meanwhile were studying ways to raise wages, including introducing an amendment to the Covid package that would create tax penalties for major corporations which pay employees less than $15 an hour.
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.
The second full moon of 2021 rose over clear UK skies on Friday, offering a great opportunity for sky-gazers to witness the final full moon of the winter.

Februarys full moon is traditionally known as the Snow Moon in the northern hemisphere and typically symbolises the beginning of spring.

The moon will reach its peak at 8.17am GMT on Saturday but will appear full in the sky on both Friday and Saturday night.

Clear skies over the UK on Friday will provide ideal conditions for viewing the celestial spectacle, though areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland will turn cloudy going into Saturday morning.

The Met Offices forecast for Saturday is slightly less favourable but will still offer a great opportunity for people in southerly areas to see the full moon.

The Saturday forecast states: Band of cloud and odd spot of rain sinking into parts of northern England. Southern areas, along with eastern Scotland seeing decent amounts of [clear skies].

Viewing tips to see the nights sky at its best include steering clear of areas with light pollution and spending at least 45 minutes away from artificial light sources to allow eyes to adjust to the darkness.

The full moon also appears larger when it is close to the horizon due to a mysterious optical effect known as the moon illusion.

Nasa explained this phenomenon in a recent blog post, stating: In general, the proposed explanations have to do with a couple of key elements of how we visually perceive the world: how our brains perceive the size of objects that are nearer or farther away, and how far away we expect objects to be when theyre close to the horizon.

Theres also some thinking that objects in the foreground of your lunar view play a role. But this isnt a perfect explanation, either. Nasa astronauts in orbit also see the moon illusion, and they have no foreground objects to act as distance clues. So, theres likely more going on.

Several apps are available that allow users to track the position of the moon, as well as star constellations.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Come one, come all  virtually, that is.

Online community forums and interviews with the Albuquerque Public Schools superintendent finalists will be live-streamed for the public, starting Monday.

During the forums, the four finalists will get a chance to address community questions previously submitted. After each forum, the APS Board of Education will publicly interview the candidate.

The link to the live-streams can be found at APS.edu.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Online feedback forms will launch next week for people to share their thoughts with the board, too.

The school board is aiming to announce its superintendent pick on March 17.

The schedule is:

Monday: Ignacio Ruiz

Tuesday: Scott Elder

Thursday: Bolgen Vargas

Friday: Ushma Shah

Forums will be from 6 to 7 p.m. and interviews will be 7:15 to 8:30 p.m.

IN REMEMBRANCE: Many in the education community are praising the late Las Cruces Public Schools superintendent and former public education secretary Karen Trujillo as a long-time educator who made a difference.

Trujillo was struck and killed while walking her dogs.

Current New Mexico Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart called her a passionate and caring advocate for children, saying she was a vibrant person.

Weve lost a champion for children, and she will be missed by her colleagues and friends in the education community, Stewart wrote in a statement.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called her death a loss for public education across the state and said she left behind an unfinished legacy of credible service.

And the APS board and Interim Superintendent Scott Elder said she will always be remembered as a role model for all educators, a fierce defender of public education, and a trusted ally.

IN-PERSON GRADUATIONS: APS is planning face-to-face ceremonies for the class of 2021 the week of May 10.

Public health orders and COVID-19 spread will dictate the specifics. But the district said plans are in place for the 13 comprehensive high schools to have ceremonies at the schools with magnet school ceremonies at the Berna Facio Professional Development Center.

Though, a bigger facility may be used if larger crowds are given the green light.

Dates and times are at APS.edu.

Shelby Perea: sperea@abqjournal.com
President Joe Biden broke a campaign promise to prosecute Saudi leaders after failing to sanction the Saudi Prince who authorized the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Biden breaks a promise to punish Saudi officials

In an unclassified intelligence briefing on Khashoggi's death issued by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, no steps punishing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have been reported.

According to the report, MBS, the crown prince, gave his direct approval for Khashoggi's murder in October 2018. In a list of Treasury Department penalties that included the rapid interference force of the Saudi Royal Guard and a former deputy intelligence chief, MBS was not listed.

Visa restrictions were revealed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on 76 Saudi officials who were engaged in abusing journalists and activists but did not call MBS. In November 2019, on the campaign trail, Biden promised to punish Saudi officials, which his predecessor, Donald Trump, would not do.

Read also: Biden Revokes More of Trump's Executive Orders Including on Financial Regulations, Immigration

When asked if he would prosecute Saudi officials, Biden responded firmly, "Yes." Biden remarked at the time that Khashoggi was murdered and dismembered on the order of the crown prince, The Sun reported. "The U.S. would not sell more weapons. Instead it would make Saudi pay the price and make them the pariah that they are," said Biden.

But it would have been "too difficult" to sanction the crown prince as it may put U.S. military interests in Saudi Arabia at risk, so it was never seriously considered, two Biden administration officials told CNN. According to a State Department spokesperson, the Biden administration did not order the department to come up with options to sanction MBS.

The Biden administration is not looking to influence Saudi Arabia or the succession further, as per Ayham Kamel, the Eurasia Group's Middle East and North Africa practice leader. According to Kamel, the Saudi leadership has "decided to take a positive stance in the short term to limit tensions with the U.S.," citing the release of human rights activists as an example.

Read also: Biden Had His First Defeat as President After Cabinet Nominee Receives Backlash

Biden called Saudi Prince's order "outrageous"

In an interview with Univision News, Biden said he told Saudi King Salman this week that "the rules are changing" in the kingdom's relationship with the United States and that "significant changed will be declared today and Monday." On Friday, the Biden administration released a partly classified report that the U.S. intelligence committee accused the Saudi crown prince of murdering Khashoggi inside Istanbul's consulate in October 2018.

"We assume that Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of authorizing an operation to kill or capture Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Turkey," the report concluded.

A White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, would not reveal whether Biden brought up Khashoggi's death or informed the king that the report would be released, as per Bloomberg via MSN. There is no suggestion that the United States wants to sanction the crown prince for the time being. That goes with a broader assessment that he'll be the kingdom's monarch for years to come, and punishing him now will risk alienating a nation that, faults and all, remains a significant ally, which left some dissatisfied Democratic lawmakers.

Read also: China Imposes New Rules for Online Content Creators

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Even more worrisome, the newly released documents show the Soviet military ordered all units of the Soviet 4th Air Army in Eastern Europe to make preparations for the immediate use of nuclear weapons. This included loading actual nuclear bombs on planes in East Germany and Poland that would be ready for takeoff in under 30 minutes.

The increased preparations suggest that key Soviet officials believed war was imminent. Fortunately, the U.S. intelligence chief monitoring Soviet activities during the exercise recommended not responding to the Soviet actions, correctly believing that they were a response to what NATO was doing and that any further U.S. escalation could trigger an actual war.

A major after-action review of what came to be known as the Soviet war scare conducted in 1990 and only recently declassified, concluded that in 1983 we may have inadvertently placed our relations with the Soviet Union on a hair trigger. There had been a real danger of a pre-emptive strike against the U.S. in response to a perceived but non-existent threat.

There are many lessons to be learned from this episode. Reagan learned the most important  that to understand your adversary you need to talk and engage with them. From then on, Reagan was more interested in meeting with Soviet leaders to talk peace than continuing to prepare for war.

Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
More than 100 kids younger than 18 died due to gunshots in 2019, according to state records, many of them by suicide and accidental shootings. And that doesnt count even more who were injured by gunshots but survived.

The state Legislature has the ability to sharply reduce that toll, and to generally diminish gun-related carnage, without diminishing anyones right to own a firearm, but refuses to do so because of the majoritys fealty to the gun lobby instead of sensible public safety.

In January, the shooting death of 9-year-old Nyssa Davis in Philadelphia grimly illustrated the need for one bill in the Legislature. She was playing with her 12-year-old brother and 5-year-old cousin when she was shot in the head with her fathers illegally owned and unsecured handgun. Her father and her brother were charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Lawmakers should respond to that tragedy by passing a bill requiring safe firearm storage. Such a law, requiring the use of gun locks or safes when guns arent in use, would be particularly helpful in preventing accidental shootings by children who find guns in their households. And it would be especially helpful in reducing the number of suicides, since research shows that proximity to a firearm significantly increases the likelihood of someone following through on suicidal thoughts.

Safe storage also would help to reduce the use of firearms in domestic violence. And along that line, the Legislature also should pass the pending red flag bill that would enable police, with court approval, to seize weapons from someone proven to be a danger to himself or others.

Gun rights advocates tend to pose every gun-safety measure as an apocalyptic assault on their rights. But these measures would not diminish gun ownership rights, and actually would enhance the gun ownership argument by producing fewer casualties.

Gun-loving, or lobby-loving, state legislators should summon the courage to recognize that increased public safety and gun ownership rights are not mutually exclusive concepts.
Oak Grove Couple Charged with Endangering Children

By West Kentucky Star Staff

OAK GROVE - An Oak Grove man and woman were charged Thursday with trafficking drugs and endangering two children.WKDZ reports that Christian County Sheriffs deputies stopped 24-year-old Blanca Austin for going 20 mph over the speed limit, and was found to have half a pound of marijuana, a firearm, and a large amount of money.Authorities said two children were also in the vehicle at the time of the stop.Blanca Austin and her passenger, 25-year-old Caleb Austin, were charged with trafficking marijuana and two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.
A man has been arrested after the seizure (Handout/PA)

A 20-year-old man has been arrested after gardai found cocaine and cannabis worth an estimated 123,000 euro at a house in Roscommon.

Gardai carried out a search of the property at Lanesboro Road at around 10pm on Friday, under Operation Tara.

During the course of the search, 4.5kg of cannabis herb with an estimated street value of 90,000 euro and 470 grams of cocaine with an estimated street value of 33,000 euro were seized.

The drugs will be sent for analysis.

The man was arrested at the scene and is currently being detained under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at Castlerea garda station.

Gardai say investigations are ongoing.

Yet Meghans presence could still be felt throughout the sympathetic Q&A, as Haz insisted: We never walked away and described how their relationship had gone from zero to 60 in the first two months.

While next weeks highly anticipated 90-minute Oprah special is largely focusing on Harris wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex , with a side order of Harry - this was about serving up a slice of Montecito monarchy to an eager American audience. Hence the rather laboured references to royals not carrying cash or travelling on buses, which the Yanks lap up as greedily as episodes of Downton Abbey.

Im not quite sure Prince Charles would agree, but then again, hes not the one paying the bills any more.

Selflessly taking one for the team, Meghan then popped up on FaceTime - a seemingly spontaneous moment that just so happened to coincide with her latest blow dry. Even her husband appeared astonished when Corden had the audacity to refer to the former Suits star as love in a slightly cringy moment that only served to remind UK viewers that both men will always carry the Brits abroad badge in a place like California.

The former army captain appeared most at home on the assault course with Corden, enthusiastically encouraging The Late Late Show presenter over various obstacles. Whether it was supposed to be a metaphor for the hurdles Harry has had to jump to find freedom, well never know.

But what is clear is that the tell-all will now set the tone for the Sussexes future forays into the spotlight as they attempt to rewrite the history of their departure from the Firm through the medium of philanthropy and self-promotion.

By conveniently making no mention of their desire to work to become financially independent, as stated in their original Megxit bombshell of January 8 last year, Harry made the blame-the-British-press strategy plain as he complained of a toxic environment. It may well prove to be a winning formula in America, where the rich and famous can control a media that largely worships at the altar of celebrity.

We all know what the British press could be like, and it was destroying my mental health, I was like this is toxic. So I did what any husband and what any father would do is like, I need to get my family out of here. 
As a carer for 36 years, Johanne Powell is painfully aware of how hard family carers have to battle for support services.

The Fethard-on-Sea woman sees the failure to prioritise carers in the vaccination programme as further proof that carers are being discriminated against.

Johanne's daughter Siobhan died last August leaving a huge void in her and her husband Alan's lives.

'I have watched in horror at the present debacle around the Minister for Health and vaccination of carers. Our daughter Siobhan died in August. She was 37 and severely disabled, both physically and intellectually. We are of course heartbroken, but the continued help and support from all the carers across the country has been a great comfort and help,' Johanne said.

Johanne said as her husband Alan is now over 70, he will probably be vaccinated early, adding 'since I'm over 65, I should not be too far behind'.

'What I find really horrible is that the two of us, in very reasonable health, thank you very much; will be vaccinated before our fellow carers (after 36 and a half years as a carer, I still identify as one). We should not be a priority. People who are locked up at home trying to cope with children and adults and old people in a lockdown should be prioritised.'

Expand Close Minister Stephen Donnelly / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Minister Stephen Donnelly

She said the Minister of Health seems to have no understanding of what family carers are. 'We do not all care for old people, so when he says the people we care for will be vaccinated before us, that is simply not true. Children under 16 will not be vaccinated at all, and as far as I am aware, people with disabilities are not a priority group in itself, and actually for people with very complicated diagnosis vaccination may be contraindicated.

'Carers are being discriminated against in many ways. Pay and conditions and pensions, and now we are being ignored again. Paid carers are being prioritised. So is there any other reason that we are cheap, and presumably expendable?

'If my carer friends get Covid-19, there are no plans for how the people they care for will be minded and if the people they care for catch Covid-19, there are no plans for how they will be treated.'

Some of Johanne's friends are caring for more than one person and she posed the question: 'if one of them catches Covid 19, what happens to the other one? You can't practise isolation in a home with a person with disabilities, you cannot leave them at home while you spend the days and nights with the infected person in hospital. You can't leave them alone in hospital, especially not if they have communication difficulties or moderate, severe or profound intellectual disabilities. From the very start of this crisis, the state has totally ignored the very real need of the disability society and the people who care for them. We have been taken for granted, the state is very well aware that we love the people we care for and they are taking full advantage of this.'
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  More than a year into the local coronavirus outbreak, the country will receive on Sunday the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines that will be made available for public use.

President Rodrigo Duterte will personally welcome the arrival of 600,000 doses of CoronaVac vaccines made by Chinese firm Sinovac, the presidential palace said. The doses were donated by China.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said other Cabinet members will attend the arrival ceremony at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City at around 5:00 p.m.

Excited na kami dahil bukas ay darating na po ang bakuna (We are excited because the vaccines are arriving tomorrow), Roque said in an online media briefing on Saturday.

When asked when officials will take Sinovac shots to help boost public confidence, Roque said its best for health workers to go first.

Dahil sa pag-aaral, mas makakabigay po talaga ng kumpyansa sa ating taong bayan kung makikita nila ang kanilang mga health care workers na unang mabakunahan, Roque said.

[Translation: Based on studies, the public will be more confident when they see their health care workers getting vaccinated first.]

Health workers can refuse

Health care workers will be prioritized in the rollout, but they can choose not to take the CoronaVac without losing their spot in the order of priority, Roque said.

While he has previously said the public cannot be picky on the vaccine brand, health workers are given the privilege after the FDA flagged that the CoronaVac only has an efficacy rate of 50.4% for medical frontliners exposed to COVID-19 patients.

Still, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, policymaking body in the governments pandemic response, approved its use on medical workers following the recommendation of health workers, who deemed it beneficial for the frontliners.

The CoronaVac is an inactivated vaccine, a technology that uses a killed form of SARS-CoV-2, one of the oldest methods of prompting an antibody response.

EXPLAINER: COVID-19 vaccines that will be tested and used in PH

Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire, spokesperson of the Department of Health, clarified that while the CoronaVacs clinical trials showed lower efficacy in preventing mild symptoms, it is 100% effective against moderate and severe symptoms. This means it can effectively reduce morbidity and mortality  the main goal for prioritizing health workers in the vaccination program, Vergeire said.
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region
Tom Cotton has described The New York Times as having 'totally surrendered to a woke child mob from their own newsroom', using his speech to CPAC to furiously denounce the paper following a commotion over his op ed this summer.

The Arkansas senator mocked the paper's staff as 'little social justice warriors' who were 'marinated in the language of the campus seminar room' and were 'sitting on futons' claiming to be offended by his words.

Cotton, 43, infuriated many of the paper's staff with his article during the George Floyd protests, entitled: Send In the Troops.

Tom Cotton addressed the CPAC conference in Orlando on Friday afternoon

The article was published on June 3 and many of the staff complained vociferously. Four days later, James Bennet, the editorial page editor, resigned and the publisher, A.G. Sulzberger, apologized to staff for 'a significant breakdown in our editing processes.'

Cotton, a hardline supporter of Donald Trump, said on Friday that he stood by the piece.

'I wrote an op-ed, it had a very simple message, very simple, very common sense message. Grounded in American history and law, supported by a majority of Americans, arguing very simply that if the police cannot, especially if they are not allowed to restore order, then it is time to send in the troops,' he said, to applause from attendees at the conservative gathering.

Cotton said that his article sparked 'total meltdown with the little social justice warriors at The New York Times.'

Cotton's op ed was published by The New York Times on June 3, with a note added later

He continued, according to The New York Post: 'All these children, they've been marinated in the language of the campus seminar room.

'They said things like, 'Your words put my life at risk.'

'As if typing on their phones, sitting on futons was as dangerous as being a cop trying to stop rioters in the streets.'

The Conservative Political Action Conference, known as CPAC, is being held in Orlando this year.

Trump is due to speak on Sunday afternoon, and the annual gathering is dominated by his allies.

Mitch McConnell, Nikki Haley, Mitt Romney and Liz Cheney will not appear: Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump Jr will.

Cotton, widely seen as a rival to Trump for the 2024 nomination, was cheered by the audience as he heaped scorn on the journalists' concerns.

'I'm sorry kiddo, words are words,' he said, 'Violence is what your friends are doing out on the streets of America.'

Cotton on Friday mocked The New York Times reporters as thin-skinned 'children' on futons

Cotton said that the editors then 'caved and rolled over and apologized'.

He continued: 'Some people on the left even called for me to apologize. So let me say again, I will never apologize for defending America.'

Cotton, an Army veteran who served in the Iraq War and who's a potential 2024 Republican presidential contender, told the audience that 'when America is under assault and conservatives are under attack, we will never retreat. We will never surrender.'

During his CPAC speech on Friday, Cotton also criticized COVID restrictions still in place in Democrat-run cities such as Washington DC, which forced the annual gathering to move to Florida, instead of its usual site.

'Maybe if CPAC had promised to burn down buildings and tear down statues, they would have let us up there,' Cotton said, mocking the riots in DC over the summer.

He embraced CPAC's theme, which this year is 'America Uncanceled', and spoke out against what he described as Democrat 'cancel culture'.

'Many on the left have concluded that America is a fundamentally flawed, irredeemable, wicked place,' he said.

'They have a lot of names for it. But whatever banner it flies under, it gets back to that anti-American idea.'
Gurugram, Feb 27 : One person died and three people, including two women, were critically injured in a collision between a SUV and a truck near Rajiv Chowk on the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway, the police said on Saturday.

The accident took place on the expressway from Jaipur to Delhi side on Friday evening when a speeding truck hit an SUV from the rear side.

The car driver Praveen Nasa was killed in the mishap while another occupant Dipanshu Lalit received minor injuries while Parul and Harshpreet Kaur were critically injured in the accident. All the victims are residents of Gurugram and are currently undergoing treatment.

Dipanshu in his complaint said he along with his three friends were heading towards the Iffco Chowk from Hero Honda Chowk on the expressway while Praveen was driving the car.

"When we reached near Rajiv Chowk on the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway, a truck driver was driving haphazardly and when Praveen tried to overtake the truck, the driver hit the SUV from the rear side," Dipanshu told the police.

The injured car occupants were rushed to a private hospital by passersby. Praveen was declared dead at the hospital.

A case has been registered against the truck driver on Dipanshu's complaint under various sections of the IPC at the Civil Lines police station in Gurugram.

"We have arrested the truck driver and his vehicle has been impounded. The body of deceased Praveen has been sent for post-mortem," said Vedprakash, Station House Officer (SHO) of the Civil Lines police station.
ADVERTISEMENT

Bandits have resumed operations in Kagara, Niger State on the same day that 42 students and other persons they kidnapped from a school in the town regained fredom.

No fewer than four persons were on Saturday reportedly killed and scores kidnapped in fresh attacks on the town and adjoining villages in Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

According to Musa Kwabe, a community leader in Kagara, eight persons were kidnapped in Kundu and 11 others in nearby Gunna district.

He said the four people killed were from Karako, a neighbouring village where seven persons are still missing.

He also told PREMIUM TIMES the bandits rustled many cows in the affected villages.

Muhammed Hussein, a chief in Kagara and a former local council chairman, named one of those kidnapped as Ibrahim Ruvo, who is a chief imam at Madaka village.

One chief Imam, Ibrahim Ruvo, was kidnapped around Madaka axis. He is yet to be found.

Mr Hussein begged the state government to deploy more security operatives to the affected communities to prevent further attacks.

The spokesperson of the police in Niger, Abiodun Wasiu, told PREMIUM TIMES that he would confirm the incident and send a feedback when contacted on Saturday afternoon.

This newspaper had reported how Kagara and its adjoining villages have been under the siege of bandits for more than two years.

However, it was the kidnapping of the schoolboys that brought the ordeals and sorrow of the community to national attention.

In that incident at the public secondary school on the outskirts of Kagara town, bandits abducted 42 persons, including 27 students, three staff and 12 members of their families.

The bandits raided two of the five hostels in the school, Barde and Lafene halls, to ferret out the students, in the process killing one of them, Benjamin Habilah.

This newspaper learnt that the schoolboys were released on Saturday morning after more than nine days in captivity.

As of the time of filing this report, the state government is yet to brief the public on how it secured the release of the students and whether or not payment of ransom was involved.

A strategy to help Winnipegs downtown recover from the brutal economic blow of COVID-19 is on the way after all, despite city council rejecting a proposal to fund it.

A strategy to help Winnipegs downtown recover from the brutal economic blow of COVID-19 is on the way after all, despite city council rejecting a proposal to fund it.

Kate Fenske, chief executive officer of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, said a new plan has been sorted out to ensure work can begin on Monday.

Fenske said CentreVenture Development Corp. has agreed to double funding to $70,000, while the BIZ will provide $30,000 of in-kind funding, primarily through staff hours.

"Were moving forward," she said.

Fenske said at least 37 downtown businesses have closed since COVID-19 cases began appearing in Winnipeg.

"The pandemic has not ended, theres still restrictions and it is a major challenge We know that its not going to be (just) flipping the switch and everythings going to be OK again," said Fenske.

City council rejected a proposal to provide $36,000 to support the recovery strategy.

Fenske said CentreVentures increased contribution, which was confirmed Friday, will allow the project to go ahead. She expects further funding will be needed, though, since the strategy could cost $150,000 or more to complete over the next 12 months.

Since March 2020, permanent downtown closures have included storefronts of Coles, Second Cup, Staples and OPA! Of Greece. The Bay, Mon Ami Louis, Garrick Centre and three Starbucks have also shut down, the BIZ said.

Fenske said finding new uses for the Bay building and finalizing a proposed $400-million redevelopment of Portage Place are key priorities, due to the sheer size of those structures.

As many Winnipeggers continue to work from home, companies will be forced to find new customers, she said.

"We know that downtown businesses cannot rely solely on downtown workers as their primary customer base. We do anticipate downtown to become busy again, to be vibrant but I think its going to look a little bit different," said Fenske.

Loren Remillard, president of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, said businesses throughout the city have been hurt by the pandemic. While the chamber doesnt track business closures, he expects there could be several bankruptcies in the first half of this year.

"People are wanting to fight as long as they can. Were seeing significant increases in debt load within the business community. People are leveraging all sources of financing that they can find, personal friends, family, institutional lenders and otherwise," said Remillard.

He said a focus on downtown companies would help the entire city.

"Our downtown (had) reached a really good point and, by no fault of its own, (is facing) COVID. It does represent a potential threat to undermine all the good momentum that weve had since the 90s," said Remillard. "It is in every Winnipeggers interest to see a thriving downtown."

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Heres a look at the top criminal-justice-related headlines across the borough this week.

WOMAN WITH S.I. TIES DIES IN N.J. DOUBLE MURDER

Luiza Shinkarevskaya, John Menendez and Anna Shpilberg.Photo courtesy of Mishel Chan-Min

A Hudson County corrections officer accused of killing his girlfriend  who worked as a dental hygienist on Staten Island and her best friend last week was furious about the trip she took with her friends to Cancun, according to Advance/SILive.com sister website NJ.com.

John Menendez, 23, of West New York, who is a corrections officer at the Hudson County Jail in Kearny, was furious and upset that his girlfriend, Anna Shpilberg, a 40-year-old mother of a teenage son, went on a vacation without him, family members told NJ.com.

Click here for more story details.

STORE OWNER DETAILS KNIFEPOINT ROBBERY TRY

A man reportedly brandished a knife at a Boost Mobile store at 611 Bay St. on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

A man moseyed around a Stapleton cell phone store Monday morning for 10 minutes before shockingly brandishing a knife and demanding money, the owner of the establishment told the Advance/SILive.com.

The man entered the store, initially without a mask, and began asking about cell phones and even used the stores phone to make a call, said Mike Sulz, the owner of the business.

After biding his time, Sulz said, the man took out the knife trying to take the money.

Click here for more story details

MAN DIES IN NORTH SHORE SHOOTING

11 Male, 26, dies after Stapleton shooting

A fatal shooting Saturday afternoon on the North Shore is believed to have stemmed from a dispute over a female, a source with knowledge of the investigation told the Advance/SILive.com.

Police said Latiff Dudley, 26, was shot several times in Clifton, before driving a 2016 black Infiniti about a mile to the 300 block of Van Duzer Street in Stapleton, where he crashed into an unoccupied vehicle.

Click here for story details.

ALLEGED RANT: GOING TO BE BLOODSHED

A Stapleton man made repeated threats to the lives of police officers on the North Shore of Staten Island, authorities allege.

Manuel Padilla, 43, of Broad Street, made disturbing remarks toward cops last Saturday during phone calls between about 9:15 p.m. and his arrest around 11 p.m., the criminal complaint alleges.

There is going to be bloodshed, the complaint alleges Padilla said to a 911 operator. There is going to be an officer down.

Click here for more story details.

INDICTMENT IN BRAZEN AFTERNOON SLAYING

The Clifton resident accused of slaying one man and wounding another as the victims sat inside a car in Mariners Harbor last year has been indicted on murder and other charges.

Godkhaliq Daugherty, 19, pleaded not guilty Wednesday at this arraignment in state Supreme Court, St. George.

Prosecutors allege Daugherty fatally shot Prince Edmonds, 21, of New Brighton last Sept. 14.

Click here for more story details

GUN CHARGES IN NEW SPRINGVILLE RAID

Outstanding job today by 121st Precinct Field Intelligence Team and NCO D Officer Carlino. After conducting a joint search warrant, this loaded firearm was recovered and an individual was taken into custody. #onelessgun @NYPDstatenIslnd @NYPDChiefPatrol pic.twitter.com/s287C6xG8y  NYPD 121st Precinct (@NYPD121Pct) February 24, 2021

A loaded gun and drugs were found during a raid of a home in New Springville on Wednesday, the NYPD said.

Jason Rivera, 46, was arrested after police executed a search warrant at his home on Richmond Hill Road near Richmond Avenue at about 3:35 p.m., according to a spokeswoman for the NYPD.

Police charged the suspect with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Click here for more story details

MAN SOUGHT IN ST. GEORGE ROBBERY

WANTEDfor a Robbery that occurred inside of 15 Richmond Terrace. Anyone with any info contact the Staten Island Robbery Squad at 718-876-8415 pic.twitter.com/FxsBlSBPeO  NYPD 120th Precinct (@NYPD120Pct) February 23, 2021

The NYPD is asking via social media for the publics help identifying a man sought for questioning in connection with a knife-point robbery in the afternoon at a store in St. George.

The incident occurred at Nordstrom Rack in the Empire Outlets at 15 Richmond Terrace on Feb. 3 at about 2:20 p.m., according to a spokeswoman for the NYPD.

Click here for more story details.

Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces it has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the securities of AgEagle Aerial Systems, Inc. (NYSE: UAVS) between September 3, 2019 and February 18, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 27, 2021.

SO WHAT: If you purchased AgEagle 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 AgEagle class action, go http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2037.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] 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 27, 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 Class 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) AgEagle did not have a partnership with Amazon and in fact never had any relationship with Amazon; (2) rather than correct the public's understanding about a partnership with Amazon, defendants were actively contributing to the rumor that AgEagle had a partnership with Amazon; and (3) as a result, defendants' statements about AgEagle's business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the AgEagle class action, go http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2037.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] 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: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

Related Links

www.rosenlegal.com


Prince Harry is 'barely recognisable' while Meghan Markle is 'totally disingenuous' and 'always planned to leave the Royals', a royal biographer has claimed.

Speaking exclusively to The Royal Beat, available on True Royalty TV, royal expert Robert Jobson who knew the late Princess' 'well' alleged the Duchess of Sussex, 39, had always planned to leave the Royal Family.

'I think she had a plan from the outset that she wasn't going to stick with it [The Royal Family] and it didn't take long, before all that thanking the royal family,' he commented.

'The royal family would have done their best to have helped her and they would have tried.'

Speaking exclusively to The Royal Beat, available on True Royalty TV, royal expert Robert Jobson claimed Prince Harry is 'barely recognisable' while Meghan Markle is 'totally disingenuous' and 'always planned to leave the Royals.' Pictured, surprise appearance at the #SpotifyStreamOn event

royal expert and friend of late Princess claims Robert Jobson alleged the Duchess of Sussex, 39, 'had a plan' from the outset. Pictured, with Meghan Markle hosting a special Time100 talk on October 20, 2020

Elsewhere, former Buckingham Palace Press Officer Dickie Arbiter called the Sussexes' statement on their future 'petulant, rude and immature'.

The Queen's decision to remove Harry and Meghan's royal patronages because a 'life of public service' is not compatible with the couple's lucrative new career in America sparked a barbed response from the Sussexes.

The royal couple stated 'service is universal', which Royal sources called 'horribly disrespectful' and ''you can't line your pockets while undertaking official duties'.

The Royals are braced for Harry and Meghan to hit back at the Palace in an interview with Oprah Winfrey - who flew into California on her 50million private jet and was with the couple hours before they released their statement.

'They are not going to rubbish the Royal Family, because it is not in their interest,' Dickie Arbiter said. 'So they will talk about the 'suits', how the officials didn't back them up.'

'They will certainly talk about what they are aiming to achieve; they will talk about family life, babies, and motherhood. They will talk about the British media because that sticks in the craw as fair as they are concerned.'

Robert Jobson (pictured, right) also accused the couple of 'monetising the Royal Family all the time'

Jobson added: 'The rudeness of the statement they issued after they left! Frankly, they have been given a lot of slack, but they were damn right rude to The Queen and the Royal Family.'

Author and Vanity Fair Royal Correspondent Katie Nicholl also told the programme: 'I think The Palace felt off guard about the pregnancy announcement [and] the Oprah announcement.

'It was clear that the Sussex's were working as a machine in their own right - they weren't working with the Palace.

'[Buckingham Palace] had made their minds up. They didn't need until the 31 st of March to make that statement.

Oprah, a global star with stateswoman-like appeal, attended the couple's wedding in May 2018 - last week, she spent two days filming her blockbuster interview with the couple at their Californian home

'My understanding from the sources that I have spoken to at the Palace was that they would [release it] earlier and bring an end to all this speculation.'

When discussing the surprise move to film an interview with Oprah Winfrey after requesting a more private life, Jobson also accused the couple of 'monetising the Royal Family all the time.'

'Let's be clear, the reason they are doing Oprah is to boost their brand and get as much attention as possible because that is the power of the buck,' he claimed.

'The reason they are talking about their private life is because they need to make sure their brand is high and highly visible in America.'

Also speaking on the programme, Dickie Arbiter's daughter, royal commentator Victoria Arbiter added: 'This is Meghan and Harry trying to win over and woo Americans.'

Pictured: The statement from Buckingham Palace that The Sussexes had been stripped of their remaining roles

Minutes later, the apparently furious Sussexes issued a stinging rebuke to the Queen, insisting they would still 'live a life of service' outside the royal fold. They added: 'Service is universal.'

In its statement on 20 February, Buckingham Palace said: '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.

'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.'

They added: 'While all are saddened by their decision, the Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family.'

Four minutes later a spokesman for the Sussexes retorted: '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.'

Fred Segal, whose clothing boutiques became an emblem of Los Angeles cool by selling form-fitting jeans and chambray shirts to the likes of Bob Dylan, Farah Fawcett and the Beatles, died on Thursday in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 87.

The cause was complications of a stroke, a spokeswoman for his family said.

Mr. Segal became one of the West Coasts best-known designers and retailers in the 1960s as he helped shape the image of Southern California fashion as breezy, sexy and relaxed. His namesake ivy-covered store became a hangout for fashionistas, Hollywood actors and big-name artists and musicians. For tourists, it often figured into sightseeing itineraries right alongside Graumans Chinese Theater and the Hollywood sign.

Image Mr. Segal in an undated photo. His style was embraced by Hollywood celebrities who were eager to embody California cool. Credit... Family photo

Mr. Segal opened his first store, Pants America, in 1960. It was, according to the companys website, a 700-square-foot space on Santa Monica Boulevard that sold denim jeans, chambray shirts and pants, velvets and flannels.


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.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Betty Brothers, one of the first to receive the Covid-19 vaccine by Shauna Carr, practice nurse at Northgate Medical Centre. Photo: Mary Browne

One of the first people in the New Ross district to get the vaccine, Betty Brothers from New Ross, said she will feel like she's walking in America when she has the second shot and can go downtown once more.

Betty (87) was the first patient at Northgate Medical Centre to get the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on Tuesday morning,

She all but danced out of the surgery having been given the jab and is recommending that everyone gets it.

'I was the first of the over-85s to get it. They were so excited and so kind. I have been going there since it was run by Horan Kelliher, having gone to Dr Hickey before that.'

Betty, from Wexford Street, New Ross, said she misses not being able to meet her four grandchildren in person and her walks down to the boardwalk to take in the views of the Barrow.

'I really miss that and having a cup of coffee downtown. Now I go to the Library Park instead.'

Betty said she has great company with her daughter Susan, who lives with her, and she enjoys reading to pass the time.

'I am looking forward to going downtown. It'll be like going to America. I have another daughter in Mount Elliott and she has two children, but I don't get to see them as they are extra careful.'

Betty has some medical issues but feels great in herself and said she suffered no side effects from the vaccine.

'I didn't even feel the shot. I think everyone should get it. Why take a chance? It's better to be sure than sorry. I have lived through all of the vaccines, including polio and TB, and none of them were 100 per cent at first. The Pfizer vaccine is over 90 per cent effective so I would completely and utterly recommend it.'

Betty loves travelling abroad but will be happy to be able to enjoy the wonders of Ireland once she gets her second jab next month and once the restrictions are lifted later this year.
St John's : , Feb 27 (IANS) Devon Thomas made a career-best 117 to guide Leeward Islands Hurricanes to a seven-wicket win over Barbados Pride in the CG Insurance Super50 Cup fifth place playoff.

In his new role as opener, the experienced right-hander dominated the Barbados bowlers as Leewards made 270-3 wickets in reply to 265-7 wickets. They reached the target with nine balls to spare.

Thomas was named the CG Insurance Man-of-the-Match.

Keacy Carty also played well and finished unbeaten on 50 from 72 balls to ensure the brilliant work of Thomas did not go in vain. Captain Jahmar Hamilton, in his first knock since returning from Bangladesh, smashed 37 not out off 25 balls to seal the victory. Close to the end, he hit three towering sixes that disappeared into the stands.

Earlier, Jonathan Carter struck 100 off 121 balls and Shai Hope made 85 off 106 balls as they added 124 for the third wicket after Pride chose to bat first on a good surface. Both fell to fast bowler Quinton Boatswain (3-68). Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, fresh from his outstanding exploits in Bangladesh, bowled an excellent opening spell and finished with 3-44.

"We limited them to a score we felt we could manage. It was a very good pitch which got better as the day went on so we always felt we could chase down the score. I took it upon myself to do the scoring in the powerplay. We were around 60 after the first 10 overs which is exactly where we wanted to be," Thomas said.

"After that it was just for me to keep going and build on the very good start. We never eased off and we kept pushing. I felt I was hitting the ball well in the earlier matches but I didn't carry on. Today, things were in my favour and I was happy I made it count," he said.

Prime Minister will receive the CERAWeek global energy and environment leadership award during an annual international energy conference next week.

The prime minister will also deliver the keynote address at the CERAWeek Conference-2021, which will be held virtually from March 1 to 5, its organiser, IHS Markit, said on Friday.

Prominent speakers at the conference include US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry, Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and founder of Breakthrough Energy Bill Gates and president and CEO, Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser.

"We look forward to Prime Minister Modi's perspectives on the role of the world's largest democracy and are pleased to honour him with the CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award for his commitment to expanding India's leadership in sustainable development to meet the country's, and the world's, future energy needs," IHS Markit vice chairman and the conference's chair, Daniel Yergin, said.

In charting its path towards economic growth, poverty reduction and a new energy future, India has emerged at the centre of global energy and the environment, and its leadership is crucial to meet climate objectives for a sustainable future while ensuring universal energy access, he said.

The annual international conference is a gathering of energy industry leaders, experts, government officials and policy makers, leaders from the technology, financial and industrial communities, and energy technology innovators.

(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.)
ALBANY  The vice president of a Chinese semi-conductor company is facing federal charges in Albany for allegedly conspiring to steal trade secrets from General Electric worth millions of dollars.

Chi Lung Winsman Ng, 64, also known as Winsman Ng, was indicted in U.S. District Court on Thursday accused of stealing secrets involving the companys silicon carbide metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors, known as MOSFETS, according to federal prosecutors in Albany.

The alleged scheme did not succeed. Federal authorities said there was no evidence that any Chinese company obtained the trade secrets .

The FBI, federal prosecutors and GE coordinated closely and worked quickly to prevent that theft and the resulting damage to our economic security, said Thomas Relford, FBI special agent in charge of the Albany field office said in a news release.

Theft of trade secrets is a constant and dangerous threat to our American companies and the remarkable work they do to invent and manufacture unique technology that can change the world, Relford said.

MOSFETS are described as tiny electrical switches that can turn on and off hundreds of times in a second. They can regulate power in items that range from electric cars and airplanes to wind turbines.

The case is in the Northern District because the alleged crime involved GE locations in at a Global Research Center on Niskayuna and SUNY Polytechnic Insititute in Albany.

Winsman Ng and his co-conspirators allegedly chose to steal what they lacked the time, talent or money to create, said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers, of the Justice Departments National Security Division, in a statement, Theft of American intellectual property for the benefit of foreign firms deprives American companies of the fruits of their creativity and American workers of their jobs. The Department will do all it can to disrupt this illegal and economically destructive conduct."

Ng was charged in an indictment that named an unidentified co-conspirator. In a recent case, Yang Sui, a research engineer, pleaded guilty to related charges last May in U.S. District Court. Sui admitted in his plea agreement that he stole numerous electronic files pertaining to the research, design, and manufacture of silicon carbide MOSFETS.

The Times Union reported at the time of his plea agreement that Sui engaged in the scheme while working at at GE's lab at SUNY Poly. The school was part of the New York Power Electronics Manufacturing Consortium, which was a $500 million research program created by the state in 2014. GE put a $100 million investment to the consortium helping to establish a clean room manufacturing line at SUNY Poly where silicon carbide chips would be made into power electronics switches.

The indictment said in March 2017, Ng met with the co-conspirator in a restaurant within the Northern District of New York, which includes the Capital Region, to discuss their plan to launch a start-up company that would make and sell MOSFETS based on technology the co-conspirator stole and which he would continue to steal.

Over the next several months, the indictment states, the co-conspirator used his access to steal files that contained the trade secrets. The pair even discussed a PowerPoint presentation they would use to convince investors to fund their start-up. The indictment said they met with a representatives of an accounting group in Hong Kong to incorporate their new venture in the British Virgin Islands under the name SPS Investment Holdings. It said they met with members of a Chinese investment firm and solicited $30 million in exchange for an ownership stale in their company.

The Times Union reported last May that GE uncovered the theft in December 2017 when it as it was winding down operations at SUNY Poly after it set up the manufacturing line. GE interviewed Sui that month and then took materials and electronic devices from SUNY Poly and his house. The FBI seized more computers and items from his house two days later.

Our security systems and processes enabled us to detect this attempt, and due to the prompt action by GE and the FBI, there is no evidence intellectual property was transferred," GE spokesman Todd Alhart said. "GE has been closely cooperating with the FBI for some time on this matter. At GE, we aggressively protect and defend our intellectual property and have processes in place for identifying these issues and partnering with law enforcement.
Joao Oliveira Wins partypoker MILLIONS Online 6-Max ($74,937)

February 27, 2021 Jason Glatzer

The MILLIONS Online recently crowned five new winners at partypoker including Joao Oliveira, Brener Henrique Vicente, Pedro Madeira, Pascal Lefrancois, and Andras Nemeth.

Meanwhile, David Coleman Leads MILLIONS Online #16 Warm Up After Day 1a with two more opening flights to go over the weekend.

Read on to learn more about the biggest recent events in the MILLIONS Online at partypoker.

Head to the NEW partypoker Hub Want to stay up-to-date on all the latest partypoker news right here on PokerNews? Why not try out the new partypoker Hub! Find Out More

Joao Oliveira Wins the MILLIONS Online #13 6-Max ($74,397)

It is rare that a tournament's buy-ins will equal exactly the guarantee but the MILLIONS Online #13 6-Max did just that with 100 entrants contributing a $3,200 buy-in to generate $300,000 into the prize pool to match the guarantee.

The field was trimmed down to just 17 hopefuls after the first day of play, each guaranteed a $6,383 min-cash when Day 2 resumed.

It then took just slightly more than 3 1/2 hours for Joao Oliveira to ship the event on Day 2 for the $74,937 top prize after besting Carlos Henrique Ferreira Da Silva (second - $49,929) in heads-up play.

Adam Hendrix joined this duo on the podium and banked $34,855 for his third-place performance. Also at the final table were Julio Chia (fourth - $24,014), Elio Fox (fifth - $17,718), Kevin Rabichow (sixth - $13,956), and Georgios Zisimopoulos (seventh - $11,303).

Meanwhile, Brazil's Brener Henrique Vicente won a mini-version of this event featuring a $320 buy-in and a $55,500 prize pool for the $11,714 top prize.

MILLIONS Online #13 6-Max Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Joao Oliveira Croatia $74,937 2 Carlos Henrique Ferreira Da Silva Brazil $49,929 3 Adam Hendrix Mexico $34,855 4 Julio Chia Austria $24,014 5 Elio Fox Mexico $17,718 6 Kevin Rabichow Canada $13,956 7 Georgios Zisimopoulos Malta $11,303

Pedro Madeira Wins MILLIONS Online #13 Knockout ($55,699)

Pedro Madeira shipped the MILLIONS Online #13 Knockout for $55,699 ($22,323 prize + $33,375 in bounties) after defeating Evaldas Aniulis (second - $30,148) in heads-up play.

The $1,600 buy-in event attracted 156 entrants to fall about $14,000 short of the generous $250,000 guarantee to provide tremendous value to the 27 players that cashed for at least a min-cash of $1,763 plus bounties.

Madeira entered the second day in second place just behind the Day 1 chip leader Marius Gierse. Unlike Madeira, Gierse bowed out well short of the final table in 16th place for $5,195 ($2,008 prize + $3,188 in bounties).

Also at the final table in this event were Daan Mulders (third - $21,799), Giuseppe Di Stasio (fourth - $15,229), Aleksei Barkov (fifth - $12,920), Maksim Bukreev (sixth - $8,374), and Samuel Vousden (seventh - $9,958).

MILLIONS Online #13 Knockout Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize Bounties Total Prize 1 Pedro Madeira Brazil $22,323 $33,375 $55,699 2 Evaldas Aniulis Lithuania $22,297 $7,852 $30,148 3 Daan Mulders Austria $15,002 $6,797 $21,799 4 Giuseppe Di Stasio Malta $10,096 $5,133 $15,229 5 Aleksei Barkov Russia $7,342 $5,578 $12,920 6 Maksim Bukreev Russia $5,983 $2,391 $8,374 7 Samuel Vousden Finland $4,630 $5,328 $9,958

Pascal Lefrancois Wins the MILLIONS Online #15 Omaha High Roller ($84,220)

Pascal Lefrancois

After more than 7 1/2 hours of play, Canada's Pascal Lefrancois defeated a star-studded field of 52 entrants, including eliminating partypoker Ambassador Joni Jouhkimainen (second $51,726) in heads-up play, in the MILLIONS Online #15 Omaha High Roller to win the $84,220 top prize.

Russia's Sergei Vasilev took bronze for $33,734 with Dante Fernandes (fourth - $23,389), Aku Joentausta (fifth - $17,317), Andres Torbergsen (sixth - $14,508), and Phillip Mighall (seventh - $12,486) all battling it out on the final table but falling short of the podium.

In other news, Hungarian online superstar Andras Nemeth shipped a mini-version of this event featuring a $530 buy-in and a $53,000 prize pool to collect the $13,329 top prize.

MILLIONS Online #15 Omaha High Roller Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Pascal Lefrancois Canada $84,220 2 Joni Jouhkimainen Finland $51,726 3 Sergei Vasilev Russia $33,734 4 Dante Fernandes Brazil $23,389 5 Aku Joentausta Finland $17,317 6 Andres Torbergsen Canada $14,508 7 Philip Mighall United Kingdom $12,486

David Coleman Leads MILLIONS Online #16 Warm Up After Day 1a

The MILLIONS Online #16 Warm Up kicked off the first of its three opening flights with 163 entrants ponying up the $1,050 buy-in to get about a third of the way there to the $500,000 guarantee slapped on this event.

David Coleman by far bagged the most chips of the 24 survivors and will head to Day 2 with a monster stack of 32,895,413. No other player was even close to Coleman, however, three other players did bag seven-figure stacks in Georgios Zisimopoulos (13,609,662), Julien Sitbon (13,023,614), and Noelia Ivars Rico (12,518,522).

Joni Jouhkimainen was the sole partypoker Ambassador to make it through to Day 2 on Day 1a and thus far will have the shortest stack after virtually bagging 879,197.

Day 1b kicks off today, Feb. 27 at 7:05 p.m. GMT (2:05 p.m. EST) and will conclude when just 15 percent of the field remains. Tomorrow will not only featured a turbo-charged Day 1c with 10-minute blind levels at 3:05 p.m. GMT (10:05 a.m. EST) but also the second and final day of this two-day event at 7:05 p.m. GMT (2:05 p.m. EST).

Last Opening Flight of Main Event on Sunday!

The partypoker MILLIONS Online #08 Main Event will resume with its second and final opening flight on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 7:05 p.m. GMT (2:05 p.m. EST).

The event boasts a $5,300 buy-in along with a massive $5 million guarantee. Players can get into this actual practically for free with feeder tournaments starting at just $0.01.

One player did manage to get in for free with Mary, also known as @Gr8Bluff, winning a video contest hosted by partypoker and its ambassador Kristen Bicknell.

just setting up my twttr  jack (@jack)

The Main Event is a deep-stacked affair with players starting off with 1 million in chips and blinds increasing slowly at every 25 minutes. Players can re-enter once during the nine-level late-registration window and the day will conclude after the field is trimmed down to just 15 percent.

Surviving players will then battle it out for three more days starting with Day 2 on Monday, March 1 at 7:05 p.m. GMT. Daniel Dvoress currently sits in the captain's chair after bagging a chip-leading stack of 30,582,133 on Day 1a.

Related: Check out the FULL partypoker MILLIONS Online schedule

Join the Love Party!

Valentine's Day took place already more than a week ago but the love continues for another week at partypoker thanks to its Love Party promotion for both new and existing players.

If you don't already have an account, simply download partypoker through PokerNews to take advantage of this promotion and get in on the epic MILLIONS Online action.

The first part of the promotion is simply completing a daily Love Party mission. The first step is to opt into the mission via the client's 'Promotions' section.

After that you will be presented an easy-to-complete mission such as winning a cash game hand with a suited big slick. You will be awarded a random prize after you complete the mission which could include a MILLIONS Online ticket worth $55!

This is not all as partypoker also giving you the chance to claim a mystery prize this week simply by making a deposit using the 'LOVEPARTY' deposit code between now and March 3. The prize could be a freeroll ticket, a SPINS ticket, or even $50 in cold, hard cash!

Head to partypoker today to not miss out on the free love before time runs out.
The US House of Representatives moved toward a late-night vote on President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid bill on Friday as Democrats who control the chamber steered the sweeping measure toward approval. The House Rules Committee turned back scores of Republican attempts to modify the package and sent it to the House floor for passage late Friday or early Saturday.

With Republicans lining up in opposition, Democrats who hold a 221-211 majority have few votes to spare. Democrats said the package was needed to fight a pandemic that has killed more than 500,000 Americans and thrown millions out of work, while Republicans criticized it as too expensive.

The measure would pay for vaccines and medical supplies and send a new round of emergency financial aid to households, small businesses and state and local governments. Democrats aim to get the bill for Biden to sign into law before mid-March, when enhanced unemployment benefits and some other types of aid are due to expire.

But their path has been complicated by the Senate's rules expert, who said on Thursday that they cannot include an increase in the minimum wage to $15 per hour in the package. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi predicted the bill will pass Congress with or without the increase, but said Democrats would not give up on the matter.

"We will not stop until we very soon pass the $15 minimum wage," she said at a news conference. Republicans who have broadly backed previous COVID-19 spending say another $1.9 trillion is simply too much. The White House and some economists say a big package is needed to revive the world's largest economy.

Opinion polls have found broad public support for the package. "The only place this is a partisan issue is here in Washington," said Democratic Representative Jim McGovern in debate in the House Rules Committee. "We are here because people are hurting and communities are struggling."

"Shouldn't we at least spend down the funds already allocated, and see if new money is actually required?" Cole said. Roughly $1 billion of the $4.1 trillion in coronavirus aid approved last year has yet to be spent, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan watchdog group.

Biden has focused his first weeks in office on tackling the greatest public health crisis in a century, which has upended most aspects of American life. Pelosi is counting on nearly all of her rank and file to get the bill passed before sending it to a 50-50 Senate where Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris holds the tie-breaking vote.

MINIMUM WAGE HIKE

The House bill would raise the national hourly minimum wage for the first time since 2009, to $15 from $7.25. The increase is a top priority for progressive Democrats. That is unlikely to win approval in the Senate. The chamber's parliamentarian ruled on Thursday that, unlike other elements of the sweeping bill, it could not be passed with just a simple majority of 50 senators plus Harris, rather than the 60 needed to advance most legislation in the 100-seat chamber.

At least two Senate Democrats oppose the $15 hourly figure, along with most Republicans. Some are floating a smaller increase, in the range of $10 to $12 per hour. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer might add a provision that would penalize large corporations that do not pay their workers a $15 minimum wage, a Senate Democratic aide said.

Among the big-ticket items in the bill are $1,400 direct payments to individuals, a $400-per-week federal unemployment benefit through Aug. 29, and help for those having difficulties paying their rent and home mortgages during the pandemic. An array of business interests also have weighed in behind Biden's "America Rescue Plan" Act, as the bill is called.

Efforts to craft a bipartisan coronavirus aid bill fizzled early on, shortly after Biden was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, following a series of bipartisan bills enacted in 2020.

Also read: FATF retains Pakistan in 'grey list' over terror funding, money laundering charges
Teton County Reporter

Previously the Scene editor, Billy Arnold made the switch to the county beat where he's interested in exploring Teton County as a model for the rest of the West. When he can, he still writes about art, music and whatever else suits his fancy.
Are atheists immoral because they don't believe in God?

It's a commonly held stereotype, but a new study suggests they're no less principled than religious people.

Researchers found non-believers and believers shared similar views on fairness and not hurting people.

But the atheists didn't see values that supported unity, like loyalty and respect for authority, were essential to be moral.

Non-believers also tended to think more about the consequences of an action when deciding if something was moral or not, and were more likely to make a judgment on a case-by-case basis.

That suggests they have a moral compass that's 'calibrated somewhat differently' than religious people, who are more focused on the group.

Atheists and religious people share principles about kindness and not hurting people, researchers found. But nonbelievers are less likely to see values that promote group unity, like respect for authority figures and loyalty, as essential to being moral

Tomas Stahl, a professor of psychology at University of Illinois Chicago, analyzed several cross-national surveys comparing the US, a relatively religious country, and Sweden, one of the most secular countries in the world.

He found atheists and believers in both nations shared similar values about fairness and not hurting vulnerable people.

But the atheists didn't think values that promoted 'group cohesion' including loyalty, sanctity and respect for authority  were all that important to being a moral person.

Non-believers in both countries were also more likely to think about the harm done by action versus inaction when deciding if something was morally justifiable.

In an examination of several cross-national surveys from Sweden and the US, religious people were more likely to see the world as a dangerous place than atheists. That may explain why they put more weight on values that protect the group from outside threats

'Disbelievers do have a moral compass,' Stahl said. 'However, it is calibrated somewhat differently than that of religious believers in some respects.'

Atheists' different moral system may be the source of negative stereotypes about them being immoral, Stahl added.

Religious people in both countries were also more likely than non-believers to feel the world is dangerous place.

That could explain why aspects of morality that protect the group are more important to them, Stahl theorized, and cause them to question those who don't feel the same way.

'Different levels of perceived existential threat can be a partial explanation to why believers and disbelievers have somewhat different moral values,' he said.

The study, published in PLOS ONE, was funded by the Understanding Unbelief Program at the University of Kent.

It comes on the heels of a slew of research dispelling stereotypes about atheists.

A 2019 study from Understanding Unbelief found a majority of so-called non-believers still believed in the supernatural.

Researchers interviewed thousands of atheists and agnostics from the U.K., the U.S., Japan, Brazil, Denmark, and China

The most commonly accepted beliefs among atheists and agnostics are that there are 'underlying forces' of good and evil in the world; that there is 'a universal spirit or life force,' and that 'most significant life events are meant to be and happen for a reason.'

A little under 20 percent of American atheists reported believing in 'supernatural beings.'

None of the atheists were overwhelmingly 'naturalist,' researchers said, meaning rejecting all supernatural ideas.

'In none of our six countries surveyed does the percentage of unbelievers who qualify as naturalists approach 50 [percent],' they said.

'Even among American atheists, the most naturalistic group across our surveyed countries, only a third seem to have a wholly naturalistic world view.'

And atheists appear to be kinder in their treatment of Christians than Christians are to nonbelievers.

Researchers at Ohio University asked participants to share monetary rewards with partners in a version of the Dictator Game, where one participant is given money and must offer an amount to a second person, even if that is telling them they will receive nothing.

When atheists were told of the second person's beliefs on religion, they behaved the same toward both atheists and Christians.

Christians, meanwhile, consistently favored their fellow believers.
New York, Feb 27 : After eight hours of non-stop debate, a high powered US vaccine advisory panel endorsed mass use of a single dose Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, putting America just one step away from its third shot against a virus that has killed more than 509,000 Americans in 12 months.

In a 21-0 vote, the usually obscure Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), decided that the J&J shot is safe in people aged 18 and older.

Shortly after 5 p.m. EST, the panel voted resoundingly on a single question: Based on the totality of scientific evidence available, do the benefits of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine outweigh its risks for use in individuals 18 years of age and older? It's now over to the US Food and Drug Administration for the final greenlight. If the FDA clears the J&J shot for US use, only a few million doses are expected to be ready for shipping in the first week. J&J told US Congress that it expects to deliver 20 million doses by the end of March and 100 million by June. The company aims to produce around a billion doses by the end of the year.

America, which began its historic vaccination drive on December 14 last year, has delivered a total of more than 70 million shots in arms across first and second doses combined. More than 47 million people in the US have received at least one shot. The two vaccines currently in use - Pfizer and Moderna - are both two shot vaccines spaced about 3-4 weeks apart.

US FDA scientists have already confirmed that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe and is about 66 per cent effective at preventing moderate to severe Covid-19, and about 85 percent effective against serious illness. Similar to the other Covid-19 vaccines in the US, the main side effects of the J&J shot are pain at the injection site and flu-like fever, fatigue and headache.

J&J tested its single-dose option in about 44,000 adults in the US, Latin America and South Africa with a 2-month median follow-up. "The analysis supported a favourable safety profile with no specific safety concerns identified that would preclude issuance of an EUA," the US FDA said of the J&J vaccine.

The FDA summary noted that there were no Covid-19-related deaths and no Covid-19 cases requiring medical intervention 28 days or more post-vaccination among participants age 60 years or older with medical comorbidities in the vaccine group.

(Nikhila Natarajan can be reached at nikhilanatarajan@gmail.com)
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

As regulators around the world order urgent inspections of certain Boeing 777 engines after one failed dramatically over suburban Denver, they must also wrestle with a decades-old quandary:

The complex technology necessary to find cracks buried within metal parts can produce notoriously inconsistent results.

Not only are the tests prone to vague readings, but the results are only as good as the training and attention span of the human examiner. Indeed, after a 2018 failure of an engine fan blade identical to the one involved in the Feb. 29 Denver episode, investigators found inspections had twice missed a crack that began years earlier.

"It probably was there and they just didn't find it," James Wildey, a retired National Transportation Safety Board metallurgical expert, said of the internal imperfections that led to the most recent failure. "The indications are the crack should have or could have been detected."

The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday night issued an emergency order calling on United Airlines, the only U.S. operator flying 777s with the Pratt & Whitney engine that failed, to inspect each fan blade before it can carry passengers on the widebody workhorse. Other nations where the plane is based, Japan and South Korea, have issued similar directives.

Preliminary evidence indicates that a fatigue crack at the base of one of the blades led to the violent failure, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said. The front section of the engine, made up mostly of lighter weight materials that smooth the flow of air, broke loose, hitting parts of the plane and showering debris over a populated area near Denver International Airport as the plane began a flight to Hawaii.

The blade had flown about 3,000 times since its last inspection or from when it was installed, according to two people familiar with the preliminary results of the probe. They asked not to be named while discussing the sensitive data.

That was well below the threshold required for an inspection, which was between 6,500-7,000 cycles, including flights or any time the engine is started. That could suggest the existing inspection period was inadequate, but it will take months for investigators to determine that.

A Japan Airlines 777 with a Pratt & Whitney engine also had a fan blade failure on Dec. 4 near Okinawa, Japan. Pratt is a division of Raytheon Technologies Corp.

The FAA ordered United to use high-technology tests employing sound waves to detect even small flaws within the hollow, 40.5-inch (103-centimeter) titanium blades. An image is created that shows potential cracks and they're reviewed by an inspector.

"Any tests like this that require a human interpretation of the image are tricky," said John Hansman, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The image might be fuzzy or vague, Hansman and Wildey said. The person reviewing it could be tired or under stress. And examining such images for days on end, particularly if flaws appear only rarely, can lead to complacency or inattention, they added.

A general rule of thumb in the aviation industry is that there should be at least two tests conducted on a part before a crack can be expected to grow large enough to fail, Wildey said. That way, at least one of them would be expected to catch the problem.

In its emergency order on Tuesday, the FAA said it was an interim step and it "anticipates" taking additional action. Among them will be a review of how the tests are conducted, the agency said in a statement Wednesday.

"The FAA always looks at human factors as part of our standard Continuous Operational Safety process," it said in the statement.

The 2018 failure of a fan blade on the same type of engine on another United flight bound for Hawaii illustrates the pitfalls of these testing techniques. The NTSB found in that case that the crack leading to the failure had been detectable for years, but it was twice missed during inspections.

In March 2010, almost eight years before the failure, an inspection found indications of a crack in the spot where it originated, though it was small, the NTSB said in a report on the case. The inspector indicated it was likely paint and the blade was reinstalled.

By July 2015, the crack had grown to nearly 1/10th of an inch and was visible on Pratt & Whitney testing equipment, according to the NTSB. An inspector saw the hidden flaw, but attributed it to paint used in the inspection process.

The blade was returned to service, only to fail two and a half years later.

In a report released on June 30, the NTSB concluded the engine failure was caused by poorly developed inspection guidelines at Pratt & Whitney and a lack of training for inspectors. Engineers at the company also didn't provide feedback to inspectors to help them differentiate between genuine flaws in the metal and false alarms, the NTSB said.

The inspector who had conducted the 2015 examination told investigators he sometimes "had felt pressure to get the blades out quicker" because "managers want to get their numbers up," according to the report. But he said he'd never been forced to accept a blade with a flaw in it.

Pratt & Whitney said at the time it had taken multiple corrective actions to address the cause of the failure.

Problematic inspections have long played a role in NTSB accident investigations.

A large metal disk within an engine on a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 broke on a United flight in 1989, forcing pilots to make a crash landing in Sioux City, Iowa. Of the 296 people aboard, 112 died.

The NTSB concluded that the failure to spot a crack during an earlier inspection had led to the failure and cited "inadequate consideration given to human factors limitations."

Wildey, who became head of NTSB's Materials Laboratory, was an NTSB investigator on that case. The inspection used for the disk involved painting it with a dye to make cracks more visible.

When Wildey examined the fractured remains, the dye was clearly visible on the crack that led to the failure, he said. It should have been easily identified.

"There are all kinds of examples," he said.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Still have some questions about the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine? Soon, youll get the opportunity to have them answered by one of the boroughs top medical experts.

The Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island, in partnership with Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC), will host a virtual COVID-19 Vaccine Town Hall on Thursday, Mar. 4 at 7 p.m.

At the JCC, we have been working hard to both educate and help secure vaccine appointments for Staten Islanders. We feel it is incredibly important to make sure our community is educated about the safety of the vaccine. Thank you to RUMC and our community partners for joining us in this initiative, said Orit Lender, CEO of the JCC.

The virtual town hall, part of the JCCs wide-ranging efforts to spread awareness about vaccine safety and encourage residents to get the shot, will be free and open to the public.

Dr. Philip Otterbeck, chair of medicine and endocrinology at RUMC, will lead the discussions on vaccine safety and efficacy, answering questions from the public as theyre submitted.

I hope the Town Hall will provide the members of our community the opportunity to ask questions they have on their minds related to COVID-19 based on the latest evidence in the medical and scientific literature, Dr. Otterbeck said.

In addition to RUMC and the JCC, other partner organizations include Arden Heights Boulevard Jewish Center, Congregation Bnai Jeshurun, Congregation Temple Emanu-El, Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island (COJO-SI), The Jewish Board, Jewish Russian Learning Center of South Beach, Met Council, Project Hospitality, Staten Island COAD and UJA-Federation of New York.

Staten Islanders can register for the virtual event by visiting sijcc.org/vaccine and submit questions ahead of time by sending them to jcc@sijcc.com.
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.

Vote

View Results


Home > 2021 > Funeral Rites | Sophie Pinkham

16 December 2020

At first you might miss Stalin in the sea of white flowers and crimson satin; then you spot his waxy dead mans face, the black moustache that Mandelstam famously, fatally compared to a cockroach. The cadaver turns the heads of a torrent of mourners. Some are in tears, some look anxious or horrified, some wear an expression of awkward indifference, some might be suppressing a smile. There is never any question about what theyre looking at, even when the body is out of sight.

Faces and crowds are the substance of the Ukrainian-Belarusian director Sergei Loznitsas State Funeral, a 2019 documentary created from 1953 footage for a documentary called The Great Farewell. Squelched by the first spasms of de-Stalinization, the original film was a collaborative effort by six eminent directors, including Grigorii Aleksandrov, an early collaborator of Eisensteins who became famous for 1930s musical comedies, and Elizaveta Svilova, who helped create the Soviet montage documentary with her husband, Dziga Vertov. Loznitsa has already made several laconic, lyrical documentaries from archival Soviet footage: 2006s Blockade (the siege of Leningrad); 2015s The Event (the August 1991 putsch attempt); 2018s The Trial (a 1930 show trial). His oeuvre, which also includes four dramas and several non-archival documentaries, centres on the Soviet experience, the Second World War, and post-Soviet identities. The archival documentaries are his strongest work, remarkably delicate and subtle despite their proximity to historical episodes of extreme violence and suffering. For State Funeral, he was working with high-quality material whose poeticism, angularity, and fine attention to mundane detail were the work of gifted eyes, product of decades of Soviet artistic experiment.

The victorious Soviets had seized large quantities of Agfacolor film stock from Germany in 1945. About half of the footage in State Funeral is in this strange, erratic colour, rose-red banners cutting across monotone building facades, oil rigs, and snowy expanses. Sometimes the same footage flickers between colour and black-and-white, as if the past is coming in and out of focus. Crowds in Moscow, Donbass, Latvia, Tajikistan, and Chukotka gather around their local Stalin statues, listening as an echoing voice on a loudspeaker details Stalins final illness. People stand on street corners, plucking newspapers from stands or looking over shoulders at Stalins printed portrait; we watch as a woman replaces a poster promising a lecture on THE REACTIONARY NATURE OF SEMANTIC PHILOSOPHY with Stalins image.

Lines wrap around Moscows Hall of Columns, where Stalins body lies in state; immense crowds justify the breadth of Moscows central streets. Men in leather trench coats arrive bearing immense wreaths, the leaves an Agfacolor kelly green; it seems that all the flowers in the Soviet Union have been cut for this occasion. Ordinary and not-so-ordinary people trudge up broad stairs, waiting to say goodbye or simply to see the corpse with their own eyes. Women in furs, women in aprons, women in cheap padded jackets. Delegations from the Soviet Socialist Republics and from other socialist countries and parties move in clusters, stand in rows. (Loznitsa omits The Great Farewells footage from other countries, including China and North Korea.) Dolores Ibarruri, one of the only female dignitaries present, looks grim, almost aghast. The camera lingers on the hapless Vasily Stalin as he takes long, shuddering breaths; Marshal Rokossovskys cheeks shine with discreet tears. Artists sketch the corpse from life. At the end Stalin is carried away in a coffin with a ballooning front window, as if in a submersible.

In The Great Farewell, a traditional voiceover orients the audience, while a classical soundtrack instructs the viewer on how to feel. State Funeral, by contrast, provides no helpful captions, voiceovers, or talking heads. Places and people are not identified. Instead, we watch a kind of historical ballet. The first impression is of unexpected discovery, or of being thrown into another time. But where does found footage end and where does Loznitsas intervention begin? The crowd scenes at Stalin monuments suggest that the whole Soviet Union was wired with speakers, that faceless voices of authority could ring through the street at any moment, even in the tundra. But in 1953 film sound still had to be added in a studio. These tinny, echoing, omnipresent voices are Loznitsas additions. The same is true of the shuffling of feet, the rustling of winter coats, the intermittent sobs. Chopins funeral march in B-flat minor, which John Williams has burdened forever with the memory of Darth Vader, adds a whiff of irony. A huge Stalin portrait swings in the air, suspended by a crane, before the creak and clank give way to silence and darkness. The Sith Lord is dead at last.

There is an eerie sense of voicelessness to State Funeral; no vox populi interviews here. (Will you miss Stalin?) A viewer familiar with the literature of the Soviet era will be reminded, however, of the numerous descriptions of Stalins death and its aftermath from Soviet and post-Soviet novels and memoirs (notably those of Evgenii Evtushenko, who later wrote a 1990 film called Stalins Funeral). Viewers not born in the USSR may recall Aleksei Germans gruesome, hallucinatory Khrustalyov, My Car! (1998) or Armando Iannuccis slapstick satire The Death of Stalin (2017). These external intertexts substitute for the testimony of these oddly quiet crowds. Footage of crowds moving helplessly sideways evokes the now-familiar story, suppressed in Soviet times, of the funeral stampede that killed dozens or even hundreds of people.

State Funerals refusal of commentary reduces the quarrelsome Politburo members to a kind of anonymity, too. The dumpling-faced Khrushchev introduces Malenkov, Beria and Molotov before they deliver their ineloquent speeches on Red Square  but this scene comes only at the very end of the film. Until then, the viewer must rely on her own powers of recognition. If this were a film made primarily for post-Soviet audiences, we could assume that Loznitsa is trusting, as post-Soviet intellectuals still do, in the universal recognition of certain faces, verses, songs. But Loznitsa is now based in Germany, makes his films with Dutch partners and shows them at film festivals around the world. Is he suggesting that characters like Beria and Molotov are of little ultimate significance, that Soviet history can be reduced, in the end, to the one dead face that everyone on earth can still recognize? If so, why did he resist the urge to put Stalins name in the title? Silence, absence, redaction: more than Beria or Molotov, these are the stars of this film.

Read on: Sophie Pinkhams deft analysis of Ilya Khrzhanovskys DAU, the controversy-courting product of Russian oligarch largesse.

(The above article has been reproduced from NLRs Sidecar)
Over 1,000 supporters of Ukrainian activist Serhiy Sternenko marched through central Kyiv and rallied at the Prosecutor-Generals Office calling for his and the interior ministers resignation on February 27. Earlier this week, Sternenko, a former leader of the ultranationalist Right Sector in Odesa, was convicted of kidnapping and beating a newly elected local council member in 2015. He has been handed down a seven-year prison sentence and is a suspect in a murder investigation. His supporters claim he has been convicted for speaking out against corruption and that he is a political prisoner. Opposition politicians, including former President Petro Poroshenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, as well as several regional councils, have called for a review of the sentence.
Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community.

Submit here
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
Boris Johnsons opinion poll ratings have surged in the wake of his lockdown roadmap, with more than two-thirds of people supporting the Prime Ministers plan for lifting restrictions.

An exclusive Mail on Sunday poll has found that a total of 68 per cent back the one-way road to freedom that Mr Johnson announced last week, with just 20 per cent opposed to it.

Despite criticism from some business leaders and Tory backbenchers that the path to the lifting of all Covid rules by June 21 is too slow, the plan seems to have given a substantial boost to Mr Johnsons personal standing.

His net approval rating of plus 10 is up from plus 1 in January  after months in which it languished in negative territory.

The PM's ratings have increased since he announced plans to lift lockdown in England

By contrast, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmers ratings have plunged from a positive rating to zero.

While the ratings for Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have stayed largely consistent  Mr Sunak is on plus 28 and Mr Hancock is on minus 3  the poll suggests that vaccine tsar Nadhim Zahawi is becoming a rising political star, with 59 per cent believing he is doing a good job and only 22 per cent thinking the opposite. His net score of plus 37 beats the rest of his ministerial colleagues by a considerable distance.

The personal ratings for Mr Johnson and Sir Keir are echoed by the state of the parties. The poll gives the Tories a four-point lead, with the Conservatives on 42 and Labour on 38.

When voters are asked whether the Governments general approach to the virus is right or wrong, people approve by 52 per cent to 37 per cent  the first time since last May that a majority has thought it is doing the right thing.

However, people are split over whether they believe all measures will be lifted by June 21, with 47 per cent thinking they will but 44 per cent feeling more sceptical.

People are much less equivocal about whether the lifting of all measures would be a good thing  with 63 per cent thinking it would.

The ratings for Chancellor Rishi Sunak have stayed largely consistent, and he is on plus 28

The boost to the Prime Ministers personal standing comes ahead of Chancellor Rishi Sunaks Budget on Wednesday. When voters are asked who they think is best for the economy out of Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak or Sir Keir and Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds, the Johnson/Sunak team beat Starmer/Dodds by 48 per cent to 34 per cent.

One of the few blips on Mr Johnsons political radar recently has come from criticism of Dilyn, the Jack Russell he shares with fiancee Carrie Symonds.

Reports claimed that the terrier was hard to control, with allegations that he cocked his leg on an officials handbag and chewed antique furniture and old books at Chequers, the Prime Ministers country retreat in Buckinghamshire.

More than half of voters want Dilyn to stay in No 10. Pictured with Carrie Symonds.

Voters are sympathetic when asked whether Dilyn should be allowed to stay at No 10 Downing Street or be rehoused, with 52 per cent saying stay and just 15 per cent wanting him to be rehoused.

However, when people were asked which pet would best suit the Prime Minister, the most popular response was Boris Johnson should not look after animals.

In second place, 20 per cent said he should have a dog, 11 per cent said a goldfish and eight per cent a cat.

lDeltapoll interviewed 1,527 British adults online between February 24 and 26. Data has been weighted to be representative of the adult population as a whole.
'Last week Ryan Tubridy told the story of two gardai calling to an elderly woman who couldn't turn on her water main ... it's the accumulation of so many small acts of kindness and goodness that in the end will win the day.' (Stock photo)

May I make a suggestion? We stop criticising all those who are right now trying to get us through this pandemic.

I'm greatly impressed with what is being done to protect us from Covid-19.

Of course mistakes are made, some people will drop the ball but there is a genuine combined effort to rid us of the scourge of this virus that is raging now for almost a year.

Government and Nphet with all their skills and expertise instil a sense of hope and security.

The HSE's CEO Paul Reid appears to be a genuine leader, a manager who brings his team with him. Our frontline workers are saving lives and they deserve our heartfelt support and respect. Day-in-day-out nurses, doctors, cleaners, cooks, maintenance staff and all their teams are battling in extraordinary circumstances to save lives.

Can you imagine what it must be like to do extremely heavy work, wearing all that PPE gear for extended periods of time. And then they go home, exhausted, to their families, where they have to turn around and do more work.

Last week Ryan Tubridy told the story of two gardai calling to an elderly woman who couldn't turn on her water main.

Without any fuss they did the job. I keep saying it, it's the accumulation of so many small acts of kindness and goodness that in the end will win the day.

If ever the expression you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't had resonance it surely has to be now.

It's time we stopped the criticism. Remember, there is a great resilience about us. Look at our history and see how we have overcome great suffering and difficulty and come out the other side stronger and better.

Instead of criticising wouldn't it make far more sense if we put our energy into keeping an eye out for the weak and vulnerable. Only last week I was stretched out on the ground reading my water meter.

A neighbour saw me and thought that I had collapsed.

She immediately came out of her house to see was I ok.

Isn't that exactly the attitude we need right now. And it was a great lesson for me.

The majority of people, are putting their shoulder to the wheel and playing an integral role in banishing this plague.

Our bins are being collected, our grocery shops are open, our mail is being delivered, public transport is running and that's all because of the dedication of those who do the work. And do it with a smile.

It is inspirational to see how an emergency brings out the best in most people.

Why is it so easy to miss the extraordinary people?

And what makes it so strange is that they are right in front of our eyes.

This pandemic certainly has brought them into the limelight. We need to keep them there.

And what can one say about those who have flaunted the rules during these terrible times?

Not much. We'll be victorious without them. Roll on the vaccine.
With its jumbled, tightly packed shelves and seemingly inexhaustible range of products, Kwik Stop Express is the sort of shop that had become an essential part of daily life in British towns and cities.

Owner Shahzid Razaq spent 20 years building up the business, rising at five in the morning seven days a week and remaining on his stool behind the worn formica counter until late. Emergency toothpaste, newspapers, fresh oranges, last-minute red wine  theyre available at any hour of the day and through much of the night.

But something has changed in recent months. Trade is dwindling at Kwik Stop Express. Theres no sign of the huge Covid bonus enjoyed by the major supermarkets as people turn to home cooking instead of eating out. Lockdown has seen Mr Razaqs vital passing trade collapse.

Now Deliveroo, the Amazon-backed meals delivery service, and rival Uber Eats, are fast expanding into groceries thanks to a new generation of consumers who cant even be bothered to walk to their corner store for something they want

The past few weeks have seen the launch of the smartphone app Getir in London, which means bring in Turkish and promises goods to your door in just ten minutes

And now theres another threat to his survival. He can even see it in the street outside: mopeds zipping past his shopfront on Brixton Hill, South London.

Some are part of the booming business of takeaway deliveries from restaurants heading to flats and houses.

But a growing number now have many other items on board, too  chocolate, beer, milk, crisps, washing-up liquid, fresh fruit, groceries, soap and shampoo. The full range of sundries that used to keep the likes of Kwik Stop Express afloat.

Britain was seeing a big rise in the amount of supermarket home deliveries well before the pandemic. Now Deliveroo, the Amazon-backed meals delivery service, and rival Uber Eats, are fast expanding into groceries thanks to a new generation of consumers who cant even be bothered to walk to their corner store for something they want.

The past few weeks have seen the launch of the smartphone app Getir in London, which means bring in Turkish and promises goods to your door in just ten minutes. The business, founded in Turkey, is only six years old but is already valued at 620 million.

Theres also Weezy, which calls itself the superfast supermarket, and is advertising heavily. Ever been overtaken by your own groceries? ask the billboards. Groceries delivered within 15 minutes. Launched last summer in London, Weezy is about to begin a 14.6 million expansion nationwide.

Deliveroo has already caused concern with its so-called dark kitchens  cheap catering facilities set up for major restaurant brands in warehouses and prefabs. But now Getir and Weezy are introducing dark supermarkets  networks of grocery-packed storage units in lock-ups and warehouses to provide goods for super-fast local deliveries.

Were democratising the right to laziness, says Nazim Salur, founder of Getir. But laziness comes at a price, of course.

Deliveries might add 2 to 5 to the total cost, depending on which app is used and the size of the order. The products will also be slightly more expensive than normal. But another cost is felt elsewhere  in the lost trade suffered by local family grocers.

Then there is the small matter of tax. None of the courier services have to worry about the sort of crippling business rates that Mr Razaq and his fellow shopkeepers usually pay for their premises. And, like other web-based companies, Deliveroo and Uber declare no profits in this country so escape paying corporation tax.

There are two sorts of service on offer through smartphone apps. With the first, you pay a company to pick up your meal or groceries from a third party  which then pays commission on the sale. Uber Eats and Deliveroo work this way.

As The Mail on Sunday revealed last October, Deliveroo takes up to 35 per cent from the high street restaurants that cook the food for its meals service. It is a business model which stands accused of threatening the future of family-run cafes and restaurants.

Now, say its critics, Deliveroo has corner shops in its sights, too, and is demanding a similar cut from convenience stores just about surviving on small margins. The big chains can cope, but not sole traders such as Mr Razaq and his family.

Getir and Weezy take a second approach, and deliver from their own stock of goods stored in lock-ups and warehouses. Getir already operates five of these dark supermarkets in the capital but says it will soon have 20.

The Mail on Sunday visited one of them in a renovated railway arch in Battersea, South London.

Inside, it was just like one of the convenience stores that Getir threatens to replace. We watch as an order comes in, triggering a phone alarm for one of the pickers, who then darts round the shelves. Within a couple of minutes a delivery bag is packed and handed to a courier who departs swiftly on a moped. We count seconds here, says a supervisor.

Delivery costs 1.99 and there is a minimum spend of 10, but Mr Salur says they keep the product prices less than ten per cent higher than a supermarket. Its more convenient than a convenience store, he says. With this you dont have to carry anything, you dont have to take out your credit card. You can just continue doing what youre doing. And I dont take ten minutes of your time, I take one or two. Its incredibly efficient.

The model is not the same as Deliveroo. We own the stock. They depend on a third party but we do not. They have to go to the supermarket or shop and pick up the shopping. We can [deliver] in ten minutes. They take at least 30.

The writer Dolly Alderton recently tweeted about paying 10.98 for a Deliveroo order of crisps and chocolate worth 5.70

He adds: Laziness used to belong to the rich. They paid other people to do the things they dont like, butlers and so forth.

Lets face it, most people dont like food shopping. With us, anyone can have a digital butler. If there was an app where you could order a glass of water from the kitchen, in the same house, millions of people would use it. Fifty years ago only the rich could fly, now everyone can fly. These things become for the masses. Its progress for the ordinary guy.

Weezy, which promises delivery in 15 minutes, is equally forthright in its alleged benefits.

I think we need better ways to shop, says Cat Pina, its commercial director. Weve been shopping the same way for a long time. I think people should be doing the best things with their time, not walking round the aisles.

I dont think people should be hostage to their grocery shop.

At 2.95, Weezy has a higher delivery charge than Getir, but Ms Pina says its worth it.

If it was just about speed, it would be little different from going to your local corner shop, she adds. We receive our fresh fruit and vegetables every day from the wholesale market.

Weezy plans to open 40 dark supermarkets  or fulfilment centres as it prefers to call them  around Britain by the end of the year. Its smartphone app is certainly easy to use, with simple categories such as Dairy, Fruit and Veg and Lockdown Essentials.

But the real wealth of options is in the sections marked Alcohol and Snacks  where corner shops used to make their money.

With a few clicks Ive ordered yogurt for breakfast, upmarket crisps, cans of IPA beer and three bottles of sparkling water  things I would normally buy from Mr Razaqs Kwik Stop Express round the corner. I get a text saying my order is being prepared and another a few minutes later to let me know the courier is on their way.

My shopping arrives in 19 minutes, instead of the promised 15, but then my breakfast  the yogurt, not the beer  has arrived without me even having to get dressed. But its not cheap.

The writer Dolly Alderton recently tweeted about paying 10.98 for a Deliveroo order of crisps and chocolate worth 5.70.

But the convenience seems to be addictive  and for Britains traditional convenience stores, this is troubling. Deliveroo has already said that its on-demand grocery service is now the fastest growing part of its business. Last month the company announced huge expansion in the UK to locations such as Yeovil, East Kilbride, Kings Lynn, Scarborough, Llanelli and Exmouth. In its native Turkey, Getir now makes nearly six million grocery deliveries per month.

It concerns me, says Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association. For many restaurants, the likes of Deliveroo became a necessary evil during the pandemic. And now it looks like things will go the same way for small food shops. The margins in grocery store food are very low anyway. If you start paying commission on top of the other costs associated with running a store it could cripple them. The rise of dark supermarkets is yet another blow to the high street.

I think its generational. Everything is geared towards convenience now. Im worried that people will end up never going out for anything. Theyll get everything delivered. I worry about the social impact. Were becoming less sociable as people.

We talk less and less and now we might see each other less, too.

As for the convenience stores that do sign up with apps to offer deliveries, many feel they have no choice.

Take Nisa Local in Notting Hill, West London, which takes 100 Deliveroo orders a day but has to pay 25 per cent commission on each sale. Its not fair on the grocer, says the manager. When it comes to groceries, youre working on very small margins. Its so competitive out there now. Sainsburys, Waitrose and the bigger supermarkets are on Deliveroo.

So he must be too. At least hes not charged 35 per cent commission like the independent Usman Supermarket nearby.

Deliveroo maintains that its expansion is good news for independent shops and that it is proud to be supporting local shopkeepers through the pandemic by helping them to reach more customers.

Uber Eats says its top priority is to support retail stores, restaurants and the thousands of people who rely on them.

Getir and Weezy, meanwhile, claim their order-from-your-sofa style of shopping is no less than social progress.

There is going to be a gradual migration to digital grocery shopping in the next 20 years, just like what happened with banking, says Getirs Mr Salur.

More and more people use internet banking but banks still exist. Something similar will happen with this. The new players like us and the old players will both operate.

Mr Razaq is not so sure. He says that Kwik Stop Express is on the brink of collapse and that groceries by moped could spell the end.

These companies are taking our last breath, he says. At this rate, corner shops will be finished in a few years time. I can feel it.

We are struggling here. Rent, rates, wages, bills  we cant afford it. I know a lot of others who have shut. These new competitors pose a huge threat to our existence.

Could he register with Deliveroo and pay the commission charge? Only, he says, by driving up prices to unreasonable levels.

I dont know what Im going to do, he says. Before the pandemic, I had three people working here. We were really busy. Now its just me twiddling my thumbs most of the time. Its been devastating.

Additional reporting: Lucy Jones

Fedor Holz Challenges Wiktor Malinowski to Heads-Up Battle

February 26, 2021 Mo Nuwwarah

For a guy confident enough to recently issue an open challenge to play nearly anyone in the world at any stakes, Wiktor "limitless" Malinowski seems to be receiving a surprising number of takers.

While Malinowski remains in the midst of a lengthy heads-up challenge against Stefan "Stefan11222" Burakov on PokerStars, tournament legend Fedor Holz announced he wants in on the action.

"Yo, Wiktor, what's up?" Holz said in a video posted to Twitter. "I see you're getting crushed by Stefan in your heads-up challenge. How's that going? My condolences.

"Before he takes all your money, I want to get back to that offer you made on Joe [Ingram's] podcast. To play me drunk whenever I want, whatever stakes I want. So, yeah, let's f****** do it, I challenge you."

The Original Call Out

Back last August, the Run It Once Legends Showdown was prepping to get underway, pitting eight of the world's best heads-up no-limit players in a weeks-long competition.

Originally, Malinowski was slated to be one of the participants, but he apparently decided against it, primarily because he felt the 50/100 action was going to be too small for him.

Considering Malinowski would spend the next month-plus battling as big as $500/$1,000/$2,000 with a $200 ante on GGPoker, that looks like a defensible in hindsight.

In any case, Malinowski didn't seem too impressed with the crop of players who wound up competing in the event, eventually won by Kevin Rabichow. On Ingram's podcast, he offered to play the eventual winner in a challenge match at higher stakes, and he also singled out Holz.

Malinowski said he'd drink an entire bottle of wine.

"I can offer also playing drunk," he said. "I can drink a full bottle of wine and I can play Fedor heads up any stakes he wants.

"I'm not gonna back off. If he wants to accept, no problem."

Doubling Down

While Holz is by far and away best known for his incredible tournament exploits, which have seen him rack up $32 million in live cashes plus millions more online, he's not a complete stranger to the high-stakes cash streets. Holz has been spotted at times playing a slew of high-stakes cash games on PokerStars over the years, with plenty of hands documented in the high-stakes threads on TwoPlusTwo.

So, while he may not have had as much experience as the other players in the Legends Showdown, it wasn't a complete shock when he experienced some success. In fact, a crushing performance over respected grinder Pauli Ayras saw Holz grab the top seed for the knockout round. Though he'd ultimately be eliminated there by Ayras, it still counted as an impressive showing.

Following that, the GGPoker team pro topped an elite field in the GGPoker $25K Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em bracelet event, with the likes of Justin Bonomo and George Wolff among those he defeated en route to the bracelet.

It was shortly following that victory that Malinowski doubled down on his offer. He even offered to lay a price, and a not insignificant one at that.

Hello champ! WP! so are we gonna play some hu? Ill offer you 3bb/100 extra or 1k usd per hour and ill be drunk. https://t.co/Wdpr829Etd  Wiktor Malinowski: 'Limitless' (@Iimitless2)

A Lot on His Plate

While Malinowski did not begin a match with the winner of the Legends Showdown as he indicated he might, he did engage with another high-stakes boss: the aforementioned Burakov.

They agreed to play 30,000 hands of $50/$100 heads-up no-limit hold'em. The other details of the match are a bit hazy due to translation uncertainty from the Russian player's blog on the Gipsyteam forum, but it seems to involve a max loss of $1 million with the loser also doubling his losses in a bitcoin payment to the winner.

So far, things have not gone so well for Malinowski, to put it mildly. Burakov posted a graph of their battle through Feb. 23, and he has put an epic beating on limitless through the first 13,471 hands. Burakov has already won just shy of $384,000, crushing his foe at a rate of 28.5 bb/100.

Graph c/o Stefan Burakov/Gipsyteam forums

That's more than double what Doug Polk managed against Daniel Negreanu.

Undeterred, Malinowski has reportedly requested a raising of the stakes and an extension to 50,000 hands.

Malinowski Responds

Perhaps Holz smelled blood in the water with Malinowski possibly teetering from Burakov's blows. Or maybe he's been hard at work in the lab the whole time, sharpening his heads-up game for this high-profile foe.

Either way, Malinowski didn't appear fazed by the callout. He responded on Friday and said he's ready to go, and not just against Holz.

"Hey, Fedor!" he said in his own video response, with what appeared to be two tables of GGPoker pulled up behind him. "I am sitting waiting for you every day. You know where to find me. Get your two best students, I can play three of you, same time, two tables each. Any amount of hands you want.

"You only talk. Be careful what you wish for, man. I am here, I am waiting. Any time, just join me. Just message me and we can play."

The Twitter crowd is already building up hype for the potential match, and PokerNews will continue to keep tabs on the situation to see if it comes to fruition. Holz's sponsor, GGPoker, would seem an ideal battleground for the two, and there would be no shortage of interest in watching two legends go at it, drinks and all.
Dutch Parliament Passes Motion Recognizing Assyrian, Greek, Armenian Genocide

Dutch parliament today passed a widely supported motion calling "on the government to recognize the Armenian Genocide." Dutch Member of Parliament Joel Voordewind (ChristenUnie) and his cosponsors submitted motion 21501-02-2277 stating,

"Noting that the Dutch government still does not recognise the Armenian genocide of 1915 [perpetrated] by the Ottoman Empire (in which also the Arameans, Assyrians, and the Pontic Greeks were victims);"

"Whereas the Tweede Kamer [Dutch parliament] has already unanimously recognized the Armenian genocide since 2004 with the Rouvoet motion, followed thereafter by explicit recognition by parliament through the Voordewind et al. motion in 2018, the House of Representatives believes that there is more urgency than ever for countries to clearly speak out about the past in order to advance reconciliation and prevent repetition in the future;" "and calls on the government to recognize the Armenian Genocide."

The Sayfo Genocide of 1915 was committed by the Ottoman Turks and Kurds against the Syriac people and occurred parallel to the genocides of Armenians and Pontic Greeks.

An estimated 1.5 million Armenians, more than 300,000 Pontic Greeks, and upwards of 300,000 of the regions estimated 700,000 Syriacs (Assyrians-Chaldeans-Arameans) were massacred during the Ottoman genocides against Christian peoples. More than 200,000 were forcefully displaced or deported south.
For more than three decades, a 25-foot long canvas tapestry replica of Guernica hung outside the United Nations Security Council chamber, the backdrop for speeches by diplomats who were working to avert the atrocities depicted in Picassos iconic antiwar painting.

But now the tapestry is gone, repossessed by its owner, Nelson A. Rockefeller Jr., whose family had commissioned the tapestry in the 1950s and lent it to the United Nations in 1985.

Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for Secretary General Antonio Guterres, told reporters on Friday that Mr. Rockefeller had recently requested the tapestry back, and that it had been returned to him earlier this month.
Blind Massage Therapist Embraces Life With Faith and Companions

Whenever Ezzie Davis has a challenging day, she relies on her faith, her husband, and her dog, Calypso, to lift her spirits.

Calypso, a black Labrador, accompanies Davis, 31, as she takes three different buses from her home in Long Beach, California, to Costa Mesa, where she works as a professional massage therapist at Elements Massage.

Sometimes its hard, but you know what? Thats why we continue to work on things, Davis, who has been blind since birth, told The Epoch Times. Gods not done with us until weve learned our lessons here on earth.  With God, all things are possible, because God is in control.

Davis doesnt let her lack of sight stand in the way of new experiences. During a three-year period ending in 2019, she discovered her faith, entered a new career, and got married.

We cant just be the victim all the time, she said. Sometimes, Im just really upset about random stuff. Like, Oh my gosh, I cant believe this happened to me. But then my dog is still wagging her tail, wanting to play.

A New Career

Davis first met Calypso five years ago, when she went to Guide Dogs for the Blind, a guide dog training school in Boring, Oregon.

It was there that several aspects of her life suddenly came into focus. She made an appointment in Boring with a massage therapist whose expertise gave her profound comfort, and was so impressed with the experience that she began inquiring about the nature of the profession.

I thought, This sounds pretty fun, Davis said.

Though intrigued by the possibility of becoming a massage therapist, she didnt pursue her new path until she had the opposite experience after she returned home to California: a dreadful encounter with a chiropractor who she said did some serious damage to her back.

She kept saying, Sit up straight, and I couldnt because she was hurting me, Davis recalled. At one point, the instructor told me to just accept that this is how it works. I said, No, I wont accept it. Like, how exactly does this make any sense?

The contrasting experiences nagged at her. Why did the first massage feel amazing, but then this chiropractor felt like I was being beat by rocks, essentially? she asked. I kept wanting to know the answer.

Her quest to understand the art of massage therapy led her to the National Holistic Institute in Santa Ana, where she began working toward her new career.

Learning massage techniques posed unique challenges for Davis, particularly lessons involving various muscles and their points of attachment. In lieu of visual aids, instructors relied on rubber bands and model skeletons to help her learn.

It was definitely a struggle.  It took lots of repetition, she said.

But shes been making adjustments her whole life, she notedleaving her better equipped for tackling difficult tasks. She said she draws from her own experiences when she interacts with clients.

Davis begins by assessing their needs, asking beforehand if theyre looking for overall relaxation, or if they have discomfort or tension that needs to be addressed.

No matter which approach we take, we have to warm up a muscle. We cant just sneak up on a muscle, she said. For instance, I cant just walk up to your house without barely knowing you, [go] to your fridge, and grab a soda. Thats messed up, right? Youve got to welcome me, and I have to warm up to you before you offer me a drink.

Davis said she looks forward to clients who book two-hour sessions because it helps her focus on their needs.

It just gives me a chance to really give a great massage, as opposed to just rushing through everything in a one-hour session, she said.

Ezzie Davis and her dog, Calypso, ride the bus in Long Beach, Calif., on Feb. 24, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Ezzie Davis sets up her massage table at Elements Massage in Costa Mesa, Calif., on Feb. 25, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Faith and Positivity

In 2015, just before massage therapy came into her life, Davis became a born-again Christian.

She was part of a choir at Fullerton College at the time, and one of the songs they sang drew its lyrics from Psalm 100: Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

The messageabout giving praise, being joyful, and thanking Godstruck a chord with Davis. It inspired her to read the other Psalms in the Bible.

After I finished all 150 of them, I just kept going, she said.

Her love of the Psalms led her to learn more about King David, a figure to whose struggles she could relate.

He went through a lot of challenges, he made mistakes, and had a lot of consequences for his mistakes. And he kept his faith, she said. So Im thinking, Well, why cant I keep my faith?

Reading the stories of biblical heroesalong with modern-day Christians facing persecution in the Middle Eastgives her hope and encouragement daily, she said.

So does her husband, Miles. Hes very positive all the time, she said.

Ezzie and Miles met when they were studying music together at Fullerton College. They married in 2018, and spend their free time visiting the beach and trying new foodespecially if its Mexican or barbecue.

Prior to COVID-19, their favorite pastime was going to the movies at least once a week, but since theaters shut down, theyve ramped up their binge-watching at home. Davis gravitates toward dog movies like Hachi (I think I cried for like 20 minutes after I watched that one, she said), as well as scary movies: I love the thrill that they bring.

She said most movies include audio description tracks. If not, Miles describes the onscreen action for her as they share popcorn.

After so many positive developments during a three-year period, Davis said 2019 was a year of equilibrium. In 2019, I was like, There hasnt been a change for me. And then 2020 came and I was like, Ill take 2019 back, she said with a laugh.

She credits Miles for keeping her grounded. I just wish I was more like [him], which, unfortunately, Im notbut its a work in progress.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Most of the massive project meant to protect the East Shore from coastal flooding can proceed despite an ongoing dispute over radiation remediation needed in a portion of the project in Great Kills Park, the Advance/SILive.com learned this week.

Officials with the state and federal government both said work outside of the concerned area  a stretch of land through Great Kills Park from Hylan Boulevard to the beach  can move forward, including the 4.5-mile buried seawall that will run from Fort Wadsworth to Oakwood Beach.

Jennifer Gunn, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), said that while the interested parties work out who will remediate contaminated land, all indications are that construction may proceed in other areas of the project.

A representative for the states Department of Environmental Conservation said USACE was correct in their assessment that other parts of the project could advance while they work out the remediation issue.

Multiple roadblocks have already hindered the projects progress. When it entered the design phase in 2016, the federal government estimated a 2018 construction start with a completion date for this year. Now, the earliest completion date for the project is in 2025.

The latest roadblock can be solved with a policy waiver that would allow USACE to perform the remediation work through Great Kills Park including a floodwall, levee and tide gate.

Multiple parties, including Sen. Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-New York), are working to secure that waiver, so that section of the work can proceed.

The Army Corps needs to quit futzing around and instead grant the policy waiver so they can take the lead removing the hazardous material and pave the way for this vital seawall to move forward, Schumer previously told the Advance.

Staten Island, its homeowners, and local businesses need protection against coastal storms and the devastating flooding experienced during Superstorm Sandy and I will continue fighting for the seawall to be built ASAP.

Parties outside the federal government had long believed USACE would do the remediation as they would be handling the later construction, but that changed in late 2020.

On Dec. 3, Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand along with former Rep. Max Rose sent a letter to former Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Rickey James asking for a policy waiver. The assistant secretary for civil works oversees USACE.

In their letter, they suggested a change in interpretation to two decades-old USACE policies shifted responsibility to the state and city  the latter of which has accepted financial responsibility for the work.

While Great Kills Park is operated by the National Parks Service (NPS), the land in question is owned by New York City.

Previously, USACE Spokesman James DAmbrosio did not answer specific questions about why the policy interpretations changed or if the corps will perform the remediation, but on Tuesday, Gunn pointed to 2019 agreements that shifted remediation responsibility away from the corps.

Both DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos and First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan have sent letters to the federal government urging them to have USACE handle the remediation.

DEC Spokeswoman Maureen Wren sent an emailed statement to the Advance/SILive.com Wednesday that said the department, New York City and the Army Corps are are working to finalize a strategy to have the USACE manage the remediation.

Borough President James Oddo, who has been one of the Islands most vocal advocates for projects to address East Shore flooding, said that after a briefing last week he felt the issue of environmental remediation was headed in the right direction.

RADIATION IN GREAT KILLS PARK FOUND IN 2005

According to (NPS), New York City chose in 1925 to fill in the former wetlands that now make up Great Kills Park in an effort to turn them into usable property. At the time, waste was commonly used to fill land for such purposes.

The majority of the waste was placed from 1944 to 1948, and the site operated as a city park until 1972 when it transferred to the federal system, according to NPS.

An NYPD anti-terror flyover in 2005 preparing for a possible dirty bomb scenario originally found the radiation around Great Kills Park, which is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Information about the radiation wasnt made public until 2006 after a congressional survey.

An Advance/SILive.com report from the time of the NYPDs helicopter flyover indicated a piece of metal equipment  possibly part of an old X-ray machine  was found underground on Aug. 2, 2005. Large portions of the park have been closed to the public since then.

In 2017, NPS approved an environmental investigation report for USACE on 43 acres of Great Kills Park, including the section affected by the seawall project. The report specifies that the point of the investigation was, in part, to inform construction planning for the project.

The investigation found contaminant levels that may pose a risk to human health and the environment, according to the report.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
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.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.


The US, the world's largest economy, owes India $216 billion in loan as the country's debt grows to a record $29 trillion, an American lawmaker has said, cautioning the leadership against galloping foreign debt, the largest of which comes from China and Japan.

In 2020, the US national debt was $23.4 trillion, that was $72,309 in debt per person.

"We are going to grow our debt to $29 trillion. That is even more debt owed per citizen. There is a lot of misinformation about where the debt is going. The top two countries we owe the debt to are China and Japan, not actually our friends," Congressman Alex Mooney said.

We are at global competition with China all the time. They are holding a lot of the debt. We owe China over $1 trillion and we owe Japan over $1 trillion, the Republican Senator from West Virginia said on the floor of the US House of Representatives as he and others opposed the latest stimulus package of $2 trillion.

In January, US President Joe Biden announced a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package to tackle the economic fallout from the pandemic, including direct financial aid to average Americans, support to businesses and to provide a boost to the national vaccination programme.

The people who are loaning us the money we have to pay back are not necessarily people who have our best interest at heart. Brazil, we owe $258 billion. India, we owe $216 billion. And the list goes on the debt that is owed to foreign countries, Congressman Mooney said.

America's national debt was $5.6 trillion in 2000. During the Obama administration, it actually doubled.

Since the eight years Obama was President, we doubled our national debt. And we are adding anotherprojected herea completely out of control debt-to-GDP ratio, he said urging his Congressional colleagues to consider this national debt issue before approving the stimulus package.

So I urge my colleagues to consider the future. Don't buy into thethe government has no money it doesn't take from you that you are going to have to pay back. We need to be judicious with these dollars, and most of this is not going to coronavirus relief anyway, he said.

Congressmen Mooney said that things have gone completely out of control. The Congressional Budget Office estimates an additional $104 trillion will be added by 2050. The Congressional Budget Office forecasted debt would rise 200 per cent.

Today, as I stand here right now, we have $27.9 trillion in national debt...That is actually a little more than $84,000 of debt to every American citizen right here today, Mooney said.

We have actually borrowed $10,000 per person in one year. I mean, that is out of control, he said.


Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Linux is the most-used operating system on Internet routers, but a recent study from Fraunhofer FKIE has shown that these devices are running extremely old and potentially insecure versions of the Linux kernel.

While the Fraunhofer report is more than six months old, information security expert Bruce Schneier shared it recently, noting that it has not been widely reported.

According to the report, Linux powers more than 90% of broadband routers. However, these devices which act as our gateways to the Internet often run on Linux kernels that are more than ten years old.

Through an analysis of 127 routers from seven major vendors, the researchers found that most routers still use a very old version of the Linux kernel  Linux 2.6.

The latest version of this Linux kernel is 2.6.39, which stopped being maintained in 2011. The last long term support version of Linux 2.6 to still receive support was version 2.6.34, which was released on 16 May 2010 and stopped being maintained in February 2014. Many routers use versions of the Linux 2.6 kernel for which support was dropped much earlier than this.

In addition to looking at the Linux kernel version, the researchers attempted to answer five security questions by automatically extracting and analysing the firmware of broadband routers with their Firmware Analysis and Comparison Tool:

When were the devices last updated? Which operating system versions are used and how many known critical vulnerabilities affect these operating system versions? Which exploit mitigation techniques do the vendors use? How often do they activate these techniques? Do the firmware images contain private cryptographic key material? Are there any hard-coded login credentials?

Fraunhofer FKIEs analysis included broadband Internet routers sold by AVM, ASUS, Netgear, D-Link, Linksys, TP-Link, and Zyxel.

Our analysis shows that there is no router without flaws and there is no vendor who does a perfect job regarding all security aspects, Fraunhofer FKIE stated.

It said that much more effort is needed to make home routers as secure as current desktop or server systems.

Fraunhofer FKIE also found that the vendors whose devices they examined prioritise security differently.

AVM does better job than the other vendors regarding most aspects. ASUS and Netgear do a better job in some aspects than D-Link, Linksys, TP-Link and Zyxel, the report concluded.

Insecurity of home broadband routers a major problem

The overall lack of good security practices in home routers is a well-documented problem and has lead to the founding of initiatives like the SOHOpelessly Broken hacking contest to try and find vulnerabilities and force vendors to fix them.

During the heyday of ADSL, vulnerabilities in ISP-supplied ADSL routers allowed attackers to easily gain administrative access to the device and unmask the password of your Internet service provider account.

However, the existence of these issues soon became a far greater problem than some data-starved hacker being able to get into your router and steal some of your monthly cap.

In the past, attackers have broken into Internet routers en masse to alter Domain Name System (DNS) settings. DNS is what translates human readable domain names such as mybroadband.co.za (or absa.co.za and fnb.co.za) into numeric Internet Protocol addresses that computers use to communicate over the Internet.

This DNS hijack is extremely dangerous, as it allows attackers to redirect your web requests to servers under their control. For example, you might try to visit gmail.com, or your banks website, and end up on a page controlled by criminals trying to steal your login credentials.

Thanks to vendor-created backdoors, poor default configurations, and other issues, attackers have been able to take over insecure devices from routers to webcams and turn them into botnets.

One infamous example is the Mirai botnet which crippled the Internet, and which experts said could have been used to knock entire countries offline.

In response to this, a hacker who goes by Dr Cyborkian a.k.a. janit0r took it upon themselves to launch a campaign of Internet chemotherapy  a series of directed but indiscriminate attacks designed to remove devices with potentially harmful security vulnerabilities from the Internet.

Between July 2017 and January 2018, Janit0r targeted routers on the Telkom network in South Africa, causing them to malfunction in the hopes that Telkom would address the security problems of the devices it supplied to customers.

Janit0r reported that Telkom, unfortunately, showed no intention of fixing or replacing the insecure routers on its network. It was only thanks to customers replacing their routers  out of frustration after having to factory reset them every day or two  that the number of insecure routers on the Telkom network decreased over the span of six months.

Responses from D-Link and Zyxel

Only D-Link and Zyxel issued statements in response to Fraunhofer FKIEs report. Both companies suggested that the researchers were looking at old products.

This report may reference old products that have already been listed as End of Support, D-Link stated.

Due to the evolution of technology, material changes in industry, or ending the partnership with certain suppliers, D-Link will, from time to time, announce the termination of support and maintenance for certain products. For products that D-Link still supports, D-Link ensures that vigorous security tests are executed on the firmware before it is released.

Zyxel issued a similar statement, arguing that of the ten Zyxel routers explicitly listed in the Fraunhofer FKIE report, four had already reached end-of-life. These same four devices also featured prominently throughout the report as examples of insecure devices.

Ignoring the big, hackable elephant in the room

There is a key issue that no consumer and small office network equipment vendor has addressed following reports such as the one from Fraunhofer FKIE.

Even though they might regard a certain router as end-of-life, these devices remain widely in use long after security patches for them stop.

Thats even if end users install the patches at all since flashing firmware can be a fairly technical task.

Neither the equipment manufacturers nor the retailers and Internet service providers who carry their products inform buyers when a device will reach end-of-support, and stop receiving security updates.

Internet service providers do not offer an upgrade path for broadband routers. It is also not typical for an Internet service provider to take responsibility for ensuring that their clients Internet gateways are updated with the latest firmware.

This reckless laissez-faire attitude from vendors and service providers towards essential and widely distributed Internet equipment, like broadband routers, has sown fields of insecure devices that are ripe for the next Mirai to harvest.

Examining the Zyxel SBG3300 Internet gateway

As a spot-check of Fraunhofer FKIEs findings, I was able to examine a Zyxel SBG3300 small office/home office VDSL/ADSL2+ combo router.

This device has been widely supplied by Internet service providers and retailers in South Africa and remains in use by DSL subscribers who have upgraded to fibre.

It is running version V1.01(AAZZ.1)C0 of Zyxels firmware for the device. There is no mechanism to automatically upgrade the firmware of the device. Non-technical users would somehow have to find the latest firmware on the Zyxel website and manually upgrade the router should they wish to ensure they have the latest security patches installed.

Firstly, when attempting to connect to the router using Secure Shell (SSH), it gives an error showing that the version of SSH on the router uses outdated encryption  already a sign that the operating system on the router is very old.

It is necessary to override more modern versions of SSH to allow insecure algorithms, as follows:

Once connected to the router, it was possible to run cat /proc/version , which shows that the Zyxel SBG3300 at my disposal ran on version 2.6.30 of the Linux kernel.

Linux 2.6.30 was originally released in June 2009 and was supported until October 2009.

The number of known vulnerabilities for Linux 2.6.30 listed in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database has increased dramatically  from 2 in 2016 to 92 in 2019.

Although most of the serious vulnerabilities for Linux versions 2.6.30 and earlier dont involve anything more serious than allowing an attacker to crash your router, there are still a handful of vulnerabilities that could allow an attacker to take over the device, including remote code execution.

Two examples of such serious vulnerabilities are CVE-2009-2767 and CVE-2009-2692.

The latter is of particular concern, as there is a Metasploit implementation of CVE-2009-2692 available, which may make it easier for attackers to exploit the vulnerability in routers and other devices still running extremely old versions of the Linux kernel.

Now read: How a hacker broke Telkom ADSL routers to make it fix security flaws
Noting the fact that pandemic's impact on the people of Gaza has been particularly severe due to fragile healthcare infrastructure, India on Saturday assured Palestine of providing the second batch of medicines and also facilitate an early supply of vaccines to Palestine as COVID-19 assistance, said Nagaraj Naidu, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of India's Mission at UNSC on Saturday.

"We are in the process of sending the second batch of medicines as a grant to the Palestinian people in the coming weeks. We will also facilitate an early supply of vaccines to Palestine," he said at the UN.

"The pandemic's impact on the people of Gaza has been particularly severe due to fragile healthcare infrastructure. We note that COVID19 vaccines are being made available to people of Palestine, including in Gaza," added Naidu.

Asserting India's vital role in equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in the world, he said, "India strongly believes that equity in access to vaccines across the world is important for mitigating the impact of the pandemic. India had earlier provided critical medicines and medical equipment to Palestine as COVID19 assistance."

India also reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian cause. "India reaffirms its support to the Palestinian cause and establishment of a sovereign, viable and independent state of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We firmly believe that only a two-state solution will deliver enduring peace that the people of Israel and Palestine desire and deserve. This should be achieved from direct negotiations from both sides on final status issues. Both sides must avoid any unilateral actions which could prejudice these final status issues," said the Deputy Permanent Representative.

He also lauded the efforts of Quartet and Munich Group for initiating the stalled peace talks,

"Recent diplomatic efforts to revive the stalled peace-talks are encouraging, the meeting of the Quart's special envoys is timely, we urge Quart's to initiate engagement with the Israeli and Palestinian leadership. In this regard, we also appreciate the Munich Group's recent outreach."

The Quartet comprises the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, and Russia. It was formed in 2002 to mediate the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Munich Group refers to a grouping of Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Jordan, France, and Germany to discuss Israel-Palestine peace efforts. It was formed in February 2020.

"India welcomes all efforts which are aimed at strengthening the collective commitment of the international community to resume direct negotiations and facilitate the peace process," said the Ambassador.

He said, "We acknowledge Egypt's efforts in facilitating this agreement. The high percentage of Palestinians who have registered to vote in the elections reflect the state's desire to take part in the democratic process."

"We are pleased to note that the preparations for the Palestinian elections are moving forward. The Cairo Agreement between the Palestinian parties on the conduct of Parliamentary and Presidential elections to abide by the electoral time-table accepts the results of the elections and other elections-related arrangements is a positive step in the right direction. The commitment undertaken by all parties to release political detainees will also help build trust between them," he added.

Further, Naidu expressed his delight over the opening of the Rafah border crossing. "The opening of Rafah border crossing is a significant development which will ease the humanitarian health situation in Gaza. The recent announcements pertaining to the gas-pipeline to Gaza is encouraging," said the Ambassador.

(ANI)

Also Read: UN Security Council calls for cease-fires to speed up COVID-19 vaccinations
The US House of Representatives passed Joe Bidens $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan legislation on Saturday, paving the way for the presidents covid-19 stimulus package to be sent to the floor of the Senate for debate. The bill was approved in the House by a margin of 219-212 with the vote split largely along party lines. However, in a development that may have some bearing on the Senate debate there was dissent among House Democrats with Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Jared Golden of Maine voting against the bill.

In order to push the legislation through the Senate - where it will face opposition from Republicans unsure about the mathematics of the relief package and the ability of the federal coffers to absorb the financial impact  the bill will need the support of every Democrat and independent in the 100-seat chamber. Vice President Kamala Harris tie-breaking vote in the Senate gives Democrats a slight edge but any refusal to fully toe the party line on the bill cold prove fatal to its chances of being passed into law.

Among senior Democrats to join Republicans in voicing their reticence is Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who has questioned the inclusion of a hike in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, to be implemented by 2025. Manchin has also previously suggested he would oppose another round of stimulus checks.

The minimum wage increase is one of several articles in the legislation that will face Senate scrutiny in the coming days as the bill is debated and, in all likelihood, altered quite significantly from the text of the American Rescue Plan that passed the House on Saturday.

What does the American Rescue Plan contain?

Biden unveiled his plan on the day he took office, 20 January. Describing the bipartisan release of $900m in federal funding approved in December as a down payment, the American Rescue Plan seeks to tackle the public health crisis caused by covid as well as addressing the knock-on social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Among the goals set out in the plan are setting up a national covid-19 vaccine program, providing $130 billion in funding to safely reopen schools, ramping up testing with a $50b expansion effort, increasing the public health workforce by 100,000 people, addressing disparities in the availability of public health services for US citizens, providing extra support for care home staff, pumping a further $30b into the Disaster Relief Fund, setting up a covid-19 Protection Standard for workers, approving emergency paid leave for 106 million workers to combat the spread of covid-19 and providing another round of stimulus checks to US households in the wake of job losses topping 10 million since the pandemic struck while also extending unemployment benefits for around 18 million people.

In total, the American Rescue Plan would allocate some $1 trillion to working families with the aim of cutting child poverty in the US by half, a goal that Colombia University researchers have said is attainable.

Bidens relief bill: what happens now?

Speaking after the House passed the bill on Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said: We will deliver the American Rescue Plan with overwhelming public support.

Lawmakers will begin the process of amending the bill next week with the minimum wage likely to be the main bone of contention. Senior Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders have vowed to ensure the new $15 rate is included in the final bill but the Democrats use of budget reconciliation to try and push the legislation through means that there will be omissions from any eventual deal with the minimum wage expected to be first to go.

When the Senate has drafted an amended bill it will either pass back to the House for another vote or the two parties will have to put their heads together to agree on a deal that meets the approval of both sides.

The key date for Democrats is 14 March, when federal unemployment benefits agreed in the last tranche of emergency legislation come to an end.

When could a new round of stimulus checks be sent out?

Biden promised to make another round of stimulus checks his priority when he assumed office but Donald Trumps impeachment process saw Congress otherwise engaged in the first weeks of his presidency. With lawmakers now focused on the relief bill, the timeline will depend on when the legislation is passed and signed into law.

The proposal passed in the House is unlikely to sail through the Senate unopposed but if there is not too much wrangling on the content of the bill and it is passed swiftly in the upper chamber, or on its return in amended form to the House, experts have suggested the first issues of a fresh round of checks could start in late March.

After the SUV moved 20 feet, the woman was run over by its back tire, but she continued to chase it as it traveled down Belmont. When it turned a corner, she spotted her 8-year-old son opening the back door. She yelled at him to jump out and he did, prosecutors said.

Tintern Woods often had more than 10,000 visitors a month

Tintern Woods trails was the fourth busiest Coillte forest for walkers nationally last year.

Figures released by Coillte, reveals there were 11,261 visits to the woods in December compared to 8,465 the previous February, marking a 33 per cent increase.

Coillte recorded a massive increase in visits to its forests throughout 2020, as people sought out safe, outdoor pursuits to break the monotony of home life. Visits to some of its most popular recreational forests have doubled to tripled since lockdown began last year, depending on location.

Some forests like the Dublin Mountains, Rossmore in Monaghan and Donadea in Kildare experienced doubling or tripling of visitor numbers.

The Dublin Mountains (of which Ticknock Forest accounts for the majority) is the most visited, followed by Rossmore Forest Park and Donadea Forest Park.

'We're delighted so many people are using their local forests more during this difficult and prolonged Covid lockdown,' Imelda Hurley, Coillte's CEO said. 'Healthy forests are not only beautiful to look at but provide a much needed physical and mental wellness boost. It's widely agreed fresh air and green outside spaces enhance people's mood, happiness and overall health. This is particularly important right now,

'We're glad people's local forests are a healthy and positive outlet for them. We simply ask that Covid-19 restrictions be adhered to when visiting.'

There were 42,500 visits to the woods between June and early August.
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region
Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.



By Kang Seung-woo



Amid growing voices from the United States on the importance of its trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Japan over North Korea and China issues, Seoul has offered conciliatory gestures to Tokyo to normalize their broken relationship, only to get a lukewarm response.



As a last resort, the South Korean government is now soliciting the U.S. to play a role in mediating their diplomatic dispute, as highlighted by Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, who said on Feb. 18 that South Korea and Japan might seek help from the U.S. if needed to address their protracted historical disputes. His remarks are raising questions over how much the Biden administration will get involved, and furthermore, what Japan's response will be.



However, despite its emphasis on the three-way alliance, Washington is less likely to proactively help get the historical issue-strained bilateral relations between its key Asian allies back on track  even if its pressure would lead Japan to accept South Korea's fence-mending bid.



Relations between the neighboring countries have slumped to their worst level in years, sparked by Japan's imposition of export controls on three key materials critical for Korea's semiconductor and display industries, in apparent retaliation to a 2018 ruling by the Korean Supreme Court, ordering Japanese companies to compensate surviving South Korean victims of wartime forced labor. In addition, the Seoul Central District Court ordered Japan to make reparations of 100 million won ($90,000) each to 12 wartime sex slavery victims in a ruling made in January, further turning the fractious relations hostile.



"I think that if the U.S. presses Japan to improve its soured relations with Korea, Tokyo will have to do so," said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, an associate professor of International Relations at King's College London.





Former President Park Geun-hye, right, and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands during a trilateral summit brokered by former U.S. President Barack Obama at the U.S. embassy in The Hague in this March 2014 photo. Korea Times file



"After all, Japanese foreign policy has traditionally followed the lead of the U.S. So with a Biden administration bent on mending ties with allies, Japan would have an incentive to improve relations with Korea if Washington insists, because this move would help Tokyo in its relations with the Biden administration too."



However, Pardo does not have high expectations about the U.S. playing an active role in improving the icy relations.



"I don't think that the U.S. will intervene openly to solve the historical dispute between Seoul and Tokyo," he said, adding that the Biden administration is expected to continue encouraging trilateral meetings with its two allies.



According to Robert Manning, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, the U.S. is concerned about the continuing downward spiral of South Korea-Japan tensions and antipathy between the two nations affecting the security of all three countries at this historic moment of growing security threats and strategic uncertainty, when trilateral intelligence and security cooperation must be enhanced.



"The problem is that all politics are local, and both the Moon and Suga administrations respond to popular sentiment. I suspect the U.S. will strongly stress the importance of focusing on the future rather than being tortured by the ghosts of history," Manning said.



"I think the U.S. will likely try to mediate. There are some ideas of compromise floating around, and the U.S. will likely encourage a resolution that stresses the vital importance of that to both alliances."



Harry Kazianis, a senior director of Korean Studies at the Center for the National Interest, doubted the U.S. will want to get involved in their historical issues  although the Biden team is already trying to mend fences between its allies because of the importance of a strong trilateral approach to issues, such as North Korea.



"Knowing that Seoul and Tokyo surely have different views on what to do on North Korea, and Washington does not even have a DPRK policy right now, I don't think we can expect too much of a trilateral love fest at the moment. The deck is just too stacked against it," he said.





Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong puts on glasses during a meeting at the National Assembly, Seoul, Feb. 18. Chung, who took office on Feb. 9, has yet to hold a phone conversation with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, amid the ongoing diplomatic dispute between South Korea and Japan. Korea Times file
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrive at a FEMA COVID-19 mass vaccination site at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Feb. 26, 2021. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

Biden Visits Texas, Promises to Help With Recovery From Storms

President Joe Biden on Friday flew to Texas for the first time since the state was struck by severe storms, promising that the federal government would help people recover.

We will be true partners to help you recover and rebuild from the storms and this pandemic and the economic crisis, Biden told a crowd at a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-run COVID-19 vaccination facility at NRG Stadium in Houston.

FEMA is providing millions of gallons of water and millions of meals, as well as direct assistance, to uninsured homeowners to repair the damage burst pipes caused to homes across Texas, Biden said, noting he declared a major disaster, which assists local officials in creating shelter spaces for people dislodged from their homes due to the storms.

The Defense Logistics Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers from the Defense Department are helping people who lost power by sending generators and diesel fuel to crucial sites such as hospitals, while the Environmental Protection Agency has deployed mobile water laboratories to test water in the major cities of Houston, San Antonio, and Fort Worth after the water supply was affected by the storms.

According to Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, deputy national security adviser, FEMA and other government agencies have sent over 2 million meals, nearly 2 million gallons of water, more than 100,000 gallons of fuel, and lots and lots of blankets to Texas.

President Joe Biden talks to a volunteer during a visit at the Houston Food Bank in Texas on Feb. 26, 2021. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Were very focused on meeting immediate needs, as well as providing direct, individual financial assistance to uninsured families to help them recover from the disastrous effects of extreme weather, she told reporters on board Air Force One while Biden and his team flew to the state.

When it comes to natural disasters like those weve experienced here, the president has made it clear that there is no such thing as a red state or a blue county; there are just Americans in urgent need. And thats why he has made it a priority to travel to Texas today to understand how the recovery is going and to express his gratitude to the dedicated first responders who hell meet with.

Biden sounded a similar theme in Houston, noting how hed been joined by Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republicans as well as Democrats like Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas).

NRG Stadium is being used as a mass COVID-19 vaccination site. Up to 6,000 people are getting shots there every day.

Biden also visited the Houston Food Bank and toured the Harris County Emergency Operations Center.

Storms began hitting Texas about two weeks ago. White House officials said Biden didnt travel to the state until Friday because of the footprint a presidential visit carries. They didnt want the visit to interfere with the emergency response.

Millions lost power during the storms, which crippled the electric grid as demand skyrocketed because of the cold weather. Virtually all power has been restored, although problems with water purity are ongoing.
Pritzker said: Well, there are no specific, no special promises being made. Ive called members of the state central committee to let them know why Im supporting Michelle Harris and how shes been an activist, somebody who has really built a ground operation to get democrats out to vote. She has one of the most productive wards in the city of Chicago in terms of getting votes out, someone whos a listener and a leader. So Ive made that case to ... people on the state central committee, he said of the Democratic State Central Committee.
A photograph of a defaced road sign in the outback has sparked a fierce debate on social media about whether Indigenous place names should used.

The image showed the names Alice Springs and Hermannsburg on Larapinta Drive, in the Northern Territory crossed out with white paint.

'Mparntwe' and 'Ntaria' - as those towns are known to the respective local Indigenous communities, Arrernte and Western Aranda - were painted onto the sign.

This vandalised Northern Territory road sign generated heated debate on Facebook over whether the change was justified, an inevitable change - or just vandalism

Spot the difference: the officially renamed road sign pointing to Uluru

The road sign was also graffitied with the letters ACAB - a political acronym that means: 'All cops are b*****ds'.

Poll Should road signs use English or Indigenous place names? Indigenous English Both Should road signs use English or Indigenous place names? Indigenous 74 votes

English 703 votes

Both 483 votes Now share your opinion





The Common Ground Australia Facebook page captioned the photo: 'Across Australia there is a growing movement of reclaiming traditional place names in First Nations languages.'

'Using traditional place names in conversation, on signs and any other references is an amazing step towards recognising the sovereignty First Nations people still hold across Australia.

'When we recognise and embed language, we centre First Nations people, culture and Country.'

But not everybody agreed and the post generated fierce debate, with several unhappy at what they saw as vandalism.

One man wrote: 'I applaud the spirit of the action however I feel the crossing out of European names spoils the message.'

'At this time of what hopefully is a transition and a bringing about of new values perhaps the names should have stood together so as to educate rather than challenge.'

English and Indigenous names of major cities Sydney/Eora Melbourne/Wurundjeri Brisbane/Mianjin Canberra/Ngambri Perth/Mooroo/Goomap Gold Coast/Kurrungul Darwin/Larrakia Advertisement

More than one commenter was curious about how to say the Indigenous names.

'As an older person, I would love to see how to pronounce these names,' a woman wrote.

'I do agree that this is an important move.'

Many people suggested a compromise - using both the Indigenous and English or Colonial place names.

They pointed out that bilingual road and street signs are common in many countries - including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand.

New Zealand's tallest mountain, Mt Cook, was renamed Aoraki/Mount Cook in 1998.

Some place names in Australia have been renamed over time too, most notably Ayers Rock which in was re-labelled Uluru/Ayers Rock in 1993.

In Adelaide, 39 sites including many of the city's parks were dual-named by 2003 in acknowledgement of the local Kaurna people.

Bilingual signage is common too in some of Australia's biggest cities were large immigrant populations live who may not speak English at home, or to acknowledge non-English speaking tourists - such Chinatown in Sydney.
An economic and social time bomb. In the same period, there will be more than 300 million pensioners while the working population paying their pensions shrinks. The government will raise the retirement age. Local leaders are calling for the abolition of limits on the number of children per couple.

Beijing (AsiaNews) - Within five years, China will lose 35 million adults of working age, which is slightly higher than the entire population of a country like Saudi Arabia: The decline that has not stopped since 2012.

The data was revealed yesterday at a press conference by Deputy Minister for Human Resources and Social Security You Jun.

In total, at the end of 2025 the Chinese over 60 years old, and therefore of retirement age, will exceed 300 million: more than 20% of the inhabitants. According to United Nations calculations, Beijing has little chance of reversing this course: over the next 30 years, the Chinese population of working age will shrink by 200 million; the country will find itself with 300 million more pensioners and fewer workers who will be able to pay their pensions: an economic and social time bomb.

The economic reforms of the last 40 years have raised the life expectancy of the Chinese to 77.3 years in 2019 (80 years in urban centers). Compared to the major world economies, where people retire around the age of 65, the threshold in China is much lower: between 50 and 60, limits that date back to the 1950s.

In an attempt to avoid the implosion of the pension system, You Jun announced that the government will raise the retirement age. The measure will be contained in the next five-year plan (2021-2025), which will be formally approved by the National People's Congress during its annual session in March. With a slowing economy, the decision does not, however, favor the entry of young people into the world of work, especially the many recent graduates.

Part of the Chinese leadership calls for solving the pension problem by abolishing the limits on the number of children per couple. The request comes mainly from the leaders of the provinces with the lowest fertility rate: Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang.

After 35 years of the "one child" policy, since 2015 every couple is allowed to have two children. In 2016, births at first increased, but then declined relentlessly.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, in 2020 there were 10.03 million newborns: the previous year there were 11.79 million. The figure is partial and concerns families registered in the "hukou" system, which binds access to social benefits to the place of official residence. The National Statistical Bureau will publish the official fertility rate in April, at the end of the national census.

According to several observers, it will be difficult to change the demographic course in China. This will put Xi Jinping's business plans at risk. The Chinese president aims to double the country's GDP and per capita income by 2035, and to overtake the US as the world's leading economy in 10 years.
Washington: US President Joe Biden has decided that the price of directly penalising Saudi Arabias crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is too high, according to senior administration officials, despite a detailed US intelligence report finding that he directly approved the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the dissident and Washington Post columnist who was drugged and dismembered in October 2018.

The decision by Biden, who during the 2020 campaign called Saudi Arabia a pariah state with no redeeming social value, came after weeks of debate in which his newly formed national security team advised him that there was no way to formally bar the heir to the Saudi crown from entering the United States, or to weigh criminal charges against him, without breaching the USs relationship with one of its key Arab allies.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, left, with journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a scene from the documentary The Dissident. Credit:Briarcliff Entertainment

It is outrageous what happened, Biden said of the report he released.

But officials said a consensus developed inside the White House that the price of that breach, in Saudi cooperation on counterterrorism and in confronting Iran, was simply too high.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 10:25:21|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday warned Iran to "be careful" when asked what message he was sending to Iran with the airstrikes in Syria.

"You can't act with impunity. Be careful," Biden told reporters while traveling in the southern state of Texas.

His comments came a day after the U.S. military conducted airstrikes against facilities used by Iranian-backed militant groups in eastern Syria.

The Pentagon said the airstrikes were authorized in response to recent attacks against American and coalition personnel in Iraq. Enditem
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.

They've been dating for seven months.

And Lottie Tomlinson looked as loved-up as ever as she put on a cosy display with beau Lewis Burton in new snaps shared to Instagram on Friday.

The makeup artist, 22, looked sensational as she flaunted her toned figure in a backless mini dress while posing up a storm on a luxury yacht in Dubai.

Sizzling: Lottie Tomlinson looked sensational as she put on a cosy display with beau Lewis Burton in snaps shared to Instagram on Friday

Lottie exuded confidence as she worked all her angles for the camera and wrapped a tanned arm around her boyfriend.

The blonde beauty wore her long platinum locks down and styled into curls, letting her tresses cascade down her back as she smouldered infront of the camera.

She added a splash of colour to her ensemble by donning a slick of sultry bright red lipstick as well as a full face of makeup.

Lewis also ensured to be well presented for their evening yacht ride, wearing a smart long-sleeved top and black shorts.

Couple: The makeup artist, 22, added a splash of red lipstick and wore her platinum blonde locks down for the snaps

Lewis is the former boyfriend of Love Island presenter Caroline Flack, who tragically took her own life aged 40 almost a year ago in February 2020.

MailOnline revealed his new relationship with Lottie back in July, five months after Love Island host Caroline's passing.

Lottie and Lewis are thought to currently be in Dubai despite the UK being in national lockdown and under strict instruction to stay home amid the coronavirus pandemic.

It is unknown when they flew to the UAE and neither have previously mentioned being abroad on Instagram, with Lottie continuing to post throwback images and snaps tagged as being in London.

Loved-up: Lottie also took to Instagram to share a trio of selfies with her beau of seven months

During their trip to the UAE the couple were pictured during a heated exchange while in the smoking section of high-end restaurant Nammos on January 31.

A source told MailOnline: 'It's no surprise that neither Lottie or Lewis have posted anything on their social media accounts about being in Dubai.

'But why they would go to such a well-known, crowded restaurant for Sunday lunch and then have a stand-up row in front of other customers  we were in disbelief.'

Lottie and Lewis were pictured having a similar heated exchange last August in Ibiza, where they appeared to argue on the beach.

Despite the heated exchange, Lottie seems to have been enjoying the sun in Dubai after being pictured earlier in January on board a luxury yacht with two pals.

Fun in the sun: Lottie posed with the same friends and a glass of wine, with the trio tagged in at upmarket hotel One&Only, The Palm Dubai

The boat can sleep up to 12 people in six cabins and has a crew of 15. A week's charter costs around 265,000 in high season.

In one post, Lottie poses with two friends and a glass of wine, with the trio tagged in at upmarket hotel One&Only, The Palm Dubai.

Reality stars from shows such as Love Island and TOWIE have come under fire for continuing with holidays abroad.

Last month, ministers stepped up their action against illegal foreign trips with a new ad campaign telling Brits not to travel, as influencers still enjoy life in Dubai.
China is able to secure the payment of old-age pensions on time and in full despite reductions in social-insurance premiums last year, the country's human resources minister said Friday.

The balance of China's old-age pension fund currently stands at 4.7 trillion yuan (about 726 billion U.S. dollars), Zhang Jinan, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, told a press conference.

To alleviate the corporate burden and protect the job market against the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Chinese government slashed 1.54 trillion yuan of social-insurance contributions from employers in 2020, of which 1.33 trillion yuan was old-age pension premiums, according to Zhang.

Despite the revenue loss, the government managed to pay the old-age pensions on time and in full last year, even increasing pension payments to benefit some 120 million retirees.

Zhang was confident in future old-age pension payments, as he expects an annual operating surplus from the old-age pension fund this year.

Increasing central fiscal support, available investment channels and expanding social-security strategic reserves would also back the timely and full payments of old-age pensions, he said.
Oklahoma state senator wants ban on critical race theory in public schools

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Branding the idea as divisive, Republican Oklahoma state Sen. Shane Jett is pushing to ban critical race theory from being taught in public schools.

"Instead of teaching equality and harmony and celebrating our progress in American history, this experiment in freedom, they are instead telling children to forget that. The very foundation of the American government is flawed, is racist. And if you're white, you are by definition a racist and you don't even know it. And if you're a person of color, then you are oppressed and you've been victimized. And it's by the other side of the classroom who are white, they have done it and their ancestors," Jett said of proponents of critical race theory in a recent interview with Blaze media.

Critical race theory is a framework through which some scholars seek to understand how victims of systemic racism are affected by cultural perceptions of race and how they are able to represent themselves to counter prejudice. Scholarship on the theory traces racism in America through the legacy of slavery, the civil rights movement and recent events.

Jett is hoping to ban CRT in Oklahoma public schools with his Senate Bill 803, which has yet to get a hearing in the Senate Education Committee, because he believes critical race theory is literally teaching animosity."

"The bill basically says you can no longer do this. You cannot abuse public school kids at taxpayers' expense and try to get them to distrust each other, distrust American history, and then completely rewrite our history," he said.

Critical race theory has been a major issue of contention in the evangelical and political arena in recent years.

Last September, former President Donald Trump banned the idea from being taught at federal agencies after calling it offensive and anti-American, but President Joe Biden reversed the move last month.

The theory has also split churches along racial lines in the Southern Baptist Convention  the nations largest Protestant denomination  prompting an exodus of some high-profile black congregations from the SBC in recent months.

While admitting that the theory is not in-line with SBC doctrine, SBC President J.D. Greear recently noted that the debate around CRT is an important discussion that has revealed the need for a deeper reckoning on race in the church.

Let me state this very clearly, as clearly as I can, critical race theory is an important discussion and I am all for, as I hope you would be, robust theological discussion about it. For something as important as what biblical justice looks like in the world today, we need careful, robust, Bibles open, on our knees discussion. But we should mourn when closet racists and neo confederates feel more at home in our churches than do many of our people of color, Greear said.

Shannon Fleck, executive director of the Oklahoma Conference of Churches who found Jetts bill offensive, told Oklahoma News 4 that: Every single second for our black, indigenous people of color in our state and nation is about race; race is an active issue.

Its offensive to all people in Oklahoma that conversations about racism are so divisive that they shouldnt be happening. Thats the opposite of how to solve problems in our country and in our state, Fleck asserted.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House approved a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill that was championed by President Joe Biden, the first step in providing another dose of aid to a weary nation as the measure now moves to a tense Senate.

The new presidents vision for infusing cash across a struggling economy to individuals, businesses, schools, states and cities battered by COVID-19 passed on a near party-line 219-212 vote early Saturday. That ships the bill to the Senate, where Democrats seem bent on resuscitating their minimum wage push and fights could erupt over state aid and other issues.

TEXAS LEGE: This bill would make overnight voting illegal in Texas

Democrats said that mass unemployment and the half-million American lives lost are causes for quick, decisive action. GOP lawmakers, they said, were out of step with a public that polling finds largely views the bill favorably.

I am a happy camper tonight," Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said Friday. This is what America needs. Republicans, you ought to be a part of this. But if you're not, we're going without you."

Republicans said the bill was too expensive and said too few education dollars would be spent quickly to immediately reopen schools. They said it was laden with gifts to Democratic constituencies like labor unions and funneled money to Democratic-run states they suggested didn't need it because their budgets had bounced back.

To my colleagues who say this bill is bold, I say it's bloated," said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. To those who say it's urgent, I say it's unfocused. To those who say it's popular, I say it is entirely partisan.

The overall relief bill would provide $1,400 payments to individuals, extend emergency unemployment benefits through August and increase tax credits for children and federal subsidies for health insurance.

It also provides billions for schools and colleges, state and local governments, COVID-19 vaccines and testing, renters, food producers and struggling industries like airlines, restaurants, bars and concert venues.

Moderate Democratic Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregon were the only two lawmakers to cross party lines. That sharp partisan divide is making the fight a showdown over whom voters will reward for heaping more federal spending to combat the coronavirus and revive the economy atop the $4 trillion approved last year.

The battle is also emerging as an early test of Biden's ability to hold together his party's fragile congressional majorities  just 10 votes in the House and an evenly divided 50-50 Senate.

At the same time, Democrats were trying to figure out how to assuage liberals who lost their top priority in a jarring Senate setback Thursday.

That chamber's nonpartisan parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, said Senate rules require that a federal minimum wage increase would have to be dropped from the COVID-19 bill, leaving the proposal on life support. The measure would gradually lift that minimum to $15 hourly by 2025, doubling the current $7.25 floor in effect since 2009.

Hoping to revive the effort in some form, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is considering adding a provision to the Senate version of the COVID-19 relief bill that would penalize large companies that don't pay workers at least $15 an hour, said a senior Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations.

That was in line with ideas floated Thursday night by Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a chief sponsor of the $15 plan, and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to boost taxes on corporations that don't hit certain minimum wage targets.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., offered encouragement, too, calling a minimum wage increase a financial necessity for our families, a great stimulus for our economy and a moral imperative for our country. She said the House would absolutely" approve a final version of the relief bill because of its widespread benefits, even if it lacked progressives treasured goal.

While Democratic leaders were eager to signal to rank-and-file progressives and liberal voters that they would not yield on the minimum wage fight, their pathway was unclear because of GOP opposition and questions over whether they had enough Democratic support.

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal, D-Mass., sidestepped a question on taxing companies that don't boost pay, saying of Senate Democrats, I hesitate to say anything until they decide on a strategy."

Progressives were demanding that the Senate press ahead anyway on the minimum wage increase, even if it meant changing that chamber's rules and eliminating the filibuster, a tactic that requires 60 votes for a bill to move forward.

Were going to have to reform the filibuster because we have to be able to deliver, said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., another high-profile progressive, also said Senate rules must be changed, telling reporters that when Democrats meet with their constituents, "We cant tell them that this didnt get done because of an unelected parliamentarian.

Traditionalists of both parties  including Biden, who served as a senator for 36 years  have opposed eliminating filibusters because they protect parties' interests when they are in the Senate minority. Biden said weeks ago that he didn't expect the minimum wage increase to survive the Senate's rules. Democrats narrowly hold Senate control.

Pelosi, too, seemed to shy away from dismantling Senate procedures, saying, We will seek a solution consistent with Senate rules, and we will do so soon.

The House COVID-19 bill includes the minimum wage increase, so the real battle over its fate will occur when the Senate debates its version over the next two weeks.

Democrats are pushing the relief measure through Congress under special rules that will let them avoid a Senate GOP filibuster, meaning that if they are united they won't need any Republican votes.

It also lets the bill move faster, a top priority for Democrats who want the bill on Biden's desk before the most recent emergency jobless benefits end on March 14.

But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an incidental impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. MacDonough decided that the minimum wage provision failed that test.

Republicans oppose the $15 minimum wage target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs.

___

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report.
NIAs latest chargesheet shows Bengal, Kerala are happiest hunting grounds for Jihadis

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Feb 27: Earlier this week, the National Investigation Agency had filed chargesheet against 11 terrorists from West Bengal and Kerala in connection with an Al-Qaeda conspiracy case.

The case was registered by the NIA based on information about an Al Qaeda inspired module operating in the states of West Bengal and Kerala under the leadership of Murshid Hasan. The members of this module were in the advanced stage of a conspiracy to execute terrorist attacks in different parts of the country.

The very fact that this module was busted as early as 2020 only goes on to show that Kerala and West Bengal continue to remain safe havens for terrorists. The investigation in the above mentioned case states that these terrorists had planned to attack individuals who they considered as kafirs or infidels.

Intelligence Bureau officials have time and again warned that it is the politics of these states and the social fabric among a large section of the Muslim community that have made both Bengal and Kerala a happy hunting ground for terrorists.

NIA charges 9 Al-Qaeda operatives from Bengal, Kerala who were planning attacks on 'kafirs

In Bengal, the first big expose about terror activities talking place wide in the open was in 2014, when a Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh was busted in Burdwan. It was found that both terrorists from Bengal and Bangladesh were working for the outfit. They were preparing scores of bombs and were planning on carrying out blasts both in Bengal and Bangladesh. They were in fact planning on overthrowing the democratically elected government in Bangladesh.

The NIA has busted a series of cases in the state. These cases also include those relating to fake Indian currency and the main module was found to be operating in Malda.

An official that OneIndia spoke with says that another major factor that makes these states a happy hunting ground are the appeasement policies. It is of late that these modules are being bused due to agencies like the NIA and the close coordination with the Intelligence agencies. There was a time, when the agencies held on from acting as there was always the fear that they could have been tripped over the official also said.

The Kerala problem is equally big. While the state has over the years seen the influence of terror groups such as the Students Islamic Movement of India, Indian Mujahideen, Base Movement (Al-Qaeda's local chapter), today there seems to be more affiliation towards the Islamic State.

Several Muslim youth in Kerala got together and started an outfit called the Ansar-ul-Khilafa KL. This was the feeder outfit for the ISIS and its job was to identify people and send them to the ISIS.

The group was active on social media platforms. The National Investigation Agency had arrested several members of this group after it was found that they had held a conspiracy at Kanakamala in Kannur district of Kerala.

In SJF probe, NIA seeks details of bank accounts to check remittance of foreign funding

The NIA said that it had also arrested another persons called Subhahani Haha Moideen, who had travelled to Iraq in 2015 and fought alongside the Islamic State. After his return to India, Haja had continued with his activities in furthering the cause of the ISIS in Kerala.

Imran Khan says onus of further progress in ties on India | Oneindia News

Officials say that the motive of these persons was to further the activities of the ISIS in Kerala. The group had become dangerous and was also looking to raise funds, recruit across Kerala and other parts of south India. The module was being overseen by Omar al-Hindi, who is suspected to be based out of Syria.
Port Louis, Mauritius (PANA)  Mauritius will extend its COVID-19 quarantine period from 31 March to 31 May 2021 and will also prohibit entry of aircraft and ships to the island, except those approved by the Prime Minister, the Government announced late Friday following the weekly Cabinet meeting
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-28 00:04:01|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

DHAKA, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government has announced reopening of all the schools and colleges in the country from March 30.

The country's Education Minister Dipu Moni made the announcement after a high-level meeting on Saturday night. The minister said school and college students will attend classes in person initially.

Students of junior classes will resume their academic activates in phases later, she added.

Last week Moni announced that universities will reopen on May 24.

The closure of educational institutions nationwide ordered by the government started on March 17 last year as part of the country's efforts to halt the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic.

The closure has been extended repeatedly and the latest extension was from Feb. 14 to Feb. 28 in a bid to contain the spread of the virus in the current cold weather. Enditem
Kate Lawler has thanked doctors for caring for her baby daughter after she developed an infection.

The reality star said Noa has improved after having to stay in hospital overnight on Thursday.

The newborn, who is less than a month old, had an infection in her finger, Lawler said on Instagram.

(Yui Mok/PA)

On Friday, Lawler added: Noa has improved and weve officially been discharged from hospital.

I can continue giving her antibiotics at home.

That you to everyone at Whittington Hospital for taking such excellent care of my baby girl.

She added: Im forever grateful and my heart goes out to anyone whos little one is in hospital right now.

Prior to Noa being discharged from the London hospital, Lawler said she was in awe of the babys strength and bravery.
Trudeau thanks India over fighting COVID

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday, 27th February appreciated the support and partnership provided by India in fighting COVID-19 and helping secure coronavirus vaccine doses for the people of Canada. In a media briefing, Trudeau said, "This morning, Health Canada authorized the AstraZeneca Oxford COVID-19 vaccine as well as the Serum Institute of India's version COVISHIELD. We now have a safe and third vaccine independently approved by health experts in Canada. This is very encouraging news, which means more people would be vaccinated soon.

I want to express my appreciation for the support and partnership of the Indian Government in fighting COVID-19 and helping secure vaccine doses for Canadians," he added.

Read full story here

India decries UN envoys remarks on Farmers protest

After UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet criticised India for slapping charges of sedition against journalists and activists for reporting or commenting on the farmers' protest, the Indian government questioned the UN High Commissioner's silence on terror and Red Fort violence. Permanent Representative of India in Geneva Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey issued a statement, which said, "The unprovoked violence on our Republic Day in the name of farmers' rights, apparently, left Michelle Bachelet unmoved. UN Rights envoy's indifference to terrorism is of course not new. Objectivity and impartiality have to be the hallmarks of any human rights assessment."

Read full story here

BJP-AIADMK meet to discuss seat-sharing for TN polls

As the race to the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections heats up, NDA allies BJP and AIADMK met on Saturday to discuss the seat-sharing ahead of Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state on Sunday. BJP leaders, including MoS G Kishan Reddy and state president L Murugan met TN CM Edappadi Palaniswami and Dy CM O Panneerselvam at their respective residences on Saturday to discuss the seat-sharing for the first phase of the Assembly polls. The NDA allies' meeting over seat-sharing comes after the Election Commission revealed the dates of Assembly elections scheduled to be held in April and May in five states - Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Puducherry, and Assam.

Read full story here

Pakistan wants peaceful resolution of all disputes with India

Pakistan on 26th February, Friday said that it wants a peaceful resolution of all disputes with India, including the Kashmir issue. This latest development comes after the militaries of India and Pakistan in a significant move to ease tension on Thursday said that they have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on the ceasefire along LoC and other sectors. While speaking at a press briefing, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that there is no change in the country's principles position.

Read full story here

India seeks intl communitys support to save Myanmars democracy

Days after the military in Myanmar allegedly opened fire at pro-democracy demonstrators killing at least three protestors, India on Friday called on the international community to extend its 'constructive support' to the people in the Southeast Asian country. Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations TS Tirumurti was speaking at the UN General Assembly's informal meeting on Myanmar where he said that 'the rule of law and democratic process must be upheld'.

Read full story here
THE Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) is pushing for government to nullify the 2020 academic year so that pupils have adequate time to cover essential elements of the syllabi, after normal learning was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The teachers' union wants government to declare an order that pupils repeat their classes so that they proceed to the next level after acquiring the requisite knowledge as stipulated in the curricular.

"It is almost a year now without proper learning taking place in schools," PTUZ spokesperson Peter Machenjera said.

"Considering that a human mind has the propensity to delete automatically any dormant files, it means that when schools reopen, most pupils would have forgotten concepts taught before 2020."

He added: "Taking for example, Form 5 students who had only three weeks of proper learning during the first term of 2020, they are now expected to proceed to Form 6 when schools reopen.

"Will those students be able to comprehend the components of the syllabi in order to sit for the examinations in November?

"The same applies for those who are in Grade Six and in Form Three, who are supposed to be the candidates next year. There is need for a clear government roadmap for the education sector to address such abnormalities.

He also lamented the increasing digital divide between rural and urban schools.

"The technological gap has relegated these poor communities to the receiving end. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the education system is fast-favouring the elite, while children from the low-class families are being deprived of their right to education."

Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said the 2020 academic year was over and government was planning ahead for the 2021 education calendar.

He said: "Candidates successfully sat for the 2020 Zimbabwe School Examinations Council exams and the Grade Seven results have since been released. We are planning for the 2021 calendar."

Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa last week during a post-Cabinet media briefing said the government was already preparing for the reopening of schools following a drop in COVID-19 infections and deaths.

She said the Primary and Secondary Education ministry was working together with the Health and Child Care ministry to ensure learners and teachers' safety ahead of the beginning of the 2021 school calendar. Newsday
Posted Saturday, February 27, 2021 8:52 am

As some in Congress try to rein in disinformation they believe is "fanning the flames of extremism" that led to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and other Republicans contend it's really an attempt to silence conservative voices.

McMorris Rodgers helped lead GOP criticism of members of the House Commerce and Energy Committee this week for sending a letter to AT&T asking why the company carries news networks that continue to report the 2020 presidential election was stolen after experts have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud, and dozens of courts have rejected legal challenges to the different states' results.

"Our country's public discourse is plagued by misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories, and lies," Reps. Anna Eshoo and Jerry McNerney wrote in the letter to AT&T CEO John Stankey. The company carries Fox News, One America News network and Newsmax on platforms it owns, including DirecTV.

News coverage that focuses on those items helped radicalize people who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 and makes it hard to generate the public trust necessary to fight the COVID 19 pandemic, they said.

"What moral or ethical principles (including those related to journalistic integrity, violence, medical information, and public health) do you apply in deciding which channels to carry or when to take adverse actions against a channel?" they asked in the letter. "Are you planning to continue carrying Fox News, Newsmax and OANN..both now and beyond any contract renewal?"

At a communications and technology subcommittee hearing titled "Disinformation and Extremism in the Media" the day after the letter was released, Eshoo, from California, argued the Capitol riot was "built on a foundation of lies" and asked when Congress should step in to protect public health and democracy itself.

But McMorris Rodgers, who serves as the top Republican on the committee, accused the Democrats of mounting a censorship campaign based on political ideology. They aren't objecting to reports of misinformation by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for his state's response to COVID-19, she said, or hyper-partisan coverage of the investigation into reports of Russian collusion in the 2016 election not supported by the Mueller report.

"I've never heard a more obvious direct attack on the First Amendment," McMorris said during the hearing that lasted more than three hours.

Rep. Frank Palone, a New Jersey Democrat, said all committee members are "staunch defenders" of the First Amendment. "That doesn't mean we should ignore the spread of disinformation that causes public harm," he added.

Stopping disinformation without infringing on free press and free speech would be a delicate balance , said Agnieszka McPeak, an associate dean at Gonzaga University Law School who teaches a course on privacy, technology and the First Amendment. Social media has "democratized" news by creating a public forum in our private spaces.

"The First Amendment really does kick in any time we are trying to curtail speech," McPeak said in an interview Friday. "These companies can't be forced to carry or not carry speech, up to certain boundaries."

An individual's right to free expression has limits, including civil action for defamation and libel, McPeak said. But under current federal law, when a platform like Facebook allows a person to post something that is slanderous or libelous, that platform is immune. And with a billion users worldwide, Facebook can monitor and delete some, but not all, problem posts.

A recent study by New York University said there is "no reliable evidence" to support a claim of conservative bias on social media platforms. "No trustworthy large scale studies have determined that conservative content is being removed for ideological reasons or that searches are being manipulated to favor liberal interests," the study said.

A panel of experts called by the committee also suggested a law limiting disinformation could be difficult. Previous efforts, going all the way back to the beginning of the republic, have failed, said Jonathan Turley, an expert in First Amendment and media law at George Washington University.

"Disinformation is a scourge, but it is not a new scourge," he said.

European efforts to curtail disinformation haven't reduced hate speech, he added, they've just reduced free speech by making some people afraid to speak or publish.

The Fairness Doctrine, which required television stations to present conflicting views on controversial topics, only worked when there were a limited number of broadcast outlets, Turley said.

"The greatest protection against bad speech is more speech," he said. "Who will be the arbiter of truth?"

Soledad O'Brien, a longtime television reporter and anchor, said at the hearing the nation is experiencing "truth decay" as local newspapers, the traditional source of reliable local news, continue to close and people get their news primarily from cable networks that build their programming, particularly in primetime, as "a slugfest to draw ratings."

Rather than Congress regulating news networks, the networks themselves should take steps to rebuild the nation's confidence in journalism. Her first suggestion: "Don't book liars. Stop presenting every story as having two sides. Lies don't have a side," O'Brien said. "You don't have to book a neo-Nazi every time you book someone who's Jewish."

The committee had no pending legislation it was considering for the hearing. It plans to call social media executives for another hearing in March.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 02/26/2021



ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

star Ryan Oubre says Erik Lake 's disastrous attempt to confront Chris Williams about the way he spoke to Erik's new wife Virginia Coombs was doomed to fail before it even began.During Wednesday night's episode of : Unfiltered, Ryan and Erik watched back a clip of last week's MAFS episode in which Season 12's five couples met for dinner and Virginia and Erik confronted Chris about the way he had spoken to Virginia earlier that day."I've never been talked to so disrespectful in my life," Virginia says in the clip, referring to an argument Chris had with Virginia and Clara Berghaus while some of the couples were on a honeymoon ATV adventure together."You are borderline scaring people," Erik adds."I was fed up and tired of that bullsh-t," Chris complains."You are out of line," Erik says.Chris asked Erik to allow him to finish his explanation, but Erik and Virginia said they were just going to leave and grab dinner elsewhere -- resulting in Chris rising from his chair as the couple began standing up to leave and co-star Vincent Morales appearing to have to hold Chris back to keep him from getting physical with Erik.As Chris continued to argue with Erik from across the room, Virginia shouts, "We're leaving.""Unf-cking believable," Erik laments under his breath on his way out of the group gathering.On Unfiltered, host Jamie Otis -- who starred on Season 1 of -- pointed out that Ryan and Erik clearly had some "experiences" during their honeymoon.Jamie said the boys certainly "brought the heat," and then she asked Ryan for his thoughts on that entire argument."Do you think Virginia and Erik added fuel to the fire?" Jamie asked."No, not at all," Ryan admitted. "No, no. I don't believe so in the least bit.""Tension was already so high that that conversation was doomed to fail before it even started," he added.But in retrospect, Erik admitted he wished he had handled things a little differently."Maybe not [talked to Chris] in front of everyone like that," Erik confessed. "Maybe I should have sat him down alone.""Because it just escalated so quickly," Ryan pointed out."Yeah," Erik acknowledged. "I just maybe thought that we can say a few sentences to each other right now and end this and just have a nice dinner. That's really what I was trying to get out of that."star Haley also joined the guys on Unfiltered and offered her perspective on the dramatic events that unfolded in Las Vegas that evening."I wasn't there and I had nothing to do with it!" Haley insisted with a laugh. "I was just eating my popcorn on the side!"Haley said of Virginia and Erik, "I do genuinely believe they were both coming from good places.""But tensions were still so high because [Virginia and Chris' fight] was so fresh. Everything was so fresh and it just kind of exploded a little bit," Haley explained.Hard feelings were "fresh" because Virginia was still reeling from a screaming match she had with Chris earlier that day.Chris had called Virginia "a drunkard" and yelled at her on a bus for not leaving him alone and butting out of his business.Chris hated how Virginia and Clara were judging him and interfering with his marriage to Paige Banks when he was already dealing with the fact his ex-fiancee, Mercedes, was about six weeks pregnant.The group dinner seemingly became a disaster quickly because Virginia and Erik had shown up late -- right after Chris had issued an apology to everyone for how he had acted earlier in the day at the ATV outing.Chris admitted he had not behaved like a man of God and was going to work towards becoming a better person and husband.Erik said on Unfiltered that his confrontation with Chris probably could have been avoided had Chris waited for Virginia and himself to arrive to dinner before announcing his apology."Had we been there and he had that whole spiel and I listened to it, I think things would've went differently," Erik said. "It's just I don't know why he didn't wait for us."When Jamie asked the guys if they were "done" with Chris at this point in the process, both Erik and Ryan laughed together."If he wants to reach out one day and have a conversation and actually get that solved and all of those things, I'd be open to that for sure," Erik shared. "But for right now, I just think we need some time probably away from each other."After Chris and Erik's explosive altercation, Paige told her co-star Briana Myles , "I understand why [Chris is] being defensive.""Yeah, it's nobody's business!" Briana agreed in reference to the pregnancy shocker.Chris revealed he had lost all respect for Erik, who had "crossed his boundary line," but Erik and Virginia were still furious at Chris as well.All of this drama went down on last week's twelfth-season episode. (Watch a clip of some of it below!)Interested in more news? Join our Married at First Sight Facebook Group or click here to view our newspage!And click here for more updates on former cast members and info on where they are now!
It was just a few weeks upon his arrival to Sarajevo that Yasser Sorour landed on a small patisserie with ample affinity to Egypt. "It serves a wide range of sweets, including Egyptian items, and it is simply called Masr, he said.

For the owner of this small store there was nothing odd about this" Egyptian contact."

She told me she has magnanimous gratitude for an Egyptian soldier who was in a peacekeeping mission in Bosnia back in the 1990s and who once helped save her life and that of other members of her family, Sorour said.

For this diplomat who arrived in Sarajevo some four months ago and is still in the process of reaching out to the many official and public segments of Bosnia-Herzegovina, this was more than a good sign about the possibility that lies there for him to "upgrade contacts" between the two countries.

I was really touched. Egypt participated in the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia in the mid-1990, and in the late 1990s and into the 2000s Egypt contributed to a UN police monitoring mission; so we are talking about something that took place over two decades ago, but it still has a strong impact on some, he said.

Egypt was one of the first countries to acknowledge the independence of Bosnia-Herzegovina, a former republic of Yugoslavia that broke up in 1992 upon the fragmentation of the Eastern Bloc in the wake of the end of the Cold War. In 1996, Egypt opened its resident embassy in Sarajevo. In the 1970s, there was a twinning agreement between Cairo and Sarajevo, given the fact these two cities share a lot in terms of religious diversity that is well manifested in the many synagogues, Catholic and Orthodox churches, and mosques.

Today, Egypts interest in developing relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina, a small country in the Balkans, seems to be quite diverse. Sorour is talking about cultural, economic, and trade cooperation.

The path of the Holy Family in Egypt, Al-Azhar scholarships for religious and linguistic studies, and the vast sunny resorts on the Red Sea are among the key attractions that Sorour has been putting to his official and business interlocutors as possible destinations for worshippers, students, and travellers.

There is a great deal of interest here to establish cooperation with leading cultural institutes in Egypt, including Al-Azhar, especially with regards to the training of mosque preachers, Bibliotheca Alexandria, and leading Egyptian universities, he said.

Maybe we will see the first group of travellers this summer coming to visit some of the places where the Holy Family has been  provided there is improvement in the world's health condition, he added.

In the absence of direct flights, Sorour is trying to work out a way to start charter flights that could allow for the exchange of tourism on both sides.

I am sure that Egyptians would love to come to this fascinating place that has a lot to offer, Sorour said.

Sorour is particularly keen on promoting cultural cooperation as a solid bond of collaboration on the people-to-people level that could also encourage business and trade relations.

Currently, the volume of trade between Egypt and Bosnia-Herzegovina stands at a little over $60 million. Egypt exports salt, sulfur, limestone, non-organic chemical products, fruits, and vegetables and imports Iron, wood, and paper.

I think we can expand quite a lot because I think there is an appetite on both sides to expand. Already the Egyptian Embassy in Sarajevo is working to promote the business-to-business channels as the most efficient way forward to enlarge trade and investment cooperation, Sorour said.

Egypt and Bosnia-Herzegovina, according to the Egyptian ambassador in Sarajevo, have established cooperation on the foreign policy and security front, especially with regards to the religious dialogue and the combat of terrorism. What we really need to work on encouraging today is more the people-to-people level of cooperation and communication, he added.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by global companies, issued on Friday and not separately reported by Alliance News:







Roche Holding AG - Basel, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company - Secures special approval by the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices to offer its SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test using a nasal swab for patient self-testing in Germany. "The approval of our test provides people in Germany with a reliable option to test themselves in the comfort of their own home. Regular self-testing at home can reduce pressure on healthcare systems. It can quickly identify people with the highest potential to be infectious so they can take immediate action to manage their infection, seek medical advice and protect others," says Thomas Schinecker, Chief Executive of Roche Diagnostics.







Nokia Corp - Espoo, Finland-based telecommunications, information technology, and consumer electronics company - Selected by Ecuadorian mobile operator, Corporacion Nacional de Telecommunicaciones to bring the first 5G network to the country. Nokia notes the deal comprises equipment from its AirScale portfolio that will allow CNT to deliver 5G experiences to subscribers with ultra-low latency, connectivity and capacity as well as reducing complexity and increasing cost efficiencies. Did not disclose any financial details.







AT&T Inc - Texas-based telecommunication, media, and technology services provider - Says it will, along with private equity firm TPG Capital, establish a new company named New DIRECTV that will own and operate AT&T's US video business unit consisting of the DIRECTV, AT&T TV and U-verse video services. Notes transaction to separate AT&T's US video business into New DIRECTV implies an enterprise value for the new company of USD16.25 billion. When the transaction closes in the second half of 2021, AT&T will receive from New DIRECTV USD7.8 billion - USD7.6 billion in cash and the assumption from AT&T of USD200 million of existing DIRECTV debt. TPG will contribute USD1.8 billion in cash to New DIRECTV in exchange for preferred units and a 30% interest in common units of New DIRECTV. - AT&T says it will use the proceeds from the transaction to reduce its debt.







Global Payments Inc - Atlanta, Georgia-based financial technology company - Completes offering of USD1.1 billion 1.200% senior notes due 2026. Will use the proceeds from the offering to fund the redemption in full of its 3.800% senior notes due 2021, to reduce debt under its unsecured revolving credit agreement and for general corporate purposes.







By Ife Taiwo; ifetaiwo@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  The Philippines is set to receive 525,600 doses of British-Swedish manufacturer Oxford-AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccines on Monday, March 1, the Palace said.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement the delivery will arrive at around 12:50 p.m. via commercial flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It is the first batch out of 3.5 million up to 9 million AstraZeneca doses that will come from the COVAX facility. COVAX is a global initiative led by the World Health Organization with several participating governments, that aims to ensure equitable access of COVID-19 vaccines.

The spokesperson later clarified in an interview with CNN Philippines that the over half a million doses are not included in the 17 million AstraZeneca shots that the national government secured through tripartite agreements with the private sector and local government units.

"Iba pa ito. Ito ay galing sa COVAX facility [This is different. This is from the COVAX facility]," Roque told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Weekend.

On who will be prioritized for the AstraZeneca doses, Roque said that medical frontliners should be first in line according to the national vaccination plan. However, he also noted that the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group has yet to arrange a system for the drugs' rollout.

"Magkakaroon 'yan ng panibagong protocol na bubuuhin ng NITAG, pero sang-ayon sa national vaccine plan, syempre uunahin pa rin talaga ang mga medical frontliners," said the Palace official.

[That will have a new protocol but according to the national vaccine plan, of course, we will prioritize the medical frontliners]

Meanwhile, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. said the initial doses will be administered at the Philippine General Hospital and other major hospitals.

Roque thanked British Ambassador to the Philippines Daniel Pruce for his "intercession" that led to the speedy shipment of the dosages. Senator Bong Go, a close ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, said he and the President will personally welcome the arrival of the vaccines.

AstraZeneca is among the three manufacturers whose vaccines have been approved for emergency use in the country, together with US' Pfizer BioNtech and China's Sinovac. It was also granted emergency use listing by the WHO.

The vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, showed an average efficacy of 70% after receiving two required doses, AstraZeneca said in November. Food and Drug Administration chief Eric Domingo also said the efficacy rate for the first dose is at 70%, but it improves after the second dose is administered. He added that the two doses administered four to 12 weeks apart can only be received by people aged 18 and above excluding pregnant women.

The AstraZeneca shipment will come just a day after the country is expected to get its first delivery of 600,000 vaccines from Sinovac, called CoronaVac

Roque earlier said healthcare workers should also be the first to get the CoronaVac shots, but he added that they can choose not to take them after the FDA flagged the China-made vaccine due to its 50.4% efficacy rate for medical frontliners exposed to COVID-19 patients.
NEW YORK (AP)  Hasbro created confusion on Thursday when it removed the gender from its Mr. Potato Head brand, but not from the actual toy.

The company, which has been making the potato-shaped plastic toy for nearly 70 years, announced Thursday morning that it was dropping Mr. from the brand in an effort to make sure all feel welcome in the Potato Head world. It also said it would sell a new playset this fall that will let kids create their own type of potato families, including two moms or two dads. The announcements set off a social media frenzy over the beloved toy.

Later that afternoon, Hasbro clarified in a tweet that the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head characters will still exist, names and all, but the branding on the box will say Potato Head."

While it was announced today that the POTATO HEAD brand name & logo are dropping the MR. I yam proud to confirm that MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD arent going anywhere and will remain MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD, the company tweeted.

Many toymakers have been updating their classic brands in recent years, hoping to relate to today's kids and reflect more modern families.

The Spanish delegation arriving on Guam is transporting precious cargo - a rare manuscript that is believed to be one of two known copies in the world.

The manuscript is a handmade copy of the original Memoir de las Islas Marianas, written by Spanish Gov. of the Mariana Islands, Felipe de la Corte y Ruano-Calderon

A Spanish donor has given the heirloom for permanent deposit to the University of Guams Micronesian Area Research Center on behalf of the family of the last Spanish governor, Don Juan Marina.

The family wished to remain anonymous so they transferred it to a private individual who transferred it to the Spanish navy and the Spanish navy will be handing it over to MARC.

Carlos Madrid the director of research at MARC, facilitated the donation. He said the manuscript was copied from a version that Father Jose Palomo published in 1872.

Madrid said the manuscript appears to be the same with minor differences.

On a preliminary basis, it appears to be a copy of the 1850s report but the manuscript needs to be scrutinized further to see if there is any differences or additions made by Father Palomo on the original manuscript based on the publication of 1872, Madrid said.

The donation is inline with MARCs mission to collect deposits and make materials of this nature accessible to the public.

He said the existence of the manuscript is a testament to the keen interest that the people of Guam in the 1800s had for the history and geography of the islands.

For me personally it is particularly fitting because we are in the endeavor of promoting the idea that written documents related to Guam or the CHamoru people are a tangible heritage of the history of Guam and the Mariana Islands, Madrid said.

The only other manuscript copy known to have survived is part of the Biblioteca Nacional de Madrid in Spain, making this donation even more significant.

The 1896 manuscript has been handled with great care, said Madrid, who said that measures were taken to ensure that it was protected during transport.

It was placed in an acid-free box by the private donor and it's inside that acid-free box which is a temporary measure to protect it from the environment and at the same time preventing the acidity of the ink, the ink was made from iron at the time and the acidity deteriorates the paper, Madrid said.

As far as content, Madrid will conduct a study and publish an English translation of the manuscript.

MARC is also working with the Guam Museum to put together an exhibit later this year.
The Biden administration is giving top priority to ending the brutal war in Yemen, appointing a special envoy, Timothy Lenderking, who is already in full diplomatic surge.

Yemen has been dubbed the worst humanitarian crisis in the world by the United Nations. US leadership may be what it takes to get some traction for a peace effort that badly needs a boost. The same could be said for the wars in Syria and Libya.

Three of seven high intensity conflicts are in the Middle East

For the new administration, helping to end the Syria and Libya wars, as well as Yemen's, would be a further sign that diplomacy is back, a goal of US President Joe Biden. The Middle Easts three running wars have been nothing short of catastrophic for those countries and the region. In the World Bank classification of states in fragile and conflict-affected situations, Yemen, Syria and Libya fall into the top, high "intensity" conflict category, meaning those battle-torn countries with the greatest likelihood to suffer from deep, chronic poverty (the only other states in this group are Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Somalia and South Sudan).

 In Yemen, 250,000 lives have been lost since the war began six years ago. And it remains grim. A UN report this week said rapidly deteriorating conditions are a death sentence for millions of families. The war began in 2015 with US backing for a Saudi-led international coalition to support the Yemeni government. Since then, Yemen has become the kingdoms Vietnam  a no-win quagmire with no military solution. Iran backs the Ansar Allah (the Houthis), a penny-stock investment to bleed Saudi Arabia and stain its international standing. The terrorist group al-Qaeda is also active in this blistered landscape. The suffering of the Yemeni people  including famine and disease  is incidental to these calculations, or so it seems.

 In Syria, approximately 500,000 people have been killed and about half the population displaced in the 10-year war, according to a UN report this month. The Syrian economy has suffered multiple shocks, including rising food insecurity and stunted growth and development in children, according to UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock. The Islamic State and various al-Qaeda progeny continue to terrorize civilians, and then there are the human rights abuses of the Syrian government. The United States, Russia, Iran, Turkey and Israel are all engaged militarily, backing the Syrian government or various armed groups, or via direct military action.

 In Libya, as many as 43,000 have been killed since a US-led NATO bombing campaign backed an insurgency that overthrew former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Of Libyas 7 million people, 392,000 are displaced and 1 million are in need of assistance, as we wrote here earlier this month. Libyas health system is in disrepair and water and electricity are sometimes unavailable for up to 18 hours a day, according to the UN.

US-Saudi diplomacy on Yemen gets fast track

In their call Feb. 25, Biden and Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud discussed the renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war in Yemen. Lenderking has been in the kingdom this week, his second trip since taking the job barely three weeks ago. The State Department tweeted that the Yemen war cannot be resolved without Saudi support, calling the kingdom a critical partner.

Syria diplomacy could use an assist

In Syria, the diplomatic three-dimensional chess is even more complicated. The United States and Turkey are at odds over the Syrian Kurds, as we explained here last week. The UN Security Council, which depends on US-Russia collaboration, hasnt been effective on Syria, and the so-called Astana group (Russia, Iran and Turkey) seems content with a stalled political process that leaves the groups various proxies in place. When UN Syria envoy Geir Pedersen said last month, We cant continue like this, it could have been read as a plea to the Biden administration to step up its diplomatic engagement to counter the Astana bloc.

As in Yemen, the endgame in Syria very likely will depend in good part on US-Iran relations and the fate of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or Iran nuclear deal. The Biden administration has an envoy for Iran as well  Robert Malley. The focus with Iran has been primarily on finding a way to restart the negotiations on Irans nuclear program, but the region, including Syria and Yemen, wont take a pause in the meantime.

Khaled al-Khateb reports from Syria that Iranian militias are increasing their presence and influence in Deir ez-Zor province in eastern Syria by enlisting more Syrian elements into their ranks, while intensifying their religious, military and cultural activities.

US diplomacy will ultimately require compromises with adversaries, such as Russia and Iran, backed up by military force, as we saw Feb. 25, when the United States struck Iran-backed militias in Syria in retaliation for the attack last week in Erbil, as Jared Szuba reports.

Libyas promising start

Libyas situation is somewhat more promising, as we report here, but depends on Turkey and Russia withdrawing their militias. While perhaps not considered as much of a priority as Yemen or Syria, the United States has history in Libya. It was the acting UN Libya envoy, Stephanie Williams, an American, who brokered the pivotal cease-fire in October, succeeding where her predecessors failed. She stepped down from the post this month.

Egypts pivot from backer of Khalifa Hifter to supporter of the UN peace process was instrumental in securing the agreement. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in his Feb. 23 call with Egypt Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, stressed the importance of a strong strategic partnership, including support for UN peace negotiations in Libya, continued dialogue on human rights, Israeli-Palestinian talks and counterterrorism cooperation in Sinai.

Yemen diplomacy begins hopeful chapter

A commitment to ending the regions wars, starting with Yemen, is a way of saying diplomacy is back in a big and impactful way. Success will depend on even stronger regional partnerships, as well as choreographing how to engage Iran on Yemen, Syria and other flashpoints beyond the nuclear issue. The United States and Russia, in particular, will need to find common ground to reactivate the UN Security Council, especially in Syria, and to deal with Irans nuclear program.

Of course, the new administration cant take on everything at once, and all three cases could reasonably be placed in the too hard file. But the benefits of such an approach are both strategic and humanitarian, and the people of Yemen, Syria and Libya desperately need hope.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held a meeting with member of the Mejlis (parliament) of Turkmenistan in Ashgabat. The meeting discussed the tasks facing the country's members of parliament, as well as priority areas of legislative work for 2021.

In his keynote address to the member of parliament, the head of state noted that the Mejlis needs to qualitatively improve the entire legal framework of the state and, first of all, develop laws that have a direct bearing on the present and future of Turkmenistan as a social state governed by the rule of law.

He also stressed that the legislative body of Turkmenistan is switching to a qualitatively new, bicameral parliamentary system, which is an important historical event in the social and political life of Turkmenistan.

 TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
Dr Denis Nsame Nforniwe Archives

Dr. Denis Nsame, Director of the Bamenda Regional Hospital has dispelled rumors circulating on social media that there is a particular drip administered to patients who visit the hospital and they die.

The statement is contained in a release dated February 25, 2021. Shaibu B.I. cosigned the statement as a community representative while Rev. Dr. Angwe Davidson of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon and Pastor Denis Ngong penned their signatures on behalf of the hospital chaplaincy.

In the release, Dr. Nsame, along with the three other signatories, disclosed that there has been an audio circulating on social media to the effect that there is a particular drip administered to patients who visit the hospital and they die.

Following an audio circulating with erroneous and scandalous information about the Regional Hospital Bamenda with respect to the treatment of COVID-19 patients, we deem it necessary to shed some light on this, the statement opened.

The said audio that carries a female voice is known to have first hit cyberspace in May 2020 but has recently resurfaced to coincide with the soaring number of COVID-19 cases in the North West Region.

Firstly, it is an audio that has been circulating since the month of May last year 2020. The audio is not signed which is a glaring indication that it is fake. If the author of the audio could attest to the quality of information she is sharing, she would have confidently revealed her identity, hospital authorities said. The audio indicated that there is a particular drip administered to patients who visit the hospital and they die. She goes further to call on the population not to visit the hospital if they are sick.

Dr. Nsame informs the public that, When patients visit the hospital, they are catered for following medical ethics. The Regional Hospital has 510 staff amongst which are 37 doctors well trained and professionally equipped.

Statement from Bamenda Regional Hospital February 25, 2021 (c) Document

Authorities of the Bamenda Regional Hospital regret that since the wake of COVID-19, the denial syndrome has been on the rise, leading to a rise in community deaths and late referral.

We urge the population to shun such rumors and any individual who wishes to verify for themselves should kindly visit the hospital. The Regional Hospital is the home of the population when they have health concerns, Dr. Nsame said.

Amidst a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Nsame has called on the population to protect themselves and those around them.

Stay home as much as possible and obligatorily wear a face mask when leaving the house, he prescribes. Wash your hands with clean running water and soap or use an alcohol-based solution (hand sanitizer).

Cover the nose and mouth with a disposable tissue when coughing, sneezing, or use a flexed elbow; Avoid overcrowding, especially markets and travel agencies as well as close contact with anyone presenting with flu symptoms. Maintain a distance of at least 1.5 meters between persons, said the hospital chief.

Hospital authorities advise the population to remain vigilant and report any suspected case of COVID-19 by dialing the toll-free number 1510 or calling the COVID-19 treatment center number 680616166.

(@FahadShabbir)

Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan, Nawaf Saeed Al-Malikey here on Saturday had a call on meeting with Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Muhammad Javed Ghani during which matters of mutual concern pertaining to cooperation on customs and tax were discussed

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2021 ) :Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan, Nawaf Saeed Al-Malikey here on Saturday had a call on meeting with Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Muhammad Javed Ghani during which matters of mutual concern pertaining to cooperation on customs and tax were discussed .

According to press statement issued by the board, it was agreed in the meeting that relevant departments of both countries would further promote the cooperation in the field of customs and tax and would learn from each other's best practices which would result in increasing the trade volume between the two countries.

Chairman FBR briefed the Saudi Ambassador about the recent measures taken by FBR for the mobilization of revenue and facilitation of taxpayers.

The ambassador appreciated the recent performance of FBR in the first seven months of current Financial Year and hoped that FBR would successfully achieve the revenue target set for the current year.
Buckle up, Oregon Duck fans.

Its going to be a long ride.

Thats the message from 247Sports national recruiting editor Brandon Huffman in regards to the recruitment of consensus five-star defensive lineman J.T. Tuimoloau, the nations No. 1 prospect.

On Fridays Recruiting with Andrew Nemec, Huffman joined the show to give his thoughts on the recruitment - after speaking with the Tuimoloau family earlier in the week - and he made several points clear:

1. Tuimoloau isnt planning to make a commitment soon, and his recruitment could go into June

2. Alabama and Ohio State are battling closely for the top spot with Oregon running third

3. None of the top five schools are out of it completely, but there is a hierarchy

4. Tuimoloau and his family want to take visits, particularly to Alabama and Ohio State

Huffman also detailed a roadmap Oregon fans should be rooting for if they want Tuimoloau to become a Duck.

That path, while unlikely, is not out of the question.

The Ducks have a shot, but they have work to do - and a lengthy recruitment would be beneficial.

Listen to the full interview (if embedded audio doesnt load, click here):

Listen to "Recruiting with Andrew Nemec" -- Brandon Huffman details the recruitment of 4-star DL J.T. Tuimoloau : https://t.co/DQDOmX0QV3  Andrew Nemec (@AndrewNemec) February 27, 2021

-- Andrew Nemec | anemec@oregonian.com | @AndrewNemec

Biden: Syria Airstrikes Tell Iran, You Cant Act With Impunity

President Joe Biden on Friday said the airstrikes the United States carried out in Syria this week sent a message to the Iranian regime.

You cant act with impunity, he told reporters about the message while touring a facility in Houston, Texas. After a pause, he added, Be careful.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki, speaking to reporters on board Air Force One en route to Texas earlier in the day, said that Biden was sending an unambiguous message that hes going to act to protect Americans.

And when threats are posed, he has the right to take an action at the time and in the manner of his choosing, she added. He also is going to take those actions in a manner thats deliberative and that has the objective of deescalating activity in both Syria and Iraq.

The first airstrikes of Bidens administration were launched on Thursday in eastern Syria. Pentagon officials said they targeted Iranian-backed militia groups in retaliation for earlier attacks against U.S. and coalition personnel in Iraq, as well as ongoing threats to those personnel.

Twenty-two fighters, members of the Iraqi Hezbollah and Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, were killed when the strikes hit, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Iranian officials condemned the strikes.

Americas recent action strengthens and expands the activities of the terrorist Daesh [ISIS] in the region, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security council, said in remarks to visiting Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, Reuters reported. The attack on anti-terrorist resistance forces is the beginning of a new round of organized terrorism.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry also said it opposed the strikes, saying the Biden administration is supposed to stick to international legitimacy, not to the law of the jungle as the previous administration. And Russia, a Syrian ally, spoke out against the military action.

Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran attends a meeting with the diplomatic adviser to the French president, in Tehran, Iran, on July 10, 2019. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

Bidens administration consulted with congressional leadership before authorizing the strikes, the White House said, after some members criticized the strikes as overstepping the executives powers.

The administration plans on briefing lawmakers early next week at the latest.

Psaki said Bidens authority stems from Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution, which outlines how the president is the nations commander-in-chief.

As a matter of domestic law, the president took this action pursuant to his Article 2 authority to defend U.S. personnel. The targets were chosen to correspond to the recent attacks on facilities and to deter the risk of additional attacks over the coming weeks. As a matter of international law, the United States acted pursuant to its right of self-defense, as reflected in Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, she said.

The strikes were both necessary to address the threat and proportionate to the prior attacks. And I can assure youand I spoke with the national security teamthat there was a thorough legal process and review in advance.

Psaki in 2017 questioned why then-President Donald Trump authorized airstrikes in Syria, writing in a tweet that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a brutal dictator but that the nation is a sovereign country.

Vice President Kamala Harris in 2018, when she was a senator, also questioned why the U.S. military was taking action against Syria, writing, I am deeply concerned about the legal rationale of last nights strikes.

Psaki said the attacks under Trump were responding to a chemical weapons attack, while the Feb. 25 strikes were in defense of U.S. personnel under attack in Iraq.

Theres a massive difference in both policy and law, she added.
People living with obesity tend to have unhealthy glucose and lipid levels in their blood, as well as high blood pressure. As a result, they are more at risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. But scientists have observed that up to 45% of people living with obesity have healthy blood pressure and glucose and lipid levels, and therefore may not be at high risk of disease. The reason why this group of people with obesity remain healthy, has been poorly understood.

But now a team of researchers - led by scientists at the University of Copenhagen and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York - have identified a range of genes that are linked to both elevated levels of body fat, as well as offering protection from some of the negative health impacts of obesity. The results were published in the journal Nature Metabolism.

Associate Professor Tuomas Kilpelainen from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR) at the University of Copenhagen says the findings shed new light on the biology that may disconnect higher level of body fat from higher risk of diabetes and heart disease.

The identified genes seem to benefit our health by helping to maintain a healthy fat tissue. Some of the genes may offer targets for the development of new therapies that lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease by improving the health of our fat tissue." Tuomas Kilpelainen, Associate Professor, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR), University of Copenhagen

The scientists made the discovery by analyzing data from hundreds of thousands people who had been assessed for their body fat and disease risk markers. They identified 62 sections of the genome that were significantly associated with both high levels of body fat and lower risk of cardiometabolic diseases. Further analyses showed that the genes had a range of functions in the body, including the regulation and development of fat cells, distribution of body fat, as well as energy regulation and inflammation.

Staff Scientist Lam Opal Huang from CBMR carried out the computational analyses that identified the genes.

"We used a data-driven approach in this study, which led us to find new genes associated with fat tissue health, instead of the known obesity genes associated with central nervous system, which control satiety and are typically linked to unhealthy obesity," says Lam Opal Huang.

According to Professor Ruth Loos from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, this new knowledge is a step toward a more nuanced approach to treating obesity.

"Clearly, obesity is a complex disease and not every individual with excess body weight is equally at risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases. Knowing which genes protect people from developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease will eventually help us better diagnose and treat individuals with obesity."
(Natural News) Former Bill Clinton advisor, Naomi Wolf, is one of many Democrats who are now opening their eyes to the current state of affairs in the United States. In an interview on Fox News, Wolf said the US has become a totalitarian state due to draconian lockdown orders that continue on, almost a year after they were first ordered. Wolf, who helped Bill Clinton during his second reelection bid, no longer recognizes the America she once knew. She said the US is moving into a coup situation, and quickly becoming a police state.

Former Clinton advisor warns that lockdowns have destroyed the Constitution, stripped Americans bare

Wolf said a totalitarian government has risen to power, one that uses the guise of safety and security to engage in emergency orders that simply strip us of our rights; rights to property, rights to assembly, rights to worship, all the rights the Constitution guarantees. She said, lock downs have never been done in society and really, we are turning into a  totalitarian state before everyones eyes.

Wolf railed against big government, how the real issue at hand is not about right versus left. The state has now crushed businesses, kept us from gathering in free assembly to worship as the First Amendment provides, is invading our bodies  which is a violation of the Fourth Amendment, restricting movement, fining us in New York state  the violations go on and on.

She said the goal now should be to restore the Constitution. Were at something I never thought I would see in my lifetime  it is step 10 and that is the suspension of the rule of law and that is when you start to be a police state, and were here. There is no way around it.

The Fauci and CDC-led lockdowns were ultimately used to coerce mass compliance with experimental vaccines

It has been almost a year since NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) first suspended the U.S. Constitution, advising state government officials to lock citizens down without due process. Most governors were pressured to follow the lockdown plan  an undertaking that which had never been attempted before. Government officials from both parties agreed to suspend the civil liberties of people out of an abundance of caution  following a 14-day plan to slow the spread.

Governments coerced people to shut their businesses down and stay home, without a lawful, court-ordered quarantine issued against any individual. The concept of a quarantine was quickly perverted during this time, as citizens complied with restrictions on their livelihoods, even when there was no evidence to suggest that they were sick and spreading any infectious disease. The collective goal was to prevent hospitals from overcrowding, yet nothing was done to help educate, motivate or equip the people so they could overcome a potential infection from their homes. Field hospitals were taken down just as fast as they were erected and emergency military aid, like the Navys Comfort ship, was pulled away after minimal use.

Under the direction of Fauci and the CDC, the US relinquished its freedoms and entered into a state of fear and control. High cycle PCR test kits were used to unlawfully detain people and inflate case numbers to perpetuate the fear of viruses into the unforeseeable future. Insidious controls and mandates were enacted, but they had little to no effect on saving peoples lives; infections continued to take advantage of the malnourished and immune-compromised population, regardless. A network of governors and public health officials across the US concurred that life would not go back to normal unless people were vaccinated. With American freedom being sacrificed at the altar of vaccine experiments, the endgame became clear for so many people: Everyone was being held down, told their immune system is a failure, refused viable treatments, threatened to comply, separated from family, forcibly tested, forcibly maskedall so pharmaceutical companies could test out new mRNA vaccines in their bodies!

Today, Dr. Fauci wants to continue on with the lockdowns for anyone who isnt vaccinated. In a recent interview, Fauci said the CDC will soon release new guidance that relaxes lockdowns, quarantines and mandatory testing only for people who have been vaccinated. Fauci is partaking in a treacherous conspiracy to deprive human beings of their inherent rights so world authorities can implement societal restrictions, behavioral controls and vaccine passports that exclude people who do not comply with the wishes of drug companies and their vaccines. Fauci has continued to threaten and terrorize Americans, as he moves closer to his final destiny. Yes, he will ultimately have to answer for his crimes and reap personal torment for the terror he inflicts.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 09:05:16|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

LONDON -- Another 8,523 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,163,085, according to official figures released Friday.

The country also reported another 345 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 122,415. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

- - - -

BEIRUT -- Lebanon registered on Friday 3,373 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 369,675, the Health Ministry reported.

Meanwhile, death toll from the virus went up by 50 to 4,610.

- - - -

DOHA -- The Qatari Health Ministry on Friday announced 469 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number in the Gulf state to 162,737, the official Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

Meanwhile, 480 more recovered from the virus, bringing the overall recoveries to 152,807, while the death toll remained at 257 for the fifth day running, according to a ministry statement quoted by QNA.

- - - -

ANKARA -- Turkey on Friday confirmed 9,205 new COVID-19 cases, including 649 symptomatic ones, raising the total number in the country to 2,683,971.

The death toll from the virus in Turkey rose by 74 to 28,432, while the total recoveries climbed to 2,556,785 after 10,282 more recovered in the last 24 hours, according to the Turkish health ministry.

- - - -

JERUSALEM -- Israel's Ministry of Health reported 2,738 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, raising the tally in the country to 769,971.

The death toll from the COVID-19 in Israel reached 5,694 after nine new fatalities were added, while the number of patients in serious condition decreased from 751 to 738.

- - - -

KUWAIT CITY -- Kuwait reported on Friday 1,022 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed number in the country to 189,046.

The Kuwaiti Health Ministry also announced five more deaths, taking the death toll to 1,072. The tally of recoveries in Kuwait rose by 1,114 to 177,133, while 10,841 coronavirus-related patients were receiving treatment.

- - - -

SINGAPORE -- Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 13 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 59,913.

All Of the new cases are imported cases. Enditem
Minister-Designate for Trade and Industry Alan Kyerematen on Friday described the One District, One Factory (1D1F) flagship programme of the Akufo-Addo Government as a revolutionary invention, to have been introduced in the country since independence.



He said 139, 331 jobs were created, with a total of 232 1D1F projects at various stages under the programme.



One hundred and sixty eight (168) of the 232 were new factories added to already existing ones.



So, if you look at the statistics, only 64 of the 232 companies (already) existed. 168 of them are new companies, the Minister Designate said.



The Minister Designate spoke about the flagship programme, which were under the supervision of the sector Ministry since 2017, when he was questioned on the status of the programme during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Friday in Accra.



The Committee derives its power from the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and the Standing Orders of Parliament, to vet and recommend to the plenary of Parliament to approve or reject nominees by the President to public office as Minister of State, the Chief Justice or any other office specified by the 1992 Constitution.



The Minister Designate disclosed that 76 of the projects were currently operational whilst 107 of the projects were under construction.



Forty-nine (49) projects are ready for construction to commence within the first half of the year.



The 1D1F is a Government of Ghana policy, aimed at creating jobs for Ghanaians through the setting up of factories and industries, which will in turn move the country towards industrialization.



The policy was first introduced to Ghanaians in 2016 as part of the manifesto of the New Patriotic Party, and its implementation started in 2017.



Mr Kyeremateng said: Through the intervention of 1D1F, 139,331 direct and indirect jobs have so far been created by the 76 companies that are already operational. 285,915 additional direct and indirect jobs are projected from the projects that are under construction, he added.



According to the Minister Designate, the 1D1F programme goes to the core of bringing industry and development to the doorsteps of ordinary people and that is why the Government of Ghana is pursuing it with aggression.



Mr Kyerematen who held the same ministerial portfolio in the first term of the Akufo-Addo led government said the Ministry had put in a comprehensive intervention in place to cut the importation of major commodities as sugar, rice and poultry, as the nation spent close to $1 billion on the importation of those products to the country.



We are almost close to one billion dollars on imports averagely for no reason because we have the local capacity to be able to do import substitution to produce these commodities, but this underpins the decision of the president for Ghana to launch a comprehensive programme for industrial transformation, which my ministry has been leading and basically this transformation programme is anchored on two parallel tracks, the Minister Designate said.



There are also interventions to building the capacity of local businesses to be able to substitute imports, and produce for export.



On what was being done to support infant factories, the Minister Designate, a lawyer, entrepreneur, diplomat and management consultant said the government had mobilise GH2.3 billion from local financial institutions and also provided interest subsidy payment of GH230 million.





Source: GNA









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

Featured Video
5 things you need to know Monday

News
MACON, Miss. (WTVA) - A local superstar showed his appreciation for those who worked hard to bring back power after the crippling ice storm that hit Mississippi.

Tennessee Titan, and former Noxubee County High School stand-out, Jeffery Simmons came back to the Noxubee County Civic Center on Friday afternoon to give lunch to nearly 50 4-County linemen.

The journeymen linemen received boxes of barbecue and a little sweet treat.

Simmons also signed t-shirts and gave the workers a chance to take pictures.

The defensive lineman said his goal for today was to appreciate the under-appreciated, which meant a lot to the 4-County workers.

Its a very dangerous job that sometimes we can overlook," explained Simmons. "Lets show these people that we really care about them and care about their job.

Tanner Owen is a lineman in Noxubee County who attended the luncheon.

He expressed how much the event meant to him and his coworkers.

It means a lot, you know, somebodys actually paying us some recognition," he said. "[It's] really really nice of him and the community to come out here and give us food for all our hard work.

Simmons will be starting his third year with the Titans and will be playing under a new defensive coordinator this season.
Sir Philip Green is planning to mark daughter Chloes 30th birthday this weekend with a lockdown-busting bash in paradise for close friends and family

Partying in exotic climes is merely a far-flung dream for most people right now.

But Sir Philip Green is planning to mark daughter Chloes 30th birthday this weekend with a lockdown-busting bash in paradise for close friends and family.

A group of around 25 of Chloes best friends have gathered for the celebrations over three nights at the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa resort in the Maldives.

The bill is not known, but yesterday a source close to Sir Philip, whose retail group Arcadia collapsed at the end of last year, said: Its not a big party.

Unlike other infamous Green celebrations, the entire resort has not been taken over.

For Sir Phils 60th, guests including Gwyneth Paltrow and Leonardo DiCaprio were serenaded by Stevie Wonder and the Beach Boys in Mexico and the final bill was well over 5million.

The source denied Chloes birthday will be a mega blowout with a million-pound budget.

He said: This is just a quiet place to celebrate her birthday with a lunch and a dinner. Some friends from Monaco have come out for a half-term holiday with their kids.

But even a low-key celebration will come with a hefty price tag as a simple burger at the poolside costs 50 and a room is around 1,000 a night.

The resort consists of 96 rooms on a tiny island, which are water villas on the ocean or beachside bungalows, with thatched roofs and teak floors. Luxe bathrooms feature walk-in rainfall showers, with most also boasting charming outdoor showers too.

Kuda Huraa has outstanding spa facilities, a dedicated surf school and resident marine biologists who offer education programmes for guests. There are four restaurants.

A group of around 25 of Chloes best friends have gathered for the celebrations over three nights at the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa resort in the Maldives (pictured above)

Visitors to the archipelago in the Indian Ocean have to present a negative Covid test taken three days before departure, but there are no further barriers to entry.

Under current UK restrictions, the message is to stay at home. Residents must not travel without a legally permitted reason and it is illegal to travel abroad for holidays or leisure purposes. Returning home, UK residents must self-isolate for ten days at home, and show a negative test taken before departure.

As citizens of Monaco, Sir Phil and his family have been living under a 7pm-6am curfew, with face masks mandatory, bars closed and restaurants serving only lunch. Working from home is compulsory.

Travel, though, is allowed, with Monegasques being told only to avoid travelling in infected areas.

In the Maldives, international visitors have to quarantine, but tourists are exempt and many resorts have been open since last July. The state has only reported 60 deaths due to Covid and 19,000 cases.

All visitors have to wear face masks at the airport and in enclosed public spaces  but no such considerations will apply at the resort.

As citizens of Monaco, Sir Phil and his family have been living under a 7pm-6am curfew, with face masks mandatory, bars closed and restaurants serving only lunch. Working from home is compulsory. Travel, though, is allowed, with Monegasques being told only to avoid travelling in infected areas. Chloe Green is pictured above with father Sir Philip and mother Tina

Government advice simply reminds tourists to practise good hygiene and respiratory etiquette and to keep their distance from others. Outdoor gatherings of more than ten people are prohibited.

There is a simple temperature check at the airport. All tourists do have to present a negative Covid test taken within three days of arrival.

Chloe has been dating Manuele Thiella, 34, a yacht broker based in Monaco, since last June.

She was previously in a two-year relationship with hot felon Jeremy Meeks, a former gang member and jailbird turned model.

He is the father of her son, Jayden. They parted around the time of Jaydens first birthday in May 2019.

They were said to be engaged, and although Chloe and her mother Lady Tina got as far as scoping out possible wedding venues, the romance petered out over the summer of 2018.

Arcadia collapsed with gross liabilities said to exceed 550million and 13,000 jobs lost. Asos bought the Topshop, Topman and Miss Selfridge brands and Boohoo snapped up the Dorothy Perkins, Burton and Wallis brands.

The Green family is reportedly set to receive 50million from the sale of Topshop via Aldsworth Equity  they are secured creditors and will be paid before suppliers, landlords and HMRC.

It has been reported that there is a shortfall in the employee pension scheme of up to 350million.

For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe.

Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime.
For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe.

Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime.
ADULT FICTION

The House on Vesper Sands by Paraic ODonnell: Its London in 1893. A lone seamstress stands by a window high up in a house on a dark, snowy night. So begins the swirling, serpentine world of Paraic ODonnells Victorian-inspired mystery, the story of a city cloaked in shadow but burning with questions. Why does the seamstress jump from the window? Why is a cryptic message stitched into her skin? And how is she connected to a rash of missing girls, all of whom seem to have disappeared under similar circumstances?

ADULT NONFICTION

Creative Calligraphy Made Easy: A Beginners Guide to Crafting Stylish Cards, Event Decor and Gifts by Karla Lim: Calligraphy is the key to creating stunning, customized cards; gorgeous hand-addressed envelopes; personalized stationery; unique gift wrap and more. Renowned calligraphy designer and instructor Karla Lim breaks down the complex craft into simple steps so you can get amazing professional results in your cards and gifts while also enjoying this meditative process. Packed with essential tips and inspiring project ideas, this book has everything you need to get started and get creative with calligraphy.

DVD

Vitalina Varela: A Cape Verdean woman who has traveled to Lisbon to reunite with her husband after two decades of separation arrives mere days after his funeral. Alone in a strange forbidding land, she perseveres and begins to establish a new life.

CHILDRENS PICTURE BOOK

Theres a Superhero in Your Book by Tom Fletcher: A superhero has landed in your book just in time to defeat the villain. Use your imagination to unlock the superheros powers before the villain ruins the book.

JUVENILE FICTION

Lou and Pea and the Mural Mystery by Lesley Vamos: Best friends Lou and Pea meet every Friday to plan their weekend. One day, odd crimes start to happen. When clues start to appear in their neighborhoods outdoor murals, the girls join forces to solve the mystery.

Did you know?

The library will have a Zoom program titled Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott at 6:30 p.m. March 9. Contact Sarah Snyder at ssnyder@jaxpl.org or 217-243-5435 for Zoom login information.
The UK might have a new way to achieve technological supremacy: throw money directly at companies. Financial Times sources say the country is establishing a "Future Fund: Breakthrough" effort that would spend up to 375 million (about $522 million) on stakes in "later stage" tech startups. The move theoretically helps promising firms that could boost the UK's standing in the tech industry, but still need a financial boost to compete on a global scale.

Every investment would range into the "tens of millions of pounds" and would be matched by private funds, according to the tipsters. It would focus on a relatively small number of larger companies, then.

The Future Fund could be made public alongside the UK's latest budget on March 3rd, although it's not clear which companies would be part of the first wave.

A fund like this would raise questions. Are there any mechanisms to avoid favoritism, for example? And would residents be happy knowing they've effectively become venture capital investors? Still, this might please people worried that British tech companies might look for outside buyers or flounder, especially during a pandemic when resources are tight.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 06:39:22|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks at a press conference in Washington D.C., the United States, on March 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

"In emerging and developing countries, excluding China, we project by 2022 cumulative per capita income losses as high as 22 percent, versus 13 percent in advanced economies," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Friday called for "strong and determined action" from Group of 20 (G20) policymakers to counter "dangerous divergence" between and within economies.

Noting that the world economy is on the path of recovery, Georgieva, however, note that "uncertainties remain very high," as vaccinations still have a long way to go against new waves and variants of the virus.

At the virtual meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors under the Italian Presidency, the IMF chief highlighted the "dangerous divergence" between and within economies.

"In emerging and developing countries, excluding China, we project by 2022 cumulative per capita income losses as high as 22 percent, versus 13 percent in advanced economies," Georgieva said.

"And we forecast that only half of the countries that were narrowing their income gaps relative to advanced economies will continue to do so over 2020-22," she continued.

Within countries, she noted, the young, the low-skilled, and women have been "disproportionately affected" by job losses.

The IMF chief called for strong and determined action from G20 policymakers, noting that international collaboration is needed to accelerate production and make vaccines available everywhere "as fast as possible."

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks during a virtual news conference for the annual meeting of the World Bank Group and the IMF in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Oct. 14, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

She urged governments to resolve to provide lifelines to business and households, tailored to countries' circumstances, "until there is a durable exit from the health crisis," adding that policymakers should "prepare for risks and unintended consequences" once policy support is gradually withdrawn.

The IMF chief also highlighted the urgency to step up support to vulnerable countries. "We must deploy all tools at our disposal."

"I am very encouraged by the growing support for a new Special Drawing Right (SDR) allocation, to boost reserves of all members in a transparent and accountable manner," Georgieva said.

Georgieva added that the IMF strongly supports the Presidency's proposal on global climate risks and environmental taxation.

"We will play our part in the areas of our comparative strength, such as integrating climate in public revenues and spending policies, climate-related financial stability risks and data," she said. 
. It may be noted that although TRS swept all the polls in Telangana since its formation, it suffered setbacks in MLC polls.  DC file photo

HYDERABAD: TRS boss and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao appears to have taken the upcoming MLC election for Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahbubnagar graduate constituency quite seriously as he has fielded former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao's daughter Surabhi Vani Devi as the party candidate.

Rao appointed three ministers as in-charges for each of the three districts on Friday in addition to local ministers of respective districts to ensure Vani Devi's win.

Incidentally, it is after a long time that finance minister T. Harish Rao is back in focus as election in-charge for Ranga Reddy district. The decision was taken by Chandrasekhar Rao during a meeting with ministers to devise the strategy for MLC polls.

Immediately thereafter, Harish Rao convened a meeting with party leaders and cadre of Ranga Reddy district. Harish Rao was confined as election in-charge in the undivided Medak district, his home district, after the TRS came to power in 2014. IT minister K.T. Rama Rao has led the party in all elections since 2014.

The TRS chief used to assign each and every election task from 2001 to 2014 to Harish Rao, who is known as trouble-shooter and tough task-master. He ensured the partys victory in every election.

However, the latest decision to bring him as election in-charge for Ranga Reddy district has come as a surprise to party leaders and cadre.

Meanwhile, civil supplies minister Gangula Kamalakar will be in-charge for Hyderabad district while roads and buildings minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy will hold the position for Mahbubnagar district.

Local ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Ch Malla Reddy and Mohd Mahmood Ali, Sabitha Indra Reddy and Singireddy Niranjan Reddy were appointed in-charges for their respective districts earlier.

Chandrasekhar Rao has reportedly warned ministers against any complacency saying that the party could no longer afford to lose MLC polls. It may be noted that although TRS swept all the polls in Telangana since its formation, it suffered setbacks in MLC polls.
CPAC: CloutHub CEO announces plans to create 'Faith Hub' on social media platform

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The CEO of an alternative social media site announced plans to create a Faith Hub on his platform to allow people to discuss their faith freely without fear of censorship.

Jeff Brain was invited to speak at the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference Friday to discuss his platform CloutHub, an alternative to establishment social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.

He began his speech by listing the names of people who have been banned and deplatformed from social media. Brain interacted with the audience, asking how many who were gathered at the conference had experienced censorship on social media or had their followers reduced.

After accusing the establishment social media platforms of working to limit what we see in order to impose their values on us, Brain described CloutHub as an all-in-one, convenient platform that enables you to do everything you want on one platform. According to Brain, CloutHub has the ability to create groups and send private messages like Facebook, be a public forum like Twitter, and a video sharing service like YouTube.

In addition to outlining the existing features of CloutHub, Brain highlighted some of his future plans for the social media platform. He discussed plans to create a Civic Hub that would enable users to communicate directly with their elected representatives as well as a Faith Hub that will enable users to share and grow your faith.

Referring to his platform as much more than an alternative to Twitter, Brain contrasted CloutHub with the other social media sites: We promote thought and debate, we dont police it. We protect your privacy, we dont sell it.

Were redefining social media, he said. We are using the power of social media to bring people back together and enable them to connect, collaborate and influence the issues that impact your lives, your communities, your freedoms, society and our country.

Were the first-ever social media platform specifically created for engagement on the civic, social and political issues that you care about, he continued. We need to be on platforms where we can actually engage, organize, mobilize and advocate for the issues that are important to us.

We give individuals and organizations the tools they need to successfully engage, to hold leaders and our decision-makers accountable for their behavior and their decisions that they make and return power to we the people, to reclaim control over our lives, our social media, and our government.

Brain listed former national security adviser Michael Flynn, radio talk show host David Webb, journalist John Solomon, actor Kevin Sorbo and Paula White, a spiritual adviser to former President Donald Trump, as CloutHub ambassadors who are actively engaged in helping grow our platform.

I would encourage you, if you support free speech and believe that social media should become a force for good and a place where we can organize and take action, not just do, but take action and solve problems again. I encourage you to join us in the front lines of this revolution, Brain added. He told members of the crowd to pull out your phone right now and join CloutHub.

Additionally, he urged the crowd to Download our app to ensure that you wont be the next victim of cancel culture. Make CloutHub your platform for civic engagement, debate and organizing with other freedom-loving Americans.

Help us create a new future for social media that empowers we the people to reclaim control of our lives and our country, he concluded.

Brains speech comes more than a month-and-a-half after Facebook banned then-President Donald Trump from the platform indefinitely and Twitter permanently banned his account, alleging that his social media comments encouraged the riot at the U.S. Capitol that took place on Jan. 6.

Another alternative to the establishment social media platforms, Parler, was quickly embraced by conservatives and supporters of the former president but it was taken offline shortly thereafter. More than a month later, Parler was back online.
South Africa: Cabinet approves UN ICERD periodic report

Cabinet has this week approved the submission of South Africas ninth to 11th periodic country report on the UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

This was in accordance with South Africas commitment to the ICERD in 1994, which was ratified on 10 December 1998.

This was confirmed by acting Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, while addressing the media on the outcomes of this weeks Cabinet meeting.

The report outlines progress made by South Africa in putting in place legislative, judicial and administrative measures to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination, said the Minister.

She said the periodic report focuses on the progress made in advancing equality, fighting xenophobia and other related intolerance, prevention of hate crimes, and highlights challenges that still remain. After its presentation to the relevant body, the report will be made public.

In the meeting, Cabinet also approved the tabling of the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid to Parliament for accession.

This is done in terms of Section 231(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. The convention, among others, declares apartheid as a crime against humanity and that it posed a serious threat to international peace and security, she said.

Once approved by both houses of Parliament, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation will deposit the instrument of accession with the UN, said the Minister.

Also agreed to in the Cabinet meeting was the amendment of the agreement between South Africa and the Netherlands on social security.

The cooperation agreement on social security was signed in The Hague in May 2001.

The agreement facilitates the export of social security benefits for the respective citizens.

The Netherland Social Security Policy has made amendments to its export social security in respect to the Dutch children. The proposed amendment is to align the agreement to these changes, said the Minister.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
[February 27, 2021] Statement from Huawei Canada

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - On March 1, and continuing through May, Meng Wanzhou will return to the British Columbia Supreme Court. During this next phase of extradition proceedings, the court will hear arguments related to the four branches of abuse of process raised by Ms. Meng's counsel -- including political motivation, unlawful detention, material omissions and misstatements, and violations of customary international law. The court will be seized with whether these constitute an abuse of the Canadian judicial process sufficient to order a stay of the extradition proceedings. The four branches of abuse of process are as follows: 1. Under former President Donald Trump, the United States sought to use the extradition proceedings against Ms. Meng for political and economic gain.

Specifically, the former U.S. President publicly stated his willingness to use Ms. Meng's freedom as leverage in an attempt to secure a trade deal with China. This misconduct shows that the United States used Ms. Meng as a "bargaining chip," reducing her to an economic asset  a pawn  in a political-economic contest, and deprived Ms. Meng of her rights. This is deeply offensive to the rule of law and th integrity of the judicial system.



2. There were continuous and systematic violations of Ms. Meng's Charter rights by different government agencies.

For the benefit of the FBI and other U.S. agencies, the CBSA, RCMP and the U.S. authorities planned and colluded in an illegal detention, search, and interrogation of Ms. Meng at Vancouver International Airport. This illegal evidence-gathering operation included the warrantless search and seizure of her electronic devices for criminal investigative purposes, followed by various cover-ups and misconduct, including the flight from Canada of a crucial RCMP witness and the destruction of his emails. These repeated and continuous violations of Ms. Meng's Charter rights amount to an abuse of process and justify a stay of the extradition proceedings. 3. The Department of Justice under Donald Trump misled Canada by omitting crucial evidence from the summary of its case against Ms. Meng.

Specifically, the Department of Justice misrepresented the contents of a PowerPoint document that forms the foundation of U.S. accusations. Ms. Meng alleges that the United States deliberately withheld and misstated evidence in the Record of the Case, misleading the Canadian courts. In October, the BC Supreme Court ruled that Ms. Meng's allegations that the United States misled Canada had "an air of reality."

4. The case against Ms. Meng violates customary international law.

Customary international law, which is binding on all states, does not permit a state to assert criminal jurisdiction extraterritorially over conduct that has no substantial and genuine connection to that state. There is no connection between Ms. Meng's alleged conduct and the United States. The United States' charges against Ms. Meng, and its request for her extradition, are based on an unlawful exercise of jurisdiction  a further abuse of process. In sum, the extradition proceedings against Ms. Meng constitute an abuse of the Canadian judicial process and the extradition should and must be stayed. Please see the following statement from Huawei Canada: "As the case enters its next phase, Huawei remains confident in Meng Wanzhou's innocence. We will continue to support Ms. Meng's pursuit of justice and freedom." SOURCE Huawei Canada

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
It may seem like life has always been thus, that we always worked from home, always held virtual meetings with colleagues and clients from our kitchen tables. But less than a year ago the concept of remote working was alien to the majority of the Irish workforce.

Yet now, having acclimatised to this new way of life, our sights are set on the future, on how to utilise our skill-sets in the post-pandemic environment.

Vanessa Tierney is the founder and CEO of Abodoo, a Gorey-based business which was launched from the Hatch Lab in 2017. The name Abodoo is a combination of 'abode' and 'do' which provides a clue as to the nature of its work.

Vanessa explains how the company came into being.

'I was a remote worker, not out of choice. Ten years ago I fell ill and I couldn't commute,' she says. 'So I had a lot of experience in this, and I found there were loads of people out there who, for whatever reason, couldn't commute. Maybe they had young children, challenges with mobility, whatever it might be.

'I realised there's was a gap there so I set up Abodoo with the idea of giving people the opportunity to connect with others who wanted greater flexibility.'

Describing it as a 'dedicated remote working platform for people and business' Vanessa says the original idea was to match businesses with workers who wished to work remotely.

However, it quickly transformed into something else.

'We started as a matching platform but we very quickly evolved to matching and mapping because I realised we were catching really good data around people's desires; where they wanted to live, work, what skills they have, how they transfer skills from industry to industry.

'So we started to produce talent maps for government, anonymised talent maps. This has helped Wexford drive inward investment with the IDA.'

Upon launching the business Vanessa could never have envisaged that, within three years, the entire country would be remote working on a frequent basis.

Yet, recognising that Abodoo's services would be needed now, more than ever, she and her team have sought to make this transition as painless as possible for their clients. Furthermore, they have begun assisting leaders across the world, providing national governments with the information required to get the best out of their respective workforces.

'We've built a platform called geonostics, it's the first dynamic data intelligence mapping platform for government. It gives governments the information they need on the skills of the people,' Vanessa says.

'Because I always say our greatest asset is the skills of our people, really it drives everything in the economy; from creation to inward investment.

'So, we're selling geonostics across Europe, Asia, Canada. The pandemic has enabled us to identify a niche where our mission is job creation and reskilling people, which is really important, now, more than ever.'

Yet even Vanessa, for all her progressive thinking, couldn't have foretold the changes in the Irish workplace in 2020.

'I thought where we are today wouldn't happen until 2030, the pandemic simply fast-tracked it and forced leaders, who perhaps didn't have the trust to make changes, into making them,' she says. 'We don't have to educate anymore, which is wonderful, we can just focus on our solutions.'

One of those solutions is Abodoo's latest project, Yonderdesk, a tool which Vanessa's invites me to view remotely via her screen.

Yonderdesk is, in a sense, a virtual office space, complete with a canteen, a gymnasium, even somewhere to relax with a few drinks at the end of the week.

'We have staff in Italy, the Phillipines, Cork, but we're all in a centralised place,' Vanessa says. 'The idea behind this is when the pandemic's over offices will reopen, but it doesn't matter where you're dialing in from, you can be a in a centralised location.'

To underline her point, Vanessa says that at lunchtime she will often drop into the staff's virtual canteen, joining other members for a video chat and a coffee.

Already being used by businesses across the world, the hope is that Yonderdesk will eventually be adopted by universities, enabling students to connect on a virtual campus.

Despite the nature of her work, Vanessa, who was born in Bray and moved to Gorey with her family seven years ago, is keen to stress that she's not selling remote working.

'That's not my product. My product is employee wellbeing and engagement,' she says. 'I personally think the best model is a combination; in America they talk about the 3-2-2, three days in the office, two at home, and two for yourself, which I think is a nice model.'

However, she believes the rise in remote working will benefit regions like the south-east in the long-term and ensure a greater distribution of talent across the country.

'I think it's going to be amazing for the regions, we're going to have a distributed workforce right across the country, the unemployment blackspots will be eliminated,' she says.

'What you'll find is skills clusters across the country, circled around digital hubs. So, for example, Wexford might become very well-known for tech, Louth for cyber-security and so on.

'I think we'll see industry and education and Government working closer together. We're saying "we can map people's skills and look at future trends to see what's competitive and where people want to live and work" and then feed that data to governments when they're making policy decisions.

'As a result they will know where to plan houses, where more hubs are needed, where connectivity is needed, it's just better for the country over all, better for the small towns.'

Right now however, the country is in a state of flux, our economy on hold while we await the easing of restrictions. But Vanessa is characteristically upbeat about the future.

'I think the opportunity is there for Ireland to become a leader in this new world of work,' she says. 'If the Government really look at regional hiring, regional job creation, we could be the first out of the gates after the padnemic.

'All the big boys in San Francisco are thinking "where are the skills clusters? If we can hire anywhere, where has the best talent?" Ireland has the best talent, if we can showcase it.'

And unlike previous generations, our most talented workers will be able to avail of those opportunities without leaving the country, without even leaving Wexford. 'In terms of virtual real estate we're just at the beginning, the interaction online will become so superior that you'll have to justify why there's a commute needed,' Vanessa says.

For business-owners, the key is embracing these new technologies, adopting smarter working policies from the off. 'Be open-minded to explore everything right now because the world, even in 12 months time, will be different again,' Vanessa says.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Visiting Texas 11 days after the onset of a man-made disaster that killed dozens of people and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage to homes, hospitals and schools, President Joe Biden barely took notice of the mass suffering while offering a political amnesty to the Republican state government. He made no mention of the fact that over one million Texans were still without clean water as of Thursday.

President Joe Biden speaks at a FEMA COVID-19 mass vaccination site at NRG Stadium, Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, in Houston [Credit: AP Photo/Patrick Semansky]

Speaking at a stadium fitted out as a mass vaccination center, Biden devoted the bulk of his brief remarks to touting his vaccination program and stressing the need for unity with the Republican Party. By virtue of his near silence on federal aid to the victims, Biden made clear that the millions of working class Texans devastated by days without power or clean water would have to fend for themselves.

Bidens silence on the conspiracy between the energy giants and the state government to maximize profits by leaving the electrical system utterly unprepared for a winter storm did not come as a surprise. What was noteworthy, however, was the extent to which he went out of his way to embrace Governor Greg Abbot.

Insisting that both the Texas disaster and the pandemic were not partisan issues, Biden repeated his calls for unity with the Republicans and hailed the supposed success of the US response to COVID-19 just days after the death toll surpassed 500,000.

Biden boasted that he had provided millions of gallons of water and 125,000 blankets to Texans, a drop in the bucket compared to the scale of the human disaster. He made no announcement of additional aid nor indicated how the federal government would help in the coming weeks or months.

Instead, he offered empty words. We will be true partners to help you recover and rebuild from the storm and this pandemic and economic crisis, Biden said. He added that his administration was in it for the long haul.

Bidens words ring hollow for millions still dealing with the aftermath of Storm Uri. The nearly week-long power outage, which left more than 14 million without water, is on track to becoming the costliest disaster in Texas history, surpassing the $125 billion in damage from Hurricane Harvey.

Hurricane Harvey devastated Texas Gulf Coast region in 2017, but last weeks storm impacted every region of the state. According to state officials, all 254 of Texas counties were affected in some way by the storm.

According to Texas Department of Emergency Management head Nim Kidd, state organizations reported spending $41 million on the disaster and local governments spent $49 million as of Monday. Kidd told the Texas Tribune that only a fraction of local governments have reported their spending. Moreover, the expenses reported account only for emergency costs. The longer-term cost of damage to the states infrastructure is unknown.

The crisis has not ended for millions, and many may never recover. After the freeze, workers came home to collapsed roofs, extensive water damage, and insurance policies that did not fully cover damage caused by inclement weather. The loss of income, under conditions where the countrys second most populous state came to an economic standstill for nearly a week, is massive.

To date, the Biden administration has granted $45 billion to $50 billion in aid through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Not only is this inadequate to cover damages expected to total hundreds of billions of dollars, but the relief has been made available to only 108 Texas counties, leaving millions of residents without federal assistance.

Biden boasted of the supposed success of his vaccination program while speaking in a state that has fully vaccinated only 5.8 percent of its population. He felt obliged to admit that new COVID-19 variants could result in a surge in infections and hospitalizations.

 cases and hospitalizations could go back up as new variants emerge, Biden said. He added that now is not the time to relax, and stressed the need for social distancing and mask-wearing. He did not attempt to square these warnings with his insistence that schools be reopened for in-person instruction five days a week.

Toward the conclusion of his remarks, Biden extended a hand to Governor Abbott and Senator John Cornyn. Im a Democratic president, Biden said. We disagree on plenty of thingstheres nothing wrong with thatbut there are plenty of things we can work on together. One of them is represented right here todaythe effort to speed up vaccinations.

Texas state government, dominated by the Republican Party, has been caught in a social crime. State officials, in collusion with the energy corporations, willfully ignored recommendations to winterize the states power grid for the sake of profit. The result was a dilapidated grid that could not survive a single cold snap, leading to mass suffering and many deaths.

Texas lawmakers have not given any indication that winterization of the states infrastructure will take priority. Both houses of the state legislature have released preliminary budgets for the next two years, but neither allocate money for measures to prevent another power grid failure.

Bidens olive branch to the criminals in power makes it clear that no one will be held accountable for the death and social misery resulting from a money-making scheme between corporations and the state government.

Myanmars U.N. envoy from the deposed civilian government made a dramatic appeal on Friday for the world body to use any means necessary to take action to restore democracy and ensure the security of the people, while the junta that seized power nearly a month ago nullified the results of the 2020 democratic elections.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun addressed the 193-member U.N. General Assembly after Christine Schraner Burgener, the U.N. secretary-generals special envoy on Myanmar, said the world had a collective responsibility towards the people of Myanmar to help restore democracy in the wake of the Feb. 1 overthrow of Aung San Su Kyis elected government over unsubstantiated election fraud claims.

In addition to the existing support, we need further strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people, and to restore the democracy, Kyaw Moe Tun said.

He was reading a statement on behalf of the Committee Representing Pyihtaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), a shadow parliament formed by lawmakers elected in the November 2020 vote that the junta claims was marred by irregularities.

Akila Radhakrishnan, president of the Global Justice Center, a nonprofit group of lawyers specializing in international law for the purpose of advancing gender equality and human rights, said Kyaw Moe Tuns appeal must be heeded.

The world should applaud the bravery of Representative Kyaw Moe Tun for delivering such a powerful statement on behalf of the people of Myanmar, not the illegitimate military junta, she said in a statement.

The international community must reward such courage by taking up his call for immediate, decisive action to hold the military accountable, she said.

Junta sets up new UEC

Kyaw Moe Tuns appeal came as the juntas new election commission annulled the Nov. 8 election results after setting up its own electoral authority.

The junta-appointed Union Election Commission held a meeting in Naypyidaw with political parties attended by the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and 52 minor parties, but it was boycotted by the election-winning National League for Democracy (NLD) and more than three dozen other parties.

They discussed a new election, which the military regime has pledged it would hold at the end of the yearlong state of emergency declared on Feb. 1, said Thein Soe, the chairman of the UEC appointed by the State Administration Council. He said the fate of those who boycotted the measure will be decided by the Election Law.

The new UECs chairman said the results of the previous election and parliament have been annulled because the State Administration Council holds all three powers of the state, said Kaung Myint Htut, chairman of the Myanmar National Congress Party, who attended the meeting.

Saw Than Myint, chairman of the Federal Union Party, said he learned from the meeting that authorities in Naypyidaw are re-examining the allegations of election fraud that the military and its affiliated USDP raised for weeks following the November vote that Aung San Suu Kyis NLD won by a landslide.

The military and the USDP ramped up pressure on electoral authorities to investigate, though they did not present any evidence of actual voter fraud.

Saw Than Myint said new election authorities would announce details about who and which parties were responsible for the alleged fraudulent activity and see that they are punished.

Former political prisoner and poet Tin Thit, an elected NLD lawmaker who is now a CRPH member, said no one will accept future election results after the militarys UEC nullified the 2020 results.

He also said he will keep fighting to overthrow the military regime.

Political analyst Than Soe Naing said another election in a year is not necessary.

The people of Myanmar demonstrated their wishes in the 2020 election, so a new election is unnecessary, and the militarys new UEC will not be recognized.

A Myanmar anti-junta protester raises his fist in the air during a rally at Hledan Junction in Yangon, Feb. 26, 2021. Credit: RFA





Shields and batons

Military and police forces, meanwhile, continued their crackdowns on peaceful protesters in the cities of Yangon and Mandalay, and in western Myanmars Chin state on Friday.

Security forces used water cannons to disperse anti-military protesters in both Yangon and Mandalay, detaining dozens of people, including reporters.

Anti-junta demonstrators in Yangon chose new routes to avoid confrontations with police in Yangon where protesters at two popular gathering sites were violently dispersed by soldiers and police, who arrested a Japanese reporter, two local journalists, and at least five others. All were later released.

We were carrying out our peaceful protest, and they arrived with shields and batons, said a protester at the scene who did not provide his name. A media man with the word PRESS on his chest was taken away. I saw two men running who were hit on the legs and fell down.

One of the released reporters said police chased down another journalist, hit him, pressed him on the ground after he fell, and handcuffed him. His camera and equipment were broken, he said.

When they tried to put handcuffs on me, I asked them why they needed to do that because I hadnt done anything wrong, the reporter said. I told them I was just trying to get a news story, so they didnt put them on me but took me to a prison van.

Three others, including a journalist, were already in the van, and six youths were later placed in the vehicle, he said.

Police in riot gear also stormed a rally at the intersection of Insein Road and Station Road in Hlaing township, where they appeared to have used smoke bombs and shot into the air to try to break up the crowd, protesters said.

On Sule Pagoda Road, the site of a huge pro-military demonstration on Thursday, there were no police blockades, and a few hundred anti-junta protesters held a sit-in without incident.

Myanmar anti-junta protesters block a main thoroughfare during a rally at Hledan Junction in Yangon, Feb. 26, 2021. Credit: RFA





Arrests in other areas

In Mandalay, more than 10,000 people, including doctors, engineers, and other civil servants took part in the protests, breaking into small groups when police arrived to avoid confrontations.

Police and soldiers guarded the central railway station, regional high court, and the citys main thoroughfares where huge crowds rallied in previous days.

Security forces fired shots in two areas of the countrys second-largest city and attacked protesters with slingshots, and nearly 40 people were reportedly arrested.

In the towns of Hakha in Chin state, police fired guns to disperse nearly 2,000 people who were protesting against the junta, locals said.

In Lashio, Shan state, young ethnic protesters rallied in front of the U.N.s local office and asked for help in freeing detainees being held by the regime as well as local officials and district-level election commissioners.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a watchdog group, said that as of Friday, 771 people had been arrested, charged, or sentenced in relation to the military coup since Feb. 1, with 689 still in detention or have outstanding warrants for their arrest.

The fresh violence followed a police crackdown Thursday evening in Yangons Tamwe township, where officers opened fire to disperse the crowd rallying against a new military- appointed township-level administration.

An unnamed resident said that nearly all local residents oppose the appointments of the new administrators, adding, Thats why they are responding like this.

Police arrested about 45 people at the scene, said high court lawyer Aung Myo Chit.

When we went to the police station to make inquiries this morning, the officer on duty said the detainees had been sent to Insein Prison during the night, he said, referring to a sprawling Yangon jail complex.

Police also hauled away two vendors selling Rakhine rice noodles near the protest site, whose whereabouts are unknown, said Sandar Waing, the daughter of one of the men.

We dont know what happened to them, where they were taken, or when they will be released, she said. All the detainees seemed to have disappeared into thin air. When we asked here, they told us to go ask there and when we went there, they told us to go ask somewhere else.

Police also took money from the cash drawer of her fathers noodle shop, Sandar Waing said.

Some reporters covering the event said they had to hide in private houses for nearly an hour to avoid arrest.

In Yangons North Dagon township, a temporary ward administrator and his nine-member team appointed by the military administration resigned from their positions on Wednesday because of opposition by local residents.

The CRPH has called for the formation of 11-member civil administration teams in each ward, village or township to oversee administrative matters.

Myanmar anti-junta protesters with signs walk along a street near Hledan Junction in Yangon, Feb. 26, 2021. Credit: RFA





Civil servants threatened

Tens of thousands of civil servants across Myanmar who have joined the three-week-old anti-coup civil disobedience movement face increasing pressure from employers who are threatening to fire and sue them for going on strike to support the protests.

The military council says that civil servants have been coerced and agitated to join the movement by disruptive elements.

More than 24,000 employees from 24 government ministries are taking part in the strikes, according to data collected by groups participating in the movement. The strikes have brought nearly all public health services, education, and railway transportation to a halt.

Health officials have confiscated the medical licenses of physicians participating in the anti-junta movement and have temporarily suspended them from duty, doctors said.

More than 600 social welfare workers from the Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population have taken part in the civil disobedience movement since Feb. 8. Some of them say said they now are facing pressure from their superiors to return to work.

Notifications calling us back to work have been issued twice now, said a Social Welfare Department employee in Naypyidaw who declined to be named. The letters said legal action would be taken against us if we did not come back to work by Feb. 24.

We replied that we would return to work only when our legitimate government comes back into power, the employee said. We also have been threatened with department inquiries, [and] all of us have received warning letter that step-by-step legal action would be taken against us.

Some workers have reported that their monthly salaries due on Friday have not been issued and that they have been unable to withdrawal money earned before they began participating in the civil disobedience movement. They said their bosses told them they could get their money only when they returned to work.

Despite the threats, including surveillance and stalking by police, government workers say they will continue participating in the movement.

I have made a decision to participate in this movement until the very end, said a physician from the Ministry of Health and Sports.

I am prepared to sacrifice my 20 years of service and my medical license. I will wait for Mother Suu [Aung San Suu Kyi] to be reinstated. I will not serve under them, she said, referring to the junta.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung and Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
London: How did it come to this? How could vaccination hubs in hard-hit Europe be begging for people to come inside? How could hundreds of thousands of doses pile up when economies are being shredded by lockdowns and patients are gasping for air in hospitals?

You dont have to search far for answers: Europes vaccine rollout has been damaged and undermined by the very same people who had a duty to build faith in it.

Newspapers and television bulletins are filled with reports of people turning down the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine or not even showing up for appointments. There are about 1.4 million doses of the vaccine in Germany but only 240,000 have been put into arms. Two-thirds of the 200,000 AstraZeneca doses delivered to Belgium are yet to be distributed to vaccine centres. Similar problems are emerging in Italy and France.

Logistic failures are partly to blame but so is hesitancy. Doubts were first sown back in January, when influential European leaders, officials and some journalists spouted a series of ignorant statements about the vaccines efficacy and waged war against its manufacturer.
India has emphasised the need for an early return of displaced Rohingyas from Bangladesh to Myanmar, saying that it has the highest stake in resolving the issue since it is the only nation that shares a long border with both countries.

Speaking at the informal UN General Assembly meeting on Friday on the situation in Myanmar after the military staged a coup this month, Indias Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said that it must be ensured that the recent developments in the country do not impede the progress made so far and the international community must encourage and support positive steps.

Also read: India monitoring developments in Myanmar, urges leadership to resolve differences: Tirumurti

Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar, who fled Myanmar facing military crackdown, often considered as "ethnic cleansing" by many rights groups.

Myanmar doesnt recognise Rohingya as an ethnic group and insists that they are Bangladeshi migrants living illegally in the country.

Myanmar military seized the power on February 1, detaining the country's de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The military coup took place at a time when Bangladesh was spearheading a desperate campaign for safe return of some 1.1 million Rohingyas.

Tirumurti, addressing the issue of displaced persons from the Rakhine state of Myanmar, said India has the highest stake in resolving the issue of repatriation of the displaced persons since it is the only country that shares a long border with both Bangladesh and Myanmar.

We have continued to counsel our partners on the need for a balanced and constructive approach to this issue. For this, mobilisation of support for the developmental needs of the local people is crucial. India has been consistently encouraging stakeholders to find practical and pragmatic solutions, he said.

He emphasised the need for an early resolution of the issue of Rohingyas.

Also read: Myanmar's conflict-scarred Rohingya on edge with return of the generals

Underscoring that a collaborative and consensus-based approach is key to arriving at a meaningful and practical outcome, Tirumurti said the international community must work to address the challenges that the concerned stakeholders continue to face so that this humanitarian problem is resolved in a timely manner.

India will continue to work with both the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar to enable the earliest return of displaced persons to their homes in the Rakhine State in a manner that is safe, speedy and sustainable," he said.

Also read: India in touch with Bangladesh for return of Rohingya refugees found on boat adrift in Andaman Sea

Commending Bangladesh for hosting over a million displaced persons in its territory, India said it is important for the international community to recognise and understand the humanitarian burden that Bangladesh continues to face and the efforts it has undertaken to ensure the well-being of the displaced persons.

The international community must further support, financially and otherwise, efforts of the government of Bangladesh and also assist in ensuring that issues relating to radicalisation in the camps and other security challenges are addressed in an expeditious manner, Tirumurti said.
WASHINGTON  The Democratically controlled House approved President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package early Saturday, a measure that would provide millions of Americans $1,400 payments, ramp up vaccine distribution and extend unemployment aid through the summer.

The bill, known as the American Rescue Plan, passed 219-212. No Republicans voted for it, and two Democrats voted against it: Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., and Jared Golden, D-Maine.

The measure heads to the Senate where it faces a rocky path in the evenly divided chamber.

The bill is unlikely to receive any support from Senate Republicans, who cite its size and scope, so the president would have to count on every one of the 50 Democratic senators  and a tiebreaking 51st vote from Vice President Kamala Harris  to make sure its pillars remain intact.

It's a great day for us to take a vote to reduce the spread of this virus ... put vaccinations in the arms of the American people, money into the pockets, children into the schools, workers back into their jobs, so that we can go forward," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said before the vote. "I salute President Biden for his American Rescue Plan."

During brief remarks at the White House Saturday, Biden said he had just called Pelosi and thanked her for her "extraordinary leadership."

The president said the House vote moved the country "one step closer" to "vaccinating the nation," putting "$1,400 in the pockets of Americans," extending unemployment benefits, "getting our kids safely back in school" and "getting state and local governments the money they need."

He urged the Senate to "take quick action" to approve his relief plan.

"We have no time to waste. If we act now, decisively, quickly and boldly, we can finally get ahead of this virus, we can finally get our economy moving again," he said.

The bill passed by the House would:

Story continues

Provide most Americans with another direct payment  this time for $1,400. (Republicans proposed $1,000).

Extend unemployment benefits through August (the current benefit ends in mid-March) and bump up the amount to $400 per week. (Republicans want $300 a week through June).

Send $350 billion to state and local governments whose revenue has declined because of COVID-19 social distancing measures (Republicans oppose any such "bailout").

Allocate $130 billion to help fully reopen schools and colleges (Republicans countered with $50 billion).

Allot $30 billion to help renters and landlords weather economic losses (Republicans oppose any amount).

Set aside $50 billion for small-business assistance (Republicans agree).

Appropriate $160 billion for vaccine development, distribution and related needs (Republicans agree).

"I salute President Biden for his American Rescue Plan," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says before Congress votes on the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 aid package.

More: Senate Democrats seek alternatives to $15 minimum wage in Joe Biden's COVID-19 bill

'The need is real': GOP mayors embrace Biden's COVID-19 relief plan even as Republican lawmakers pan it

Biden and Democrats want the bill passed by mid-March, before the unemployment insurance benefits provided in an earlier relief package expire.

Republicans have lined up in opposition to the plan. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., derided the bill as a "bloated plan with unrelated policies."

Though some Senate Republicans support elements of Biden's proposal, they said the American Rescue Plan includes money for programs with little or no connection to the pandemic's economic fallout. Chief among them is the $350 billion for states and local governments that GOP lawmakers call nothing but a "blue state bailout" for jurisdictions poorly managed by Democrats.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, one of the senators behind a $618 billion GOP counterproposal, said she doesn't expect a single Republican to support the House bill, "even if were able to make some beneficial changes."

The administration has not indicated a willingness to come down from its $1.9 trillion figure, and that's a major obstacle, she said Tuesday.

The bill included a controversial provision to increase the national hourly minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 by 2025 that proponents said was necessary to help the country recover economically but that opponents contended would force businesses to cut back.

COVID-19 pandemic: 5 charts show the wide gap between Biden's, Republicans' coronavirus aid proposals

Surgery for a child, car loan, electric bills: We asked Americans how theyd spend $1,400 relief checks. This is what they said.

Though a Pew Research poll found two-thirds of Americans back a $15 wage, Senate Republicans and at least two Democrats  Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona  oppose such an increase.

A $15 federal minimum wage won't make it into the final bill. Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled Thursday that the provision can't be included in the COVID-19 package because it doesn't qualify as a budgetary issue. That ruling makes it ineligible to be considered with the rest of the relief package under a budgetary process known as reconciliation by which bills can be enacted with 51 votes instead of needing the 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.

Now that a minimum wage provision looks unachievable, Senate Democrats seek another way to raise hourly wages.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., considered amending the relief package with a provision to penalize large corporations that do not pay their workers at least $15 per hour, according to a senior Democratic aide speaking on condition of anonymity, though the details of the provision were not available.

Any change in the Senate to the bill would delay relief because the measure would have to go back to the House.

Contributing: Sarah Elbeshbishi

More: Feds on guard for domestic extremists targeting Biden's address to Congress

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Biden's COVID-19 relief bill with stimulus checks passes House
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 09:41:24|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi(L) hands out items to a student during the handover ceremony of stationery and sporting items along with masks and sanitizers as gifts to Nepali students in the schools located in the reconstructed building of Durbar High School, Nepal, Feb. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Sulav Shrestha)

"Chinese people exchange greetings with families and friends in Spring Festival. I have brought some New Year's gifts to all of you, including books, stationery and sporting goods," Ambassador Hou Yanqi said.



KATHMANDU, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Nepal has distributed stationery and sporting items along with masks and sanitizers as gifts to Nepali students in the schools located in the reconstructed building of Durbar High School.

Education Minister Krishna Gopal Shrestha and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi together handed out the items to hundreds of students in different schools housed in the Durbar High School building.

"Chinese people exchange greetings with families and friends in Spring Festival. I have brought some New Year's gifts to all of you, including books, stationery and sporting goods," Hou said.

Nepali students carry stationery and sporting items donated and distributed by the Chinese embassy at a handover ceremony in the reconstructed building of Durbar High School, Nepal, Feb. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Sulav Shrestha)

"I have brought masks and hand sanitizers to all students today, hoping that all of you could keep healthy and study well," said the ambassador.

The Chinese people mark the Lantern Festival on Friday as the end of this year's Spring Festival beginning Feb. 12.

Speaking during the event, Shrestha thanked the support from the Chinese government and expressed hope cooperation will continue in the future.

"We are thankful for the regular support from the Chinese government and the Chinese Embassy," he said.

Ambassador Hou also announced that Shanghai Construction Group will donate school uniforms for some of the students.

"China and Nepal will always be good friends and stand together with each other, rain or shine. China is willing to continue to support Nepal's economic and social development within its capacity," she said.

Nepali Education Minister Krishna Gopal Shrestha (2nd L) and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi (3rd L) attend the handover ceremony of stationery and sporting items along with masks and sanitizers as gifts to Nepali students in the schools located in the reconstructed building of Durbar High School, Nepal, Feb. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Sulav Shrestha)

The Durbar High School building built in 1891 was devastated in the 2015 earthquakes and was reconstructed by the Chinese government with a cost of about 7.24 million U.S. dollars.

Akhilesh Azad, a school's head teacher, said, "We have got a well-equipped infrastructure with the Chinese support."

"Now we are getting other supports that will assist in the teaching-learning process," the teacher added.

Educational activities in the reconstructed building started from Jan. 31 this year. 
Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union

There are too many people struggling with hunger and food insecurity in our community. At CAPTAIN Community Human Services, we serve hundreds of households -- more than 1,000 people -- each year, providing enough food for more than 10,000-15,000 meals to children throughout Saratoga County. We know that without our food pantry and emergency meal services many of our neighbors would go hungry.



Since the very start of the pandemic, our pantry staff and volunteers on the frontlines continue to work directly with many high-risk members of the public. Since March, they have been considered essential workers and remained on-site, selflessly working to safely provide food and assistance for our most vulnerable.



In many ways, pantry staff and volunteers have greater interaction with high-risk members of the public than grocery store workers, including the delivery of food to homebound seniors. Several of the newer clients to our services arrived at our door when they could no longer work due to underlying medical conditions that made them too high-risk to remain at in-person employment.



On behalf of CAPTAIN Community Human Services, our board, staff, volunteers and the hundreds of clients who access our emergency food and hygiene pantry services each month, I urge Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his administration to reinstate their eligibility as essential workers for Phase 1B of the vaccine distribution. Food pantry workers need vaccine eligibility sooner than later to avoid any unnecessary closures of emergency food services and to protect the health of our staff and volunteers.

Andy Gilpin
(@fidahassanain)

Saudi Arabia says the US intelligence report is negative, false and unacceptable, adding that the report it contained inaccurate information and conclusions.

RIYADH: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Feb 27th, 2021) The Saudi government on Saturday rejected the US intelligence report about Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salmans role and approval behind the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

The Saudi government repeated the same statement it had given earlier, reiterating that a rogue group committed the heinous crime of killing Khashoggi.

The US intelligence report is negative, false and unacceptable, said the Saudi government, adding that the report contained inaccurate information and conclusions, the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said that the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US was a robust and strong partnership.

The reports said earlier that the Biden administration would announce sanctions and visa bans on Saudi Arabian citizens over 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

However, the US would not impose sanctions on Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman.

According to media reports, a senior Biden Administration official with condition of anonymity said that decision did not mean that the US was going to break a core relationship in the middle East.

It was just an approach for creation of a new launching-off point for ties with the kingdom without breaking ties in the Middle East, the official was quoted as saying. The reports said that relations had been severely damaged for years by the war in Yemen and the killing inside a Saudi consulate of Khashoggi, a US resident who wrote columns for the Washington Post.

On Friday, a declassified US intelligence assessment was released which said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman approved of an operation to capture or kill dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

US Office of the Director of National Intelligence said: We assess that Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, .

However, the US decisions appear designed to preserve a working relationship with the crown prince despite that the report held Crown Prince responsible for the murder of Journalist Khashoggi.

Journalist Khashoggi who was Washington Post Columnist was lured to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct 2, 2018 and killed by a team of operatives which the US intelligence report said were linked to Crown Prince. The operatives dismembered his body and his remains were not found.

According to the latest reports said that sanctions would be placed on Saudis including the former deputy Saudi Intelligence Chief Ahmed Al-Asiri and Saudi Royal Guards rapid intervention force after the force was also mentioned in the declassified US intelligence report for its role in Khashoggis murder.

They said that visa restrictions would be announced against 70 Saudi citizens under the new policy in order to stop harassment, intimidation and murder of journalists and activists beyond Saudi borders.
The Delhi Police on Saturday arrested two persons for conspiring to assassinate Kashmiri activist Sushil Pandit. As per the Delhi Police, Sukhwinder (25) and Lakhan (21) were caught by the RK Puram Police after they received intel that the two were planning an assassination plot on social media networking appSignal.

"The staff of police station RK Puram has arrested two persons Sukhwinder, 25 and Lakhan, 21, both acquaintances from Punjab and were sent to Delhi on the order of Prince alias Tuti. During interrogation, it came out that Prince is facing a murder trial and is a childhood friend of Lakhan. The duo were offered Rs 10 lakh to assassinate Human Rights Activist and CEO of Hive Communication India Sushil Pandit. There were provided with 4 pistols and 4 cartridges and a mobile phone containing a photo of Sushil Pandit," said DCP Ingit Pratap Singh while addressing a press conference.

Read: Adhir Ranjan Questions HM Shah Over J&K; Asks 'when Will You Bring Back Kashmiri Pandits?'

Read:Kashmiri Pandits Launch Massive Protest In Jammu On 'Exodus Day'; Demand Justice From Govt

An FIR has been filed by the Delhi Police under sections 120(B) and 115 of the IPC involving charges of criminal conspiracy and abetment of offense, punishable with death. The case has been transferred to the Delhi Police Special Cell with sources revealing that a foreign hand could be involved in the incident. As per preliminary intel, Pakistan-backed ISI is said to be a part of the assassination plot, with network links to a Dubai-based handler.

As per sources, the conspirators had allegedly taken offence to the 'pro-establishment' speeches given by Sushil Pandit at the Jawarhal Nehru University recently where he had also highlighted the plight of the 3.50 lakh Kashmiri pandits who had faced a mass exodus in the 1990s. The activist has also been openly supporting the Abrogation of Article 370 that bifurcated the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Further investigation into the matter is underway.

Read: Letter To HM Amit Shah Urging To Probe Domestic Forces Behind Exodus Of Kashmiri Pandits

Read:Canadian Hindus Stage Protest, Urge PM Trudeau To Condemn Kashmiri Hindu Pandit's Genocide
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
A woman who was one of two people shot Friday night outside a Lehigh Valley Walmart died from her wounds, authorities announced Saturday.

Investigators were not immediately releasing the identity of the woman, pending notification of her family. Nor did they indicate anyone was in custody.

She died at 7:40 p.m. Friday at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township, of a gunshot wound or wounds to the body, Lehigh County Coroner Eric Minnich said in a news release. An autopsy is scheduled Monday.

Minnich said he ruled the manner of death homicide.

Police were called about 6:55 p.m. for the report of shots fired in the parking lot of the Walmart Supercenter at 2601 MacArthur Road (Route 145) in Whitehall Township, according to a joint news release Saturday from Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin and Whitehall Township Police Chief Michael Marks.

Responding officers found the woman and the second victim who had been shot near a vehicle parked in the lot with its engine running, the release states. The second victim was continuing to receive medical treatment Saturday.

Through the investigation, initial reports of a child abduction being involved were later unfounded, the release states.

The release did not describe anyone sought in the investigation, which is continuing by Martins office and Whitehall police, along with the coroners office and Lehigh County Homicide Task Force.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
(CNN) - More new research suggests a single dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine can protect against asymptomatic coronavirus infection, which could help reduce transmission of the virus.

Researchers used PCR tests to screen for coronavirus in vaccinated and non-vaccinated Cambridge University Hospitals health care workers who reported to work feeling well.

Unvaccinated health care workers were positive for coronavirus in 0.80% of tests; vaccinated health care workers less than 12 days from a single dose were positive in 0.37% of tests; and vaccinated health care workers who were at least 12 days out from one dose were positive in 0.20% of tests.

The study, led by Cambridge researchers, has not yet been published or peer-reviewed, but the authors call it real-world evidence for a high level of protection against asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection from a single dose of the vaccine. They noted that the more transmissible B.1.1.7 variant, first identified in the United Kingdom, dominated at the time of their research, and prior infection was relatively low among the population tested.

A large study released this week by Public Health England (PHE) found that one dose of the Pfizer vaccine provides high levels of protection against infection and symptomatic disease, reducing the risk of infection by 72% after three weeks, while two vaccine doses reduced the risk of infection by 85%. PHE's Siren Study involved health care workers younger than 65.

These studies are very encouraging because they suggest that the vaccines will prevent the spread of the virus, Lawrence Young, a professor of molecular oncology at Warwick Medical School, said in a response to the Science Media Centre in the UK. You cant spread the virus if youre not infected and these studies show that the vaccine blocks infection in individuals who dont have symptoms but could pass on the infection.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Single dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine may protect against asymptomatic infection, preprint study says"
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 20:20:38|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BANGKOK, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Thai Permanent Secretary for Public Health Kiatiphum Wongrajit will become the first Thai to be vaccinated with Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine from China on Sunday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed on Saturday the permanent secretary will be shot as the first Thai with the Chinese vaccine on Sunday morning at the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Nonthaburi province, northwest of Bangkok.

Anutin said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and he himself will visit the institute to witness the first shot of Sinovac.

The first batach of COVID-19 vaccines that Thailand ordered from China's Sinovac Biotech arrived in the country on Wednesday.

Medical personnel, led by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, are among the first groups of people to be vaccinated against the virus. Enditem
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.

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.

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 Using Your Frozen Fruit. Join in on this quick free presentation at 1 p.m., Monday, March 1. To register, visit https://events.anr.msu.edu/WinterQandA2021/

Questions, please call Lisa at 989-832-6643 or email treiber@msu.edu.

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/.

Wildlife Wander. Nature is always changing at Chippewa Nature Center. Join an Interpretive Naturalist from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 2 to walk the trails, look for wildlife, and experience the transition of CNCs natural landscape. This is open to participants 18 and older. Pre-registration and masks are required. To learn more, visit www.chippewanaturecenter.org.

Tap-A-Tree: Exploring Maple Syrup. Chippewa Nature Center will be hosting a private tour of the Sugarbush at 3, 4 and 5 p.m., Wednesday March 3; at 3, 4 and 5 p.m., Thursday, March 4 and at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. Saturday, March 6.

All ages are welcome but must be pre-registered. Cost is $30 /CNC members $24. You may register up to ten guests to learn basic tree identification, tour the Sugarhouse and tap a maple tree. Stories and games will be included when age appropriate for the group. Masks will be required. Visit www.chippewanaturecenter.org to learn more.

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, March 3, the topic is Jamming in the Freezer! The session runs from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Visit https://events.anr.msu.edu/InvestigatingFoodwithScience2021/ to register for this free session.

Story Hour. Come spend an hour learning about nature at Chippewa Nature Center from 9:30 to 11 a.m. or 11 a.m. to noon, Thursday, March 4. The hour will include a story, crafts, and other age-appropriate activities. The entire program will be held outdoors so dress for the weather. Pre-registration is required, visit www.chippewanaturecenter.org. Masks are required.

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 Thursday, March 4 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.

Maple Story Hour. Come spend an hour learning about maple trees and syrup! The hour will include a maple story, craft, and hike to the sugarbush to tap a tree. This entire program will take place outdoors, so dress for the weather. Meet at CNCs Log Schoolhouse on Saturday, March 6. Story Hour will be from 2 to 3 p.m. Free for all ages and under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration and masks will be required. For more information, visit www.chippewanaturecenter.org.

Maple Puppet Show. Experience the magic of maple syrup season with an outdoor puppet show! Chippewa Nature Center will host this event at 1, 1:45 and 2:30 p.m., Sunday, March 7. This event is for all ages. Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Learn how sap from maple trees can be turned into delicious maple syrup. Dress for the weather, bring your camp chairs and meet at CNCs Log Schoolhouse for this fun show. Remember your mask and pre-register, visit www.chippewanaturecenter.org.

An Afternoon at the Sugarhouse. During the month of March, experience the process of making syrup from start to finish on Saturdays and Sundays at Chippewa Nature Center. This drop-in program will allow visitors to peek in buckets on tapped trees, watch the steam rise in the Sugarhouse and learn how to change maple sap into sweet maple syrup. The fun begins from 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday, March 7. Masks are required. Visit www.chippewanaturecenter.org to learn more.

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).
Pupils kidnapped from a boarding school in Nigeria alongside members of their family and teachers have been released, an official has confirmed.

All 42 people, including 27 teenage boys, 12 of their relatives and three members of staff were freed on Saturday by gunmen who had been holding them hostage since 17 February.

Niger state governor Abubakar Sani Bello tweeted to say they had "regained their freedom and been received by the Niger state government".

After their release, boys were seen by a witness walking with armed security through a village, some struggling to stand and asking for water.

A government official said the boys were aged between 15 and 18.

It comes a day after a separate kidnapping in Zamfara state where 317 students were taken from the Girls Science Secondary School in Jangebe town.

Kidnappings for ransom by armed groups, many of whom carry guns and ride motorcycles, are common across several of Nigeria's northern states.

The group freed on Saturday were abducted from the Government Science secondary school in the Kagara district of Niger state at around 2am on 17 February.

After overwhelming security guards, the assailants killed one boy before kidnapping 47 people inside the school.

The 317 taken in Zamfara state on Friday are still missing.

Nigeria has seen several such attacks and kidnappings over the years, notably the mass abduction in April 2014 by jihadist group Boko Haram of 276 girls from a secondary school in Chibok, Borno state.

More than a hundred of those girls are still missing.

Recent attacks have raised concerns about rising violence by armed gangs and Islamist insurgents in Nigeria.

The unrest has become a political problem for President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired general and former military ruler who has faced mounting criticism in recent months over high-profile attacks by the gangs known locally as "bandits".

Mr Buhari replaced his long-standing military chiefs this month amid worsening violence across the country.

Violence and insecurity have compounded the economic challenges faced by citizens in Africa's most populous country and top oil exporter, which is struggling to cope with a fall in revenue due to a slump in prices, as well as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th February, 2021) Terrorist militants ambushed an army base located in Mali's central Macina Cercle area, fleeing the scene as clashes ensued and leaving behind a large improvised explosive device, the Malian armed forces (FAMa) said on Saturday.

"Overnight from February 26 to 27, around 2:10 a.m. [2:10 GMT], the #FAMa from the security post of #Saye [village] in #Macina Cercle reacted strongly to an attack by armed terrorist groups," the army said on Twitter.

As an "intense fighting" followed, the terrorist militants fled the scene, leaving behind an improvised explosive device consisting of two 5-liter [169 oz] cans filled with explosives," a follow-up tweet read.

Mali has been plunged into a security crisis since 2012, when a separatist uprising in the country's north grew into a full-scale terrorist threat, spreading to the central regions of the Western African nation. Jihadist groups attack the Malian army and the forces of its allies from the G5 Sahel bloc, as well as European troops, on a regular basis.
A corrections officer who conspired to smuggle heroin, methamphetamine and cellphones into Oregons womens prison and also had sex with an inmate was sentenced Friday to a year and four months in federal prison.

Richard Steven Alberts II, 32, of Sherwood, who worked at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, pleaded guilty in November in U.S. District Court in Portland to conspiring to distribute controlled substances.

He also pleaded guilty to first-degree custodial sexual misconduct, a felony, in Washington County Circuit Court, under a global plea agreement. The sexual misconduct charge doesnt involve the use of force but recognizes that the guard held an inherently coercive role in regard to the inmate, according to the prosecutor.

The sentence, jointly recommended by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel and Alberts defense lawyer, marks a slight departure from their initial negotiated agreement, which called for a sentence of one year and one day.

When Alberts entered his guilty plea last year, U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon indicated the one-year sentence didnt seem sufficient to him.

Stephen J. Doyle, Alberts lawyer, told the court that his client didnt receive any money for the drugs smuggled into prison. He wasnt driven by money but by love, Doyle said.

He said Alberts smuggled in a total of six grams of heroin, less than a gram of methamphetamine and two cellphones.

Alberts became involved in an ill-advised romantic relationship with an inmate, evidenced partly by the large amount of written communications exchanged between the two, Doyle said.

He lost his job and severely damaged his marriage, Doyle said.

Defendant had convinced himself he was in love with a young inmate and proceeded to cross a host of his internal values and boundaries, Doyle said. The bottom line is that defendants criminal activities were a fools errand committed during a period when he believed he was in love.

Alberts apologized for his behavior and said he violated the values his parents and his past service for the U.S. Marine Corps had instilled in him. He remains married with a daughter who turns 3 next week, he said.

I know what I did was wrong. It was very wrong. I really betrayed my own value. ... I really betrayed my family the most, he said. Im really sorry for hurting them in this way, doing these things I should have never done. I dont even know why ... for just being stupid.

The judge approved the modified joint sentence recommendation.

Corrections officers have the responsibility to guard and protect inmates under their watch, the judge told Alberts.

You had that responsibility. In my view, it simply doesnt matter whether or not the relationship with an inmate was or was not mutual or had mutual consent, Simon said. It is inherently coercive. That is a very, very serious offense.

The judge allowed Alberts to self-surrender to prison on March 8. The judge said hell recommend that Alberts serve the sentence at Sheridans satellite prison camp, finding hes not a danger to other inmates or corrections officers.

After his sentence, hell be placed on three years of supervised release. He wont be allowed to return to Coffee Creek Correctional Institution without prior approval from his probation officer, must undergo a mental health treatment program and any future job he obtains must be approved ahead of time by his probation officer, the judge ordered.

Alberts agreed to resign from the Corrections Department, where he had been on unpaid administrative leave since his arrest on Dec. 23, 2019. He also agreed to voluntarily relinquish his certification as a corrections officer through the state Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian
Fresh details have emerged about how Melissa Caddick spent the millions of dollars she fleeced from investors before her suspected suicide.

The businesswoman disappeared the day after her $6.1million property at Dover Heights in Sydney's east was raided by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on November 11 last year.

Her decomposed foot was on Sunday found by campers at a beach on the New South Wales south coast, some 500km from where she vanished.

Police were called to Mollymook Beach at about 9.30pm on Friday night and will conduct DNA testing to see if the remains belong to Melissa Caddick (pictured right with her husband Anthony on the left)

At least $25million is understood to have been stolen from investors by Caddick who spent the cash on lavish holidays, clothes, and dining out

CCTV footage of Caddick wearing the runners in which the remains of the foot were found

Scouring thousands of pages of documents on her computers, investigators learned Caddick spent most, if not all, of the $25million she is suspected of fleecing from 60 investors - who all fell for her sales pitch that she would make them huge returns.

Her lavish spending includes $229,277 on luxury fashion label Dior, $187,650 on Canturi Jewellers and nearly $50,000 on Chanel.

Federal court documents also reveal Caddick used more than $17, 700 of investors' money to buy Louis Vuitton handbags and accessories - and also spent $52,584 at Cosmopolitan Shoes in Double Bay.

Her fashion budget also included more than $14,000 on Valentino items and nearly $40,000 she used for online shopping on designer label site Net-A-Porter.

Her travel was also excessive spending $63,002 on a holiday to Fiji and $37,283 on a trip to New York.

The documents show she also withdrew $108,586 which was then funneled into her own accounts to use on bookings with travel agents Flight Centre.

More than $55,600 was withdrawn with the note 'Qantas' which investigators believe was used on personal flights.

She also spent more than $5,300 on being driven around - $1,385 on chauffers, $1,164 on taxis and $2765 on Ubers.

HOW CADDICK SPENT THE MILLIONS SHE STOLE FASHION: Dior: $229,277 Cosmopolitan Shoes: $52,548 Canturi Jewellers: $187,650 Chanel: $48,588 Louis Vuitton: $17,777 Bergdorf Goodman: $17,617.37 Valentino: $14,180 Net-A-Porter: $39,575 Oscar De La Renta: $14,180 Farfetch $45,6000 Mytheresa $7,535.50 Hugo Boss $917 Personal expenses: $291,744 STOCKS & INSURANCE: West Court General: $43,087.02 Suncorp: $13,095 Motley Fool: $5037.94 Stockx: $48,303.28 TRAVEL: Flight Centre: $108,586 Aspen $35,151 Fiji: $63,002 Hong Kong: $18,877 Jetabroad: $5,783 Melbourne: $2,651 New York: $37,283 Perisher: $2,042 Seoul: $936.81 North of Nell: $34,223 Perth: $183.37 Qantas: $55,609 Tokyo: $2,141 Whistler: $43,273 Ubers $2765 Limousine in Aspen: $966 Chauffers $1,385 Taxis $1,164 Etoll $1,621 Advertisement

Melissa Caddick's husband Anthony Koletti's $300,000 Audi R8 was seized by receivers last month and now its special feature number plates are up for sale

It's grim news for the investors who handed over their life savings to the experienced financial advisor.

Investors 'were working on the basis that they trusted Melissa and that they could trust that she was going to invest their money prudently and diligently,' provisional liquidator Bruce Gleeson said on Wednesday.

'Unfortunately that hasn't happened.'

Liquidators have been unable to find a single example of a legitimate investment in the name of the investor.

Instead, Ms Caddick mixed 'many, many millions' of investors' funds in company bank accounts and her own personal accounts.

She then used the money to fund an 'extravagant lifestyle' and property purchases.

ASIC had been investigating Caddick for about three months for a range of financial crimes before Australian Federal Police officers conducted the raid on their behalf.

Lawyers for the group of investors are currently working with liquidators to attempt to recover their savings.

However, with a large portion of the money spent on items such as travel and dining out rather than tangible assets, most of the stolen cash looks to be gone.

'There are hundreds of false bank statements, share contracts and share trading statements,' Mr Gleeson said.

'Instead of investing investor funds, the moneys were co-mingled on multiple occasions into accounts operated by the company or Ms Caddick personally, and share transactions did not occur in the name of the investor'.

Human remains including what appeared to be stomach flesh and a belly button have washed ashore on a beach 150km away from where missing Sydney conwoman Melissa Caddick's (pictured) foot was found

The decomposed foot of Melissa Caddick pictured in the shoe found by campers on the NSW South Coast on Sunday

Police were called to Mollymook Beach (stock image) on the NSW South Coast about 9.30pm on Friday night

Meanwhile, a second crime scene has been set up on a beach 150km away from where Melissa Caddick's decomposing foot was found inside a shoe.

Police were called to Mollymook Beach on the NSW South Coast about 9.30pm on Friday night after walkers found human remains.

The group came across a large piece of stomach flesh which included a belly button.

DNA testing will be carried out to see if the new remains belong to the conwoman.

Caddick's case has sparked wild theories as to her whereabouts, but detectives now believe she either committed suicide or met with foul play.

Police suspect the fraudster took her own life, because she could have reached the Dover Heights clifftops - 300m from her $6.1million home - without being tracked by CCTV cameras.

On Sunday, campers found her rotting foot inside an ASICS Gel Nimbus shoe 50km north of the Bournda National Park.

The group of three teenage campers were near Tathra on Sunday when one of them found the shoe lying on the sand.

When he turned the shoe upside down as he went to throw it out, he discovered there were human remains inside.

Police later used footage from the raid of her home - which had featured vision of her feet - to help identify her as the shoe's owner.

They have said it is likely Caddick took her own life after her home was raided by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on November 11, 2020. Pictured: Map shows the distance between where Caddick's foot was found,where she was last seen and Friday night's latest discovery

Days after she was reported missing, NSW Police used modelling to determine where her body might wash up if she had died in the water near her Dover Heights home.

The modelling deemed it possible that her body could have drifted as far south as Bermagui, about one hour north of Bournda.

Yesterday New South Wales Police said they believe Caddick (pictured) suicided but have not ruled out foul play

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing said the modelling was done in the wake of Ms Caddick's disappearance, as crews conducted extensive land, air and sea searches.

In a sworn statement tendered at the Federal Court, and recently made public, ASIC investigator Isabella Allen alleges Caddick hit her with a barrage of questions when authorities raided her home.

Caddick demanded answers on how she was to abide by a court order freezing her assets.

Those questions included: When would she have to appear in court? Where would she drop off her passports? Did one order mean she couldn't use her credit cards, because she used them for all transactions?

Caddick also asked how quickly she had to write up a description of her assets and liabilities, and asked: 'how am I supposed to do that when you have taken my computers?'

The route from Caddick's $6.1million home on Wallangra Road in Dover Heights (pictured) to nearby clifftops is believed to not have any CCTV cameras facing the road or street

The 49-year-old (pictured left with husband Anthony on the right) has been accused of swindling at least $20million from clients, including friends and family, before disappearing on November 12

ASIC investigator Isabella Allen alleges Caddick hit her with a barrage of questions when authorities raided her $6.2million Dover Heights mansion on November 11 (pictured is bodycam footage of the raid)

The investigator replied: 'I am unable to answer that question and it may be best that you speak to a lawyer. Do you have a lawyer?'

It is believed ASIC had been investigating her for three months before the raid.

Caddick is survived by her husband Anthony, a 15-year-old son, parents Barbara and Ted Grimley and brother Adam.

Mr and Ms Grimley are said to be 'furious at ASIC' for the death of their daughter.

The conwoman used investors funds to prop up a lavish lifestyle, including extravagant overseas trips and designer items.

Caddick (pictured centre) is survived by her husband Anthony (pictured right), a 15-year-old son, parents Barbara and Ted Grimley and brother Adam.

Her victims were mostly wealthy friends, some of whom invested life savings in Caddick believing they were making returns.

When ASIC and the Australian Federal Police raided the clifftop home, they seized about $1million in couture gowns, designer clothes, handbags, shoes and jewellery.

Corporate watchdog ASIC said on Wednesday the investigation into Caddick and her company would continue as they try and return funds to investors.

'ASIC's priority is to seek the return of funds to investors in the most efficient way possible,' an ASIC spokesperson said.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing (pictured on Friday) confirmed remains of the missing businesswoman have been found on the NSW far south coast. Also pictured is an exhausted looking Gretchen Atkins (left), the detective who has led the investigation

If Ms Caddick had been found alive, NSW police would have been able to arrest the high-flying financial fraudster.

Liquidators allege the self-styled financial adviser 'meticulously and systematically' deceived those who entrusted millions of investment dollars to her over seven years, then used the money to fund her lavish lifestyle.

'Melissa's family were informed of the identification last night and are obviously distressed,' NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing told reporters on Friday.

'Police have always kept an open mind in relation to what the circumstances were for her disappearance, including the fact that Melissa may have taken her own life.'

Campers found a decomposed foot and ASICS shoe washed up on Bournda Beach (pictured) on the NSW far south coast near Tathra

One of the investor victims ripped off by Ms Caddick reacted with shock when told by 2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham.

Cheryl Kraft Reid entrusted almost $1million of her superannuation with Ms Caddick, whom she considered as a friend and last heard from two months prior to her disappearance.

'Wow, that's a sad tragic outcome for her son but its also just a sad tragic outcome for us because we just don't get closure,' Ms Kraft Reid told the radio program.

'Besides the news we're unlikely to see any return of that, it's pretty devastating.'

'It's not just the money, it's the consequences of what's happened to us and for the many years we've worked for zero returns because she decided to live an entitled and frivolous life.'

Melissa Caddick's husband Anthony Koletti (pictured left with Melissa) and her family were informed of the confirmation of her remains on Thursday night

Eltizam Asset Management Group, one of the leading physical asset management companies in the UAE, formally announced its acquisition of technology company Orion Systems to form OrionTEK in a move that is expected to add $120 million to the Groups future revenues.

OrionTEK, which was established to design and deploy solutions that disrupt how physical assets are operated and managed, is a part of Eltizams revenue diversification strategy with Proptech as a key future focus area and revenue driver.

The move also accelerates the digital transformation of the Groups businesses, which will be at the center of Eltizams strategy to leverage the next-generation Internet of Things (IoT) technology to transform the efficiency of security, maintenance and energy management processes in the built environment.

Building on its expertise in rolling out security and information technology (IT) systems integration, airport, cybersecurity and smart asset solutions, OrionTEK will work with Eltizams in-house experts to develop new solutions for security management, energy management and predictive maintenance. The overall goal is to offer solutions that significantly improve how buildings are managed.

Employing a young and motivated team of technology experts focused on the built environment, OrionTEK is at the forefront of technology innovation and the latest industry trends. This has enabled them to deliver customised solutions across four continents for some heavyweight clients, including major international airports, global e-commerce giants and leading real estate developers.

Chris Roberts, CEO, Eltizam, said: Advanced technologies continue to disrupt industries worldwide, paving the way for fresh opportunities for business success, and the built environment is no exception. As a leading provider of asset management services, we want to not only be part of this transition to the digital world but also to be at the forefront of this movement.

Elizams digital transformation efforts are pivotal to the Technology pillar of its Get Wonky culture, an organisational and business enhancement framework. Get Wonky was launched to enhance customer experience, inspire excellence within the Groups workforce, highlight its treasured values and sustain revenue growth and strong performance.

We are pleased to have OrionTEK and its team of young tech professionals on board as part of Eltizam. With OrionTEK, which also operates in Australasia, UK and Europe, we can fast-track our vision of providing highly efficient services backed by innovative technologies and creating maximum value for our clients at minimum costs, Roberts added.

Fred Durnford, General Manager, OrionTEK, said: We are very proud that Elizam has recognised our achievements as a business organisation. We are excited about the beginning of this new chapter in OrionTEKs history. The partnership will allow us to fast-track our development of world-class smart building technology and accelerate our growth throughout the region.

The latest acquisition is expected to solidify Eltizams position as the leading asset management company in the Middle East, as well as bolster its footprint and influence across the region in line with the companys expansion strategy.

Keeping pace with the rapid digital developments and their varied applications, OrionTEK will help lay the groundwork for Eltizam to be future-proof. It will enable the Group to effectively adapt to the changes brought about by relevant technological advances and projects that are redefining the industry and the whole of the global built environment community.

The acquisition deal has been facilitated by Atomium Group DWC on behalf of Orion Systems.-- Tradearabia News Service
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy is sorry.

Just what the Madisonville Republican is sorry for is, well, complicated.

Thursday, the Washington news site Politico wrote that Kennedy apologized for calling Neera Tanden, President Joe Bidens nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget, a "whack job." But that was actually a term hed used to describe another embattled Biden nominee for another office, according to a subsequent version updated "to reflect that Kennedy misspoke in the interview about the Biden nominee he criticized."

I guess when you insult so many people in so many ways, it can be a little hard to keep track.

Kennedys apology was really meant for U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, whos facing Senate confirmation to be the new administrations secretary of the Interior. Kennedy had referred to Haaland as a "a neo-socialist, left-of-Lenin whack job," but said he later felt bad about it.

"I was searching for a word for extremist, which I think is more neutral," Kennedy said. "And I should have said extremist. I never should have said whack job."

So that, presumably, means hes not sorry for the neo-socialist, left-of-Lenin part. Or for what he actually did say about Tanden, which is that theres concern that her "allegiance is not to America and it's not to President Biden, it's to Secretary (Hillary) Clinton."

Or for some of Kennedys other greatest hits, like when he said it must "suck" to be as "dumb" as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, or the time in 2019 when he called members of the so-called Squad "whack jobs" (theres that term again) who are "the reason that there are directions on a shampoo bottle."

Regular followers of Kennedys Capitol Hill antics, of course, know him to be quick to criticize colorfully. But you wouldnt have gotten that from watching his questioning of Tanden during her hearing before the Senate Budget Committee, when he claimed to be deeply disappointed in her past mean tweets.

"I have to tell you, I'm very disturbed about your personal comments about people," Kennedy said. "And it's not just one or two, I think you deleted about a thousand tweets. It wasn't just about Republicans. And I don't mind disagreements on policy, I think that's great, I love the dialectic, but the comments were personal. I mean, you called Senator (Bernie) Sanders everything but 'an ignorant slut.' "

So there you have it. Kennedy is absolutely against taking personal shots at fellow politicians.

Good thing he cleared that up.
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.
Rishi Sunak: Ready to help stoke a post-lockdown boom

The Government is expected to follow up its successful vaccine programme with a feel-good giveaway Budget to stimulate an economic recovery from the pandemic.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is apparently prepared to help stoke a post-lockdown boom, and put off tax rises to pay the mammoth Covid-19 bill - at least for a while.

But we might find an open-handed Budget is followed by a more sober 'Tax Day', a newly-introduced date in the financial calendar scheduled for 23 March, when consultations on future tax raids could be revealed.

These might be trailed for implementation in a (hopefully) post-pandemic April 2022, giving the country plenty of time to think and argue over how the Treasury plans to replenish its coffers.

Below, we look at some of the key issues affecting Britons' personal finances that could come up when Sunak delivers the Budget on Wednesday, 3 March.

Universal Credit

The Chancellor's effort to axe the 20-a-week boost to Universal Credit in the Budget appears to have failed following a revolt from his own backbenchers.

The 20 'temporary' uplift announced last year is now likely be extended for another 12 months, after the Government's plan to end it in April ran into internal as well as Labour opposition.

The top-up, which adds more than 1,000 a year to the benefits of a single person aged 25 or over, could cost 6.4billion if prolonged on that timetable, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Benefit boosts collectively cost the Treasury 8.3billion in 2020-21, while the price of the Universal Credit extension was described as 'the equivalent of putting 1p on income tax and adding 5p a litre on fuel duty' by Tory allies of the Chancellor.

But MPs called for the Government to extend the uplift for at least a year to support benefit claimants, whose number has risen 109 per cent since last March.

Pensions

The lifetime allowance, which is the total amount you can pay into a pension and still get tax relief, could be frozen at 1,073,100 for the rest of this parliament.

This move would affect higher earners who are still saving for retirement, particularly those in final salary pension schemes, like doctors and headteachers.

The 'triple lock' guaranteeing annual rises of at least 2.5 per cent in the state pension looks safe for now as Prime Minister Boris Johnson seems determined to stand by this election commitment.

Speculation about a raid on pension tax breaks for higher earners has surfaced again, but any plans seem more likely to be put out for consultation or simply delayed until later in the year.

Pensions tax relief allows everyone to save for retirement out of untaxed income, which means you get a bigger sweetener the more you earn.

Clawing billions of pounds from people's future retirement savings might tempt the Chancellor, but it would be unpopular and extremely challenging to implement at a time when it still needs to engineer a recovery from the pandemic.

The 25 per cent tax-free pension lump sum is also probably too beloved and hard to reform to become a target, at least for now.

But Sunak might look at taxing inherited pensions left to anyone but a spouse.

At present, beneficiaries either pay no tax if the owner dies before age 75, or their normal income tax rate if they are 75 or over.

Sean McCann, of NFU Mutual, says: 'Pensions normally escape the inheritance tax net, but the huge amounts of wealth held in pension funds may be a tempting target for the Treasury.

'Inheritance tax is normally charged at 40 per cent but even a 10 per cent charge on pension funds not left to a spouse or civil partner would raise a significant amount.'

Investments

The Government's tax officials drew up a blueprint last year to raise a 'substantial' amount from the wealthiest taxpayers with a capital gains tax overhaul that would hit stock market investments.

This floated hiking capital gain tax to income tax levels, and slashing the annual tax-free amount from 12,300 to as low as 2,000.

Such measures would amount to a substantial raid on profits made from any investments held outside of an Isa or pension.

The move could see the tax rate on capital gains rocket from the current 20 per cent on investments such as shares and investment funds to 40 per cent for higher rate taxpayer. For basic rate taxpayers it would double from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.

The potential impact of CGT changes on second property and buy-to-let owners is looked at below.

Even if he doesn't attempt to revamp CGT, the Chancellor could be minded to tinker with the dividend allowance, which is currently 2,000 a year.

Meanwhile, Sunak has reportedly rejected the idea of a one-off wealth tax on people with assets of more than 500,000 because it would be 'un-Conservative'.

Stamp duty: Waiver applies to the first 500,000 portion of a home's purchase price.

Property

There has been widespread speculation that the Chancellor will extend the stamp duty holiday from March 31 to the middle of May or end of June.

This would allow any property sales agreed to complete, and save people up to 15,000 on their stamp duty bill.

Delays in the transaction pipeline may see some of these sales fall through if the stamp duty holiday is not extended.

The stamp duty waiver applies to the first 500,000 portion of a home's purchase price.

The Chancellor has also been looking at capital gains tax, something that could have a big impact on landlords and those with holiday homes.

This is because the tax is levied on the gains made from the sale of buy-to-let properties and second homes. It is not currently levied on main residences.

Capital gains tax is traditionally taxed at lower levels than income tax. On the sale of second homes and buy-to-let properties, the rates stand at 18 per cent for basic rate taxpayers and 28 per cent for higher rate or additional rate taxpayers.

If an increase in capital gains tax was introduced to bring it into line with income tax, the rates on these types of second properties could rise to 20 per cent and 40 per cent, and 45 per cent for the highest earners.

Help for younger savers: Treasury could consider extending the reduction in the Lifetime Isa withdrawal penalty

Savings

Savers received little in last year's Budget, and could be short changed again.

'I suspect there will be nothing of interest to savers sadly,' says James Blower, an industry analyst and founder of The Savings Guru.

That is unless the Treasury heeds the Labour Party's call for a 'British Recovery Bond' to use Britain's 125billion lockdown cash pile to finance investment after the pandemic.

'I thought they might launch a "coronavirus bond" at the beginning of all this, like they've done in the past after the wars,' says Anna Bowes, co-founder of the analyst Savings Champion.

The Treasury could also consider extending the reduction in the Lifetime Isa withdrawal penalty from 25 per cent to 20 per cent, currently due to end in April, after a petition calling for it to be cut permanently received more than 16,000 signatures.

The sole giveaway to savers in the 2020 Budget was an increase in the tax-free Junior Isa allowance from 4,368 to 9,000. Official figures which would show how much of an impact this had have yet to be released.

VAT cut for hospitality

The Treasury's temporary cut to VAT to help boost a hospitality and tourism sector heavily hit by the pandemic could be extended.

First announced last July, the reduction to 5 per cent, down from 20 per cent, had previously been extended from mid-January until the end of March.

'It seems likely that the VAT cut for tourism and hospitality will be extended', says Jon Hickman, corporate tax partner at BDO.

Kendra Hann, a tax partner at Deloitte, agrees the tax cut worth 2.54billion is likely to be extended for a short period.

'These businesses are still being impacted more than most by lockdown restrictions and this could help to ease the burden once they begin reopening', she says.

Under the Prime Minister's roadmap out of lockdown, hospitality venues are not expected to fully reopen until 21 June at the earliest.

The tax cut and the Government's VAT deferral for businesses, announced last March, helped reduce HMRC's tax take by 12.1 per cent in the year to January 2021 compared to the same month a year earlier.

However it remains to be seen if the rules attached to the cut are adjusted along with any extension.

Climate change: Green issues could be highlighted in the Budget in preparation for the COP26 meeting in Glasgow this November

Students

With campuses closed and many students paying more than 9,000 a year to study from their bedrooms, the 2020-21 academic year has been a miserable one for university freshers.

Students have been hit hard financially, with rent bills still due at the same time as part-time jobs, and in some cases their parents' income, have dried up.

Close to 1billion has been spent on unused university accommodation since September, according to a survey by money site Save the Student.

Half of the 1,355 students polled were struggling with rent and only 6 per cent were able to get a refund from private landlords.

There have been calls for the Government to underwrite rent payments owed by disadvantaged students and set up a 700million hardship fund, while a petition calling for a partial refund of tuition fees received more than 270,000 signatures.

However, although the Department for Education has provided 70million to 'students most in need', there does not seem to be a great expectation more will be announced in the Budget.

'I have to be honest and say that whilst we are hoping for some sort of help for students I'm not holding my breath, Save the Student's Jake Butler told This is Money.

'I get a sense that the Government are hoping the new academic year will come around and that this situation will be forgotten or kept quiet enough until it goes away.'

Climate change

Green issues could be highlighted in the Budget as the COP26 meeting will be held in Glasgow this November.

A carbon tax may be introduced but if not, then to accompany the new plastic packaging tax there may well be consultations on new levies on single use items so they can also take effect from April 2022.

Alcohol duty: Nightclub and pub industry will shortly be emerging from lockdown

Sin taxes

These are an obvious and easy way for the Chancellor to raise some cash, but it's unclear whether we'll see a blanket sin tax hike since plans to increase duties on beer, cider, wine and spirits were scrapped last March.

Raising taxes on tobacco and alcohol would be an unpopular move due to the impact on the hospitality, nightclub, and pub industry, which will shortly be emerging from lockdown.

But Chris Snowden, head of lifestyle economics Institute of Economic Affairs, points out that the rate freeze last year hasn't penalised the government and the industry, saying: 'For spirits, for example, revenue went up 25 per cent in January this year so the government should learn lessons from that.'

Meanwhile, tobacco prices went up twice last year and Simon Clark, director of smokers' lobby group Forest, says: 'Common sense suggests this is no time for yet another increase in the cost of tobacco.

'Tobacco taxes are already at punitive levels in the UK. Increasing tobacco duty again would discriminate against the less well-off at a time many people are already struggling.'

Small businesses

Reports suggest a rise in corporation tax from 19 per cent to 23 or 24 per cent is on the cards, but small business support groups and campaigners have called for any increase to be targeted towards bigger firms.

Meanwhile there are concerns that possible capital gains tax reforms could harm business growth and investment, precisely when the country needs it most.

What small businesses really want is greater certainty about what reopening the economy will look like, and what financial support will be available until we reach a recovery.

Michelle Ovens, of Small Business Britain, says: 'Measures to reduce their costs, like an extension to furlough and the business rates holiday, cuts to VAT rates and other help to pay bills through extensions to local grants and the Bounce Back Loan scheme, will all be welcome.'

Driving taxes: Car owners will be keeping an eye out for any update on a road pricing scheme

Fuel duty

The big question for motorists is whether the Chancellor will bring to an end the decade-long freeze on fuel duty, with the tax on petrol and diesel held at 57.95p per litre since 2011.

Reports suggest the Treasury has been calling for fuel duty to be increased for years, but lobbying by campaign groups has prevented this from happening.

While hiking a tax that's been flat for over a decade might seem like an easy way for Sunak to recoup funds, drivers are already set to endure months of higher refuelling bills with the predicted threat of oil prices surging to record levels between now and 2022.

With millions of Britons reliant on their cars for a return to work once lockdown measures are lifted, now might not be the best time to sting them at the pumps.

Car and road taxes

Car owners will be keeping an eye out for any update on the possibility of a road pricing scheme being introduced.

Sunak has been tasked with a new taxation strategy on drivers as we switch from petrol and diesel cars to electrified vehicles.

With first-year Vehicle Excise Duty rates based on CO2 outputs of motors, the current car tax system will soon become obsolete.

A number of major manufacturers in recent weeks  including Britain's biggest car maker, JLR, and the nation's most-bought brand, Ford  have outlined their strategies for ditching internal combustion engines by the end of the decade, in line with the Government's ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030.

This could prompt the Chancellor into revealing his intentions on taxing drivers in the future.

In the meantime, there could be changes to VED that affect drivers now. Deep in last year's Budget document was a suggestion that ministers could look at ways of reforming VED so that owners of the most polluting petrol and diesel cars are penalised with higher annual charges.

The 2020 report said ministers would investigate backdated measures, which could see a low annual 'standard' flat rate of VED replaced with a tiered system based on CO2 outputs.

It could mean charges in excess of 2,000 for the highest-emitting models.

Compiled by Tanya Jefferies, Myra Butterworth, Grace Gausden, George Nixon, Rob Hull, Jayna Rana and Angelique Ruzicka
Republicans Need to be Willing to Fight: Rep. Norman

Republicans need to stand up for their values and in defense of the Constitution, according to Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.).

Weve got to be willing to fight. We got to be bold. Being lukewarm is not going to get it now. Theythe leftis so far radicalized and weve got to, on a local level, go to that school board meeting and say put our children back in schools, Norman told The Epoch Times American Thought Leaders at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday.

Norman said his state wasnt shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic but that residents of neighboring North Carolina have faced restrictions.

He has contacted acquaintances there in an effort to fight back against the restrictions and called on others to do the same.

Write a letter, get a group and go meet with public officials, saying no new taxes, we want tax cuts, no new bailouts for governments,' he said.

In one example, he outlined how parents upset over the curriculum being taught to their children could get together with like-minded parents and go to the schools principal and advocate for change.

Its just accountability. Whats the harm in that? How can that hurt? he wondered.

While some Americans were let go because their workplace either lost business or completely went out of business amid the pandemic, government officials have, for the most part, kept getting paid, Norman noted.

We as politicians still get a paycheck. Lets put the people first. Let the businesses operate. Lets get this country back on a sound We the People basis. Thats my hope and prayer, and the only way were going to do it is [to] get active, he said.

Norman, along with many other Republicans, feels the GOP needs to push back against the quickly-escalating campaign against conservatives by Big Tech, colleges, and other entities.

Were gonna lose our republic. I feel strongly that were going to have to get a voice back and not be, just because we get an article written about us or Big Tech censors uswhich I experienced with the frontline doctors on hydroxychloroquinebut weve got to take a stand, he said.

In some cases, thats using blunt descriptions of whats happening or whats being proposed, Norman added, describing government-run healthcare as socialist and against the idea of government existing to provide equal opportunity, not equal outcome.

He also pointed to how multiple states altered voting laws last year to allow widespread mail-in voting and other atypical methods. Judges ruled several of the changes unconstitutional.

They changed the election laws, as an example, in violation of the Constitution, Article One, Section Two, and I think were going to end up in the courts. They, the left, has had the backing and the funding to file lawsuit after lawsuit, he said. Weve got to get the same attitude and learn how to fight because once we loseits kind of like your healthonce we lose our freedoms, its hard to get back. You vote your way in and you shoot your way out. And Id hate to see us become another Venezuela.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
School districts are wasting no time getting vaccines into the arms of educators.

With teachers and school staff eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting Monday, school officials are devising ambitious plans to inoculate their teams.

The move is billed as part of a broader push to increase safe in-person instruction, which studies have shown is better for learning.

Bridgeport

Were working right now with the Bridgeport Department of Public Health to schedule dates and times for staff to come in, said schools Superintendent Michael Testani.

All Bridgeport Public Schools educators who want the vaccine should be able to get their first dose and schedule their second dose within the next two to three weeks, he said.

The district plans to call in teachers and staff who expressed interest in the vaccine by school.

We have a school thats basically all preschool special education students, so that staff will be at the top of the list, he said, as well as schools that have high numbers of in-person learners.

The order of schools will also depend on the number of dosages Bridgeport receives, to get as close to the supply that we have for the week as possible, he added.

Fairfield

In Fairfield, the local health department will host a vaccination clinic on Monday for public and private school teachers and staff. More than 1,000 eligible educators have scheduled appointments.

At our clinics, we dont discriminate if youre from one town or another, but the vast majority of the people signed up are from Fairfield Public Schools, Sands Cleary, Fairfields health director, told teachers and families on Thursday. He added that the town requested additional vaccines from the state for the sites.

Future clinics will depend on Fairfields supply.

Our plan is to provide as much of the vaccine as were provided, he said.

Apart from the educator-specific clinic, teachers and school support staff may also schedule their vaccine anywhere in the state that is most convenient for them, said Fairfield public schools spokesperson Andrea Clark. We are pleased that the state has recognized the importance of providing vaccines to all teachers and school support staff.

Westport

In Westport, Superintendent Thomas Scarice said the district will be hosting a clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday for public school employees in Westport, Weston and Easton. About 1,000 Westport Public Schools employees, and even more school bus drivers and volunteers, could be eligible for the vaccine on March 1.

The clinic had 500 doses available as of Friday, with 250 allocated for Westport, 125 for Weston and 125 for Easton, Scarice said, although the supply could increase by next week.

It could be more, Scarice said. The state indicated the supply might be growing.

Scarice said the local health district is a central player in the school systems rollout. The district will procure, store and distribute the vaccine to the educator-specific clinic.

The districts are following the states lead and prioritizing vaccinations based on age, he said. Some employees have already been vaccinated based on previous eligible groups, and Scarice said he anticipates theyll be able to inoculate all staff age 45 and older on Wednesday. He said they could expand into the next age band if supply allows.

Westport school nurses will administer the vaccine and school staff will do the data entry for the intake so they can vaccinate as many people as possible in four hours, Scarice said.

Monroe

Monroe has also tentatively set up a vaccine clinic for staff from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at Masuk High, with more details to come.

Still planning

Other southwest Connecticut school districts are finalizing plans for vaccination sites.

Stratford Superintendent Janet Robinson told the school board on Monday that the moment she heard educators were eligible, she called the local health department.

Were trying to figure out how to have some hub vaccination times for our staff, she said. We do have seven of our nurses who are considered vaccinators and we could use those for an all-day Saturday vaccination clinic, so were looking at doing that  anything we can facilitate helping get our staff vaccinated.

In Ansonia, Superintendent Joseph DiBacco sent a letter to staff on Thursday saying the names of all school staff who expressed interest in getting the vaccine will be in the Vaccination Administration Management System (VAMS) system on March 1.

He added that hes in talks with the Naugatuck Valley Health Department and Griffin Hospital to set up vaccination clinics for staff.

DiBacco said last week hes communicated with other school officials in the lower Naugatuck Valley about the sites. Staff at Assumption School and the school districts bus drivers will be included, he said, and childcare providers could be as well. About 90 percent of school employees expressed interest in the vaccine, and none will be put ahead of others, he said.

Were not prioritizing staff at all, he said. I dont want to be the guy to decide who gets it first.

As of Friday, Trumbull Superintendent Martin Semmel was getting on the phone with the state health department, and said he had plans to get in touch with staff shortly after.

We do not plan on doing any kind of prioritization as that would simply slow down the process, he said in an email.

Sheltons central office staff will meet about vaccine roll-out on Monday.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  Health care workers who refuse to be injected with Chinese firm Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine will still be prioritized when their preferred brand becomes available, but others do not have this privilege, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Saturday.

Roque, who also speaks for the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, policy-making body in governments pandemic response, previously said Filipinos cannot be picky when it comes to vaccine brand. That pronouncement was criticized even by lawmakers. However, Roque explained in January that only one brand was expected soon, and that anything approved by the Food and Drug Administration is safe to use.

This week, the FDA granted emergency use authorization for Sinovacs CoronaVac vaccine, which will be the first to be rolled out in the country. The 600,000 doses donated by the Chinese government will arrive on Sunday, to be welcomed by President Rodrigo Duterte and other officials. The FDA earlier flagged that the CoronaVac is not recommended for medical workers exposed to COVID-19 patients because it has a low efficacy rate of 50.4% for this group.

Because of this recommendation, health care workers are now given the opportunity to choose vaccine brands other than Sinovac, Roque said.

Ang pagbabago po sa ating protocol, kung ayaw po ng health care worker ang Sinovac, pupwede po siyang tumanggi at hindi mawawala yung kanyang prayoridad kapag dumating na yung bakunang gusto niya, Roque said in an online media briefing.

[Translation: What has changed in our protocol, if the health care worker really does not want Sinovac, he can refuse without losing priority status once the preferred arrives.]

Pero pang health care workers lang po yan ah. Sa lahat po kinakailangan pa rin talaga, kung ano po ang naririyan ay tatanggapin natin. Kung ayaw naman po ay wala talagang sapilitan, he quickly clarified.

[Translation: But thats just for health care workers. Everyone still has to accept whatever there is. But no one will be forced to be vaccinated.]

Roque also stressed that the CoronaVac is safe and effective, which is why the IATF approved its use on medical frontliners, as recommended by the countrys health experts.

Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire, spokesperson of the Department of Health, clarified that while the CoronaVacs clinical trials showed lower efficacy in preventing mild symptoms, it is 100% effective against moderate and severe symptoms. This means it can effectively reduce morbidity and mortality  the main goal for prioritizing health workers in the vaccination program, Vergeire said.

Also in the governments vaccination priority list are indigent senior citizens, remaining senior citizens, remaining indigent population, and uniformed personnel, followed by other essential workers.
Local artists perform to celebrate the Lantern Festival in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 26, 2021. Various activities were held across China to celebrate the Lantern Festival on Friday, the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar. (Photo by Wang Chun/Xinhua)
An Iranian flag is pictured near a missile during a military drill, with the participation of Irans Air Defense units, Iran Oct.19, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Iran Probes Border Shooting Deaths That Sparked Protests

DUBAIIran is investigating the fatal shootings of at least two Iranians this week at the border with Pakistan, and Islamabad has handed over the body of one of the victims, the Iranian foreign ministry said on Friday.

Mondays shooting of at least two people carrying fuel across the border led to protests that spread across the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

Iran said the shooting occurred in Pakistan, but Pakistani border officials said protests broke out after Iranian forces fired at people involved in the illegal Iranian fuel trade.

A policeman was reported to have been killed in the unrest in Irans southeast, but a provincial security official said calm had returned with the help of religious leaders. Media quoted prominent Baluchi Sunni cleric Molavi Abdulhamid as urging calm and calling for an independent investigation.

The body of at least one person was delivered by Pakistans border guards. We are reviewing the incident, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told Iranian media.

Protesters stormed a governors office in southeastern Iran on Tuesday and set fire to a police car, according to videos posted on social media. Security forces used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the footage.

Sistan-Baluchestans population is predominantly Sunni Muslim, while most Iranians are Shiite. Iran has some of the lowest fuel prices in the world and has been fighting smuggling to neighbouring countries.

Meanwhile, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet accused Iran of persistent impunity for human rights violations in regions including Sistan-Baluchestan.

In Iran, an apparently coordinated campaign has been targeting minority groups since December, including in Sistan and Baluchestan, Khuzestan, and in the Kurdish provinces, Bachelet told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva

Mass arrests and enforced disappearances have been reported, as well as increasing numbers of executions, following deeply flawed processes, Bachelet added.

There was no immediate official Iranian reaction to Bachelets allegations but Iran has repeatedly rejected similar criticism as being politically motivated and based on a lack of understanding of Tehrans Islamic laws.

Amnesty International and three other human rights groups issued a statement protesting against Irans curbs on the Internet in areas hit by the unrest, which authorities appear to be using as a tool to conceal gross human rights violations and possible  extrajudicial killings.
Ahead of the vote on President Bidens $1.9 trillion stimulus package, lawmakers have offered an array of misleading claims to promote their position on the bill. Heres a fact check of some common talking points.

Republicans mischaracterized elements of the bill.

WHAT WAS SAID

This is supposed to be a Covid bill. Only 9 percent of it goes to Covid.  Representative Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California and the House minority leader, in an interview this week on Fox News.

This is misleading. A spokeswoman for Mr. McCarthy said that the 9 percent referred to the $160 billion for a national vaccination program, expanded testing and a public health jobs program, as outlined by the Biden administration. In other words, 8.4 percent, or $160 billion of the $1.9 trillion package, is allocated specifically to fighting the coronavirus.

But that is a rather narrow interpretation of pandemic-related funding. The bill also includes other health care spending like subsidizing insurance coverage for laid-off workers, extending paid sick leave and funding for veterans care.
New Delhi:

The income tax department unearthed undisclosed income of Rs 13,715 crore through surveys in 2016-17, Minister of State for Finance Santosh Kumar Gangwar.

Last fiscal, the income tax department conducted searches at 5,102 premises of 1,152 groups during which undisclosed income of Rs 15,496 crore was admitted.

"During the same period, 12,526 surveys led to the detection of undisclosed income of Rs 13,715 crore," Gangwar said.

A total of 1.96 crore income tax returns were filed between November 9, 2016, to March 31, 2017, compared with 1.63 crore returns filed during the same period of 2015- 16, he added. In a separate reply, Gangwar said that during phase one of 'Operation Clean Money' launched on January 31, about 18 lakh persons were identified whose cash transactions did not match their tax profiles.

Also Read: Sebi directs bourses to initiate action against 331 suspected shell companies

More than 9.27 lakh responses were received giving information on 13.33 lakh accounts, involving cash deposits of around Rs 2.89 lakh crore, he said.

On 8th November, Narendra Modi in a single stroke wiped out the old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes to curb the menace of black money and counterfeit illegal money.

The I-T department had then launched Operation Clean Money to clamp down on unaccounted money funneled into bank accounts, post demonetisation. In phase two, launched in May, the tax department had undertaken a rule-based comprehensive risk assessment framework to classify cases with different levels of risk.

As per the classification, one lakh people were identified under the 'high risk' category, 7.54 lakh under 'medium risk', 5.95 lakh under 'low risk' and 3.41 lakh under 'very low risk', Gangwar said.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi: India's conglomerate Reliance Industries has partnered with Facebook Inc, Google and fintech player Infibeam to set up a national digital payment network, Economic Times newspaper reported on Saturday (February 27), citing unnamed sources.

Last year, India's central bank invited companies to forge new umbrella entities (NUEs) to create a payments network that would rival the system operated by the National Payments Council of India (NPCI), as it seeks to reduce concentration risks in the space.

Set up in 2008, NPCI is a not-for-profit company, which as of March 2019 counted dozens of banks as its shareholders, including the State Bank of India, Citibank and HSBC. It processes billions of dollars in payments daily via services that include inter-bank fund transfers, ATM transactions and digital payments.

Citing three unnamed sources, India`s leading business daily Economic Times said that the group led by Reliance and Infibeam was in the advanced stages of submitting their proposal to the Reserve Bank of India.

A spokesperson for Infibeam declined to comment on the report, saying the company was bound by the confidentiality of the process, while Reliance, Google and Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Digital payments in India could rise to $135.2 billion in 2023, according to an Assocham-PWC India study in 2019. Facebook and Google are already partnered with Reliance and own stakes in Jio Platforms - the unit which houses Reliance`s music, movie apps and telecoms venture.

The RBI this week extended the deadline for all parties to submit NUE applications until March 31 from February 26. The report said RBI is expected to take another six months to study all the proposals being submitted and that it is not expected to give more than two new "for-profit" NUE licences. The RBI did not respond to a request for comment.

Earlier media reports have said other parties in the fray include a group led by Amazon and ICICI Bank; another combination led by the country`s salt-to-software conglomerate Tata Group and private lender HDFC Bank; and a venture involving India`s largest mobile payment platform, Paytm, domestic ride-sharing company Ola and IndusInd Bank.

Live TV
5 things you need to know Monday

News
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  Makati City on Saturday opened its pre-registration system for constituents who wish to avail of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Chinese firm Sinovac.

Those interested could visit this website to reserve a slot, the local government said in a Facebook post.

The website provides instructions for prospective vaccine recipients. It said patients who had history of COVID-19 may register three months after they were diagnosed with the infectious disease. Those exhibiting symptoms, meanwhile, are advised to seek consultation in a health center and go through self-quarantine before signing up, and people who previously received another type of vaccine should wait for a month before registering.

The local government said the Sinovac vaccine doses are from the national government, adding it will follow the prioritization protocol set by the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force, the policy-making body in the COVID-19 response. Medical frontliners in private and public health facilities are first in line for the vaccines, followed by other frontliners in the health sector such as nursing aides, janitors, and barangay health workers. Next are people with comorbidities, then front-line personnel in essential sectors such as police personnel and soldiers. Others are the indigent group and remaining population.

China promised to give a total of 600,000 doses of Sinovac's CoronaVac to the country. A fraction or 100,000 of the donated doses will go to the Department of National Defense. Officials said the vaccine shipment will arrive on Sunday, Feb. 28.

The Sinovac vaccine is authorized for emergency use in the country. The Food and Drug Administration recommended giving CoronaVac to clinically healthy individuals aged 18-59.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo said early this week CoronaVac is not recommended for medical workers exposed to COVID-19 patients because it showed a low efficacy rate of 50.4% in late-stage trials in Brazil. But Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire later said that while clinical trials show lower efficacy in preventing mild symptoms, CoronaVac is still 100% effective against moderate and severe symptoms.

The anti-coronavirus shots of Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca, which have shown higher efficacy than CoronaVac at 95% and 82% respectively, were the first two to receive emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. Officials have yet to give exact dates as to the dates of arrival of these shots.
Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

Drilling activity continues to recover from the record lows seen last summer amid the pandemic and oil market crash.

Oilfield services firm Baker Hughes and data analytics firm Enverus reported the US rig count rose above 400 for the first time since last summer, adding five rigs to 402 for the week. While that is well above the record low 244 reached last August, it is 388 rigs below the 790 at work a year ago.

The number of rigs drilling for oil rose four to 309 for the week, less than half  369 few rigs  than the 678 drilling for oil last February. There were 92 rigs drilling for natural gas, up one this week and down 18 from 110 last year.

Texas added three rigs to 197 but is 203 rigs below the 400 at work statewide at this time last year. New Mexico added one rig for 62, and Pennsylvania joined the two as a producing state with a higher rig count, up one rig. West Virginia was the only producing state with a decline, down one rig.

The Permian Basin remains above the 200-rig threshold, adding four rigs for 208 at work in the region, a little less than half the 411 rigs at work last year  a decline of 203 rigs.

Lea County, New Mexico, continued to be the most active county in the Permian with 33 rigs, up one for the week. Eddy County, New Mexico, followed with 29 rigs, unchanged for the week.

Martin County held steady at 22 rigs while Midland County added one rig for 21 at work within county lines. Reeves County showed the sharpest increase  three rigs  for 19 rigs. Howard County reported 18 rigs, unchanged for the week and Loving County had 16 rigs, unchanged for the week.

Upton County, like Reeves County, jumped three rigs for 11 at work this week. Andrews County had the steepest decline, down three rigs to seven.

Enverus Rig Analytics reports the US count is up 4 percent in the last month but still down 46 percent year over year. The most active operators in the US are currently EOG Resources (25 rigs), Devon Energy (18), Pioneer Natural Resources (18), ConocoPhillips (16) and Occidental Petroleum (14).

Since the start of 2021, more than 60 rigs have been added in the US. BP has had the largest increases since Jan. 1, adding five rigs and bringing its total to 12. Four of the BP rigs were added in the Eagle Ford. Mewbourne has added four rigs, three of which were in the Delaware Basin, and has 11 total running. Permian pure-play Diamondback Energy has added three rigs since the start of the year and is now running 10. More than 100 companies have added one or two rigs apiece in the new year.
Daniel A. Leifheit / Getty

The Iditarod (trail) Sled Dog Race, also known as the "Last Great Race," is a challenging long-distance race that occurs every year in early March, beginning in Anchorage, Alaska. Mushers and their amazingly talented teams, consisting of on average 14 dogs brimming with stamina and determination, trek in a sled across nearly 1,000 miles of cold, snow-covered, and often treacherous terrain. Last year's winner made the trek in nine days, but it can easily take 12 or more days to complete this grueling event.

The COVID-19 pandemic isn't stopping the Iditarod race in 2021, which is currently slated to start on Saturday, March 6. Although there will be significant changes to the course and the way in which the teams interact, this year's race will be another enormous fete.

What Is the Iditarod Sled Dog Race?

The Iditarod is a historic long-distance race that can attract more than 100 sled dog teams on a good year. This year, there are 54 teams currently entered in the race including recent champions: the 2019 winner Pete Kaiser and the 2018 winner Joar Leifseth Ulsom.

Each team consists of at least one musher (driver of the dog sled) and 1216 sled dogs. Pre-pandemic, teams would start the race in Anchorage and finish in Nome, Alaska, traveling across nearly 1,000 miles of trail. This year though, teams will start and finish in Willow, Alaska, completing a 860-mile loop.

Sled Dogs as Racers

Despite their very obvious cold-weather-tolerant appearance, you likely won't see any purebred Siberian huskies or Alaskan malamutes as part of the sled dog teams that compete in the Iditarod. Historically, most mushers have dog teams composed of mixes, specifically Alaskan huskies which are husky-type breeds that have been combined with border collies, or other types of working, herding, or hound breeds.

"Our dogs are 'Alaskan huskies,' which are glorified mutts. Their bloodlines are followed very closely, but they don't look like true Siberian huskies or 'Hollywood huskies,'" says Kristy Berrington, a professional musher, competitor in this year's race, and co-owner (with her twin sister!) of Seeing Double Sled Dog Racing kennel.

Story continues

In order to be successful, prospective sled dog racers need to be lithe and agile while still having thick coats and tough feet. They also need a healthy appetiteensuring they will eat all the necessary calories to keep them going on long distancesand the ability to rest and recover efficiently. Alaskan huskies are specifically bred for these reasons. "They are made to run, recover, pull, and withstand arctic conditions," Berrington says. "They love what they do and give 110 percent effort."

History of the Iditarod Race

Sled dogs are often the first choice for transportation on the untamed Alaskan terrain, even today. Unlike man-made vehicles, dogs and sleds are capable of moving quickly across deep snow and ice. Native villagers used sleds and agile dog teams (dog mushing) to work, hunt, and traverse locally and to trek long distances to get supplies like food and medicine.

The Iditarod Race's origins (and name) stems from the use of the Iditarod Trail. The historic trail spans over a thousand miles, stretching from the town of Seward to Nome, Alaska. It was used by native Alaskan peoples as a trading route and connection between villages and trading posts and eventually became a popular path during a gold rush beginning in 1910.

By the end of World War II, the Iditarod Trail was used less and less until the year 1925 when a terrible diptheria outbreak occurred in Nome. In order to save an entire community, 20 sled dog teams transported a life-saving serum from Nenana to Nome, a 674-mile trek called the Nome Serum Run that was completed in an astounding 127 hours. This is where the story of Balto (and more accurately Togo) comes from.

It's a common belief that the Iditarod Race was started to commemorate the serum run, however this is not entirely true. In 1964, a committee was formed to look into historical events in Alaska that could be recreated to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Alaska becoming a U.S. Territory. Dorothy Page, remembered as the Mother of the Iditarod, came up with the idea of offering a sled dog race that could pay homage to native mushers in Alaska. A 56-mile race took place for several years until finally the idea of a long-distance race came to fruition in 1973. With the help of the US Army and the Nome Kennel Club, much of the original route was createdhowever it took experienced mushers and many years to break-in much of the trail.

How to Watch the 2021 Iditarod Sled Dog Race

The Iditarod is always scheduled for the first Saturday of March. There's generally a ceremonial start in Anchorage that day, where thousands of people line the streets to see and cheer on the teams as they follow an 11-mile route through Anchorage. The following day, the live (real) race starts in Willow, kicking off the teams' serious, treacherous quest to be the fastest to complete the trail.

This year the ceremonial start in Anchorage has been canceled for COVID-19 safety considerations. The live race will start in Willow on Sunday, March 7. The teams will start and finish in Willow, completing the first-ever "Gold Trail Loop."

To find out all the information you could ever need, and discover ways to watchincluding a constant live streamcheck out Iditarod.com. While there won't be a ceremonial start this year, at-home viewers don't have to miss out on the event. Footage of the 2020 ceremonial start (last year's event) will be broadcast at 9:30 a.m. (AKST) on Saturday, March 6. On Sunday, March 7 at 2 p.m. the 54 currently rostered teams will depart Deshka Landing in Willow and travel the Iditarod Gold Trail Loop.

You can follow the official Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race from your mobile device. IditarodThe Official App is available for both Apple and Android mobile phones and tablets.

Iditarod Race Fun Facts
It was a dark and rainy night 80 years ago on Feb. 28, 1941. That was the night they scrapped the best transit system Marin County ever had.

The occasion was the last run of the Northwestern Pacific commuter rail line, which linked Fairfax, the Ross Valley, San Rafael and Mill Valley with San Francisco by way of a ferry connection from Sausalito. The ferries and trains were abandoned because people thought they were old-fashioned and obsolete. But as it turns out, the old transit system was faster, cleaner and more efficient than the buses that replaced them.

Even with a ferry connection, the Northwestern Pacific electric trains took commuters from the city to places such as San Rafael and Mill Valley faster than Golden Gate Transit buses do today.

For example, a trip by ferry and train from San Francisco to San Rafael by way of Greenbrae took 53 minutes back then. Now Golden Gate Transits rush hour Highway 101 service is scheduled to take an hour and 10 minutes for the same run.

The electric trains made the difference. Zipping along at 50 mph or so on their own private right of way, they could make the short run from Sausalito to Mill Valley in 15 minutes. They ran every half hour from 5:45 a.m. to 1:15 a.m. The modern buses run half as often and are twice as slow. It was quite a service, said Fred Codoni, a Marin County rail historian.

It all began in 1868, just after the Civil War, when a land development company bought the ferry steamer Princess and began service from San Francisco to Sausalito, then described as unknown country. Rail service to the inland towns began six years later, and the Marin commuter was born. The North Bay has always had an uneasy relationship with the outfits that provided transportation. The early trains, which were steam-powered, noisy and slow, were regarded as old-fashioned, even then.

But just after the turn of the 20th century, two entrepreneurs, Eugene de Sabla and John Martin, took over the decrepit North Pacific Coast Railroad and modernized it. They ran power lines from the Sierra and built a complete commuter railroad powered by electricity. It had an innovative signal system that was the envy of the transit world.

By the Roaring Twenties, the railroad, now renamed the Northwestern Pacific, was booming. Its commute service trains ran to the Russian River, to the Sonoma Valley, and all the way to Eureka, through the heart of what boosters called the Redwood Empire.

On a busy day, there would be 20,000 or 30,000 people pouring through the terminal in Sausalito, Codoni said.

The railroad invested millions of dollars in new steel railcars, handsome new station buildings in San Rafael, Larkspur, Mill Valley and three other towns, and new ferryboats, including three sleek new automobile boats. The flagship of the fleet, the steamer Eureka, could carry 3,000 passengers at once and was the largest passenger ferry in the world.

But then, three things happened: the Depression, the automobile and the Golden Gate Bridge, Codoni said.

When the Roaring Twenties were really roaring, cars poured into Marin, then and now famous for its beauty, a perfect escape from the city. The ferries couldnt handle all the business  on sunny Sundays and holidays, cars backed up bumper to bumper on Highway 101 all the way from Sausalito to Larkspur. Sometimes after waiting in line for hours, a driver in the family car would be told the last boat had left and the next boat was at dawn.

When the bridge opened in 1937, the commuters deserted in droves; financial losses mounted, and the state gave the Northwestern Pacific permission to abandon the system.

It was rainy and stormy on Friday, Feb. 28, the last day. The bay was angry, wrote the Sausalito News. They say it was because they were to say farewell to the ferries that night.

It was an epic farewell. The Northwestern Pacific Historical Societys newsletter tells the story of Jack Farley, who got on the last round-trip electric train at B Street Station in San Rafael.

Everybody and his brother was there, he said. Anything went. There was dancing in the aisles, horns, music and booze.

By the time they got to Sausalito, the train was 16 or 17 cars long. The passengers piled aboard the ferry Eureka for the last trip. There was music, food and beer in the restaurant, the San Anselmo paper reported.

Another crowd came aboard in San Francisco, and on the way back, the boat rocked and rolled, nostalgia mixed with alcohol. The crowd decided to take souvenirs, including life jackets and anything not tied down. When they got to Sausalito, Farley said, every cop in Marin was on hand to reclaim the souvenirs. Farley and his friends boarded the final, final electric train. I got home at 3 a.m., he said.

There is nothing much left of the railroad: a few pieces of track here and there, station buildings at Mill Valley, Larkspur and San Rafael. The ferryboat Eureka shifted to the Oakland ferry run and is now a floating exhibit at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

Some people wonder what might have happened if the Marin system had survived another 10 months, until December 1941, when the attack on Pearl Harbor changed the world. Surely a transit system like that would never have been abandoned in wartime.

After the war, the rail system might have become the backbone of a big-time transit operation and transformed Marin County the way BART transformed Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

They always wanted to bring something like BART to Marin, Codoni said. Thank God that never happened.

Carl Noltes columns run on Sunday. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Carlnoltesf
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden toured the Houston Food Bank Friday, meeting with volunteers and helping pack boxes of food in the wake of last weeks winter storm.

The Bidens stopped by the food bank as part of a day-long trip to Houston, where residents are recovering from a food shortage after the storm disrupted supply chains and power outages spoiled refrigerated food. Even before the storm, food banks around Texas had begun seeing food shortages after the state Department of Agriculture slashed funding for a program that sends farmers surplus produce to food banks and charities.

Jill Biden arrived at the food bank shortly before the president and was joined by Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott as she placed canned peaches into bags for the Backpack Buddy program, which distributes food on weekends to students who rely on school meals during the week. The first ladies also helped pack food for a federally funded program that distributes boxes of food to low-income seniors.

Katherine Byers, the Houston Food Banks government relations director, said officials are hoping the Bidens visit will lead to an uptick in donations, as was the case after U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, stopped by the food bank last weekend.

Byers said she also hopes the visit signals Bidens presidency will bring increased funding for the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, and an extension of the age limit for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC. The program provides food to low-income women, infants and children up to age 5, at which point food advocates say kids can fall into a nutrition gap if they have not yet begun school and started receiving school lunch meals.

There are a lot of working families out there who really are struggling, and the donations help, but there's no way we can better people's lives in the long term by just putting a box of food in front of them, Byers said. We want to be able to do that to meet their needs in the short term. But in the long term, we need to see investments in SNAP, we need to see changes in WIC so we're bridging that 5-to-6-year-old gap.

Food bank officials also are pushing for the Texas Legislature to reverse Agriculture Commissioner Sid Millers move to cut funding by more than 40 percent for the Surplus Agricultural Products Grant program as part of the interim agency budget cuts ordered by Gov. Greg Abbott due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant pays farmers for fresh produce that would go to waste but instead is delivered to food banks. Houston Food Bank officials say they are losing 4 million pounds of produce due to the cuts, compounding their separate shortage of nonperishable food.

We really have faced a major dip in supply, mostly in terms of dry, shelf-stable things, Byers said. It has an impact on our ability to provide healthy nutrition to families and it has a negative impact on our ability to just maintain our supply, because produce can take the place  at least in terms of poundage  of the dry products.

State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, proposed reverting to full funding for the grant program when she laid out the Texas Senates base budget last month.

As President Biden toured the food bank Friday, he at one point stopped to give a pep talk to a young girl who was sorting food into bins with her mom and brother, whom Biden had greeted moments earlier.

My sister has all brothers  me and my two other brothers, Biden told the young girl. She's my best friend in my whole life. My best friend, really. She's smarter than I am, better looking than I am."

The girl hugged Biden then ran over to hug her brother.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
by Bernardo Cervellera

Msgr Ramousse died yesterday of Covid. He was expelled from Phnom Penh in 1975. He returned there in 1989. He focused heavily on the growth of a Khmer Church and on the flowering of local priestly vocations. It was also thanks to him that the Catholic Church is now recognized by the Cambodian government. Collaboration with PIME for the rescue of 2,000 Cambodian and Vietnamese boat people.

Rome (AsiaNews) - Bishop Yves Ramousse, apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh until the Khmer Rouge took power and then again vicar in the reopening of Cambodia (from 1992 to 2001), died yesterday at the age of 93.

He witnessed the destruction of the Cambodian Church during the regime of terror inaugurated by Pol Pot, but he was also among those who returned to the country, contributing to the rebirth of Christian communities.

Born on February 23, 1928 in Sembadel (Haute-Loire), he entered the seminary of the foreign missions in Paris in 1947 and in 1953 he was ordained a priest. In 1957 he left for Cambodia.

At the young age of 35 he was appointed apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh on November 12, 1962. He participated in several sessions of the Second Vatican Council. It was during this time after meeting two bishops from Laos, that he had the idea of creating a Conference of the Bishops of Cambodia and Laos who in an effort to distance the local church from the overwhelming influence of Vietnamese Catholics.

On his return to Back in Cambodia, he promoted the use of the Cambodian language in the liturgy, for the study of Buddhism among Christians, for the translation of the Bible.

In 1968 he was successful in gaining Romes approval for the division of the Vicariate of Phnom Penh into three, adding the Vicariate of Battambang and Kampong Cham. He also tried to open a Khmer seminary, but the civil war intervened effectively bring his work to a halt.

At the outbreak of the war, the Vietnamese who worked in the Church returned to Vietnam and the Christian community dropped from 65 thousand faithful to 7 thousand, including 183 religious, who decided to stay. Most of them will die during the Pol Pot years.

In 1975, when the Khmer Rouge were about to arrive in the capital, Msgr. Ramousse ordained a Cambodian bishop, Msgr. Joseph Chmar Salas, who returned on purpose from his studies in France. On April 17, 1975, the Khmer Rouge took Phnom Penh and a few weeks later all foreigners were expelled.

Later, Msgr. Ramousse will define exile as "the denial of being sent on a mission. We are rejected as useless. And then we are faced with a void. Many missionaries have fallen into depression because they have never been able to fill this void.

While the sacrifice unfolded of Msgr. Salas and all the religious personnel, and a large part of the population, Msgr. Ramousse immediately turned his attention to the plight of Cambodian refugees who fled the oppression of the regime. A collaboration was born between Msgr. Ramousse and the PIME Center in Milan for the rescue of about 2 thousand Cambodian and Vietnamese boat people.

After the fall of Pol Pot and the end of the civil war, in 1989 the bishop returned to Cambodia with an aid committee. He was preceded by Fr. Emile Destombes and Fr. Francois Ponchaud and Msgr. Andre Lesouef. Together and with great patience they rebuilt relations within the Christian community, whose faithful had been dispersed or killed.

Thanks to his friendship with King Sihanouk, Msgr. Ramousse was renamed apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh; in 1994 Cambodia established diplomatic relations with the Holy See and in 1997 the Catholic Church was recognized as a religious reality, and not as an NGO, as it was until then.

His commitment focused on fostering a diocesan clergy, a task that from 2001 was also taken up by his successor, Fr. Emile Destombes.

Bishop Ramousse remained in Cambodia until 2013, then he retired to Montbeton in France. Yesterday, hospitalized, he died of Covid-19.

Eglises d'Asie, the site of the Foreign Missions of Paris concludes his eulogy thus: "His patience, his vision, his perspicacity, his courage, his resilience and his sacrifices have allowed the Church of Cambodia to be reborn from ashes in the 1990s. The baptized young people do not know Msgr. Yves, but if they are happy to follow Christ today, it is largely thanks to Msgr. Ramousse."

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  Metro Manila, along with nine other areas, will still be under general community quarantine in March, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Saturday.

Areas that will also extend their general community quarantine status are Baguio City, Apayao, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Batangas, Tacloban City, Iligan City, Davao City and Lanao Del Sur.

The rest of the country will be under modified GCQ, the most relaxed form of community quarantine.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier rejected the proposal of the National Economic and Development Authority to place the entire country starting next month under the most lenient community quarantine classification. He wants further easing of restrictions to take place after the government shall have rolled out its vaccination drive against COVID-19, Roque said last week.

Government data shows the country now has over 571,327 coronavirus infections, with 12,247 deaths and 524,582 recoveries.

An investment company backed by Lloyds is reviving plans to sell one of Britain's biggest same-day courier businesses for 250million.

City sources said Lloyds Development Capital, a division of FTSE 100-listed bank Lloyds, is once again looking at whether to offload CitySprint, which delivers drugs and PPE for the NHS.

Two years ago, Lloyds Development Capital appointed corporate finance advisers from Raymond James to carry out a strategic review of CitySprint, but it ultimately decided against a sale.

Up for sale?: City sources said Lloyds Development Capital, a division of FTSE 100-listed bank Lloyds, is once again looking at whether to offload CitySprint

Sources said one of the potential buyers for CitySprint may be logistics group Menzies Distribution, but insiders poured cold water on the prospects of a deal between the two companies, suggesting talks weren't taking place.

Menzies recently appointed former Asda chief executive Andy Clarke as chairman and is owned by the investment firm Endless.

Past reports also suggested that CitySprint might be of interest to companies such as Royal Mail.

Lloyds Development Capital bought CitySprint from rival buy-out firm Dunedin in 2016 for 175million. The firm has been growing through a series of acquisitions, including Heathrow Baggage Services.

Lloyds Development Capital and CitySprint both declined to comment. Endless didn't return calls for comment.
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Naranjal/Litoral Uruguay Issuer 2Global Credit Research - 26 Feb 2021New York, February 26, 2021 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings of Naranjal/Litoral Uruguay Issuer 2 and other ratings that are associated with the same analytical unit. The review was conducted through a portfolio review discussion held on 22 February 2021 in which Moody's reassessed the appropriateness of the ratings in the context of the relevant principal methodology (ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. The review did not involve a rating committee. Since 1 January 2019, Moody's practice has been to issue a press release following each periodic review to announce its completion.This publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future. Credit ratings and outlook/review status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.Key rating considerations are summarized below.Naranjal/Litoral Uruguay Issuer 2 Ba2 rating reflects the stability and predictability of cash flows from a long-term fixed-price power purchase agreement (PPA) with Administracion Nacional de Usinas y Trasmisiones Electricas (UTE), Uruguay's government owned electricity company.The project creditworthiness is supported by the credit positive features of the PPA such as no minimum production requirements, curtailment provisions and well-defined termination payment clauses. Nevertheless, given the close linkage between the government and the offtaker, the rating is constrained by the Government of Uruguay (Baa2). Moody's acknowledges in the rating the plants' improved performance against 1H19 levels but remains slightly below budget, after the culmination of a maintenance recovery plan to address underperformance issues.At the same time, Naranjal/Litoral Uruguay financial structure holds typical project finance protections, but the rating is limited by a relatively high leverage that results in credit metrics that are consistent with lower rating categories. The notching applied between the senior and subordinated debt ratings incorporates the existence of a distribution test that could stop payments of the subordinated debt should the SDSCR in any year be below 1.20 times. While the existence of a twelve-month debt service reserve account mitigates default risk, the two-notch difference in the ratings between the senior and the subordinated notes reflect this potential restriction on cash flows for the subordinated debt.This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.The principal methodology used for this review was Power Generation Projects Methodology published in July 2020. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.This announcement applies only to EU rated, UK rated, EU endorsed and UK endorsed ratings. Non EU rated, non UK rated, non EU endorsed and non UK endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history. Ursula Cassinerio Analyst Project & Infrastructure Finance JOURNALISTS: 1 800 666 3506 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Michael J. Mulvaney MD - Project Finance Project & Infrastructure Finance JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653  2021 Moodys Corporation, Moodys Investors Service, Inc., Moodys Analytics, Inc. and/or their licensors and affiliates (collectively, MOODYS). All rights reserved.CREDIT RATINGS ISSUED BY MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS AFFILIATES ARE THEIR CURRENT OPINIONS OF THE RELATIVE FUTURE CREDIT RISK OF ENTITIES, CREDIT COMMITMENTS, OR DEBT OR DEBT-LIKE SECURITIES, AND MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY MOODYS (COLLECTIVELY, PUBLICATIONS) MAY INCLUDE SUCH CURRENT OPINIONS. MOODYS DEFINES CREDIT RISK AS THE RISK THAT AN ENTITY MAY NOT MEET ITS CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS AS THEY COME DUE AND ANY ESTIMATED FINANCIAL LOSS IN THE EVENT OF DEFAULT OR IMPAIRMENT. SEE APPLICABLE MOODYS RATING SYMBOLS AND DEFINITIONS PUBLICATION FOR INFORMATION ON THE TYPES OF CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS ADDRESSED BY MOODYS CREDIT RATINGS. CREDIT RATINGS DO NOT ADDRESS ANY OTHER RISK, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: LIQUIDITY RISK, MARKET VALUE RISK, OR PRICE VOLATILITY. CREDIT RATINGS, NON-CREDIT ASSESSMENTS (ASSESSMENTS), AND OTHER OPINIONS INCLUDED IN MOODYS PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT STATEMENTS OF CURRENT OR HISTORICAL FACT. MOODYS PUBLICATIONS MAY ALSO INCLUDE QUANTITATIVE MODEL-BASED ESTIMATES OF CREDIT RISK AND RELATED OPINIONS OR COMMENTARY PUBLISHED BY MOODYS ANALYTICS, INC. AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. MOODYS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT CONSTITUTE OR PROVIDE INVESTMENT OR FINANCIAL ADVICE, AND MOODYS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AND DO NOT PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PURCHASE, SELL, OR HOLD PARTICULAR SECURITIES. MOODYS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT COMMENT ON THE SUITABILITY OF AN INVESTMENT FOR ANY PARTICULAR INVESTOR. MOODYS ISSUES ITS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS AND OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLISHES ITS PUBLICATIONS WITH THE EXPECTATION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT EACH INVESTOR WILL, WITH DUE CARE, MAKE ITS OWN STUDY AND EVALUATION OF EACH SECURITY THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR PURCHASE, HOLDING, OR SALE.MOODYS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS, AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY RETAIL INVESTORS AND IT WOULD BE RECKLESS AND INAPPROPRIATE FOR RETAIL INVESTORS TO USE MOODYS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS OR PUBLICATIONS WHEN MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION. IF IN DOUBT YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR FINANCIAL OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL ADVISER.ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS PROTECTED BY LAW, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, COPYRIGHT LAW, AND NONE OF SUCH INFORMATION MAY BE COPIED OR OTHERWISE REPRODUCED, REPACKAGED, FURTHER TRANSMITTED, TRANSFERRED, DISSEMINATED, REDISTRIBUTED OR RESOLD, OR STORED FOR SUBSEQUENT USE FOR ANY SUCH PURPOSE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN ANY FORM OR MANNER OR BY ANY MEANS WHATSOEVER, BY ANY PERSON WITHOUT MOODYS PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT.MOODYS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY ANY PERSON AS A BENCHMARK AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED FOR REGULATORY PURPOSES AND MUST NOT BE USED IN ANY WAY THAT COULD RESULT IN THEM BEING CONSIDERED A BENCHMARK.All information contained herein is obtained by MOODYS from sources believed by it to be accurate and reliable. Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error as well as other factors, however, all information contained herein is provided AS IS without warranty of any kind. MOODY'S adopts all necessary measures so that the information it uses in assigning a credit rating is of sufficient quality and from sources MOODY'S considers to be reliable including, when appropriate, independent third-party sources. However, MOODYS is not an auditor and cannot in every instance independently verify or validate information received in the rating process or in preparing its Publications.To the extent permitted by law, MOODYS and its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors and suppliers disclaim liability to any person or entity for any indirect, special, consequential, or incidental losses or damages whatsoever arising from or in connection with the information contained herein or the use of or inability to use any such information, even if MOODYS or any of its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors or suppliers is advised in advance of the possibility of such losses or damages, including but not limited to: (a) any loss of present or prospective profits or (b) any loss or damage arising where the relevant financial instrument is not the subject of a particular credit rating assigned by MOODYS.To the extent permitted by law, MOODYS and its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors and suppliers disclaim liability for any direct or compensatory losses or damages caused to any person or entity, including but not limited to by any negligence (but excluding fraud, willful misconduct or any other type of liability that, for the avoidance of doubt, by law cannot be excluded) on the part of, or any contingency within or beyond the control of, MOODYS or any of its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors or suppliers, arising from or in connection with the information contained herein or the use of or inability to use any such information.NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE OF ANY CREDIT RATING, ASSESSMENT, OTHER OPINION OR INFORMATION IS GIVEN OR MADE BY MOODYS IN ANY FORM OR MANNER WHATSOEVER.Moodys Investors Service, Inc., a wholly-owned credit rating agency subsidiary of Moodys Corporation (MCO), hereby discloses that most issuers of debt securities (including corporate and municipal bonds, debentures, notes and commercial paper) and preferred stock rated by Moodys Investors Service, Inc. have, prior to assignment of any credit rating, agreed to pay to Moodys Investors Service, Inc. for credit ratings opinions and services rendered by it fees ranging from $1,000 to approximately $5,000,000. MCO and Moodys Investors Service also maintain policies and procedures to address the independence of Moodys Investors Service credit ratings and credit rating processes. Information regarding certain affiliations that may exist between directors of MCO and rated entities, and between entities who hold credit ratings from Moodys Investors Service and have also publicly reported to the SEC an ownership interest in MCO of more than 5%, is posted annually at www.moodys.com under the heading Investor Relations  Corporate Governance  Director and Shareholder Affiliation Policy.Additional terms for Australia only: Any publication into Australia of this document is pursuant to the Australian Financial Services License of MOODYS affiliate, Moodys Investors Service Pty Limited ABN 61 003 399 657AFSL 336969 and/or Moodys Analytics Australia Pty Ltd ABN 94 105 136 972 AFSL 383569 (as applicable). This document is intended to be provided only to wholesale clients within the meaning of section 761G of the Corporations Act 2001. By continuing to access this document from within Australia, you represent to MOODYS that you are, or are accessing the document as a representative of, a wholesale client and that neither you nor the entity you represent will directly or indirectly disseminate this document or its contents to retail clients within the meaning of section 761G of the Corporations Act 2001. MOODYS credit rating is an opinion as to the creditworthiness of a debt obligation of the issuer, not on the equity securities of the issuer or any form of security that is available to retail investors.Additional terms for Japan only: Moody's Japan K.K. (MJKK) is a wholly-owned credit rating agency subsidiary of Moody's Group Japan G.K., which is wholly-owned by Moodys Overseas Holdings Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of MCO. Moodys SF Japan K.K. (MSFJ) is a wholly-owned credit rating agency subsidiary of MJKK. MSFJ is not a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (NRSRO). Therefore, credit ratings assigned by MSFJ are Non-NRSRO Credit Ratings. Non-NRSRO Credit Ratings are assigned by an entity that is not a NRSRO and, consequently, the rated obligation will not qualify for certain types of treatment under U.S. laws. MJKK and MSFJ are credit rating agencies registered with the Japan Financial Services Agency and their registration numbers are FSA Commissioner (Ratings) No. 2 and 3 respectively.MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) hereby disclose that most issuers of debt securities (including corporate and municipal bonds, debentures, notes and commercial paper) and preferred stock rated by MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) have, prior to assignment of any credit rating, agreed to pay to MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) for credit ratings opinions and services rendered by it fees ranging from JPY125,000 to approximately JPY550,000,000.MJKK and MSFJ also maintain policies and procedures to address Japanese regulatory requirements. 
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has defended a Victorian health worker who disposed of doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine last week.

The comments came as Victoria recorded zero new cases of coronavirus on Sunday and as New Zealand began the first day of a seven-day lockdown of Auckland after the emergence of a mystery case.

The number of active cases in Victoria dropped to 15 on Saturday as another 149 vaccines were administered throughout the state.

Meanwhile, the Health Department issued a warning for the Lilydale area after viral fragments were detected in wastewater.

Healthcare company Aspen Medical confirmed on Friday that 25 unused vials of the vaccine had been thrown out at St Vincents Care Services in Werribee after it was unable to be confirmed that they had been consistently stored at the right temperature.
Relatives of victims of a Boeing Co 737 MAX crash in Ethiopia that occurred five months after an Indonesian Lion Air disaster are stepping up pressure on the American planemaker and the federal government, according to a court filing and a letter to U.S. lawmakers.

Families have called for testimony from Boeing Chief Executive Dave Calhoun, his predecessor and other current and former employees as part of their legal case in Chicago, court documents show.

Separately, the families urged lawmakers in letter to demand that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration turn over internal emails and documents spanning the Lion Air crash and one month after the Ethiopian crash. Together, 346 people died.

The letter was sent to members of the House and Senate transportation committees on Friday, including committee head Representative Peter DeFazio and aviation subcommittee chair Representative Rick Larsen.

A Congressional official said: "I can confirm that this week Chairs DeFazio and Larsen re-upped their request to DOT (Department of Transportation) for FAA records that have gone unfulfilled to date."

A Senate report in December detailed lapses in aviation safety oversight and failed leadership in the FAA. It found that FAA leaders obstructed that report as well as a DOT watchdog review of the regulator's oversight, the results of which were released on Wednesday.

"There is serious unfinished business," the families said in the letter, reviewed by Reuters.

Boeing has mostly settled civil litigation stemming from the Lion Air crash, but still faces over 100 lawsuits in Chicago federal court related to the second crash.

The plaintiffs' lawyers are focusing on what Boeing knew about the causes of the first crash and why the plane continued to fly. They want to schedule depositions of Calhoun and Muilenburg between May 3 and June 18.

Those victims' families also want to know what FAA management, which in November lifted a 20-month safety ban of the MAX, understood about the first crash.

Boeing's board faces a separate investor lawsuit in Delaware Chancery Court, where a complaint unsealed this month alleged breach of fiduciary duties and gross negligence by failing "to monitor the safety of Boeing's 737 MAX airplanes."

Last month, Boeing reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the Justice Department over the 737 MAX crashes, including a $243.6 million fine.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) announced its decision to delist CNOOC Limited next month, effectively erasing one of the most prominent symbols of China's embrace of global capitalism from the world's largest capital market.

CNOOC Limited, a unit of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), would stop trading in New York on March 9 to comply with a November 20 executive order by former US President Donald Trump banning US investment in companies with purported ties to the Chinese military, as the oil company's American depositary shares (ADSs) were "no longer suitable" for listing, NYSE said.

"The issuer has the right to a review of this determination by a committee of the board of directors of the exchange," the NYSE said in a notice on its website after the market closed on Friday. "The NYSE will apply to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to delist the issuer's securities upon completion of all applicable procedures, including any appeal of the NYSE Regulation staff's decision."

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

CNOOC Limited's spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday.

CNOOC Limited, based in Beijing, raised US$15.4 billion in February 2001 on the NYSE, in what was then the third-biggest fundraising in the global oil industry.

Coming on the heels of China's official membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), the listing was hailed as a symbol of China's commitment to capital reforms, become a trailblazer that set the pace for subsequent listings by dozens of state-owned companies from banks to telecommunications companies in New York and Hong Kong.

A week after their New York listing, CNOOC's shares listed in Hong Kong in a HK$11.2 billion initial public offering (IPO).

CNOOC's Hong Kong-listed shares, dubbed "Red Chips" because of their state-owned provenance, have been more actively traded than their NYSE counterparts. Daily average turnover of CNOOC's shares rose to 173.4 million shares in Hong Kong over the past 12 months, compared with 199,853 in New York, according to exchange data. One American depositary receipt of CNOOC is equal to 100 CNOOC shares in Hong Kong.

Story continues

Wei Liucheng (centre), then chairman and chief executive of CNOOC Limited, during the company's February 28, 2001 trading debut in Hong Kong. CNOOC's shares rose 10 per cent in their trading debut. Photo: AFP alt=Wei Liucheng (centre), then chairman and chief executive of CNOOC Limited, during the company's February 28, 2001 trading debut in Hong Kong. CNOOC's shares rose 10 per cent in their trading debut. Photo: AFP

The move follows similar delistings this year of three of China's biggest telecommunications companies: China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom. All three state-owned entities managed by government-appointed managers maintain their primary listings in Hong Kong, while listing their American depositary receipts in New York.

The NYSE first announced plans to delist the telecommunications companies on New Year's Day, but reversed itself several times because of confusion about the scope of the Trump order. The companies were ultimately delisted, but not before asking the NYSE to reconsider its decision just hours after Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th US President.

The Chinese telecoms companies were among the first targets on Trump's November 12 executive order that barred American investors from owning or trading in companies that the US claims are owned or controlled by the Chinese military. That initial list has been expanded several times since.

It was one of a series of moves in the waning days of his administration to limit access by Chinese companies to American capital markets and technology, including adding CNOOC Limited's corporate parent to the so-called entity list in January. The designation makes it harder for US companies to sell technology and engage in other transactions with the Chinese oil giant.

American investors, including pension funds and university endowments, have until November 11, 2021 to fully divest their holdings in any designated Chinese military companies following the executive order.

Biden's administration put a stay in January on some of the targeted entities, delaying until May 27 a ban on American investments in companies that have similar names to the blacklisted Chinese firms. That ban had been set to go into place on January 29. The Biden administration is undertaking "complex reviews" of various Trump policies towards China, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at the time.

The moves reinforced the expectation that the Biden administration would be more predictable in its dealings with Beijing, although relations remain strained between the world's two biggest economies.

Still, in his first call with President Xi Jinping this month, Biden pressed Xi on several issues, including trade and human rights. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also has warned that the US would work with allies and partners to hold China accountable on issues threatening regional stability.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2021 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2021. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Prince Harry opened up how toxic U.K. press damaged his mental health, pushing him to leave the country with his wife, Meghan Markle.

On Friday, the Duke of Sussex candidly revealed to Corden how the UK press caused him to leave his royal life.

"We all know what the British press can be like, and it was destroying my mental health," he said. "I was like, this is toxic. So I did what any husband and what any father would do."

The statement purely came from his own thoughts. However, several critics slammed the Duke of Sussex for being unhelpful.

Soon after "The Late Late Show With James Corden" aired, sources claimed that Prince Harry stole the attention away from Her Majesty.

"When the Queen speaks, as she has done about the vaccine, it is accepted that she has a clear field," a source said to Daily Mail.

Indeed, Prince Harry held the interview hours after Queen Elizabeth II encouraged the Britons to get jabbed. Her Majesty highlighted her COVID-19 vaccine push even more by saying that it did not hurt her at all.

Prince Harry Overshadowed Queen Elizabeth II

Aside from the source, royal expert Robert Jobson also shared his thoughts on how the royal prince stole the spotlight.

Instead of focusing on Queen Elizabeth II's important pandemic message, people began talking about his interview instead.

"On the day that the Queen has issued a very, very important message about the whole of the nation getting the jab, that message has sort of been blurred by Harry, the man who wants a private life, talking about his private life again," he said.

Jobson believes that the timing was off and that the royal could have to cater the interview at least days after the release of Queen Elizabeth II's COVID-19 statement.

It was not the first time the Duke and Duchess of Sussex seemingly tried to get people's attention from the royal family, though.

According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex failed to show professional teamwork with the royal family.

"In recent months Meghan and Harry did not seem to care if their activities clashed with those of other senior royals and this is no longer the concern it once was," Fitzwilliams said.

He then compared them to Prince William and Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge. Unlike the Sussexes, the Cambridges never failed to work side by side with Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

In the end, their harmony resulted in a more united front of the central members of the royal family.

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
Primary schools were yesterday told not to force pupils to wear masks after zealous heads prescribed them for children as young as five.

A top Public Health England adviser said experts were very strongly against advising coverings for primary-age youngsters.

Dr Susan Hopkins told last nights Downing Street press conference: This is for two reasons.

Primary schools were yesterday told not to force pupils to wear masks after zealous heads prescribed them for children as young as five (stock image)

'One is that they can have difficulties wearing them and keeping them on all day.

'The second part is that it is really important that they can see facial expressions in order to develop their communication and language skills.

Dr Hopkins added that other risk-reducing measures were in place instead, as well as plans to test the families of primary school pupils when they return to class.

A Department for Education spokesman said: Our guidance is clear  face coverings are only necessary for pupils in Year 7 and above.
Teachers and the principal of St. Pauls Secondary School in Monasterevin Co. Kildare, recently went back to the classroom to learn about PR and Marketing.

The initiative was part of Business in The Community Irelands (BITCI) Management Excellence for Principals and Teachers programme and was delivered by employees from member company, Gas Networks Ireland.

The Kildare-based school was among a number schools from Kildare, Kerry, Mayo, Dublin and Cork who took part in the initiative.

The schools that participated were

St. Pauls, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare;

Killorglin Community College, Killorglin, Co. Kerry;

Colaiste na Riochta, Listowel, Co. Kerry;

Nagle Community College, Cork;

St. Josephs CBS, Fairview, Dublin;

Moyne College, Ballina, Co. Mayo



The virtual workshop was delivered by three communications experts from Gas Networks Ireland, PR Manager, Marie Sheehan; Digital Manager, Gillian Lyons; and Corporate Responsibility Manager, Christina Van Der Kamp, who volunteered their time to share their knowledge, expertise and experience to help the schools tell their stories through conventional and social media.

Eileen Fitzgerald, Regional Coordinator, BITCI said: We are delighted to be supported by the department of Education to facilitate this programme. It enhances the professional development of teachers. It brings businesses and communities closer together in a meaningful way. Companies like Gas Networks Ireland recognise the value of engaging with communities and community facing organisations.

Christina Van Der Kamp, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Gas Networks Ireland said: Gas Networks Ireland is proud to support BITCs work and hope that this workshop will enable schools to tell their stories and to highlight the important role they play in their communities.
Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba during his working visit to France held a meeting of the business council with representatives of large and medium-sized French businesses, the press service of the ministry reports.

"In subsequent years, huge opportunities open up in Ukraine, in particular in the areas of construction, infrastructure and energy. The president of Ukraine and the government are committed to a large-scale renewal of Ukrainian infrastructure in order to create qualitatively new opportunities for the development of our country and international trade," Kuleba said and invited French business to take part in two of the most attractive investment areas, namely the Big Construction program of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and large privatization.

Kuleba also clarified that this primarily concerns the construction and concession of roads and bridges, concession and privatization of ports, modernization of border infrastructure, projects for the electrification of public transport, the development of water supply systems, waste treatment, etc.

"This cooperation is not only beneficial, but has an important political significance for strengthening ties between Ukraine and France," the minister stressed.

In addition, the parties paid special attention to the energy sector. Kuleba emphasized the potential of green hydrogen production in Ukraine and the synchronization of our state with the course of the European Green Deal, which opens up new opportunities in the field of renewable energy.

The minister also drew attention to the achievements of Ukraine in deregulation and simplification of doing business, the adoption and successful implementation of the new law on concessions, the harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with the norms of the European Union. In addition, Kuleba recalled that the Council of Exporters and Investors constantly operates under the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine, which helps investors find new opportunities.

It is noted that the top managers of a number of companies that are already working or are interested in implementing business projects in Ukraine took part in the council: Airbus, Air Liquide, Alstom, Credit Agricole, Egis, RTE International, TOTAL Eren, Tryba Energy and others. The co-organizer is MEDEF International (Movement of Enterprises of France), which helps French companies establish international cooperation.
Midlands Oxfam charity shops have put out an extra plea for their customers to help save lives in Yemen, with Covid-19 badly affecting their fundraising.

The shops in Portlaoise and Mullingar like others have to stay closed for the extended lockdown, but do not qualify for state covid aid.

"As we all entered 2021, we also entered our third lockdown. Like so many other local businesses, Oxfam Mullingar and Oxfam Portlaoise closed their doors to do their part in stopping the spread of Covid-19, save lives and support our health workers.

"This week, we learnt that lockdown is set to continue. This news deals a further devastating blow to Charity shops across Ireland that play a critical role in raising much needed funds in support of vulnerable communities both here at home and abroad. What you may not know is that charity shops across Ireland do not qualify for the state Covid Restrictions Support Fund," the charity said this week.

Michael McIlwaine is Head of Retail with Oxfam Ireland.

At this time of continued and unprecedented challenges for all of us, our mission remains the same  to let our supporters know how they can help communities facing extreme poverty and disaster. Life-saving work that is only possible because of their support. And with our shops closed, we need that support now more than ever.

We believe that sharing the stories and experiences of the communities Oxfam work with is even more important now. Beyond the immediate threat of the virus itself, countless people are struggling to survive the economic fallout from the pandemic. As Micah Olywangu, a taxi driver in Nairobi said, this virus will starve us before it makes us sick. That is why we want to let you know about ways that you can continue to support your local Oxfam shop, even while our doors are closed.

How to help

Oxfam Mullingar and Oxfam Portlaoise still wants the things you dont

Save your donations and drop them into the shop when theyre back up and running. Any Christmas or birthday gifts lying about that you know you wont use - keep them for donation too

You can help your local Oxfam continue to raise vital funds:

Donate - make a one-off donation or setup a monthly one if you can.

Set up a Facebook fundraiser in solidarity with your local Oxfam shop  and help continue its crucial fundraising work, perhaps a couch to 5k.

They welcome new volunteers when they reopen.

Email to Oxfam Mullingar or Oxfam Portlaoise to express your interest in volunteering when the shops reopen. Donating a little of your time and expertise will have a bigger impact than you might think.

They ask for plenty of shoppers when they reopen, reminding people that buying secondhand also saves the planet, and your pocket.

Oxfam also has an online Unwrapped alternative gift range to send a little hope along with your greeting.

Their focus is currently on Yemen where many are dying of starvation and cholera.

Our shops also play a central role in publicising Oxfams emergency appeals. Right now, we are raising funds to support the people of Yemen. As we eagerly await our vaccines, nearly two out of every five families in Yemen currently buy food and medicines on credit leaving them trapped in a cycle of informal debt. Two thirds of the population rely on food aid to survive and the country is also grappling with the largest cholera outbreak on record, Michael McIlwaine said.

Oxfam shops have been a part of local communities as far back as 1956.

Oxfam want to thank the people of Westmeath and Laois for all the ways theyve supported them over those 65 years - from donating and shopping to volunteering time and talent. They ask people to stand with them now and continue their support until they can welcome them once again in-store.

Donate to Oxfam here.

Below: some of the volunteer staff from Portlaoise.
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.
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 09:31:00|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Workers transfer boxes of COVID-19 vaccines arrived at Abidjan International Airport in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, Feb. 26, 2021. Cote d'Ivoire on Friday received 504,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the vaccine-sharing COVAX initiative, according to the country's Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene. The vaccine is produced by the pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca and will be administered in two doses in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. Cote d'Ivoire is the second African country after Ghana to receive COVID-19 vaccines under the WHO-backed COVAX mechanism. (Photo by Yvan Sonh/Xinhua)

ABIDJAN, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Cote d'Ivoire on Friday received 504,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the vaccine-sharing COVAX initiative, according to the country's Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene.

The vaccine is produced by the pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca and will be administered in two doses in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

Cote d'Ivoire is the second African country after Ghana to receive COVID-19 vaccines under the WHO-backed COVAX mechanism.

The West African nation is scheduled to start the "free and voluntary" vaccination campaign on Monday.

"The priority targets are the defense and security forces, teachers, people over the age of 50 and people with chronic illnesses," said Minister of Health and Public Hygiene Eugene Aka Aouele.

As of Friday, Cote d'Ivoire has reported 32,478 cases and 190 deaths related to the coronavirus.

Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 14:54:24|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia registered 935 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 157,047 as of Friday evening, the country's health ministry said.

The ministry said 19 new deaths from the coronavirus were reported across the country during the same period, bringing the national death toll to 2,340.

The East African country reported 954 more recoveries, taking the national count of COVID-19 recoveries to 134,567.

Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populous nation, has so far reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the East Africa region.

According to the ministry, Ethiopia currently has some 20,144 active COVID-19 cases, and 375 COVID-19 patients are said to be in serious condition.

The Ethiopian government has been urging the public to implement COVID-19 precautionary measures to contain the spread of the virus.

The East African nation has so far conducted 2,121,277 COVID-19 tests, the ministry said. Enditem
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Fresh Covid-19 cases are showing an worryingly upward trend over the past one week, with the country reporting 16,488 cases in the last 24 hours taking the overall tally to 1,10,79,979 on Saturday, the Union Health Ministry said.

The positivity rate has been rising gradually, pushing it to 1.44 per cent. As per the Ministry's data, there are 1,59,590 active cases at present after 12,771 patients were discharged in a day.

Meanwhile, 113 more deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, taking the overall toll to 1,56,938, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

The experts have expressed a number of possibilities which could be owed to the stride ranging from lax attitude of people towards following Covid potocols to likability of "mutations and new strains" causing the surge, as has been studied by the laboratories involved in Covid detection across the country.

Last week, officials said that the average daily new infections for the last 15 days were oscillating between 9,000 to 12,000 while the deaths were between 78 to 120.

On February 9, India had reported 9,110 new cases, the lowest this year so far. Last year, the lowest 9,633 cases were recorded on June 3.

Till now, 1,07,36,451 persons have been discharged. The recovery rate has reduced to 97.14 per cent, a change of 0.3 per cent from the previous day. Meanwhile, the fatality rate remains 1.42 per cent.

On Friday, around 90 per cent of the new cases came from six states -- Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Karnataka and Gujarat, while six states accounted for 84.62 per cent of the new deaths, which included Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.

The Ministry also informed that 7,73,918 samples were tested on Friday. The cumulative tests done by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) so far stands at 21,54,35,383.

So far, 1,42,42,547 doses of corona vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16 after approval for 'Covishield' and 'Covaxin'.

As per the Union Health Ministry, India has become the fastest nation in terms of the vaccine doses administered, even though many countries had launched their vaccination campaigns much earlier.

The third phase of vaccination against Covid-19 pandemic will begin from March 1 and will cover 27 crore of people above 60 and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities at 10,000 government and over 20,000 private vaccination centres. While people will be vaccinated free of cost at government hospitals, those taking the shots at private hospitals will have to pay.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The sister of a man fatally shot by a Walker County sheriffs deputy said she is devastated by the Friday-night killing of her brother and said it shouldnt have ended the way it did.

Killed in the shooting was 26-year-old Frederick Earl Height II. He would have turned 27 on March 6.

I just cannot understand how my brother is dead,' said Rochelle Height, who lives in Michigan. Over what? ... and its very sad.

The shooting happened after 6 p.m. in the Empire community. Walker County sheriffs officials said deputies were responding to a domestic violence call when the deadly shooting took place.

Warning: The following Facebook post is of a graphic nature and contains graphic language:

Posted by Joel Fenech on Saturday, February 27, 2021

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys State Bureau of Investigation is taking lead on the probe. SBI Capt. Jason Peek on Saturday said only that one person was killed and the deputy was taken to the hospital. Once complete, the investigative findings will be turned over to the Walker County District Attorneys Office.

The shooting happened at the home shared by her father and her brother. Rochelle said she found out about her brothers death from a text message her father sent her that included a video of the struggle and the deadly shooting. The text read, Fred was shot to death by a policeman trying to take him for mental health. Today he was throwing tool and so was in fear of my life and finally called 911.

Rochelle said her father and brother both had a history of mental illness. They moved to Walker County from Michigan several years ago. A couple of weeks ago I was worried for both of them,' she said.

She said she was stunned when she received the video from her father. The more than two-minute footage showed Fred on the ground struggling with the deputy. At one point, Frederick was heard saying, You better say something, Dad. The deputy was heard saying, Im going to shoot you. A small pop was heard, Fred screamed and then lay motionless on the floor.

The deputys radio was knocked off during the struggle. He retrieved it from the floor nearby and called for backup and medics.

Rochelle said she couldnt believe her father sent her the video. He watched him die. He just stood there and recorded it and sent it to me, his own daughter,' she said.

Rochelle said she was under the impression that her father had called to get help for her brother. He had previously told her that he had a mental health professional checking up on him. And this is how it ended? she said. It just doesnt seem right. The officer clearly didnt handle it as if it was a call for help.

The video seems to speak for itself. Its another story of police using deadly force as a first step,' Rochelle said. There was no regard for this being a mental health call. The officer escalated, my brother plead, my father stood by and the officer got my brother on the ground and said, jokes on you then proceeds to shoot him to death. Authorities said it was not the officer who said jokes on you.

Im sorry, this is awful,' she said.

Rochelle said she has not yet talked with investigators. She is searching for answers and trying to make sense of her brothers death.

He needed help. He really, truly needed help,' Rochelle said. He was a creative, smart person. And he just needed help. He was trapped and killed.

Sheriffs officials didnt not comment since SBI is leading probe, but Sheriff Nick Smith posted this on Facebook Saturday night:

One of our veteran deputies was involved in a shooting last night that resulted in the death of a suspect.

As many of you have seen, there is a video making the rounds on social media showing a small portion of the incident that occurred, and I want to take this opportunity to assure the citizens of Walker County and the brave men and women of the Walker County Sheriffs Office that a thorough and fair investigation into the incident in its entirety will be, and is currently being, conducted by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Many of you may not know that standard procedure when an officer is involved in a shooting is to bring in ALEA to conduct the investigation to ensure there are no conflicts.

I am confident that ALEAs investigation will paint the full picture of what occurred last night and a grand jury made up of Walker County citizens will decide how to proceed from there. These investigations can be lengthy, but once it is done, I will personally release its findings right here on this page for everyone to read and understand.

I ask that everyone keep in mind that we were not there last night. I wasnt, you werent, and no one but the people involved were. Its very easy to sit back and say what you would have done or what the officer and suspect should have done based on a minute and a half worth of video, but until you are in those positions, you just dont know.

What I do know is that the incident occurred over a much longer time period that 1:30. And I know that a veteran deputy with over 20 years of service keeping this county safe will never be the same. I know a family that is angry and mourning the loss of their loved one will never be the same either, and our departments thoughts and prayers are with all of them.

And for those reasons alone, none of us are in a position to condemn anyone involved. There is an investigation that has to be conducted, and it will be fair and just. It wont take place on Facebook or around the water coolers of workplaces in the days that follow. It will take place in the experienced and professional hands of unbiased investigators committed to finding the truth amid so much chaos.

What we as a community should do is hope and pray that those investigators do the best job they can, and that while they are, the people and families affected by last nights events find peace in the days and months to come.

This story was updated at 11:14 p.m. to include the Facebook post from Sheriff Nick Smith.

UTICA, N.Y. -- Since March of last year, landlords have been unable to take legal action on tenants who don't pay rent. On Friday, the Utica Rome Landlords Association held protests around Oneida County demanding the state allow landlords to take their tenants to court to have them prove their case.

"They need to open the courts so every single tenant has to show their case. Because many of those tenants are working and they don't pay the rent, that is not fair," said Wilson Parra of the Utica Rome Landlords Association.

Back in March, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Act. It places a moratorium on residential evictions until May 1, 2021, for tenants who have endured COVID-related hardship. Tenants must submit a hardship declaration, or a document explaining the source of the hardship, to prevent evictions.

The governor said, in part, "The more support we provide for tenants, mortgagors and seniors, the easier it will be for them to get back on their feet when the pandemic ends."

But these landlords say a lot of people abuse the system. Some of the landlords say they have tenants who are employed and capable of paying rent, but don't because they said they don't have to under the moratorium.

"We've got people who owe us 12 months rent and we can't even go collect the rent. If we go to collect the rent we are getting sued for harassment. Governor Cuomo needs a message from the landlords and he needs to take care of the landlords. You're taking care of other businesses but we're the forgotten business," said Bob Donelly.

NEWSChannel 2 reached out to State Sen. Joe Griffo, R-47, who sent the following statement:

"I recognize and understand that both landlords and tenants have suffered significant hardships as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Recent actions by the Governor and the legislative majorities using a one-size-fits-all approach are unacceptable and problematic.

"We must address this issue in a fair and balanced manner that not only protects tenants but also acknowledges the needs of landlords, especially those upstate who rely on the income generated by the properties that they own. Tenants have been given opportunities to delay rent and avoid evictions. Something also must be done to ensure that the debts of landlords are paid and obligations met, and the courts should reopen as an additional recourse."

NEWSChannel 2 did reach out to the Cuomo's office for a comment, but have not heard back.
Plainview city and business leaders joined Plainview Independent School District leadership on Friday to break ground for the construction of two more campuses tentatively anticipated to be open by August 2022.

The campuses  Thunderbird Elementary and College Hill Elementary  will be completely rebuilt marking the first time in about 40 years since the district has had a new brand new building, said superintendent H.T. Sanchez during welcoming remarks for the first ground breaking at College Hill.

But beyond new learning facilities, the Thunderbird campus, which includes most of the districts bilingual teachers, will begin offering a Spanish as a Second Language program similar to English as a Second Language.

The program will pair Spanish speakers with kids whose families are interested in them learning Spanish, Sanchez explained. The idea is to have the kids go about their day learning from each other.

What better way to learn? Sanchez told The Herald.

The program will be exclusive to the Thunderbird campus, though there will be options for transfers for kids whose families are interested, he added. The Thunderbird campus was also chosen because it has a high concentration of bilingual certified teachers.

Well take advantage of that, he said.

The idea is to provide more opportunities. He noted the marketability of a dual-language speaker in the workforce.

Other schools offer similar programs, Sanchez said, noting one in El Paso.

Its just another way the district hopes to provide more learning opportunities for students in more updated state-of-the-art facilities.

Plans for the districts new and improved facilities were announced back in early 2019. Voters approved a $76.62 million bond package that November to downsize the number of district campuses. The district currently has 10  a high school, Ash Program campus, two junior high facilities and six elementary campuses. Planned changes include cutting down the number of elementary schools to three, combining both middle schools into just one campus and creating an intermediate campus for kids in the fifth and sixth grades.

The plans include renovations and additions to the current junior campus facilities and two brand new elementary buildings, which are the facilities the district broke ground on Friday.

The College Hill campus, which is located on a block directly across from the duck pond, will be rebuilt with the front doors facing the pond, Sanchez said. It will be two stories.

At Thunderbird, Sanchez said, the new one-story campus will go up behind the current one.

Barring any delays, the campuses should be in use by 2022.

The campuses mark the third and fourth groundbreakings the district has completed so far.

The same group  city, business and district leaders and students  gathered in early February to break ground on the Coronado Intermediate School (for fifth and sixth graders) and the Estacado Middle School (for seventh and eighth graders) campuses.

The school board voted unanimously in January to award construction contracts for both Thunderbird and College Hill to Lee Lewis Construction, Inc.

Sanchez said he anticipates another groundbreaking within the next several months.
Some of the mining stories out this week in snapshot

Anglo American PLC (LON:AAL) expects to spend US$500mln on the former Sirius Minerals Yorkshire mine project in 2021, around US$200mln more than it originally expected when it acquired the project at a knockdown price just over a year ago. The miners financial results statement reveals that Anglo spent US$292mln on the Woodsmith mine project in 2020 following its acquisition in March,

Anglo Pacific Group PLC (LON:APF, TSE:APY) has struck a deal to acquire a 70% net interest in a stream on cobalt production from the Voisey's Bay mine in Canada. The company, in a statement, highlighted that it will provide a significant long-life revenue stream from an established, world-class operation.

Greatland Gold PLC (LON:GGP) has announced details of the initial 2021 work programme for the Juri joint venture, including drilling of several targets within the Paterson Range East and Black Hills licences. Multiple additional targets within the Juri joint venture have been identified following analysis of results of a heliborne airborne electromagnetic survey.

Tirupati Graphite PLC (LON:TGR) has successfully completed trials and tests for the manufacture of battery-grade spherical graphite, used in the anode of lithium-ion batteries. The trials and tests were conducted in tandem with a globally recognised German manufacturer of spheroidisation and micronisation equipment, achieving significant results in the end product.

Base Resources Ltd (LON:BSE) generated revenue of US$72.8mln from its mining operations in Kenya in the six months to 31 December 2020. EBITDA came in at US$33.9mln, while net debt was cut by US$50mln.

IronRidge Resources Ltd (LON:IRR) told investors that visible mineralisation has been observed during its ongoing drill programme at the Ewoyaa lithium project in Ghana. The company, in a statement, noted that the programme is progressing well with 4,300 metres of reverse circulation drilling completed to date.

Horizonte Minerals PLC (LON:HZM) told investors it has been awarded a construction licence package for the development of the power line for the Araguaia ferronickel project in Brazil. The licences allow the implementation of a 120-kilometre power and substation to serve Araguaia, connecting the mine to the national power grid.

Strategic Minerals PLC (LON: SML)(USOTC:SMCDY) is commencing a trenching and auger exploration programme to investigate the possible presence of extensions of mineralisation up to 1,000 metres to the west of the presently established resource at the Redmoor project in Cornwall. Multiple prospective targets for tin and copper have been identified as a result of a review of historic exploration data to the west of the Redmoor deposit.

Mkango Resources Ltd (LON:MKA) has begun testing the flotation pilot plant for the Songwe Hill Rare Earths project, in Malawi. The test work is taking place at a ALS Metallurgy facility in Perth, Australia. The pilot uses a new optimised flotation regime that has been developed and scaled up.

Bezant Resources PLC (LON:BZT) has started target testing for its maiden drill programme at the Kalengwa exploration project area in Zambia. The 800m programme at Kalengwa will test the first two priority exploration targets for copper based on a review of extensive historic exploration datasets

Caledonia Mining Corporation PLC (LON:CMCL NYSE:CMCL) has appointed sustainability and community engagement expert Geralda Wildschutt to the board as an independent non-executive director.

Vast Resources PLC (LON:VAST) updated investors on developments at its Baita Plai mine in Romania, saying that it is in the process of preparing a revised mining plan for the site. The AIM-listed miner said the revised plan incorporates a move away from the traditional labour-intensive mining methods within the existing plan to a more modern mechanised mining method.

Scotgold PLCs (LON:SGZ) chief executive Richard Gray is to retire at the end of March following the groups move from an explorer to producer. Philip Day, a 25-year mining veteran is his replacement.

Asiamet Resources Limited (LON:ARS) raised around 10mln through a fundraising which will be used to advance various programmes at its BKM copper project in Indonesia. The AIM-listed company said it has successfully placed around 45.5mln new shares at a price of 2.2p each

Panthera Resources PLC (LON:PAT) has agreed a 1.17mln deal to sell its interest in the Tellerhauser Underground Mine in Saxony, Germany. The agreement sees the company sell its 9.7mln shares in Anglo Saxony Mining Limited (ASM) at a price of 12p per share, in return for a cash payment.

Conroy Gold and Natural Resources PLC (LON:CGNR) has dropped its planned Irish joint venture with Anglo Asian Mining PLC (LON:AAZ) in favour of a deal with Turkish group Demir Export. A letter of intent between the two firms has already been signed, with Demir set to fund and develop Conroys Clontibret licence on the Longford-Down Massif gold trend.

Power Metal Resources PLC (LON:POW) has exercised its option to acquire both the Magical Property and Enable prospects on Schreiber-Hemlo Greenstone Belt in north-western Ontario, Canada.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda will be on a two-day visit to Varanasi from Sunday where he will participate in various programmes of the party and meet BJP MPs and MLAs also.

Sharing details about the schedule of the BJP chief, party national media in-charge Anil Baluni said that Nadda will reach Varanasi Airport at 11 a.m. on February 28. He will address the meeting of BJP executive, district president and in-charge of Harhua, Gokuldham at 12 noon and at 2 p.m. he will hold a meeting with MP and MLA of Kashi.

At 4.45 p.m., he will inaugurate BJP's new regional office and Prayagraj Metropolitan Office in Rohania and at 7 p.m. he will interact with social leaders of Varanasi at Chaudhary Lawn, Naria, BHU.

The next day, Nadda will offer prayers to Baba Vishwanath and Kaal Bhairav at 9 a.m. after which he will hold a review meeting at the booth at 10 a.m. and will take stock of the party activities.

The BJP president will pay tributes to Deendayal Upadhyay at Pandit Upadhyay Smriti Sthal at 11 a.m. after which, he will guide the IT and social media workers of Kashi region. At 1 p.m., he will address the meeting of the Mandal Presidents and in-charge and have lunch at booth president's house.

WASHINGTON (AP)  U.S. health advisers endorsed a one-dose COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson on Friday, putting the nation on the cusp of adding an easier-to-use option to fight the pandemic.

The acting head of the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement that the agency will move quickly to follow the recommendation, which would make J&Js shot the third vaccine authorized for emergency use in the U.S. Vaccinations are picking up speed, but new supplies are urgently needed to stay ahead of a mutating virus that has killed more than 500,000 Americans.

After daylong discussions, the FDA panelists voted unanimously that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks for adults. Once FDA issues a final decision, shipments of a few million doses could begin as early as Monday.

Theres an urgency to get this done, said Dr. Jay Portnoy of Childrens Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Were in a race between the virus mutating  and new variants coming out that can cause further disease  and stopping it.

RELATED: Here's where you can get vaccinated in Texas

More than 47 million people in the U.S., or 14% of the population, have received at least one shot of the two-dose vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, which FDA authorized in December. But the pace of vaccinations has been strained by limited supplies and delays due to winter storms.

While early J&J supplies will be small, the company has said it can deliver 20 million doses by the end of March and a total of 100 million by the end of June.

J&Js vaccine protects against the worst effects of COVID-19 after one shot, and it can be stored up to three months at refrigerator temperatures, making it easier to handle than the previous vaccines, which must be frozen.

One challenge in rolling out the new vaccine will be explaining how protective the J&J shot is after the astounding success of the first U.S. vaccines.

Its important that people do not think that one vaccine is better than another, said panelist Dr. Cody Meissner of Tufts University.

The two-dose Pfizer and Moderna shots were found to be about 95% effective against symptomatic COVID-19. The numbers from J&Js study are not that high, but it's not an apples-to-apples comparison. One dose of the J&J vaccine was 85% protective against the most severe COVID-19. After adding in moderate cases, the total effectiveness dropped to about 66%.

RELATED: Can't get the COVID-19 vaccine? Sign up for a trial

Some experts fear that lower number could feed public perceptions that J&Js shot is a second-tier vaccine. But the difference in protection reflects when and where J&J conducted its studies.

J&Js vaccine was tested in the U.S., Latin America and South Africa at a time when more contagious mutated versions of the virus were spreading. That wasnt the case last fall, when Pfizer and Moderna were wrapping up testing, and its not clear if their numbers would hold against the most worrisome of those variants.

Importantly, the FDA reported this week that, just like its predecessors, the J&J shot offers strong protection against the worst outcomes, hospitalization and death.

While J&J is seeking FDA authorization for its single-dose version, the company is also studying whether a second dose boosts protection.

Panel member Dr. Paul Offit warned that launching a two-dose version of the vaccine down the road might cause problems.

You can see where that would be confusing to people thinking, Maybe I didnt get what I needed, said Offit, a vaccine expert at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Its a messaging challenge.

J&J representatives said they chose to begin with the single shot because the World Health Organization and other experts agreed it would be a faster, more effective tool in an emergency.

Cases and hospitalizations have fallen dramatically since their January peak that followed the winter holidays. But public health officials warned that those gains may be stalling as more variants take root in the U.S.

We may be done with the virus, but clearly the virus is not done with us, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said during a White House briefing Friday. She noted that new COVID-19 cases have increased over the past few days.

While its too early to tell if the trend will last, Walensky said adding a third vaccine will help protect more people faster. More vaccines are in the pipeline.

'IT JUST SHOCKED ME': Houston man survives double lung transplant after 4-month COVID-19 battle

On Sunday, a CDC panel is expected to meet to recommend how to best prioritize use of the J&J vaccine.

Other parts of the world already are facing which-is-best challenges. Italys main teachers union recently protested when the government decided to reserve Pfizer and Moderna shots for the elderly and designate AstraZenecas vaccine for younger, at-risk workers. AstraZenecas vaccine was deemed to be about 70% effective in testing. Canada became the latest country Friday to allow use of AstraZenecas vaccine.

___

AP reporters Carla K. Johnson and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report.

___

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.
It's been more than a month since Frank Coronado got covid-19, but the photographer from Oaxaca, Mexico, still gasps for air when he speaks sometimes. Although his illness didn't put him in the hospital, his case was severe enough that he worried about suffocating in his sleep.

Coronado's personal experience with the coronavirus has made the Oaxaca native sensitive to the pandemic situation in the state. As he watched case numbers continuing to rise, he also noticed more tourists defying widely practiced public-health protocols, like wearing face masks in public.

On Feb. 25, Coronado posted a plea to his 171,000 Instagram followers: "Dear travelers, you are welcome in Oaxaca, but you should ALWAYS wear a mask when you are in public places."

He wanted to publicly address the issue and encourage visitors to do better - particularly foreigners who travel from Oaxaca City into smaller rural villages, where artisans are even more vulnerable.

"I get mad because I already went through [covid-19] and know how bad it feels," Coronado says. "I don't want my people, the people of Oaxaca, to get sick."

Unlike many of the world's most-frequented tourism hot spots, Mexico never fully closed to foreign visitors. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said Americans should avoid all travel to Mexico because of a "very high level" of coronavirus, the country has remained one of the most popular destinations throughout the pandemic.

Still, Mexico tourism plummeted last spring as it did around the globe; according to the state government, Oaxaca recorded less than half of its 2019 visitor arrival numbers in 2020. Numbers picked up again last summer, but welcoming outsiders back as the pandemic continues to rage has been complicated.

While Oaxaca doesn't pull in nearly as many visitors as Mexican destinations such as Cancun, Acapulco or Mexico City, tourism is a significant part of its economy. Those who work in the industry have suffered.

Gabriel Sanchez, a Oaxaca native who started a private tour company 2 years ago, says the abrupt end of tourism last March was overwhelming. He survived on savings when visitors disappeared, and he watched as other guides were forced to take measures like selling their cars to make ends meet.

With business trickling back, Sanchez is elated. He took coronavirus prevention courses by the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) and guided his first tour again on Oct. 20. Now he follows precautions such as checking guests' temperatures, requiring face masks, social distancing and providing hand sanitizer. He also helps Americans get their mandatory coronavirus tests.

Most of his returning customers have complied with his safety protocols. But that's not the case with all of the tourists he sees around town, like the Americans who refused to wear a mask at the request of an ice cream vendor, or the people who regularly break coronavirus rules at Monte Alban, Oaxaca's most famous archaeological site.

"As soon as they go through the checkpoint, 30 steps after that, they take their masks off," Sanchez says. "And most of them are foreigners."

Beyond Monte Alban and Oaxaca City, Oaxaca's artisan culture is one of its strongest selling points. It's common for tourists to take day trips out to remote villages to see how the state's famed mezcal alcohol, and arts and crafts, are made. With little access to medical care, those communities have been particularly vulnerable during the pandemic. Many closed to outsiders to protect themselves, but some have started welcoming back visitors for income despite the risk involved.

Omar Alonso, who has run food and mezcal tours in Oaxaca for seven years, says visiting rural communities can be done safely with the small private groups he vets ahead of time. But he regularly runs into the kinds of tourists he fears.

For example, Alonso says he often sees maskless foreigners in the mountain town of San Jose Del Pacifico between Oaxaca City and the beach.

"If you are going through a town where there's locals and older people serving you food because that's what they do for a living, it's very frustrating because [foreigners] don't respect them," says Alonso, whose uncle died of covid-19. "I can tell you that yesterday, when we went to have lunch, out of the maybe 20 tourists that we saw walking around town, maybe two of them had a mask."

Vera Claire, a U.S. expat whose nonprofit Cosa Buena works with local Indigenous communities to preserve their artistic traditions, says she believes some tourists' perception of Mexico may be the problem.

"I think there's a stereotype of [Mexico] being a place with no rules, a place to have fun and relax and enjoy yourself," she says. She regularly receives messages on social media or emails from strangers asking for Oaxaca travel advice, noting that they need to get away and forget about their lives in the United States for a while, she says.

"That's a really dangerous narrative, of course, because they come here with that mentality that there's no rules," Claire says. "Those of us who are foreigners living here all have a responsibility of shedding light on the severity of the situation . . . Mexico is beautiful. It's a wonderful place to escape to. But the same thing is happening here."

The frequency of spotting maskless tourists in Oaxaca City is increasing despite the prevalence of signs encouraging masks and most locals complying with the practice, Claire says. It's unsettling, as the coronavirus seems to be encroaching on her community.

It's impossible to know exact case numbers in the area as testing is limited. But it was reported in January that hospitalizations in Oaxaca for covid-19 were rising rapidly, with 13 hospitals in the state at full capacity and facing a desperate oxygen tank shortage, a problem plaguing more than Oaxaca.

"The health-care system here is minimal at the best of times, especially for poor people who rely on the public health system," says Suzanne Barbezat, who runs the company Discover Oaxaca Tours with her husband, Benito Hernandez. "Having those resources used up, it's scary."

Travelers likely would behave differently if they knew about Oaxaca's hospital crisis, says Vicente Reyes, a Oaxaca native and president of social impact collective Hermano Maguey, which promotes an equitable agave ecosystem in the region.

"It's a dramatic situation and it's not something tourists are seeing," he says. "This is a harsh reality that doesn't show up on Instagram."

Reyes said he thinks the worst offenders are young tourists. He has watched them come from around the world to travel along a well-worn party circuit through Mexico City, Tulum and Oaxaca, attending huge, mask-free gatherings and putting locals at risk.

"It sends a really sad, de-motivating message to locals who are taking care of each other," Reyes says. "We are all trying to keep it together, and these guys are flying around the city, enjoying themselves and not taking care of us."

Many in Oaxaca City don't have the luxury of isolating from tourists - like Aurora Tostado, who owns the downtown coffee shop Marito & Moglie with her husband.

"People in Mexico, we have to get out of our homes to work. It's not like we can work remotely like most of the people in the U.S.," Tostado says.

The couple made adjustments to Marito & Moglie, moving more tables to an outside patio and encouraging customers to keep masks on and social distance. Insisting on safety protocols is something that makes her and her employees feel more comfortable at work, and something most guests appreciate - but Tostado notices others around town behaving as if the pandemic is over. "This is not Disneyland," she would like to tell them.

Like others in Oaxaca hospitality, Tostado says she benefits financially from tourists and is happy to welcome them back. She just hopes they will consider the chain reaction of their behavior as they enjoy the culture that makes her city special. Seeing travelers come to town to party doesn't bother her for the party itself. It's the party's ramifications.

"The same people are going to go have breakfast at the market, and the old lady that is working, because she has to work, is going to get infected because of their [choices]," Tostado says. "I would say, yes, come, the nice weather is here. But be responsible."
Bitcoin suffered its worst week in a year as Bill Gates warned investors not to dabble with it unless they are super-rich.

The cryptocurrency was trading at $57,000 last weekend following a huge rally this year. But yesterday it dropped as low as $44,647.

Warning: Microsoft founder Bill Gates said he believed people were becoming swept up in 'mania'

Microsoft founder Gates said he believed people were becoming swept up in 'mania' following high-profile backing from the likes of Tesla boss Elon Musk, who is worth 126billion.

Gates told Bloomberg: 'My thought would be that if you have less money than Elon, you should probably watch out.'
Labor's leader in the senate Penny Wong has revealed she personally knew the woman who alleged she was raped by a senior government minister, and referred her to support services.

Senator Wong, along with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, received a letter about the alleged 1988 rape this week.

The woman died in June 2020 and it is understood the letter was not written by her.

Labor senator Penny Wong (pictured) received a letter about the alleged 1988 rape by a now senior federal government minister

However the letter came with a detailed statement attached, prepared by the complainant for her lawyer, ABC's Four Corners has reported.

Senator Wong released an initial statement on Friday saying she had referred the letter to the Australian Federal Police and was aware the matter was already before NSW and South Australian police.

On Saturday Senator Wong issued a further statement 'in the interests of transparency' revealing she had detailed prior knowledge of the matter.

'I first became aware of the complainant's allegation when I ran into her in Adelaide in November 2019,' the senator wrote.

'The complainant reminded me we had met once before.'

'The complainant made an allegation that she had been raped many years earlier by a person who is now a senior member of the federal government. She indicated she intended to report the matter to NSW Police.

'I said that making a report to the appropriate authorities was the right thing to do. I facilitated her referral to rape support services and confirmed she was being supported in reporting the matter to NSW Police.'

Senator Wong said the woman's death was a tragedy and her thoughts were with her family and friends.

The senator's statement follows comments by federal frontbencher Simon Birmingham who told reporters in Adelaide the minister at the centre of the allegations should not be made to step aside.

Senator Hanson-Young (picured) said the letter she had received regarded a 'disturbing and a very serious allegation of a criminal nature against a senior member of the government'

The trade, tourism and investment minister was questioned in his home state of South Australia on Saturday about whether the man in question should come forward or be identified.

'I'm not sure then how you think it would be resolved thereafter,' Mr Birmingham replied.

'We have to respect that we have justice systems in Australia, that everyone is entitled to natural justice and that in this case allegations have been made ... and we have to back the appropriate authorities.'

'We back the police to do their job in this ... I don't wish to see anybody lose their rights to natural justice.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) as also notified of the letter and confirmed the allegations had been referred to the Australian Federal Police

The year the alleged rape occurred is well before the cabinet minister concerned entered politics. The complainant was aged 16.

A spokesperson for Mr Morrison indicated on Friday evening the allegations had been referred to the Australian Federal Police, which Mr Birmingham confirmed.

The AFP on Saturday said it would liaise with the relevant state authorities.

Senator Hanson-Young said the information she had received regarded a 'disturbing and a very serious allegation of a criminal nature against a senior member of the government'.

Four Corners says the woman reported the alleged rape to NSW Police in February 2020, but took her own life in June after informing them she no longer wanted to proceed with the complaint.

NSW Police said in a statement on Friday that a report of alleged historic sexual violence was received in February 2020 and detectives commenced an investigation under Strike Force Wyndarra.

The explosive revelations come a fortnight after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins' rape allegation engulfed parliamentary sittings (pictured: Brittany Higgins)

'After strike force investigators were advised that the body of a 49-year-old woman was located at a home at Adelaide by South Australia Police (SAPOL) on Wednesday 24 June 2020, the investigation was suspended,' the statement said.

The explosive revelations come a fortnight after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins' rape allegation engulfed parliamentary sittings, prompting Australia's major political parties to back a cultural overhaul.

The Morrison government has been under intense pressure over its response to the 2019 incident, in which Ms Higgins alleges she was sexually assaulted by a former colleague in Parliament House.

There are four inquiries under way, including a multi-party investigation aimed at ensuring parliament is a safe working environment.

For 24/7, confidential support call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 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 PRA Health Sciences, Inc. ("PRAH" or the "Company") (PRAH) relating to its proposed acquisition by ICON plc. Under the terms of the agreement, PRAH shareholders will receive 0.4125 shares of ICON stock and $80.00 in cash per share.

The investigation focuses on whether PRA Health Sciences, Inc. 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.

Click here for more information: http://monteverdelaw.com/case/pra-health-sciences-inc. 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 PRA Health Sciences, Inc. 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.

Contact:

Juan E. Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

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.

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC

Related Links

http://www.monteverdelaw.com


Photo taken on Feb. 25, 2021 shows the plane carrying the first batch of China's COVID-19 vaccines to Argentina with prints saying "Happy New Year and Good Year of the Ox" both in Chinese and Spanish and a sign of Ox on the fuselage. Argentina received the first batch of vaccines from Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm on Thursday night. (Photo by Martin Zabala/Xinhua)

BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Argentina received its first batch of vaccines from Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm on Thursday night.

Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers Santiago Cafiero was on hand to receive the shipment at the Ezeiza International Airport on the southern outskirts of the capital Buenos Aires.

Accompanying Cafiero were Foreign Affairs Minister Felipe Sola and Health Minister Carla Vizzotti, as well as Chinese Ambassador to Argentina Zou Xiaoli.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Argentine counterpart, Alberto Fernandez, have reached an important consensus on cooperation in the development and use of vaccines, said Zou.

"This consensus has become a reality" thanks to the joint efforts of Argentina's foreign affairs and health ministries, Argentina's National Administration of Drugs, Foods and Medical Devices (ANMAT) and the Sinopharm group, Zou told reporters at the airport.

The Chinese ambassador highlighted China-Argentina cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, including exchanges among medics regarding diagnosis and treatment experience, institutions' cooperation in vaccine clinical trials, as well as the acquisition and transportation of vaccines.

"The arrival of vaccines from China is a milestone in cooperation against the pandemic," said Zou. "As long as Argentina needs it, China is willing to continue providing various supplies against the pandemic, including vaccines."

"Vaccines are undoubtedly valuable, but more valuable than vaccines are unity and cooperation. Sino-Argentine cooperation against the pandemic fully proves this point," added the envoy.

China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation in bilateral and multilateral fields, jointly respond to challenges, share development opportunities and make greater contributions to the well-being of the two peoples and to world peace and prosperity, said Zou.

Also present at the event was President of Aerolineas Argentinas Pablo Ceriani, who told the press that "We are very happy about this flight to bring vaccines, which is a huge effort by the entire government, and by the Chinese government as well, for which we are very grateful."

The aircraft used to deliver the Chinese vaccines to Argentina also carried with it a greeting from China. In addition to its traditional light blue and white colors, it bore the legend "Happy New Year - Year of the Ox" on its fuselage, in both Spanish and Chinese, with the image of a red ox inside a golden circle.

Argentina registered its first case of COVID-19 on March 3, 2020 and has reported 2,093,645 cases with 51,795 deaths from the disease as of Thursday night. Enditem
The Mexican state of Quintana Roo is softening its coronavirus restrictions following a decrease in confirmed covid-19 cases in the area, officials announced Thursday on Twitter.

The entire state, which includes the major tourist destinations of Cancun, Tulum and Playa del Carmen, will begin to permit hotels, restaurants, shops, theaters and theme parks to operate at 60% capacity next week. Previous limits on hotel and restaurant capacities were 30%.

Quintana Roo's stoplight alert system, which is assessed weekly on Thursdays and takes effect on the following Monday, was lowered from orange to yellow status.

The news comes just before Mexico's busy spring break season and despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's January warning for Americans not to visit Mexico because of "very high" levels of the coronavirus. New U.S. entry restrictions that require a negative coronavirus test result of all arrivals were also mentioned in the CDC warning, which remains at a highest-possible Level 4.

"Travelers should avoid all travel to Mexico," the CDC's Mexico travel warning states. "Travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19. CDC recommends that you do not travel at this time."

Activities limited to 50% capacity include public transit and casinos. Masks are still required in public, bars and nightclubs remain closed, and public consumption of alcohol is prohibited. Public beaches are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Carlos Joaquin, Quintana Roo's governor, tweeted late Thursday that allowing parties would be detrimental to the state's efforts to achieve a lower green-level status. Other popular tourist areas included in the state's ease of restrictions are Cozumel and Isla Mujeres. The land border between the United States and Mexico remains closed despite Americans' ability to fly into Mexico.

According to previous reporting by The Washington Post, tourism to the area has increased by 23% when compared to 2019, as American travelers banned from other regions decide to vacation in Mexico, which has prioritized U.S. tourism. Travelers seeking an escape from the pandemic have sought out Tulum and Cancun's festivals and parties, which in the fall and winter months were linked to coronavirus outbreaks.

Winter's rising covid-19 cases peaked in mid-January and have now begun trending downward globally, according to coronavirus tracking by The Washington Post. Mexico has had more than 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 182,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
The electronic system for booking COVID-19 vaccinations in the Portland area reached its boiling point this week -- not only for many thousands of embittered seniors who tried unsuccessfully for hours to schedule appointments on a slow-moving and glitchy website, but for state leaders who finally took notice.

Friday, a day after area residents made 400,000 attempts to book just 3,400 appointments, Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen announced a big change.

Seniors wanting to schedule appointments at the Oregon Convention Center in Northeast Portland apparently now must register their names with the state. The state will send a list of eligible names to the operators of the Convention Centers mass vaccination clinic, and the operators will then contact residents when their turn in line for a vaccination comes up.

So you dont have to wait for three hours clicking, in hopes of getting one, Allen said.

But much remains unclear about how the system will work, including its apparent design as a random lottery. Operators of the vaccination sites did not respond to questions Friday from The Oregonian/OregonLive about the new process and were not at the news conference Friday when state officials announced the change.

The switch in how appointments will be doled out does not affect people who already have booked an upcoming slot, officials said.

The new process for obtaining appointments will not apply to people with mobility issues seeking shots at Portland International Airports drive-thru site. They will still need to compete online or by phone when appointments are released for booking at 9 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays.

Allen said hed been watching the online traffic jams created twice a week, when the Portland areas two mass vaccination clinics released appointments. The problems instantly began to emerge Feb. 8, the first day seniors 80 and older vied for appointments -- and only continued the next week when residents 75 and older also became eligible.

Allen said this weeks mess -- as residents 70 and older joined the mad scramble -- pushed him into action. The change comes just before 215,000 unvaccinated Oregonians age 65 to 69 become eligible for first doses next Monday.

Weve gone through the first two weeks with a lot of traffic jam(s), but this week was just really, really extreme, Allen said.

The clinic operators -- which include Legacy Health, Oregon Health & Science University, Kaiser Permanente and Providence Health & Services -- earlier this week said problems identified Monday would be fixed. But by Thursday, they seemingly conceded defeat, while the Oregon Health Authority separately acknowledged problems with its own website but claimed it was not related to a surge in web traffic.

Allens support of creating a registry -- or as he put it, an invitation system -- is in stark contrast to his stance days before the rollout for seniors began earlier this month. Allen had accepted that allowing up to 768,000 seniors to become eligible over the course of three weeks, when there wasnt nearly enough vaccine to meet demand, was going to create chaos.

Next week many older adults will inevitably voice frustration, he told reporters at the time. Next week you will not have to look hard to see people experiencing confusion. We will fall short.

Under the new plan, Oregonians seeking an appointment next week at the Oregon Convention Center should register at getvaccinated.oregon.gov and click on the blue Get Started box.

The clinics operators didnt respond to questions Friday posed by The Oregonian/OregonLive about how soon theyll start booking appointments for eligible seniors. They also didnt answer questions about whether seniors would be given estimates of how long theyll have to wait or if theyll be told their place in line.

But Allen said he estimates that by the end of March all seniors, educators and people in phase 1a, which largely includes health care workers, will have been provided first doses if they want ones. Thats because of larger vaccine shipments expected from the federal government.

The vaccination site operators also didnt answer a question about the method that will be used -- first-come, first-served or oldest first -- that will be used to dole out appointments.

Allen, however, said the names will be selected at random and older seniors wont be prioritized over younger seniors.

If we prioritize, were effectively making people who are younger no longer eligible and were not going to do that, he said.

Allen acknowledged there will be more challenges in the near term, saying seniors should expect to be frustrated and unhappy for the next week or two.

But the landscape changes dramatically for the better, he said, in mid-March.

Oregon plans to expand vaccine eligibility March 29 to include people age 45 to 64 with underlying health conditions, plus some groups of people including farm workers and those who are homeless.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee
By John Miller and Ludwig Burger

ZURICH (Reuters) - Vaccines from AstraZeneca, Russia's Gamaleya Institute and Johnson & Johnson fight the coronavirus with another virus, leaving scientists concerned the shots may lose potency if annual inoculations become necessary to fight new variants.

So-called viral vector shots - also used by several Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developers - use harmless modified viruses as vehicles, or vectors, to carry genetic information that helps the body build immunity against future infections.

However, there is a risk that the body also develops immunity to the vector itself, recognising it as an intruder and trying to destroy it.

Most vector-vaccine developers have opted to use an adenovirus, a harmless class of common-cold viruses."The experience with adenoviruses has been for many years that vectors can be intercepted by the immune system after repeat injections," said Bodo Plachter, deputy director of the Institute of Virology at Mainz University's teaching hospital.

"There may be the same problem with other types of vectors. Only 'trial and error' will tell," he added.

That potentially puts vector vaccines at a disadvantage to mRNA shots from Pfizer and Moderna, or vaccines using deactivated coronaviruses, like Sinovac's, or the coronavirus' surface spike proteins, an approach pursued by Novavax.

Vector immunity is not a new issue but has come under renewed scrutiny as companies including J&J anticipate regular COVID-19 vaccinations, like annual influenza shots, may be needed to combat new variants of the coronavirus.

Moderna as well as Pfizer and partner BioNTech said in separate statements this week they are studying additional booster shots that target new variants over time.

Even without any evolution in the virus, it is not yet clear whether vaccine-induced immune memory will eventually wane, which would also require booster shots. Scientists who spoke with Reuters acknowledged no definitive conclusions can be drawn about vector immunity's ultimate impact.

Story continues

While it may prove surmountable in the end, health policymakers will still have to grapple with the question of which vaccines to deploy, and in what order, ahead of potential repeat inoculations.

A major validation of vector technology was the approval of Merck & Co's Ervebo inoculation against Ebola in 2019 and its use - and that of similar experimental vaccines - during outbreaks in Africa in prior years.

But vector immunity has been implicated in past failures, including when a 2004 Merck AIDS vaccine trial flopped in men previously exposed to the adenovirus used for the vaccine.

AstraZeneca declined to comment. J&J and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which is responsible for marketing the Sputnik vaccine made by the Gamaleya Institute abroad, did not respond to a request for comment.

MIX AND MATCH

One approach could be to combine different shots, known as "mixing and matching".

AstraZeneca and partner Oxford University's shot is being trialled with Russia's Sputnik V, and British scientists are testing Pfizer's mRNA shot with AstraZeneca's vaccine in a study funded by the British government, which says it is aware of the vector immunity issue.

The main motive for the British combination trial was to give healthcare providers flexibility in case of limited supplies, but Matthew Snape, the Oxford vaccinologist leading the project, said the question of vector immunity "is one of the reasons this study is interesting".

He added there were plans to test for any anti-vector reaction by seeing how well a viral vector performs versus an alternative vaccine when given as a third dose.

Mainz University's Plachter is among those suggesting it may be more practical over the longer term to pivot to a class of vaccine that does not rely on vectors. "If after a while, you get to a standard immunization protocol, as with influenza, I would assume you would use other carriers," he said.

AstraZeneca and the Gamaleya Institute have already sought to overcome vector immunity challenges under the standard COVID-19 two-shot regimen.

The Russian lab employed two different viral vectors, seeking to prevent efficacy dropping from the primary dose to the booster shot, while AstraZeneca and Oxford use a chimpanzee virus vector to which humans would not previously have been exposed. But questions over a third or subsequent shot have yet to be addressed.

"One of the big sells for (AstraZeneca) was that there can be no existing immunity," Ian Jones, a professor of virology at Reading University, said. "This will not be the case once the world has had the COVID vaccines."

Since the vectors in the leading vaccines have been stripped of their ability to replicate, the antibody and T-cell responses they generate may, however, not be that strong.

Moreover, only tiny vector volumes are needed for COVID-19 vaccines, in contrast with gene therapies where viral vectors serve as gene repair kits for diseased cells and vector immunity needs to be monitored closely because much larger quantities are injected.

"The injected dose is so low that the induction of immunity to the capsid, or virus shell, remains low," said Luk Vandenberghe, a Harvard Medical School gene therapy expert working on a viral-vector COVID-19 vaccine.

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger in Frankfurt, John Miller in Zurich, Kate Kelland and Alistair Smout in London and Michael Erman in New York; Editing by Josephine Mason and Kirsten Donovan)
WASHINGTON, D.C.  The House passed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan early Saturday morning with $1,400 direct payments to Americans and with two members of the Massachusetts delegation playing key roles in its passage.

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, was responsible for $941 billion  or about half the $1.9 trillion bill. As Rules Committee chair, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, played a key role shepherding the bill through the process.

In a telephone interviews after the vote, Neal and McGovern told The Republican the Senate will take up COVID-19 response package next week and hopefully get it on President Joe Bidens desk soon thereafter.

The House vote was largely along party lines.

We thought wed lose one or two (votes of Democrats), Neal said. And thats all we lost, two.

The two Democrats voting no were Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregon, according to the Associated Press.

Neal said he expects people to have those stimulus checks next month so that many can meet day-to-day household expenses and stimulate more demand in the larger economy.

There are no shortcuts to defeating this virus, and the #AmericanRescuePlan recognizes the challenges that lie ahead. But all of this work will only matter if the Senate can move quickly to bring this legislation to @POTUS desk. This is our moment, and together, we will recover. pic.twitter.com/4IOHrMXcEw  Rep. Richard Neal (@RepRichardNeal) February 27, 2021

Many economists, Neal said, expect a robust recovery in the spring and summer months.

The time for action is now. Economists from the left, right and center agree that failing to do enough is much riskier than doing too much. There are no shortcuts to defeating this virus, and this package recognizes the challenges that lie ahead, Neal said. But all of this work will only matter if the Senate can move quickly to bring this legislation to President Bidens desk. This is our moment, and together, we will recover from this virus and set the American people on a new path.

The danger, Neal said, is in doing too little. Spending too little money now to get vaccines into arms, reopen schools and help people pay bills would only prolong the economic trouble.

McGovern said earlier bills were too small.

One of the reasons we are at this point is that President Trump and (Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell) kept lowballing us, McGovern said.

My full remarks from tonight's debate on the #AmericanRescuePlan:https://t.co/aAyIM4zGef  Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) February 27, 2021

As the nation enters the 12th month of the COVID-19 pandemic, Neal said there is good news in terms of vaccinations and health outcomes. But he emphasized that 10 million jobs are gone from the American economy and women, disproportionately, have been driven out of the workforce. The national unemployment rate is probably closer to 10% than the 6% widely advertised when those who have given up looking for work are factored in.

It certainly concentrated its wrath on lower-income people in terms of their earning ability, Neals said. We are hardly on the other side of this issue.

McGovern added, It was a good night for the American people. Now its on the Senate for a vote next week and hopefully well get this on the presidents desk.

The House bill includes $350 billion in support for state and local governments.

Neal said that could mean $8.5 billion for Massachusetts.

In Neals district, that would mean $98 million for Springfield and $9 million for Westfield as examples. For McGoverns district, Worcester would get $115.1 million, Northampton $17 million and Greenfield $1.7 million.

Neal said the money is divided up according to federal Community Development Block Grant formulas that have been in place for decades.

And McGovern said its much needed.

Our cities and towns, they have to reopen our schools safely. They have incurred all these expenses. So they are struggling. We need to get direct aid to our cities and towns.

This despite persistent Republican criticism that the aid to local governments is pork.

To me its a key part of the bill, McGovern said. Everybody is saying we need to reopen schools. Well, there is a cost.

Neal said there are safeguards and the money is targeted to COVID-fighting efforts.

The pandemic isnt about malfeasance, its not about mismanagement, its not about corruption, Neal said.

McGovern said the fight for a national $15 minimum wage will continue, despite an expected ruling from the Senate parliamentarian that the provision cannot be included in the final bill in that chamber.

Having said that, it was in the House package. We are not giving up, McGovern said. People who work full time are not going to live in poverty. We have not yet given up the fight.

Neal said there are a million people in this country working for $7.25 an hour.

That means you work one whole day just to fill up the gas tank, he said.

I think that there is broad support for raising the minimum wage. I think the question is how it can be done.

Neal pointed to other Ways and Means provisions of the bill:

Extend temporary federal unemployment and benefits through Aug. 29. The money increases the weekly benefit from $300 to $400.

Enhance the Earned Income Tax Credit for workers without children by nearly tripling the maximum credit and extending eligibility. It would be the largest expansion to the credit since 2009.

Expand the Child Tax Credit to $3,000 per child ($3,600 for children under 6), and make it fully refundable and advanceable, meaning it could be a monthly payment.

Increase the tax credit for child care.

Reduce health care premiums for low- and middle-income families by increasing the Affordable Care Acts premium tax credits for 2021 and 2022.

Stabilize the pensions for more than 1 million Americans, often frontline workers, who participate in multiemployer plans that are rapidly approaching insolvency.

Economists estimate that the Child Tax Credit could cut childhood poverty in this country in half, Neal said.

Its the most substantial improvement in decades, Neal said.

And the child-care tax credit will help parents, women in particular, reenter the work force.

This is a package Im very proud of, Neal said.

Related Content:
A Christian cleric, Bulus Yikura, has appealed to the Nigerian government and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to negotiate with Boko Haram for his release, to stop the terrorists from executing him in seven days.

Mr Yikura made the appeal in a video clip recorded on Wednesday and released by the terrorist group.

Kneeling in front of a masked man holding a dagger, Mr Yikura begged for fast intervention to save his life.

The cleric, who identified himself as a worshipper at EYN LCC, said his appearance in the video was the last chance given to him to call for help.

Speaking in Hausa, Mr Yikura said the countdown to his execution started on February 24 and ends on March 4.

My name is Bulus Yikura from EYN LCC 1. This is a call to our leader President Muhammadu Buhari, the governor of Borno State and our local council chairman to come to my rescue.

I have been given only seven days to appeal for assistance that will help me out of this torture.

If truly you want to rescue me from this untold suffering and threat to life, then you have to act fast.

I am also calling on the EYN president to help mobilise help that will rescue me, and also pray for me so that God will make things easy for me here.

I am making a similar plea to the CAN president; you all should know that I have no means of freeing myself except through your assistance.

This is the last opportunity given to me to call for help. After today I have no chance again to cry for help. It is unto you I put all my hope. Thank you. 

At the end of the video, the hooded man who was dressed in military khaki started speaking in Arabic then ended in Hausa, saying: Today is the last chance we are giving your man here.

Pointing at the camera, the man added; if you are interested in him then we have given you one week to respond and rescue him.

This coming Thursday is the end of the one week grace we have given; if you dont act before then, your regrets will only be useless for him and you.

Giving the date that the video was released, the Nigerian government only has five days left to act.

The terrorists have abducted many persons who they either killed or released after collecting huge ransoms.

Mr Yikura was abducted on the eve of Christmas last year when Boko Haram attacked Pemi village in Chibok local government area of Borno State.

Pemi is in about 20 Kilometres away from Chibok town.

ADVERTISEMENT
The newly appointed ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, Oksana Markarova, is ready to help the Ukrainian side in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but working with this Fund is not the main task of the Ukrainian ambassador.

Markarova said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

She said that Ukraines president and foreign minister set a task before her - to maximize the development of strategic partnership with the United States in all key areas.

The priorities are, in particular, to expand cooperation with the Biden administration and political dialogue based on their broad bipartisan support; actively participate in all security issues related to the restoration of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and the return of the occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea; and strengthen the security of our country and region.

In addition, Markarova noted that the president is setting new tasks before diplomats in the financial and economic direction - to be economic ambassadors of Ukraine and to maximize support for domestic exports and attracting investments of American companies in Ukraine.

All these issues are key priorities that I will deal with from the first days in office, she assured.

According to Markarova, she was surprised to read the comments that her appointment was connected with the need to establish effective communication with the IMF in order to receive the next tranches.

In this context, the ambassador emphasized that the Finance Ministry and the National Bank have a team of negotiators who work on this every day. Of course, as an ambassador, I am ready to get involved in all the issues where I can be useful and help the Ukrainian side in this work. Most of the central bodies of financial organizations are located in Washington, and I have a huge successful experience of working with them and a wide base of personal contacts at all levels, including managerial one, but working with the IMF is far from the main task of the ambassador to Washington, she said.

As Ukrinform reported, on February 25, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on the appointment of Oksana Markarova as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States of America.

ish
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)  Students, teachers and relatives abducted two weeks ago from a school in northern Nigeria have been freed.

The students, teachers and family members were abducted Feb. 17 by gunmen from the Government Science College Kagara.

Niger State Gov. Abubakar Sani Bello said he received 24 students, six staff and eight relatives on Saturday after they were released early in the morning.

This number released differed from the 42 people that the governor had originally said were kidnapped by the attackers, indicating some may still be missing. The discrepancy was not explained.

One of the students has been hospitalized for excessive exhaustion, he said, adding that the released will be medically checked and monitored for a few days before being reunited with family.

Sani Bello said that joint efforts of security, traditional leaders and stakeholders helped secure the release.

Their release was announced a day after police said gunmen had abducted 317 girls from a boarding school elsewhere in northern Nigeria, in Zamfara state. One resident said the gunmen also attacked a nearby military camp and checkpoint, preventing soldiers from interfering with the mass abduction.

Several large groups of armed men operate in Zamfara state, described by the government as bandits, and are known to kidnap for money and to push for the release of their members from jail.

Masauda Umar, 20, managed to escape from the school when the men arrived Friday.

She told The Associated Press the bandits came to their sleeping quarters and after knocking on the main door, they hit the people who answered it and made everyone gather.

I was coming out from the door and I met somebody but ran back and hid under my bed, she said. Im scared of going back to school because of what happened really got me scared but I will go back if the government tackles insecurity.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said Friday the governments primary objective is to get all the school hostages returned safe, alive and unharmed.

Story continues

We will not succumb to blackmail by bandits and criminals who target innocent school students in the expectation of huge ransom payments, he said. Let bandits, kidnappers and terrorists not entertain any illusions that they are more powerful than the government.

Nigeria has seen several such attacks and kidnappings over the years, notably the mass abduction in April 2014 by jihadist group Boko Haram of 276 girls from the secondary school in Chibok in Borno state. More than a hundred of the girls are still missing.

In December, 344 students were abducted from the Government Science Secondary School Kankara in Katsina State. They were eventually released.
Members of the Mallow Search and Rescue Unit who took part in a recent missing person search in north Cork

The recent missing person search along the River Blackwater has served to highlight the importance of search and rescue units and the key role they play in assisting the emergency services during operations of this kind.

Run on a voluntary basis, these units receive little or no statutory funding, relying almost exclusively on fundraising events, donations from the public and the money members spend from their own coffers to remain operational.

Like so many other voluntary organisations they have been hit hard by the Covid pandemic, with the cancellation of fundraising events meaning a key source of their income has dried up. As a result they are left with no option but to dig into their often meagre reserves and when they run dry members cover the costs of remaining operations from their own pockets.

In north Cork we are fortunate to have two units, the Fermoy-based Blackwater Search and Rescue Unit and the Mallow Search and Rescue Unit.

In the second of a two-part series we speak to John Woulfe, chair of the Mallow Search and Rescue Unit about the difficulties they have faced over the past year and what the future may hold for them.

Mr Woulfe said the cancellation of fundraising activities over the past 12-months has seen the unit lose up to 50 per cent of its normal annual income, putting increase pressure on already stretched resources.

Expand Close John Woulfe, chair of the Mallow Search and Rescue Unit / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp John Woulfe, chair of the Mallow Search and Rescue Unit

"Typically, its costs between 50k - 60k a year to run the unit. Funding is always an issue, but not being able to hold fundraisers such as our annual raft run or church-gate collections has made things a lot tougher," said John.

He said that while donations from local businesses and individuals have helped the unit 'tick-over", the Covid situation has dramatically highlighted the need for units such as the Mallow one to be given some form of State funding.

"There is a strong case for us to get some form of annual grant to help cover our running costs, particularly when you consider the work we do saves the Government a fortune each year. We have the Coast Guard and the RNLI, but they have a predominantly rescue role. On the other hand, our role is mainly a recovery one," said John.

"We do have some financial reserves built up over the years bolstered by some funding under the Permanent TSB Community Fund initiative, but we are dipping into this and it won't last forever. There is no Plan B in terms of finances for us, so when we can't fundraise it becomes a major problem."

In addition to the cost of maintaining equipment and travelling to missions across the country, one of the biggest financial milestones around the unit is its annual insurance bill, which can run to more than 15k per year.

"We have to cover for equipment and vehicles, public liability and, for some reason, employee liability although we technically do not have any employees because we are a volunteer run operation," said John.

He pointed out that insurance premiums keeping rising each year, repeating a call he has made before on numerous occasions for more to be done to tackle the spiralling insurance costs.

"This year we have already shelled out more than 9k on insurance. The other day we were quoted 3,600 for one policy, up from 2,100 last year It seems the insurance companies have a cosy cartel and can do what they want, regardless of the impact this having on community and voluntary groups across the country," said John.

"The Government has to step in and take action to ensure these bodies and small enterprises can get fair and equitable insurance rates so they can maintain services and remain financially viable entities. Particularly in these Covid times," he added.

Despite the financial headache facing the unit John said it will keep doing what it does best, bringing closure to families across the country through its recovery operation.

"For us it is not so much about the money. We have been broke before and managed to keep going with members covering their own costs. That said, the current situation with Covid is unlike anything we have experienced before. We are in a good position for this year but the longer this goes on the more pressure we will be under," said John.

"How that will impact us in the long run only time will tell."
Montgomery police are conducting a homicide investigation after a 35-year-old mans body was found early Friday morning, police said.

Montgomery police and fire medics responded to the 3900 block of Norman Bridge Road around 2:30 a.m. Friday on a report of a body found.

At the scene, authorities discovered 35-year-old Montgomery resident Mickey Lassic, who suffered fatal injuries, said Montgomery police spokeswoman Sgt. Saba Coleman. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The circumstances of Lassics death were under investigation; no arrests have been made, Coleman said.

Anyone with information on the investigation were asked to call Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP or Montgomery police at 334-625-2831.
A picture of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Kashoggi, is displayed during a ceremony near the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2019.(Lefteris Pitarakis/AP)

Treasury Sanctions Saudi Officials and Tiger Squad Members Over Khashoggi Killing

The Treasury Department on Friday imposed asset-freeze and prohibition-of-business sanctions against Saudi officials after a government report implicated them in the slaying of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The sanctions target Ahmad Hassan Mohammed al Asiri, Saudi Arabias former Deputy Head of General Intelligence Presidency, and Saudi Arabias Rapid Intervention Force (RIF), also known as the Tiger Squad.

Treasury said in an announcement Friday that al Asiri was the ringleader responsible for dispatching a 15-man hit squad to murder and dismember Khashoggi in October 2018 inside the Saudi Consulate in Turkey. Several members of the team sent to intercept Khashoggi were members of the Tiger Squad, according to the announcement.

Those involved in the abhorrent killing of Jamal Khashoggi must be held accountable. With this action, Treasury is sanctioning Saudi Arabias Rapid Intervention Force and a senior Saudi official who was directly involved in Jamal Khashoggis murder, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

The United States stands united with journalists and political dissidents in opposing threats of violence and intimidation. We will continue to defend the freedom of expression, which is the bedrock of a free society, she added.

The sanctions block all U.S.-based property and interests held by al Asiri and associates of RIF, and prohibit all transactions with them, including provision of goods or services.

The Biden administration also announced visa restrictions against 76 Saudi citizens on Friday over the Khashoggi killing, although it stopped short of imposing any sanctions on the crown prince, U.S. officials said.

Khashoggi, who wrote opinion columns for the Washington Post critical of the crown princes policies, was killed and dismembered by a team of operatives linked to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

A declassified intelligence assessment released on Friday in a manner choreographed to limit damage to U.S.-Saudi ties indicated that the Saudi crown prince approved of the operation to capture or assassinate Khashoggi.

Washington choreographed events to soften the blow, with President Joe Biden on Thursday speaking with the crown princes 85-year-old father, King Salman, in a call in which both sides said they reaffirmed their decades-old alliance and pledged cooperation.

A second U.S. official noted that, although Saudi citizens were named in the first use of what the State Department called the Khashoggi Ban on visas, its really a new global tool that is part of a new policy aimed at nations that carry out activities against journalists and dissidents beyond their borders. Such activities include efforts to suppress, harass, surveil, threaten or harm them.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

COVID-19 daily case numbers had seen sharp declines in recent weeks.

Top US health officials said those declines seem to be "stalling" at a "very high number."

They warn it's too early to lift restrictions, as some governors have begun to do in their states.

Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.

COVID-19 case counts have been falling at a rapid rate for weeks, but top health officials warn that progress seems to be "stalling" just as some states have begun to lift restrictions.

During a White House briefing on Friday, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said there had been a rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases in recent days.

"Over the last few weeks, cases and hospital admissions in the United States had been coming down since early January and deaths had been declining in the past week," Walensky said. "But the latest data suggests that these declines may be stalling, potentially leveling off at, still, a very high number."

She said the most recent 7-day average of deaths due to COVID-19 is about 2,000 per day, which indicates a slight increase.

Although the US had been experiencing dramatic declines in cases and hospitalizations, she said those declines followed "the highest peak we have experienced in the pandemic."

Walensky said the reason for the shift could be increasingly prominent variants of the novel coronavirus, including some that are more transmissible. Experts say one variant that was first found in the UK, B.1.1.7, is expected to account for most COVID-19 cases in the US by March.

"Things are tenuous. Now is not the time to relax restrictions," she said.

"We may be done with the virus, but clearly, the virus is not done with us. We cannot get comfortable or give in to a false sense of security that the worst of the pandemic is behind us - not now; not when mass vaccination is so very close."

Story continues

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and President Biden's chief medical adviser for COVID-19, also emphasized the importance of vaccinations during the briefing.

"It is important to get as many people vaccinated as quickly and as expeditiously as possible," Fauci said.

He said if the case counts plateau now around 70,000 per day, as the data seems to suggest, the US would be in a "very precarious position that we were right before the fall surge."

Fauci said states should watch what happens over the next week or so before making decisions about lifting restrictions.

As governors of certain states have begun to ease restrictions, experts told Insider it's too soon for mask mandates to be lifted.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Heathrow is at the centre of a bitter row after hatching a plan to make airlines and passengers pay more.

The airport told The Mail on Sunday it plans to put up its landing fees by 10 in January to 30 per passenger to cover the cost of fewer people flying. Airlines add these fees to airfares, meaning a family of five faces paying an extra 50 for flights leaving Heathrow.

Heathrow is also hoping to recoup part of its record 2 billion loss for 2020 with a separate 8.90 per passenger Airport Recovery Charge this year. The charge includes fees for baggage handling, water, waste disposal and car parking.

Take off: Heathrow will raise fees by 10 per passenger next year in money-raising initiatives that could increase the cost of holidays

Meanwhile, Britain's biggest airport is lobbying the aviation regulator for a 2.8billion increase in its overall funding model, which is used to work out the maximum it can charge in landing fees.

The 8.90 Airport Recovery Charge  which will apply for 2021 only  was approved in consultation with firms such as hotels, retailers and airlines. But it has angered some businesses, which say they also face a battle to survive.

Surinder Arora, whose Arora Group runs two hotels inside Heathrow's boundary, said he was 'appalled' by the extra fees and accused Heathrow of 'abusing its monopoly position' with 'rip-off rates'.

The hotelier revealed the cost of the water supply to his hotels at Terminals 2 and 5 had doubled from 11.84 to 21.72 per cubic metre.

Arora said: 'Businesses like ours are trying to survive the worst pandemic in the history of aviation, but these guys are now trying to charge us ten times the going rate for utilities to cover their losses and line shareholders' pockets. Why should Heathrow be exempt from shouldering losses?'

Heathrow hit back last night, saying it expected fewer passengers until at least 2023, so the cost of using the airport has to rise to make up for this.

The airport said it would not make a profit from the 8.90 per passenger charge, which would help cover the cost of passenger numbers plunging 73 per cent last year to 22.1million.

Heathrow has made 394million of cost-savings in the pandemic, including cutting 1,700 jobs, and has scrapped 700million of investment. It has also raised 2.5billion of cash including 600million from private investors.

But airlines say they have made huge losses too and argue that Heathrow's seven wealthy shareholders, which include Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial and Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, should repair the debt-laden airport's balance sheets.

Heathrow has paid out about 4billion of dividends since 2012, including a 100million dividend last February, just before the pandemic hit travel into and out of Britain.

IATA, the global industry body for airlines, said: 'Heathrow's application to extort billions of pounds from airlines that have been devastated by Covid-19 is a direct attempt to protect its investors' interests on the backs of consumers.'

Pointing the way: Heathrow has made 394million of cost-savings in the pandemic, including cutting 1,700 jobs

In total, around 20 airlines that fly from Heathrow oppose its plans to raise prices, including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, Etihad and United Airlines.

Heathrow said that if the Civil Aviation Authority refused to raise its funding base by 2.8billion, it would seek to raise passenger fees by 15 rather than 10 next year to 35 per passenger to cover costs.

It said the extra funding would allow it to spend 220million on upgrades and that without it services to customers would suffer.

Gatwick posted a 465.5million loss for the year to December 31, but said its landing fees would remain 'very competitive' at 11.34 per passenger from April.

Chief executive Stewart Wingate said: 'We want to offer a bargain to airlines so they can offer very competitive fares that will stimulate demand and help the industry recover when it is safe to travel.'

The CAA will announce its decision on funding in the coming weeks. It said it proposes to reject Heathrow's 'disproportionate' request, but is considering 'a more limited and targeted intervention'.

Heathrow said: 'Timely action from the CAA will ensure Heathrow consumers get a better service at a lower cost in the years to come.'
It's difficult not to feel great sympathy for the people of South Sligo who seem to be suffering more than most over the past while.

As if the N17 wasn't bad enough to have to put up with - the speed limit on the main route from Galway to Sligo has been slapped with an 80kph zone in places.

It's a clear recognition by the authorities, be it the Road Safety Authority or the County Council that it just isn't safe anymore.

It has no hard shoulders and is full of hidden dips, bad bends and a poor enough surface despite the best efforts of the Council.

It's way down the list of priorities for Transport Infrastructure Ireland and while routes are being laid out including for the long awaited by-pass of Tubbercurry, the reality is it could be a decade before we see work starting.

Look at how long it has taken for the short stretch of the N4 from Collooney to Castlebaldwin to be tackled?

For whatever reason, the N17 seems to be gone off the political agenda, it's as if there's a certain acceptance that there's no reality to it being pushed up the list in the short term and this isn't right.

The late councillor Margaret Gormley was constantly raising the N17 at council meetings going back to the 1990s.

She never let an opportunity go without raising the matter and wondering if anything could be done. There was often no updated response from officials to Cllr Gormley, they being as much frustrated with the lack of progress as she was.

The major town in South Sligo suffered greatly too over the decades with factory and business closures as the shift towards Sligo became more obvious both in terms of investment and jobs. It's a resilient town however and it has stood up to what has come its way.

For three years some 13,000 people in the area had to boil its drinking water. It would have been national news if it happened in Dublin but Tubber had to suffer on while Irish Water went about securing planning for an upgrade of its Lough Talt Water Treatment Plant.

And, just as it has come on stream as it were, we learn this week that the water coming from the 10m upgraded plant is yellow and brown in colour.

This is one issue that should be resolved as soon as possible for the people of Tubbercurry and its surrounds.
Australias Superb male Lyrebird, known for its ability to accurately mimic the sounds from its surroundings, imitates the noises of a mixed-species flock in order to court a female and enhance their chances of mating. A study published in the journal Current Biology has found that the male Lyrebird tricks the female into the delusional perception of a mobbing flock and imitated multiple sounds of panic and alarm caused by the flock due to a predatory threat.

The male lyrebirds may send these deceptive signals after their advances are rejected by the female lyrebird. According to the study, the birds might make noises of kookaburras, cockatoos, or sounds like camera shutters, car alarms and chainsaws to coerce the female lyrebirds species into mating. The signals might range from sinister to trickiest as these Australian birds attempt to elaborate their second mating call using lie and deception, scientists at Australian National University found. This lying behaviour of the male lyrebirds by mimicking wingbeat noises and predatory flocking of a group of birds triggers the female lyrebird into thinking that it is unsafe in another environment, therefore it stays with the male. This uncanny acoustic imitation was observed as a part of male lyrebird species courtship song.

Read: Scientists Raise Alarm About Nipah Virus, Say 'it Could Cause Next Pandemic'

Read: Scientists Successfully Clone First US Endangered Animal; Named It Elizabeth Ann

This is the ground-dwelling Australian Lyrebird 



Lyrebirds are most notable for their superb ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment



Females can miicand sing just as well as the males #m pic.twitter.com/qaQFsjZHGA   Martin   .**  (@KlatuBaradaNiko) October 3, 2020

The male Superb Lyrebird creates a remarkable acoustic illusion when a potential mate tries to leave a displaying male without copulating, or during copulation itself, Anastasia Dalziell, a researcher at Cornell Lab of Ornithology at the University of Wollongong, Australia explained. "These two moments are key to male reproductive success, suggesting that mimicking a mobbing flock is a crucial mating behavior for males, she added.

Lyrebird species' 'sensory trap'

Australias male superb lyrebird (Menura Novaehollandiae) creates the "sensory trap" for females with layered sounds, some of the recordings captured by scientists in the Sherbrooke Forest of southeastern Australia. Elaborate research into the behaviour of these male bird species suggested that the lyrebird songs arent always honest signal but mostly mimetic vocalizations.

Similarly, the worlds loudest bird native to mountains of the northern Amazon known as the white bellbird is known to shriek some of the noisiest birdsongs ever. The ear-splitting sound of the white bellbird has smashed the record for the loudest ever heard on the planet, usually made by males for mating calls. The sounds are said to be louder than the bisons bellows and a howler monkeys howls according to the University of Massachusetts and the National Institute of Amazonian Research in Manaus, Brazil.

Read: Clinical Trials For 'variant Proof' Vaccines Could Start Very Soon: Scientists

Read: Government Withdraws Order On Online Seminars After Backlash From Scientists

Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  The Philippines is set to receive 525,600 doses of British-Swedish manufacturer Oxford-AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccines on Monday, March 1, the Palace said.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement the delivery will arrive at around 12:50 p.m. via commercial flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It is the first batch out of 3.5 million up to 9 million AstraZeneca doses that will come from the COVAX facility. COVAX is a global initiative led by the World Health Organization with several participating governments, that aims to ensure equitable access of COVID-19 vaccines.

The spokesperson later clarified in an interview with CNN Philippines that the over half a million doses are not included in the 17 million AstraZeneca shots that the national government secured through tripartite agreements with the private sector and local government units.

"Iba pa ito. Ito ay galing sa COVAX facility [This is different. This is from the COVAX facility]," Roque told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Weekend.

On who will be prioritized for the AstraZeneca doses, Roque said that medical frontliners should be first in line according to the national vaccination plan. However, he also noted that the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group has yet to arrange a system for the drugs' rollout.

"Magkakaroon 'yan ng panibagong protocol na bubuuhin ng NITAG, pero sang-ayon sa national vaccine plan, syempre uunahin pa rin talaga ang mga medical frontliners," said the Palace official.

[That will have a new protocol but according to the national vaccine plan, of course, we will prioritize the medical frontliners]

Meanwhile, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. said the initial doses will be administered at the Philippine General Hospital and other major hospitals.

Roque thanked British Ambassador to the Philippines Daniel Pruce for his "intercession" that led to the speedy shipment of the dosages. Senator Bong Go, a close ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, said he and the President will personally welcome the arrival of the vaccines.

AstraZeneca is among the three manufacturers whose vaccines have been approved for emergency use in the country, together with US' Pfizer BioNtech and China's Sinovac. It was also granted emergency use listing by the WHO.

The vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, showed an average efficacy of 70% after receiving two required doses, AstraZeneca said in November. Food and Drug Administration chief Eric Domingo also said the efficacy rate for the first dose is at 70%, but it improves after the second dose is administered. He added that the two doses administered four to 12 weeks apart can only be received by people aged 18 and above excluding pregnant women.

The AstraZeneca shipment will come just a day after the country is expected to get its first delivery of 600,000 vaccines from Sinovac, called CoronaVac

Roque earlier said healthcare workers should also be the first to get the CoronaVac shots, but he added that they can choose not to take them after the FDA flagged the China-made vaccine due to its 50.4% efficacy rate for medical frontliners exposed to COVID-19 patients.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
ORLANDO, Fla.  One month after Donald J. Trump left office, thousands of his conservative allies and other far-right leaders on Friday began trying to center the Republican Party around the grievances of his presidency, pushing false claims about the American voting system, denouncing what they called liberal cancel culture and mocking mask-wearing.

Gathering at the first major conference of pro-Trump conservatives since his defeat, the politicians and activists sought to affirm their adherence to a conservatism as defined by Mr. Trump, and the need to break with many of the policies and ideas that had animated the American right for decades.

Some speakers at the event, the annual gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference, went as far as to declare the traditional Republican Party all but dead. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who is seen as a possible candidate for president in 2024, vowed that conservatives would never return to the failed Republican establishment of yesteryear. Others firmly asserted Mr. Trumps standing as the partys leader and waved off the talk among some Republicans about moving on from the former president.

Let me tell you right now, said Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Donald J. Trump aint goin anywhere.
Luzerne County leaders say residents and businesses will be unfairly burdened by a proposal to toll two bridges along Interstate 80.

State Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-116, Butler Twp., hosted a virtual forum on Friday bringing more than 80 stakeholders together to discuss the proposal, which would put tolls on bridges over the Nescopeck Creek and Lehigh River as soon as 2023.

Luzerne County is bookended by these two bridges, which are just 22 miles apart on the highway, she said.

One of the bridges is at the Village of Tank in Black Creek Twp., which is near the countys western border with Columbia County, and the other bridge at White Haven on the countys eastern border with Carbon County.

The proposal would affect Luzerne County motorists, in addition to truckers going to and from two large industrial parks in Greater Hazleton, whether they would be traveling east or west on the highway, which bisects the state.

Toohil noted that commuters and residents alike would be impacted by the tolls, which could be as much as $2 each direction, and additional fees would be added to motorists without E-Z Pass devices in their vehicles, she said. The E-Z Pass device also allows the state to easily increase the tolls, similar to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, she said.

State Sen. John Yudichak, I-14, Swoyersville, said that with two bridges, Luzerne County would be shouldering 25% of the statewide burden from the tolls proposed on a total of nine state bridges.

Questions also exist on whether the state Department of Transportations P3, or Private-Public Partnership, Board has the authority to tax or appropriate funds through the tolls, which will not generate enough to cover the departments current funding deficit, he said

A broader solution, possibly utilizing federal funds, is needed, Yudichak said, and one that doesnt further burden the residents of Luzerne County, who also have to shoulder the economic loss due to the closure of the White Haven Center and the state prison at Retreat.

No other county in the state would face the same burden as Luzerne, said county manager Dave Pedri.

Residents of Luzerne County will have to pay a toll for the use of Route 80 every single time, he said. This is an issue that has to be brought to the forefront, because were being treated differently than 66 other counties in the state.

Pedri also noted that by the state Department of Transportations own estimates the tolls on the bridge over the Nescopeck would generate more than $540 million over 30 years, when only $195 million is needed to repair and maintain that bridge over the same time period.

Residents traveling on the highway would be paying an additional $300 million in tolls for other road projects in the state from the revenue generated by just that one bridge, he said.

The tolls would remain in effect for 30 years, but others cautioned that once imposed that tolls could become permanent.

Industry in the area already relies on the interstate highway system to transport goods, and tolls on those highways and bridges would hurt existing businesses and stunt future growth, economic development leaders said.

Joseph Lettiere, president and CEO of CAN DO, the Hazleton areas economic development organization, said that competition for industry is fierce.

Companies are looking at investing in complexes covering 20 to 25 million square feet in the Hazleton area over the next 10 years or so, which would strengthen the areas economy and help unemployment, he said.

Tolls on the two bridges would impact that potential growth and impact the workforce, which has a wide commuter pattern, Lettiere said.

+5 Carbon County leaders don't support I-80 tolls Carbon County commissioners arent keen on a plan to toll bridges along Interstate 80 to fun

Mary Malone, president of the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, said the tolls would only further impact an already challenged workforce and community.

This proposal not only impacts large employers, such as those in the Humboldt and Valmont industrial parks, but also small businesses, which make up the majority of the chambers membership, she said.

Wico van Genderen, president of the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce, said the move will impact the decisions of businesses considering locating in the area, speaking from his experience in national and global operations.

The tolls will negatively impact the regions ability, not only to attract new companies, but also retain existing ones, he said.

Hazle Twp. Supervisor Jim Montone questioned how much will the area and companies be expected to give.

Three companies considering locating in the area of Route 424 and Interstate 81 are being asked by PennDOT to fund road improvements and a bridge expansion, he said.

Is that going to continue to happen? Montone asked. Where does it end? And what impact on development will that have?

Montones concerns along with those of other community and business leaders will be presented to the department, Toohil said. She appreciated everyones participation, because the community can present a united front, she said.

Toohil plans to seek additional information from the department to find out how far along in the process the proposal is, and whether it is a done deal, similar to the proposals to close the White Haven Center and Retreat.

Those closures negatively impacted Luzerne County, and this proposal would see the area continue to be treated unfairly by the state, she said.
Page Content

Every employer in Hong Kong should consider how the vaccination program could impact its business and which questions it may face from employees and customers. In particular:

Can an employer oblige its employees to be vaccinated?

Can an employer encourage its employees to be vaccinated?

Can an employer track which of its employees have been vaccinated?

Each of these questions is considered below.

Can an Employer Oblige Its Employees to Be Vaccinated?

Every employee must comply with any lawful and reasonable direction of his or her employer. A failure to comply with such a direction is a breach of contract and may result in disciplinary action against the employee.

There is no unlawfulness involved in being vaccinated for COVID-19. As such, the question really becomes whether a direction to be vaccinated is reasonable.

This will depend on the circumstances in each case. For example, where the continuation of an employer's business is dependent on employees being vaccinated (for example, in a service industry where customers expect persons with whom they come into close proximity to be free of the COVID-19 virus), it may well be reasonable for the employer to direct employees to be vaccinated. In contrast, where the employer's business does not require its employees to have any material interaction with other employees or with customers, a direction requiring employees to be vaccinated is unlikely to be reasonable.

Conclusion: Each employer should consider its own business and the impact on such business of employees not being vaccinated. There is some emotional sensitivity around vaccinations, so employers are, in our view, unlikely to mandate vaccination other than in the most obvious cases (e.g., the travel industry, care services and schools).

Can an Employer Encourage Its Employees to Be Vaccinated?

Absolutely. Nonetheless, employers should be careful about treating employees who refuse to get vaccinated less favorably, as there is a small risk that this may fall afoul of the Disability Discrimination Ordinance's prohibition on treating an employee differently due to the presence of an organism in his or her body.

Conclusion: We anticipate that employers in Hong Kong may be active in advocating vaccinationeven to the extent that senior levels of management may voluntarily advertise the fact that they have been vaccinated. Such vaccinations can be celebrated but employers should be careful not to be seen to punish those who do not get vaccinated.

Can an Employer Track Which of Its Employees Have Been Vaccinated?

The collection of information concerning vaccination will be a collection of personal data. As such it must comply with the principles set out in the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

A person collecting personal data must have a legitimate reason for such collection. For most employers, especially where employees work together in large groups or where they interact with customers, the collection of vaccination data could be justified to enable an employer to give comfort to customers or employees generally.

In seeking vaccination information from any employee an employer will need to inform the employee both:

Whether the employee is obliged to provide the information.

The impact if the employee refuses to provide the information.

Conclusion: We anticipate that many employers, especially those in the service industries, may look to track the number of staff who have been vaccinated. Nonetheless, we anticipate that this will be achieved through a voluntary regime and employers will simply assume that nonresponders have not been vaccinated.

Duncan A. W. Abate is an attorney with Mayer Brown in Hong Kong.  2021 Mayer Brown. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission of Lexology.
President Joe Biden said on Friday that his decision to authorize United States airstrikes in Syria is a warning to Iran to not support militia groups that threaten U.S. interests or personnel.

'You can't act with impunity. Be careful,' Biden said when a reporter asked what message he had intended to send with the airstrikes.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday that Biden used his constitutional authority to defend U.S. personnel in the first military actions he has authorized as Commander-in-Chief.

'The targets were chosen to correspond to the recent attacks on facilities and to deter the risk of additional attacks over the coming weeks,' she said.

Scroll down for video

President Joe Biden said on Friday that his decision to authorize United States airstrikes in Syria is a warning to Iran to not support militia groups that threaten U.S. interests or personnel

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, left, visit a FEMA COVID-19 vaccination facility at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Friday

Authorities said the airstrike targeted structures belonging to two Iranian-backed militias in Al Bukamal (depicted)

The U.S. on Thursday carried out an airstrike in Syria that reportedly killed 22 Iran-backed fighters in an apparent response to rocket attacks against US targets in Iraq that injured American troops and killed a contractor on February 15.

The airstrike was conducted by two Air Force F-15E aircraft which launched seven 500-pound JDAMs, precision guided munitions, Military Times reported.

John Kirby, the Pentagon's chief spokesman, said the strike fully destroyed nine facilities and 'functionally destroyed' two others.

The U.S. targeted a crossing used by the militia groups to move weapons across the border. Authorities said the airstrike targeted structures belonging to two Iranian-backed militias in Al Bukamal.

The threat level for US soldiers and contractors in Iraq has since been raised by the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, Fox News reported.

Americans in Iraq were put on high alert as officials fear a response to the airstrike, sources told the outlet. The threat level may remain for several days.

Sallyport Global, a company that fulfills US government contracts, has also put American contractors on high alert at Balad Air Base in a separate decision, Fox News reported.

Last weekend, the air base was hit with a Katyusha rocket attack and one person was injured.

In a political twist for the new Democratic administration, several leading Congress members in Biden's own party denounced the airstrikes on Syria.

Democrats said the airstrikes were done without authorization from lawmakers, while Republicans were more supportive.

'Offensive military action without congressional approval is not constitutional absent extraordinary circumstances,' said Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat.

And Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, said 'retaliatory strikes not necessary to prevent an imminent threat.'

But Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, backed the decision as 'the correct, proportionate response to protect American lives.'

The airstrike comes after repeated tensions between Iran and the Trump White House over the previous four years which reached a peak following Qassem Soleimani's killing in early 2020.

While the strike could be the first retaliatory move by the United States following last week's attacks, it appeared to be limited in scope, potentially lowering the risk of escalation.

Also a decision to strike only in Syria and not in Iraq would give the Iraqi government some breathing room as it carries out its own investigation of a February 15 attack that wounded Americans.

U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston, Texas on Friday

President Joe Biden walks off of Marine One to head towards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base on Friday

The US dropped seven 500-pound JDAMs (file image) on seven targets on a crossing used by the militia groups to move weapons across the border

'Guardians of Blood Brigade' behind Iraq rocket attack The Pentagon said Thursday's strikes targeted the Shi'a militants who carried out a February 15 rocket attack in Iraq that killed a civilian contractor and wounded a US service member. A Shi'a group called Saraya Awliya al-Dam, meaning 'Guardians of Blood Brigade', had claimed responsibility for the attack. The group also declared that US troops would remain targets until they leave Iraq, according to extremism expert Rita Katz. Little is known about the group, but some regional experts fear it may be a front for one of Iraq's larger Shi'a militias. Iran this week said it has no links to the Guardians of Blood Brigade. Katz has warned that the number of Shi'a factions in Iraq is 'multiplying'. The February 15 attack came after NATO announced it would scale up its mission in Iraq from 500 personnel to 4,000 to fight the remnants of ISIS. Advertisement

The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the strike was approved by President Joe Biden.

In announcing the strikes, John Kirby, the Pentagon's chief spokesman, said: 'This proportionate military response was conducted together with diplomatic measures, including consultation with coalition partners.'

'The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel. At the same time, we have acted in a deliberate manner that aims to deescalate the overall situation in eastern Syria and Iraq.'

Pentagon officials said they offered up several larger groups of targets but Biden approved the smallest option.

Retaliatory US military strikes have occurred a number of times in the past few years. The rocket attacks against US positions in Iraq were carried out as Washington and Tehran are looking for a way to return to the 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by former president Donald Trump.

Biden administration officials condemned the February 15 rocket attack near the city of Irbil in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish-run region, but as recently as this week officials indicated they had not determined for certain who carried it out.

Officials have noted that in the past, Iranian-backed Shiite militia groups have been responsible for numerous rocket attacks that targeted US personnel or facilities in Iraq.

Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman, had said Tuesday that Iraq is in charge of investigating the February 15 attack.

Video shows red hot shrapnel and smoke filling the air after a rocket landed in the middle of a street in Erbil on February 15. As well as the US contractors wounded and the foreign contractor killed, five Iraqi civilians were wounded in the attack

A view of the scene after a rocket attack outside the international airport in Erbil, the capital of northern Iraqs Kurdish region on February 16

A view of the Erbil International Airport after flights restarted, following a rocket attack outside the international airport, in Erbil, Iraq on February 16

A view of the scene after a rocket attack outside the international airport in Erbil, the capital of northern Iraqs Kurdish region on February 16. The group, calling itself the Guardian of Blood Brigades, said in a statement that it had fired 24 rockets at the airport and they hit their target

Pro-Iran attacks against the US in Iraq Western military and diplomatic sites in Iraq have been targeted by dozens of rockets and roadside bombs since late 2019, with both foreign and Iraqi personnel killed. In December 2019, a US contractor was killed in a rocket attack on a base in Kirkuk province, prompting the US to respond with air strikes against Kataeb Hezbollah. Furious pro-Iranian militia men stormed the US embassy in Baghdad following the strikes on Kataeb Hezbollah. Kataeb Hezbollah is an Iran-sponsored Shia Muslim faction which is part of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The PMF was assembled by Iraq to help combat Islamic State but, since defeating the radicals, the PMF has been unwilling to bend to the government in Baghdad. Just days after the storming of the US embassy, top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US rocket strike on January 3. His motorcade was obliterated by a US Reaper drone after he arrived from either Syria or Iraq. Several PMF commanders were also killed in the strike. Soleimani was the architect of Iran's foreign policy and Washington said his travel throughout the Middle East, especially into Iraq and Syria, was inextricably linked to Tehran's anti-American designs. Following the strike, rocket attacks were carried out by pro-Iranian militia on al-Asad, a coalition airbase in the west of Iraq. In March 2020, another rocket attack killed two Americans - a soldier and a contractor - and a British soldier. In October, the US threatened to close its embassy in Baghdad unless the attacks stopped. The Iraqi government facilitated an indefinite truce with hardline groups and the fire had come to a near halt. But there have been violations, the most recent of which had been a spray of rockets targeting the US embassy on December 20. Advertisement

'Right now, we're not able to give you a certain attribution as to who was behind these attacks, what groups, and I'm not going to get into the tactical details of every bit of weaponry used here,' Kirby said.

'Let's let the investigations complete and conclude, and then when we have more to say, we will.'

A little-known Shiite militant group calling itself Saraya Awliya al-Dam, Arabic for Guardians of Blood Brigade, claimed responsibility for the February 15 attack.

A week later, a rocket attack in Baghdad's Green Zone appeared to target the US Embassy compound, but no one was hurt.

Iran this week said it has no links to the Guardians of Blood Brigade.

'I'm confident in the target that we went after, we know what we hit,' Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters flying with him from California to Washington.

Speaking shortly after the airstrikes, he added: 'We're confident that that target was being used by the same Shia militants that conducted the strikes,' he said referring to the February 15 rocket attack in northern Iraq that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a US service member and other coalition personnel.

Austin said he recommended the action to Biden.

'We said a number of times that we will respond on our timeline,' Austin said. 'We wanted to be sure of the connectivity and we wanted to be sure that we had the right targets.'

The frequency of attacks by Shiite militia groups against US targets in Iraq diminished late last year ahead of Biden's inauguration, though now Iran is pressing America to return to Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal.

The US under the previous Trump administration blamed Iran-backed groups for carrying out the attacks.

Tensions soared after a Washington-directed drone strike that killed top Iranian Gen Qassem Soleimani and powerful Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis last year.

Trump had said the death of a US contractor would be a red line and provoke US escalation in Iraq.

The December 2019 killing of a US civilian contractor in a rocket attack in Kirkuk sparked a tit-for-tat fight on Iraqi soil that brought the country to the brink of a proxy war.

US forces have been significantly reduced in Iraq to 2,500 personnel and no longer partake in combat missions with Iraqi forces in ongoing operations against the Islamic State group.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
Eligible members of the U.S. military can get a rebate on new Toyota vehicles, including the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime, at San Francisco Toyota.

To honor a kind of sacrifice like no other, San Francisco Toyota is offering a discount to eligible United States military personnel as a small gesture of gratitude for their service to the country.

The Bay-area dealership is participating in the automakers nationwide initiative to provide a $500 rebate to eligible U.S. military members to use toward any new Toyota vehicle that is purchased or leased from San Francisco Toyota. This rebate is available for active U.S. military personnel, household members of eligible U.S. military personnel (including Gold Star families), U.S. military retirees and U.S. military veterans who are within two years of their discharge.

Those eligible who wish to receive this offer must provide proof of their military status or active service at the time they are purchasing or leasing the new Toyota vehicle. This could be a leave or earning statement, a military ID card, a DD Form 214 or a certificate of release or discharge from active duty. They must also be receiving a qualifying salary and have credit approval by Toyota Financial Services. Other limitations may apply, so anyone interested is invited to contact San Francisco Toyota for the full details.

San Francisco Toyota is taking precautions to help keep customers and employees safe while at their two locations. These precautions include mandatory face mask wearing for customers and employees, social distancing, sanitation stations, daily symptom and health checks, unaccompanied extended test drives, available contactless delivery of vehicles to homes, the disinfecting of vehicles after service and more. Online shopping tools are also available for those who wish to complete most of the buying process before setting foot on the dealership lot.

Those who wish to learn more about the military rebate program, or any other initiative, available at San Francisco Toyota are encouraged to visit http://www.sftoyota.com or call 415-504-1947 for details.
Armenian President Armen Sarksyan must make a decision on the resignation of the Chief of the General Staff of the RA Armed Forces Onik Gasparyan by midnight Saturday (23.00 Moscow time), his adviser Hasmik Petrosyan said.

She does not know whether the president has a ready-made solution, Sputnik Armenia reports.

Earlier, at a rally in Yerevan, Ishkhan Saghatelyan, coordinator of the Movement to Save the Motherland, said that the president would make a decision at 18.00 (17.00 Moscow time), and only after that the opposition would tell about its further steps. The experts argue that the deadline would expire tomorrow morning.
Royal or not, kids have tantrums. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is recognized for how she handles tantrums when it comes to her own kids but shes not the only royal family mom to deal with a fussy kid.

Kate Middleton calmed Princess Charlotte down at a royal event

Prince William and Kate Middleton with their children at a performance in London | Aaron Chown  WPA Pool/Getty Images

RELATED: Kate Middleton: How the Duchess of Cambridges Parenting Style Changed in Lockdown

The Duchess of Cambridges parenting skills went viral in July 2017 when a then-2-year-old Princess Charlotte of Cambridge had a bit of a meltdown in Germany. Catherine and William, Duke of Cambridge were touring an Airbus facility with Charlotte and Prince George of Cambridge. Their third child, Prince Louis of Cambridge, wouldnt be born until April 2018.

Between Georges adorable reaction to a helicopter, royal watchers noticed how Catherine expertly reacted to Charlottes tantrum. The young royal stomped her feet and what did the Duchess of Cambridge do? She knelt down so she and her daughter were at eye level. A go-to move of Catherines, its a parenting tip celebrities have copied. She then proceeded to pick Charlotte up and calmly talk to her.

RELATED: 6 of Prince William and Prince Georges Sweetest Moments

Even though she appears to have the tantrum thing down, the Duchess of Cambridge asked for advice on them during a royal appearance in November 2020. In a video posted to the Kensington Royal Instagram, Catherine answered questions about her research survey on childhood development called 5 Big Questions on the Under Fives.

Asked How do you manage toddler tantrums in your household? Especially with multiple children, the Duchess of Cambridge sighed and laughed before saying, Yes, thats a hard one. Id also like to ask the experts myself.

When tantrums happen out of the public eye, Catherine and William are said to use a chat sofa to discipline their kids. How it works is the parents calmly explain the situation and the consequences.

Meghan Markle expertly kept Archie on track while reading a book

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex celebrated their sons first birthday with an adorable Instagram video. Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor turned 1 on May 6, 2020.

RELATED: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Left the Royal Family So They Could Be Regular Parents To Archie

To mark the occasion, the couple shared a video of Meghan reading Archie his favorite book, Duck! Rabbit!, which Harry recorded. A few pages in, Archie grabbed another book to read. Unfazed, Meghan said they could read that one next. When Archie dropped the book, the Duchess of Sussex proved to be unflappable once again. She smiled at the camera while Harry laughed.

Princess Diana stayed calm while Prince Harry misbehaved at Trooping the Colour

Prince Harry sticks his tongue out at Trooping the Colour |Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

RELATED: When Asked About Memories of His Mother, Princess Diana, This 1 Thing Comes to Prince Harrys Mind

One of the biggest events on the royal familys calendar is Trooping the Colour. Queen Elizabeth IIs official birthday celebration, people all over the world tune in to get a glimpse of the entire family.

In 1988, a young Harry famously stuck his tongue out at the crowd while his late mother, Princess Diana, held him in her arms. Much like Catherine did with Charlotte years laters, Diana took the moment in stride. Not necessarily happy with Harrys antics, Diana remained calm, cool, and collected.
New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the bhakti movement saint Sant Ravidas on his 644th birth anniversary on Saturday and said the mystic poet has inspired Indians for ages with his message of equality, goodwill and compassion.

"Saint Ravidasji gave messages on equality, goodwill and compassion centuries ago, which has inspired the countrymen for ages. I pay tribute to him on his birth anniversary," he tweeted.

Belonging to the bhakti movement of the 15th to 16th century, Sant Ravidas' hymns have been included in the Guru Granth Sahib. He is considered the founder of the 21st-century Ravidassia religion.

His birthday, also known as Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated on Magh Purnima, which is the full moon day of the Magh month as per the Hindu calendar.

UNI RHK
ADVERTISEMENT

Saudi Arabia has completely rejected the U.S. intelligence report released on Friday implicating Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Saudi Arabia described the report as negative, false and unacceptable, saying it contained inaccurate information and conclusions.

The US intelligence report, produced by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence, confirmed that the Saudi prince approved an operation to capture or kill Mr Khashoggi.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia completely rejects the negative, false and unacceptable assessment in the report pertaining to the Kingdoms leadership and notes that the report contained inaccurate information and conclusions, the Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia said in a statement.

This was an abhorrent crime and a flagrant violation of the Kingdoms laws and values,

This crime was committed by a group of individuals that have transgressed all pertinent regulations and authorities of the agencies where they were employed, the statement said.

It added that the concerned individuals were convicted and sentenced by the courts in the kingdom and these sentences were welcomed by the family of Jamal Khashoggi.

It is truly unfortunate that this report, with its unjustified and inaccurate conclusions, is issued while the kingdom has clearly denounced this heinous crime, and the Kingdoms leadership took the necessary steps to ensure that such a tragedy never takes place again, the Saudi statement added

The Kingdom rejects any measure that infringes upon its leadership, sovereignty, and the independence of its judicial system.

In the U.S. four-page intelligence report, the experts said they drew conclusions based on Mr Salmans control of decision-making in Saudi Arabia, saying its highly unlikely that Saudi officials would have carried out an operation of this nature without the Crown Princes authorization.

Mr Khashoggi was murdered at the Saudi embassy in Turkey. His body was never found and is believed to have been dismembered and dumped in a secret place by the Saudi killer squad.
After a desperate 911 call from a self-reported migrant trapped in a tanker truck with up to 80 others in San Antonio, a frantic search for a truck smuggling immigrants ensued in San Antonio and the surrounding areas in early February and made headlines throughout the city.

Bexar County deputies and federal investigators never found that tanker the man  who was gasping for air and telling dispatchers he had no oxygen  was stuck in, nor the other immigrants trapped inside.

RELATED: A Look at the Immigration Crisis Through Photographs

Last week, the Bexar County Sheriffs Office received a similar 911 call, this time about a different tractor-trailer carrying migrants.

More than 150 immigrants were found running from that truck as the winter storm began, when authorities eventually found it.

Court records reviewed by Guillermo Contreras of the Express-News show the two local cases are just a small piece in the growing problem of immigrant smuggling that has exacerbated in the month following President Joe Biden's inauguration.

RELATED: SAPD, BCSO searching for tanker truck possibly carrying 80 immigrants, some may be dead

Contreras reports that south Texas smuggling cases have been on a drastic rise in recent months. Since October, Border Patrols Laredo sector has seen a 160 percent increased in smuggling attempts when compared to last year's numbers.

San Antonio acts as a huge gateway for smugglers carrying hundreds of migrants in close quarters, originally from countries including Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, from border cities to larger Texas cities like Dallas and Houston. Undocumented immigrant arrests are also up in Laredo by 140 percent.

Earlier in February, Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said hopeful immigrants wrongfully think doors are open to the United States because of Biden.

Our brother migrants should have this information so that they wont be deceived by human traffickers, who paint a rosy picture," Lopez Obrador told the Associated Press.

It's likely south Texas as a whole, and San Antonio specifically, can expect more arrests, detainment, calls for help and stretched resources as smuggling increases continue.

Karly Williams is a digital producer for MySA. She holds a bachelors in journalism from the University of Cincinnati. Follow her @karlyjwilliams
Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards asked the Republican legislative majority to move around hundreds of millions of dollars in federal pandemic aid to cover operating expenses without cutting state services, plus ensure enough money to give teachers and faculty raises as well as expand Broadband into the rural and low-income communities without adequate access to the internet.

Edwards chief budget architect, Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, presented the governors proposed $36.6 billion spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1 that usually becomes House Bill 1.

We dont recommend cuts in this budget, based on our ability to maximize the use of other dollars, Dardenne said.

The budget proposal is rosier than expected, after the state treasury took a hit from the coronavirus outbreak. Louisiana's tax collections are rebounding, though not enough to match pre-pandemic levels. The Edwards administration wants to use continuing federal coronavirus aid, particularly $608 million in enhanced federal payments to cover Medicaid expenses, to close gaps and piece together the plan. The state took a similar approach in this year's budget.

That doesnt necessarily mean clear skies for Louisiana finances.

+2 Louisiana teachers to get pay raises under John Bel Edwards' budget proposal Teachers are in line for a $400 pay raise in a state budget plan that will contain no spending cuts, Gov. John Bel Edwards told reporters Thur

The bill for shoring up the levees around New Orleans after the 2005 Hurricane Katrina is coming due. Taxpayers statewide need to send the first payment of more than $400 million by September, then similar-sized payments for the next few years.

Dardenne recommended selling bonds, which would allow larger payments that would reduce the total amount taxpayers owe. But, it's still a lot of money weighing on the state fisc.

Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, wasnt happy with the idea and warned legislators that going the loan route, as suggested, would limit the number of construction projects the state could finance over the next few years.

Im not sure we have any other options, he said. "I don't where we can find an extra $400 million."

Additionally, the Conservation Fund, which propped up the Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, is fast running out of money because of the decrease in mineral revenues accompanied by the drop in production because of low prices. Edwards needs to use $17 million from state general fund to cover a shortfall in the agency that issues hunting licenses and enforce wildlife conservation laws because the Conservation Fund has come up short.

Edwards recommended $36.6 billion state budget for next year represents a $186.4 million, or .51%, increase from last year. About two-thirds of the extra money is being steered to public schools and higher education.

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Louisiana's Medicaid program would total $16 billion, accounting for more than 40% of the entire operating budget. Education programs would receive 27% of the financing in the proposal.

About $40 million would be sent to increase schoolteacher pay by $400 per year, $200 annually for teacher aides, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and other staffers. The money chips away at, but falls short of, what's needed to get teachers to the Southern average, a long-sought Edwards goal.

Colleges would get an $80 million increase, including raises that average 4% for faculty.

The state Department of Corrections is getting $35.6 million to fund salaries, hopefully raises, among other expenses, to slow the high turnover among prison guards and probation personnel.

The governor recommends creating an Officer of Broadband Development and Connectivity within the Division of Administration to oversee expanding internet access, particularly for public school students.

+2 Louisianas dependence on federal aid leaves budget picture unclear With an estimated $2 billion provided to Louisiana from a federal coronavirus aid bill passed in December and the likelihood of another federa

Some legislators, particularly House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerome Zee Zeringue, expressed concern about what would happen to the services funded in this years budget once the COVID-19 pandemic is over and the federal dollars are gone. To replace this one-time money is a pretty substantial figure, said Zeringue, a Houma Republican.

Louisiana taxpayers contribute about $9.6 billion, an amount that increased by $253 million or 2.7%. Roughly half  about $18.6 billion of the states annual spending  is from the federal government. And the largest part of that pool pays health care coverages and medical treatments for the roughly one-fourth of the states population on Medicaid, the health plan for low-income residents that is paid for mostly the federal government and partly by state taxpayers.

But the states portion of the costs is among the highest amounts of spending. During the pandemic the federal government increased the amount it would pay in Medicaid costs and extended that largesse until the end of December.

That creates over a billion dollars available to us as we determine our spending priorities, Dardenne said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Officials at Godson Elementary School in Abbotsford, British Columbia ordered classroom windows at the school bolted shut in late January. Teachers at Godson had been opening the windows to increase air circulation out of fear that the schools existing ventilation systems were not providing an adequate fresh air supply to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

The school sent contractors into the building who, according to the school, found safety issues with the windows and proceeded to seal them. Some windows were screwed shut, while others were fitted with wooden blocks to prevent them from opening more than a few inches.

School officials also claim that gaping open windows had put increased strain on the boiler used to heat the school.

This came as a disconcerting shock to staff, who began opening the windowseven during the colder winter monthsafter discovering last December that the older wing of the school had no ventilation system at all.

The older 18-room wing houses roughly 200 kindergarten to fifth grade students and staff.

On February 14, one division taught in this wing was instructed by health officials to self-isolate after a known COVID-19 exposure. A teacher who works in the wing has also tested positive for the virus.

The subpar and nonexistent ventilation systems in the school are in direct violation of the already inadequate provincial COVID-19 health and safety guidelines imposed by the Ministry of Health. The guidelines state that schools in British Columbia (BC) are required to ensure that school heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are designed, operated and maintained as per standards and specifications for ongoing comfort for workers.

The guidelines also state that schools should have site-based safety plans in place with provisions for when a ventilation system breaks down. None of these guidelines has been adhered to at Godson Elementary, yet the Abbotsford School District claims that the air filtration system in the school meets the required standards and using windows to circulate fresh air was found to be a potential safety hazard during opening and closing functions on some of the windows.

It is well known among educators and school staff in BC and across Canada that a great number of schools have faulty ventilation systems, a result of years of governments gutting education budgets and attacking teachers working conditions.

Older buildings and portable classrooms often have no HVAC systems in place whatsoever. A mere $10 million has been budgeted by the provinces New Democratic Party government to update HVAC systems in 2021.

The callous disregard shown by the authorities for the health and safety of staff and students at Godson Elementary is symptomatic of the ruling elites prioritizing of corporate profit over the health and lives of working people across Canada. Governments of all political stripes, from Doug Fords hard-right Tories in Ontario to the New Democrats in BC, have recklessly ordered schools to reopen and remain open, even as new and more infectious variants of the virus take hold.

The reason for this is clear: The ruling class wants schools providing in-class instruction so that their parents can be forced back on the job to churn out profits for big business.

In British Columbia alone, COVID-19 exposures have been announced for a staggering 620 schools since students went back to class on January 4. Godson Elementary is among 29 schools with exposures in Abbotsford alone, and many schools have recorded multiple exposures throughout the eight-week period since reopening.

Exposure announcements, it should be noted, are part of the NDPs systematic coverup of the extent of COVID-19s spread. They do not list how many people within a school have tested positive for the virus but only record whether positive tests have been registered. This means, for example, that one exposure could, in fact, refer to dozens of COVID-19 cases.

BCs seven-day average COVID-19 case count has been rising steadily since the middle of February. Variants of the faster spreading and potentially more lethal strain of the coronavirus first detected in the UK were recently found in seven BC schools. Six of these cases are concentrated in schools in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb.

On February 23, staff at one of the affected locations staged a solidarity walk-in. Education workers at Ecole Woodward Hill Elementary sported red shirts bearing the hashtag RedforBCED as they marched outside of the school before classes began. Educators, school staff and their supporters have encouraged the wearing of the colour red every Friday since December 4 to draw attention to the unsafe working conditions faced in schools.

While this initiative undoubtedly expresses mounting opposition among rank-and-file educators to the potentially deadly working conditions they confront, the BC Teachers Federation (BCTF) is intervening to make the #RedforBCED campaign a futile public relations stunt. This past week, the union released a statement promoting #RedforBCED as an initiative aimed at pushing for decisive action by government and health officials to counter [the] new threat posed by the spread of the new more contagious COVID-19 variants.

But the union, which has close ties with the NDP going back decades and stumped for the party during the 2017 and 2020 provincial elections, bitterly opposes the only realistic measure capable of bringing the pandemic under controlthe closure of all schools for in-person learning and the only means whereby this can be realizedthe mobilization of the social power of the working class, beginning with teacher job actions.

Instead, the statement issued by the BCTF was a pathetic appeal to the government to impose a stricter in-class mask mandate, and for school districts to be given the authority to go above and beyond the health and safety guidelines when necessary.

The BCTFs urging of its members to appeal to the NDP government to take action is a futile exercise. The Ministry of Education and the provincial government have continuously downplayed the risks the virus posed to school staff and students alike and even made a point of reopening schools prior to the end of the last school year.

Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside arrogantly dismissed the BCTFs request for more stringent public health measures in schools, declaring Tuesday, We have very robust health and safety plans in place. Where our safety plans are adhered to, we see very low rates of transmission.

This is an unambiguous attempt to place the blame for rising COVID-19 rates on people failing to do as they have been told, with the government washing its hands of any responsibility for its calculated decision to expose teachers, students and their families to dangerous conditions.

The relentless push of governments across Canada to prioritize corporate profit-making over human lives is paving the way, as numerous epidemiologists have warned in recent weeks, for a third wave of the pandemic even more deadly than the first two.

If the spread of the virus is to be halted and lives saved, the working class must intervene as an independent force. Educators and support staff must form rank-and-file safety committees at every school to fight for an end to in-person learning until the pandemic is brought under control, the shutdown of all nonessential production, a massive investment in online education to ensure all have access to quality education and social support, and the provision of full wages to all workers forced to shelter at home to avoid infection.

The World Socialist Web Site is supporting teachers across Canada in establishing an educators rank-and-file safety committee to take forward this struggle. We urge our readers in British Columbia and across Canada to contact us today to join and help develop this critical initiative.


This story is part of Future Tense Fiction, a monthly series of short stories from Future Tense and Arizona State Universitys Center for Science and the Imagination about how technology and science will change our lives. This story and essay are the second in a series presented by Arizona State Universitys Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, as part of its work on Learning Futures and Principled Innovation. The series explores how learning experiences of all kinds will be shaped by technology and other forces in the future and the moral, ethical, and social challenges this will entail. On Thursday, March 4, at noon Eastern, author Leigh Alexander and Andrea K. Thomer, information scientist and assistant professor at the University of Michigans School of Information, will discuss this story in an hourlong online discussion moderated by Punya Mishra, professor and associate dean of scholarship and innovation at the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College. RSVP here.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Five things you can touch, whispers Rose, and I touch: duvet, her hand, my own hair, the rough plaster of the wall, and my device. It wakes up, a rectangle of soft light in our dark bedroom.

Four things you can hear, she says, and I listen for the tap-tap of water from somewhere in the kitchen, the rhythm of a neighbors music through the floor, the rustling of bedsheets and my pounding heart.

Three things you can see, the socket of the empty light fixture on the ceiling, darker dark. My device in bed beside me, and Rose bathed in its light, a graceful silhouette propped up on one elbow.

There you go, its OK, she says softly, patiently, and shes right, its getting better: Two things I can smell are mildew and the incense we burn to try to cover it up. I cant taste anything, but by then I dont mind.

Advertisement

Youre OK, Hedy, she says, taking me in her arms and making circles between my shoulder blades with her knuckles. I can tell by the absent way she draws the circles how tired she is, and now I feel a little pang of guilt for waking her up, even though she always says she never wants me to feel bad, that its what we signed up for, taking care of each other.

Advertisement

This happens to me sometimes, and Rose tries to brighten things with jokes about how its practice for when we have a baby. Her sister always says the main thing is that you never get any sleep, so we figure itll help being used to that.

Advertisement

This time, I had a dream about a painting. Either a dream or a memory; I dont know if its real. In the dream, Im running through this labyrinthine gallery spacegliding, really, like Im playing a video game, turning corners and hearing the echo of my footsteps on tile. Im going faster and faster toward this grand picture frame at the end of a long hallway, and as its getting closer and closer it comes alive, so the image changes from one thing to another.

This is the most beautiful painting Ive ever seen. I know this with the kind of certainty thats only possible in dreams, and I also know some divine truth is there, if only I can see exactly what the image is.

Advertisement

But the awe swells within me so painfully I wake up gasping for breath, unable to get hold of the reins of my heart, and the image slips away like smoke as Rose and I do the anxiety exercise we learned from the therapy app. The painting itself remains lodged in my mind like a splinter, as these Things of mine often do.

Advertisement

Are you OK, Rose whispers in the dark.

No, I say. I cant remember the painting.

A real painting or an imaginary one, she asks, and I dont say anything, because I dont know. Rose is a trooper, and her knuckles grow still at the nape of my neck as she thinks. Could you be remembering the honeymoon? When we went to the Metropolitan?

Advertisement

The word Metropolitan does resonate, recalling and rewriting other parts of the memory: a floor not of tile but of shining parquet wood, freshly painted moldings in sophisticated shades. I feel sure I saw the painting there, and I nod vigorously so she can feel it.

I think it was a portrait, but abstract at the same time. And huge, I add, because the scale of the thing in my dream feels important somehow, the tall physicality of it, the substantial frame. I can see Roses shadow on the plaster-knobbled wall, haloed in the light of my device, cradling me, and feel sure of something more: It was a portrait of a woman and child.

Is this going to become one of your Things, she says. Im pretty sure it is, so I dont say anything, to let the import of this settle on her.

Advertisement

Lets think about it tomorrow after work, she says sleepily. Shes the only one of us working right now.

In the wan morning, the Thing with the painting feels even more deeply lodged. Im not sure if it exists or if Im just dreaming it, I tell Rose as I scrape pea protein across toast for her methodically so the tub will last.

I dont know, she says ruefully. Its possible we did have a joyful and authentic experience of art together, and I just forgot.

The more I think about it, though, the more Im sure Rose was part of that moment with meher footfalls joining mine on the parquet, her soft teacher voice explaining something about surrealism: I think it was a surrealist portrait of a woman and child.

Advertisement

I cant move for the terror, and it swallows everything like an endlessly dilating pupil until Im forced to disconnect.

Oh, she says, could it have been the Salvador Dali Madonna? Rose has her Ph.D. in the design of liminal virtual spaces, so she knows a lot about art. Id never have gone to so many museums if not for her.

I dont know, I say, flipping through our ambient-space channels and deciding on Family Dining Room With 1980s TV Commercials on in the Next Room. Our apartment has only one window, and it looks out onto a brick wall, so we lean on these channels to help us get through the day. When I put something like 24K Crackling Birchwood Fireplace 6 Hours on the big display, the high-quality sound actually makes us feel warmer.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

You remember Dr. Bepis? Rose says. Family Dining Room With 1980s TV Commercials on in the Next Room includes ambient sounds of clinking silverware, but we dust our toasts with mushroom powder and eat them with our hands. She knows the Metropolitans collection really well. I bet you could get in touch with her and shed know right away what youre talking about.

An uneasy silence falls between us for a moment. What about the Void, I say.

Its been a few months now with the terrifying Void in my life. At first it only appeared around automated calls and unwanted notifications, so it was bearable, but then one day this professor of heritage studies at Roses work was supposed to interview me about my experiences of virtual colonialism, and it got worse. It wouldnt let me call the University Housing Authority about the leak under our sink, and then it wouldnt let me group call with Roses sisters, either. Now its every call, everyone, every time.

Advertisement

Heres what happens: My device lights up with an alarming sound, like bi-bi-bi-bi-bi-bi-bip. Then comes the occult spot of ink on my vision that spreads like a migraine aura. I cant move for the terror, and it swallows everything like an endlessly dilating pupil until Im forced to disconnect. It started as just a fleck, a little sunspot accompanied by dread, but it grows bigger each time, and the feeling of it gets worse too, an antimatter of the heart. I used to be able to power through it, but now its hopeless: a full-scale Void.

Advertisement

I dont think Rose really believes in the Void, but shes doing her best to be supportive. Ive been doing the algotherapy course on my device and she helped me get on a six-month waitlist for a real person, which has made things easier between us lately, though Im not convinced it will help with the Void. For one thing, when a therapist becomes available, how will they call me?

Advertisement

Silverware clinks, a television murmurs from the next room we dont have, and Rose looks sad and doesnt say anything while I wash our real dishes. The water stays ruthlessly cold today, no matter how many times I turn the tap.

Rose goes to the couch to set up for teaching her classes, and I stay in the bedroom listening to Hey Ya! (OutKast) Playing From the Overhead Speaker at a Panera Bread Curbside Takeaway With Parking Lot Noise, Shopping Carts, Distant Couple Arguing, hoping to make up some new characters in the environment to describe to Rose later ona browbeaten assistant endlessly customizing their Smokehouse Goddess Flatbread order, or a man wearing flame pants who says OutKast is such a great jam band. I can always win her back over with my characters.

Advertisement

Advertisement

But for some reason, the only thing I can think about is this painting, totally becoming a Thing. Lying on the mattress beneath our chandelier of spider plants and fairy lights, I go into my device and put Salvador Dali Madonna into my Shoutworld.

The top Shoutback is from this guy I knowlets call him Pearlwho lurks all day for any chance to dominate me with his intelligence. But it gets an endorsement from Ayumi Shekera, who is basically famous. Rose and I sometimes watch her eat enormous trays of cooked shellfish on the big display while we eat our own dinner, so Im a little starstruck.

They both Shout the same suggestion: a painting called The Madonna of Port Lligat. I pull one out to the size of my display to look closely: Theres a woman on a blue field beneath a geometric archway, an infant hovering in her lap. I hardly have Roses incredible vocabulary for art, but I think the realistic sea creatures and Madonnas lifelike face create a neat contrast with the surrealism: Her head is splitting open, and everything seems to be falling apart around her.

Advertisement

I feel a dull certainty that this isnt the one. There is no way I could have seen this image, even at lifelike scale, and thought: This is the most beautiful painting Ive ever seen. Its possible the surrealist Madonna I dreamed of doesnt actually exist, either. Ive read about this thing called the Mandela effect, where people are convinced by minor errata in their own memories, so this could be that.

Advertisement

Apparently Dali painted this Madonna of Port Lligat twice, once in 1949 and once in 1950. The second one is similar to the first one, but for some reason seems distinctly worse to me: grander, but also sadder in an implacable way. Madonnas expression toward the baby is more ambiguous, maybe. I make a game out of looking at each Madonna of Port Lligat and trying to memorize the differences, but my memory is not what it was before. I start to forget which is the original and which is the other.

Advertisement

In both of them the Madonna has a big empty window in her chest, and the little baby in her lap has one just like it.

During my afternoon anxiety nap, I find myself in the dream-Metropolitan again, the hypnotic parquet slipping by as I run around corners, glancing along walls. This time my body feels a little wrong, like the controller isnt calibrated right, but its not totally unpleasant to float weightlessly up and clip along the ceiling and careen off walls. A sliver of fear grips me as I shoulder-check a priceless artwork and the textured canvas rasps my shoulder, but Im not in trouble, no one cares.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Looking for a Salvador Dali Madonna, I swing wildly into a corner, and suddenly there it is: the painting. Its so close this time I can see it perfectly, even touch it, and I feel divine joy, pressing my nose against the forbidden, darkly textured canvas. I begin to rub, moving my head side to side, ticktock, ticktock, until there comes an irksome machinelike clicking

Advertisement

I wake suddenly in pitch-dark with my earbuds still in, and the clicking is part of Mariah CareyOne Sweet Day Playing From a Fuzzy Car Radio (Light Rain Sounds With Windshield Wipers, ASMR Turn Signal Clicking). Usually I take my cue to put my earbuds in and anxiety-nap around 3 in the afternoon when the neighbor starts absolutely losing it at their kid about schoolwork, but now it feels late.

When I take out my earbuds, I can still hear Roses soft teacher voice in the front room through the closed bedroom door. Lately it feels to me like her students have needed more and more of her time, but she always insists its the opposite, that she actually has more flexibility now that she teaches remotely. The only reason I feel like Rose has less time these days, she says, is because I have so much more.

Advertisement

I start to forget which is the original and which is the other.

Before the Void, before everything, I wanted to do health care, like physically, hands-on. I like taking care of people, and it just feels like were in a time when someone with my issues needs a tangible certification or two, so I started studying radiology.

I got waitlisted for a course, and the wait turned out to be indefinite, Im not sure whether because of the data breach or the Tenderloin Ebolavirus. After enough time passed, I ended up doing stripping at Leaderboards, and thats how I met the guy were calling Pearl. Hes incomprehensibly rich, like I think hes a literal rocket scientist or something, and the first time he picked me to go to VIP with him, I thought: Cant believe I fooled him. It turned out he didnt even want me to get undressed; he just wanted to talk to me for hours about his baby fetish.

Advertisement

I should clarify: He wants to be a baby. After I quit the club, he kept paying me just to sit in his limo with him and look at things on his device, like listings for adult-size diapers and baby clothes on specialty sites, or progress shots of the hand-painted adult baby furniture he was ordering for his playroom.

Advertisement

Advertisement

A few times I even went to his house to babysit. Its one of those rich-people houses that looks like a glass-topped tomb, where every concrete slab has a smug ecological function. But in the middle of it all was this massive Victorian ghost nursery, with baby furniture and fluffy toys and wooden blocks, everything big enough for an adult-size man.

Advertisement

It wasnt as bad as it sounds, and I feel like everybody deserves to feel securelike, hadnt I kind of ended up doing health care? A couple times Pearl cried in my lap about how no one would ever understand him and how the world he wanted would never be possible, though hed get weirdly mean after. He kept begging me to come back, even though I drew a hard line at the diaper roleplay. When we fell out of touch, I figured he must have found someone for that.

Tenderloin Ebolavirus probably put a huge damper on the adult-baby scene, because as soon as that all started going down, he started messaging me again. Anytime I want, he says, hell surprise me with an expensive device upgrade and one of those sound tables so that I can babysit him remotely, using spatial audio and private instances. The diapers will only be virtual. He sent me an image of the avatar he plans to use: a model of a large, terrifying baby wearing his strange and serious face.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Rose has always been encouraging about my working relationship with Pearl, especially lately, since things have been so tough. She tells her colleagues that Im a sex worker with a specialist niche related to care and collaboration who has been left financially vulnerable by the changing economics of intimacy. It makes her feel better, but I think its kind of a stretch.

I cant dance at all, so I only lasted about six shifts at Leaderboards, and Pearl never made me do anything more than hold him in my arms and talk to him in a relaxing baby voice. The way hed cry and then berate me was as close as it felt to being paid for something bad, although being dunked on about my ethnicity and my life choices by a handsome adult man in plastic cartoon pullups doesnt really sting.

Advertisement

Rose says I exhibit a stubborn refusal to consider myself through the lens of an artist, and that if I become a virtual adult babysitter for Pearl and his rich friends, well both be working in experience design. Someone in her department is doing a paper on the collaborative negotiation of a digital self-concept in the client-worker relationship, and shes excited to be able to put me forward as a source.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Im mostly excited for the free device upgrade, but it doesnt matter right now. The Void has put my pivot to virtual babysitting on hold, like everything else.

When I come out of the bedroom, I find the flooring in our little kitchen curled and wet. Rose is still cross-legged on the sofa wearing her headpiece and talking on her device, nodding in a vigorous, warm way. I try not to make any noise opening up the cabinet under the sink so I can tighten the loose cuff thing yet again. It keeps doing this, because I need to overcome the Void and call the University Housing Authority.

Advertisement

The Void has put my pivot to virtual babysitting on hold, like everything else.

Its so important to hold space for forgiveness in our process, Rose is saying, and I know by her tone that its another one of her students needing a one-on-one. Roses students are currently making interactive works based on the religious iconography of millennial console games, which must be very emotionally challenging based on the amount of time she has to spend nurturing them through their projects.

Its OK, its OK, you have plenty of time, she tells the apparently distraught student softly, patiently. A mist of icy water brushes my knuckles as I try twisting the loose cuff in all kinds of directions to no effect, and I feel a twang of resentment.

Advertisement

Advertisement

When she finally gets off her device, we order dinner from the University cafeteria. Its usually a treat, but once in a while it arrives squashed in damp plastic, and tonight is one of those nights. Even cafe sound(in Japan), Kind Staffs, Good for studying, White noise, concentrate and destress, 2hours, one of our faves, hardly changes the tenor of the space, although I do my best.

One of the staff members has been fired for not being kind, I tell Rose. He was creating a hostile work environment, and thats not the vibe.

Finally I get a little smile from her, my first since the arrival of our wet dinner. You know, the painting doesnt have to be one of my Things, I try. It can be one of our Things. I had another dream about it.

Advertisement

But even though shes eaten, her reply is terse: During your anxiety nap?

One of those silences falls between us, punctuated only by the cafe sounds. I bet the kind staff is talking about us in back, I say, very quietly.

Well, we dont speak Japanese, so well never know, Rose sighs. She presses between her eyes with the heel of her hand and sighs, and I say its OK. Weve had to learn to forgive each other quickly and quietly in here.

Advertisement

Advertisement

It would be good if one of us could call the UHA about that leak, though, she says miserably, and I say, Yeah, and then we sit together for a while, the walls writhing with the white noise of other families at dinner. Theres the satisfying thud of a vending machine in the cafe, followed by the pinch and hiss of metal as someone opens a cold canned drink. I love that sound.

Advertisement

I looked up the Salvador Dali Madonna, but it wasnt the one, I say after I cant wait anymore. Did he do any other Madonnas?

I think so, she says. I think its called the Sistine Madonna, but you should really ask Dr. Bepis.

Can we call her together? You do it and Ill sit beside you? Ive had a hypothesis that this could trick the Void, although Rose would not like to hear me say something like that.

Sure, after work, she says agreeably, but you have to promise me youll at least try to call about the sink afterward. When Im pregnant youll have to do even more of that type of thing.

Advertisement

Of course shes right, so Im happy to agree, and we go to bed in a good place, listening to Cozy Cabin Porch With Heavy RainstormRelaxing Rain Sounds for Sleeping, Studying & Relax 8 Hours. I dont make up any characters for one like that, its just her and me alone.

But I have an even harder time falling asleep than usual, and it intrudes on me that Rose could help me call the UHA at any time. The Madonna of Port Lligat comes to mind, the window all the way to the horizon where her heart should be.

We wake to the gentle hum and sigh of a garbage truck outside, and the sun-warmed scent of it, too. Rose goes right to the couch to start work with her hair still wet from the shower, so I water all our plants and go to our room to continue the important work of researching this maybe-extant painting.

Advertisement

I visit the biggest centralized art database I can find and put in Sistine Madonna, but all the results I get are by Raphael. There are also all these facts about the Renaissance, a time when probably none of the Madonnas had split-open heads. Raphaels Madonna is not the one, but its strangely compelling anyway, and I find myself staring into the calm, dark eyes. I recognize myself, the way it looks like she loves the baby but is terrified of him just as much.

The baby himself is large and languid, crossing his legs like a little man. With his serious eyes and petulant lips, I realize he reminds me of Pearls giant baby avatar, and this makes me laugh for the first time in a while.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Someone on Shoutworld sent me a Dali painting they think is called Madonna Sixtina, except its nothing like mine either: Its a Madonna where neither of them have features of any kind, their shapes suggested by the white space left among vivid splashes of color. Theres a linked article on Dalis wife, Gala, apparently the model for his Madonnas, but when I try to read more it demands an inscrutable series of credentials.

I decide to search the Metropolitan directly for Dali Sistine Madonna, and to my surprise there is an update to the Virtual Museum Experience that makes my heart beat a little fasterthese A.I.-generated hallways and graphically rendered exhibits feel more like my dream experience than even the real memory.

Advertisement

We dont have a headset, so I have to navigate on the display screen. The fact theyve called the search function CURATORS DESK is cute and also makes me feel sorry for them at the same time. Yet there is a new and exciting result: a thumbnail-size image of an ear. In the graceful shadow of the cartilage I can see something that might be a face, a pair of distinctly Raphaelite eyes.

Advertisement

This could be the one, and I press go, watching the virtual parquet whisk by, turning sage-walled virtual corners. As I fast-travel, just like in my dream, I thrill with how proud Rose will be that I interacted voluntarily with a virtual curator.

Advertisement

In a corner I come upon an enormous, ornate frame, and in the frame is a blank white field with a stark red X etched across it. The little virtual placard beside it reads, Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

I have never felt such hatred toward a virtual place, nor exited one so quickly. I need that Dr. Bepis; I need Rose. Instead of anxiety napping at 3 were supposed to make those calls, but when I come out to the front room at half-past, Rose is still on her device consoling some student struggling with the demands of the course, her hands cupping both her ears as if to shut out all else.

Advertisement

Her hair is in a bizarre shape from drying in a ponytail, but she looks pale and somehow damp nonetheless. Then I realize the whole room is damp, with a massive water stain spreading across the kitchen from under the sink. Now theres no way Ill be able to glue the flooring back down myself, and its all the fault of Roses students for being so unprepared for this new reality!

Advertisement

Advertisement

Rose looks apologetically at me, gesturing at her device, and I feel a stimulating new fury that drives me back into our room, where I slam the door, daring Roses delicate student to overhear me. I will face the fucking Void, I think, and I make a determined, flourishing move to contact Dr. Bepis on my device.

Advertisement

Bi-bi-bi-bi-bi-bi-boom. Never has the Void appeared so starkly and suddenly, the center of my room suddenly falling away into Vantablack. The terror strikes so hard it feels like Ill scream, but I cant move at all, like in a nightmare where all I can do is watch the hungry lip of this terrifying Void inch closer and closer to where Im clinging at the edge of our bed.

I dont scream, but I throw my device away from me as hard as I can. Its in a case so it doesnt break when it goes through the bedroom door, but it does create an abrupt end to Roses third one-on-one of the day. I guess thats what you were going for, she says.

Ill never forget the wedding where we met. It was in a field in the middle of nowhere, and the couple thought it would be fun to have all the guests ride bicycles papered in old-fashioned streamer for almost 2 miles through the tall grass in the dead of summer.

I cant ride a bicycle even without all the tall grass and streamers and baking heat, so by the time I reached the venue I was not in a good place. When we got there, it turned out we all had to put together the centerpieces as an activity, which involved scooping hundreds of pastel jelly beans into jars. Because of the heat I ended up sticky and smelling head to toe like corn syrup before Id even had a drink.

Its all the fault of Roses students for being so unprepared for this new reality!

When I saw them rolling out a dance floor, I felt really sad for the couple, one of whom was my moms cousin. I didnt think anyone was going to feel like dancing after the laborious setup, and sure enough, after enough lemon chicken and elderflower gin, a kind of glaze settled over all the guests, and party music played forlornly across an empty space.

Then came Rose to the center, all alone. That day she was saying to everyone there: Im Rosie. Sunlight was playing in her hair, she had a streamer in each hand, and she just made it look so effortless, being the person who starts the dancing at a boring wedding. All the little kids were just drawn to her, they started running up to dance with her, and then one by one I saw their parents getting up too. Somebodys toddler came barreling barefoot across the floor to her and leapt up, and she just caught the kid on her hip like a basketball, and I thought: I want to have children with her.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Now Im in bed in the dark listening to Earth Wind and Fire September Plays in the Dentist Reception With Soothing Switchboard ASMR, and Rose is out in the front room watching a movie on group call with her sisters. She did invite me to join, but when I heard their voices and stuck my head out, the Void was lurking there, pooling in the middle of the carpet like a saucer full of nothing.

We had a big fight earlier, but it was good, I think. Rose was able to admit she feels like shed be less conceptually stressed if I were working for Pearl again, but I made things worse when I said, Well, then well both take care of babies all day. She claimed shed been just about to finish up with the student when I broke the door and traumatized them, but I dont believe it.

I can hear her laughing with her sisters through the bedroom door. One of them is ridiculously wealthy, and tonight I asked Rose yet again why she cant help us. It doesnt work that way, she says, but I cant understand why the sister never even offers. I check the ambient-space channel for something along the lines of Dragons Hoard of Coins, Cups, Clinking Through the Door of Locked Treasure Room (No Key), but for once theres nothing that precisely suits.

Instead I listen to Gentle Thunderstorm Outside While Your Parents Watch the News Downstairs. My parents didnt have a downstairs or watch news, but it still makes the waiting easier. When finally the bedroom door opens to a sliver of light with Roses shadow inside it, coming to bed, I feel a flood of tremendous relief.

The next morning, our kitchen falls into the apartment below because of the water damage, leaving an unsettling ragged hole in the middle of the house. Luckily nobody in the building is hurt, but our rubber tree plant vanishes into the hole, never to be found.

We get approved to move to another unit in the same building that turns out to be identical in every respect to our old one, except the window is blocked by a wooden scaffold instead of a brick wall. I dont mean to sound ungrateful, because if it werent for the University, we wouldnt have anywhere to live at all.

I should clarify: I wouldnt have anywhere to live, which became clear when Rose raised us moving in with the rich sister until I could get health care, and the sister basically said she would do anything for Rose, it would just be too weird having me there because I never joined the movie night, pretty much. Rose fought with her sister, and then she fought with me, too, which on that particular day was unfair.

Advertisement

Advertisement

To apologize, she called that Dr. Bepis for me, so now we do have access to a version of Salvador Dalis 1958 Madonna, sometimes called the Dali Sistine Madonna or the Ear Madonna, that we can enlarge on the big display in our living room. Dr. Bepis said lots of Dalis paintings have idiosyncratic titles, and that this ones actual name is Quasi-gray picture which, closely seen, is an abstract one; seen from 2 meters is the Sistine Madonna of Raphael; and from 15 meters is the ear of an angel measuring one meter and a half; which is painted with antimatter: therefore with pure energy.

Are you going to be OK if its not what you thought, she asks in her soft teacher voice, putting on Real 4K Museum Tour White Noise Ambience (Echoing Footsteps, Distant Murmurs, Security Guard Pacing and More) to set the tone of our experience.

Of course, I say, and I believe it completely at the time. Rose looks so beautiful framed in the light of the big display, unaware of the tender expression she gets when shes helping someone. This ones for me, stupid students.

She even reads to me, from an article at the Salvador Dali Society. Dali pays tribute to Raphaels iconic painting The Sistine Madonna in the hidden image of the Madonna and child seen in the large ear that occupies the majority of the composition, she says. Then, she puts the image itself on the big display.

Five things you can touch: my device, the plaster wall, our crocheted blanket, Roses hair, Roses hands.

Four things you can hear: the echo of footsteps on parquet. The murmur of distant voices, a security guard pacing, and my own heart.

Three things you can see: from far away, a newsprint ear. Up close, the Raphaelite eyes of a Madonna and child gazing back at me with sorrowful certainty. The black and white.

Two things you can smell: varnish and paint.

One thing you know: Rose will have children with someone, someday, but not me.

The Thing dislodges from my mind after that, and things do get nicer between me and Rose for a while. The Void begins to shrink to a manageable size so that Im even able to join the sisters movie nights, at least sometimes. Im mentally preparing to start working with Pearl in a few weeks. Having more money will definitely make things better, although I still hope that therapist calls.

We discover a new favorite ambient space, Cookout Music From Across the Summer Lawn (ASMR Sprinkler sound, running kids playing sound, birds songs), where Rose dances and I develop more characters, and I add in whole little stories around them. Generally, we both have more fun together now that I lean on her a little less.

Advertisement

Advertisement

In the spring, they take the scaffold down outside our window, so that I can see all the way to the horizon. Theres something in my eye all the time now. Just a fleck.

Read a response essay by an expert on information science.

More From Future Tense Fiction

Actually Naneen, by Malka Older

The Truth Is All There Is, by Emily Parker

It Came From Cruden Farm, by Max Barry

Paciente Cero, by Juan Villoro

Scar Tissue, by Tobias S. Buckell

The Last of the Goggled Barskys, by Joey Siara

Legal Salvage, by Holli Mintzer

How to Pay Reparations: a Documentary, by Tochi Onyebuchi

The State Machine, by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne

Dream Soft, Dream Big, by Hal Y. Zhang

The Vastation, by Paul Theroux

Speaker, by Simon Brown

And read 14 more Future Tense Fiction tales in our anthology, Future Tense Fiction: Stories of Tomorrow.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Toyota First Mobility Pilot Technologies for Indiana Future Mobility District Initiative

May Mobility and Udelv selected to provide autonomous shuttle and advanced contactless delivery vehicle services respectively within the Indiana Future Mobility District initiative

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Feb. 25, 2021)  Today, the Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) and Energy Systems Network (ESN) designates May Mobility and Udelv as the first two deployments of the Future Mobility District initiative. The Future Mobility District initiative, established in collaboration with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), aims to foster innovation through industry partnerships and propel research and development in advanced mobility technologies in Indiana. TMF has established the Future Mobility District initiative in support of Toyotas mission of Mobility for All and commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in this case to the Goal # 11 of Sustainable Cities and Communities.

The Future Mobility District will support deployments focused on improving overall movement of people and goods to validate their role in the changing mobility ecosystem. Designed with local community input, this human-centered framework will facilitate implementation activities and commercialization of an array of cooperative options.

May Mobility, a leader in autonomous vehicle (AV) technology and shuttle operations, will begin operating two 6-month non-concurrent AV shuttle services for passengers in the cities of Indianapolis and Fishers. The Indianapolis deployment is designed to increase mobility options by providing a connection from the nearby Vermont Station  along IndyGOs Red Line  to areas west of downtown. The fixed-route service will be open to the general public when operations begin in May 2021 and will include five Lexus RX450h vehicles equipped with May Mobilitys autonomous technology alongside one wheelchair-accessible Polaris GEM shuttle.

The May Mobility team is thrilled to be partnering with the Toyota Mobility Foundation and Energy Systems Network to bring this new AV shuttle service to Indianapolis and Fishers, said Edwin Olson, co-founder and CEO of May Mobility. Our mission is to offer safe, reliable and accessible transportation options that can seamlessly integrate with the available public and private services. And with every new deployment, we are able to expand our capabilities to better serve the riders and communities.

Prior to launching its operations, May Mobility will establish its regional headquarters at the Indiana Internet of Things (IoT) Lab in Fishers. Founded in 2017, the Indiana IoT Lab is one of the nations first to bring together various players in the growing IoT sector and contributes to making central Indiana a thriving hub of innovation, education, and networking opportunities. May Mobility will subsequently commence autonomous vehicle operations in Fishers in November 2021.

Weve built our community to be smart and entrepreneurial in both business and lifestyle to make way for opportunities such as this, said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. The partnership with ESN, Toyota Mobility Foundation, and May Mobility allows Fishers to be at the forefront of personal mobility in Indiana.

Udelv, the worlds leading autonomous delivery platform for last and middle mile delivery, improves living quality in cities by reducing overall traffic and carbon footprint through their highly effective and innovative Delivery Management System (DMS), comprised of an automated cargo pod (the uPod) and a cloud-based operating system, the UdelvOS. Udelvs DMS is the only true contactless delivery system in the world. Through Udelvs uPod, goods are retrieved from an individual compartment by consumers without direct contact with the vehicles driver. Udelv will begin operations of their program in 2021 in Indianapolis with one Toyota Sienna equipped with their innovative DMS technology.

We are excited to now also deploy our platform on a Toyota Sienna in Indianapolis and allow for true contactless delivery and improved customer service levels while lowering cost and pollution in the process, says Daniel Laury, CEO of Udelv.

As we actively pursue Mobility for All through our Future Mobility District initiative, we want to continue to partner with like-minded organizations like Udelv and May Mobility who understand the importance of advancing innovation in mobility through community engagement, shared Ryan Klem, Director of Programs for the Toyota Mobility Foundation. We are confident they are key players in helping to build the future of sustainable cities and communities.

The introduction of the Indiana Future Mobility Districts first two mobility services are major steps forward for defining the initiative and validating its model for cost-effective and cooperative mobility technologies, said Matt Peak, managing director, ESN. The integration of additive technologies into the regions existing transportation resources will continue to push central Indiana to the cutting edge of innovation and help inform deployment strategies in other regions.

Additional details about the Future Mobility District initiative deployments and how to get involved will be made available in the coming months leading up to the launch of these pilots.

About Toyota Mobility Foundation

The Toyota Mobility Foundation was established in August 2014 to support the development of a more mobile society. The Foundation aims to support strong and equitable mobility systems. It utilizes Toyotas expertise in technology, safety, and the environment, working in collaboration with universities, government, non-profit organizations, research institutions and other organizations to address mobility issues around the world. Solutions till date have aimed at resolving urban transportation problems, expanding the utilization of multi-modal mobility and developing solutions for future generations.

About Energy Systems Network

ESN is an Indianapolis-based nonprofit initiative focused on the development of the advanced energy technology and transportation sectors. Over the last decade, ESN has collaborated with a range of industry, academia, and government partners to deliver sustainable energy and mobility solutions, including electric car sharing, vehicle-to-smart grid communications, mobility-as-a-service, and others. ESNs mission is to leverage its network of global thought leaders to develop integrated energy solutions to increase quality of life for today and tomorrow. The companys focus is to: reduce costs, emissions and waste; influence policy; and advance technological innovation. For more information, and to download Emerging Mobility Technologies and Trends, visit www.energysystemsnetwork.com.

About IEDC

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) leads the state of Indianas economic development efforts, helping businesses launch, grow and locate in the state. Governed by a 15-member board chaired by Governor Eric J. Holcomb, the IEDC manages many initiatives, including performance-based tax credits, workforce training grants, innovation and entrepreneurship resources, public infrastructure assistance, and talent attraction and retention efforts. For more information about the IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.

About May Mobility

May Mobility is a leader in autonomous vehicle technology development and deployment. With more than 270,000 autonomous rides to date, May Mobility is committed to delivering safe, efficient and sustainable shuttle solutions designed to complement todays public transportation options. The companys ultimate goal is to realize a world where self-driving systems make transportation more accessible and reliable, the roads safer, and encourage better land use in order to foster more green, vibrant, and livable spaces. For more information, visit maymobility.com.

About Udelv

On a mission to improve peoples lives, road safety and deliver a sustainable industry, Udelv is revolutionizing the logistics space with its Autonomous Delivery Vans (ADV), built specifically for last and middle mile delivery on public roads. Founded in California in late 2017 by Daniel Laury and Akshat Patel, Udelvs mission is to revolutionize delivery and shape the future of autonomous deliveries. In January 2018, Udelv successfully accomplished the first ever autonomous delivery on public roads. Udelv has since completed nearly 30,000 deliveries for multiple merchants in CA, AZ and TX and is preparing for expansion in many other states. Udelv is the leader in the last and middle mile logistics space through its proprietary delivery & access platform. Udelvs focus on autonomous vehicles paired with its uPod delivery technology enable long-range and high-capacity deliveries that are eco, business and customer friendly. For more information, visit www.udelv.com.
We did something very exciting this week: we drove out of town to San Jose and it was like going on a mini vacation! San Jose is located about 35 miles away from our home, and getting there requires driving up and over the Santa Cruz mountains through the redwoods. The drive was spectacular but I was more excited about the prospect of going to Little Saigon. My mission was to buy groceries and pop into a bakery for snack research.

In before times, I took the Vietnamese community in nearby San Jose for granted. Its among the largest in America and would always be there when I was in the mood for ingredients or a quick bowl of pho. But since mid-March 2020, when things locked down in the Bay Area, Id only gone grocery shopping over the hill twice.When I did, the trips were short and frankly, manic, given the pandemic circumstances.

I missed its funk and homey-ness. I also miss the lessons learned as well as the cultural reminders of who I am. Visiting Little Saigon is like going to Vietnam but not. Its Viet-America, a bicultural experience thats unique and different from my daily life in the Monterey Bay.

Now as theres a glimmer of light and great hope for things to resume to some level of normalcy sooner than later, Im writing this post with little tips in case you want to do the same. Overseas travel remains complicated but maybe youll explore a Little Saigon and/or Chinatown near your home.

When to Go

If possible, go on a weekday and in the morning or mid afternoon when theres a lull. You wont feel rushed or have to hustle for parking. This morning, I arrived at my first stop, a bakery, around 10:15am and it was sleepy.

Ditto for markets where fewer people means youll get better service and can better peruse the inventory. Plus, crowded aisles these days can be awkward.

Bakery: Dzuis Cakes and Desserts

I started with snacks because I didnt want to get crushed in a lunch rush. Thats why I was the only person at Dzuis, which is tucked into a corner of a mini mall. The cool vibe and outdoor patio area filled with plants reminded me of coffee and bakery spots in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) where lots of young people gather for coffee, boba, and savory and sweet snacks.

I was interested in Dzuis banh trang tron (tossed rice paper salad), banh mi muoi ot (salty spicy bread) and baked bao. Id seen them online and was curious about whats trendy these days.

Modern Viet Snacks

All the food was done up to be Instagram ready, which I thought was nice. (It photographed oddly pinkish above.) The spicy salty banh mi muoi ot was crunchy (bread), slightly cheesy (a bit of orange-ish cheddar melted in the center), salty shrimpy (pork floss with some ground shrimpy-ness), fatty (fried shallot, scallion oil and mayonnaise). It was a mouthful to eat and made to share with friends. Its fun food. It would be good with beer (which I didnt have handy in my car!).

The rice paper salad is a street food item made of very thin strips of tapioca-based banh trang tossed with chile sauce, a fatty spicy sauce (scallion oil and sweet chile sauce, perhaps), green mango, beef jerky bits, fried shallot, peanuts, boiled quail eggs, rau ram (Vietnamese coriander). Viet food isnt typically super spicy but this was. I would have loved a beer alongside this. It needs to be eaten immediately or the rice paper gets gummy. I tried it in my car and when I got home a couple hours later.

Dzuis baked bao turned out to be made of Hokkien/Teochew (Chaozhou, Tieu Chau) flaky pastry filled with savory-sweet ground pork plus a quail egg or salted egg. The topping was scallion oil, or pork floss and scallion oil.

The flaky pastry is the same as what is used in banh pia, pastries made of rich, delicately layered dough containing a sweet or savory filling. If youre unfamiliar with it, heres a great history of banh pia from Saigoneer. The bao would have been good with hot tea.

Fresh Vietnamese Tofu: Alvin An Dong Tofu

A few doors down from the bakery stood a line of people waiting to get into An Dong Tofu Shop, which Id never been to. Of course, I had to line up to figure out what was up!

Fresh tofu is tender and flavorful. Viet tofu is usually coagulated with fermented whey from prior batches. The texture tends to be chewy tender (or chewy tender/firm). I got a slab of tofu, lemongrass tofu, and freshly fried tofu made with wood ear and glass noodles. The older ladies in front of me nabbed most of the fried tofu as soon as it appeared so I bought some as well, a very large amount for $3. (The deal at this shop for the to-go food is you tell them how much you want to spend, say $2 or $3 dollars. Then they get the portion for you. Cash only.)

An Dong isnt swank or accessible (theres no menu or prices displayed) but I liked the experience. It was a bit like being in Vietnam: I rarely dont fully know whats going regarding protocol, but the prices are modest and the food is fresh. Moreover, I supported a small business. Other tofu shops in the area include: Hung Vuong, Thanh Son, and Dong Phuong.

Vegetable Grandma

Outside the shop, a grandmotherly lady sold a small array of fresh vegetables. Again, I watched the older women in front of me select the choicest chayote. Then a younger woman squatted down to find the nicest bunches of tender mustard greens.

On my way out, I purchased fresh tia to (Viet shiso), rau ram (Viet coriander), and rau tan o (chrysanthemum greens). The woman didnt grow them she admitted, but her wares turned out to be fresher than what I saw at the Asian market, my last stop.

Grocery Shopping: Lion Foods

This is not my favorite Vietnamese market because its dark and claustrophobic. Theres little joy at this market.

That said, the location on Tully has more Viet ingredients than the swankish one in Saratoga that I usually go to. I was looking for Bamboo Tree rice paper, which some people like as much as Three Ladies and I wanted to try it out. It can be hard to find, but there it was, on an end-cap display. My regular Lion Foods doesnt have this brand. This location is in the heart of the San Jose Vietnamese community. That explains the range of Maggi Seasoning sauces, including knockoffs from Vietnam (on the far right in the photo at the top).

I also found a nice range of bun rice noodles in large quantities, and I swooped down on bananas -- creamy baby bananas and chubby chuoi su, the latter is sold at hardcore Viet markets like this Lion Foods. While green papaya (du du xanh) is sold pre-shredded, I prefer to buy the whole fruit and shred it myself for green papaya salads like this one.

More Asian Market Love

Other Asian markets I frequent include Dai Thanh in San Jose, where the vibe always reminds me of being in Vietnam ) but the parking can be hard. I like Lion Foods in Saratoga because its lower-key, brightly lit, and theres a Mitsuwa Japanese market plus Daiso only five minutes away!

The parking at H-Mart is killer crowded on the weekends but the market itself is fun, clean and orderly. The inventory is nicely pan-Asian; theres an India Cash & Carry across the way. Hankook Supermarket in Sunnyvale does not have a pan-Asian inventory but a few doors down is another India Cash & Carry.

Great snacks abound inside these markets and around them in nearby shops.

Now that things are relaxing a bit, I hope youll go out a bit to check out whats going on in local Asian communities. I double mask and socially distance and other shoppers do too.

Outside of California and formal Chinatowns and Little Saigons, Ive adored checking out C Fresh Market in Des Moines, Hometown in Birmingham, plus Buford Highway Farmers Market and Hoa Binh outside of Atlanta. There are many many other Asian markets to venture to and I look forward to them.

If you have a favorite spots to explore and shop, share them with the rest of us! That way we may support those businesses too.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
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.
Over the swimming carnival season, some students have been banned from cheering their teammates, while others have not. Some parents have been allowed to watch their kids swim, while others have not.

But its not just sport. Tim Spencer, the president of the P&C Federation, said parents were becoming frustrated with inconsistencies in the application of all kinds COVID-19 rules between schools, especially when there were so few cases in the community.

But the NSW Department of Education said schools and parents could expect updated guidelines imminently.

School have been giving conflicting advice as to how to cheer on events such as school carnivals. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Mr Spencer said parents had been complaining about different interpretations from different schools. Were certainly hearing things that are inconsistent, he said. Theres still P&Cs not allowed to meet on school premises, and they still need to meet virtually.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : The Supreme Court has stayed a Telangana High Court order which quashed a 2017 FIR lodged against Telangana Education Minister Audimulapu Suresh and his civil servant wife T.N. Vijayalakshmi, in an alleged disproportionate assets case.

Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, representing the CBI, has submitted before the top court that in breach of the well-settled principles which have been laid down by it, the single-judge bench of the High Court has quashed an FIR in a case involving allegations of the possession of disproportionate assets, under Section 109 of the Indian Penal Code 1860 read with Section 13(2) and Section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988. The CBI has moved the top court challenging the High Court order.

A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah noted that it has been urged that the single-judge bench, in its February 11 order, launched impermissibly into a detailed inquiry, more akin to a trial. The bench issued notice to the couple on CBI's petition.

"Issue notice, returnable in six weeks," said the bench. According to the top court order, the minister and his wife would continue to face the investigation in the matter. The couple has earlier moved the High Court, which observed that the investigation into the matter is unsustainable.

"Pending further orders, there shall be a stay of the operation of the impugned judgment and order of the High Court of Telangana dated February 11, 2020..," said the top court.

The CBI's ACB Chennai registered an FIR on September 20, 2017 against 1992-batch IRS officer Vijayalakshmi and former civil servant-turned-politician YSRCP MLA Suresh.

The investigating agency had alleged the couple have acquired assets to the tune of Rs 5,95,58,322 against the income of Rs 4,84,76,630 during check period of April 1, 2010 to February 29, 2016. The CBI has alleged the difference in the income is 22.86 per cent more than the known sources of income.
Renaud Capucon

Elgar: Violin Concerto/Violin Sonata Erato, out Friday

Rating:

A number of French cellists have recorded Elgars Cello Concerto, led by Andre Navarra, whose recording for Elgars centenary year with Sir John Barbirolli can be mentioned in the same breath as Jacqueline du Pres celebrated subsequent one with the same conductor.

But until Renaud Capucon came along, no French violinist has tackled the published score of the Violin Concerto on disc.

Well worth the wait; Capucon gets it. He describes this concerto as one of the noblest, etched with great poetry, full of tenderness. This work has always moved me deeply.

Until Renaud Capucon came along, no French violinist has tackled the published score of the Violin Concerto on disc. Well worth the wait; Capucon (above) gets it

And its obvious that Capucon knows the piece intimately, and has thought long and hard about how to present this most deeply personal of all of Elgars masterpieces.

Capucon takes his time with a more than 50-minute reading. His tone may not be so beautiful as some, such as Itzhak Perlman and Jascha Heifetz, for instance, who both made memorable recordings.

But Capucon penetrates further beneath the surface than either of them or almost any rival.

He is well partnered by the London Symphony Orchestra (which premiered the piece in 1910) under Simon Rattle, an accomplished Elgarian.

The recording was made last September under social-distancing rules. Its idle to pretend that the sound is as opulent as it would have been normally.

But that should not put anyone off this album, especially since the coupling, Elgars Violin Sonata, finished at the end of the First World War, is such an asset. Its much more vividly recorded, in a different venue, with Capucon partnered by pianist Stephen Hough.

Capucon and Hough really go for it. There is nothing tentative here.

For me, this is the best-ever recording of the Sonata. No one sympathetic to Elgars music should be without it.
RICHVALE, Calif. - North State Rep. Doug LaMalfa (1st District) has shared his concerns about President Joe Bidens $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill, that passed the House early on Saturday on a near party-line vote. He said before the House vote that he was in opposition to the relief bill.

LaMalfa authored three amendments to the relief bill in the House, but none were added to the package.

Congressmember LaMalfa also co-authored four additional amendments, which did not make it to the final bill that has been sent to the Senate for consideration.

LaMalfa states that he supported all five bipartisan COVID relief bills passing the House in 2020, but does not support Biden's current bill.

Rep. LaMalfa said, Over $1 trillion in COVID relief remains unspent, but Democrat leaders are shamelessly pretending we must approve this partisan slush fund or risk the collapse of our entire pandemic recovery. With only nine percent of its funding going to COVID health spending and less than half authorized to be spent this year, this bill is in no way timely or even necessary. The numerous beneficiaries of this so-called COVID relief include union pensions, Planned Parenthood, the National Endowment for the Arts, and even a bridge in Senator Schumers state of New York and a tunnel in Speaker Pelosis backyard.

I am also troubled that this bill does nothing to address the issue of unemployment insurance penalties and identity theft that will be affecting millions of Americans, both of which result in surprise tax bills that our constituents had not counted on at all. My amendments to help people with these worsening problems were rejected outright by Democrat leadership.

One major concern for the Congressmember concerns taxes on unemployment payments.

According to LaMalfas office, 44 million Americans filed for unemployment last year, with many of his constituents unaware that UI benefits were considered taxable income.

Whats making the problem worse, says LaMalfa, is that state agencies such as the Employment Development Department (EDD) in California, have been inconsistent in withholding projected federal income taxes on COVID-19 relief-related benefits.

LaMalfa said this creates unforeseen taxation.

He is also concerned about stolen identities that have been used to claim benefits, which he says is sometimes only discovered when a 1099-G tax form arrives in the mail claiming constituents owe hundreds or thousands of dollars in taxes on unemployment benefits they did not apply for.

Days after the Director-General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan announced the implementation of the 2003 ceasefire, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan once again raked up the Kashmir issue.

Imran Khan tweeted, "I welcome restoration of the ceasefire along with the Line of Control (LoC). The onus of creating an enabling environment for further progress rests with India. India must take necessary steps to meet the long-standing demand and right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination acc to UNSC resolutions."

"We also demonstrated to the world Pakistan's responsible behaviour in the face of India's irresponsible military brinkmanship, by returning the captured Indian pilot. We have always stood for peace & remain ready to move forward to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue," he further said in his tweet.

The United States, United Nations, and Hurriyat have all welcomed the reinforcement of the 2003 ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

India also said that it wants normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan but its position on key issues remains unchanged.

Imran Khan's raking up of the Kashmir issue is unlikely to go down well with India, as New Delhi has maintained that it is a bilateral issue and is ready to hold a dialogue only when Pakistan stops sponsoring terrorism.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not responded to Imran Khan's recent assertion as of now.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
With digital transformation radically improving and pushing boundaries, Pepper Content, a content marketplace, today announced the launch of Indias fastest-growing AI-enabled content generator - Peppertype.ai. The tool enables creators to generate countless copies of well-curated, quality content and ideas within 10 seconds. With an aim to streamline the creation, management and distribution of content, PepperType.ai is Pepper Contents first step towards building a better and smarter future of content creation.

PepperType.ai, is an assistive tool built on top of GPT3, a language algorithm built by Elon Musks OpenAI, to generate short-form content copies and ideas. It is fueled by Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to empower every creator with quick content copies in seconds and bridge the gap between creators and businesses to help scale their content operations in the finest way. The tool allows businesses to input relevant information which assists the tool to churn out quality content instantaneously that includes blog ideas, social media captions, tweets, product descriptions, newsletter, podcast and marketing ideas, among other features. PepperType.ai tool has rolled out 7 ranges of offerings for consumers with more on the way.

Excited about the announcement, Rishabh Shekhar, Co-Founder and COO, Pepper Content, said, At Pepper Content, we believe that technology is a big enabler for creators to do more meaningful work and outsource the rest to platforms like Peppertype.ai. We understand the pressure for content creation that requires diligence, research, preparation and a certain degree of connectedness which is accompanied with time-consumption, deadlines, stress and burnouts. Our tool is for these creators, marketers, startups and even established brands, seeking top-notch content at a rapid rate and utilizing technological advancements for better efficiency and assistance to their teams.

The feedback during the beta version was splendid. People appreciated and informed us how they ended up saving hours of time- their own and their teams, just because now the same thing could be done in a click of a button. We want to be leaders of this shift and are proud to do this for all creators associated with Pepper and more. added Rishabh.

Pepper Content, which has raised $4.2 million in Series A funding in September 2020, is on a mission to harness four pillars of content i.e., ideation, creation, management, and distribution along with AI/ML to streamline the content creation process.
Minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has delineated the roles of the Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Boundary Commission in an attempt to dismiss the misconceptions surrounding the duties of the two public organizations.



Samuel Abu Jinapor was on Wednesday, February 24 vetted by the Appointments Committee in Parliament.



During his vetting, the Minister-designate who was a former Deputy Chief of Staff highlighted reasons why the Ghana Boundary Commission has been placed under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.



The issue of the placement of the Ghana Boundary Commission under the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry became a matter of concern to the Appointments Committee and a question was raised on why it should be under such Ministry.



Some Ghanaians are of the view that the Boundary Commission shares similar functions with the Immigration Service.



Responding before the Committee, Hon. Abu Jinapor noted that there is a vast difference between the roles of the two organizations.



He explained that, "the Ghana Boundary Commission's mandate essentially is to determine, negotiate and/or delineate the boundaries as they relate to Ghana and its neighbouring countries. Where does the borders of Ghana begin; where do they end? That is essentially their work, both on land and on our seas. Now, they do so for purposes of [1] determining the landmarks of Ghana. So this is why it is under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. [2] They do so also in the sea to determine the natural resources of our country''.



''I think that the placement of the Ghana Boundaries Commission under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is perfect. It's absolutely normal. There's nothing wrong because they're dealing with the lands of Ghana as well as the natural resources of Ghana in the sea," he strongly held.



He expounded on how different the Ghana Immigration Service and the Boundary Commission are, hence making it right for the Commission to be under the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry.



"I don't see any conflict at all. To my mind, I respectfully think the Ghana Boundaries Commission's mandate is exclusively for purposes of determining what are the borders of Ghana whereas the Ghana Immigration Service, their mandate is border security; protecting the borders of Ghana," he said.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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

Featured Video
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
AMHERST -- The towns public health director on Friday announced that an emergency COVID-19-related order that kept in place a 9:30 p.m. is no longer in effect in the town of Amherst.

Emma Dragon, the health director, issued a statement Friday, saying this also means the Town of Amherst will once again be in alignment with the Massachusetts orders for capacity limits.

Dragon and Town Manger Manger Paul Bockelman extended the curfew, and the stricter capacity limits, on Feb. 8 -- even though a Gov. Charlie Baker order had ended them.

The town officials said this was necessary at the time because of a spike in the number of University of Massachusetts-Amherst students testing positive for COVID-19, and with this, concerns about the public health.

Effective at 12:00 PM on Friday, February 26th, 2021, the Town of Amherst Health Director is rescinding the EMERGENCY ORDER temporarily applying a reduction of capacity limitations and associated rules as well as extending the Governors Mandatory Early Closing Order. This decision has been made after consultation with the State Epidemiologist and other officials at the State, as well as the review of local and regional data, the health directors statement says.

We've all had at least one bad haircut in our lifetimes, and chances are, we remember how that bad haircut made us feel.

Jason Smith, the middle school principal at Stonybrook Intermediate and Middle School in Indianapolis, Indiana, understood that feeling. And that's why it was a no-brainer to jump into action for one of his students, Anthony Moore.

Moore was wearing a hat, which is against the school's dress code. After the student spoke with a school dean for about 30 minutes, Smith was asked to step in.

"I sat across from him and asked, 'What's wrong? Why are you being defiant, why are you refusing to take your hat off? It's a pretty simple request,'" Smith said. "And he explained that his parents took him to get a haircut and he didn't like the results."

Smith said he and the dean thought his hair looked fine. "But you know he's a 13 [or] 14-year-old kid, and we know social acceptance is more important than adult acceptance," he said.

"I told him, 'Look, I've been cutting hair since I was your age,' and I showed him pictures of my son's haircuts that I did and some of me cutting hair in college. And I said, 'If I run home and get my clippers and fix your line, will you go back to class?'" Smith said. "He hesitated but then he said yes."

So in the snow, Smith drove back home to get his clippers and brought them to his office to line Moore's head up while his parents were called for consent to touch up his hair.

Tawanda Johnson, Moore's mom, said she thought the gesture was wonderful.

"He (Smith) handled it very well to keep him from getting in trouble at school," she said. "I'm just glad that he was able to handle that without ... being put in in-school suspension."

"He didn't say straight out, but I feel like he didn't want to be laughed at," Smith said. "The barbershop and hair cuts as Black males is very important in the community and looking your best and being sharp -- it's just a cultural aspect."

"Just from my being a Black male myself and coming through that culture and you know, I really think girls matter at that age, which [means] appearance then could matter. He was scared he was going to be laughed at and we were pretty sure no one would notice, but he was looking through his lens," Smith said.

Smith made sure to check on Moore throughout the day, and found that he was learning and didn't have his hat on after the touch-up.

"All behavior is communication and when a student is struggling, we need to ask ourselves what happened to this child instead of what's wrong with the child," Smith said. "What need is the child trying to get met and really, the future of urban education rests on that question."

Smith said the consequence for not abiding by the dress code ordinarily would have been in-school suspension or being picked up by a parent, which, Smith said, "would have prevented him from being in front of a classroom teacher and giving him the education he deserves, so it really worked out well."
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Reach Mai Hoang at maihoang@yakimaherald.com or Twitter @maiphoang

This story is part of the Protecting and Promoting Local Journalism Initiative, a project supported by the Yakima Valley Community Foundation with financial, training and technological assistance from Microsoft Corp. In Yakima County, the initiative is a collaboration between the Yakima Herald-Republic, El Sol de Yakima and Radio KDNA, whose journalists maintain independent editorial control of the project.

To make a charitable contribution to the Yakima Valley Community Foundation's Community Journalism Fund, visit the foundation's website and select the Give Today button. On the sidebar, click on Find Opportunities. Enter journalism in the word search and the fund will pop up. Donors can also send checks and stocks directly to the Yakima Valley Community Foundation.
Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. High 73F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds overnight. Low 52F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.

John Durham, pictured, will resign as U.S. attorney

John Durham announced on Friday that he would resign as U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut but will continue to work for the Justice Department as special counsel in the investigation into the origins of the the Russia probe.

Durham was named as special counsel into the Russia probe investigation in October by former Attorney General Bill Barr after he was appointed to the U.S. attorney job by former President Donald Trump in 2018, WTIC-TV reported.

The Justice Department said earlier this month it would ask Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys to resign from their posts.

A Justice Department official told WTIC-TV that Durham, 71, will stay in his role as special counsel in the Russia probe investigation.

'My career has been as fulfilling as I could ever have imagined when I graduated from law school way back in 1975,' Durham said in a statement, according to WTIC-TV.

'Much of that fulfillment has come from all the people with whom I've been blessed to share this workplace, and in our partner law enforcement agencies.'

Durham, center, will continue as special counsel in the investigation of the origins of the Trump-Russia inquiry

Durham, not pictured, was appointed by former AG Bill Barr, left, as special counsel to investigate the origins of the probe into ties between Donald Trump. right, and Russia

Biden's Justice Department said earlier this month it would ask Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys to resign

He continued: 'My love and respect for this Office and the vitally important work done here have never diminished. It has been a tremendous honor to serve as U.S. Attorney, and as a career prosecutor before that, and I will sorely miss it.'

Barr previously told the Associated Press he had appointed Durham as a special counsel under the same federal regulations that governed special counsel Robert Mueller in the original Russia probe.

He said Durham's investigation has been narrowing to focus more on the conduct of FBI agents who worked on the Russia investigation, known by the code name of Crossfire Hurricane.

Under the regulations, a special counsel can be fired only by the attorney general and for specific reasons such as misconduct, dereliction of duty or conflict of interest. An attorney general must document such reasons in writing.

In July 2016, the FBI began investigating whether the Trump campaign was coordinating with Russia to sway the outcome of the presidential election.

That probe was inherited nearly a year later by special counsel Mueller, who ultimately did not find enough evidence to charge Trump or any of his associates with conspiring with Russia.

The early months of the investigation, when agents obtained secret surveillance warrants targeting a former Trump campaign aide, have long been scrutinized by Trump and other critics of the probe who say the FBI made significant errors.

An inspector general report in 2019 backed up that criticism but did not find evidence that mistakes in the surveillance applications and other problems with the probe were driven by partisan bias.

Barr decided 'the best thing to do would be to appoint them under the same regulation that covered Bob Mueller, to provide Durham and his team some assurance that they'd be able to complete their work regardless of the outcome of the election,' he said Tuesday.

Leonard Boyle, right, will replace Durham as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut

Durham's investigation has resulted in one prosecution so far: a guilty plea by a former FBI lawyer who admitted altering an email.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Boyle will be replace Durham as acting U.S. attorney, WTIC-TV reported.

Durham also made news earlier this week for noting in a filing that President Joe Biden's Justice Department was withdrawing its support for a lawsuit aiming to prevent transgender athletes from competing in girls' high school sports.
South Africa: Cabinet concerned by SA's job creation rates

Cabinet has expressed concern that the rate at which the South African economy creates jobs remains slower than the rate the country sheds jobs.

This comes after figures released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) in the Q4 Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) revealed that the countrys unemployment rate was at 32.5%.

Addressing the media following a Cabinet meeting, acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the QLFS continues to remind the country of the challenges of unemployment it faces.

Cabinet is, however, encouraged by the green shoots that our economy continues to demonstrate amongst the current harsh economic realities, she said.

According to the report, employment in Q4 increased by 333 000 jobs, with the formal sector contributing the largest (189 000 jobs) between October and December.

During the three months, the number of those not economically active declined by 890 000 from the previous quarter.

Cabinet remains concerned that the rate at which the economy creates jobs remains slower than the rate the country sheds jobs by 701 000 between Quarter 3 and Quarter 4. Although Quarter 4 noted an increase in the unemployment rate, the percentage increase of 1.7% is still lower than the Quarter 3 increase of 9% to the unemployment rate, said the Minister.

She said it was disturbing that young people constitute the largest pool of the unemployed.

African and Coloured South Africans, as well as women, remain the most vulnerable groups in the economy of the country, and this strengthens governments resolve to fast-track measures to support and enable the meaningful participation of youth, women and black people in the economy of the country, she said.

This, added the Minister, was in line with governments recommitment to economic reform and transformation made by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his 2021 State of the Nation Address.

Meanwhile, Ntshavheni said Cabinet welcomed the tabling of the 2021 National Budget by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni.

She said it was an important part of South Africas open and accountable system of democracy.

Following President Ramaphosa s SONA, the 2021 National Budget outlines governments financial plan to support the implementation of the national PoA as outlined in the 2021 SONA, said the Minister.

She said Cabinet welcomed the 2021 National Budget as the best available option in balancing fiscal sustainability while funding critical government priorities such as the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, supporting the most vulnerable in society through a comprehensive social assistance programme and the ERRP in order to rebuild the economy, support job creation and attract investment, albeit under a challenging economic environment.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A wreath remembering Captain Sir Tom Moore has been laid on behalf of the Queen in his home town in Yorkshire.

The deputy Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, David Pearson, laid the wreath, which featured 200 white roses around a picture of the late record-breaking fundraiser, at the plaque dedicated to him in the centre of Keighley.

The memorial, which was unveiled with Sir Tom present in July last year, is next to the towns war memorial, which his grandfather built.

Wreaths of poppies were also laid by local MP Robbie Moore and the towns mayor and mayoress, Peter Corkindale and Clare Abberton.

Sir Tom was made an honorary freeman of Keighley last summer when he said it really is great to be back as the plaque was unveiled in his honour.

David Pearson, Deputy Lieutenant for West Yorkshire, lays a wreath (Danny Lawson/PA)

Mr Corkindale told the PA news agency: He had put Keighley on the map. Hes made this town into what I always knew it was, which is a town full of people who are caring, who care about the welfare of others.

We have a long history of caring and it was just great that the man epitomised whats good about Keighley and whats good about Yorkshire  modest, unassuming and yet he did so much for everybody.

The mayor said Sir Tom had lived in Keighley for 50 years and promised that without doubt there would be a proper celebration of his life once Covid restrictions were lifted.

Mr Corkindale said: Knowing Sir Tom, he wouldnt want it for him, he would want it for everyone whos lost their lives in this pandemic.

He said there were plans for a statue of Sir Tom in the town and also some form of award for school children so, going forward, people will always remember Captain Sir Tom Moore  a Keighley lad.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

On his return to the town in July, Sir Tom said: I remain truly humbled and grateful for the support I have received from far and wide, but the warm reception I have received coming home is particularly special to me.

It really is great to be back.

Flags are flying at half-mast and bells tolling across Bradford district, including in Keighley, on Saturday.

Bradford City Hall clock tower was due to play Abide With Me and Youll Never Walk Alone as a tribute to Sir Tom.

The bells of Bradford Cathedral will also toll 100 times from 6pm, once for each day of his life.

Council buildings including City Hall in the centre of Bradford also will be lit up in red, white and blue in the evening and overnight as a mark of respect.
Widespread vaccine distribution  and the promised return to normalcy  is on the horizon.

The glowing light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel is enough to send one searching for cheap flights, if only to fantasize about taking.
This item is available in full to subscribers.

Attention subscribers

We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.

If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.

If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.

Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden flew to Houston on Friday as the state of Texas tries to recover from a winter storm that caused widespread blackouts and claimed the lives of over a dozen residents.

This is Biden's first trip as commander in chief to a major disaster area since he took office. According to Associated Press, Biden met with state and local officials at the Harris County Emergency Operations Center in Houston, and he was briefed about the recovery efforts.

Biden lauded them, and he promised to help the Texans not just to recover from the historic winter storm but also on public health and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden was joined for much of his visit by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Sen. John Cornyn, both Republicans. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, and four Democratic Houston-area members of Congress also joined the president.

White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, said that this was not a partisan issue for the president, adding that Biden does not view the crisis and the millions of people who have been affected by the severe weather condition as a Democratic or Republican issue.

"He views it as an issue where he's eager to get relief, to tap into all the resources in the federal government, to make sure the people of Texas know we're thinking about them, we're fighting for them, and we're going to continue working on this as they're recovering," Psaki said in Click 2 Houston report.

Biden, himself, also said that when a crisis hits a state, it is not a Republican or Democrat that is hurting.

"It's our fellow Americans that are hurting and it's our job to help everyone in need," Biden said in the Associated Press report.

Biden, a Democrat, noted that he and Abbott and Cornyn might disagree on many things, "but there are plenty of things we can work on together" and "one of them is represented right here today, the effort to speed up vaccinations."

After his Harris County Emergency Operations Center stops, Biden and the first lady toured a local food bank to thank volunteers.

Read more: "No One Owes You or Your Family Anything"- Texas Mayor Resigns After Calling Residents' Lazy' Amid Winter Storm

Damages Brought by the Winter Storm in Texas

First lady Jill joined an assembly line of volunteers packing boxes of quick oats, juice, and other food at the Houston Food Bank.

Tens of thousands of Houston area residents are still without safe water, according to local officials. At least 40 people in Texas died due to the storm, while more than one million residents are still under orders to boil water before drinking it despite the weather returning to normal temperatures.

Biden's last stop after touring several locations was the FEMA vaccine super-site at NRG Stadium. In his remarks there, he noted that "there's nothing partisan" about the virus, adding that the U.S. will hit a critical phase in the effort to fight the virus "this spring." As the vaccines become more widely available, Biden noted that vaccine hesitancy would continue to persist.

Meanwhile, Ted Cruz, another Texas Republican senator, was in Florida on Friday addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Cruz is a known ally of former President Donald Trump and was among GOP lawmakers who had objected to Congress certifying Biden's win.

Cruz has received backlash after traveling with his family last week to Cancun, Mexico as Texans were in crisis, according to an NBC News report. He then returned home within hours of landing in Mexico and apologized for the trip, calling it a "mistake."

Biden declared the major disaster in the state of Texas last weekend. He signified earlier that he was interested in visiting the state but said that he would wait until his presence would not be a burden to the state's recovery.

Related story: Woman, Girl Die From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning After Using Running Car to Stay Warm in Texas Freeze
404

  

              
Lady Gagas two French bulldogs were recovered unharmed on Friday in Los Angeles, the police said, two days after thieves stole the dogs and shot a man who was walking them.

The man was shot on Wednesday night after two people got out of a white car and demanded that he turn over the dogs at gunpoint, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a Twitter thread. After a struggle, they made off with two of the three dogs he had been walking.

The police said it appeared as though a semiautomatic handgun had been used to shoot the dog walker, later identified by Lady Gaga as Ryan Fischer. He was taken to a hospital on Wednesday and was in serious but stable condition on Friday afternoon.

Someone took the dogs to a Los Angeles police station at about 6 p.m. Friday, and a representative of Lady Gagas picked them up, said Officer Mike Lopez, a police spokesman. The dogs are returned safely, he said.
American airstrikes in Syria show that Iran can expect consequences for supporting militia groups threatening US interests and personnel, Joe Biden has warned.

"You can't act with impunity. Be careful," the US president said when asked what message he intended to send with the airstrikes early on Friday morning on Syria's eastern border with Iraq.

Satellite images show a group of buildings before the airstrike and the obliteration of most of them after.

The Pentagon said the strikes by two Air Force F-15E aircraft using seven missiles destroyed nine buildings and heavily damaged two others in eastern Syria used by Iran-backed militias.

They added that the strikes were not intended to eradicate the groups using them for attacks inside Iraq but to show the US will act firmly while trying to avoid a widespread regional escalation.

US officials said the airstrikes, Mr Biden's first military action as president, were legal and appropriate as they took out facilities housing valuable "capabilities" used by the militia groups to attack American and allied forces in Iraq.

Members of Congress were notified before the strikes but Mr Biden faced opposition from several leading Congress members in his own party who denounced the strikes.

Democrats said the airstrikes were not authorised by politicians but the Republicans were more supportive, with Senator Jim Inhofe, leading Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, saying the decision was "the correct, proportionate response to protect American lives".

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the president used his constitutional authority to defend US personnel.

She said they were to deter attacks in the coming weeks and as a result of recent attacks, including a rocket attack on 15 February in northern Iraq that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a US service member and other coalition troops.

John Kirby, the Pentagon's chief spokesman, said the strikes resulted in "casualties" but would not provide further details on how many and what was inside the buildings.

Story continues

An Iraqi militia official with close links to Iran said one fighter was killed by the airstrikes and several others wounded.

He said the strikes were against the Kataeb Hezbollah group, or Hezbollah Brigades, an Iraqi Shia paramilitary group supported by Iran.

It is separate from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement and has fighters in Syria to fight against Islamic State (IS) and help Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces in the civil war.

Subscribe to Into The Grey Zone on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group monitoring the war in Syria, said the strikes targeted a shipment of weapons being taken by trucks entering Syria from Iraq.

It said 22 fighters from the Popular Mobilisation Forces, an Iraqi umbrella group of militias including Kataeb Hezbollah, were killed. The report could not be independently verified.

Kataeb Hezbollah confirmed one of its fighters was killed and said it reserved the right to retaliate, without elaborating.

Syria condemned the airstrikes, calling them "a cowardly and systematic American aggression" and warned they will have consequences.

Donald Trump significantly reduced the number of US forces in Iraq to 2,500 and they no longer take part in combat missions with Iraqi forces against IS.
Police in Northern Ireland have urged the people behind a car cruise to reconsider organising the event.

Chief Inspector Rory Bradley said police are aware a car cruise may be held in Portrush on Sunday.

Current lockdown restrictions prevent large gatherings of people and unnecessary journeys.

Inspector Bradley said: We are reminding the public to adhere to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations, which include restrictions on movement that stipulate that no person may leave or remain away from the place where they normally live without reasonable excuse.

To be clear, people who are showing disregard should expect swift enforcement. Chief Inspector Rory Bradley

While we will have additional officers on patrol, in and around the North Coast this weekend, we are reminding the public of the need to maintain safe social distance and to stay within their bubbles.

To be clear, people who are showing disregard should expect swift enforcement.

We will always engage with people first explaining the guidance and the law and encourage people to comply, judging each case on its own merits.

However, where we are left with no choice but to enforce, we will take this measure in order to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities and help protect our NHS.

We continue to encourage the Northern Ireland public to adhere to the Regulations and help keep everyone in our communities safe.

We always welcome information from the public about any illegal activities.

We are asking everyone to work with us during this pandemic to ensure safe spaces for all and help keep everyone safe.

There have been previous criticisms of large crowds visiting the coastal town, particularly during good weather.

It comes as a further two coronavirus connected deaths were reported by the Department of Health.

Another 184 individuals have tested positive for the virus, according to the latest update from the department.

On Saturday morning there were 307 Covid-positive patients in hospital, of whom 36 were in intensive care.

The more recent deaths reported by officials brings Northern Irelands death toll to 2,052 since the outbreak of Covid-19 a year ago.

The Department of Health #COVID19 dashboard has been updated.



184 individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. Sadly, 2 further deaths have been reported.https://t.co/1T7yam4O9f pic.twitter.com/LQGSbQSG4s  Department of Health (@healthdpt) February 27, 2021

A total of 112,357 people in the region has contracted the virus since the first case was reported last February.

More than half a million people have received a Covid-19 vaccine, of which 505,188 were first doses and 31,898 were second doses.

While Northern Ireland faces ongoing lockdown restrictions into April, its seven-day incidence rate fell to 89.8 per 100,000 people.

It is the lowest incidence rate since September, figures show.

The Minister for Health Robin Swann urged people to stay Covid-free this weekend.

I would again urge everyone to maintain social distancing from others and stay local if they are heading outdoors, Mr Swann said.
Ian Ogle murder accused Glenn Rainey hid 20 worth of cocaine under his bed, a court has heard.

The 34-year-old was charged possession of class A after his arrest on Friday over the alleged UVF show of strength in Pitt Park in east Belfast.

A prosecution barrister told Belfast Magistrates Court today that officers found the drug under his bed, on top of a communication device.

Objecting to Rainey being released on bail the lawyer said he was currently on High Court bail for murder and had a history of drugs offences.

This included a conviction for supplying class A drugs in 2015.

But District Judge Mark Hamill pointed out that the maximum penalty for simple possession was six months and if he were refused bail he could serve the equivalent of that sentence while on remand in jail.

He said it was a flimsy charge to hang your hat on for an objection to bail which was using a sledge hammer to crack a walnut

Judge Hamill added that he would be fascinated to see if a High Court judge disagreed.

Raineys barrister agreed with Judge Hamill adding that he would likely be facing a fine rather than any time in custody.

Judge Hamill released Rainey on his own bail of 400 along with his existing High Court bail conditions.

The gathering of 60 men in Pitt Park earlier this month which led to his arrest was in part a response to an attack on the home of a relative of Raineys in east Belfast.

A file has been sent to the Public Prosecution Service regarding Raineys involvement in the alleged UVF stunt near the Newtownards Road.

Rainey is also currently awaiting a Diplock non-jury trial for the murder of Mr Ogle in January 2019 but also for drug dealing after cops busted his alleged cocaine supply network in March the same year.

Earlier this month Rainey was before the same court where he was fined 75 for driving without a licence or insurance last November.
US regulators are working "rapidly" to finalise emergency use authorisation for a vaccine which is on track to become America's third shot against the pandemic which has killed 509,000 people in the last 12 months alone - the country's deadliest year.

After eight hours of non-stop debate, the high powered but usually obscure Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) voted overwhelmingly in favour of okaying a single dose Covid-19 vaccine for people aged 18 and older.

"Following today's positive advisory committee meeting outcome regarding the Janssen Biotech Inc. Covid-19 Vaccine, the US Food and Drug Administration has informed the sponsor that it will rapidly work toward finalisation and issuance of an emergency use authorisation, FDA Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement late on Friday. The agency has already notified federal partners involved in vaccine allocation and distribution to get ready for the rollout.

Once FDA clears the J&J shot for US use, only a few million doses are expected to be ready for shipping in the first week. J&J told US Congress that it expects to deliver 20 million doses by the end of March and 100 million by June. The company aims to produce around a billion doses by the end of the year.

America, which began its historic vaccination drive on December 14 last year, has delivered a total of more than 70 million jabs in arms across first and second doses combined. More than 47 million people in the US have received at least one shot. The two vaccines currently in use - Pfizer and Moderna - are both two shot vaccines spaced about 3-4 weeks apart.

US FDA scientists have already confirmed that the vaccine is safe and is about 66 per cent effective at preventing moderate to severe Covid-19, and about 85 per cent effective against serious illness. Similar to the other Covid-19 vaccines in the US, the main side effects of the J&J shot are pain at the injection site and flu-like fever, fatigue and headache.

J&J tested its single-dose option in about 44,000 adults in the US, Latin America and South Africa with a 2-month median follow-up. "The analysis supported a favourable safety profile with no specific safety concerns identified that would preclude issuance of an EUA," the US FDA said of the J&J vaccine.

The FDA noted that there were no Covid-19-related deaths and no Covid-19 cases requiring medical intervention 28 days or more post-vaccination among participants age 60 years or older with medical comorbidities in the vaccine group.

(Nikhila Natarajan can be reached at nikhilanatarajan@gmail.com)

--IANS

niki/rs

(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.)
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
Senate Bill 114, Allocate coronavirus epidemic relief dollars: Passed 19 to 15 in the Senate

To appropriate $672.7 million federal dollars and $55 million collected from state taxpayers for various coronavirus response activities including $390.1 million more for vaccine distribution and virus tests, $282.5 million more for rental subsidies, and $55 million state dollars to give a $2.25 hourly raise to certain social welfare direct care workers through September.

31 Sen. Kevin Daley, R - Attica, Y

32 Sen. Kenneth Horn, R - Frankenmuth, Y

36 Sen. Jim Stamas, R - Midland, Y

Senate Bill 29, Authorize more school spending in current fiscal year: 20 to 15 in the Senate

To appropriate an additional $1.246 billion for Michigan's public school system in the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Of this, $932 million is federal money and the rest comes from state taxpayers. A total of $807 million would be allocated to school districts based on the number of children from lower income households they enroll. Another $90 million would go to K-8 summer school programs and $45.0 million for high school credit recovery programs, with smaller amounts for other purposes.

31 Sen. Kevin Daley, R - Attica, Y

32 Sen. Kenneth Horn, R - Frankenmuth, Y

36 Sen. Jim Stamas, R - Midland, Y

House Bill 4015, Authorize sanctions for offering faux-government services: Passed 102 to 7 in the House

To add to the dozens of violations specified in a state consumer protection act a new one that applies to a private third party who offers online services that are performed by a state agency, department, or division without conspicuously indicating that the operation is not a government entity, and without disclosing the prices and terms.

95 Rep. Amos O'Neal, D - Saginaw, Y

96 Rep. Timothy Beson, R - Bay City, Y

97 Rep. Jason Wentworth, R - Clare, Y

98 Rep. Annette Glenn, R - Midland, Y

99 Rep. Roger Hauck, R - Mount Pleasant, Y

House Joint Resolution A, Require two-thirds vote on "lame duck" session bills

To place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to require that bills passed in a lame duck legislative session held after the election in an even year must get a two-thirds House and Senate majority vote to become law. To be placed on the ballot, a House or Senate Joint Resolution proposing a constitutional amendment much get at least a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. Approval by the governor is not required.

95 Rep. Amos O'Neal, D - Saginaw, Y

96 Rep. Timothy Beson, R - Bay City, Y

97 Rep. Jason Wentworth, R - Clare, Y

98 Rep. Annette Glenn, R - Midland, Y

99 Rep. Roger Hauck, R - Mount Pleasant, Y

Source: MichiganVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, non-partisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Visit www.MichiganVotes.org.
SPRINGFIELD  The School Department is now planning an April return to in-person learning for certain students.

Schools across Massachusetts have been operating remotely or on hybrid schedules due to the coronavirus pandemic. But this week state education commissioner Jeffrey Riley said elementary school students should be in the classroom five days a week beginning in April.

The original plan was a March 15 return for our most vulnerable populations, but based on the commissioners announcement and pending contract negotiations with the teachers union we are now looking at a date around April 5, said Springfield Assistant Superintendent of Schools Lydia Martinez.

School Committee member Denise Hurst, who is also a member of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees and a mother of two children in city schools, said the issue of in-person learning should be decided by individual communities based on their unique circumstances.

The association issued a statement supporting the return of in-person learning on a timeline that works for individual districts.

These decisions should remain in the hands of the people who are overseeing individual schools and school districts: school superintendents and school committees in consultation with parents and community members, the statement reads. We are also concerned that students not be rushed back to in-person classes in order to expedite high-stakes testing and enforcing standards of accountability that would be based on learning acquired during a severely disrupted school year.

Springfield School Committee member Denise Hurst. (The Republican file photo)Ed Cohen / The Republican file

Hurst said the April timeline is a cookie-cutter approach that is not realistic for many districts.

Especially not for a district that has been remote since last March, she said. We are not a district that has at least had the opportunity to function in a hybrid model, we have strictly been remote. Springfield continues to be in the red (in terms of COVID-19 infections) and it is really important that we maintain local control of decisions made for our students and our city.

According to Springfields plan, students in preschool through grade five; the districts highest-needs special education students; students with limited or interrupted formal education; and vocational students in grades 10-12 at Putnam Vocational Technical Academy would return first.

The plan also includes a phased-in return for students in grades six through eight, followed by high school students. The School Committee is expected to vote on the plan in coming weeks.

The plan is subject to negotiations with the teachers union.

We are very much hoping that negotiations will be completed by April, but if not we have to wait and see what the commissioners mandate is, Martinez said. The vaccination of our teachers has also been on the forefront, and because the state has moved them out of the original phase that has been a concern as we go into the negotiations.

On Thursday the district presented the School Committee with an updated version of its proposed hybrid return model, which would include a mix of in-person and remote learning for students each week.

The district plans to seek a waiver to allow the hybrid return rather than full-week return based on the citys COVID-19 status. As of Thursday the city remained in the states high-risk red category, with 1,126 cases reported in the previous two weeks.

Hurst said she commends the district for coming up with a comprehensive plan.

We have not gotten any real guidance from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, she said. Everything that we have done this last summer has been put together by every municipality based on what they thought was best, and now in the 11th hour the commissioner wants to make this broad sweeping change. I just dont agree with that. If the state wants to take control then they can prioritize vaccinating our teachers.

Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Jeffrey Riley. (State House News Service file photo)

Martinez said the district spent countless hours preparing the hybrid plan, which may not even be implemented if Riley has his way. The commissioner told members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Tuesday that in a week or two he plans to ask for authorization to determine how best to go back to in-person learning.

Our team in Springfield is the A team, Hurst said. There have been a lot of hours put in by everyone including our administrators at every level as we navigate the changes the commissioner makes. Our team has been phenomenal. We have come together and we just get it done no matter how long it takes.

Azell Cavaan, chief communications officer for the Springfield Public Schools, said the district has provided families with as much information as possible based on the constant changes coming from the state.

We realize it is a lot of information for parents to try to digest and things change quickly, she said. We have been trying to put communications out there that explain where we are in this process. We wish we could tell everybody everything right now, but we are trying to provide the best information we have at the time.

Based on recent surveys conducted by the district, about half of families want their children to return to in-person learning, while the other half have questions and reservations.

We try to provide as much information as possible directly to families, but they do have questions, and our individual schools have the information they need to talk directly with families, Cavaan said. We also have a page on our website with PowerPoint presentations and information about what going back to in-person learning will be like.

Martinez said families can opt out of in-person learning and continue with fully remote classes.

Regardless of what plan is approved, parents have the option to opt their students out, and the same goes with transportation, she said. Kids that normally get transportation to and from school can be dropped off and picked up by their family if that is what they are comfortable with.

Martinez said ventilation upgrades aimed at increased COVID-19 safety have been made in every school building, and the district has sufficient personal protective equipment.

People dont normally think about something like building ventilation, but Azell went through each of the buildings in a video so that families can physically see the changes, Martinez said.

Related Content:
A Louisiana State Police trooper has been suspended without pay for kicking and dragging a handcuffed Black man whose in-custody death remains unexplained and the subject of a federal civil rights investigation.

Body camera footage shows Master Trooper Kory York dragging Ronald Greene "on his stomach by the leg shackles" following a violent arrest and high-speed pursuit, according to internal State Police records obtained by The Associated Press.

Louisiana State Police say he died in a crash. A year later, 'atrocious' photos raise questions. Graphic photos that surfaced online this week appear to show deep bruises on the face of a Black man who died following a police chase in Loui

The records are the first public acknowledgement by State Police that Greene was mistreated, and they confirm details provided last year by an attorney for Greene's family who viewed graphic body camera footage of the May 2019 arrest and likened it the police killing of George Floyd. The video shows troopers choking and beating the man, repeatedly jolting him with stun guns and dragging him face-down across the pavement, the attorney told AP.

State Police have repeatedly refused to publicly release the body camera footage. The agency has been tight lipped about Greene's death and initially blamed the man's fatal injuries on a car crash outside Monroe, La.

York, who turned his own body camera off on his way to the scene, is seen on other body-cam footage yanking Greene's shackles and repeatedly using profanity toward Greene before he died in custody.

"You're gonna lay on your f---ing belly like I told you!" the trooper says at one point, according to the police records.

Ronald Greene's family views graphic video of his death in Louisiana State Police custody BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Family members viewed long-secret body-camera video this week of a Black man who died in Louisiana State Police custod

York was suspended without pay for 50 hours following an internal investigation that also led to the termination of another trooper, Chris Hollingsworth, who died in a single-car crash after learning he had been fired over his role in the incident. The AP last year published a 27-second audio clip from Hollingsworth's body camera in which he can be heard telling a colleague, "I beat the ever-living f--- out of" Greene before he "all of a sudden he just went limp."

"It is now undisputed that Trooper York participated in the brutal assault that took Ronald Greene's life," said Mark Maguire, a Philadelphia civil rights attorney who represents Greene's family. "This suspension is a start but it does not come close to the full transparency and accountability the family continues to seek."

Col. Lamar Davis, who took over as State Police superintendent last year, wrote York that his suspension had been decided by his predecessor, Kevin Reeves, adding he "would have imposed more severe discipline" had it been up to him. Reeves made the decision during his last week in office, before stepping down amid a series of scandals, but York was not notified of the reasons for his suspension until Dec. 29.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

York's attorney did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Protestors march to State Police Headquarters to demand accountability in Ronald Greene's death A small group of protesters marched through Louisiana State Police Headquarters on Wednesday evening seeking accountability in the alleged bea

York told investigators he turned his own body-worn camera off because it was beeping loudly and that his "mind was on other things" after arriving at the scene.

"I didn't think about it," he said.

The trooper who initially chased Greene, Dakota DeMoss, was recently arrested in connection with a separate police pursuit last year in which he and two other troopers allegedly used excessive force while handcuffing a motorist. Those charges followed a monthslong internal investigation into use-of-force incidents involving troopers in the northern part of the state.

It's not clear whether DeMoss has been disciplined in Greene's arrest.

 By JIM MUSTIAN Associated Press

+4 Black Louisiana troopers were called 'monkey,' 'Django' by White colleagues, review finds A Black trooper with the Louisiana State Police was on a break when his cellphone buzzed with an unusual voice message. It was from a White co

Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

A $3 million donation from a group of businesses will allow the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office to access a criminal data platform currently under construction, giving police and prosecutors the ability to link violent groups and individuals in real time, and head off violent crime before it occurs, District Attorney Raul Torrez said Friday.

The donation is the larger part of a $3.5 million contribution from the Business Coalition for a Better Albuquerque, and it includes a donation of $500,000 toward city initiatives addressing the problem of homelessness.

The five businesses that put up the money are: PNM Resources, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, French Funerals and Cremations, Bank of Albuquerque and New Mexico Mutual.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Weve been meeting for more than two years discussing how to make the best use of our charitable contributions and tackle major issues that hold our city back from economic development and quality of life, said Business Coalition spokesman Norm Becker, who is also the chief executive officer of New Mexico Mutual.

Public safety is a concern for everybody who lives in town, including businesses. We do believe it holds our city back, he said.

With homelessness, we can see the problem growing every day. There are people living on the streets and were not addressing their needs.  We need to get these folks into a safe environment, off the sidewalks and out from under the bridges, so were putting up money to support the city in its homelessness initiatives, Becker said.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said Friday that government alone cant solve this problem  and in the true One Albuquerque spirit these businesses are stepping up big to help and we are grateful.

The various city homeless initiatives, he said, are all contributing to turning a corner in how we tackle homelessness in this city.

Torrez said that over the past several years, his office has made a concerted effort to build out our analytical capabilities in an attempt to understand who the primary drivers of crime are in the community and the dynamics that underlie and lead to primarily gun violence, and our homicide rate.

The DAs Crime Strategies Unit looks at information from known associates, cars, addresses and cellphones, and analyzes weekly reports from multiple agencies across jurisdictions to try and identify patterns, Torrez said.

The new crime data platform is being developed by the Albuquerque-based company, RS21, which specializes in interactive data analytics.

The platform will enable crime analysts, prosecutors and police officers to understand in real time where the hotspots are, who the most violent and dangerous groups are in the city and who are the most important individuals in those respective groups so that we can focus our efforts on the right people at the right moment in time, Torrez said.

Establishing those links and patterns allows for a proactive approach. Its not just about solving crime after the fact, Torrez said, but it will gives us a sense of where do we need to look right now to prevent the next crime.

The ultimate goal is not to maximize prosecutions, its to reduce violence and shootings, he said.
Advertisement

The Queen told Prince Harry she is 'delighted he has found happiness' with Meghan Markle after the couple emigrated to Los Angeles from London - but warned he must uphold his family's values as he begins life outside the Firm.

The 'harmonious conversation' between the Queen and her grandson happened over the phone before the Sussexes' planned incendiary interview with Oprah Winfrey was publicly announced last week, The Mirror reported.

It also came ahead of Prince Harry's appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, in which the Duke insisted the couple's shock move to California last year was about 'stepping back rather than stepping down' as royals.

The Sussexes were last week told they could not continue with 'the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service' and were stripped of their remaining patronages following their move to the US.

Their definitive split from life as working royals followed a telephone conversation between Harry and his grandmother - which saw the 94-year-old monarch tell her grandson she 'was delighted he has found happiness' and 'only wants the best for him and his family'.

But Harry stressed he is aware of his 'duty to the family' - and has promised 'never do anything to embarrass them'.

Palace insiders earlier revealed that it was Harry who pushed to restart talks over his and Meghan's position early this year.

They claimed there was a 'puzzling sense of urgency' to his requests that perplexed palace officials - but it 'all became clear' when news of Meghan's deal for a 'tell all' interview with Oprah broke.

And Prince Harry's 'unhelpful' appearance on the Late Late Show today is said to have caused 'disquiet' - following an already-tense seven days in Sussex-palace relations.

Minutes after Buckingham Palace released its statement confirming Meghan and Harry were no-longer working royals, the couple hit back saying they would still 'live a life of service' in a 'barbed' statement dubbed 'horribly disrespectful' to the elderly Queen.

The statement followed what was seen as an all-round positive conversation between Harry and his grandmother in the days prior.

A source told The Mirror: 'Harry has spoken to the Queen, and she told him she was delighted he has found happiness. She only wants the best for him and his family.

They added: 'He described it as being free, but he knows he has a duty to the family and he reiterated his promise to never do anything to embarrass them.

'This is all about moving on, it was a very harmonious conversation between a caring grandmother and her grandson.'

The Queen (pictured) told Prince Harry she was 'delighted he has found happiness' with Meghan after the couple emigrated to Los Angeles from London - but warned he must uphold his family's values as he begins life outside the Firm

The 'harmonious conversation' between the Queen and her grandson happened over the phone before the Sussexes' planned incendiary interview with Oprah Winfrey was publicly announced. Pictured: Harry, Meghan and the Queen

It also came ahead of Prince Harry's appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, in which the Duke insisted the couple's shock move to California last year was about 'stepping back rather than stepping down' as royals. Pictured: The royal family last year

In one extraordinary moment Harry raps the theme tune to The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air outside the LA mansion where it was filmed, and is egged on by James Corden to try to buy it

In a segment filmed before he and wife Meghan confirmed they will not be returning as working members of the royal family, Harry joined James Corden for a double-decker bus tour of Los Angeles where he broke his silence on quitting as a royal

The friends video call Meghan, who in response to Corden's suggestion they buy the Fresh Prince's house, quipped 'I think we've done enough moving' and reveals she calls her husband 'Haz'

After Corden told him to pay the fare before jumping on the bus, Harry quipped 'you know us royals, we don't carry cash', before opening up about his decision to quit the royal family saying: 'We never walked away and as far as I'm concerned, whatever decisions are made on that side, I will never walk away'

Corden served him afternoon tea while pointing out celebrity homes, including what he claimed were those of Friends star David Schwimmer and Die Hard actor Bruce Willis

James and Harry then go to an assault course after Corden promises him something to remind him of his Army roots

At one point Harry crawls through the mud with ease as James Corden panics about following him through the big puddle

Harry lifts a heavy weight, chucks a spear and climbs a rope in the race with his friend James, who attended his wedding

Prince Harry reveals Archie's first word was 'crocodile', the Queen sent the toddler a waffle maker for Christmas and that his nightly routine involves 'tea', a bath and a bedtime story The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with their son Archie while in Cape Town in 2019 The Duke of Sussex has revealed his son Archie's first word was 'crocodile' and the Queen sent him a waffle maker for Christmas , during a chat with James Corden . Prince Harry also told the comedian that the nightly routine for his 'amazing' 21-month-old son with wife Meghan Markle involves 'tea', a bath and a bedtime story. And the Duke revealed in a segment for The Late Late Show that Archie has the 'most amazing personality' and is already putting four words together and singing songs. Harry, 36, who now lives in a 11million mansion in California after stepping down as a senior royal last year, told Corden: 'My son is now just over a year and a half. 'He is hysterical, he's got the most amazing personality. He's already putting three, four words together, he's already singing songs.' Asked what Archie's first word was, Harry said: 'Crocodile, three syllables.' And Corden replied: 'Crocodile? That's a big word.' Harry went on: 'Interesting, my grandmother asked us what Archie wanted for Christmas, and Meg said a waffle maker. She sent us a waffle maker for Archie. 'Breakfast now, Meg makes up a beautiful organic mix. In the waffle maker, flip it, out it comes. He loves it. And now I have waffles for breakfast. 'A bit of yoghurt, a bit of jam on top, I don't know if that's the right thing to do. A bit of berries, maybe, a bit of honey, a bit of syrup.' But Corden pointed out: 'Sorry, you're glossing over the fact that I cannot for the life of me imagine the Queen ordering a waffle maker to be sent to Santa Barbara. I can't get my head around...' Harry responded: 'I don't even know how to comment on that. Archie wakes up in the morning and literally just goes: Waffle? Done.' Asked about a normal night in, Harry said: 'Depending on how the day's been, how busy it's been, we'll do Archie's tea, give him a bath, read him a book, put him down. 'Go downstairs, Meg might cook a meal, might order a takeaway. Go upstairs, sit in bed, turn the TV on and watch some Jeopardy, maybe watch a little bit of Netflix.' Advertisement

Prince Harry today claimed that he and Meghan Markle 'never walked away' from the royal family and he did 'what any husband or father would do' by emigrating to Los Angeles from London, declaring: 'I had to get my family out there' on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

In one extraordinary moment Harry raps the theme tune to The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air outside the mansion where it was filmed, before Corden video calls Meghan, who calls her husband 'Haz' and tells him not to buy it because she's 'done moving'. Harry then pops inside to use the toilet before the friends head off to complete a muddy army assault course together.

In a wide-ranging chat mostly carried out on an open-top bus, an off the leash Harry also reveals that he has had Zoom calls with Prince Philip and Queen, who sent Archie a waffle maker for Christmas, and describes his son as 'hysterical', claiming his first word was 'crocodile'. He also says he knew Meghan was 'the one' after two dates, describing their relationship as '0-60 in two months'.

Prince Harry also decided open up to James about his relationship with Meghan, his son Archie and their decision to quit as frontline royals, saying the pressure of being in London was 'destroying my mental health', branding Britain's media 'toxic'.

Describing the couple's decision he said: 'It was never walking away. It was stepping back rather than stepping down. It was a really difficult environment, which I think a lot of people saw. So I did what any father or husband would do and thought: 'How do I get my family out of there'. But we never walked away'.

And while the interview was carried out before the Queen stripped the Sussexes of their royal patronages last week, Harry appears to know what was coming and says: 'My life is public service, so wherever I am in the world it's going to be the same thing. As far as I'm concerned, whatever decisions are made on that side [in Britain], I will never walk away'.

Critics have questioned the timing of his TV appearance, released last night just as the Queen gave a rare public statement encouraging all Britons to have the Covid-19 jab. Others watching the film, where Harry complains about the media attention he received in the UK, urged him to 'stop bl**dy whining' and accused him of 're-writing history' and 'ignoring' the multi-million dollar deals he has signed with Netflix and Spotify.

The royals have already been warned to 'hide behind the sofa' when the Sussexes' incendiary interview with Oprah is broadcast on Sunday March 7, with experts saying the Late Show appearance suggests the 90-minute CBS show will focus much more on Meghan.

In the interview Harry also reveals:

He knew that Meghan was 'the one' on the second date said they 'went from 0-60 in two months' before going public in 2017;

He speaks about his 'usual night in' where the couple 'do Archie's tea, give him a bath, read him a book and put him down'. He adds: 'Meg might order a meal or get a takeaway. Then we go up to bed, turn on the TV and watch Jeopardy or Netflix'.

Archie's first word was 'crocodile' and the Queen sent him a waffle maker as a gift, which the family use most days using Meghan's 'organic mix';

Harry admits he's seen The Crown, shown on Netflix where the Sussexes will be making films, and defends it despite the negative light it paints of the Queen, his parents and other senior royals. He says: 'It's loosely based on the truth. Of course it's not strictly accurate but it loosely it gives you an idea of that lifestyle and the pressures of putting duty and service above everything else and what can come from that'.

The Queen and Prince Philip have worked out how to use Zoom to speak to their grandson and great-grandson - but the Duke of Edinburgh , who is now in hospital, doesn't know how to end the call so he just slams down the laptop's lid;

Palace sources say the timing of Harry's TV appearance is 'unhelpful: and has caused 'disquiet' at the palace.

'When the Queen speaks as she has done about the vaccine it is accepted that she has a clear field.

The Queen, who speaks to the PM Boris Johnson every week, is speaking out to give the vaccination programme added support.

Other members of the Royal Family, including Prince Charles and Prince William, are expected to follow suit.

But the fact that Harry, who was criticised for his 'petulant' and 'rude' swipe at the Queen when he said duty was 'universal' after the Megxit announcement, has appeared on TV talking about his private life just when the Queen made an historic intervention on Covid-19 shows the lack of coordination.

One senior source said, 'This blurring of the lines doesn't help anyone. When the Queen speaks like this it is her message that should be heard without other distractions. This lack of coordination is unhelpful.'

The Late Show appearance came hours after the Queen has made a historic intervention in the coronavirus vaccination drive, suggesting it is selfish not to have the jab.

In a video call with NHS officials in charge of the rollout, she encouraged those with doubts to 'think about other people rather than themselves'.

The 94-year-old monarch said her jab last month 'didn't hurt at all' and had made her 'feel protected'. Likening Covid to a plague, she said it was remarkable how quickly the inoculation programme had been put into action, helping 'so many people'.

A senior royal source said: 'It is a passionately held belief that people need to get out there [and get vaccinated]  this is important.'

Critics say Harry's appearance will water down her message.

Royal expert Robert Jobson told BBC Breakfast: 'Well he seems in a very chirpy mood, very happy. All this talk about him being unhappy in LA doesn't seem to be true. He's talking candidly and James Corden's asking the right questions.

'But unfortunately, everything's in timing, isn't it? Just on the day that the queen has issued a very, very important message about the whole of the nation getting the jab, and her, and she feels it's people's duty to go and get it, that message has sort of been blurred a little bit again by Harry, the man who wants a private life, talking about his private life again.

'I'm sure there's just a lack of co-ordination here, but that's half of the problem I think. The reality is I'm sure the Royal Family will be speaking about the vaccination going forward, giving a clear message and duty they've got, and Harry seems hell bent talking about his private life.

'Look, move on, you've got what you want, you've moved away to LA, but then you can't have your cake and eat it.

'You can't be sitting there clashing with the Queen, when the Queen says something very important, and she speaks only rarely, it's a very significant thing that she's saying in co-ordination, I'm sure, with Boris Johnson and the Government. She needs a clear field.

'To be fair to Harry, this is probably an accident the way it's happened, but yet again it happens, clashes with the Queen, and as a result her message will be diluted.'

Royal photographer Arthur Edwards, who has known Harry since he was a child, told ITV's Good Morning Britain he was 'surprised' by the prince saying he'd faced a 'toxic' time with the media, saying he had a good relationship with him until Meghan arrived.

Prince Harry defends The Crown and says it captures the 'pressure' faced by royals to 'put duty and service above everything' - and says he'd like Damian Lewis to play him on screen Emma Corrin and Josh O'Connor as Princess Diana and Prince Charles in series four of Netflix royal drama The Crown Prince Harry has defended Netflix 's The Crown, saying it gives an 'idea' of the pressures faced by members of the Royal Family. The Duke of Sussex, 36, gave his seal of approval to the Netflix show despite it coming under fire over its unflattering portrayal of the royals, including the Queen and Prince Charles . Speaking on The Late Late Show with James Corden , Harry said The Crown is 'fictional' but is 'loosely based on the truth' and captures the feeling of being expected to put 'duty and service above family and everything else'. Harry and wife Meghan Markle, 39, last year signed a content deal with Netflix, the creators of The Crown, thought to be worth 100million. Harry added he would like Homeland actor Damian Lewis to play him if his character ever appears on the show as an adult. 'They don't pretend to be news, it's fictional,' Harry said of The Crown. 'But it's loosely based on the truth. 'Of course it's not strictly accurate but it loosely it gives you a rough idea of that lifestyle and the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else and what can come from that. 'I'm way more comfortable about The Crown than the stories I see written about my family, my wife or myself. Because it's the difference between that's [the fact] obviously fiction, take it how you will  but this is reported on as fact because you're supposedly news.' Advertisement

'I don't know where 'toxic' has come from,' he said.

'When I worked with him all those years, he engaged with the media - we used to have a drink, on every tour we'd go to the pub and he used to get everything off his chest and you'd get everything off your chest.

'It's only when he met Meghan that stopped.

'He never interacted with us again.'

The 17-minute film begins with James Corden pulling up outside Harry's mansion in an open -top bus, which Harry admits he's never been on.

After Corden told him to pay the fare before jumping on the bus, Harry quipped 'you know us royals, we don't carry cash' and said it was his first time on an open-top bus because 'we're not really allowed to'.

Once settled in on the top deck,, the Duke of Sussex speaks about family life, revealing that son Archie's first word was 'crocodile' and the Queen gave the one-year-old a waffle maker for Christmas.

Corden served him afternoon tea while pointing out celebrity homes, including what he claimed were those of Friends star David Schwimmer and Die Hard actor Bruce Willis.

But moments later the bus braked heavily and the dinner wagon holding the tea jolted into Prince Harry - who swore in shock - before he spat his drink out while laughing.

During a visit to the house that featured on 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, Harry rapped the famous theme song, which was originally performed by Will Smith.

Corden tried to convince him to buy the sprawling mansion before Harry went inside to use the bathroom.

They then video called Meghan, who in response to Corden's suggestion they buy the house, quipped 'I think we've done enough moving'.

She then asked 'Haz' how his tour of Los Angeles was going but he called Corden 'the worst tour guide in LA'.

Back on board the buss Harry addressed the controversy over The Crown's portrayal of his family's history and defended the Netflix regal drama, saying it does not 'pretend to be news'.

He said both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh can use Zoom and have seen Archie 'running around' in California.

In a segment for The Late Late Show, filmed before he and the Duchess of Sussex confirmed they will not be returning as working members of the royal family, Harry joined TV host Corden for a double-decker bus tour of Los Angeles.

Asked by Corden how he sees his life after lockdown, Harry, 36, said: 'My life is always going to be about public service and Meghan signed up to that.'

On the decision to walk away from the royal family, he said it 'was never walking away, it was stepping back rather than stepping down'.

He added that it was a 'really difficult environment' and criticised the press, saying it was 'destroying my mental health'.

Harry said he needed to move his family away but insisted: 'I will never walk away, I will always be contributing. My life is public service.'

The film begins with Harry waiting on the kerb as the open top bus pulls up outside his mansion with James Corden on the top deck

Harry enjoys tea on the top deck until the bus breaks hard, showering him with food and drink, leaving James with his head in his hands

Harry then opens up about leaving Britain and quitting as frontline royals, saying he was doing it to protect his family

The friends then go to the mansion used in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, where Harry raps and is then encouraged to buy it so he can be the Prince of Bel Air

In a bid to encourage Harry to 'make an offer', he grabs Harry's iPhone and calls Meghan on FaceTime

Meghan looks pleased to see their friend, but says he shouldn't make an offer because she's 'done moving'

Harry then goes into the mansion to use the loo, saying 'I've had a Covid test, popping his head out of the window and saying: 'If I'm not back in ten minutes come and get me'

The pair crawl under wire through the mud, with the slower James Corden needing encouragement from the royal

They then sprint to the end but Harry initially let James run past him but he then sprinted past him to win

Palace 'disquiet' at timing of Harry's TV appearance as Queen speaks out to support Covid vaccine and Prince Philip lies in a hospital bed Palace sources say the timing of Harry's TV appearance is 'unhelpful: and has caused 'disquiet' at Buckingham Palace. One said: 'When the Queen speaks as she has done about the vaccine it is accepted that she has a clear field.' The Queen, who speaks to the PM Boris Johnson every week, is speaking out to give the vaccination programme added support. Other members of the Royal Family, including Prince Charles and Prince William, are expected to follow suit. But the fact that Harry, who was criticised for his 'petulant' and 'rude' swipe at the Queen when he said duty was 'universal' after the Megxit announcement, has appeared on TV talking about his private life just when the Queen made an historic intervention on Covid-19 shows the lack of coordination. One senior source said: 'This blurring of the lines doesn't help anyone. When the Queen speaks like this it is her message that should be heard without other distractions. This lack of coordination is unhelpful.' Royal expert Phil Dampier said: 'As The Queen urges us to think of others, Prince Harry prances about in LA and makes the absurd claim that he hasn't walked away from the royals. What planet is he on? Hollywood I suppose.' Another royal commentator, Robert Jobson, added: 'The Queen's important message to the nation about getting the Covid-19 vaccination now clashes with revelations that Prince Harry has filmed another chat about his personal life with James Cordon on US TV. It's not about content but the poor timing. Coordination would help.' Advertisement

The duke also spoke about his early relationship with Meghan, 39.

He said dating for him or any member of the royal family is 'flipped upside down', telling Corden that early dates take place at home and only when they are a couple do they venture out in public.

'We got to spend an enormous amount of time just the two of us,' he said of his early relationship with Meghan. 'There were no distractions, and that was great, it was an amazing thing. We went from zero to 60 in the first two months.'

Asked what a 'regular night in' for the couple is like, Harry said they may make Archie's tea, give him a bath and read him a book before he and Meghan spend time together.

He said they may watch game show Jeopardy! or something on Netflix.

Asked what he thinks about The Crown, Harry replied: 'They don't pretend to be news, it's fictional but it's loosely based on the truth.

'Of course it's not strictly accurate, but, loosely, it gives you a rough idea about what that lifestyle, what the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else, what can come from that.

'I am way more comfortable with The Crown than I am seeing the stories written about my family, or my wife or myself.'

He said The Crown is 'obviously fiction' whereas he has a 'real issue' with some of the stories written about him.

Harry joked that he would want Homeland star Damian Lewis to play him.

The segment opened with Corden telling the duke to pay the fare before jumping on the bus. Harry quipped: 'You know us royals - we don't carry cash.'

Corden served him afternoon tea while pointing out celebrity homes, including what he claimed were those of Friends star David Schwimmer and Die Hard actor Bruce Willis.

During a visit to the house that featured in 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, Harry rapped the famous theme song, which was originally performed by Will Smith.

Corden tried to convince him to buy the sprawling mansion before the duke went inside to use the bathroom.

The pair then video-called Meghan, who, in response to Corden's suggestion they buy the house, joked: 'I think we've done enough moving.'

She then asked 'Haz' how his tour of Los Angeles was going, and he said Corden was 'the worst tour guide in LA'.

Harry and a reluctant Corden also tackled an assault course, with the TV host complaining about getting dirty.

Harry and Meghan will appear in a US primetime TV interview with Oprah Winfrey, which is set to be broadcast on March 7.

The couple are expected to discuss their life in America.

Prince Harry reveals Archie's first word was 'crocodile', the Queen sent the toddler a waffle maker for Christmas and that his nightly routine involves 'tea', a bath and a bedtime story

The Duke of Sussex has revealed his son Archie's first word was 'crocodile' and the Queen sent him a waffle maker for Christmas, during a chat with James Corden.

Prince Harry also told the comedian that the nightly routine for his 'hysterical' 21-month-old son with wife Meghan Markle involves 'tea', a bath and a bedtime story.

And the Duke revealed in a segment for The Late Late Show that Archie has the 'most amazing personality' and is already putting four words together and singing songs.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with their son Archie while in Cape Town in September 2019

Harry (right) appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden (left), which came out today

Harry, who now lives in a 11million mansion in California after stepping down as a senior royal last year, told Corden: 'My son is now just over a year and a half.

'He is hysterical, he's got the most amazing personality. He's already putting three, four words together, he's already singing songs.'

Asked what Archie's first word was, Harry said: 'Crocodile, three syllables.' And Corden replied: 'Crocodile? That's a big word.'

Harry went on: 'Interesting, my grandmother asked us what Archie wanted for Christmas, and Meg said a waffle maker. She sent us a waffle maker for Archie.

'Breakfast now, Meg makes up a beautiful organic mix. In the waffle maker, flip it, out it comes. He loves it. And now I have waffles for breakfast.

'A bit of yoghurt, a bit of jam on top, I don't know if that's the right thing to do. A bit of berries, maybe, a bit of honey, a bit of syrup.'

But Corden pointed out: 'Sorry, you're glossing over the fact that I cannot for the life of me imagine the Queen ordering a waffle maker to be sent to Santa Barbara. I can't get my head around...'

Harry responded: 'I don't even know how to comment on that. Archie wakes up in the morning and literally just goes: Waffle? Done.'

Asked about a normal night in, Harry said: 'Depending on how the day's been, how busy it's been, we'll do Archie's tea, give him a bath, read him a book, put him down.

'Go downstairs, Meg might cook a meal, might order a takeaway. Go upstairs, sit in bed, turn the TV on and watch some Jeopardy, maybe watch a little bit of Netflix.'

Meghan Markle calls her husband 'Haz' and shows off California chic in blue smocked dress and flowing hair as she joins Prince Harry's interview with James Corden on FaceTime

Meghan Markle revealed her nickname for Prince Harry is Haz during an appearance alongside her husband on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

The Duke, 36, and Duchess of Sussex, 39, who are currently living in their $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara, both appeared on the programme yesterday as the presenter offered Prince Harry a sightseeing tour of Los Angeles.

In one extraordinary moment the Duchess appears on FaceTime to tell the presenter they won't buy the Fresh Prince of Bel Air mansion because they have 'done enough moving', before asking: 'Haz, how is the tour of LA going?'

The Duchess opted to wear a $29 soft blue smocked dress from local boutique Velvet Torch, with a matching blue heptagon shaped pendant necklace, for the appearance.

Meghan Markle, 39, has revealed her nickname for Prince Harry is Haz during an appearance from the couple on The Late Late Show with James Corden

During the appearance, the presenter joked with Prince Harry about buying the mansion from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, before calling Meghan to discuss it.

After finding Meghan under 'M' within Prince Harry's phone, the presenter proceeded to call the royal, who told the duo they'd not be moving because 'they've done enough moving.'

The couple briefly moved into Frogmore Cottage during Meghan's first pregnancy with Archie in 2019, before spending months in Canada in November 2019.

They then proceeded to move to Los Angeles in the spring of 2020, where they lived in Tyler Perry's house for several months, before finally settling at their own $14 million mansion last summer.

During a brief segment on the show, the Duke of Sussex and presenter James FaceTimed the Duchess to ask whether the couple should buy the mansion where The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was filmed

Meanwhile after Meghan revealed her nickname for Prince Harry, James teased the royal over the moniker, saying: 'Haz, oh Haz, I didn't know we were calling you Haz now?'

Prince Harry responded: 'Well you're not my wife.'

Appearing on the call, Meghan opted for low-key makeup with dark eyeliner and a hint of blusher across her cheeks.

The royal donned a soft blue smocked gown for the appearance, which is believed to be from local LA boutique Velvet Torch.

Appearing over video call, Meghan joked the couple had 'done enough moving', having settled into their $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara last summer

Meanwhile presenter James teased the couple after Meghan revealed her moniker for Prince Harry is Haz

Online, the gown is described as featuring a 'smocked bodice' which adds 'figure hugging style' to an 'on-trend puff sleeve dress'.

Meanwhile she wore her long flowing hair down around her face in loose waves.

Days ago, celebrity hairstylist James Johnson told FEMAIL Meghan's lengthy locks would likely have been achieved with the help of clip-in extensions, adding that the Duchess had had a 'Hollywood makeover'.

He explained: 'I think a lot of us are feeling the need for a re-vamp, perhaps this is the image she's always wanted to look like.'

Prince Harry defends The Crown and says it gives a 'good idea' of the 'pressure' faced by royals to 'put duty and service above everything' - and says he'd like Damian Lewis to play him on screen

Prince Harry has defended Netflix's The Crown, saying it gives a 'good idea' of the pressures faced by members of the Royal Family.

The Duke of Sussex, 36, shared his feelings on the Netflix show - which has come under fire over its unflattering portrayal of the royals, including the Queen and Prince Charles - on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Harry said The Crown is 'loosely based on the truth' and captures the feeling of being expected to put 'duty and service above everything else'.

Harry and wife Meghan Markle, 39, last year signed a content deal with Netflix, the creators of The Crown, thought to be worth 100million.

Prince Harry has defended Netflix's The Crown, saying it gives a 'good idea' of the pressures faced by members of the Royal Family, and said he would like Damian Lewis to play him

The Netflix show has come under fire over its portrayal of members of the Royal Family, including Harry's father Prince Charles. Pictured, Emma Corrin and Josh O'Connor as Princess Diana and Prince Charles in series four of The Crown

Harry added he would like Homeland actor Damian Lewis to play him if his character ever appears on the show as an adult.

'They don't pretend to be news, it's fictional,' Prince Harry said of The Crown. 'But it's loosely based on the truth.

'Of course it's not strictly accurate but it loosely it gives you an idea of that lifestyle and the pressures of putting duty and service above everything else and what can come from that.

'I'm way more comfortable about The Crown than the stories I see written about my family, my wife or myself because there's a difference between that's obviously fiction, take it how you will  but this is reported on as fact because you're supposedly news.'

Royals are warned to 'hide behind the sofa' with Harry and Meghan's no-holds barred interview with Oprah still to come

Meghan and Harry's Oprah sit-down is still two weeks away, with the Corden interview a big hint that it will focus on the Duchess

According to Variety, Comcast-owned Sky was out of the running while streaming giants Amazon Prime and Netflix - which has already signed a 112million deal with the Sussexes - are thought to not be involved.

The BBC is also not believed to be in the running, as it is instead airing the Queen's annual Commonwealth Day message in a pre-recorded speech at Windsor on March 7 - just 24 hours before the Oprah interview is broadcast in the US.

Instead, ITV - whose journalist Tom Bradby famously asked Meghan if she was 'okay' as part of the broadcaster's 2019 documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey - has reportedly emerged as the main contender.

A spokesman for ITV declined to comment on reports that it had raced ahead in the bidding war among UK broadcasters.

BBC sources told Variety the public broadcaster - which has launched an investigation into how BBC Panorama secured an interview with Harry's mother Princess Diana in 1995 - is not involved in the process.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to be 'very candid' with Oprah in the 90-minute CBS primetime special after last week announcing that they had officially quit the Royal Family

It is understood that ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group, which will be selling the programme overseas, is keen for the Oprah Winfrey interview to land on a free-to-air broadcaster to ensure a significant profile in the UK

Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah may have to be re-edited or even partially re-shot due to the rift it has caused with the royal family and 99-year-old Prince Philip's hospitalisation

Other potential broadcasters include ViacomCBS-backed Channel 5, which airs some Royal content, and Channel 4, which aired an 'Alternative Christmas Message' from a deepfake of the Queen over the holidays.

The BBC, Sky and ViacomCBS have been approached comment..

It is not yet known how or when UK viewers will see the full Oprah interview, though clips of the 90-minute chat will be all over the international TV news and online media minutes after it is shown in America.

This week it emerged Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah may have to be re-edited or even partially re-shot due to the rift it has caused with the royal family and 99-year-old Prince Philip's hospitalisation.

Harry and Meghan are said to be in shock because the Queen stripped them of their royal and sporting patronages after they 'poured their hearts out' to Oprah during a two-day shoot in their 11million LA mansion last week.

The tell-all interview is due to air on Sunday March 7 with no topics off-limits, with one source warning Harry's family the show would be a good 'time to hide behind the sofa at the palace'.

Oprah will first speak with Meghan about royal life, marriage, motherhood, her philanthropic work and how she handles life under the public eye, before being joined by Harry to discuss their move to the US and future goals.

Meghan is also expected to speak about the feud with her family on her father Thomas' side after This Morning host Holly Willoughby said that Oprah's team had been in contact with ITV for footage of an interview with her half-sister.

In the January 2020 broadcast Samantha Markle said the former Suits actress and Harry owed her and their father an apology for 'incredibly wrong, untoward, and shocking' behaviour after the royal wedding in 2018.

Ms Willoughby said: 'Oprah Winfrey's team contacted This Morning requesting footage from our interview with Samantha Markle in preparation for the interview with the Duchess of Sussex'.

She added: 'So, we don't know whether or not they used that in the interview, but what we do know is nothing was off limits.'

'I hope it's worth it for him': Prince Harry's army friend says being stripped of his military titles after quitting royal life will be a 'big ordeal'

Yesterday war hero burns victim Martyn Compton, who has known Harry for 15 years, said he hopes his friend's decision to build a new life for himself, Meghan and Archie in Los Angeles will be 'worth it for him'.

But Mr Compton hinted he can understand why the Queen has cut him loose, saying: 'I guess it comes down to you can't be a royal and cash in on it - and the royal family have said that, which is why everything had happened'.

Mr Compton, who was speaking to ITV's Lorraine, is a former British soldier from the Household Cavalry Regiment who suffered his injuries after an RPG set his vehicle alight in Afghanistan.

Last week he said his friend, who calls a 'genuinely nice bloke', may come to 'regret' his decision to step back from his royal responsibilities.

Prince Harry speaks to Martyn Compton in 2007, and the pair have enjoyed a long friendship, but he is concerned Harry may regret stepping back

Prince Harry won't be allowed to wear the dress uniform he wore on his wedding day (left) and the Royal Marines dress uniform he wore to the Royal Albert Hall in March 2020 with Meghan

Mr Compton was speaking to Lorraine Kelly on ITV1 today where he paid tribute to his 'kind' and 'caring' friend

Harry is Commodore in Chief of Little Ships no more: The prince's lost titles The honorary military titles that Prince Harry has lost: Captain General, Royal Marines As the ceremonial head of the Royal Marines, Harry was appointed in December 2017, succeeding the Duke of Edinburgh. He made numerous visits to the Commando Training Centre in Devon and to Norway for arctic warfare drills. He made his last appearance in Royal Marines uniform at a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in March 2020. Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington Appointed by the Queen in 2008 and visited the base on at least three occasions in his formal role. In 2010 he presented the families of two servicemen killed in Afghanistan with the Elizabeth Cross. Royal Air Force Honington, near Bury St Edmunds, is the RAF's centre of Force Protection. Commodore-in-Chief, Royal Navy Small Ships and Diving Appointed in August 2006 in recognition of the links between the Navy and the Royals. Opened the 30million Amphibious Centre of Excellence at Devonport Naval Base in 2013. Advertisement

When asked about the Queen's decision to ensure Harry is forbidden by tradition from wearing full military regalia after suffering the bitter blow of losing his honorary appointments with the Armed Forces, Mr Compton said: 'It's a big ordeal for him to be able to do that - but he's obviously looking out for his family.'

When asked if Harry would wish things were different, he said: 'I guess it comes down to you can't be a royal and cash in on it - and the royal family have said that which is why everything had happened.'

He added: 'I'll watch it [the Oprah interview] out of interest of what's been said, but yeah it's going to be a big thing that comes out and there's obviously a reason why he's done it by himself.'

Mr Compton was in hospital for a year after he suffered horrific burns to 75 per cent of his body when his armoured vehicle was blown up by a Taliban in 2006.

He was then shot twice in the leg as he scrambled away from the burning wreckage.

As he lay on the ground, his colleague Corporal Of Horse Andrew Radford thought he was an enemy soldier and raised his rifle to shoot him.

But CoH Radford realised his mistake just before he squeezed the trigger and dashed through enemy gunfire to carry his comrade to safety.

On their return to the UK, Lance Cpl Compton lay in a coma for three months and his saviour was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for his heroics.

Mr Compton has scars all over his body but with some help from a leading surgeon in Harley Street, and has dedicated himself to raising money for charity since his recovery.

Paying tribute to Harry he said: 'He does a lot for military charities. It comes back to the sort of guy he is. He's just a normal, caring guy who just so happens to be a royal. He's supported me in various charities and ventures I've done.'

His friend Prince Harry will now be forbidden by tradition from wearing full military regalia after suffering the bitter blow of losing his honorary appointments with the Armed Forces.

With the duke no longer returning as a working member of the Royal Family, his honorary roles, such as Captain General of the Royal Marines, will be returned to Her Majesty before being redistributed among other senior royals.

Harry, 36, will be prevented  if only by tradition  from wearing full military regalia. Should he attend a Remembrance Sunday event he could wear his medals and a regimental beret but not a uniform.

Harry, 36, will be prevented from wearing full military regalia and stripped of royal patronages

Garments he should no longer wear are understood to include the Blues and Royals frockcoat worn on his wedding day in May 2018 and the Royal Marines dress uniform he wore to the Royal Albert Hall in March 2020, shortly before he stepped down as a senior royal.

His former commander General Lord Dannatt paid a glowing personal tribute to Prince Harry, saying his heart would always be with Britain's military community even though he may never be seen in uniform again.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail Lord Dannatt, a former head of the UK's Armed Forces, sounded a defiant note on his behalf after the prince's 16 years of service.

He said: 'It was a privilege to have enjoyed Prince Harry's comradeship during the years that he has served his country in uniform. As we say, 'You can take someone out of the Army, but you can never take the Army out of them'.

'I am sure the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines and the Royal Air Force would say the same. I have no doubt that this will be Prince Harry's emotion.

'The announcement from Buckingham Palace is welcome in so far as it clears the air about the Duke of Sussex's future intentions. I fully respect and support the decision that he has made in the best interests of his wife and growing family.

'The military community will miss his official connections and contributions but I am in no doubt that he will continue to support our serving and veteran soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in a private capacity, especially through the Invictus Games and service charities.'

Back in 2005 Prince Harry, then aged only 20, climbed the ornate steps of the Old College at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) to begin his officer training. It was widely remarked in the following years that the Army became his family.

He subsequently served his country with distinction on the frontline in Afghanistan, both as a soldier on the ground and later as a helicopter pilot.

After Sandhurst Prince Harry commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Blues and Royals, a regiment of the Household Cavalry, in 2006. A debate soon began about whether he could deploy with his unit to Iraq.

As he was not directly in line to the throne many senior army figures thought he should go. Eventually the Ministry of Defence, after drawn-out discussions with Buckingham Palace, was persuaded that he would be a high profile target whose presence would endanger those deployed with him.

Lord Dannatt then personally arranged for Prince Harry to serve in Afghanistan. He struck a deal with media outlets for them not to report his presence in return for interviews to be published and broadcast on his return. The deal held for ten weeks, allowing Harry to experience the brutal realities of warfare.

He served as a Forward Air Controller with a desert reconnaissance unit. In doing so he became the first member of the Royal Family to serve on the frontline since Prince Andrew took part in the Falklands War in 1982 as a helicopter pilot.

While Lord Dannatt offered Prince Harry his best wishes, he also sounded a note of caution as the Duke of Sussex starts a new chapter in his life.

He added: 'Prince Harry will have had to weigh up very carefully everything that was important in his life. Although he cares deeply for the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines that he has served with and our veterans, especially those who have been wounded, his priority is with his wife and growing family.

'I fully respect and support the very difficult decision that he has had to make.

'I wish him well for the future and know that his heart will always be with the British military.'

On his return to the UK from Afghanistan Prince Harry was advised to retrain as a helicopter pilot should he wish to go back to the conflict  though secretly few senior officers expected him to pass the necessary selection tests.

But he defied their low expectations, qualifying as an Apache helicopter co-pilot and gunner. He returned to Helmand Province in September 2012 with the Army Air Corps and duly completed a four-month operational tour.

Harry then focused on veterans' welfare and helped set up the Invictus Games, a version of the Paralympics for injured military personnel, before retiring from the Army in June 2015.

In December 2017, Harry accepted the role of Captain General of the Royal Marines from his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, who had served in this capacity for a remarkable 64 years.

The prince made a number of visits to the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) in Lympstone, Devon, and to Norway where Marines practise arctic warfare.

It has been speculated that the Captain General's role could pass to Prince William or the Princess Royal. Harry will also relinquish his roles as honorary commandant of RAF Honington and Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's Small Ships and Diving.
WASHINGTON  A day after a key Senate official ruled that a provision increasing the federal minimum wage would need to be removed as written from President Joe Bidens $1.9 trillion stimulus plan, Democrats were scrambling to salvage the critical progressive priority.

While the House is expected Friday to move forward with a vote on the minimum-wage language as part of the full package, Senate Democrats were exploring how to codify their push to gradually raise the wage to $15 by 2025 without violating Senate rules.

Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, and other top Democrats are examining adding a provision that would penalize corporations that do not pay workers at least a $15 minimum wage, a senior Democratic aide said Friday. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he was also examining legislation that would provide tax penalties to companies if any workers earn less than a certain amount.

In order to have the stimulus package become law before unemployment benefits begin to lapse in mid-March, Democrats are rushing the legislation through Congress on a fast-track process known as budget reconciliation, which shields it from a filibuster in the Senate, allowing it to pass without Republican support.

While some Republicans have begun to unveil their own proposals regarding the minimum wage, it is unclear whether those will secure the necessary bipartisan support.

The race to modify the minimum wage provision comes after Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian, advised Senate offices that the language as written would violate the strict budgetary rules that restrict what can be included in legislation used in the reconciliation process, and give Republicans grounds to jettison it from the package in the Senate.

Progressives who have pushed for the elimination of the filibuster  which effectively requires 60 votes in the Senate to advance any major legislation  pointed to the ruling as further evidence that Democrats will need to change the rules of the Senate to approve policy changes that have stalled time and again amid Republican opposition. But the White House has said it will not support overruling MacDonough, leaving Democrats to seek other avenues for fulfilling a critical campaign promise.

It will remain in the legislation set to pass the House late Friday, as House Democrats already advanced a stand-alone bill allowing for the gradual increase in the 116th Congress and are eager to show their support for the provision.

House Democrats believe that the minimum wage hike is necessary, Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said in a statement Thursday evening. Democrats in the House are determined to pursue every possible path in the fight for 15.

The $1.9 trillion legislation would provide billions of dollars in funding for unemployment benefits, schools, state and local governments and small businesses, as well as a round of $1,400 stimulus checks, as part of a sweeping plan to help the economy continue to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 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 Regal Beloit Corp. ("RBC" or the "Company") (RBC) relating to its proposed merger with Rexnord Corporation. Under the terms of the agreement, RBC shareholders will own 61.4% of the combined company, with Rexnord owning the remaining 38.6%.

The investigation focuses on whether Regal Beloit Corp. 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.

Click here for more information: http://monteverdelaw.com/case/regal-beloit-corp. 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 Regal Beloit Corp. 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.

Contact:

Juan E. Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

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.

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC

Related Links

http://www.monteverdelaw.com


ISTANBUL - When Mahdis, an American teacher from Southern California, applied for a U.S. visa for her Iranian husband four years ago, she had no idea that his mandatory military service would stand in their way.

But a Trump administration decision two years ago to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization has meant that everyone associated with the group, including those like her husband, Arash, who were forced to join it as part of their compulsory service, would no longer be eligible for residency in the United States.

It did not matter that Arash served years before the terror designation or that he was assigned a noncombat role, playing clarinet in a marching band. Earlier this month, the couple received a letter from the State Department telling them his permanent residency visa had been refused, she said. Hundreds of other Iranian men - some with American wives or family members in the United States - have received similar letters over the past two years or were expecting them soon, according to Mahdis and other relatives who share stories and advice in several online chat groups.

President Joe Biden has signaled his intent to break with Trump's "maximum pressure" approach toward Iran, which included sweeping sanctions, as the new administration seeks to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers and bring Iran back into compliance. But a repeal or revision of the IRGC designation could be politically delicate for Biden, who faces domestic pressure to impose tougher terms on Iran even if the United States rejoins the nuclear agreement.

Under Trump, U.S. officials took a hard line with Iran in part to force it to abandon expansionist military policies in the Middle East, in which the IRGC plays a leading role. Critics said Trump's pressure campaign did little to change Iran's behavior and that some of the punitive measures were counterproductive, overzealous or unusually broad.

The Revolutionary Guard designation marked the first time Washington had branded a foreign government entity a terrorist group, a move with potentially sweeping consequences because it could invite other countries to impose similar sanctions on the U.S. military or other parts of the U.S. government.

Depending on interpretation, the policy targeted not just IRGC leaders and operatives but everyone associated with the sprawling security organization, from accountants to clarinet players, who had served since the Iranian revolution in 1979.

A State Department spokesman said in an email message that the terrorism designation "remains" and as a result, IRGC members were ineligible for U.S. visas, along with anyone who provides "material support to, solicited funds for, or recruits members for the IRGC." Asked whether the United States was considering any changes to the current policy, the spokesman said, "We do not discuss or confirm internal deliberations of our designation process."

Conscripts and their relatives say the way the designation is interpreted is unfair.

Beginning at age 18, Iranian men are required to complete 18 to 24 months of military service. They are not allowed to select which branch of the military they enter. Iranian officials have said that roughly 400,000 men show up for their compulsory service each year and are sent to either the army, a law enforcement agency or the IRGC. The latter has 640,000 soldiers or reservists, including its domestic Basij militia, according to the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.

"It's unfair, because it's mandatory," Mahdis said in a telephone interview from Iran, where she was visiting Arash. While some Iranian men are exempt for medical reasons or because they are only sons, for everyone else there is no opting out. Proof of military service is vital - to obtain a passport, to get a job, even to buy a motorcycle - according to Mahdis, who, along with others interviewed for this article, spoke on the condition that her last name be withheld for safety reasons.

Arash, who had loved music since he was a teenager, ended up playing in the IRGC band and teaching music to other soldiers, she said.

Mahdis still lives in California. Her frequent separations from Arash since they were married seven years ago have taken a toll, she said, causing her to miss work opportunities and the couple to spend a fortune traveling to see each other. Now that his U.S. visa has been denied, they were considering other options - living in Turkey, perhaps, or somewhere in Europe.

"My problem is, I grew up in America," she said. "My childhood was there, my memories, my cartoons. I want my kids to have the same experience."

Another IRGC veteran, Mehrdad, 53, worked as an architect when he did his compulsory service nearly three decades ago, said his wife, Saedeh. It was all but a footnote in their lives, which included sending a daughter to one of Iran's most prestigious medical engineering programs before she went to study in the United States.

Saedeh, 52, was able to get a U.S. visa, but Mehrdad's application was rejected after he spoke about his military service during his consular interview. The IRGC was not listed on his military card, "but since we had sworn to tell the truth and being sent to military service is compulsory - and we did not consider ourselves part of that organization - my husband told them," Saedeh said.

She has given up her job as a speech therapist to shuttle between her daughter in the United States and her husband in Iran. "It is absolutely unfair that he got rejected according to a law that should not apply to him," she said.

When Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the IRGC designation in April 2019, he cited the group's attacks against the United States in Lebanon in the 1980s and the work of its operatives to "destabilize" the Middle East "from Iraq to Lebanon to Syria and to Yemen."

"The IRGC masquerades as a legitimate military organization, but none of us should be fooled," Pompeo said.

From its beginnings as a force parallel to the army after the Iranian revolution, the corps ballooned in size and stature during the Iran-Iraq war and became a powerful political and economic player as Iran recovered during the postwar years, according to Narges Bajoghli, a professor of Middle East studies at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.

U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran over the years have actually helped to enrich the organization, which has control of Iran's borders and the capital required to profit from legal as well as illicit trade, she said. Subgroups of the IRGC include the Quds Force, which is focused on clandestine overseas operations, including training and directing proxy forces in Syria that support President Bashar Assad, and in Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias have carried out deadly attacks on U.S. forces.

The Trump administration's terrorism designation appeared focused on the activities of the Quds Force and its operatives. But "you don't have people doing their mandatory service in those roles. You are standing guard. You are pushing papers," Bajoghli said.

Paris Etemadi Scott, an immigration lawyer and legal director of the California-based Pars Equality Center, represents three clients who have been refused admission to the United States because of the designation. She said her organization and a law firm are preparing to file a lawsuit challenging the policy on the grounds that the "creep into mandatory service needs to be clarified." The suit would not contest the overall sanctioning of the IRGC.

Elham, 29, an American doctor, witnessed her husband's military service firsthand. She joined her husband, Yaser, also a doctor, when the IRGC sent him to a rural village near Iran's border with Pakistan a few years ago.

Yaser, now 30, applied for his U.S. visa soon after the couple married in 2016. He sat for his consular interview three years later and is still waiting for a response. The couple have nervously been watching the conversation in the chat rooms, as tales of rejection pile up.

"To be honest, we don't have a Plan B," said Elham, who lives in Falls Church, Va. "I am a U.S. citizen. I am entitled to bring my spouse there."
(@FahadShabbir)

Yaound, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Feb, 2021 ) :Cameroon on Thursday said it was launching a polio awareness campaign after two cases of the much-feared virus surfaced in the capital Yaounde.

Senior health ministry official Jose Shalom Tchokfe told AFP the authorities would advise the public about "respecting hygiene measures, stepping up routine vaccination and observing epidemiological vigilance." Health Minister Manaouda Malachie on Monday said "two cases of type 2 poliovirus" had been found in the Cite Verte district of Yaounde.

Polio's return to the central African country is "a public health emergency," he added.

"The risk of the spread of the virus is high," he said.

Polio is an infectious disease caused by a virus that infects the nervous system and can lead to irreversible paralysis.

It mainly harms young children, but can be prevented with a highly effective and very cheap vaccine.

Last August, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that wild polio virus had been eradicated in all 47 countries in its Africa region, after four years with no new cases and a major vaccination drive among children.

However, the fight against polio remains unfinished.

Cases of type 2 polio virus that have derived from oral vaccines have been sporadically recorded in several central African countries, requiring the need for swift immunisation to control outbreaks.

Malachie, in his statement, said the government had launched "an in-depth investigation, heightened awareness in the population and planning for vaccinations in high-risk zones."The cases have emerged as Cameroon fights a second wave of the Covid-19 epidemic. The country has a total of 33,749 cases, including 523 deaths.
A FORMER mayor says hes so frustrated about the lack of an adequate sewage treatment plant in his local town that he is considering picketing the offices of Minister-of-State Patrick ODonovan.

Cllr Kevin Sheahan floated the idea at a recent meeting of the Adare/Rathkeale Municipal District which took place virtually.

He said plans to upgrade the existing plant in Askeaton were first mooted a decade ago but that the projected cost means it has not been progressed.

The situation is that the amount of money allocated for upgrading the sewage scheme in the town of Askeaton is approximately 6.5m and the cost of whats needed is 10m, he said adding the project has not been included on the list of works to take place between 2022 and 2028.

We wont even get on the list because the cost is excessive and I am asking this committee to support me in requesting that we correspond directly with the Minister for the OPW  a former colleague on the council, Minister ODonovan  that he would be asked to investigate this and to ensure that we have a proper treatment plant in Askeaton, he said.

Cllr Sheahan said action is needed immediately as Irish Water has begun objecting to new planning applications for housing in the town due to the lack of capacity at the existing sewage plant.

I am passionate about what I am talking about. When I stand on the bridge in Askeaton and see raw sewage going down in the River Deel.

It is time that this is stopped and we will have to start some kind of a campaign outside the minister office  and it can be his office in Newcastle West or his office in Dublin I dont care, he stated.

While there was full support for Cllr Sheehans request to engage with Minister ODonovan, there was reluctance to engage in any sort of picket.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
It has gone down as one of the most explosive TOWIE scenes ever.

And Sam Thompson was happy to poke fun at his best pal Pete Wicks' iconic street row with his ex-girlfriend Megan McKenna in 2017, amid claims they had both cheated on each other.

The Made In Chelsea star, 27, shared a video of the memorable scene where Megan confronts Pete over suspicions about Chloe Sims - after using a face swap app to cover Megan's face with his own, with hilarious results.

Ha! Sam Thompson was happy to poke fun at his best pal Pete Wicks' iconic street row with his ex-girlfriend Megan McKenna in 2017, amid claims they had both cheated on each other

At the beginning of the video, Pete, 32, asks Megan why she has been commenting on photos of him and Chloe, 38, in Amsterdam together.

Although the former best friends have always denied any romantic connection, it came to light last year that Pete and Chloe had been in a casual relationship for more than two years.

In the clip, Megan who appeared as Sam, replied: 'I've commented a few things, f**king hell I think I've dealt with it quite well.'

Pete replied: 'And I'm trying to deal with it the best I can.'

Confrontational: The Made In Chelsea star, 27, shared a video of the memorable scene where Megan confronts Pete over suspicions about Chloe Sims - after using a face swap app to cover Megan's face with his own, with hilarious results

What's going on? At the beginning of the video, Pete, 32, asks Megan why she has been commenting on photos of him and Chloe, 38, in Amsterdam together

Megan hit back: 'Cos to be honest it don't look good. Me and you could have been a lot more civil if other people weren't getting so involved.'

At the end of the clip Pete agreed with Megan that it was due to other's involvement.

Sam captioned the clip: 'She's right....it don't look good', possibly referencing the fact it has since been revealed that Pete and Chloe were romantically involved.

Fuming: At the end of the clip Pete agreed with Megan that it was due to other's involvement

Reaction: The video proved a hit with Sam's followers and friends, as his sister Louise Thompson, 30, commented: 'Actually dying'

The video proved a hit with Sam's followers and friends, as his sister Louise Thompson, 30, commented: 'Actually dying.'

While his girlfriend Zara McDermott, 23, wrote: 'It almost looks real [laughing emojis].'

Pete picked up on the video and wrote: 'I don't know what's worse, your f**king obsession with me you sad f**k, or the fact it looks like I'm arguing with myself. #Twins.'

Argument: In the clip, Megan who appeared as Sam, replied: 'I've commented a few things, f**king hell I think I've dealt with it quite well'

Pete replied: 'And I'm trying to deal with it the best I can'

Many of Sam's fans simply commented with a selection of laughing faces to show their appreciation for the clip.

At the time, Megan was physically restrained by TOWIE producers after launching a screaming attack on her ex-boyfriend.

She was seen in a blazing rage on an Essex street as she confronted him amid claims he cheated on her with a mystery girl while also growing close to co-star Chloe, while he claimed Megan slept with her ex.

It's claimed 'all hell broke loose' when the couple came to blows on the street, in which Megan collapsed into tears before launching herself at her on-off boyfriend.

Angered: At the time, Megan was physically restrained by TOWIE producers after launching a screaming attack on her ex-boyfriend

Row: She was seen in a blazing rage on an Essex street as she confronted him amid claims he cheated on her with a mystery girl while also growing close to co-star Chloe, while he claimed Megan slept with her ex

Bad terms: It's claimed 'all hell broke loose' when the couple came to blows on the street, in which Megan collapsed into tears before launching herself at her on-off boyfriend

Megan and Pete had been locked in a convoluted love story since she entered the structured reality programme, with their dramas captivating viewers following many bumps in the road.

The most shocking twist in their romance came when he was outed for 'sexting' his ex-girlfriend Jaqui Ryland, in which he sent messages stating he 'wished he didn't have a girlfriend' - naturally to Megan's chagrin.

After mending their relationship, he admitted the scandal was hanging over their heads as Megan admitted in a recent episode of TOWIE that she constantly thought of the betrayal particularly when they argue.

Friends again: Pete and Megan have since repaired their friendship and appeared to get on famously as pals during their joint appearance on Celebs Go Dating in 2019

Following the texting ordeal, Pete was again accused of cheating on Megan and also 'growing close' to Chloe.

Insiders told The Sun at the time: 'Megan called Pete on the photos and asked what's going on. She said she was amazed Chloe didn't try to reach out to explain that there's nothing in it.

'Pete defended Chloe and said nothing had happened and that she hadn't done anything wrong, but Megan started screaming: 'Why are you sticking up for her?'

'Megan accused Pete of cheating on her and sleeping with a girl in Scotland and he threw it back in her face, saying: 'I wasn't cheating but I did text her, and it doesn't matter because you're sleeping with your ex!''

Pete and Megan have since repaired their friendship and appeared to get on famously as pals during their joint appearance on Celebs Go Dating in 2019.

Ms. James escaped infection, but whether she should have been in the prison at all remains a pressing question. When the pandemic erupted last spring, federal prisons were told to move quickly to grant home confinement to medically vulnerable inmates who did not pose a risk to the public.

Inmates like Ms. James, who was convicted of cashing fake checks, were to serve out their sentences at their residences, with an electronic bracelet monitoring their movements. The goal was to protect them, reduce prison overcrowding and minimize the risk of outbreaks. But the Federal Bureau of Prisons has been slow to act.

The coronavirus has infected more than 620,000 inmates and correctional officers in the nations prisons, jails and detention centers, according to a New York Times database. Nearly 2,800 inmates and guards have died, making correctional facilities among the most significant battlefronts of the pandemic, along with nursing homes and schools.

Yet just 7,850 of the 151,735 people serving federal sentences right now have been granted home confinement  about 5 percent. State prison populations have fallen by 15 percent since the pandemic began, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, but not because inmates are being released to home confinement. Instead, many state prisons simply have stopped accepting transfers from county jails.

The Danbury compound, one of 122 federal prisons, offers a prism into the bureaus failure to contain the virus. Though Danbury was singled out for prompt action by former Attorney General William P. Barr because it had seen an outbreak, only about 100 inmates have been granted home confinement so far, many as recently as December. At least 550 are still under consideration, most of them convicted of nonviolent offenses like fraud or drug possession.
Its been well documented that wildfires in California and elsewhere are becoming more frequent and more intense, and climatologists say the warming atmosphere assures that this is the new normal. That trend also means different patterns of precipitation  perhaps the same annual rainfall totals but more intense patterns of precipitation during certain periods.What this all adds up to is more wildfires followed by more landslides like the one that struck the city of Montecito in Santa Barbara County in January 2018. That event produced debris flows so robust they killed 23 people despite warnings.A recent study by the United States Geological Survey was aimed at shedding light on these debris flows and what could be done to reduce potential damage via mitigation efforts. Experts suggest that as rainfall is more concentrated, more landslides will occur than before and may be an annual event in California.Climatologists are telling us that we might be expecting more intense precipitation and a longer burning season, said Jason Kean, a hydrologist for USGS and part of a team that creates hazard maps of debris flow after a wildfire to give responders some direction. He is the lead author of the study.Thats like a double bad combination for post-fire debris: Youre going to have the dry time period which provides time for the fire to ignite and then when it does rain its going to rain harder so all these things are signs in the wrong direction."Already in 2020, a landslide washed out a portion of Highway 1 near Big Sur on California's Central Coast after a severe rainstorm. The landslide closed 23 miles of highway, which will take weeks to months to repair.Gary Griggs, a coastal erosion expert at the University of California, Santa Cruz, said to expect more of the same. As the climate continues to change, the weather will get warmer with more drought and more fires as we have experienced in recent years, he wrote in an email. Precipitation is expected to be more concentrated in the winter months, and when combined with the condition of the hillsides after major fires, debris flows and landslides are more than likely to increase in frequency and extent.Kean said even with competent response to the Montecito landslide, there was just not enough time to react as the fire was literally still burning when the storm hit.That, in part, is what the study attempts to address, getting ahead of the issue of landslides before they strike with intelligence about where they are likely to strike and mitigation efforts, including mapping for evacuation.Kean said the study suggests doing some of the mapping ahead of time and doing simulations to get an even better idea of how and where a mudslide will occur.That [the Montecito slide] is the motivation behind this, he said. Why dont we start looking ahead of wildfire scenarios because we know, at least in Southern California and a lot of other places in the West, its going to burn. Lets do a synthetic fire, a what-if scenario, and start planning for what could happen.Kean said residents of California, especially Southern California, are well versed in how to respond to an earthquake because of the communication efforts that have taken place over the years, and that something similar could be done for landslides.People are pretty earthquake aware but these debris flows after a fire are not on peoples radar, Kean said. People got the evacuation notice in Montecito but, A, they were fatigued because they had just evacuated from the fire, and B, they just didnt think anything like this was possible, that you could have car-sized boulders rolling through the neighborhood.Creating the debris flow maps ahead of time and sharing those with the public could help raise awareness and aid evacuation, Kean said. Other mitigation strategies include creating ponds or basins to catch the flow before it runs into neighborhoods, and those are present in some Southern California areas already.
Disturbing footage has emerged of two neighbours trading blows in a wild brawl until one is knocked out cold while his child watches on screaming in distress.

The brawl unfolded in the middle of the day in Hillside in Melbourne's outer-west after one man accused his shirtless neighbour of threatening his children.

The neighbour then shouted at the shirtless man to get off his property.

'Come over here and watch what I do to you', he yelled.

A woman can be heard screaming hysterically from across the road as a child dressed in only their underwear tried to desperately pull the shirtless man away.

Two men engaged in a street side brawl in Victoria as a distressed child watched the fight unfold (pictured)

Neighbours could be heard screaming for the child's safety as the mother grabbed the man and pulled him back to their garage across the road with their child in tow.

The child could then be heard screaming 'stay away' to the neighbours, while her mother grappled with the tattooed man as he tried to grab a chainsaw.

'Look at your kid! Watch out for the kid!' one person could be heard yelling.

After more words were exchanged the came to blows in front of an oncoming vehicle and ended up sprawled on the footpath.

The shirtless man was repeatedly punched in the head and torso by his neighbour, leaving him knocked out in the dirt.

A child and a woman try to desperately move the man away from the street side brawl (pictured)

The child screams 'stay away' to the neighbours, while her mother grabs a chainsaw as the tattooed man tries to reach for it (pictured)

Onlookers can be heard screaming as the neighbour walks back across the road, calling the tattooed man a 'd**khead'.

The video has now gone viral, with viewers shocked by the brawl.

'Would have been better to walk away and be the bigger man', one wrote on Facebook.

'Poor kids to see her dad lying on the floor there', another wrote.

'Disgusting, I feel sorry for the child!' one said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Victoria Police for comment.

After more words were exchanged the came to blows in front of an oncoming vehicle and ended up sprawled on the footpath
This afternoon KCPD works to put down local Twitter fear of a serial killer on the loose in the suburbs and in Midtown.



Kansas City news headlines seem dismissive of the concern . . .



KCTV5 - KCPD: No, there's not a serial killer going around

Deets . . .

The department tweeted out (a social media story which) claims that there's a victim count of "8-12 women" who have been dismembered.



"This has been going around," the department said. "Not true."

This is supposed to be reassuring but consider . . .



THROUGHOUT LOCAL HISTORY KCPD HAS RARELY ADMITTED THE THREAT OF A SERIAL KILLER UNTIL AFTER THE CAPTURE OF A SUSPECT!!!



A quick roundup and reminder that Kansas City has been a breeding ground for serial killers in the modern era . . .

- The "king of Kansas City serial killers" Bob Berdellla operated openly and was chummy with cops, FD and even some politicos during his Westport killing spree. Now his merch is for sale to macabre collectors.



- Lorenzo Gilyard was known as "The Kansas City Strangler" and he killed 13 women. Police denied the existence of his pattern and refused to talk about his work for more than a decade after his capture.



- KCK serial killer Marc Sappington stalked the metro unchecked for years until he was caught in 2001. Court records claim he stabbed one of his victims to death and even ate a small piece of their leg. At the time of his arrest, many urban activists complained that there was no warning to sex workers he targeted despite rampant fear of the predator among this community.



- Finally, in 2018 police accused a racist serial killer allegedly stalking near South side trails and targeting white dudes but only after he murdered six victims in the same vicinity using remarkably similar tactics against older white men frequenting parks in the early morning hours.



Conclusion . . .

We're thankful to KCPD for newfound transparency and communication with the public about fear of serial killers who have a long history of operating with impunity in this cowtown and without much advance warning or acknowledgement from law enforcement.



Developing . . .


Right now hottie Kylie and her newsworthy photography work inspire us to look just a bit more closely at the discourse and share community news, pop culture and top headlines.



Check-it . . .

EPIC Kansas City COVID Cash Coming Soon

Kansas City would get more than $195 million from new stimulus bill, according to estimate KANSAS CITY, Mo. - An estimate from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform estimates that Kansas City would receive more than $195 million in stimulus funds if congress approves the new $1.9 trillion stimulus package. The number is significant because Kansas City missed out on individual CARES Act funding that was only appropriated to [...]

Barrio Vaxx Begins

Kansas City works on COVID-19 vaccine outreach for Hispanic, Latinx residents Kansas City, Missouri, is working to improve access to COVID-19 vaccines for Hispanic and Latinx residents, who are more likely to be hospitalized or die from the virus.Billboards in Spanish are part of an effort to reach Hispanic and Latinx Kansas Citians."We have done a poor job getting tests out

Old School Cure Arrives

Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center vaccinates 98% of residents at senior living facility INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - On Friday, Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center vaccinated 98% of the residents living at the Fountains at Green Briar independent living facility. Billie Betts and Peggy Burrus are two sisters living at the facility who received a vaccine.

Kylie Shares Snaps

Kylie Jenner showcases her impossible curves in plunging black bikini She shared a YouTube video as she did sister Kourtney Kardashian's makeup with her beauty brand. And hours later, Kylie Jenner used her Kylie Cosmetics products in a series of snaps she shared to her Instagram page. The 23-year-old entrepreneur showcased her impossible curves and her ample cleavage in a black bikini set.

Progressives Struggle To Defend Prez Biden Bombing

Democrats criticize Biden's decision to launch airstrikes in Syria without consulting Congress Some Senate Democrats on Friday criticized President Joe Biden's decision to launch an airstrike Thursday night in Syria without conferring with all of Congress. The Pentagon briefed congressional leadership before the action, according to a National Security Council spokesman. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's staff was notified before the strike, according to a Democratic aide.

Capitol Riot Gun Threat

Prosecutors Suggested That The Oath Keepers Had A Special Force Ready With Weapons During The Capitol Insurrection A federal prosecutor said Friday that the federal government's "working understanding" is that the Oath Keepers had a "quick reaction force" stationed outside the District of Columbia on Jan. 6, prepared with weapons during the siege at the Capitol.

Nomenclature Disputed

Rand Paul criticized for trans 'gender mutilation' remarks in Rachel Levine hearing Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., compared gender-affirming surgery to "genital mutilation" during confirmation hearings Thursday for Dr. Rachel Levine, President Joe Biden's nominee for assistant secretary of health. If approved, Levine will become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Gaga Doggie Reassurance

Lady Gaga's Dog Walker Expected to Make 'Full Recovery' After Shooting The family of Ryan Fischer, Lady Gaga 's dog walker who was shot earlier this week in Los Angeles, issued a statement saying they expect Fischer to make a full recovery. "Thankfully, Ryan is receiving extraordinary care in the hospital right now and his doctors expect him to make a full recovery," the Fischer family said in a statement obtained by Rolling Stone.

Rock Chalk Comeback

KU plans to return to in-person classes for fall semester by: Karra Small Posted: / Updated: LAWRENCE, Kan. - Students at the University of Kansas will return to in-person instruction for the fall semester. In a letter sent to students, Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer said that students at the Lawrence and Edwards campuses will return to in-person learning as much as possible pending vaccine roll-out and potential surges in COVID-19 cases.

Royal Conclusion

Former Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera retires Former Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera brought his ten-year MLB career to an end on Friday, announcing his retirement in a post on Twitter. Herrera was originally signed by the Royals, and spent the first eight seasons of his career in Kansas City.

Kansas City Toy Train Spreads The Love Tonight

Artists, Dancers And City Leaders Take to KC Streetcar for Virtual Black History Month Celebration Artists, dancers and community activists are heading to the KC Streetcar this evening to kick off its Third Annual Black History Month Celebration. Unlike past years, 'Storytelling on the Streetcar: Celebrating Black Culture' will be held virtually amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Saturday Warmup Ahead

Filtered sunshine, high near 62 degrees Saturday Hide Transcript Show Transcript THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THAT ACTION. OTHERWISE CLOUDY SKIES WILL PREVAIL THE CLOUDS WILL THIN OUT, BUT THAT'LL BE LATER ON TONIGHT. WE'LL STOP THROUGH THE 40S AND END UP IN THE 30S LATER ON 42 BY THE WAY AT 9 PM.

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
And how are the children? Imagine the difference it would make if we started all policy discussions with this traditional greeting from the mighty Masai tribe.

This week, the U.S. Department of Education nudged all of us toward answering this question by confirming that it would not be granting blanket waivers of federally required, statewide summative assessments this spring. Instead, it clarified that summative assessments are more necessary now than ever in order to understand the impact of COVID-19 on learning and to identify what resources are needed to support students.

Of course, given our new normal, some flexibility in how we administer these assessments during the pandemic will be necessary. We will likely need to consider providing shortened versions, offering remote administrations if possible and lengthening the testing window, perhaps even into the summer, specifically for those parents and students who opted for virtual instruction this school year. Thankfully, these are all options that the Education Department is open to considering.

Some in South Carolina have suggested that none of this is necessary and argue instead that benchmark assessments given by the school districts are enough this school year. These are indeed valuable resources for educators and education leaders. For example, an analysis of benchmark assessments given in the fall of 2020 revealed that nearly seven out of 10 S.C. students in grades 3 through 8 are projected not to meet grade-level English/language arts and math standards in spring of 2021. Seven out of 10.

Yet despite the value of these local benchmark assessments, there are serious limitations. First, districts and schools have no obligation to publicly share the results. Second, most benchmark tests are created by national assessment companies, are not specifically written to measure S.C. content standards and do not assess writing and science standards at all. Also, the types of benchmark assessments vary from district to district, so they do not provide easily comparable information, allowing achievement gaps to be masked. No one will know, for instance, how low-income students fared or whether a specific group of students is missing compared to enrollment.

Parents, educators and policy makers need information on how all the children are doing. State assessment and accountability systems play an important role in advancing educational equity. This is one of the reasons civil rights and disability groups have been adamant that statewide testing occur.

Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email

Sign Up!

Some in South Carolina have even argued that no assessment is necessary this year. One rationale offered for this view is that schools simply deserve grace. Absolutely. The 2020-21 school year certainly has been unlike any other. But recognizing this, South Carolina legislators already have waived school report card ratings, as they did last year. The administration of the end-of-year tests would now simply allow parents and the public to see where students stand, transparently report those results and inform where we go from here.

Another common objection to administering statewide summative testing this school year is that it will take away instructional time. And yes, protecting instructional time is absolutely essential. Our first priority should be to safely re-open schools and get students back in classrooms, learning face-to-face from teachers with their fellow students.

However, it is important to consider the facts about how much time is actually spent on state testing. According to research from the S.C. Department of Education, students spend less than 1% of their school year on statewide exams.

The decision by the federal government to refuse blanket waivers to assessment this year was the right decision for kids and the overall education system. Parents and the public deserve to know where the children are, and policymakers need the information to make informed decision on the best path forward. If we are to recover and rebuild, we must first understand the magnitude of learning loss that has impacted students.

We are at least asking the right question. Student success must be our shared goal and highest priority. The traditional answer to the Masai greeting How are the children? is: All the children are well. Though we are likely not there yet, I hope we can respond so sooner rather than later.

Matthew Ferguson is executive director of the Education Oversight Committee.
More than 350 prisoners escaped from a prison in the Caribbean country of Haiti on Friday. Meanwhile, 25 people have lost their lives in the violence. It has become the biggest and deadliest incident in the country in a decade. A powerful gang chief and prison director are also among those killed. The incident took place on Thursday in the Croix-des-Bouquets prison on the outskirts of the capital Port-au-Prince. It is also being said that this incident has been carried out to drive gang leader Arnel Joseph out of jail. Joseph is a wanted fugitive in charges of rape, kidnapping, and murder in Haiti until his arrest in 2019. He had a gel chain on his feet and escaped by sitting on his motorcycle.

The day after Joseph's escape, he is seen at a checkpoint. Police spokesman Gary Desource said that Joseph, when seen, opened fire on the policemen. He lost his life in the police's retaliatory investigation. The gang leader named as Arnel Joseph, was killed hours after escaping and other communities located in the capital Port-au-Prince. The officer has not yet given much information about the breaking of the jail, except that 60 prisoners have been arrested again and action has been initiated in the case. The Secretary of State, Frantz Exantus, said that the authorities have set up several commissions to deal with the prison break incident. Those who are killed include the prison director, who has been identified as Paul Joseph Hector.

Eyewitnesses say that they saw some gunmen firing bullets at the prison guards on Thursday. After which the prisoners escaped from the prison. Before this, 300 prisoners out of 899 escaped from this prison in 2014. Some believe the incident was carried out to free Clifford Brandt, the son of a prominent businessman who has been jailed since 2012 for kidnapping the rival businessman's adult children. Brandt was captured two days later near the Dominican Republic border.

Also Read:

US report claims Saudi prince approved Jamal Khashoggi killing orders

Know history of World NGO Day

Tributes: Home Minister salutes valour of Air Force fighters on Balakot air strikes anniversary
The makers of Emily in Paris have hit back at unfair claims that it received Golden Globe nominations after treating the judges to a luxurious set visit.

The comedy-drama show is up for best series and Lily Collins is nominated for best actress.

It was claimed this week that inviting 30 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA)  which votes for the Globes  on a trip to visit the set in Paris had been an ethical conflict.

C'est chic: It's been reported that the creators/studio behind Emily In Paris gifted over 30 members from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association luxury trips to visit set while the show filmed the City Of Lights

They stayed at a five-star hotel on behalf of the original production company Paramount, according to the LA Times.

During the trip the group was reportedly treated to two nights at the $1400-a-night, five-star Peninsula Paris hotel as well as a meeting and lunch at the historic and private Musee des Arts Forains, all courtesy of Paramount Network.

Though HFPA members weren't the only ones who attended according to the Times' sources, their organization's rules specifically forbid members from accepting gifts from producers or studios that are worth more than $125.

But a source close to the production told Insider: Its unfair to say the conference is why the nominations came through. They added that the Netflix show is hugely successful.

In hot water: The voting body behind the Golden Globes came under fire after nominating the lighthearted Netflix romp for an honor while snubbing critical darlings like HBO's I May Destroy You

Adding to the controversy, black actress Michaela Coels acclaimed BBC drama I May Destroy You was snubbed. And the HFPA admitted that it had no black voters on its nominations panel.

Both critics and casual culture connoisseurs were surprised to see Emily star Lily Collins and the Darren Star-created series earn nods while things like Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You and Black ensemble casts like Da 5 Bloods, Ma Raineys Black Bottom, Judas And The Black Messiah, and One Night In Miami were overlooked in the main categories.
Back in 1850, Oliviero Colmignolis great-great-grandfather started making dry sausages at his home in Italys Umbria province. In those days, salami-making consisted of hand-stuffing some salted pork into a casing, hanging it from the rafters with a piece of string, then opening a window and hoping for the best.

Four generations later, Colmignoli  whose nickname is Olli  is still following the familys Old World tradition of salami-making, but now the Encinitas resident is using the latest technology at a huge processing plant in Oceanside. Every week, Olli Salumeria turns out 30,000 pounds of high-end artisan salami in a factory that uses robots to move, weigh and measure the moisture in each of the slowly curing links, which hang by the tens of thousands from steel racks in 21-foot-tall, climate-controlled rooms.

Oliviero Colmignoli watches a robotic wheeled cart weigh and calculate the moisture content of a rack of curing salami at his Olli Salumeria factory in Oceanside. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Press )

Colmignoli, 38, can use his cellphone to track of the progress of every single salami in the 80,000-square-foot factory, but he insists that while the process has changed, some things never do. All the fresh spices are still hand-measured and each string of sausages is hand-tested for the perfect firmness, a quality unique to Olli sausage that he said cant be done by machine.

Advertisement

The family has always pursued technology, which allows us to deliver quality at a price thats accessible, but the salami-making process has never changed from its traditional roots, he said.

The Oceanside Olli factory opened last year and employs 50 workers, who turn out some 7,000 cases of meat products each week for customers that include Costco, Whole Foods, Gelsons, Bristol Farms, Jimbos and Frazier Farms. The companys specialty is high-end, artisan salami thats made with all-natural, antibiotic-free pork from small farms in Iowa and Canada thats processed without nitrates. The five-inch salamis, which come in nine varieties, retail for $11 to $12.

Oliviero Colmignoli hand-tests the firmness of a stack of salami being prepared for packaging at his Olli Salumeria factory in Oceanside. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Press )

So how did an Italian sausage-maker end up in Oceanside? Thats a story that began 166 years ago with Innocenzo Fiorucci, the familys meat-processing pioneer. Colmignoli said his great-great-grandfather paid the bills by selling salted meats in the winters and cobbling shoes each summer. Over the next 90 years, the Fiorucci family became well-known for their Norcia-style sausages (Norcia is a town in Umbria), which Innocenzos son, Cesare, started producing and selling in Rome after World War II.

Cesares son, Ferruccio, didnt have any sons of his own, so the familys salami tradition was passed on to his son-in-law, Claudio Colmignoli, who moved to Virginia in 1986 with his wife and 9-year-old son Olli. They opened a U.S. manufacturing plant for Fiorucci Foods in Richmond, but four years later, Ollis parents divorced and he and his mother moved back to Rome. After high school, he moved to London to study photography, but after a few years working in that field, the salami siren song called him back into the family fold.

In 2004, Olli Colmignoli moved his family to Virginia to work in the Fioriucci Foods plant in Richmond. A few years later  after his family sold their assets to a private equity firm  Olli Salumeria was born. Colmignoli said he and an investor friend were discussing American versus Italian prosciutto (dry-cured ham). He felt that Italian prosciutto was superior because the pigs in Italy are naturally raised on small family farms. Together, Colmignoli and his now-former partner decided to reproduce the conditions in Italy to create an higher-end American product.

Raw ground pork, mixed with seasonings, is fed into an Italian-made sausage-stuffing machine at the Olli Salumeria factory in Oceanside. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Press )

Working from a small plant in Virginia, Ollis first prosciutto was unveiled in 2010 and its salami debuted in 2011. The fledgling company was boosted by great press in newspapers like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, whose reporters were charmed by its Old World aspirations. Oprah Winfrey recommended Olli products in a Christmas best list and then Whole Foods came calling. The high-end supermarket chain was looking for U.S. companies to produce private-label charcuterie items under its Gusto brand, and the chain helped connect Colmignoli with humane pork suppliers in Canada and Iowa to ensure a consistent supply.

Advertisement

Eventually, Olli Salumeria focused all its energies on salami and its Virginia plant maxed out. When he decided to build a much larger plant in 2014, he looked to the West Coast for expansion. California shoppers are willing to pay for more quality foods, and Californias Mediterranean climate appealed to the Rome-bred Colmignoli, his South African wife, Leanna, and their two daughters, now 11 and 16. He picked San Diego because his sister, Giulia, and her husband, Christopher Antinucci, had already settled here to open their fast-growing Rome-style pizza chain, Napizza.

The enormous Oceanside factory was built for growth, with enough room to process 400,000 pounds of meat each week, nearly seven times its current production. He believes that will take about 10 years to reach. Olli salami is manufactured to American tastes. Its smokier, less sweet and much harder than Italian salami. That hardness is achieved through drying, which can take five weeks to five months, depending on the variety. During the drying process, the salami loses 50 percent of its weight, so it takes 60,000 pounds of pork to make 30,000 pounds of salami.

A machine lifts freshly-stuffed raw salami into racks that will be sprayed with a fermenting mold and chilled for a week before they move to curing rooms to dry at Olli Salumeria in Oceanside. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Press )

The pre-cut raw pork arrives daily and is poured into a truck-sized grinder in a chilled room. Employees mix the ground pork with fresh spices (oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, anise, fennel seed pollen, mace and fresh garlic cloves), feed it by machine into mesh casings and then spray it with a penicillin-like mold that starts the fermenting process. After a week in cold storage, the sausages are moved by robotic carts into slightly warmer drying rooms, where streams of moisture-free forced air cycle up and down through the racks.

Advertisement

Once the sausages reach the perfect weight and level of dehydration, theyre washed, dried and packaged. Among the varieties Olli produces under its own label and the Gusto and Murrays private labels are Toscana, made with Italian fennel pollen; spicy Calabrese, with cayenne pepper and paprika; Chorizo, made with pimenton de la vera (Spanish smoked paprika); and Napoli, which is smoked over apple wood. There are varieties made with Italian summer black truffles and boars meat, a new pepperoni line, and a new test batch now in the curing stages made with barley and smoked porter beer from Carlsbads Guadalupe Brewery.

When asked how his great-grandfather Cesare  who built the familys first major salami factory outside Rome in the 1960s  would feel about the modernized Olli factory, Colmignoli smiles with pride.

He was the first to use technology, and I think hed love it, he said. The technology has definitely come forward, but without changing the process.

Advertisement

1 / 11 At the Olli Salumeria salami sausage processing plant in Oceanside a large quantity of pork, above right, works its way into a machine staffed Elias Olivas, left, and Carlos Ferre. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre) 2 / 11 A large steel container of raw pork mixed with spices and other ingredients is ready to be poured into a salami making machine at Olli Salumeria. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre) 3 / 11 A machine lifts a large rack of just made salamis at Olli Salumeria. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre) 4 / 11 Olli Salumeria company president Oliviero Colmignoli holds some salamis ready for packaging and shipment. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre) 5 / 11 Olli Salumeria company president Oliviero Colimignoli looks at one of the many computer screens that monitor the prooduction of their salami. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre) 6 / 11 Racks of salamis cure are cured in the drying room. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre) 7 / 11 Oliviero Colmignoli, president of Olli Salumeria, smells Italian fennel, one of the many spices used in the production of his high-end salamis. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre) 8 / 11 Labels on a flow wrapping machine at Olli Salumeria for one of the many brands of salami produced by the company. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre) 9 / 11 Oliviero Colmignoli inspects curing salamis in one of the many drying rooms at his companys large Oceanside facility. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre) 10 / 11 Oliviero Colmignoli inspects curing salamis in one of the many drying rooms at his companys large Oceanside facility. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre) 11 / 11 Packages of salami are ready to ship salami at the Olli Salumeria factory in Oceanside. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma Pre)

Food & Wine Videos

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
HAMDEN  A Quinnipiac University student is accused of attacking his sleeping roommate  cutting his throat  in an apparent dispute over a light, police said Friday.

Hamden police were called to the school around 3:10 a.m. Friday after a fight was reported between two roommates, Capt. Ronald Smith said.

The first officer at the scene found a 20-year-old student who had sustained a large laceration to his neck, Smith said. The student told police his roommate jumped on top of him while he was sleeping, punching him in the face, and cut his throat with a knife, Smith said.

The officer and Quinnipiac University public safety personnel negotiated with the roommate to surrender and give up the knife, Smith said.

Smith said the investigation revealed the altercation stemmed from an argument they had about a light in their room.

The two students were taken to Yale New Haven Hospital for treatment.

Smith said the accused student remained hospitalized and was not charged as of Friday night.

Police have not identified either of the students involved.

Don DiStefano, interim chief of Quinnipiac University Public Safety, said the victim has been released from the hospital, and his department is supporting the police investigation.

The student who allegedly caused the injuries has been suspended from the university pending the outcome of the investigation and student conduct meeting, he said.

The incident has stunned some students. Carly Mac Manus, a sophomore, said she was shocked when a friend told her what happened. Mac Manus said she was concerned that school officials had not notified students about the incident as of Friday evening.

It sounds like something you would hear on the news and you wouldnt expect it to come from the school you go to, she said.

John Morgan, a spokesman for Quinnipiac, said Friday evening that DiStefanos statement about the incident was going to be sent to the school community.

Shayla Colon contributed to this story.
Parents of boys at Australia's top private schools have spoken out after a shocking petition exposed a teenage sexual assault crisis.

They slammed what they described as a culture of entitlement, easy access to alcohol, drugs and lack of sexual consent education at elite schools.

Former Kambala student Chanel Contos, 22, sent shockwaves around the private school system after collecting testimonials from 2,000 young women who were allegedly raped and assaulted by their male peers.

Former Kambala student Chanel Contos has collected testimonials from hundreds of former private school students who were allegedly raped and assaulted by their male peers

Parents of boys at Australia's top private schools have spoken out after a shocking petition exposed a teenage sexual assault crisis. Pictured: St Joseph's College Hunters Hill

What started as an Instagram poll targeting elite private Sydney schools quickly went viral as sexual assault victims came forward to call for an end to outdated consent laws.

One father of a Year 9 student at Kings School in Parramatta told the Sun-Herald elite schools cultivated a culture of entitlement and privilege, which he said leads to a lack of 'sensitivity' towards others.

'They teach these kids they're the best, they're the chosen ones, they're going to run Australia, they're going to conquer the world,' he said.

The parent said he choose the private school for his son to give him a better chance, but worried he and his wife would struggle to teach the child to be empathetic towards others.

A mother of a Year 7 child from St Joseph's College in Hunters Hill said while she had no complaints about the school, she agreed sex consent education should be taught earlier at all schools in general.

'It needs to be taught before they're sexually active,' she said.

Another mother who also had a child in Year 9 said the schools needed to teach sex consent from primary school and single-sex schools should encourage co-ed mixing.

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

Teenagers are being pulled out of prestigious schools because of 'cultural' problems at elite schools, as a shocking petition exposes sexual assaults and rapes allegedly perpetrated by private school students. Pictured: All-boys school Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview

She also believed easy access to alcohol, drugs and unsupervised house parties exacerbated rape culture among privileged students.

'There does seem to be access to parties at a very early age because people live in big houses and have a lot of money,' she said.

'I wonder if that's the bigger issue than the private school or public school. I think it's just the access to money, access to alcohol, access to drugs and unsupervised parties are quite common.'

Another parent said they had pulled their children out of St Catherine's and Cranbrook and sent them to public schools instead because of cultural issues.

The parent said they felt local public schools were better at dealing with areas of teen development like consent than the private equivalents.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the schools mentioned by the parents for comment.

Ms Contos said Kambala High School (pictured) gave her a 'great consent education but they gave it too late'

The revelations come after a petition started by an-ex private school girl exposed shocking stories of rape and assault by males attending all-male institutions.

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.

'I was angry, but also had a sense of clarity around that I had in fact been sexually abused,' she said.

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

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.'

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 boys have left testimonies alleging they have also experienced sexual assault, and dozens have messaged to say they are questioning their past sexual experiences.

Ms Contos' petition now has 6,400 signatures and nearly 700 testimonies from woman aged between 13 to 50-years-old from across Australia

Some former private schoolboys even confessed anonymously to perpetrating sexual assault or harassment, saying they regretted their actions.

'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 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.

Ms Contos updates her followers online that over 300 testimonies had been sent into the petition in the last 24 hours alone

The petition called for schools to provide consent sex education to students 'from a young age.'

'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 Daily Mail Australia they were 'saddened' by the reports, calling it a 'wake up call' earlier this week.

Scots College principal Ian Lambert said in a statement that the College took the issues raised by the petition 'very seriously.'

Chantel Contos (pictured) is calling for schools to provide consent sexual education to students from a young age

'No person, regardless of age or gender, should ever be subjected to unwanted sexual pressure or peer group pressure,' he wrote.

'The Scots College will now actively seek further input from additional health experts and community specialists working in the field to strengthen the educational programs taught to our young men, in an attempt to challenge and change the cultural discourse and behaviour,' he said.

A spokesperson from Riverview College said the allegations were 'shocking'.

'Non consensual sex is a crime and this message is given unequivocally to our students as part of their education which is underpinned by the importance of human dignity, respect and equality.'

The Principal of Scots College (pictured) Ian Lambert said the school was reviewing its educational programs in light of the petition

Headmaster of all-boys school Waverley College Graham Leddie said 'sexism is an everyday reality for women' and the school was working towards stamping out the 'disgraceful culture of sexism that still exists in Australia.'

'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.

'For this reason, we encourage schools to be held to a high standard.'

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.

Ms Contos (pictured) said she hopes the petition will bring change to sexuality education to students across Australia

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.

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
New Delhi, Feb 27 : One of India's pioneering labels Tarun Tahiliani will now be seen in every important mall and high street in the country as it becomes the latest Indian fashion label to receive investment from Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail.

This time last year, most fashion journalists were busy writing pieces on Tahiliani's label celebrating its 25-year landmark. To that end the designer hosted an event at his state of the art Gurgaon factory taking guests around the label's impressive archives. Tarun Tahiliani is the man who coined terms such as "India Modern" and "Concept Sari". It was to be a year of celebration for one of India's most prominent designers and the entire industry was waiting to celebrate with the bon-vivant. Then the pandemic hit.

Tahiliani pivoted to become the voice of fashion, talking about the issues that hit the industry. Now he hopes to be able to do more for craftsmen as things begin to open up. He is one of the few designers that has believed in nurturing talent -- designers such as Amit Agarwal, Atsu and Vineet Bahl have worked in his studio before launching their own labels. At their shows you will always see Tahiliani to cheer them on. He is one of the founders of Ensemble -- India's first real multi brand fashion store that has encouraged and launched many Indian labels first opened its doors in 1987; Tahiliani has always believed in the India Story.

This week comes the news that after Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL) has invested in his company--they already own 51 per cent of the Shantanu and Nikhil label as well the Sabyasachi fashion empire. It seems that ABFRL is set to become the corporate backer of homegrown Indian fashion.

The conversation between them has been going on for two years. Says the fifty something designer who is a Wharton graduate, "I have long believed that Indian fashion has to go the corporate way because, unfortunately, barring very few people, it has stayed small." There are only a handful of Indian fashion labels that can talk of a turnover over the Rs100 crore mark. One of the first companies to receive corporate investment was the House of Anita Dongre in 2013, when US private equity firm General Atlantic (the company also has an investment in New York brand Tory Burch) acquired a minority stake in her fashion company. Adds Tahiliani, "Anita Dongre has been at the forefront of this, which started the relationship between Indian fashion and the corporate world. I think it's evident for all to see where she's taken it. But being corporate requires economies of scale, distribution and a product that can reach more people, and I think yes, Indian fashion is ready for this big step. From my personal experience, I can tell you, I'm tired of running a business and simultaneously designing." Tarun Tahiliani's partnership with ABFRL, is a twofold one, firstly the corporation has bought a 33 per cent share into Tahiliani's existing label, which is mainly in the business of demi-couture, for Rs 67 crore. The two partners will also start a new entity that will focus on an affordable menswear label in which the corporate will own 80 per cent. The aim is to build Tarun Tahiliani into a Rs 500 crore company with a retail footprint of over 250 stores across India. "This allowed me to invest and hold a stake in the new venture while maintaining and having the ability to work on my luxury brand at my own pace. These are two different engine drivers and it made sense. I say massive investments because we are targeting to open 250 stores and the kind of backend/back office that would be needed is enormous. And, we did not want the luxury business to be holding that back." The second business would be more about a price conscious India proud menswear, even though the label has always been more a women's wear brand. Explains the designer, "There is only one branded national player in the Indian ethnic men space at the moment, so this focus makes sense. Because of the pandemic, we ran late, so we decided to focus on menswear, although we might have done womenswear." Tailoring has always been something of interest to this designer -- he was one of the first to add a sartorial element to the sari, with his concept saris; and his menswear collections have always been well received.

It is interesting to note that when Tahiliani first started his label he was called the "Armani of India" because of his sense of finesse and elegance -- and now with this ABFRL he could well be on his way to be India's answer to Armani. Though the designer has never enjoyed these international comparisons, "Honestly, I have nothing to prove to anybody except myself that I can be a designer of relevance to Indians and their needs and a whole new thing about beautiful clothes and lightness," says the designer.

If there is one Indian designer whose work deserves to be celebrated for his many contributions to the industry, then it has to be Tarun Tahiliani -- this corporate backing will ensure Tahiliani's vision will go to the next level.

The writer Sujata Assomull is an IANSlife columnist. Assomull is the author "100 Iconic Bollywood Costumes" and was the Founding Editor In Chief of Harper's Bazaar, India.

(IANSlife Features can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Long-time leader of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Friday rejected suggestions that he may transfer power to his son after the end of his presidency.

Speaking during a National Olympic Committee meeting, 66-year-old Lukashenko, who has ruled the country for more than 26 years, said none of his three sons will succeed him.

Last summer Lukashenko extended his rule for five more years winning disputed election the opposition considers to be rigged.

His comments came after the EU on Thursday prolonged sanctions targeting dozens of Belarus officials, including Lukashenko, for a year over allegations of fraud in the country's presidential election last summer and the crackdown on peaceful protesters that followed.

Protests rocked Belarus for months after official results from the Aug. 9 presidential election gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office by a landslide.

The sanctions also apply to Lukashenkos son Viktor, who acts as his father's national security advisor, and are set to remain in force until at least Feb. 28, 2022.

Victor Lukashenko, who advises his father on national security, was on Friday elected as the head of the Belarusian Olympic Committee despite both he and his father being suspended by the IOC and barred from the Tokyo Games in December for failing to protect athletes who took part in protests from discrimination.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
GREENVILLE  South Carolina's largest health care system made a strong case Feb. 26 that it has held up its end of the bargain this past year to increase access to high-quality affordable care in the Upstate.

But some area lawmakers say they want more financial information from Prisma Health before they'll believe it.

Prisma Health's primary audience at the meeting was its landlord: the state-appointed Greenville Health Authority (GHA), a public board that owns more than 20 facilities from which Prisma Health offers care across Greenville County.

About 20 people crowded into a conference room on the top floor of Prisma's downtown Greenville headquarters as Prisma Health executives and top medical personnel presented more than 30 slides, each one loaded with stats on topics such as insurance reimbursements, charity care, perinatal care for Hispanic families, coronavirus care, psychiatric care, virtual care and emergency care in Travelers Rest.

"So taking all that into consideration, I believe that Prisma Health has met all the lease obligations," Prisma Health Chief Operating Officer Greg Rusnak said.

But missing from the slides was data on Prisma Health Upstate's financial position relative to the sprawling, $5.6 billion system's statewide operation, which stretches from Orangeburg to Oconee.

Area lawmakers Mike Burns and Garry Smith have said they believe Greenville dollars are propping up operations in the Midlands by as much as $100 million a year. Prisma Health officials told The Post and Courier on Feb. 26 they have no idea where the lawmakers are getting that figure.

"How do we know we're getting our bang for our buck?" said Smith, R-Simpsonville.

GHA board members nodded when Prisma doctors explained the low foot traffic at North Greenville Hospital that precipitated the closure of an emergency room there. They nodded again when Prisma executives explained they are taking a wait-and-see approach with psychiatric care, hiring more mental health personnel and expanding home-based care before returning to a plan to build a new mental health hospital.

One GHA board member, Michael Smith, complained that the lease committee needed more regular feedback from Prisma during the year in order to make informed decisions about the lease.

"You've overwhelmed us with statistics and data," Smith said, and Prisma officials committed to meeting more often during the year.

The happy vibes ended, however, in the meeting's final minutes when the chairman of the Greenville County legislative delegation  Smith, stood to speak.

"One of the axioms that I always used in my career is this: People do what you inspect, not necessarily what you expect," Smith said in a 10-minute critical speech directed at the GHA board. "It is not their responsibility to inspect themselves. It's your responsibility to inspect them. That's what we're looking at you as our delegated appointees, for this board, to do."

Of Prisma's outsized influence over the GHA board since the health care system's merger about four years ago with Palmetto Health in Columbia, Smith said "the tail has been wagging the dog."

Stacey Mills, the GHA's board chairman, said he was caught off guard by the criticism Smith turned toward GHA members.

The GHA board has asserted much more control over its operations in recent months, changing its bylaws to exclude anyone from Prisma serving as the board's president, as was the case until earlier this month, hiring its own attorney and taking control of the GHA's $1 million in annual operating revenue from Prisma.

"I thought the questions were going to be directed to Prisma seeing as it's their report today," Mills said.

Sign up for our Greenville development newsletter. Get all the latest updates on the Upstate real estate market, more openings and closings, exclusive development news and more in your inbox each week. Email

Sign Up!

In answer to Smith's arguments, which included GHA exerting yet more control over Prisma's spending and facility choices, Mills said that would be an overreach. Although several GHA board members voiced their disagreement with the move, Prisma was within its rights in late 2020 when it withdrew its certificate of need for an emergency room at its North Greenville Hospital in Travelers Rest, he said.

The certificate of need, or CON, is granted by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, which regulates health care facilities in the state.

"Our responsibility was not to be involved with that," Mills said.

Smith countered that Mills should re-read the wording of GHA's enabling legislation to check on that.

"Sure," Mills said. "Thank you."

It was an awkward moment of disagreement because Smith and other members of the legislative delegation essentially control who gets on the GHA board in the first place.

One board member acknowledged after the meeting that board members can be fired, but it is unlikely.

Smith said after the meeting that the law is clear when it comes to public-private partnerships and that GHA, as a governmental entity, cannot delegate or cede its authority to Prisma when it comes to providing quality health care to the people of Greenville County.

"It's like the school board saying we're tired of being the school board, and we're gonna give this company the right to take all this over, and we're just gonna go home," Smith said.

Smith was one of several local and state lawmakers who objected to the Greenville Health System's merger and conversion into a private nonprofit four years ago.

GHA board member Fred Carpenter said he knows that many members of the Legislature statewide remain sensitive to how that merger will ultimately play out, adding that everyone knows Greenville's old health system was financially stronger than the one in Columbia. But, he said, where he disagrees with Smith is on how Prisma operates.

"Prisma is a private nonprofit corporation run by a board of directors, and things like applying for or pulling a CON application is totally in their purview," Carpenter said. "The GHA owns the assets and leases them to Prisma. We wouldn't have a role. I wouldn't imagine there's a court in the land that would say we would have a role in applying for or pulling the CON."

Prisma Health leases more than a dozen publicly owned buildings  including Greenville Memorial Hospital, as well as medical campuses in Greer, Simpsonville, Travelers Rest and at Patewood on the east side  from the GHA. In coming weeks, that lease will be up for review.

Still, Carpenter said he personally thinks dropping the emergency room CON for the emergency room in Travelers Rest was a mistake because northern Greenville County is growing so fast.

Prisma's Rusnak said after the meeting that Prisma Health has two regional boards  one in the Upstate and one in the Midlands  that oversee the quality of care in each market. A third main board oversees fiduciary responsibilities for the operation as a whole.

"They make the decisions about what services we are offering," Rusnack said.




This issuance took place in a challenging context after having overcome a short period of political instability, which later led to greater tranquility in financial markets and allowed the government to take advantage of windows of opportunity relying on good financing conditions.





Last November, Peru issued a total of US$4 billion by placing three new references in dollars, the 2032 Global Bond at a coupon rate of 1.862%, the 2060 Global Bond at a coupon rate of 2.78%, and the 2121 Bond Global at a coupon rate of 3.23%.





The placement of the bond over 100 years represented the longest-term bond ever issued in the country (the longest bond at the time was the 40-year bond) and in the world, at a minimum historical rate for that term.





Likewise, the coupon obtained for the 12-year bond was the lowest coupon for a dollar offer from a Latin American sovereign issuer.





Success





The success of the operation was motivated by the great demand from global investors, which amounted to around US$15 billion.





This made it possible to reduce the initial rate levels announced for the transaction and reflected the confidence of global investors in the macroeconomic fundamentals of the Peruvian economy, in the long-term prospects and the responsible management of public finances.





The demand came mainly from foreign investors, with a 93% participation.





The distribution of demand by region was 44% coming from investor accounts in the United States, 32% from Europe, as well as 24% from other regions such as Asia, North America, and Latin America.





The issuance responded to the need for financing at a competitive cost taking advantage of the windows of opportunity in financial markets, with the aim of financing expenses related to the prevention and containment of COVID-19, as well as the economic reactivation and care of expenses foreseen in the Public Sector Budget for the Fiscal Year 2020, in accordance with the approvals contained in the Urgency Decree No. 051-2020.









This issuance took place in a context of considerable uncertainty in global markets and with the beginning of the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.





The LatinFinance award was the outcome of a highly competitive process that includes various factors which influence the success of an operation, focusing on the Latin American capital market.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-28 00:19:56|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ROME, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The top finance officials from the world's major economies have emerged from Friday's summit with agreement to commit to a more multilateral process aimed at stemming the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and sparking global economic growth.

Friday's virtual summit of finance ministers and central bank governors was the first major event of Italy's year-long presidency of the Group of 20, or G20, a forum representing the world's major economies.

The main agreement among participants was to continue with expansionary fiscal policies aimed at helping prop up economies struggling from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We agreed that any premature withdrawal of fiscal and monetary support should be avoided," said Daniele Franco, who took office as Italy's Minister of Economy and Finance two weeks ago.

Franco also warned that most people in the world "will not get back to ... normal lives until the virus is eradicated in all countries." He said the G20 was committed to "assuring equitable access" to safe coronavirus vaccines, as the group agreed that uneven access to vaccines would slow the global economic recovery.

The World Health Organization has estimated that it would cost an estimated 22.9 billion U.S. dollars to guarantee equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatment for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The ministers and governors discussed steps that could be taken to help confront immediate financial problems in developing countries, especially in Africa, where communities have been hit hard by the pandemic and where they lack the resources to curb its spread.

Participants also agreed to discuss international tax rules later this year, without addressing specific issues related to the topic.

Another major meeting will be a formal update of the G20 Action Plan in April, which will focus on pre-pandemic priorities including falling industrial productivity, increasing inequality, climate- and environment-related risks, and the development of sustainable infrastructure.

Italy's presidency of the G20 will include another summit of finance ministers and central bank governors in July in Venice, meetings on climate change and tax policy, also set for July, and a summit of heads of state in October, in addition to several smaller meetings between March and the end of the Italian G20 presidency in December.

All told, the G20 accounts for more than 80 percent of the world's economic activity, 75 percent of global trade, and around two-thirds of the world's population. The group includes 19 countries including Brazil, Canada, China, India, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, plus the European Union. Enditem
After a desperate 911 call from a self-reported migrant trapped in a tanker truck with up to 80 others in San Antonio, a frantic search for a truck smuggling immigrants ensued in San Antonio and the surrounding areas in early February and made headlines throughout the city.

Bexar County deputies and federal investigators never found that tanker the man  who was gasping for air and telling dispatchers he had no oxygen  was stuck in, nor the other immigrants trapped inside.

RELATED: A Look at the Immigration Crisis Through Photographs

Last week, the Bexar County Sheriffs Office received a similar 911 call, this time about a different tractor-trailer carrying migrants.

More than 150 immigrants were found running from that truck as the winter storm began, when authorities eventually found it.

Court records reviewed by Guillermo Contreras of the Express-News show the two local cases are just a small piece in the growing problem of immigrant smuggling that has exacerbated in the month following President Joe Biden's inauguration.

RELATED: SAPD, BCSO searching for tanker truck possibly carrying 80 immigrants, some may be dead

Contreras reports that south Texas smuggling cases have been on a drastic rise in recent months. Since October, Border Patrols Laredo sector has seen a 160 percent increased in smuggling attempts when compared to last year's numbers.

San Antonio acts as a huge gateway for smugglers carrying hundreds of migrants in close quarters, originally from countries including Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, from border cities to larger Texas cities like Dallas and Houston. Undocumented immigrant arrests are also up in Laredo by 140 percent.

Earlier in February, Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said hopeful immigrants wrongfully think doors are open to the United States because of Biden.

Our brother migrants should have this information so that they wont be deceived by human traffickers, who paint a rosy picture," Lopez Obrador told the Associated Press.

It's likely south Texas as a whole, and San Antonio specifically, can expect more arrests, detainment, calls for help and stretched resources as smuggling increases continue.

Karly Williams is a digital producer for MySA. She holds a bachelors in journalism from the University of Cincinnati. Follow her @karlyjwilliams

The University of Georgia Press closed their month-long Campus Read event with a conversation between Mary Frances Early and Phaidra Buchanan, during which the two discussed their experiences as Black women and the importance of conversations about racial equality at the University of Georgia.
Chinese Christian woman persecuted for faith reveals why time in prison was 'wonderful'

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

When Voice of the Martyrs Todd Nettleton traveled to China in 2002 to interview Sister Tong, a Chinese Christian who was sentenced to six months in one of the countrys notorious prisons because of her faith, he wasnt prepared for her response.

Oh yes, that was a wonderful time, she told him.

Baffled, Nettleton asked Sister Tong to explain. Was she not imprisoned for six months because she hosted a church  an illegal religious gathering under Chinese law  in her home? Were government officials not trying to re-educate her, forcing her to become less Christian and more Chinese?

I'm thinking shes going to paint a picture for us of how miserable her life was in prison. How hard the bed was, how cold the cell was, how big the rats were, Nettleton told The Christian Post. But instead, she looked at me with this heavenly smile."

Sister Tong shared how, during her time in prison, God was right there with her, every step of the way.

"He felt so near to me during that time," she said.

She was also able to start a womens ministry in prison, sharing Christ with those who had never heard His name.

So, yes, it was an absolutely wonderful time, Sister Tong said.

As a relatively new member of the VOM team, Nettleton said he was blown away.

I couldnt imagine myself being in prison and thinking it was a wonderful time, he said. Sister Tong changed my perspective on how I view persecution. What if we all had the attitude, when we faced difficulties like unemployment or sickness, that Jesus was giving us an opportunity to minister and witness to others?

Stories like Sister Tongs, compiled over 23 years of ministry with VOM, inspired Nettleton to write his latest book,When Faith is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians.

In it, he shares stories of Christians from around the world who took a stand for their faith  even when it meant severe persecution. From India to Turkey, Nettleton gives a voice to the voiceless and challenges his readers to boldly follow Christ, whatever the cost. One hundred percent of the royalties from the book will go toward providing help to persecuted Christians.

The premise of the book is, why don't you come with me, Christian reader, and take a trip for 40 days. Lets sit down with these brothers and sisters, hear their stories, and drink tea. Lets meet these amazing followers of Jesus Christ," he said. "Because I think, by the end of the journey, the reader is going to be challenged and inspired and think about their faith differently after meeting brothers and sisters who are willing to give their lives for Christ.

The common thread hes seen among persecuted Christians around the world, Nettleton said, is that they all counted the cost of their faith ahead of time. Jesus said, In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world, Nettleton said, adding: Thats the message our brothers and sisters in hostile and restricted nations understand from the very first moment that they follow Christ.

But in the West, Christians are told that once they follow Jesus, their life will get better, he explained. So they arent prepared when trials or oppositions come.

The Gospel message that's presented in hostile and restricted nations is a very different Gospel message than we hear in the West, he said. It is, 'if you come to Jesus, your life here on Earth is probably going to get worse. Your family might reject you, you might get thrown in prison, you might get beaten up. But Jesus will be with you. And you have the promise of eternity with Christ.'

Still, over the last two decades, Nettleton told CP that hes been encouraged by how many Christians in the West are increasingly aware of the state of Christian persecution around the world.

The scriptural mandate is that, when one part of the body suffers, we are all supposed to feel that pain, he said. We can't do that unless we have an understanding of what's happening around the world. We can't do that unless we start to know the names and the faces and the places where our brothers and sisters are suffering. I think that awareness has increased. I hope that sense of being part of the Body of Christ and being connected has also increased as well."

He predicted that though persecution is likely going to increase  particularly in countries like China, India, North Korea, and in the Middle East  it also means that the Gospel is spreading.

As we see persecution increase, the other side of the coin that we need to recognize is the Church is growing. That's part of the reason persecution is increasing. So as we look to the future, I think we will see more persecution, but we will also see the Church grow. Christ promises the gates of Hell will not prevail against my Church.

When it comes to coming alongside persecuted Christians, Nettleton advised believers in the West to do three things: Pray, educate yourself, and then say 'yes to whatever God calls you to do in response.

The first thing they ask for is prayer, he said. We need to educate ourselves so we can pray effectively using their names, the names of their families, and addressing the particular challenges theyre facing.

As youre praying, as you're educating yourself and learning more about our brothers and sisters who face persecution, I think God will say, OK, this is what I want you to do, whether it's writing to imprisoned Christians or advocating on their behalf. And then it's up to us to be obedient to what God is asking us to do.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2021

Stop Trying To Settle Scores Through Geopolitics

Feb. 26 , 2021 (EIRNS)The comments from Moscow this morning took the high ground of principle, in responding to the U.S. late-Feb. 25 bombing of Abu Kamal in eastern Syria, which the U.S. described as a proportional retaliation for terrorist hits on U.S. forces in Iraq last week, accusing them as having come from Iran-sponsored militia. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the United States should, Stop trying to settle scores through geopolitics. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that U.S. military-to-military authorities gave Russia advance notice of a bare few minutes before the strike.

The U.S. action all around is in the crazed tradition of neo-con Michael Pompeo, as well as his replacement neo-lib Antony Blinken, and both are in the tradition of Mother Britains geopolitical gamesmanship of perpetual strifeconstantly playing off each against the other.

The opposite policy of mutual-interest development, as the means for peace is urgent to understand and initiate. The Southwest Asia region especially is bleeding. On March 1, World Food Program Director David Beasley will speak at an event titled Silent Emergency, hosted by Sweden and Switzerland, to raise funding for aid to Yemeni children. The suffering and permanent damage to a whole generation in the Arabian Peninsula must be stopped.

The greater Southwest Asian region is urgently in need of the Land-Bridge policy approach put forward over decades by statesman-economist Lyndon LaRouche, with its programs of development corridors, the Oasis Plan for plentiful water, and other beautiful realistic visions. Already on the ground in Syria and Iraq there are precious potential initiatives. In Iran, for example, rail lines are going ahead, despite the pandemic and foreign relations crises.

Further, the entire world is in need of the same development approachas is embodied in Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, given the impact of the pandemic and famine. In 2020, Schiller Institute President Helga Zepp-LaRouche convened a Committee of the Coincidence of Oppositesnamed after the concept of Nicholas of Cusa, for common interest action, especially for health and food security, and for mutual cultural respect and hope for youth and the future.

Look at two basic aspects of the reality of the physical economic down-spiral, accelerating in the absence of deliberate pro-development collaboration and concrete action.

Electricity. On Jan. 8, the entire European power grid came within minutes of blackout, saved only by rapid, selected shedding of power usage. On Feb. 15, the Texas-centered central North American grid did fail, giving Texans long outages, and also involving days of scheduled, rolling blackouts in at least 14 U.S. and 26 Mexican states. What happens next month? In Africa, half of the population of the continent has no electricity at all.

Food. The Food and Agriculture Organizations monthly reporting shows that basic staples have been rising in priceespecially grain (wheat, rice, corn), for eight months straight, and grain supplies are heading into a tight conditionpolite jargon for shortage. The world already had too little food for over 800 million people, and now 270 million at least are in a desperate state. Many factors are hitting at the same time, not surprising in a pandemic. For example, there is the potential impact of Winterkill from recent frigid weather in the U.S. Wheat Belt. Corn prices as of last month were over 40% higher than the price level in January the year earlier.

Even in these fast-worsening times, collaboration and reason can save the day. Look at the very sane decision this week from French authorities to approve a 10-year extension on its national fleet of 32 nuclear power reactors, many of which were built in the 1980s for a 40-year service life, but are very safe to continue for the next decade.

The obstacle and enemy in all this is the green onslaught, which asserts, through fake science, the fake narrative that human economic activity must be cut back to save the planet, and save nature. An ugly example is todays international online conference hosted by the UN, To Boost Nature-Positive  agriculture, which states that the environment comes first, eating comes second. This is part of the countdown to a September UN Summit on New World Food Systems, convened by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres last year, in the drive for the Great Reset.

It is a must to read and circulate the EIR Special Report, The Great Leap Backward: LaRouche Exposes the Green New Deal.

In the section, A Disaster for the United States, author Paul Gallagher begins with the key principle involved. He quotes Lyndon LaRouche saying, Man, unlike the beasts, is able to change his population density by development. So beware of the opposite. Gallagher writes, The human species is, we must realize, also tragically able to decrease its population density by great masses of unnecessary deaths, either by war, or by intentionally reversing development, forcing into reverse the advance of mankinds scientific and technological capability.

We can make all the difference in preventing this reversal. Spread the word on the second in the series of Schiller Institute Virtual Roundtable Forums taking place Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 to 5 p.m. Eastern. It is titled, Winter Storm Smashes Green New Deal UtopiaGreat Power Cooperation Instead of War, and participants are encouraged to register.
In this Feb. 23 photo, Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., listens during the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on her nomination to be Interior secretary, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Some Republican senators labeled Haaland radical over her calls to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and address climate change, and said that could hurt rural America and major oil and gas-producing states.
(Newser)  Madison Cawthorn spoke at CPAC on Friday, as well as voted by proxy against President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill. But there's another reason the 25-year-old North Carolina congressman's name is now in headlines. BuzzFeed News interviewed more than two dozen former classmates, as well as friends and family members who corroborated their stories, who allege Cawthorn was a serial harasser during his one-plus semester at Patrick Henry College, a private Christian school in northern Virginia. The former students noted that Cawthorn's behavior became so notorious on campus that women started warning each other not to go anywhere alone with him, especially in a car. "I realized he was taking me out to the middle of nowhere," says Caitlin Coulter, who went for a drive with him and refused to answer what she said were invasive questions. "I just felt so uncomfortable and nervous and not even something I think at the time I could put a finger on, but just, like, danger warning."

story continues below

Allegations of misogynistic, predatory, or otherwise aggressive behavior include Cawthorn calling women derogatory names in public; making inappropriate queries about their sexual activity; groping them; making them sit in his lap; and touching and kissing them without their permission. The outlet also talked to Katrina Krulikas, a member of Cawthorn's homeschool community when they were growing up who alleges Cawthorn sexually assaulted her when she was 17 and he was 19. Cawthorn's team responded Friday to the allegations. "These questions were repeatedly asked and answered during the course of the campaign," Cawthorn's communications director said in a statement to Newsweek, which notes similar accusations came out when Cawthorn was running for office. "The voters of Western North Carolina responded to these allegations by giving Madison Cawthorn a 12-point victory over his opponent." More from BuzzFeed here. (Read more Madison Cawthorn stories.)
Agartala, Feb 27 : A 54-year-old truck driver was beaten to death by unidentified assailants in Tripura while he was driving his goods-laden vehicle from Assam to Agartala, the police said on Saturday.

Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Arindam Nath said that the attackers thrashed Pradip Debnath to death at Ambassa in Dhalai district (in eastern Tripura) on Friday night while he was driving his Agartala bound truck from Assam through National Highway-8.

"We have got some clues of the incident. One person was detained. Police are investigating the case. As the investigations are at an early stage, we are unable to disclose the details behind the crime," Nath told IANS.

The family members of the slain truck driver alleged the miscreants also looted Rs 40,000 from Debnath, a resident of Teliamura in western Tripura.

Local residents told the police that the goons, who were travelling in a Bolero car, stopped the truck before dragging Debnath out.

The culprits then managed to escape from the area, 95 km north of Agartala.

The assistant of the truck driver fled when the assailants started beating Debnath.

Paris Hilton said she spent years hiding behind a dumb blonde persona after enduring a traumatic time at boarding school as a teenager.

The influencer, 40, starred in reality TV series The Simple Life, which featured her and fellow wealthy socialite Nicole Richie struggling to do everyday work, such as farming or serving meals at fast food restaurants.

Hilton said while she was portrayed as ditzy, it was an act she first started after leaving a school in Utah, where the model said she was verbally, mentally and physically abused on a daily basis in the 1990s.

aIam not a dumb blonde, Iam just very good at pretending to be one.a



-@ParisHilton explains how she portrayed a ditzy persona as a coping mechanism #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/mo07BG3kt6  The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) February 27, 2021

Read More

During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Hilton was asked about her famous persona.

A lot of it was a character, she said. Just from going through all those traumatic experiences as a teenager, when I got out of there I just built this shell around me, almost like a mask, where I could hide behind this character.

And I developed that and I got The Simple Life, and then once that happened it became on a bigger level because I had to do that in public, and then I kind of got stuck with the character because it was easier for me to pretend to be someone else.

But I always knew exactly what I was doing  it was just playing that ditzy blonde character, because it was a lot easier than really remembering everything Id went through.

Hilton added: Im not a dumb blonde, Im just very good at pretending to be one.

The star, who has launched the This Is Paris podcast, is celebrating after announcing her engagement earlier this month.

Her partner Carter Reum, a 40-year-old venture capitalist, popped the question on a private island.

Speaking to Fallon, Hilton revealed she had expected the proposal months ago and her now-fiance tried to trick her when he eventually got down on one knee.

She said: He just said there was a photoshoot happening, because I always do pictures wherever we go, and then I think to make me feel like it wasnt going to happen he was like, if youre not ready in time we could just chill, just do it another day.

So then I didnt think it was happening. So he tricked me. And we went down to the beach and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him and it was one of the most romantic moments of my life.

[February 26, 2021] Teledyne to Hold Investor Meetings

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY) today announced that Jason VanWees, Executive Vice President, will be holding virtual investor meetings at the following investor conferences: Berenberg Industrial Technologies Conference

Tuesday, March 2, 2021 BofA Global Research Global Industrials Conference

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 Teledyne's latest investor presentation is publicly available on the company's website. Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated instrumentation, digital imaging products and software, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems. Teledyne's operations are primarily located in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Western and Northern Europe. For more information, visit Teledyne's website at www.teledyne.com. Additional Information and Where to Find It In connection with the proposed transaction between Teledyne and FLIR, Teledyne will file with the SEC (News - Alert) a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that will include a joint proxy statement of Teledyne and FLIR and a prospectus of Teledyne, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. The proposed transaction involving Teledyne and FLIR will be submitted to Teledyne's stockholders and FLIR's stockholders for their consideration. Stockholders of Teledyne and stockholders of FLIR are urged to read the registration statement and the joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the transaction when they become available and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they will contain important information. Stockholders will be able to obtain a free copy of the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Teledyne and FLIR, without charge, at the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and the filings with the SEC that will be incorporated by reference in the joint proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to Teledyne, Attn: Investor Relations, 1049 Camino Dos Rios, Thousand Oaks, California 91360, or to FLIR, Attn: Corporate Secretary, 1201 S Joyce St, Arlington, Virginia 22202. Participants in the Solicitation Teledyne, FLIR and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding Teledyne's directors and executive officers will be available in its definitive proxy statement for its 2021 Annual Meeting, which is expected to be filed with the SEC on or about March 8, 2021, and this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Information regarding FLIR's directors and executive officers is available in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, which was filed on February 25, 2021. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials filed with the SEC. Free copies of this document may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph. No Offer or Solicitation This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeing the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933.



Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements Teledyne's investor presentation contains forward-looking statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, with respect to management's beliefs about the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Teledyne in the future. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, are based on the current expectations of the management of Teledyne and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. The forward-looking statements contained herein may include statements about the expected effects on Teledyne of the proposed acquisition of FLIR, the anticipated timing and scope of the proposed transaction, anticipated earnings enhancements, estimated cost savings and other synergies related to the proposed transaction, costs to be incurred in achieving synergies, anticipated capital expenditures and product developments, and other strategic options. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as "projects", "intends", "expects", "anticipates", "targets", "estimates", "will" and words of similar import that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. All statements made in this communication that are not historical in nature should be considered forward-looking. By its nature, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance or results and involves risks and uncertainties because it relates to events and depends on circumstances that will occur in the future.

Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Many factors could change anticipated results, including: ongoing challenges and uncertainties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic for businesses and governments around the world; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of Teledyne or FLIR or both to terminate the merger agreement; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Teledyne or FLIR in connection with the merger agreement; the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the transaction) or stockholder approvals or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the proposed transaction on a timely basis or at all; the failure to obtain the debt portion of the financing for the proposed transaction; the inability to complete the acquisition and integration of FLIR successfully, to retain customers and key employees and to achieve operating synergies, including the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the two companies or as a result of the strength of the economy and competitive factors in the areas where Teledyne and FLIR do business; the possibility that the proposed transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; the parties' ability to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the proposed transaction; changes in relevant tax and other laws; the inability to develop and market new competitive products; inherent uncertainties involved in the estimates and judgments used in the preparation of financial statements and the providing of estimates of financial measures, in accordance with U.S. GAAP and related standards; operating results of FLIR being lower than anticipated; disruptions in the global economy; the spread of the COVID-19 virus resulting in production, supply, contractual and other disruptions, including facility closures and furloughs and travel restrictions; customer and supplier bankruptcies; changes in demand for products sold to the defense electronics, instrumentation, digital imaging, energy exploration and production, commercial aviation, semiconductor and communications markets; funding, continuation and award of government programs; cuts to defense spending resulting from existing and future deficit reduction measures or changes to U.S. and foreign government spending and budget priorities triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic; impacts from the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union; uncertainties related to the policies of the new U.S. Presidential Administration; the imposition and expansion of, and responses to, trade sanctions and tariffs; escalating economic and diplomatic tension between China and the United States; and threats to the security of our confidential and proprietary information, including cyber security threats. Lower oil and natural gas prices, as well as instability in the Middle East or other oil producing regions, and new regulations or restrictions relating to energy production, including with respect to hydraulic fracturing, could further negatively affect our businesses that supply the oil and gas industry. Disruptions from the production delay of Boeing's (News - Alert) 737 Max aircraft and continued weakness in the commercial aerospace industry will negatively affect the markets of our commercial aviation businesses. In addition, financial market fluctuations affect the value of the Company's pension assets. Changes in the policies of U.S. and foreign governments, including economic sanctions, could result, over time, in reductions or realignment in defense or other government spending and further changes in programs in which the Company participates. While Teledyne's growth strategy includes possible acquisitions, we cannot provide any assurance as to when, if or on what terms any acquisitions will be made. Acquisitions involve various inherent risks, such as, among others, our ability to integrate acquired businesses, retain customers and achieve identified financial and operating synergies. There are additional risks associated with acquiring, owning and operating businesses outside of the United States, including those arising from U.S. and foreign government policy changes or actions and exchange rate fluctuations. We continue to take action to assure compliance with the internal controls, disclosure controls and other requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. While we believe our control systems are effective, there are inherent limitations in all control systems, and misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and may not be detected. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described above can be found in Teledyne's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 3, 2021, which is on file with the SEC and available in the "Investors" section of Teledyne's website, www.teledyne.com, under the heading "Investor Information" and in other documents Teledyne files with the SEC, and in FLIR's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, which is on file with the SEC and available on the "Investor Relations" page of FLIR's website, www.flir.com, under the heading "Filings and Financials" and in other documents FLIR files with the SEC. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and are based on information available at that time. Neither Teledyne nor FLIR assumes any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements were made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by federal securities laws. As forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, caution should be exercised against placing undue reliance on such statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210226005708/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
The United States carried out air strikes authorised by President Joe Biden against facilities belonging to Iranian-backed militia in eastern Syria on Thursday, in response to rocket attacks against US targets in Iraq, the Pentagon said. The strikes appeared limited in scope, potentially lowering the risk of escalation. It was not immediately clear what damage was caused. Syria did not immediately comment, but state-owned Ekhbariya TV said the strikes were conducted at dawn against several targets near the Syrian-Iraqi border. An Iraqi militia official, speaking on condition of ...
.

The Iraqi military on Friday denied exchanging information with the United States regarding targeting certain locations inside Syria, the state news agency reported, after Washington launched air strikes against Iran-backed militias

The military said that Iraq's cooperation with the U.S.-led coalition was limited to fighting Islamic State.

Short link:


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.
Claude Turmes was a guest on RTL Radio on Saturday afternoon. He discussed spatial planning, housing, and EU vaccination strategy.

On 1 March 2021, the four sectoral plans will come into force  an important day, according to Turmes, as this will finally clear up some important details in the country's development plans. Certain zones will then have very clear purposes: zones for building housing units, zones for building leisure and sporting centres and facilities, and zones dedicated to protecting the environment. The sectoral plans go back to an initiative launched 18 years ago by the then-Minister Michel Wolter from the Christian Social People's Party (CSV).

The main principle, Turmes explained, is that construction work will not take place in green zones anymore. New housing units and industrial zones are to be built on plots of land that are already in use, for instance on industrial wasteland. This naturally requires a bit of effort, but the environmental administration is well prepared for the task, according to Turmes.

The country's municipalities play a key role when it comes to spatial planning. According to Turmes, the government hopes that they will be able to help in creating more affordable housing. However, the state's aid is tied to certain conditions: if it subsidises the construction of certain housing units, then those units will always have to remain affordable.

The minister pointed out that only 3% of Luxembourg's housing space is publicly owned. In the Netherlands, this figure jumps up to 30%, and in Austria's capital Vienna as high as 50%. Luxembourg has a lot of work to do in this area. The high prices on the private housing market are a problem that affects large parts of the country's society, Turmes stated.

It would be counterproductive in this context if certain wealthier municipalities jumped the queue in the creation of social housing, the minister said. The cooperation with the Association of Luxembourg Cities and Municipalities (Syvicol) is thus of prime importance.

Turmes' party, the Green Party, is well-known for its unambiguous positions regarding environmental protection. However, Turmes stressed, it is not the party's intention to dictate to people where they should live, whether in a house in the countryside or in a flat in an urban area.

The most important aspect is that the country's neighbourhoods are "intelligently" planned, and this requires efforts from everyone involved. For Turmes, the ideal neighbourhood of the future features lots of grass and nature and does not give any prioritisation to cars.

The minister also defended the CO2 tax, pointing out that a social redistribution is part of the plan for those that can least afford it. The rest of the funds are being used to subsidise environmentally sustainable improvements, such as polystyrene-free house fronts, sustainable heating, or electric cars.

When asked about Covid-19 vaccines, Turmes stressed that the EU must work alongside the USA and the UK regarding authorisation. Turmes is a former Member of the European Parliament.

In the interview, he also revealed that he had encouraged current Green Party MEP Tilly Metz to keep pushing the European Commission on this particular issue. The minister cited the vaccine from US manufacturer Johnson&Johnson as an example: the product is currently being authorised for use in the US, but then it will take another three to four weeks until it will also be authorised in the EU.

A less than ideal situation, according to Turmes, who also acknowledged that the EU's vaccination strategy is not going as well as it could be.
Berger said when he read the findings of the first probe, "it was pretty clear to me we needed to do a follow-on...
Shamima Begum cannot return to the UK to pursue an appeal against the removal of her British citizenship, the Supreme Court has ruled.

Ms Begum was 15 when she and two other East London schoolgirls travelled to Syria to join the so-called Islamic State (Isil) group in February 2015.

Her British citizenship was revoked on national security grounds shortly after she was found, married and nine months pregnant, in a Syrian refugee camp in February 2019.

Ms Begum, now 21, is challenging the Home Offices decision to remove her British citizenship and wants to be allowed to return to the UK to pursue her appeal.

In July last year, the Court of Appeal ruled that the only way in which she can have a fair and effective appeal is to be permitted to come into the United Kingdom to pursue her appeal.

The Home Office challenged that decision at the Supreme Court in November, arguing that allowing her to return to the UK would create significant national security risks and expose the public to an increased risk of terrorism.

Yesterday, the UKs highest court ruled that Ms Begum should not be granted leave to enter the UK to pursue her appeal against the deprivation of her British citizenship.

Announcing the decision, Lord Reed said: The Supreme Court unanimously allows all of the Home Secretarys appeals and dismisses Ms Begums cross-appeal.

The president of the Supreme Court said: The right to a fair hearing does not trump all other considerations, such as the safety of the public.

If a vital public interest makes it impossible for a case to be fairly heard then the courts cannot ordinarily hear it.

The appropriate response to the problem in the present case is for the deprivation hearing to be stayed  or postponed  until Ms Begum is in a position to play an effective part in it without the safety of the public being compromised.

That is not a perfect solution, as it is not known how long it may be before that is possible.

But there is no perfect solution to a dilemma of the present kind.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: The Supreme Court has unanimously found in favour of the Governments position and reaffirmed the Home Secretarys authority to make vital national security decisions. The Government will always take the strongest possible action to protect our national security and our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of our citizens.
After more than three months of listening to hours of testimony, poring over thousands of documents and debating for hundreds of hours, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission on Monday approved sweeping rule changes governing the states natural resources industry.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
With around half of Illinois population eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19, the report card for the states effort is mixed. Now in the second part of phase 1b, those older than 65 as well as people from a range of occupations  police officers to grocery store workers to some in manufacturing and more  are eligible to receive the vaccine.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 18:41:19|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

KIEV, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Friday that a summit of the Nomandy Four leaders is needed to achieve progress in conflict resolution in Donbas, according to Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

"Despite all the efforts made at other levels, we understand that to take the next step, a decision is needed," Kuleba said during a press conference after talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris.

For his part, the French diplomat said that there was some progress at the 2019 Normandy Four summit in Paris.

"We approved an action plan, and it is still relevant, on the table. We see that many commitments, in particular on security, have been observed for a certain period, in particular, the ceasefire," said Le Drian.

Le Drian said that France will continue to monitor efforts made by the parties to fulfill the obligations in political terms, but at the same time focus on compliance with the security component.

At the summit of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine, known as the Normandy Four, in Paris on Dec. 9, 2019, the parties issued a joint declaration and agreed to meet four months later in Berlin in order to continue work on resolving the situation in eastern Ukraine.

The declaration envisaged an updated demining plan, a ceasefire in the region by the end of the year and a separation of forces by the end of March 2020, a withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the demarcation line, a prisoner exchange and local elections, among other measures.

On July 27 last year, a ceasefire was declared in the region, which Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly called the most effective ceasefire in all the years of the conflict.

The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, which has claimed the lives of some 14,000 people and left as many as 40,000 wounded, began in April 2014. Enditem
Zillow is now so confident in its ability to estimate the value of a home without ever setting foot inside, it will make a cash offer on select houses, including in Portland.

The company announced the Zillow Offers initiative this week  15 years after first posting its Zestimates, the oft-watched home-value estimates that have long been the source of much speculation about their accuracy by homeowners who have watched the value of their home fluctuate on various websites.

Zillows chief economist Stan Humphries said the new initiative, which is part of its Zillow Offers program, is a reflection of its confidence in the accuracy of those Zestimates, which have been a fixture on the companys website since the beginning.

This really was the key animating vision in the early day; how to create more transparency in the real estate market, said Humphries. Zestimates were our first product and our cornerstone product.

Zillow is among a growing number of national iBuyers that use technology to make offers that aim to streamline the buying and selling process by eliminating the need to ready a house for sale and market it in traditional ways. Though the valuation methodology varies among iBuyers, the strategy is the same: disrupt the traditional brokerage model in the same way Amazon has upended the retail world.

After acquiring the property, usually for cash and on the sellers timeline, Zillow and other iBuyers do whatever repairs are needed to resell them. Because some iBuyers are not licensed brokers they use local agents to resell the house.

Zillow and other iBuyers aim to use technology to offer sellers what they call a hassle-free experience. Since the pandemic, iBuyers have sought to raise their profile by touting their ability to complete a sale by eliminating the many face-to-face interactions that happen when a home is sold the traditional way. That includes the ability to sell without having to prepare the home for sale, host an open house and have strangers in your home during showings. Most iBuyers also tout the ability to schedule their own closing date.

Zillow now publishes Zestimates for more than 97 million homes across the country. It uses statistical and machine learning models that can examine hundreds of data points for each individual home. It also incorporates the specific characteristics including square footage, location or the number of bathrooms that can impact the value of the house.

Using artificial intelligence and hi-tech software including computer vision, its now using photos and other imagery to help value a property.

What were doing with machine learning, he said. Humans wouldnt have the time or be able to do it because of the scale.

The company said the accuracy of the Zestimate depends on the location of the home and the availability of data in that area. The more data available, the more accurate the Zestimate value will be. So until it has more data for more areas, the company is making cash offers to owners of select houses in two dozen metros around the country.

Critics of the model said iBuyers rob home sellers of the opportunity to maximize their profit by not exposing the property to the broadest possible buyer pool. Humphries disputes that notion.

The evidence that were most accurate is that were the only ones willing to back that estimate with an initial cash offer, said Humphries.

Matt Baker, president at Edina, Minn.-based Coldwell Banker Realty, said that while theres a place for Zillow and other iBuyers in the industry, he doesnt believe its a threat to the traditional brokerage model

(The) iBuyers are the ultimate expression of convenience, he said. But we can replicate that.

------

Zillow Offers is available in these metros:

Atlanta

Austin, Texas

Charlotte, N.C.

Cincinnati

Colorado Springs, Colo.

Dallas

Denver

Fort Collins, Colo.

Houston

Jacksonville, Fla.

Las Vegas

Los Angeles

Miami

Minneapolis

Nashville, Tenn.

Orlando, Fla.

Phoenix

Portland, Ore.

Raleigh, N.C.

Riverside, Calif.

Sacramento, Calif.

San Antonio, Texas

Tampa, Fla.

Tucson, Ariz.

(Source: Zillow.com)

2021 StarTribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Susan and George Mulligan who had bought back their original family home after returning from Kerry

Friends and neighbours of grandparents Susan and George Mulligan, whose home was extensively damaged by fire on St Valentine's Day, are rallying around the couple and have launched an appeal to raise money so that they can repair the house.

The couple, who had recovered from COVID-19 in December, had spent all their savings on buying the house in Muirhevnamor, which they had actually sold a few years ago to move to Kerry.

'It was something they wanted to do but it didn't work out so when the house came on the market again this year, they sold their house in Kerry and used all their savings to buy it back,' daughter Regina said.

They had just moved back to Dundalk in September. Susan is a frontline worker in St Oliver Plunkett Hospital and is the sole earner as George is retired.

They hadn't got round to taking out insurance unfortunately and now they are facing huge bills to repair the damage to their home.

The couple were upstairs in their home on the morning of Sunday February 14.

Expand Close Some of the damage to the house following the fire / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Some of the damage to the house following the fire

'My brother was outside and one of the neighbours noticed smoke coming from the house. He ran into the house and could smell smoke. He opened the door to the attic and could see flames. He closed it and got my parents out of the house. He then realised that the dog was missing and went back in and found the poor thing cowering in the bathroom.'

Fire crews from Dundalk and Ardee attended at the scene. There is extensive damage to the roof at the back of house and the upstairs ceilings collapsed. There is also a lot of water damage throughout the house.

'This was our original family home,' Regina said. 'Five of us grew up here. They sold it in 2018 and moved to Kerry. It didn't work out and when they heard the house was up for sale, they decided to buy it back as all their memories are here.'

Susan and George are now staying with Regina and her three children in Waterville Crescent, having escaped the fire with just the clothes they were wearing.

'They weren't able to bring anything with them although the fire-fighters allowed my brother to go back in and get my mother's medicines.

It's a big comfort that no one was injured. The house is only bricks and mortar and it can be repaired.'

The cause of the fire is still being investigated but it is believed to be accidental.

The family are very grateful to all those who are rallying around and raising funds for them.

A GoFundMe appeal has already raised over 3,000 of a target of 10,000. People are also being asked to help out by volunteering to clean, donate supplies, building materials or labour. Anyone who is not able to make an online payment can contact Therese on 087 7774781.

Cllr Kevin Meenan, who has been assisting the couple and is helping to co-ordinate the fundraising appeal has appealed to people to support Go Fund Me campaign for George and Susan Mulligan. 'They have been through a very traumatic experience and need help to rebuild their home. I know the great people of Dundalk will rally around them. If you can make a donation, no matter how small, please do so. And if you are a tradesperson who thinks you might be able to offer your services, please contact me at kevin.meenan@louthcoco.ie.

A few days after celebrating her 50th birthday, Olapeju Okafor ended up in prison. Her journey to the female holding facility of the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Kirikiri, Lagos, began on the day she complained to a police station against a local beer retailer.

It turned out, to her chagrin, that the retailer wields enormous influence among the police.

I didnt commit any crime, I only went to the police station to report a beer seller in my area that the police should warn her, Mrs Okafor, now 52, told PREMIUM TIMES.

A police officer slapped me in the presence of the Area Commander, and the Area Commander also asked them to lock me in the cell. For what? I was crying bitterly.

Mrs Okafor, a trader, was subsequently charged to court for obstructing police investigation and spent the next 30 days in prison.

People are now calling me an ex-convict, that I am a prisoner, even though I did not commit a crime, she said.

The ordeal

Mrs Okafors journey to Kirikiri began three years before then when she decided to invite friends to celebrate her 50th birthday.

Her friends and their husbands gathered in her home in Agege, a Lagos suburb, for a low-key celebration.

As we were celebrating, the male guests decided to buy alcoholic drinks, she said.

They went for Trophy beer which they bought from a woman (known as Mummy Chichi) within our neighbourhood.

As the party continued, the men found that some of the corked beer contained particles, and stopped drinking.

It was a crate of Trophy beer, they had taken part of the beer but there was a particular bottle that had plenty of particles inside, so my guests stopped at Mummy Chichis shop to complain about the drinks.

Instead of listening to the customers and apologising, Mrs Okafor said Mummy Chichi flared up, insulting her guests and claiming she was not the manufacturer of the drink.

Due to the beer sellers attitude, the guests decided to hold on to some of the bottles of beer and take them to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for examination.

One of Mrs Okafors guests who drank the beer was reportedly hospitalised the following day, for stomach upset and diarrhoea. Mrs Okafor showed a hospital card and receipt carrying the name of the patient to PREMIUM TIMES.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mrs Okafor said with her guests still holding on to some of the beer bottles, Mummy Chichi began to harass her, calling her unprintable names and demanding the return of the bottles.

This embarrassment was too much, at times, she rains curses on me and shouts at me whenever I pass in front of her shop.

This was what made me go to Abesan police station to make a report so that the police will help me warn her. I only went there for them to warn her, she said.

Police encounter

Her decision to involve the police, however, became one she would regret later.

On getting to the Abesan Police Station, under the Area P Police Command, she complained to the beer seller and wrote down a statement about the incident.

The police said I should bring the Trophy bottle and I explained to them that it is not with me and that the people that have (them) want to take it to NAFDAC, Mrs Okafor said.

The police insisted that Mrs Okafor bring the bottle as evidence. So she pleaded with one of her guests, who had the bottle, to release it so she could show the police.

She showed the police and they invited the beer seller for questioning. A few days later, the police invited both parties again, and they reportedly offered Mrs Okafor money to forget about the incident.

I told them I cannot collect the money because I am not even the one affected by the beer. And other people, my friends and their husbands should be there.

PREMIUM TIMES was unable to hear the beer sellers accounts of events. Phone calls and messages sent to her were not answered.

Mrs Okafor said after turning down the offer, she asked the police for the beer bottle so she could return it to those taking it for NAFDAC examination.

The police refused to give me the bottle, they kept saying they are investigating the bottle. I was going there repeatedly and they kept dragging the case.

I told the police that all I went there for is for them to help me warn the beer seller to stop abusing and harassing me and not to investigate the bottle. They did not listen, they said they want to keep the bottle as evidence.

While I was dragging with the police, they said they were going to lock me up, so I now reported them to the area commander, she said.

After reporting to the Area Commander, she said she was informed that the senior police officer had requested to see her on April 12, 2018.

I went to the Area commander the day they gave me to come, she said. I explained to him that the policemen told me the bottles were exhibits and under investigation. The Area Commander asked me what do I want to do with the bottle, that the bottle is evidence, it is an exhibit.

Mrs Okafor said while she was explaining that she needed to return the bottles for the NAFDAC examination, the Area Commander ordered the police officers to bring the bottle to his office.

When they bring (brought) the bottle, they put it on the Area Commanders table. So as I just hold the bottle to look at it because it was like they have opened the bottle, the Area Commander said: Why did I touch the bottle?

The Area Commander said they should arrest me; arrest this woman, I was looking at my back, that who is the woman? The next thing is they say I should get up; Get up madam, you are very stupid.

I said what did I do, they just slapped me in my face, I was like what is going on? The next thing I saw was that they pushed me out of the Area Commanders office, they pushed me to the counter where they said I should write a statement. I said I dont know the statement I will write, they said I was playing with fire. I was surprised.

From police to prison

Mrs Okafor said she was pushed behind the counter at the area command, and told she was being detained.

I took my phone to call one of my brothers, they collected that phone from me. I said why, what did I do? Am I a slave? In fact, a lady officer on the counter said she does not want to hear me that it is me and the Area Commander and the instruction is to lock me.

I burst into tears. Before I know it, they said I cannot sleep behind the counter at night, they took me to a cell, I was sweating, they did not allow me to call anyone, said Mrs Okafor.

The following day, Mrs Okafor said she was brought out of the cell, given her personal belongings, and told to enter a waiting vehicle. She thought she was going home but, instead, they drove to the court.

Before I know, I met myself in the court, what did I do? Many lawyers in the court surrounded me asking madam can we be your lawyer? I just burst into tears, I said I dont know what I did.

Mrs Okafor said she narrated her ordeal to a lawyer who charged her N30,000. I told the lawyer I only had N2,000 on me and that the police did not give me my phone to call my people.

Mrs Okafor said the lawyer collected her phone from the police and she pleaded with him to help her out of the situation.

She was later arraigned on a six-count charge at Ogba Magistrate Court, before Samuel Ilori, the magistrate.

In a copy of the charge sheet obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, Mrs Okafor was charged with:

i. Felony to wit destruction of the exhibit,

ii. Constituting nuisance by forcefully and unlawfully seizing a bottle of Trophy lager beer an exhibit under investigation just to cause inconvenience in the ongoing investigation,

iii. Stealing a bottle of Trophy lager beer, an exhibit under investigation with the intent to divert the attention of the investigators,

iv. Giving a false statement and declaration that a friend was hospitalised as a result of consumption of Trophy Lager beer,

v. Disrupting an interview conducted by the Area P Commander over a case she reported,

vi. Disobedience to a lawful order by refusing to make a statement on allegations levelled against her.

The charge sheet on which the victim was charged to court. The charge sheet on which the victim was charged to court.

The defendant pleaded not guilty and was granted bail by the magistrate. But she was immediately unable to meet her bail conditions.

Before my people come, they said I should enter Black Maria and that Im going to prison, for what I did not do, Mrs Okafor recalled.

That was how I went to prison. Oh, it was a terrible day. I got to prison, my experience is nothing that I can explain in my life, it is not something that I can tell my generation. I suffered in that place.

Mrs Okafor told PREMIUM TIMES that it took her a month before she was released from prison and that her family spent over N100,000 to secure her bail.

Mrs Okafor said upon her release from custody, the area commander told the prosecutor to ask her whether she was still interested in the case.

However, during the next three court hearings, the police, the prosecution, were absent. As a result, the magistrate struck out the case.

Accuser becomes accused

Mrs Okafor had earlier approached Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), a non-governmental organisation that investigates police abuse of powers and breach of human rights, for assistance.

Okechukwu Nwanguma, the Executive Director of RULAAC, described the matter as a case of the accuser becoming the accused.

He said the assault on the woman by police officers is unprofessional, unethical and condemnable and that it happened in the presence of the Area Commander is worrisome.

From all indications, going by the womans account, it seems like the police compromised and twisted the case against the woman who was the complainant. The only likely reason for this action by the police would be that the accused persons are influential.

Mr Nwanguma said the seller of the drinks, could have paid the police to intimidate the complainant.

They twisted the case, turned the complainant into the accused and charged her maliciously to intimidate her. This is a corrupt practice that should be investigated to ensure that those found responsible are brought to account while the victim is compensated for the violation of her rights, he said.

Alleged aggressor responds

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Abdulsalam Alade, the then Commander of Area P Command, about the incident, he said he couldnt remember the case.

But let me ask you if she brought the bottle by herself to the police and for touching the bottle in my office, she was now arrested, and detained for touching the bottle, is that logical? Mr Alade asked.

When told that one of the charges levelled by the police against the alleged victim was that she stole the bottle, Mr Alade, who is now a Deputy Commissioner of Police in Abuja, insisted the story does not make sense.

I dont even remember the case, there are a lot of cases, a lot. I was the head of Area P then when I was there, so there were a lot of cases handled by the IPOs and charged to court.

Once a case is charged to court, it is no longer within the realm of the police, it is now with the judiciary. It is for the judiciary to determine the right or wrong of the case.

If she needs anything, let her go to the court and sort herself out. It is not a case that ended with the police that we would have said the police compromised it and others, a lot of allegations can be raised, Mr Alade said.

The senior officer also told this reporter to warn Mrs Okafor to stop mentioning his name.

Let her continue publishing it, maybe she wants to get from the #EndSARS fund of the Lagos State government or federal government; she is targeting it. Let her look for somewhere else to extort money from the government, not using my name.

Meanwhile, while she was in custody, Mrs Okafors shop at the Oke-Odo Market, where she sold food spices, was among the structures demolished when the government wanted to renovate the market.

She said she wants to try her hands at politics, but adds that her brief stay in prison has continued to haunt her.

Since that time (in prison), people have been calling me ex-convict and it always brings sadness to me, she said.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.

3 1 of 3 Waterbury Police / Contributed Photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Opelika Police / Contributed Photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3





SOUTHINGTON  A man wanted in connection with an Alabama homicide was taken into custody this week at a Southington hotel by local and federal authorities.

The U.S. Marshals Service on Friday announced the arrest of John Robert Thomas III, 40, in connection with a shooting in Alabama on Feb. 18.
(Natural News) Microsoft has teamed up with a number of tech and media companies to create a system of tracing content around the internet that could destroy online privacy and anonymity, radically transforming the nature of the web.

(Article by Allum Bokhari republished from Breitbart.com)

Against stiff competition, the alliance of tech and media giants has devised a plan that may constitute Big Techs most brazen power-grab yet.

According to Microsofts press release, it has partnered with several other organizations to form the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA).

Put simply, the purpose of this organization is to devise a system whereby all content on the internet can be traced back to its author.

The press release states that it will develop these specifications for common asset types and formats, meaning videos, documents, audio, and images.

Whether its a meme, an audio remix, or a written article, the goal is to ensure that when content reaches the internet, it will come attached with a set of signals allowing its provenance  meaning authorship  can be detected.

Consider the companies that have signed on to this initiative. Leading the pack is Microsoft, which operates Word, Paint, Notepad, Edge, and the Office Suite. If you create a .doc or a .jpg, a Microsoft service is probably involved in some capacity.

Then theres Adobe, the company behind Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, and Premiere Pro, as well as several other market-leading applications for publishing photos, videos, and documents.

Theres also Truepic, a company that has developed technology to track the provenance of photos from the very moment they are captured on a smartphone.

Finally, theres Intel, which dominates the market in laptop and desktop central processing units (CPUs). The CPU is responsible for processing virtually all information on computers. Whether youre typing a sentence or taking a screenshot, its the CPU that is processing that data.

Accessing the CPU is the ultimate form of digital surveillance. Even if youre disconnected from the internet, the CPU still sees what your computer is doing.

The combination of these forces creates the potential to track and de-anonymize information from the moment it is created on a computer. Signals could be attached to information to ensure it is censored and suppressed wherever it travels online. Even if someone else is sharing the information, it could be suppressed simply because of its point of origin. And, of course, the signals could be used to identify the creators of dissident content.

Nowhere in Microsofts press release is there any indication that these are not the ultimate goals.

And, in fact, the press release gives several indications that these are precisely the ultimate goals.

According to Microsoft, the coalition was created for a single purpose: to stop the spread of disinformation  which, in modern establishment journo-speak, means information that challenges establishment narratives. Disinformation, based on how the word is used today, might as well be called dissident information.

According to Microsofts press release, the coalition has been established to address the prevalence of disinformation, misinformation and online content fraud through developing technical standards for certifying the source and history or provenance of media content.

Naturally, the mainstream media, which is most threatened by dissident information, is heavily involved. The precursor to this coalition, Project Origin, included the New York Times, the BBC, CBC, and Radio Canada.

Project Origins mission statement declares:

Misinformation is a growing threat to the integrity of the information eco-system. Having a provable source of origin for media, and knowing that it has not been tampered with en-route, will help to maintain confidence in news from trusted providers.

The goal has been stated up front. The establishment media wants to trace the origin of all digital content so that trusted providers can be distinguished from non-trusted providers.

We all know what this means by now. The difference is that instead of doing it via the censorship of online social media platforms and search engines, they are now going to do it at the level of offline software and hardware, most likely down to the most fundamental unit of computer hardware  the CPU.

In other words, there will be nowhere to hide.

Even the brazen behavior of Facebook, Twitter, and Google over the past year  the election interference, the censorship of a President, the mass-censorship of grassroots political movements  pales in comparison to this.

This is Big Techs most dangerous plan yet.

Breitbart News has reached out to Microsoft for comment.

Read more at: Breitbart.com and BigTech.news.
ROME, N.Y.  The Rome Health Board of Trustees has named AnneMarie Walker-Czyz as the new president and CEO, effective March 1.

Walker-Czyz has served as a consultant to the senior leadership team since last September.

With her demonstrated leadership, we are pleased that she has accepted her new role as President and CEO. She has a proven track record for building strong teams to advance patient-centered care and deliver strong business results, said Dr. Ankur Desai, president of the board.

Walker-Czyz worked at Rome Health's affiliate, St. Josephs Health, for more than 20 years. She served in various roles, including chief nursing officer, vice president of clinical and educational services and chief operating officer.

"I am honored to have been selected for the role of president and CEO of Rome Health," said Walker-Czyz. "Building on its rich history, the hospital has transformed into a comprehensive health system. I am very pleased to be part of Rome Healths future as we welcome new providers and introduce new services for the health and well-being of our community."

Walker-Czyz says she will continue support the partnership between Rome Health and St. Josephs Health allow the hospitals to better serve the community.

Former CEO of Rome Health, Mark Murphy, will return to St. Josephs Health as vice president and chief strategy officer, and will continue to be a liaison between the two health systems.
U.S. President Joe Biden says the air strike against an Iranian-backed militia in eastern Syria should be seen by Tehran as a warning against any further aggressive actions.

"You can't act with impunity," he told reporters on February 26 when asked what the message was from the air strikes announced a day earlier.

"Be careful," he added during a stop in Houston as part of a tour to inspect relief efforts in the storm-ravaged state of Texas.

The U.S. Defense Department on February 25 announced the air strikes in response to rocket attacks earlier this month on an Iraqi base housing U.S. and coalition troops, saying they sent "an unambiguous message [that] President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel."

The Pentagon said two F-15E warplanes dropped seven precision-guided munitions on sites in eastern Syria used by the militias believed to be behind the rocket attacks on U.S. and other troops.

The Pentagon said the strikes, the first military action undertaken by Biden's administration since he was sworn into office last month, hit "multiple facilities" at a control point on the Syria-Iraq border used by several Iranian-backed militias, including the Iraqi Shi'ite groups Kataib Hizballah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada.

"This location is known to facilitate Iranian-aligned militia group activity," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said, describing the site as a "compound" that had previously been used by the Islamic State (IS) group when it controlled the area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said 17 members of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) were killed after the strike hit three trucks loaded with munitions coming from Iraq.

The PMU is an umbrella paramilitary force composed of a number of mostly Shi'ite Iraqi militia groups.

Tehran condemned the attack, saying it would further destabilize the region. The Foreign Ministry called the action "illegal attacks" in "clear violation of human rights and international law."

Damascus labeled it "cowardly American aggression."

"It is a bad sign regarding the policies of the new U.S. administration which should adhere to international [norms]," the Syrian Foreign Ministry said.

Russia, a key Syrian ally, also condemned the attack, saying its troops stationed in Syria were given little advanced warning.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the action called into question the U.S. administration's plans in Syria. "It is very important for us to understand the United States' strategic line on the ground," he said.

Kirby responded to Lavrov's criticism that Moscow had been notified just a few minutes before the U.S. attack.

"We did what we believe was the proper amount of notification for this," he said. "It shouldn't come as a shock to anybody that we're going to do what we have to do to notify, but we're also going to do what we have to do to protect our forces."

Along with Russia, Iran has provided crucial military support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during Syria's civil war, which began with a crackdown on anti-government protesters in March 2011. More than 400,000 people have since been killed and millions displaced.

The U.S. military has also been active in Syria in support of a coalition of Syrian Arab and Kurdish opponents of Assad.

The strikes came after three recent rocket attacks. A February 15 rocket salvo on a military base at Irbil International Airport in the capital in Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdistan region killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops.

Another rocket attack on a base hosting U.S. forces north of Baghdad days later hurt at least one contractor. Yet another rocket barrage targeted the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad earlier this week.

A little-known Shi'ite militant group calling itself the Guardians of Blood Brigade claimed responsibility for the attack in Irbil. Some experts say Kataib Hizballah has used separate militant cells as a cover to absolve itself of responsibility for attacks on U.S. forces.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
More than 850 cows that have spent months aboard a ship have suffered hellish conditions and should be euthanised, according to a confidential Spanish government report.

The Karim Allah ship has been wandering through the Mediterranean for over two months and finally docked at the Spanish port of Cartagena on Thursday after struggling to find a buyer for its cattle.

A vets' report seen by the news agency Reuters said the animals had suffered from the lengthy journey, leaving many unwell and not fit for transport outside of the European Union, nor should they be allowed in the EU.

Euthanasia would be the best solution for their health and welfare, it said.

The cows have been refused entry into several countries over fears they had bovine bluetongue virus.

The insect-borne virus causes lameness and haemorrhaging among cattle but does not affect humans. The report did not say if the cattle had bluetongue disease.

The Agriculture Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It said on Friday that it would take appropriate decisions after analysing information from the inspection.

Miquel Masramon, a lawyer representing the ship owner, Talia Shipping Line, said the animals were privately tested for bluetongue but samples were impounded by authorities late on Thursday. The ship is registered in Lebanon, according to VesselFinder.

The vessel left Cartagena to deliver the cattle to Turkey but authorities there blocked the shipment and suspended live animal imports from Spain, fearing bluetongue infection.

That rejection turned the ship into an international pariah. Several countries refused it entry even to replenish animal feed and forcing the cows to go several days with just water.

The cows likely have severe health problems after their "hellish" crossing, said animal rights activist Silvia Barquero, director of the Igualdad Animal NGO.

"What has happened to the waste produced by all these animals for two months? We are sure they are in unacceptable sanitary conditions," Ms Barquero told Reuters.

The Agriculture Ministry's experts estimated there were 864 animals alive on board.

Twenty-two cows died at sea, with two corpses still aboard. The remains of the others that died were chopped up and thrown overboard during the journey, the report said.

The exporter, World Trade, said it is not responsible because it sold the animals, Mr Masramon said, leaving ownership unclear.
Out there Greenwich Library is featuring a special virtual event called A Wickedly Good Evening: Two Actresses from Wicked at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 4. Participants will get to meet and hear from actresses who have performed in leading roles in the touring companies of Wicked  Jillian Butler, who played Glinda, and Talia Suskauer, who played Elphaba. They will share backstage stories and insights as well as their experiences performing these iconic, female-leading roles. Bring your own questions for the Q&A session. Each actress will also perform a musical selection from Wicked. For more info and to participate, go to www.greenwichlibrary.org.

Out there The Town of Greenwich granted an official proclamation declaring Feb. 26, 2021, as Rare Disease Awareness Day, with a presentation by First Selectman Fred Camillo at Greenwich Town Hall. It was followed by a free public webinar featuring local rare disease foundations. Camillo presented the proclamation to Greenwich resident John Hopper, president of the Greenwich-based Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation. His foundation represented the over 7,000 known rare diseases struggling to amplify the critical message of awareness this year. Camillo noted that Rare Disease Awareness Day is personal for his family because he lost his sister Donna Marie to a rare form of pediatric leukemia. Webinar speakers and participants included Lesley Bennett, state ambassador for the Rare Action Network of the National Organization of Rare Disorders; Dr. Stephanie R. Paulmeno, public health promotion specialist for the Greenwich Department of Health; Mark Carles, FCF patient advocate; Phil Marella, of the Danas Angels Research Trust (DART); Taruna Reddy, who spoke about PACS1 Syndrome; Emily Kubik, who spoke on EB research; Alan Gunzburg, of the First Selectmans Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities; Allyson Buck, from the VWM Family Foundation; and Gregg Pauletti, of the Golden Lights Foundation. Rare Disease Awareness Day is celebrated across the globe during the last week in February. For more info, visit www.rarediseases.org.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Nasara Coordinator aspirant, Alhaji Ali Suraj has pleaded with Ghanaians especially the Muslim and the Christian community to avoid anything that will bring calamity to the country.



According to him, it will be very dangerous for the country especially the religious denominations whose doctrines promote a man and a woman marriage to be entertaining same-sex marriage.



Sharing his thought with Peacefmonline.com, Alhaji Ali Suraj encouraged the Muslims and the Christians to stick to what the Quran and Bible teach about marriage as going contrary to the religious teachings will have dire consequences on the country.



My religion has taught me that the only way to get married is through a man and a woman. This is what my Muslim religion has taught meboth Muslims and Christians should stick to what the Quran and the Bible teach about marriage because anything that the Quran and the Bible have not taught you, I have this belief that if you do it, it will end in calamity, he cautioned.



He, however, pleaded with Ghanaians to come out to support the nation-building in a manner that will be beneficiary to everyone. He added that some women are finding it difficult to get husbands already even when homosexuality has not officially been acknowledged in the country.



He insisted that entertaining the activities of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) in the country will spell doom; thus the nation should be careful of how to deal with this issue in a manner that will continue to put the nation as one.



We should come together as one nation and stay away from this abomination. Look at the pandemic we are dealing with as a nation; we are not over this abominable Covid-19 and we are thinking of entertaining homosexuality in the country, he advised.



We are praying to God to help us come out of this Covid-19 pandemic; we dont know what will come after this one and so I am pleading to all Ghanaians to stay away from this homosexuality, he cautioned.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com









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

Featured Video
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A coronavirus (COVID-19) update and presentations about a new Staten Island bike share program and a sober active community are all on the agenda for Community Board 3 this week.

On Tuesday, March 2, Thomas D. Shanahan, the New York City director of The Phoenix, a sober active community that supports people all over the country, will address the Community Alliance and Health and Human Services committees.

Also, Dr. Ginny Mantello, director of health and wellness for the office of the borough president, will give an update on the pandemic and vaccine eligibility, supply and distribution for Staten Island residents.

On Wednesday, March 3, a representative from Beryl Bikes will speak about the bike share program scheduled to start in March with 160 docking bays and 350 bikes on the North and East shores. The program will expand to the Mid-Island and South Shore in 2022.

All Community Board 3 meetings are held virtually at 7 p.m. Attendees must register by 9 a.m. on the day of the meeting. An email with a link to join the meeting will be sent on the day of the meeting. To register, visit www.nyc.gov/sicb3.

Community Board 2

Community Board 2 will hold a Virtual Land Use Public Hearing at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2.

At the meeting, Adam Rothkrug will appeal the borough commissioners decision to prevent construction at 3869 Victory Blvd.

Additionally, the board will consider an application to develop at 380 Ocean Terrace on a Tier II site with modification of botanic environments. The application seeks approval for private roads and driveways to facilitate re-development of a single-family residence with a built-in garage, a detached garage and accessory swimming pool and cabana areas at the rear of the house.

The public must fill out the Webinar Registration Form on CB2si.com no later than 10 a.m. on March 2 to receive the link to join the meeting.

Community Board 1

Several building applications will be discussed on Wednesday, March 3, during a 6:30 p.m. Community Board 1 Land Use Public Hearing.

On the table will be a proposal for a single-family home at 235 Oder Ave. in the bed of a mapped street. Also on the agenda is a Department of City Planning application for the development of three homes on a steep slope at 680-684 Van Duzer St., and a Board of Standards and Appeals application concerning the construction of a detached home at 250 Westervelt Ave.

To participate in the meeting, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/i/81740136842. The meeting ID is 81740136842.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

All Community Board meetings and meetings of their committees are open to the public. They provide an excellent opportunity for residents to learn about happenings in their neighborhoods and surrounding areas.

Below is more information about the Islands three Community Boards:

COMMUNITY BOARD 1

Arlington  Castleton Corners  Clifton  Concord  Elm Park  Fort Wadsworth  Graniteville  Grymes Hill  Livingston  Mariners Harbor  New Brighton  Port Richmond  Randall Manor  Rosebank  St. George  Shore Acres  Silver Lake  Stapleton  Sunnyside  Tompkinsville  West Brighton  Westerleigh

The district manager is Joseph Carroll. The Board chairman is Nicholas Siclari. The telephone number is 718-981-6900.

COMMUNITY BOARD 2

Arrochar  Bloomfield  Bulls Head  Chelsea  Dongan Hills  Egbertville  Emerson Hill  Grant City  Grasmere  High Rock  Lighthouse Hill  Midland Beach  New Dorp  New Springville  Oakwood  Ocean Breeze  Old Town  Richmond  South Beach  Todt Hill  Travis.

The phone number is 718-568-3581. The fax number 718-568-3595. The chairman is Robert J. Collegio, P.E. The district manager is Debra A. Derrico.

COMMUNITY BOARD 3

Annadale  Arden Heights  Bay Terrace  Charleston  Eltingville  Great Kills  Greenridge  Huguenot  New Dorp  Oakwood  Pleasant Plains  Princes Bay  Richmond Valley -- Richmond -- Rossville -- Tottenville -- Woodrow.

The office phone number is 718-356-7900. The Board chairman is Frank Morano; the district manager is Charlene Wagner.
Michigan Republicans Seek Probe of Whitmers Nursing Home Policies

Republican state legislators in Michigan are calling for an investigation over Gov. Gretchen Whitmers role in CCP virus-related deaths among nursing home residents.

Whitmer, a Democrat, issued an executive order (pdf) in April 2020 to designate 21 nursing homes as regional hubs, which were expected to provide care for both seniors recovering from the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus and those who didnt have the virus. According to the order, the hubs were chosen based on their capability to house patients who had tested both positive and negative for the virus in properly separated units or buildings.

In separate letters (pdf) sent to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and the U.S. Department of Justice on Feb. 24, a group of eight Republican lawmakers called for a full investigation into Whitmers handling of long-term care patients during the pandemic, arguing that her regional hub policy resulted in deaths that could have been avoided.

Gov. Whitmers regional hub policy placed patients with and without COVID-19 in the same facilities and may have exacerbated the death toll in those facilities, the letter states, noting that moving residents around the state between facilities and hospitals may have significantly increased exposure of those seniors to the virus.

The lawmakers also highlighted the discrepancies in how CCP virus infections and deaths were reported by the nursing homes. They said that when a patient was transferred to a hospital and received a positive test result there, some nursing home facilities added that to their numbers, while others didnt. They suspected that similar discrepancies might have also occurred in the reporting of deaths after transfer.

Specifically, the lawmakers want to investigate the processes and policies that may have contributed to the spread of the virus among Michigans nursing home residents, the accuracy of the data reported by the governors office, and how well the state complied with federal health guidelines and the Freedom of Information Act.

In August 2020, the Justice Department requested governors of states which had issued COVID-19 orders that may have resulted in deaths of elderly nursing home residents, namely Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, to turn over data on deaths in those long-term care facilities. Whitmer, joined by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, pushed back against those inquiries, arguing that they were but a nakedly partisan deflection targeting states run by Democrats.

The fact that this letter was sent during the middle of the Republican National Convention week to four Democratic governors should make it crystal clear that this is nothing more than election-year politics by an administration that is more concerned with the presidents reelection campaign than protecting Michigan seniors, Whitmer said at the time.
GREENVILLE  It's been just under four years since the city of Greenville's transit system began its push in earnest for more money to upgrade its underfunded bus system.

More days of service. More frequency. A more environmentally friendly fleet.

Now, those goals are being met, or soon will be, an accomplishment Mayor Knox White said was almost unthinkable five years ago. That's when the Piedmont Health Foundation conducted a study that found the city-operated bus system, Greenlink, was one of the most underfunded systems in the South.

In the time since, Greenlink's budget has risen from $5.2 million to $7.8 million this year, owed to increases in funding from both the city and the county.

In January, the bus system implemented the first major stage of the goals set out in a 2018 transit development plan that envisions how service will be provided through 2024: extending service hours during the week by four hours, Greenlink director James Keel said.

Previously, Greenlink's service operated such that a user could get to a first shift job with service on the system's 12 fixed routes beginning at 5:30 a.m.  but the prospect of getting back the same way was tricky with service ending at 7:30 p.m.

Now, weekday times have been extended to 11:30 p.m. It's too early to tell how the extended times have affected bus ridership after one month because there is no comparison point, Keel said.

Next up is extending service on Saturdays to 11:30 p.m., from the current 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. schedule. The city is hiring more bus drivers, Keel said.

It is our intention to expand that and make it Saturday service sometime this year," he said. "We've just got to get enough people on board in order to have enough drivers to fill those seats.

Sign up for our Greenville weekly update newsletter. Sign up for weekly roundups of our top stories, news and culture from the Upstate. This newsletter is hand-curated by a member of our Greenville news staff. Email

Sign Up!

In a drastic change from five years ago when buses leaked "like a sieve," Keel said he currently has no buses broken or in need of a major overhaul.

The funding has also made possible a game-changer for the system: a new maintenance facility. The city and the county last year split the difference of $3 million to leverage a federal grant to construct a new, $13.75 million maintenance facility off Worley Road between Rutherford Road and North Pleasantburg Drive.

Greenlink is in talks with the nearby New Washington Heights community over the location of the facility. The community was shut out from public input when the county donated the land, after signs over the years that a park might be built. The maintenance facility will be crucial to a number of goals, but likely won't be finished any earlier than 2023 and possibly into 2024, he said.

Today, the bus system operates out of a small, former beer warehouse on prime real estate next to the Greenville Drive's Fluor Field in the West End. The land is being marketed.

The next major step has long been the fundamental flaw to Greenlink's effectiveness: increasing the frequency of routes. Now, bus routes circulate every hour. The plan is to create 30-minute intervals. The capital investment is in place, but operating costs are not, which means there will need to be more funding from the city and county.

Another shortcoming is no Sunday service. The plan is to address that after frequencies are improved. More funding and drivers will be needed. Greenlink will also look to create new routes.

The maintenance facility will pave the way for more electric buses, which are manufactured locally by Proterra. The city already has $5.3 million in place for six buses, Keel said.

These buses wont be delivered until the maintenance facility is completed," he said, "but in the next couple of years, you will see six more Proterra vehicles running around in Greenville.

Going forward, the city won't buy any more diesel vehicles, Keel said. If an electric bus isn't an option, the city will look to use buses fueled by compressed natural gas.
Disposable plastic straws, cutlery and containers will soon be banned in Victoria in a state government crackdown on single-use plastics.

Victorian Health Minister Lily D'Ambrosio on Saturday announced specific single-use plastic items would be phased out and banned by 2023.

Plastic straws, drink stirrers, plates and polystyrene containers and cups are in the firing line.

Cotton buds with plastic sticks will also be prohibited.

The move follows the lead of the South Australian government - which will ban disposable plastics like straws and drink stirrers from March 1 after new legislation was passed last year.

Disposable plastic straws, cutlery and containers will soon be banned in Victoria in a state government crackdown on single-use plastics (stock image)

Each Victorian on average sends about 68 kilograms of plastic to landfill each year (pictured)

With each Victorian on average sending about 68 kilograms of plastic to landfill each year, banning the items was a good place to start, Ms D'Ambrosio said.

'Single-use plastic items - like straws and plastic cups - make up about one third of Victoria's litter,' she said.

'We need to change this, so we're getting rid of them.'

Suitable, sustainable alternatives are readily available and already commonly used, she added.

The ban will not include medical or scientific equipment, and exemptions will apply for emergency, disability and aged care services that require them.

The government has not decided if businesses will be able to access financial support to make the transition, nor if penalties will apply.

'The transition process will include full consultation about how ... we make sure that these items cease to be supplied and sold in Victoria,' she said.

'We've got almost two years to get this done and get it right.'

Specific single use plastic items will be phased out and banned across Victoria by 2023 (pictured: shopper holding plastic bag)

The government has not decided if businesses will be able to access financial support to make the transition, nor if penalties will apply (pictured: stock image of plastic cup and straw)

A regulatory impact statement will be conducted, addressing the cost to businesses and the availability of products needed to comply with the ban.

Despite the cost, Ms D'Ambrosio says Victorians want the change.

'There is a willingness there across individuals, families, businesses and the broader community to get this done,' she said.

Government will lead the way, she said, by phasing the items out of their own systems within a year.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday said his country is ready for talks to resolve all outstanding issues, but asked India to create an "enabling environment" for further progress.

Fresh from a visit to Sri Lanka, Khan welcomed the restoration of ceasefire along the Line of Control on cross-border firing.

"I welcome restoration of the ceasefire along the LoC. The onus of creating an enabling environment for further progress rests with India," he tweeted.

"We have always stood for peace & remain ready to move forward to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue," Khan said in another tweet.

India this week allowed the Pakistan prime minister's aircraft to take the country's airspace to go to Sri Lanka.

Khan's statement follows Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa's call for resolving Kashmir issue "peacefully" earlier this month.

Khan, however, repeated the old demand that "India must take necessary steps to meet the long-standing demand & right of the Kashmiri people to self determination according to UNSC resolutions."

UNI SRJ SHK1833
After three years leading the nations largest school system, New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza announced his resignation on Friday. The New York Times reported that Carranza had drafted a resignation letter this month following a heated debate with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio over the future of the citys Gifted & Talented programs. But Carranza, who is leaving in the middle of the school year and says he doesnt have another job lined up, said his stepping down shouldnt be seen as a protest against de Blasio. Rather, hed lost many close friends and family members to COVID-19 in the past year. Im leaving because I need to take care of me, Carranza said at a press conference Friday. I need time to grieve. And this city, this school system deserves a chancellor who 100% is taking up the helm and leading the charge to bring everybody back in September.

Carranza will be replaced by Meisha Porter, whos currently the executive superintendent for the Bronx.

Carranzas three years were by no means easy, as he dealt with the coronavirus pandemic as well as increasing pressure to integrate the racially segregated school system. The difficulty of that ongoing battle led City & State to  only half-jokingly  name him one of New Yorks most politically powerless people. Here are some of the defining moments of Carranzas tenure.

March 2018: Carranza gets the job

Carranza was, quite publicly, not de Blasios first choice, following the retirement of his first-term schools chancellor Carmen Farina. The city had first asked Miamis top educator, Alberto Carvalho, who turned down the job in a dramatic hearing carried live on TV. So while every schools chancellor gets put under the microscope, Carranza accepted the job with even more scrutiny than usual  and it didnt help that he was an outsider, who never worked in New York, and hadnt appeared on many folks shortlists. But de Blasios City Hall emphasized that Carranza, who had previously led school systems in Houston and San Francisco, was up for the job.

June 2018: De Blasio proposes eliminating the SHSAT

Early in Carranzas tenure, de Blasio announced a long-awaited proposal to eliminate the Specialized High School Admissions Test, or SHSAT, that is the sole criterion for admission to some of the citys most prestigious high schools. Critics of the test say it disadvantages Black and Latino students and keeps them out of the citys best schools. Carranza stood by de Blasio, and also talked about school segregation more broadly  an issue that would come to define his time as schools chancellor. But integration isnt easy, and many parents and advocates prefer the status quo for a variety of reasons. Nearly three years later, nothing about the specialized high school admissions process has changed.

June 2019: Graduation rates continue to rise

The schools chancellor has a massive portfolio, but to many observers, the most important thing is graduation rates. So despite the controversies over everything from school integration to chocolate milk Carranza was able to stay in his job in part because high school graduation rates rose in his first full year, 2019, and again in his second.

March 2020: School goes remote

When the citys school system faced one of its biggest challenges in history, Carranza was at the helm. Facing the global coronavirus pandemic, public school got called off completely for just a week  then class resumed, virtually, on Monday, March 23. The transition was bumpy, as hundreds of thousands of students lacked the resources to join in. And among many other challenges, the moves to remote learning, then part-time blended learning, and back again has raised concerns of racial disparities in the school system.

Sept. 2020: Principals cast vote of no confidence in Carranza

New York City officials had all summer to decide what public education would look like in the fall. They didnt. And students, teachers, guardians and more were all left confused and wondering whether schools would reopen, and how. The city delayed in-person learning in September, then delayed it again and the tension, among other ongoing issues, led to the principals unions unanimous vote of no confidence in Carranza and de Blasio. Things have calmed down significantly since then, and while criticism has continued over specific issues, de Blasio and Carranza have received praise for their efforts to keep schools open and kids learning in-person.
A car crashed into Montgomery County Constable deputies as they were making a traffic stop.

The deputies were stopped at US Highway 59 at East River Drive when a car crashed into one of the patrol cars early Saturday. The patrol car lurched forward, hitting two other patrol cars and the vehicle the deputies had stopped.

The deputies and a police dog are being treated for minor injuries, and the person who was stopped is being treated for more severe injuries.

The driver who hit the patrol car was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence and intoxicated assault.
Yves here. It appears that the Biden Administration, even in taking what would seem to be a modest step, curtailing new energy leases on Federal lands, is trying to do some things via executive authority that actually require legislation.

By Julianne Geiger, a veteran editor, writer and researcher for Oilprice.com. Originally published at OilPrice

Reeling from the effects of the pandemic, the oil industry is in no mood to fool around. When newly inaugurated President Joe Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline project, refiners on the Gulf Coast shuddered. How would they get the Canadian oil they needed? But when President Biden paused all oil and gas permitting on federal lands and waters and canceled lease sales, struggling oil and gas companies took the gloves off and prepared for a fight.

At stake is the industrys very survival.

One recently announced fight involves Continental Resources, an Oklahoma-based exploration and production company that relies on permits to allow it to conduct its normal business. But in January, on the day President Biden was inaugurated, the Department of the Interior clamped downon President Bidens directionon approving permits for oil and gas exploration on federal lands and in federal waters. It did this not by banning permits outright but by limiting which Interior employees could approve permits. The number of employees to approve permits has dwindled significantly to a total of nine, limited to leadership only. It is an effective suspension of the permitting process, although not an outright suspension.

The suspension order, signed January 20, was to last for a period of sixty daysuntil March 21.

But according to Continental, the Department of the Interiors actions are unconstitutional, and on February 23, it filed a lawsuit in a U.S. District Court in North Dakota. The challenge, according to the 44-page lawsuit, is that by delaying 50 of Continentals permits, it has violated a provision in The Mineral Leasing Act, which spells out strict deadlines that the Department of the Interior must follow during the permitting review process.



In other words, the Act tells the DoI how much time they have to rule on permit applications, and this suspension has essentially stalled the permitting process.

But Continental isnt the only one on this warpath.

The Western Energy Alliance, just seven days after President Biden took office, filed a lawsuit challenging his order that banned oil and nat gas leasing on federal public lands. The WEA alleges that President Biden exceeded presidential authority and his order violates the National Environmental Policy Act, the Federal Lands Policy and Management Act, and much like Continentals lawsuit, it violates the Mineral Leasing Act, which requires the Interior Secretary to hold quarterly lease sales.

The WEA filed their suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyominga state that ranks first in federal natural gas production and third in oil. Wyoming also has more federal acres leased than any other state.

Bidens Keystone XL cancellation has also drawn the wrath of the oil and gas industry, with more than a dozen U.S. states considering a lawsuit against the federal government. The 830,000 barrel per day pipeline project has been stuck in regulatory muck for well over a decade prior to its cancellation.

States were quick to urge Biden to reconsider. But their pleas appeared to have fallen on deaf ears, citing energy security, lost jobs, and lost revenues.

In a letter from 14 Attorneys General, including Montanas Attorney General Austin Knudsen, the states threatened some type of vague legal action.

Please be aware that states are reviewing available legal options to protect our residents and sovereign interests. In the meantime, we urge you to reconsider your decision to impose crippling economic injuries on states, communities, families, and workers across the country.

In a departure from the rash of lawsuits, but no less striking, 24 Republican senators have banded together to support a bill in the U.S. Senate designed to stop the executive order that paused new oil and gas leasing on federal lands. The bill is known as Protecting our Wealth of Energy Resource Act (aka the POWER Act) of 2021 and would prohibit a President or Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture and Energy departments from blocking energy or mineral leasing and permitting on federal lands and waters without Congressional approval.

Despite the legal challenges, the new administrations policies show no signs of shifting. Interior Secretary nominee Deb Haalands testimony this week would not commit to ending Bidens suspension of oil and gas leasing. If confirmed, it is President Bidens agenda, not my own, that I would be moving forward, Haaland said, implying that Bidens green energy vision would be executed. The nominee went on to say, however, that the ban would not be a permanent thing.
Whats new: Chinese leaders are studying a detailed plan to raise the retirement age in response to an aging population, You Jun, a vice minister of human resources and social security, said (link in Chinese) at a Friday press conference in Beijing.

At the end of 2019, 18.1% of Chinas population (link in Chinese), or about 250 million people, were aged 60 or above, official data show. The number of people of advanced age is expected to exceed 300 million during the next five-year plan that will run through 2025, You said.

The number of people of working age in China  that is, those between 16 and 59 years old  has shrunk by an average of 3 million every year since 2012 and is expected to further decrease by 35 million during the next five years, You said.

The background: China has not changed its retirement age for decades. Current laws permit men to retire at 60 and women to retire at 55 or 50, depending on the nature of their employment.

Decades of economic development have increased life expectancy and sown concerns that the country is ill-prepared to look after its rapidly aging population.

At a key political meeting in October, top Chinese leaders proposed gradually raising the retirement age, but did not publicly disclose specific details.

Xu Zhong, a former head of the Peoples Bank of Chinas research bureau, wrote in a recent op-ed that the growing proportion of senior citizens in China is widening the countrys pensions gap and making it increasingly hard for the state to ensure it can finance people through their old age.

Related: Weekend Long Read: Why China Cant Put Off Pension Reform Any Longer

Opinion: Babies Wont Solve Northeast Chinas Population Crisis

Quick Takes are condensed versions of China-related stories for fast news you can use. To read the full Caixin article in Chinese, click here.

Contact reporter Tang Ziyi (ziyitang@caixin.com) and editor Matthew Walsh (matthewwalsh@caixin.com)

Support quality journalism in China. Subscribe to Caixin Global starting at $0.99.

Follow the Chinese markets in real time with Caixin Globals new stock database.
Fewer churches are holding in-person services than did last summer as pandemic wears on: poll

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A new Lifeway Research survey has found a significant decrease in in-person attendance among Protestant churches since last fall as nearly six times as many pastors say someone in their congregation has died of the coronavirus compared to last summer.

Seventy-six percent of United States Protestant pastors said their churches met in-person in January, which is down from 87% of churches meeting in-person in September.

The online survey is based on interviews with 430 U.S. Protestant pastors and was conducted between Feb. 1 and Feb. 11, with a margin of error of around 6 percentage points.

Lifeway Research Executive Director Scott McConnell told The Christian Post the level of in-person attendance in churches has fluctuated due to the pandemic's changing nature.

Its not a clean rebound of we closed when the nation shut down last spring and then reopened after that, McConnell said. It really is much like the pandemic itself, a bit of a roller coaster where churches are having to respond to this situation week to week.

As the pandemic has forced churches to innovate and adapt to reach spiritual needs in a new landscape of lockdowns, the new study shows just how deeply the pandemic has impacted in-person church attendance and church activities nearly a year after the initial mid-March lockdowns in the U.S.

Only 2% of U.S. Protestant pastors report growth in in-person attendance than from before the pandemic. Nearly a third (31%) of the pastors say church attendance is less than 50% of what it was last January.

However, 30% of pastors reported their churches attendance was between 70% to 100% of their attendance in January 2020.

Churches continue to evaluate when to meet in-person based on local conditions and cases within their congregation, McConnell said in a statement. Even when a church determines its safe to meet, their individual members will return on their own timetable.

With a winter spike in COVID-19 cases, pastors have seen an uptick in COVID-19 diagnoses in their own churches and are learning to shepherd those suffering from the sickness or grieving from a loss.

In February 2021, over 88% of pastors said their church had attendees diagnosed with COVID-19, compared to only 28% in July 2020. Now, 29% of pastors say their churches have lost an attendee to the virus, compared to only 5% who said the same when surveyed last summer.

Despite this, McConnell said churches are still rising to meet needs and that the core activities and mission of individual churches will continue.

Churches have not stopped serving each other, and they have not stopped serving in their community, he said. Theyve continued to press forward with meeting tangible needs but also checking in on each other relationally, even if it is over the phone or over Zoom.

The digital landscape has also provided opportunities to reach more people outside of the church. The study reported 88% of pastors said they saw new people attend or connect with their church online since the onset of the pandemic.

Small groups, youth and childrens ministries have also shifted drastically. Pastors report over 60% of church small groups are still meeting in some format, whether in-person or virtually, with about a third of small groups meeting in-person.

In nearly one-third of churches, youth activity is completely in-person, and childrens ministry is in-person for a quarter of the churches. Roughly four in five student ministries are still meeting in some way.

Over 50% of all youth and childrens ministry, however, has transitioned to either meeting in a completely virtual setting or not at all.

The churches are still being cautious, McConnell explained. Theyre still kind of working off a limited menu, so to speak, kind of like many of the restaurants that are open, and I think theres growing desire among church leaders as well as congregations to be increasing that menu.
IT WAS an unusual experience both for the garda on the counter in Henry Street and Limerick journalist, Hannah Quinn-Mulligan, who had a basket of antibiotics bought in Northern Ireland in her hands.

Gardai are more used to seizing drugs from people than people surrendering them which is exactly what Ms Quinn-Mulligan was doing.

The Farmers Journal reporter went to Henry Street following an excellent investigation by the newspaper into the sale of veterinary medicines, the Leader has learned from sources.

Ms Quinn-Mulligan travelled to Northern Ireland in early February where she purchased antibiotics over the counter. Of the 11 vet practices she visited, eight sold her antibiotics without proof of ID, a prescription or herd number. Ms Quinn-Mulligans accent  not only southern but south Limerick  appeared not to arouse suspicion.

In human terms, it is the same as going to a pharmacy and purchasing antibiotics without a prescription from your GP. Concerns have been expressed at the ease at which the veterinary medicines were dispensed for cash. And questions asked to how widespread this is and the implications for farming?

Sinn Fein spokesperson on Agriculture Matt Carthy said: The correct dispensing of anti-microbial products is crucial for human health as much as animal welfare.

He said, A full investigation is needed into rogue vet practices.

Ms Quinn-Mulligan was pictured entering Henry Street Garda Station on Saturday, February 13 with the antibiotics bought in Northern Ireland. A short time later she left, seen still in possession of the drugs. Many names will be familiar to farmers like Betamox and Oxytocin.

When contacted by the Limerick Leader, Ms Quinn-Mulligan declined to comment.

This newspaper then asked gardai if an investigation is being launched. A spokesperson said it is a matter for the Department of Agriculture.

A follow up query was sent to the Department of Agriculture asking if they were commenting on the Farmers Journal investigation and if they were responding to Deputy Carthys comments.

A spokesperson said the Department of Agriculture and Marine (DAFM) carries out investigations into allegations of breaches of legislation by veterinarians.

As part of Full Cross compliance inspections (around 1,400 farmers per year) DAFM carries out checks for record keeping by farmers (including animal remedies) under SMR 4 (food and feed hygiene) and SMR 13 (welfare of farm animals).

Under SMR 13 DAFM carry out checks on the animal remedies records. We check to ensure the farmer maintains such records for five years including details of veterinary products purchased, treatments administered to animals, the dates of treatment and the withdrawal period. Where we find non compliance sanctions may be applied. We can also check record keeping under SMR 4, said the spokesperson who gave examples.

In 2018, DAFM applied sanctions under SMR 13 on 26 herd owners for not maintaining their animal remedies records correctly.

In 2019, they applied sanctions under SMR 13 on 27 herd owners for not maintaining their animal remedies records correctly.

Where other divisions of DAFM establish non-compliance with animal remedies record keeping, it is cross reported to Direct Payments Area, concluded the spokesperson.

Sinn Feins Deputy Carthy said Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue must work with his northern counterpart to launch a full, all-Ireland, investigation into rogue veterinarian practices providing anti-microbial products in an improper manner.

A new European Regulation intended to combat anti-microbial resistance may well see all veterinary medicinal products require a veterinarian prescription from the beginning of next year in this state.

Over the past number of months the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee has heard from those in the Licensed Merchant sector as to how they fear for their businesses if this occurs.

Here we have genuine businesses being banned from plying their trade while at the same time it appears that a blind eye is being turned to rogue actors in the sector, said Deputy Carthy.

He continued: This disparages all those veterinarian practices that properly adhere to regulations and I commend those practices who refused to dispense to the journalists involved. The correct dispensing of anti-microbial products is crucial for human health as much as animal welfare.

Deputy Carthy said these revelations will come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the matter, however. For decades there has been a failure to tackle this head on, he said.

Last year Longford District Court issued an invitation to then Minister Creed to attend the court on this very issue.

In that case, one department veterinary surgeon described how tackling this was becoming more difficult due to departmental cutbacks and an absence of political will.

The minister must engage with his northern counterpart, Gordon Lyons, to immediately launch a full inquiry into these practices in order to shed light on this dangerous behaviour.

I will be bringing this to the attention of the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee in the coming weeks and asking that the Committee demand a full investigation into these practices, concluded Deputy Carthy.
EUGENE, Ore -- As Lane County moves from Extreme Risk to High Risk, many local restaurants and bars are offering limited indoor dining.

Under the Oregon Health Authority's guidelines, Lane County restaurants are allowed to operate at either 25 percent capacity or a maximum of 50 people at one time, whichever is smaller.

Other restrictions are also in place including an 11:00 p.m. closing time and a six person maximum per table.

KEZI spoke to many restaurant owners who are excited to welcome customers back for indoor dining.

"We're just looking forward to doing what we love and hopefully staying busy," Chelsy Navarro, owner of Chacha's Hawaiian Grill said.

Chacha's Hawaiian Grill opened during October and only offered indoor dining for about three weeks before being forced to close down.

The shift into the High Risk category means Chacha's Hawaiian Grill can now have up to 46 customers in the restaurant at the same time.

KEZI also spoke to a bartender who is looking forward to welcoming back some of her regular customers.

Linda Brown has worked for The Delta Bar in Eugene since 2013.

"We've got some elderly customers that we'd like to be coming in, but obviously with it being chilly outside they haven't been," Brown said. "I know they're looking forward to it."

According to Brown, a group of elderly customers who used to frequent the bar every week before the pandemic dined inside Friday for the first time in several months.

The Delta Bar still plans to offer outdoor dining, but has the capacity to allow about 12 people to eat indoors at one time.

The Oregon Health Authority's guidelines for indoor dining highly recommend takeout at this stage.

According to Lane County public health officials, residents should remain vigilant and continue to social distance and wear masks to prevent community spread.

Gov. Kate Brown will announce updates to the county risk levels the week beginning March 8, 2021.
OVERALL LOOK AT THE FEBRUARY 1882 FLOOD:

February 19-20, 1882 remains one of the wettest 24-hour periods on record (for February) in the Greater Lafayette weather records with 2.79" of rainfall measured at Purdue University. A total of 3.24" fell for the February 19-21 period. Just like in February 1883, an ice storm occurred with the 1882 heavy rainfall event, but the ice was displaced farther northward. In February 1883, the ice was extremely destructive in Benton to White & Cass counties, but was all rain in Lafayette & south & southeastward. In the 1882 event, very destructive icing occurred from Northern Missouri to southeastern Iowa Iowa to southern Michigan, far northern Indiana & northwestern Ohio. Many cities were completely cut off from communication by downed telegraph lines & trees damage was extreme. It was reportedly particularly bad at Toledo, Ohio. Port Huron, Michigan, Fort Madison, Iowa, Coldwater, Michigan & over Berrien County, Michigan. Entire orchards were destroyed.

All Indiana river systems were in flood after an already wet, mild winter (after an interestingly brutal, hot, dry summer.............This was like 1936-37 when a major flood occurred on Indiana rivers, especially southern Indiana, after the hottest, driest summer on record in 1936. The Great Flood of 1937 occurred in late January). Flooding was moderate & widespread on the Wabash & Tippecanoe Rivers. The Ohio River saw historic flooding, as did the White. Some cities & towns were completely inundated by flood waters.

The Mississippi River also reached major flood. +20,000 people lost their homes in Arkansas alone. Congressional leaders from Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi & Louisiana led a campaign to fund the Rivers and Harbor Act to a much greater level to 1/2 billion in today's dollars. Around $142 million was earmarked for internal improvements to those states affected (more levee building, aid to those who lost everything & channeling of rivers). However, President Chester A. Arthur vetoed it in summer 1882 due to extreme cost. Nonetheless, Congress overrode President Arthur's veto the following day & improvements began to take shape only to be greatly affected & in many ways destroyed by an even worse flood in 1883 & a similar flood in 1884 on many of the same rivers & streams. 1880-1885 saw significant floods on southern, Midwestern to Northeast Rivers every year, but twice (1880 & 1885). However, August 1878 saw a major flood on many rivers in the viewing area & over parts of the Midwest! The 1881 flood in April was largely due to deep, deep snow melt from the Dakotas to Iowa & Minnesota.

A massive amount of real estate saw 7-15" of rainfall for February, a lot of it falling February 19-24. This occurre from Texas & Arkansas to Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania to Massachusetts southward to North Carolina to Louisiana. Every river system from the Red to the Trinity to the Mississippi, Tennessee to Ohio, Delaware to Minnoski River in Vermont flooded. Heavy, heavy rainfall (& in the Northeast, combined with big snowmelt) resulted in an unusually large area of widespread flooding in the Lower 48.

This is a statement from the U.S. government "Monthly Weather Review" of February 1882, published by the U.S. Weather Bureau. This courtesy of NOAA historic collections:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

FEBRUARY 1882 PRECIPITATION TOTALS:

Just a sampling U.S. Weather Bureau monthly totals include:

12.74" Little Rock, Arkansas

11.31" Auburn, Alabama

11.00" Highlands, North Carolina

10.94" New Ulm, Texas

10.80" Mt. Ida, Arkansas

10.29" Atlanta, Georgia

9.92" Memphis, Tennessee

9.73" New Shoreline, Rhode Island

9.50" College Hill, Ohio

9.20" St. Meinrad, Indiana

9.13" Laconia, Indiana

8.94" St. Louis, Missouri

8.58" Nashville, Tennessee

8.56" New Harmony, Indiana

7.86" Wellsboro, Pennsylvania

7.80" White Plains, New York

7.78" Princeton, Massachusetts

7.62" Murfreesboro, Tennessee

7.32" Westborough, Massachusetts

7.28" Indianapolis, Indiana

It was the driest in the Plains, eastern Rockies & over Florida. Numerous wildfires were reported in the Plains & over Florida.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

LEADING UP TO THE FLOODING AFTER A HISTORICALLY-HOT, DRY SUMMER:

At Purdue, it all began with heavy rainfall in September after a horrendous July-August with one of the hottest, driest such periods on record. To this day, 1881 is still the driest August on record with 0.47".

Then, 2.16" rain fell at Purdue on September 15. From that point, rainfall continued to run above to much-above normal through the fall & into winter.

November & December alone saw a total of 12.33"! That would be a lot in summer when plants are taking up a lot of water! With lack of evaporation & plant uptake, that water begins to saturate, then run-off. Particulary heavy rainfall events occurred with 3.08" November 17-18 after 1.72" mid-month.

December 1881 saw the second wettest December days on record with 3.12" on December 13. Another 1.75" fell December 22.

No snowfall occurred during either month.

The mild weather meant that the water failed to freeze up in the soil, so it continued to run off. Run-off was unabated with lack of freezing on creeks, streams & rivers.

Antecedent ground conditions we saturated by February, given rainfall in January with a lack of snowfall. Although the first 15 days of February were dry, it was unusually warm with dominance of moist southerly winds & lots of clouds & fog rather than windy, sunny days with dry air.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THE PATTERN DURING OUR HEAVIEST RAINFALL FEBRUARY 19-20, 1882:

You see in this reconstuction the unusually cold temperatures in the central Plains to West & then the unseasonably warmth across the Ohio Valley & southward. Even here, we were above normal with highs in the 50s.

The gradient zone between the cold in the Plains & West & warmth in the East & Southeast made for an active storm track.

The warmth northeast of Newfoundland seen shows the blocking with the pattern that was not just confined to February 19-20, but over mid to late month.

You can see how water-loaded the lower atmospheric column was loaded from the Ohio Valley to Mississippi Valley with anomalies in our area as well.

700 mb Omega, or upward vertical motion, shows the strong lifting of the air to form heavy rainfall & t'storms from northeastern Texas to Indiana & Ohio.

Note the anomalously-strong low-level jet pumping the deep moisture northward, nosing right into the Mississippi & Ohio Valleys, feeding the torrential rainfall from Texas to Indiana to Ohio.

Note the anomalously-high surface CAPE anomalies advecting northward.

This helped fuel multiple tornadoes & wind & hail from Texas to Kentucky to Tennessee.

SOME ACCOUNTS OF THE WIDESPREAD FLOODING:

This was in the Bloomington Progress from Bloomington, Indiana:

This article by Robert C. Kennedy of the New York Times:

The great flood of 1882 ravaged communities along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and their tributaries. In Cincinnati, heavy rains began on Sunday night, February 19, 1882, and lasted for two days, causing the Ohio River to rise at a rate of two inches per hour. The flood blocked railroad tracks entering the city, submerged homes and factories, displaced hundreds of families and put thousands out of work temporarily. Similar scenes occurred along the Ohio in southern Indiana and Illinois.*

*As noted above, but to reinterate from myself here: research shows the flooding was also bad in central & northern Illinois & Indiana, but the worst just south of the area.

Even more serious was the flooding along the Mississippi River, from Illinois and St. Louis virtually all the way down to the delta of New Orleans. The 1882 flood was one of the most devastating to the lower Mississippi River Valley. The water easily broke through most of the levees, burying entire towns, killing livestock and other animals, and forcing thousands of residents to flee for safety. In Arkansas alone, an estimated 20,000 people were left homeless. In some places the overflowing Mississippi River transformed the adjacent communities into a lake, 15-miles wide. Private steamboat companies rescued those stranded by the flood, as did the Army Corps of Engineers and the Quartermaster Corps, which also distributed rations to the victims.

The political wake of the 1882 flood flowed into a Congressional debate over the annual rivers and harbors bill. Little federal aid had been given to what were called the "internal improvements" of the nation's rivers and harbors before the Civil War. In the post-war years, however, funding rose significantly to nearly $4,000,000 each year, 1866-1875. The annual rivers and harbors bill, however, became pork-barrel legislation in the House (where spending bills originate) as Congressmen tacked appropriations for their favorite projects onto the bill.

Despite calls for increased aid because of the recent flood, on August 1, 1882, President Chester Arthur vetoed the Rivers and Harbors Bill, explicitly labeling it pork-barrel legislation. Arthur did not oppose internal improvements on principle, and had endorsed the commission's report calling for federal aid to repair and extend levees along the Mississippi. However, he concluded that the legislation as drafted only benefited select localities, was not in the national interest, and would set a bad precedent for the "extravagant expenditure of public money."

Led by a coalition of Southern Democrats and Midwestern Republicans from flood states, Congress overrode the president's veto. The 1882 Rivers and Harbors Act included $5.4 million for the Mississippi River Commission. For the rest of the century, federal appropriations for rivers and harbors rose from $8,000,000 in 1880 to $29,000,000 in 1898. The levees rebuilt after the 1882 flood, relying on machine power rather than manpower, withstood flooding in 1884. A severe flood in 1927, however, was again disastrous for the lower Mississippi River Valley, and led to the federal Flood Control Act of 1927 (amended in 1936), the nation's first law that addressed the problem in a comprehensive manner.

Bobby Joe Williams of Tennessee Roots wrote this:

The One They Had In 1882 Was 'The Big Flood'

The flood of 1882 was devastating in terms of human misery. While the water was at

its highest point, a steamboat could have gone from within 20 miles of Pine Bluff,

Arkansas to the Gulf of Mexico without entering the Mississippi River.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

1882.The flood of February, 1882 . was disastrous and appalling at Lawrenceburgh. We copy from the newspapers of that city:

For several weeks the Ohio River, at this city, had been rising gradually, until Monday evening, February 20, it had reached a point at the junction of the fill in the fair grounds and the Big Four Railroad, when it became necessary, on account of the depression in the fair ground embankment, to raise the bank at least two feet in order to keep the waters which had been accumulating from flowing over the bank into the city. Mayor Roberts promptly secured a force and went to work with energy and determination to do all that could be done to keep back if possible the waters, and up to midnight Monday had succeeded admirably in holding them in check. Bat the continued rains for the past few days had swollen the White Water and Miami Rivers to such an extent that it was soon evident that it would be impossible to keep up the embankment of the Big Four Railroad from this city to Hardintown, and the most that could be expected was to hold the waters back until morning or daylight. But at about 4 oclock Tuesday morning, the 21st, the waters from the Miami were thrown against the Big Four Railroad track with excessive pressure, on account of the barrier formed by the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, which would not permit the accumulated waters to pass into the Ohio River, when at a point just below the locks, at Hardintown, and a point opposite the Trough Pond, near Nicholas Foxs, the water broke through, and it was not long until it was rushing with fearful velocity, and in vast volumes through the upper end of the city, carrying terrible destruction in its wide and rapidly extending pathway. The screams of the people in the lower parts of the town, when they were aroused to the fact that they were surrounded by the flood of waters, were distressing in the extreme. The Mayor had arranged for giving a signal of alarm by the ringing of the church bells, and when it was known that the flood was coming the bells pealed out their terrible warning, and at the same time the flood gates at the lower end of the city were opened, and the torrent of waters came rushing from both directions with equal destructive force until they met at Walnut Street, like two mighty giant monsters of the deep amid its angry waves struggling for the supremacy of the sea, until both ended their existence in death, and thus the waters ceased their angry flow.

Although it was generally known that it would be impossible to keep the waters out of the city, and that many of the houses were ten feet or more below the surface of the water in the river, yet comparatively few persons were prepared when the rush of waters came. The result was the loss of individual property has been very great. Not so much in the aggregate of dollars and cents, however, as that it came to a class of people not able to lose anythingyet in many cases it took all they had, even to their houses. Both in the upper and lower end of the city quite a number of small houses could be seen overturned, while others had floated away from their foundations. It is surprising how many families were driven so hastily from their homes, on account of the sudden rise of the water within the city limits, which in its mad career seemed to wash, upturn and drive everything before it. Hardly two hours had elapsed from the time the water broke its barriers until it was in every part of the city doing its work of devastation, and yet we have -heard of but one death.

The men employed in their skiffs and hastily provided boats did noble work in rescuing the people from the great peril in which they were so suddenly found. Large numbers of families took shelter in the public school buildings, in the court house, in the stove works, in the lodge rooms and other large rooms on High Street, as well as with private families, and it may be said that over a thousand persons were made homeless for the night at least. It was but a short time after getting housed until they were provided with food and made as comfortable as it was possible to make them under such unforeseen circumstances and the short time which was given to work.

The waters continued to rise until about 4 oclock Tuesday after noon, and from that time until midnight there was but little change, when it began to fall. In the afternoon it had covered High Street, with the exception of here and there a small portion of the center of the street could be seen as dark spots above the water. High Street being the highest street in old Lawrenceburgh, this part of the city therefore was entirely submerged. The store houses, with floors even with the pavements, had a few inches of water on their first floor. On all streets besides High the buildings were more or less filled with water, ranging from one foot to fifteen feet

History of Dearborn and Ohio Counties, Indiana, 1885, Pages 194-196

________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If youre familiar with the true story behind director Martin Scorseses next film, Killers of the Flower Moon, you already have a sense of the fraught history behind it. As documented in both the acclaimed David Grann book (on which the film is based) and Dennis McAuliffes The Deaths of Sybil Bolton: Oil, Greed, and Murder on the Osage Reservation  a book that Grann hailed as the first major work on the subject  the discovery of oil on lands owned by the Osage Nation made the Native American tribe rich. Then, in the 1920s, more and more Osage began dying under mysterious circumstances.



The full story of what happened is a sinuous, harrowing narrative full of betrayal and broken trust. Its not difficult to see what would draw Scorsese to the project  one with a cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons and Lily Gladstone. But because its dealing with such a horrific moment in history, it wouldnt be difficult for things to go very wrong.



Its reassuring to hear that both Scorsese and DiCaprio recently met with a group of Osage leaders, including Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear and film ambassador Chad Renfro.



Osage News has more details on the meeting. Outside of a press release about the event, there isnt much information available; all parties involved signed NDAs. The article notes that the filmmakers are working with Osage community advisors and plan to do so even more as the films production ramps up. The article also notes that Standing Bear and Renfro organized the meeting.



The films production was delayed by the pandemic. Filming is currently set to begin in May.


GlobeNewswire

AMD Radeon RX 6800M GPU AMD Radeon RX 6800M GPU  AMD Radeon RX 6000M Series Mobile Graphics provide a generational performance leap of up to 1.5X, powering the next generation of premium gaming laptops from ASUS, HP, Lenovo, MSI and other leading OEMs   Open-source, cross-platform AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution leverages optimized spatial upscaling technology, delivering up to 2.5X higher performance than native resolution gaming in select titles  TAIPEI, Taiwan, May 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today at Computex 2021 AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) introduced several powerful new solutions that take high-performance gaming to new levels. Designed to bring world-class performance, incredible visual fidelity and immersive experiences to gaming laptops, the new AMD Radeon RX 6000M Series Mobile Graphics include the top-of-stack Radeon RX 6800M  the fastest AMD Radeon GPU for laptops1, delivering desktop-class performance2 to power ultra-high frame rate 1440p gaming anywhere. AMD also introduced the AMD Advantage Design Framework, the result of a multi-year collaboration between AMD and its global PC partners to deliver the next generation of premium, high-performance gaming laptops. Combining AMD Radeon RX 6000M Series Mobile Graphics, AMD Radeon Software and AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Mobile Processors with exclusive AMD smart technologies and other advanced system design characteristics, AMD Advantage systems are designed to deliver best-in-class gaming experiences. The first AMD Advantage laptops are expected to be available from leading OEMs beginning this month. In addition, AMD unveiled AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), a cutting-edge spatial upscaling technology designed to boost framerates up to 2.5X in select titles at 4K resolution3 and deliver a high-quality, high-resolution gaming experience. More than 10 game developers plan to integrate FSR into their top titles and game engines in 2021, with the first games supporting FSR expected to be available later this month. There have been incredible advances in gaming over the last several years, with powerful technologies allowing desktop PCs to deliver high-octane, beautifully complex and immersive worlds like never before, said Scott Herkelman, corporate vice president and general manager, Graphics Business Unit at AMD. Today were excited to bring the high-performance, energy-efficient AMD RDNA 2 architecture to next-generation laptops to unlock the same level of high-performance experiences and true-to-life visuals for mobile gamers. With AMD Advantage, gamers can be sure these next-gen laptops are designed, optimized and purpose-built for the best possible gaming experiences. AMD Radeon RX 6000M Series Mobile Graphics AMD Radeon RX 6000M Series mobile graphics are built on breakthrough AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture, delivering up to 1.5X higher performance4 or up to 43 percent lower power at the same performance level5 compared to AMD RDNA architecture. They also bring advanced technologies such as AMD Infinity Cache and DirectX Raytracing (DXR) to next-gen laptops. The AMD Radeon RX 6800M GPU is a graphics powerhouse, offering world-class 1440p/120 FPS performance6 with a powerful blend of raytracing, compute and traditional effects for true-to-life visuals. The AMD Radeon RX 6700M GPU offers 1440p/100FPS gaming performance7, next-level visuals and efficiency designed for the new generation of advanced gaming and content creation laptops. The AMD Radeon RX 6600M GPU is designed to deliver high refresh rate 1080p/100FPS gaming8 for lightweight laptops. Radeon RX 6000M Series mobile graphics bring numerous game-changing features available to gamers on the go, including: AMD Infinity Cache  Up to 96MB of last-level data cache integrated on the GPU die reduces latency and power consumption to deliver higher gaming performance than traditional architectural designs.AMD Smart Access Memory  Unlocks higher performance for select AMD-powered laptops by providing AMD Ryzen processors with access to the entire high-speed AMD Radeon GDDR6 graphics memory.AMD SmartShift Technology  Dynamically shifts laptop power between AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors and AMD Radeon Graphics, providing an additional increase in gaming performance.AMD Radeon Chill  Power-saving feature that helps save battery by regulating frame rates based on in-game movements.AMD FidelityFX  Supported by more than 45 titles, AMD FidelityFX is an open-source toolkit of visual enhancement effects for game developers available through AMD GPUOpen. It includes a robust collection of rasterized lighting, shadow and reflection effects, as well as the new AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution technology, that can be integrated into the latest games with minimal performance overhead. ModelCompute Units & Ray AcceleratorsGDDR6Game Clock9 (MHz)Memory InterfaceInfinity CacheAMD Radeon RX 6800M 4012 GB2300Mhz @ 145W192-bit96 MBAMD Radeon RX 6700M3610 GB2300Mhz @ 135W160-bit80 MBAMD Radeon RX 6600M288 GB2177Mhz @ 100W128-bit 32 MB AMD Advantage Design Framework With the new AMD Advantage Design Framework, AMD and its global PC partners are redefining high-performance mobile gaming. AMD Advantage laptops combine AMD Radeon RX 6000M Series Mobile Graphics, AMD Radeon Software and AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Mobile Processors with exclusive AMD smart technologies, AMD FreeSync Premium-certified displays, fast NVME storage, optimal thermal designs, and other advanced system design characteristics. AMD Advantage laptops are designed to deliver best-in-class gaming experiences, providing new levels of performance and responsiveness. Enhancements from AMD SmartShift and AMD Smart Access Memory boost gaming performance on these systems. In addition, AMD Advantage laptops are optimized to deliver over 100FPS gaming in todays most visually demanding titles, all-day battery-powered video playback (10+ hrs.)10, 144Hz+ high-refresh rate, vividly bright (300+ nits) displays, and custom-tuned thermals for cool operation during continuous gameplay  all packed into sleek laptop designs. Several AMD Advantage gaming laptops are expected to be available in 2021. The ROG Strix G15/17 AMD Advantage Edition gaming laptops, featuring AMD Radeon RX 6800M GPUs, AMD Ryzen 5900HX Mobile Processors and AMD smart technologies, are expected to be available beginning in early June at Best Buy and other leading retailers. The OMEN 16 laptop, featuring AMD Radeon RX 6600M GPUs, AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX Mobile Processors and AMD smart technologies, are expected to be available soon at JD.com. AMD Advantage laptops from Lenovo and MSI are expected to be available later this year. AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) offers broad support on more than 100 AMD processors and GPUs as well as competitor GPUs. FSR offers four quality settings allowing gamers to adjust the balance between image quality and performance based on their preferences, providing high-performance, visually stunning gaming experiences for even the most demanding visual features, including raytracing. FSR offers up to 2.5X higher performance in Performance mode than native resolution gaming in select titles. AMD has been a strong partner throughout the development of Godfall, providing players with stunning visuals and world-class performance to power this first-of-its-kind, looter-slasher, melee action-RPG, said Keith Lee, CEO of Counterplay Games. Now, with FidelityFX Super Resolution, AMD has delivered another amazing platform-agnostic feature thats easy for developers to implement and provides the Godfall community with higher performance at higher resolutions with all of the bells and whistles, including raytracing, cranked way up. FSR is an open-source solution based on industry standards, making it easy for developers to integrate the technology into new and existing titles. More information about FSR and supported titles will be announced on June 22. Learn more here. You can learn more about all of AMDs announcements at Computex 2021 through AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Sus keynote presentation here. Supporting Resources Learn more about the AMD Radeon RX 6000M Series mobile graphics hereLearn more about AMD Radeon RX 6000M-based laptops hereLearn more about AMD Advantage Design Framework hereLearn more about AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution hereBecome a fan of AMD on FacebookFollow AMD on Twitter About AMDFor 50 years AMD has driven innovation in high-performance computing, graphics and visualization technologies  the building blocks for gaming, immersive platforms and the datacenter. Hundreds of millions of consumers, leading Fortune 500 businesses and cutting-edge scientific research facilities around the world rely on AMD technology daily to improve how they live, work and play. AMD employees around the world are focused on building great products that push the boundaries of what is possible. For more information about how AMD is enabling today and inspiring tomorrow, visit the AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) website, blog, Facebook and Twitter pages. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) such as the features, functionality, performance, availability, timing and expected benefits of AMD RadeonTM RX 6000M Series Mobile Graphics GPUs, the AMD Advantage Design Framework, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution and AMD Radeon RX 6000M-based laptops, which are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are commonly identified by words such as "would," "may," "expects," "believes," "plans," "intends," "projects" and other terms with similar meaning. Investors are cautioned that the forward-looking statements in this press release are based on current beliefs, assumptions and expectations, speak only as of the date of this press release and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Such statements are subject to certain known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond AMD's control, that could cause actual results and other future events to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. Material factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, without limitation, the following: Intel Corporations dominance of the microprocessor market and its aggressive business practices; global economic uncertainty; the loss of a significant customer; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on AMDs business, financial condition and results of operations; the competitive markets in which AMDs products are sold; quarterly and seasonal sales patterns; market conditions of the industries in which AMD products are sold; the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry; AMD's ability to adequately protect its technology or other intellectual property; unfavorable currency exchange rate fluctuations; the ability of third party manufacturers to manufacture AMD's products on a timely basis in sufficient quantities and using competitive technologies; the availability of essential equipment, materials, substrates or manufacturing processes; expected manufacturing yields for AMDs products; AMD's ability to introduce products on a timely basis with features and performance levels that provide value to its customers; AMD's ability to generate revenue from its semi-custom SoC products; potential security vulnerabilities; potential IT outages, data loss, data breaches and cyber-attacks; uncertainties involving the ordering and shipment of AMDs products; AMDs reliance on third-party intellectual property to design and introduce new products in a timely manner; AMD's reliance on third-party companies for the design, manufacture and supply of motherboards, software and other computer platform components; AMD's reliance on Microsoft Corporation and other software vendors' support to design and develop software to run on AMDs products; AMDs reliance on third-party distributors and add-in-board partners; the impact of modification or interruption of AMDs internal business processes and information systems; compatibility of AMDs products with some or all industry-standard software and hardware; costs related to defective products; the efficiency of AMD's supply chain; AMD's ability to rely on third party supply-chain logistics functions; AMDs ability to effectively control the sales of its products on the gray market; the impact of government actions and regulations such as export administration regulations, tariffs and trade protection measures; AMDs ability to realize its deferred tax assets; potential tax liabilities; current and future claims and litigation; the impact of environmental laws, conflict minerals-related provisions and other laws or regulations; the impact of acquisitions, joint ventures and/or investments on AMD's business, including the announced acquisition of Xilinx, and the failure to integrate acquired businesses; AMDs ability to complete the Xilinx merger; the impact of the announcement and pendency of the Xilinx merger on AMDs business; the impact of any impairment of the combined companys assets on the combined companys financial position and results of operation; the restrictions imposed by agreements governing AMDs notes and the revolving credit facility; AMD's indebtedness; AMD's ability to generate sufficient cash to service its debt obligations or meet its working capital requirements; AMD's ability to repurchase its outstanding debt in the event of a change of control; AMD's ability to generate sufficient revenue and operating cash flow or obtain external financing for research and development or other strategic investments; political, legal, economic risks and natural disasters; future impairments of goodwill and technology license purchases; AMDs ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; AMDs stock price volatility; and worldwide political conditions. Investors are urged to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in AMDs Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to AMDs most recent reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q. 2021 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. All rights reserved. AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, Advantage, FreeSync, Radeon, Ryzen, RDNA and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. DirectX is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the US and other jurisdictions. Other product names used in this publication are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective companies. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only, and is subject to change without notice. Timelines, roadmaps, and/or product release dates shown in this Press Release are plans only and subject to change. Contact:George Millington AMD Communications(408) 547-7481 George.Millington@amd.com Laura GravesAMD Investor Relations(408) 749-5467 Laura.Graves@amd.com 1 Testing done by AMD performance labs April 12, 2021 on Asus ROG Strix-G713 equipped with AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX (3.29GHz) CPU, 16GB DDR4-3200MHz, Radeon RX 6800M graphics, Win10 Pro x64 19041.804, with AMD Smart Access Memory and SmartShift Technology enabled vs. Alienware Area 51m equipped with Intel i7-10700K CPU, 16GB DDR4-3200MHz, Radeon RX 5700M graphics, Win 10 Pro x64 18363. Tested on the benchmarks: Time Spy Graphics Score, Fire Strike Graphics Score, 3DMark11 P Graphics Score. PC manufacturers may vary configurations yielding different results. Performance may vary. RX-656 2 Testing done by AMD performance labs May 12 2021, on RX 6800M in ASUS ROG Strix (driver: 20.50.02.05-210331a-365797E) with AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX, 16GB DDR4-3200MHz, on Win10 Pro 64. Games tested: Battlefield V, F1 2010, Resident Evil Village, Apex Legends, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, DOTA 2, CS:GO, Rainbow Six Siege. Performance may vary. RX-6653 Testing by AMD Performance Labs as of May 21, 2021, on the AMD Radeon 6900 XT, AMD Radeon 6800 XT, and AMD Radeon 6700 XT graphics cards with pre-release AMD Radeon Software 21.6.1 RC Prime 9 (21.20-210518a-367616E) driver, on a test system comprising of an AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, 16GB DDR4-3200 RAM, ASRock X570 Taichi motherboard with BIOS version P3.61 at default settings, and Windows 10 Pro May 2020 Update (19041.508). Benchmark tests: Godfall, DX12, 3840x2160, Epic preset, Raytracing ON, FSR Game 2, DX12, 3840x2160, Ultra preset, Raytracing ON, and FSR Game 3, Vulkan, 3840x2160, Ultra preset, No Raytracing. Performance may vary and is dependent on the FSR Quality Mode selected. FSR requires developer integration and is available in select games only. RS-3644 Testing done by AMD performance labs April 9 2021, on 25 games at 1440p using the flagship AMD RDNA 2 mobile part versus the flagship AMD RDNA mobile part. Performance may vary. RX-6615 Testing done by AMD engineering labs April 6 2021, using 3DMark FireStrike, on AMD RDNA 2 mobile part 80W TGP at versus the AMD RDNA mobile part at 140W TGP. Performance may vary. RX-6626 Testing done by AMD performance labs May 12 2021, on RX 6800M in ASUS ROG Strix (driver: 20.50.02.05-210331a-365797E) with AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX, 16GB DDR4-3200MHz, on Win10 Pro 64. Games tested: Battlefield V, F1 2010, Resident Evil Village, Apex Legends, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, DOTA 2, CS:GO, Rainbow Six Siege. Performance may vary. RX-6657 Performance projection by AMD engineering. Engineering projections may not reflect the final performance results and are subject to change. RX-6708 Testing done by AMD performance labs May 17 2021, using 18 games, on RX 6600M in HP laptop (driver: 21.10.01.09-210331a-366029C-HP) with AMD Ryzen 5 5600H (3.3GHz), 16GB DDR4-3200MHz, on Win10 Pro 64. Performance may vary. RX-6719 Game clock is the expected GPU clock when running typical gaming applications, set to typical TGP (Total Graphics Power). Actual individual game clock results may vary. GD-14710 AMD defines All Day Battery Life as at least 8 hours of continuous battery life using a video playback test. Actual battery life will vary based on several factors, including, but not limited to: system configuration and software, settings, product use and age, and operating conditions. GD-173. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/83d1c258-be49-440f-9226-9a60168b1749
Vietnams national population database and citizen ID card issuance and management systems were launched on Thursday with the attendance of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

The two systems will serve as comprehensive data hubs that store information with legal value of Vietnamese citizens, said the Ministry of Public Security, the lead agency in the development of the systems.

The new data infrastructures are expected to bring about an overhaul on citizen management protocol, introducing digital filing and personal ID number to supersede household registration books, as well as streamlining administration processes and enhancing experiences of citizens as well as businesses towards public services.

Data in the system has been normalized, which rendered information of more than 90 million Vietnamese citizens available for the national-, ministry- and province-level Public Service Portal to access.

Vietnam Posts and Telecommunication Group (VNPT), in cooperation with other contractors, took five months from September 2020 to January 2021 to complete infrastructures, application software of the database as well as capacity training for over 23,000 police officers in charge of the system.

Deploying latest technologies, the system satisfies level 4 standard of the government on information security.

According to the Minister of Public Security To Lam, the national population database holds a significant position in the development of Vietnams digital economy and society. It will also enable positive changes in state management and administrative processes, which will in turn benefit citizens and businesses.

Considering its importance, the project was highly prioritized by the Ministry of Public Security, who completed it only a few months after obtaining the Prime Ministers approval.

Speaking at the event, PM Phuc denoted that the launch of the two systems is only the start, as many still need to be done to accelerate digital transformation of state and population management towards the goal of digital citizenship.

The premier required the Ministry of Public Security to keep improving the two systems to ensure faultless and up-to-date archive of citizen data.

The Ministry of Public Security is also asked with maintaining cooperation with other agencies and local authorities to maintain data safety and further application of the database, which include digital government and digital economy.

The database and citizen ID card management system must also be utilized to further simplify administration procedures and hasten the transformation from old ID cards to chip-based models, which will make way for better experience of citizens during civil transactions.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
(Natural News) A team led by researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UH Manoa) has video-recorded humpback whales attempting to catch prey in the water near Alaska.

The humpback whales can be seen swimming in a circular pattern while blowing bubbles to create a net and encircle their prey. This technique is called bubble-net fishing and is usually done with more than one participating humpback whale to round up more krill or herring, the foods of choice of marine mammals like whales.

The UH Manoa researchers, together with ecologists from Stanford University and the University of California, Santa Cruz, used drones as well as cameras and sensors attached to the whales by suction cups to record videos from above and from the whales point of view.

Take a look at the footage below:

How bubble-net fishing works

Lars Bejder, the director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP) at UH Manoa, called the footage groundbreaking.

Were observing how these animals are manipulating their prey and preparing the prey for capture. [The footage] is allowing us to gain new insights that we really havent been able to do before, Bejder said.

According to Bejder, around 3,000 humpback whales visit Alaska during the summer feeding period. When the whales leave their foraging grounds and migrate 3,000 miles to Hawaii, they stop eating until their return several months later. Upon their return, the whales are very hungry, so they immediately begin bubble-net fishing.

Around two to 15 individual whales, according to the website BCwhales.org, participate in this cooperative feeding behavior. One whale typically dives below a school of prey and then slowly begins a spiral dance upward, blowing bubbles in a circular motion to form a bubble net. The bubbles rise to the surface, trapping the school of fish and forcing them toward the surface near the center of the circle.

The other whales start belting out hollow feeding calls, followed by high-pitched squeals. These specific calls play an important role in the feeding technique as they further congregate krill, besides recruiting nearby whales to help with herding. (Related: North Atlantic right whales whisper to protect young calves from predators.)

The whales keep feeding until they have to migrate south for the winter breeding season. In particular, the females have to feed a lot because they consume large amounts of energy upon giving birth.

Threats to whale population

The latest footage comes at a time when the populations of a lot of marine animals are declining. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that the number of humpback whale sightings around Hawaii dropped in recent years.

Scientists at MMRP is actively looking into what might be causing the potential decline of this whale population. Theyre concerned about the impact of the loss of food resources.

Olaf Meynecke, a research fellow in marine science at Griffith University in Australia, who was not part of the team, said that whales depend on recurring environmental conditions and oceanographic features, such as the changing seasons, temperature, circulation and nutrient cycles. These factors, according to Meynecke, affect the availability of krill.

Studies predict that declines in krill could lead to local extinctions of whales by 2021. Among the affected whales are humpback and fin whales in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as well as Pacific populations of blue, fin and southern right whales.

Understanding the feeding behavior of whales can improve current conservation practices and ensure that these marine mammals will avoid extinction.

Learn more amazing feeding behaviors of animals at Ecology.news.

Sources include:

CNet.com

BCwhales.org

Hawaii.edu

Stuff.co.nz
CHICKEN and pork will be topics of considerable interest as the Manitoba legislature reconvenes on Wednesday, and were not referring to the luncheon-menu selections of MLAs and government staff.

Opinion

CHICKEN and pork will be topics of considerable interest as the Manitoba legislature reconvenes on Wednesday, and were not referring to the luncheon-menu selections of MLAs and government staff.

Its expected the legislative sitting will finally end a four-month wait and let Manitobans see the contents of proposed agriculture-industry legislation commonly referred to as "ag-gag." Such laws already exist in three Canadian provinces, where they have drawn controversy.

In Ontario, Alberta and Prince Edward Island, "ag-gag" laws aim to protect agricultural producers from two adversaries: undercover whistleblowers and on-site protesters. Whether this legislative protection is a good thing depends on which side of the farm fence you stand.

Understandably, farmers raising both livestock and crops are vigilant about protecting their land from intruders who might spread disease. Financial calamity can result if trespassers  perhaps they have infectious mud on their boots or the tires of their vehicles  contaminate canola crops with an outbreak of blackleg, or devastate a hog operation with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus.

For farmers bent on biosecurity, its nothing short of a nightmare that 60 animal activists occupied the inside of a hog operation in Abbotsford, B.C., in 2019, an event that was followed by similar occupations in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.

In Manitoba, such farmers, and the many people who depend on spin-off industries tied to agriculture, are counting on the proposed "ag-gag" law to help protect their livelihoods. Voters in rural Manitoba ridings traditionally support Progressive Conservative governments, and they hope Brian Pallister will have their backs on this one.

But this legislation wont pass without public discussion that is likely to get emotional and loud. The people who protested such bills in other provinces say "ag-gag" laws squelch free speech by stopping whistleblowers, journalists and animal-rights groups from exposing the barbaric treatment of animals.

Groups such as Humane Society International say Canada has some of the worst animal protection laws in the western world when it comes to the way animals are raised.

There are abundant online videos of factory-farm atrocities that are sickening to watch. Let one example suffice: an undercover investigation filmed in Manitoba in 2013 by investigators from the non-profit Mercy for Animals Canada showed pregnant pigs confined in barren crates so small the animals were unable to turn around; other footage depicted some male piglets being castrated without anesthetic and other piglets being slammed to the floor by staff.

Why has it taken more than four months to see the contents of Manitobas "ag-gag" bill? On Nov. 2, the government gave first reading to the proposed legislation as part of a blitz of 23 bills on many different matters. The PCs blame the Liberals for refusing the unanimous consent needed to disclose the details of bills.

"The government sought approval in the legislature to allow government bills to be published in January and February. The Liberal leader denied that leave from happening," Kelvin Goertzen, minister of legislative and public affairs, told me this week. "As a result, under our legislative rules, bills can only be distributed beginning March 3 and they will begin to be distributed then. The bills will be publicly accessible once each bill is distributed when the legislature returns."

When the public finally sees the contents of Manitobas proposed legislation, heres what some of us will look for:

If it prohibits protesters from trespassing on farms and threatening the biosecurity of these businesses, that seems reasonable. Living with COVID-19 has inclined Manitobans to be more cautious of contagion. The past year has taught us it takes extreme vigilance to keep viruses from spreading.

Even people who approve of trespassing restrictions, however, will want to know how the new legislation is different from the current laws that already block intruders from farms. Perhaps the government wants to strengthen such laws and introduce harsher penalties.

But if the forthcoming legislation also prohibits whistleblowing by people who are lawfully inside agrifood operations, such as employees, its going too far. Way too far. It would clearly violate the Charter-protected right to freedom of expression, and should be speedily overturned by legal challenge, as many "ag-gag" laws in the U.S. have been.

Those of us who enjoy meat on our plate need to be reminded of the grim, often criminal, brutality to which some animals are subjected. When we know how our meat is produced, were more inclined to support better government oversight of the industry.

What we must resist with vigour is legislation that protects meat-industry miscreants who have something to hide.

carl.degurse@freepress.mb.ca

Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board.
Marcelina Tomusiak, from Poland, stabbed her husband with a kitchen knife after he let down the air in her tyres in a prank-gone-wrong

A mother-of-three who stabbed her husband with a kitchen knife after he let down the air in her tyres in a prank-gone-wrong has been jailed for two years.

Marcelina Tomusiak, from Poland, flew into a rage after she saw her husband Jacob Tomusiak deflating her tyres ahead of a planned day trip with her three children.

Mr Tomusiak was filming his wife to capture her reaction to the prank in Aldershot, Hampshire, in September 2019.

Furious Tomusiak grabbed a kitchen knife in a bid to puncture the tyres on her husband's grey Lexus in retaliation - but the flimsy blade snapped.

She went inside their home to get a 'longer and sharper' kitchen knife before launching at him, 'swinging it violently towards him on a number of occasions', Winchester Crown Court heard.

Mr Tomusiak's hand required surgery following the attack and it left him unable to work.

Tomusiak was convicted of wounding without intent and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Judge William Mousley QC told the defendant, who appeared in court with a Polish interpreter: 'You were angry and frustrated and as he [your husband] walked alongside the passenger side of his car, he said something.

'You then looked at him and launched yourself at him, with the knife, holding it above your head in your right hand and swinging it violently towards him on a number of occasions.

'He then turned and was seen to react in pain and arch his back. He pushed you to the ground and you, at that stage, specifically cut his hand with the knife that you were continuing to swing in his direction.'

Neighbours rushed to Mr Tomusiak's aid while his wife returned to the house.

There she was arrested by police, who said she looked 'dazed'.

Prosecuting, Jonathan Underhill said Tomusiak had 'higher culpability' for the crime because she had 'deliberately' armed herself with the knife.

He said: 'This was a fast moving incident.

'This was the second knife obtained by the defendant. She went back in having broken the first and she chose the largest one.'

In a victim impact statement, Mr Tomusiak said the couple faced having their children taken away by social services following the assault.

The former self-employed private hire driver said he had been forced to sell his car - which he bought for his business - after only four months of running the firm.

Tomusiak went inside their home to get a 'longer and sharper' kitchen knife before launching at him, 'swinging it violently towards him on a number of occasions', Winchester Crown Court (pictured) heard

He said: 'I could only use my left hand and only my middle fingers were mobile. I needed somebody to help me to have a shower or a bath.

'After the attack I had nothing else to do but [take] universal credit which could barely cover my living expenses.

'Because of Marcelina's "prank" my family standards have dropped significantly.'

Following her conviction, Tomusiak told probation services that she had a difficult relationship with her husband and they were planning on getting divorced.

Tomusiak had been forced to wait until this January for a new trial after her first trial was pushed back due to lockdown in March last year.

Tomusiak - of Selby Walk, Basingstoke - was convicted of one count of section 20 wounding without intent following a trial at Winchester Crown Court.

During her sentencing on Friday, Judge Mousley said: 'There are factors here of higher and lower culpability.

'It seems to me that I will be sentencing on the basis that the knife was not originally intended to be used upon her husband and that there was teasing or certainly behaviour which would have served to wind her up further.

'Whether it is right to call that provocation, or a greater degree of provocation, may be overstating it but the incident took place in those circumstances and so I would sentence on the basis that there was a lack of premeditation.'

Judge Mousley said the injuries to Mr Tomusiak's hand, which required surgery, was the most serious and he could not suspend the wife's jail term.

Tomusiak was handed two years in prison. This was reduced because of the four months she had spent in custody on remand and the 318 days she had spent on a qualifying curfew.
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) - Police continue to investigate a shooting that happened a week ago near 13th Street and Military Road in Columbus.

The shooting happened the night of Friday, Feb. 19



Columbus police identified the white vehicle. Source: Columbus Police Department Columbus police identified the white vehicle. Source: Columbus Police Department

Police reported no injuries.

Two vehicles were driving through the area, and we believe gunshots were exchanged between the occupants of the cars, Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton said. There was one black car and one white car. We have identified the white car and ask for help in finding the black car and the occupants.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-530-7151 or send an anonymous tip using the P3 Tips app.
The Michigan Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee is organizing educators, parents and students to oppose the reckless reopening of schools. Our next meeting is today, February 27, at 1pm Eastern. Register today and invite your coworkers and friends!

DaeShun Jamison, age 10, of Shelby, Michigan, contracted COVID-19 in early December. Like most kids his age who catch the disease, he was initially asymptomatic. But after two weeks he developed headaches and a fever. His mother took him to the hospital on December 21.

Dae'Shun Jamison (Photo credit: Brittney Autman)

He has yet to return home. For more than two months, DaeShun has undergone an unimaginable battery of surgeries and other procedures, including, tragically the amputation of both hands and both legs.

The diagnosis is Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C, a life-threatening condition observed only in children with COVID-19. As their heart, kidneys and other organs become inflamed and dysfunctional, children with MIS-C suffer symptoms like gut pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, bloodshot eyes and fatigue. As of February 8, 2,060 children in the US have been diagnosed with MIS-C, and 30 of them have died as a result, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC).

In a harrowing series of updates on the familys GoFundMe page, Brittney Autman tells the story of her sons experience with MIS-C. DaeShun was initially put on a ventilator and dialysis machine, she writes, with two tubes in each side of his lungs to release fluid from his body. Another tube inserted into his pelvis led to his heart, filtering his blood.

On December 30, she writes that her son will have to get his fingertips and toes amputated. Dr. Rosemary Olivero, a pediatrician at Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital in Grand Rapids where DaeShun is being treated, explained to Newsweek that severe heart dysfunction occurs in some children with MIS-C, obstructing the flow of blood through the limbs and necessitating amputation.

On January 2, Autman notes that DaeShun has had 6 units [pints] of blood after his procedures yesterday. She describes how they cut his hands and legs to release pressure from the fluid in his body and to get some circulation going in his legs and hands. Soon, DaeShuns condition improved to the point where he was able to be taken off his ventilator and could answer yes/no questions by shaking his head.

But the improvements were not long lasting. By January 12, Autman had been informed that her son would need to have both legs amputated. Even worse, because of his autism, she writes, DaeShun had no clue of whats going to happen.

On January 15, his right leg was removed. By the time his second leg amputation was scheduled, he had also developed clots obstructing the flow of blood to both of his hands. His left leg and both hands were amputated on February 22. The next day, his mother wrote that the surgery went well and they are trying to get his pain under control. DaeShun is very emotional about his amputations, and it breaks my heart.

DaeShun Jamison is one of the more than three million children in the United States who have contracted COVID-19. He and over 2,000 others have suffered MIS-C as a result, including 79 children in Michigan, according to the states Department of Health and Human Services. Twenty-four Michigan children under the age of five have developed MIS-C, in addition to 31 children between five and 10 years old, like DaeShun, and 24 children age 11 or older, like Honestie Hodges, 14, of Grand Rapids, who died of MIS-C on November 22.

The actual prevalence of COVID among childrenwho, according to the CDC, account for some 13 percent of infections in the USas well as the emergence of new and horrific conditions in children like MIS-C expose the two big lies that are being used by the Biden administration to force schools back open for in-person learning across the country: (1) children do not contract and spread COVID in large numbers, and (2) if they do, they will not suffer horribly.

On February 16, while DaeShun was preparing for his triple amputation, President Biden held a town hall meeting dedicated to justifying the reopening of schools and businesses. On live television, the president smiled in the face of an eight-year-old girl named Layla and assured her and her mother that children were safe from the virus.

My children often ask if they will catch COVID, and if they do, will they die, said Laylas mother as they stood together, maskless, in front of a microphone in the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee.

Bidens response was, First of all, kids dont get COVID very often. Its unusual for that to happen.

Number two, the president said, addressing Layla directly, youre not likely to be able to be exposed to something and spread it to mommy or daddy, and its not likely mommy and daddy are able to spread it to you either. So, I wouldnt worry about it, baby. I promise you.

These were the very lies used to keep schools open in Michigan during the time when DaeShun Jamison contracted COVID. As cases surged statewide, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, issued an executive order closing all high schools for in-person learning from November 18 through December 8, but allowed K-8 schools and day care centers to remain open.

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) of Michigan union immediately endorsed the move and repeated the lie in a statement on their website: Given lower transmission rates and greater need among younger students, whether or not K-8 education is face-to-face, virtual or a hybrid remains the decision of local districts.

This was at a time when, by the states own count, there were 108 ongoing COVID outbreaks at K-8 schools in Michigan.

DaeShun Jamisons case makes it all the more painfully clear that children can and do contract, transmit, develop symptoms, suffer horribly and die from COVID-19. But the entire political establishmentfrom the Biden administration, to state and local officials, to the pro-capitalist unions like the AFTcontinue to propagate the lie that schools can be reopened safely while the pandemic is still raging. And they are dedicated to making this happen no matter the body count.

Stacked behind these lies, of course, are billions of dollars that stand to be made. The rich demand the return to in-person learning because they need it to ensure the continuous flow of profits into their bank accounts. If parents are to be kept in factories and other workplaces, their children must be at school.

How many more children will develop MIS-C and suffer a fate like that of DaeShun Jamison and his family? This depends entirely on the political mobilization of the working class, independent of and in opposition to the Democrats and the trade unions, to close schools and nonessential workplaces and stop the spread of COVID-19.

That is why the Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee is fighting to build an interconnected network of educators, parents and workers at schools and workplaces everywhere. For more information, visit wsws.org/edsafety .
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (Democrat-New Jersey), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, joined counterparts from Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, and the Czech Republic in expressing concerns about destabilizing and antidemocratic actions in the South Caucasus nation of Georgia.

The storming of the office of the United National Movement, the largest opposition party in Georgia, in order to arrest Nika Melia, its chairman, exposed the fragility of democracy and freedom in Georgia, Menendez said in a February 26 statement also signed by representatives of the six U.S. allies.



The comments came as thousands of Georgians took to the streets in the nations capital to protest a police raid on the headquarters of the opposition party and the arrest of Melia on February 23.

International rights group Amnesty International called the heavy use of force to take Melia into custody before a court has heard his appeal against pretrial detention a troubling indicator.

Rally participants, waving Georgian and NATO flags and carrying signs, rallied outside the Georgian parliament building in Tbilisi to call for new snap parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners.



Police accuse Melia of inciting violence at anti-government protests during the summer of 2019. Melia has dismissed the charges against him as politically motivated.

The Menendez statement said that we call on the Georgians to come together to find political solutions to the problems we have seen emerge in recent years and not to resort to the tactics we have seen practiced by others to the detriment of the interests of the Georgian people.

The destabilizing and antidemocratic actions, starting after the parliamentary election and continuing until most recently, highlight the personal responsibility of all those in positions of power to exercise restraint and the consequences for the whole nation for those who do not, it added.

It said that Georgias place as a free member of the European family is not in doubt but is put in danger by the violence and assaults on freedom.

Georgia, a former Soviet Republic, is a close U.S. ally and has aspirations of joining NATO and the European Union, although membership in either organization is not imminent.

With reporting by RFE/RLs Georgian Service
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari speaks after security forces rescued schoolboys from kidnappers, in Katsina, Nigeria, December 18, 2020. Reuters/Afolabi Sotunde

Over 300 schoolgirls have been kidnapped from a boarding school in Northern Nigeria.

Gunmen attacked the school and a nearby military checkpoint, according to Associated Press.

A joint rescue operation between the military and police is now said to be underway.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

More than 3oo schoolgirls were abducted from a boarding school in northern Nigeria in an attack on Friday.

Armed men took 317 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Jangebe, Zamfara state, police confirmed to Associated Press.

A government official told CNN that the gunmen spent several hours at the school during the ambush in the early hours of Friday morning and that an officer was killed during the attack. A state police spokesman added a "heavily-armed" joint rescue operation was underway to free the children.

The school was located just a few minutes away from a military checkpoint, which was also attacked by gunmen who stopped soldiers from intervening.

A parent with two daughters at the school who are aged 10 and 13, who were among the missing girls, told Associated Press: "It is disappointing that even though the military has a strong presence near the school, they could not protect the girls. At this stage, we are only hoping on divine intervention."

Associated Press noted that groups of armed men are known to operate in the area, where the "bandits" kidnap people for ransom and to negotiate the release of their own members from jail.

In a statement, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he "strongly condemns" the latest abduction.

"The Secretary-General calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the abducted children and for their safe return to their families," the statement from spokesman Stephane Dujarric read. "He reiterates that attacks on schools and other educational facilities constitute a grave violation of the rights of children and human rights more broadly. He stresses that schools must remain safe spaces for children to learn without fear of violence."

Story continues

He urged the Nigerian authorities "to spare no efforts" in bringing those guilty of the attack to justice.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari also condemned the abduction in a series of tweets on Friday.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

"Our primary objective is to get all the school hostages safe, alive and unharmed," Buhari wrote on Twitter, noting that it was a complex situation "that requires maximum patience in order to protect the victims from physical harm or even brutal death at the hands of their captors."

"We will not succumb to blackmail by bandits and criminals who target innocent school students in the expectation of huge ransom payments," he said.

Meanwhile, a group of children, their teachers, and some family members have now been freed following an abduction at another school in central Nigeria, which took place just 10 days ago, according to the BBC.

Forty-two people, including 27 students, were freed after being kidnapped by gunmen at the Government Science College in Kagara, Niger state, though no further details have been released yet.

Read the original article on Insider
Homemade tributes displayed in windows, flags flying at half mast and bell-ringing at churches were among the ways people across the UK paid their respects to Captain Sir Tom Moore on the day of his funeral.

With pandemic rules restricting the ceremony on Saturday to eight members of Sir Toms immediate family, the public were urged to find other ways to pay tribute to the charity fundraiser.

Alfie McAnespie, 13, rang the bell 100 times at a church in Chicksands, Bedfordshire, at midday on Saturday in Sir Toms honour.

I was able to ring the local church bell today 100 times (to) mark the life of the 100-year-old who inspired the nation, he tweeted.

Expand Close Alfie McAnespie, 13, rings the bell at Chicksands Church, Bedfordshire, in honour of Sir Tom, and a house in Hull also pays tribute (Anja McAnespie and @Kupokuponut) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Alfie McAnespie, 13, rings the bell at Chicksands Church, Bedfordshire, in honour of Sir Tom, and a house in Hull also pays tribute (Anja McAnespie and @Kupokuponut)

Read More

Gloucesters city police Twitter account also shared a video of Gloucester Cathedrals bells being rung in tribute to the Second World War veteran.

Well done @GlosCathedral for your tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore, @GlosCityPolice tweeted.

Expand Close The coffin of Captain Sir Tom Moore was carried by members of the Yorkshire Regiment (Joe Giddens/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The coffin of Captain Sir Tom Moore was carried by members of the Yorkshire Regiment (Joe Giddens/PA)

Well done @GlosCathedral for your tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore.

Dont forget to turn the volume up  pic.twitter.com/LDN6cCUrvj  Glos City Police (@GlosCityPolice) February 27, 2021

Others paid their respects by flying their flags at half-mast, including Bedford Borough Council.

In honour of Captain Sir Tom Moore whose funeral takes place today we are flying our flags at half mast. Rest in peace Sir Tom, the council tweeted.

Expand Close (l to r) Son-in-law Colin Ingram, granddaughter Georgia, grandson Benjie and daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore were among the mourners (Joe Giddens/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (l to r) Son-in-law Colin Ingram, granddaughter Georgia, grandson Benjie and daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore were among the mourners (Joe Giddens/PA)

In honour of Captain Sir Tom Moore whose funeral takes place today we are flying our flags at half mast. Rest in peace Sir Tom. #WeSaluteYou A book of condolence has been opened online at https://t.co/d7dHgaBRp5 pic.twitter.com/eAarNpAAsW  Bedford Borough #HandsFaceSpaceFreshAir (@BedfordTweets) February 27, 2021

Meanwhile, the Arnold family from Hull filled their window with flags and pictures of Sir Tom.

Me and my family did this yesterday, in honour of Captain Tom! @Kupokuponut tweeted. He was so truly inspirational to us all. I hope you get to see this. Were all thinking of you today.

Me and my family did this yesterday, in honour of Captain Tom! He was so truly inspirational to us all. I hope you get to see this. We're all thinking of you today ai pic.twitter.com/jox53GekYj  HappyLisaYay/Cap/Here for Otso Berg. (@Kupokuponut) February 27, 2021

Sir Toms family paid tribute to him during the funeral, saying his message and his spirit lives on.

There are plans to plant trees around the world in his honour, with the hope that the Trees for Tom initiative will result in a wood in his home county of Yorkshire and the reforestation of part of India, where he served during the Second World War.
A recent Kansas City police crackdown targeting illegal street racing sideshows will soon have legislative support from the Mayor's office.

To wit . . .

KANSAS CITY MAYOR Q SPONSORS ILLEGAL STREET RACING 'SIDESHOW' CRACKDOWN ORDINANCE FEATURING TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR RECKLESS MOTORISTS!!!



The Mayor typically touts "community-based solutions" and council has been fond of "restorative justice" so this "get tough" approach is a bit of a departure from forgiveness for so many vandals and violent rioters during 2020 civil unrest.

A highlight of the effort . . .

Illegal Kansas City sideshow street racers will soon confront a range of penalties reaching up to $500 and 6 months in jail. Moreover, police will soon be able to issue $100 tickets against spectators.



Skeptics might argue that there are too many sideshows to patrol and online organizing can easily thwart police.



Possibly.

But let's talk turkey about this legislation . . .



The KCMO street racing sideshow crackdown ordinance and recent police efforts are mostly focused on pushing reckless drivers out of the downtown loop.

The reality is that there are construction developments & investments WORTH MORE THAN ONE BILLION DOLLARS in this part of town and civic leaders can't risk that kind of EPIC MONEY to coddle stunt drivers who want to claim downtown streets as their own.

The legislation might not end sideshows across KCMO but the smarter drivers and those who advise them should realize that this is nothing less than a DECLARATION OF WAR on street racing sideshows in Downtown Kansas City.



Background on the QT and very hush hush for close readers . . . We've heard local po-po giggling about using their training that includes tactical car ramming maneuvers in order to bring suspect vehicles to a stop.

And so . . . We share this info and insight if only so that Kansas City illicit drivers can't claim that they weren't warned.



Check the legislation that won't likely meeting with much resistance . . .



ORDINANCE NO. 210182

Amending Chapter 70, Code of Ordinances, by repealing Sections 70-365 and 70-366 relating to street and drag racing and enacting in lieu thereof two new sections of like number and subject and by adding one new Section 70-368 relating to street and drag racing.



WHEREAS, street racing has caused vehicle crashes, deaths and injuries to drivers, passengers, onlookers, or innocent bystanders, and property damage in Kansas City; and



WHEREAS, street racing causes noise disturbances to residences and businesses near the street racing from racing vehicles and crowds; and



WHEREAS, street racing can cause vandalism and litter at racing locations, including businesses where racers commonly gather; and



WHEREAS, street racing can cause a loss of commercial revenue if racing crowds obstruct or intimidate potential customers; and



WHEREAS, street racing will cause excess wear and tear to Kansas City public streets where continual racing occurs, including areas with painted street markings commonly are damaged by the burning rubber of vehicle tires; and



WHEREAS, street racing has caused damage to curbs and bus stops in Kansas City, and to areas maintained by the City, including sidewalk cutaways and grassy areas; and



WHEREAS, public streets are created and maintained by Kansas City for public use and not for individuals to engage in the sport of street racing: NOW, THEREFORE,



BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:



Section 1. That Chapter 70 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Kansas City, Missouri, is hereby amended by repealing Sections 70-365 and 70-366 relating to street and drag racing and enacting in lieu thereof two new sections of like number and subject, to read as follows:



Sec. 70-365. Racing on streets and highways.



(a) Except as provided elsewhere in this chapter, no person shall drive or otherwise engage in, aid or abet any vehicle on a street or highway in any drag race or speed competition or exhibition of speed or acceleration. No person shall, for the purpose of facilitating or aiding or as an incident to any motor vehicle speed contest or drag race upon any street or highway, in any manner obstruct a street or highway or place any barricade or obstruction upon any street or highway. However, the director may issue a permit for any such race, competition, contest, test or exhibition in accordance with the terms and conditions specifically approved for such event by ordinance by the city council.



(b) Violations of this section shall result in the following:



(1) First violation: Up to a $150.00 fine and/or up to 30 days in jail



(2) Second violation: Up to a $300.00 fine and/or up to 60 days in jail



(3) Third and subsequent violation: Up to a $500.00 fine and/or and up to six months in jail



Sec. 70-366. Spectator or unlawful assembly at drag race or speed competition.



(a) Except as provided elsewhere in this chapter, no person shall knowingly be present as a spectator, either on a public street or highway, or on private property open to the general public without the consent of the owner, operator, or agent thereof, at a drag race or illegal motor vehicle speed competition.



(b) Except as provided elsewhere in this chapter, no person shall be present as a spectator, either on a public street or highway, or on private property without the consent of the owner, operator, or agent thereof, where preparations are being made for a drag race or illegal motor vehicle speed competition



(c) An individual is present at the drag race or illegal motor vehicle speed competition if that individual is within 200 feet of the location of the event, or within 200 feet of the location where preparations are being made for the event.



(d) When two or more persons assemble to witness or participate in a drag race or illegal motor vehicle speed competition such assembly is an unlawful assembly and any person who participates in such unlawful assembly is guilty of an offense.



(e) Exemption: Nothing in this section prohibits law enforcement officers or their agents from being spectators at drag races or speed contests in the course of their official duties.



(f) Violations of this section shall result in up to a $100.00 fine.



Section 2. That Chapter 70 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Kansas City, Missouri, is hereby amended by adding one new Section 70-368 relating to street and drag racing, to read as follows:



Sec. 70-368. Vehicles located later-impounded.



(a) If a vehicle involved in racing on streets and highways is identified and located later, that vehicle may be towed, impounded and kept as evidence of an earlier violation of street racing until a determination is made as part of an investigation determining whether a violation of Sec. 70-365 or Sec. 70-366 of this Code has been committed. After that determination, the vehicle shall be returned to the owner.



(b) If the owner of the vehicle claims the vehicle was loaned to another person the car shall remain in impound until the investigation is complete and a determination is made who was driving the car and whether there was a violation of Sec 70-173 or Sec. 70-179 of this Code. After that determination, the vehicle shall be returned to the owner.



(c) If the owner of the vehicle claims the vehicle was stolen, the car shall remain in impound until the stolen vehicle investigation is complete and a determination is made of who was driving the car. After that determination, the vehicle shall be returned to the owner.

##############

Developing . . .



Georgias political stage has lately got very hot: an arrest of the opposition figure Nika Melia, head of the European Georgia party associated with the exiled ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, with the partys office stormed by the police forces, set a harshly negative tone among the countrys political community. This arrest followed populist speech by the newly appointed Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who acceded to this position last week after the abdication of former Head of Government, Giorgi Gakharia, officially for his disapproval of the arrest Melia. What do these perturbations mean for the country and the whole region, Topchubashev center writes.

Garibashvili is known in Georgia as Ivanishvilis hardliner. Hence, his appointment is perceived as a sign of certain desperation within the ruling party which, despite emerging as triumphant in the recent parliamentary elections seems itself unable to placate the opposition and made it accept the electoral outcomes, which throws a shade at the legitimacy of the current government. The brief monitoring of social media and analytical websites reflects this very well, as Melias arrest is almost totally referred to as the burial day of the Georgian democracy and national humiliation.

Thus, it is worth looking at the major messages conveyed by Garibashvili in his already infamous speech. He made an emphasis on castigating internal enemies: of course, the major target was the Georgian Dreams arch-nemesis Saakashvili, whom Garibashvili named criminal and characterized his reign as the black years for Georgia, but also blamed the opposition for being unconstructive and intransigent, which has already sawn fears that his government would engage in full-fledged political repression. At the same time, he made rather unexpected references to Georgias first president Gamsakhurdia, suddenly remembering that his murder was a crime. This reference can be interpreted as Garibashvilis attempt to appeal to the nationalistic and conservative layers of the Georgian society among whom Gamsakhurdia remains a rather popular figure. It is estimated that these people, sharing distrust towards pro-Western cosmopolitan elite constitute a significant part of the Georgian Dream electorate and the ruling party may try to preserve its fragile dominance by accentuating and widening this rift, bringing populism to the forefront of Georgian politics.

And what about new governments foreign policy? This is probably the most intriguing question now. The whole period of the Georgian Dream reign has been characterized by a strong ambiguity. On the one hand, the countrys orientation remained visibly pro-Western: Georgia pursued its ambition to join NATO and concluded a visa-free regime deal with the EU in 2019. Nevertheless, there have always been strong rumours and suspicions that the current ruling elite is tacitly pro-Russian and works to undermine Georgias image as a successful pro-Western reformer. These suspicions are mainly fed by Ivanishvilis association with Russia (where he actually gained most of his fortune), but Russian links have also been believed to exist for some other high-level Georgian Dream cadres. This ambiguity has showed itself in Georgias relations with Azerbaijan as well. While always emphasizing the strategic significance of the alliance with Baku, there were instances which made some experts doubt that at least a part of the ruling elite is acquiescent with anti-Azerbaijani provocations made by nationalists.

These provocations were mainly focused around David Gareji, the ancient monastic complex divided by the official border between Georgia and Azerbaijan: this issue was re-activated several times during the recent years, and on one occasion a group of provocateurs even applied physical violence to an Azerbaijani border officer, who, happily enough, showed restraint and did not start shooting. Garibashvilis speech contained reference to this problem as well: he called President Ilham Aliyev a big friend and ally and announced willingness to visit Baku soon but also expressed his hopes that the border issue would be resolved in a friendly and cooperating manner, sending a message that he at least admits an opposite possibility- that if Baku does not act in the way Tbilisi would like, the relations can deteriorate. This poses a difficult question whether Garibashvili, in order to please the aforementioned nationalist elements, can take a bolder stance on the David Gareji. Practice shows that the governments occasional returns to this topic have mainly served to demonize Saakashvili but are inevitably doomed to create ambiguities in Tbilisis relationship with Baku. For example, the cartographers affair, which exposed several officials of his government as complicit in lobbying for a decision that allegedly ran against Georgian interests, implied that Georgian interests vis-a-vis Azerbaijan are not satisfied, although the government would never use such characteristics due to the strategic importance of Azerbaijan both economically and security-wise.

Garibashvilis comments about Georgian general foreign policy orientation contained ambiguities as well. While he declared allegiance to the alliance with the West, particularly U.S. as he proclaimed Georgia to be Washingtons best ally, his remarks to the 2008 war with Russia were rather scandalous: Garibashvili in all but name blamed Saakashvili for starting the war, adding that before 2008, Georgian militaries were even able to enter Ossetia. This statement aroused indignation across the Georgian society. The Gavrilov affair of 2019 which could have cost the Georgian Dream its rule is still very fresh in popular minds, and the frequent chants Gavrilov! were heard in the public that gathered to protest against Melias arrest.

Increasing Western pressure upon Russia and new energy and transport projects now under discussion, will only increase Moscows resolve to do that. Given also the expectation of increasingly polarizing domestic rhetoric of the new government, we can predict a turbulent period in the Georgian history. Most probably, opposition parties will now intensify their efforts to achieve new elections, and very much will depend on the degree of confrontation the government is ready to pursue: should it be high, rather negative scenarios might turn real.
Around 1,500 people are protesting outside the building of the Prosecutor General's Office in Kyiv on Saturday in support of an imprisoned activist, Serhiy Sternenko.

The protestors are throwing flares and firecrackers at the roof edge, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported.

They are calling for immediate release of Sternenko whom they consider to be a political prisoner.

"We came here to show that the Ukrainian public is not asleep. We came here to show that the Ukrainian judiciary is a threat to our national security. Our demands are to release Sternenko immediately, reform the judiciary, elect judges in a fair competition," one protestor said.

There are many police officers around, but they have not interfered yet.

On June 11, 2020 Sternenko was summoned by the Security Service which notified him of being suspected of premeditated murder and illegally carrying a cold weapon. At issue are events which happened during an assault on Sternenko in Odesa in 2018. One of the assailants died. According to the inquiry, Sternenko acted not only in self-defense because he ran after the assailant and injured him fatally.

Later Sternenko also was charged with kidnapping Kominternivsky district councilor (Odesa region) Serhiy Scherbych.

On February 23 a court in Odesa sentenced Sternenko to seven years of imprisonment after finding him guilty of kidnapping Scherbych.

Photo - Iegor Shumikhin
Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli demanded on Saturday that Guatemala release his personal airplane, which was arrested the day earlier at the request of the United States over links to the Odebrecht corruption case

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2021) Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli demanded on Saturday that Guatemala release his personal airplane, which was arrested the day earlier at the request of the United States over links to the Odebrecht corruption case.

On Friday, Guatemala's drug police detained an aircraft which was meant to fly Martinelli's sons out of the country last summer before they were arrested and imprisoned, pending extradition to the United States. Washington wants them on money laundering charges in the infamous bribery case involving Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht.

"Look at this false politically-motivated complaint to discredit our family. The plane was detained in Guatemala over an anonymous complaint by email.

The inspection report stressed that it did not find anything illegal. Return what was unjustly seized. For how long will these violations continue," Martinelli said on Twitter.

In a follow-up tweet, the ex-president pointed out that the account which sent the anonymous complaint was deleted that same day, hinting that he might actually know who was behind it.

The Odebrecht case, probed since 2016, revolves around the firm's millions-worth corruption schemes engaging high-profile politicians from Latin American countries to secure lucrative contracts. The investigation has already led to the dismissal of several senior officials across the continent.

Fingal County Council is to defer going to public consultation on the redevelopment of a community centre at Toberburr Ave, Rivermeade as social housing, following strong objections from councillors.

Located on Toberburr Avenue, Rivermeade, and accessed through the Rivermeade estate, the site rests on an area of 290sqm, and was transferred to the council's Housing Department in 2019.

Approximately 7km from Swords and situated in a residential cul-de-sac, the community centre sits adjacent to Mary Queen of Ireland National School, Rivermeade.

At a recent Local Area Committee meeting, the council stated its intentions to initiate proceedings pursuant to Part XI of the planning and development Act 2020 as amended and Part VIII of the Planning and Development Regulation 2001, as amended, to allow redevelopment of the community centre as social housing.

The Local Area Committee meeting heard that the building was built in 2002 and has remained unused for a number of years.

According to Fingal County Council, a survey was carried out in the local community which concluded there was no group interested in running a community centre.

It was then transferred to the council's Housing Department to be redeveloped as social housing.

Fingal County Council proposed to bring the matter of redevelopment of the community centre at Rivermeade to public consultation beginning February 18 2021, with the agreement of councillors.

Speaking at the Local Area Committee meeting, Sinn Fein councillor, Ann Graves said that while local residents welcomed any proposals for new housing for the area, she believed the proposal by the council 'pre-empted' development in the area.

Cllr Graves said she met with the council's Operations Manager last year to discuss residents of Rivermeade taking the community centre back into community use.

She said it was noted that there were no interested groups in 2018, but that things had changed since.

Cllr Graves explained residents of Rivermeade were last year invited to apply for funding to build a community centre, but they did not proceed as they were waiting for a decision on taking back the community centre.

Cllr Graves noted reference had been made to the community centre and how it tied into the Local Area Plan (LAP), but said that An Bord Pleanala had said this was 'useless' due to inaction in providing roads into the area.

A council official, responding to councillors, said she had 'heard the sentiment' of the Local Area Committee meeting in its objections to the redevelopment of the community centre at Rivermeade. The council was 'happy' to defer going to public consultation and to go back to the Community Department and ask them to re-engage with the local community and determine their wishes.
Out of the $650 million Facebook agreed to pay, Donato awarded $97.5 million in attorneys fees and about $915,000 in expenses. The court also awarded $5,000 to each of the three named plaintiffs in the lawsuit. The rest is to be distributed to all class members equally.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-26 22:09:37|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2021 shows a classroom of the Government Girls Secondary School in Jangebe town in the Talata-Mafara local government area of Zamfara state, Nigeria. Nigerian police confirmed that 317 students were abducted from a girls' secondary school in the northwestern state of Zamfara early Friday. In a statement made available to Xinhua, Mohammed Shehu, spokesman for the police in Zamfara, said 317 students were taken away by unidentified gunmen after their attack on the Government Girls Secondary School at Jangebe, a town in the state's Talata-Mafara local government area. (Photo by Emma Houston/Xinhua)

LAGOS, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian police confirmed that 317 students were abducted from a girls' secondary school in the northwestern state of Zamfara early Friday.

In a statement made available to Xinhua, Mohammed Shehu, spokesman for the police in Zamfara, said 317 students were taken away by unidentified gunmen after their attack on the Government Girls Secondary School at Jangebe, a town in the state's Talata-Mafara local government area.

A joint search and rescue operation is under way to rescue the kidnapped schoolgirls, he said.

Authorities have appealed to the school principal and the parents to be calm, telling them that police and other security agencies are try to rescue the students.

The latest abduction came about a week after gunmen struck the Government Secondary School at Kagara, a town in the north-central state of Niger, abducting 27 school pupils, three school staff, and 12 family members of the school staff.

They have yet to be rescued as of Friday.

The northern region of the most populous African country has witnessed a series of armed attacks in recent months, with hundreds killed and many others abducted. Enditem
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
(CNN)  As demand for Covid-19 vaccines continues to outpace supply, there's still not sufficient supply to cover everyone within even the top priority groups. But by targeting vaccine distribution to more specific vulnerable populations, states could have the opportunity to save thousands of lives and prevent even more hospitalizations, according to a new analysis.

Around the United States, there are various plans in place to prioritize distribution of the limited supply of vaccines -- in December, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices issued federal guidance about who should be first in line to receive the shots, starting with frontline health care workers and nursing home residents and staff, followed by other frontline essential workers and those age 75 and older.

But the total number of doses delivered across the country -- more than 88 million -- is barely enough to cover individuals in those groups with one shot, let alone the required second dose.

And ultimately, states decide who is first in line to receive a vaccine.

Health care data science firm Cogitativo analyzed thousands of health insurance claims and local demographics in California to assess the most predictive and discriminative factors leading to poor outcomes following Covid-19 infection.

By assessing known clinical risk factors, such as obesity, along with measures of the health effects of lived environment factors, such as air quality and access to fresh food, within the federal vaccination priority group recommendations, the company was able to more precisely pinpoint the most vulnerable individuals in the state and the counties where they live.

According to the analysis, dozens of counties in California would lack sufficient doses to serve the most vulnerable people in the state under federal guidance alone. Los Angeles County, for example, would have a deficit of nearly 405,000 doses.

Expanding those findings to the 10 largest states shows that about a third of counties would be lacking doses relative to the number of most vulnerable residents -- and about 5 million doses could make a deeper impact in the fight against Covid-19 if reallocated to a different county.

"Without a surgical approach to distributing the vaccine, more Americans -- often in communities of color and rural areas -- risk being left behind," Cogitativo CEO Gary Velasquez told CNN. "The key is to use a combination of real clinical data and social determinants of health to surgically assess who is at greatest risk. This approach can help states avoid acute deficits in certain counties."

Equity in vaccine distribution

Experts CNN spoke with agreed that allocations should be more nuanced than the share of the population that falls within a certain priority group. For example, not all people over the age of 65 face the same level of risk from Covid-19, although a county with more people in that age group might receive more vaccines.

"The quickest and most rapid approach to saving the most lives and ultimately ending this pandemic sooner and faster has to intersect with understanding the conditions in which people are living, working, being educated and more," Dr. Kedar Mate, president of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement told CNN. Mate was not involved in the Cogitativo analysis. "Social determinants of health have a very significant effect on the trajectory of this pandemic."

Equity is central to the Biden administration's plan to distribute vaccines through federally qualified health centers and FEMA sites, and dozens of states have adapted the federal framework for their own distribution plans, many specifically adding elements of equity into the equation.

But it has been a nationwide struggle to get it right.

In the coming weeks, California specifically plans to revamp its vaccine allocation plan to address concerns about equity in the rollout.

Currently, California allocates doses to local health departments proportionately based on their share of the state's eligible population. Along with health care personnel, the state has expanded prioritization to all people who are at least 65-years-old, so a county with twice as many people in that age category than another would receive twice as many doses.

A new formula would allocate doses directly to providers in an attempt to bring coverage to neighborhoods that need it most. The goal is to reach disproportionately affected communities that the current system is not adequately reaching, Darrel Ng, senior communications adviser for the state's vaccine task force told CNN.

'Hard to prescribe' at a national level

Experts CNN spoke with said federal guidelines gave a good sense of how to get started with the vaccination process.

But, they said, adjustments can be made locally as more is learned along the way, particularly focusing on groups that are most susceptible to the virus and poor outcomes from it.

"It's hard to prescribe that at a national level," Mate told CNN. "Every state and every region has to do some customization based on local experience.

Local health departments are well-versed on pockets of at-risk populations in communities, as well as the vulnerabilities within themselves and their surroundings that put them at risk.

They're "uniquely positioned to be the backbone behind equitable distribution," Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

But some local leaders say that it's tough to focus on equity when supply is so limited.

"Without more supply, and steady and predictable information about future supply levels, it is challenging to ensure that we can quickly and equitably vaccinate those most at risk," a statement from Santa Clara County, California, officials said.

According to Cogitativo's analysis of counties within the 10 largest states, Santa Clara has the third-largest deficit of vaccine doses within the 10 largest states. The analysis suggests the county could receive up to 175,000 more doses than it would under federal guidance alone, due to its relatively large vulnerable population at risk due poor social determinants of health.

"In a lot of cases, counties are getting too limited a supply to have a deeper strategy addressing equity," Freeman said. "We're hearing it all the time. Some counties are only getting 100 vaccine doses a week and doing their best to parse that out among the priority groups."

Others say that making the case for even more specific prioritization can be tough -- especially when demand so far outweighs supply -- but it helps to remind people of a shared goal.

In Texas, the state government rejected a plan proposed by Dallas to prioritize vaccinating people within certain ZIP codes. Ultimately, the state and county worked together, and they were able to prioritize based on socioeconomic status and community case spread, but not for specified ZIP codes.

"Because of the very limited supply, we wanted to make the biggest impact with the precious amount we did have," Dr. Philip Huang, director of Dallas County's health department, told CNN.

And there is more targeted prioritization happening. Federal vaccination initiatives running in tandem with state plans can help get the vaccine to more people. Vaccination sites run by FEMA in Dallas target people living in the 17 ZIP codes that local leaders helped prioritize.

Still, Dallas receives only about 9,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine each week. There are more than 650,000 people on the waiting list.

"You do the math. It's going to take some time," Huang said. "We all want everyone to get it as soon as possible. The better we're able to show we're reaching the people most at risk to suffer, the better we'll reach that goal."

This story was first published on CNN.com "Lack of equity within priority groups leaves Covid-19's most vulnerable without vaccine, analysis suggests".
STAGE

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child returns to the Melbourne stage with its two-part performances. After defeating the Dark Lord, Harry Potter finds himself as an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic while his son Albus struggles with the family legacy. Until Aug 25, Princess Theatre, 163 Spring Street, city, $65-$400, 1300 111 011, ticketmaster.com.au

OUT OF TOWN

RONE returns to his home town of Geelong for a comprehensive survey of his career devising large-scale paintings and immersive installations. RONE in Geelong exhibits the artists earlier street-art pieces and a commissioned installation in an ode to abandoned spaces. Until May 16, daily, 10am-5pm, Geelong Gallery, 55 Little Malop Street, Geelong, $7-$16, geelonggallery.org.au
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.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

The Rolls-Royce Tempus Collection celebrates time and space.

The cars feature astronomical interior art made from milled aluminum and embroidery.

Only 20 examples were made and they're all sold out.

Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.

Just like the rest of us, Rolls-Royce has the passing of time on the brain. But instead of suffering existential dread like the mere mortals of this world, the automaker instead devoted itself to creating a line of time-themed Phantom models.

It's called the Phantom Tempus Collection, according to the press release, and each of the 20 cars in the collection will have bespoke paint, a redesigned fiber-optic headliner, and an accompanying hand-painted champagne chest. Rolls-Royce didn't say how much each car costs, but the regular Phantom starts at $463,000.

If you're interested in obtaining a piece of the Tempus Collection for yourself, tough. All 20 cars are already spoken for.

But you can keep reading to see all the intricate details.

Rolls-Royce's new Phantom Tempus Collection is inspired by the concept of "time, astronomical phenomena, and the infinite reaches of the universe."

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

"As we all know, Time never stands still, waits for no one. Hence, we manage it, guard it, account for it, weigh and measure it to its smallest fraction. With Phantom Tempus, we have created a space in which those strictures no longer apply  as illustrated by the deliberate absence of a clock. Rolls-Royce clients are not bound by Time; the outside world with all its pressures and demands are forgotten," said Torsten Muller-Otvos, Rolls-Royce's chief executive.

Source: Rolls-Royce

All the Phantoms in the collection are painted Kairos Blue, which has blue mica flakes that glitter.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

It was "created to embody the darkness and mystery of space," according to Rolls-Royce.

The interior features the "Frozen Flow of Time" artwork, which was created from a single piece of billet aluminum and milled to create 100 "individually contoured columns."

Story continues

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

Each of those aluminum columns is hand-polished and black-anodized, so it's extra reflective.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

The entire collection focuses on the pulsar, an astronomical phenomenon that the automaker describes as, "unknown until 1967 and found only in the deepest reaches of space (the nearest yet discovered is 280 light years, or 1,680 trillion miles, from Earth). These very dense, white-hot stars emit electromagnetic radiation in extremely regular pulses, making them some of the most accurate clocks in the universe."

The columns represent "the 100-million-year period of a rotational spin of a pulsar star," according to Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

The insides of the doors have a "swirling, twisting pattern of stars" that was created by illuminated and perforated leather.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

Customers can engrave the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament with a significant date or location.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce provides some examples: "A marriage, the birth of a child, or even a major business success."

The centerpiece of the collection, however, is the headliner.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

It's called the Pulsar Headliner, which blends the existing fiber-optic lighting with embroidery.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

Buyers also get a hand-painted champagne chest that includes champagne- and caviar-chilling thermal flasks, four crystal flutes, and a mother-of-pearl caviar spoon.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce is only making 20 examples of the Phantom Tempus Collection. The company didn't name a price, but the regular Phantom starts at $463,000.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

They've all sold out already.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection. Rolls-Royce

Read the original article on Business Insider
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.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Germany's vaccine commission is considering reversing course and recommending AstraZeneca's COVID-19 jab for those over 65 after a study showed it to be effective among the elderly, its chairman has said.

"It is possible and we will do it," Thomas Mertens, who heads the commission known as STIKO, told public television ZDF Friday evening when asked if the British-Swedish firm's shot could be approved for all following the latest research.

The commission "will very soon publish a new updated recommendation", he said, adding he was awaiting details from the authors of the study that was carried out in Scotland.

A month ago, the commission said it was recommending the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine only for under-65-year-olds due to insufficient data on its effectiveness on older people.

The European Medicines Agency, the regulator for the EU, has recommended the AstraZeneca jab for adults of all ages.

After muddled communication about the efficacy of the British-made jabs hit demand, doctors and public health officials have pleaded with Germans to take up AstraZeneca vaccines.

AstraZeneca has been shown to be about 60 percent effective in trials, while studies point to around 95 percent efficacy for the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

However the British jab has the advantage of not requiring deep-freeze storage, with a regular refrigerator sufficing.

"It all turned out badly," Mertens said while justifying the decision not to recommend the vaccine to the elderly due to a lack of data at the time.

"We have never criticised the vaccine," which is "very good," he said.

The recent study led by the University of Edinburgh found that by the fourth week after receiving the initial dose, the Pfizer vaccine reduced the risk of hospitalisation from COVID-19 by up to 85 percent.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine reduced the risk by 94 percent.

It also found that vaccination was associated with an 81 percent reduction in hospitalisation risk in the fourth week among those aged 80 years and over, when the results for both vaccines were combined.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2021 AFP
Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass.
German chemicals giant BASF has paid its directors and staff a bonus worth 360million (312million) after borrowing 1billion from the Bank of England.

The 51billion manufacturer  which operates around the globe and at 11 UK locations, including at plants in Bradford in West Yorkshire and Alfreton in Derbyshire  said part of the payout was based on a 'recognition and appreciation' bonus.

In an upbeat statement on Friday, BASF also said it would pay its investors a 3billion final dividend  the same as last year.

Boost: In an upbeat statement, BASF also said it would pay its investors a 3billion final dividend  the same as last year

It said a 'year-end rally' meant full-year sales beat expectations. However, the disruption earlier in the year meant underlying performance targets were not met, so the board changed the threshold for payouts by a special resolution.

BASF's emergency Bank of England loan, which is guaranteed by the Treasury, was the biggest handed to any corporation in the heat of the crisis. The loan scheme for large companies allowed foreign firms to apply if they had a material presence in the UK.

Concern over firms handing out bonuses and dividends while borrowing cheaply from the central bank prompted the Treasury to tighten rules on the taxpayer-backed loan agreements in May.

But Covid Corporate Financing Facility loans taken before then, including BASF's giant debt, are not covered by the restrictions on rewarding executives or investors.

The Mail on Sunday revealed last month that the US owner of Boots gave its billionaire boss Stefano Pessina a windfall of almost 50million just days after the pharmacy giant drew 300million from the loan scheme.

Last month, Boots' owner, Walgreens Boots Alliance, signalled another dividend payment  its biggest quarterly payout ever  taking the total paid during the crisis to more than 1billion.

BASF said it intended to repay its loan next month and pointed out it would not pay the bonus windfall to staff and directors until May.

When asked about the 'appreciation' bonus, BASF said: 'This year's bonus payment is due to a discretionary decision of the board of directors in appreciation of the outstanding work of the BASF team worldwide.'

BASF chairman Dr Martin Brudermuller said in a separate statement: 'With this bonus, we want to acknowledge the huge effort put in by the BASF team in the pandemic year 2020, which was difficult for everyone.'

He said of the dividend: 'A reliable dividend payment is a priority for us, even in difficult times.'
Courtesy photo /U.S. Border Patrol

Two men were arrested in connection with a human smuggling attempt using an raspa truck, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

On Wednesday evening, agents said they observed individuals getting into several vehicles, including a raspa vendor truck. Agents requested assistance from Laredo police and the Texas Department of Public Safety and were able to detain 17 people in connection with the raspa truck.
A big lie that prevailed through much of the Troubles period was that the British Government did not - and would not - talk to terrorists. In fact, Edward Heath's Government negotiated the first IRA ceasefire in June 1972. The British offered a meeting between the Secretary of State, William Whitelaw, and the IRA leadership.

The IRA learnt a lot from that process. They knew by the time it was over that the British would talk to them again some day.

The British had effectively disclosed their understanding of what a ceasefire entailed. It was simply to be an agreement that the IRA would not shoot soldiers, or police officers, and would not bomb property. Killing civilians and other paramilitaries didn't ruffle British ministers.

On the very morning that the IRA leaders travelled to London to meet Whitelaw, their gunmen in Belfast killed two people. The meeting went ahead despite that.

In fact, both wings of the IRA, during the fortnight of the ceasefire, killed more people than they had killed in the two weeks preceding it. But still, the Army suspended raids and searches, travelled in open-top Land Rovers and soldiers wore their rifles slung over their shoulders rather than at the ready.

The IRA had sought the right to conduct itself as the legitimate army in its own areas. The volunteers did what the British Army did when people drove through their checkpoints: they shot them in the back.

So, Arlene Foster might have felt entitled to be sniffy about any criticism of her for meeting with representatives of loyalist paramilitaries this week, since there is such a history of meetings with paramilitaries with political agendas.

But there is a difference. When British officials met the IRA, it was to try to negotiate an end to a terrorist campaign that challenged the legitimacy of the state.

Arlene Foster is meeting loyalists ostensibly to brief them on her campaign to end the Northern Ireland Protocol, which currently disrupts trade from Great Britain and compromises the Union.

The precedent for that meeting is not Whitelaw's "whites of the eyes" meeting with Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness and the other fanatics gathered round them; it was an entirely different event.

In 1974, the DUP leadership joined with loyalist paramilitaries in a strategy to oppose the power-sharing agreement arrived at Sunningdale the previous year.

An Executive had been established, with ministers from the SDLP and the Ulster Unionist Party. Unionism split, largely in horror at a provision of the agreement which created a Council of Ireland.

The Ulster Workers Council meeting at a house in Hawthornden Road planned a strike that threatened power supplies, stopped people going to work and ultimately made Northern Ireland ungovernable.

The-then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, refused to use the Army against the strikers and to occupy the power stations and the Assembly fell, not to be reconstituted for another quarter of a century. This was a coup.

The IRA had not been part of the negotiations. Sinn Fein had no seats and precious few votes, anyway, but for a time the SDLP, representing the majority of Catholics, had shown a willingness to govern alongside unionists and to defy the IRA's untenable demand for a full British withdrawal.

At the time of the strike, when the DUP was sitting with the UVF, the UDA and the Ulster Vanguard movement, loyalist paramilitaries escalated their own campaigns. They bombed Dublin and Monaghan and killed 34 people.

This is not to say that the DUP approved the bombings, but their party leader Ian Paisley sat at the table with the leaders of the organisation which carried it out.

Indeed, he joined the meetings after the bombings, in the second week of the strike, already knowing about the bombings.

There is a story that one of the UDA men, ordered to guard the door, drew a gun on Paisley when he arrived and at first refused to let him in.

The DUP shared other enterprises with loyalists through a "Third Force" campaign, Ulster Resistance and in the Drumcree campaign of the mid 1990s for the right of Orangemen to march down the Garvaghy Road.

Were Paisley alive today, we might imagine him thundering his contempt for the Protocol and making dark intimations of the danger that a sleeping beast of Ulster loyalism would come growling from its slumber.

But he isn't - and things have changed anyway.

Loyalists looked back later on Paisley as a rabble-rouser, who would inspire them to take to the streets and then campaign for capital punishment when they were imprisoned.

Arlene Foster is not going to don a red Ulster Resistance beret and lead a popular revolt on the streets. So, what are the lessons she can take from the past?

When loyalists and their sympathisers hear the challenge from the Alliance Party to the First Minister meeting those who speak for men with woolly faces, they bridle. They sense that something is seriously unequal about their treatment.

And, inevitably, there is, because loyalists didn't manage to translate their paramilitary campaign into a major political party.

But they see that Arlene went to the funeral of Volunteer McGuinness and that she sits in an Executive with former members of the IRA and others who continue to revere the memory of the IRA campaign and to treat political criminals as heroes.

What she can't do is concede that the loyalists are somehow worse than the republicans.

She could acknowledge the DUP's long history of discussions with loyalist paramilitaries. Someone needs to break the pattern of carrying the past with us.

Michelle O'Neill isn't going to do it. Mary Lou MacDonald says she might have joined the IRA herself, if she had been old enough, so a candid break from the past isn't going to come from her.

William Whitelaw met the IRA because they were alien to him and unintelligible and he needed to understand them.

The DUP, in meeting loyalists, is having a conversation within their own family and it is a family with a history that it needs to reconcile with the present day.
United Nations, Feb 27 : In a dramatic show of defiance Myanmar's Permanent Representative Kyaw Moe Tun has denounced his country's military regime before the General Assembly and declared he would fight for democracy.

"We will continue to fight for a government which is of the people, by the people, for the people," he said during an Assembly session on Myanmar.

His speech won a round of applause from diplomats who were at first astounded by his public break with Myanmar's military government that jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders this month and declared the election won by their National League for Democracy invalid.

Tun said that his loyalty was to the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and was speaking on behalf of the democratically elected members of parliament.

He called for "strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people and to restore the democracy".

"It is time for the military to immediately relinquish power and release those detained," he said.

He raised his three fingers in a salute that has become a symbol of the Myanmar protesters demanding a return to democracy.

UN's Special Envoy Christine Schraner Burgener told the Assembly through a video link that the situation in Myanmar was "fragile" and had not yet stabilised.

The military's takeover remained only a "coup attempt" and the international community should "not lend legitimacy or recognition to this regime" because "it would appear to be roundly rejected by the people".

"If there is any escalation in terms of military brutality -- and sadly as we have seen this before in Myanmar -- against people exercising their basic rights, let us act swiftly and collectively", she added.

India's Permanent Representative said that New Delhi was "deeply concerned that the gains made by Myanmar over the last decades on the path towards democracy, should not get undermined.

He said, "Restoring democratic order should be the priority of all stakeholders in Myanmar. The international community must lend its constructive support to the people of Myanmar at this critical juncture." Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric was asked at his briefing about the danger to Tun and his family because of his speech at the Assembly.

He said, "No one should be harmed. No one should be thrown in jail for expressing their opinion. ...Families should not be punished for the actions of another member. There needs to be freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and there hasn't been. And we've been very concerned about that." (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Work is progressing fast to frame the regulatory standards to practice 20 professions aimed at optimising the work permit system in Bahrain.

Deputy Prime Minister His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa said the committee, as directed by the cabinet, is continuing to develop standards for 20 identified professions. The committee, Sheikh Mohammed said, is also looking at the possibility of including other professions, which the committee deems relevant to include in the regulatory framework.

Shaikh Mohammed was replying to a parliamentary question by MP Muhammad Issa.

The Cabinet chaired by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, had approved a new regulation last year in August for issuing the Flexible Work Permit.

The permit, a cabinet statement said, aims at optimising the work permit system in the Kingdom to create more job opportunities for Bahrainis, make citizens the first choice of employment and preserve the right of workers.

The new regulations were approved based on feedbacks from the Shura and Representatives Councils and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI).

New procedures called for intensifying inspection to ensure that permit holders are not engaging in activities other than permitted and take necessary legal action against violations.

The cabinet statement also said those failing to comply are not allowed to apply for the Flexible Work Permit.

Measures also include barring Flexible Work Permit holders from registering industrial motor vehicles.

At that the time, the cabinet also said that a new committee consisting of members from various ministries would propose regulatory standards for 20 identified professions and share them with the Supreme Council for the Development of Education and Training within two months.

Shaikh Mohammed said the committee held several meetings with the representatives of the Bahrain Chamber. They expressed their views on the regulations and desire to add another profession.

He, however, said that the committee is yet to present its proposals to the Supreme Council for the Development of Education and Training, as the committee chairman, the Minister of Labor and Social Development, requested more time to completes the tasks assigned to it.

The committee consists of members from the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, the Ministry of Finance and National Economy, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, the Ministry of Electricity and Water Affairs, the Labour Market Regulatory Authority, BCCI, and the Education and Training Quality Authority.

Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-28 04:01:11|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's total number of COVID-19 cases is nearing 2.7 million after over 9,000 new cases were registered Saturday. Meanwhile, over 62,000 nurses have been infected with the virus in Iran.

Turkey on Saturday reported 9,193 new COVID-19 cases, including 621 symptomatic patients, as the total number of positive cases in the country reached 2,693,164, according to its health ministry.

The death toll from the virus in Turkey rose by 71 to 28,503, while the total recoveries climbed to 2,565,723 after 8,938 more cases recovered in the last 24 hours.

The country started mass COVID-19 vaccination on Jan. 14 after the authorities approved the emergency use of the Chinese CoronaVac vaccine. More than 6,865,000 people have been vaccinated so far.

In Iran, more than 62,000 nurses have contracted COVID-19 and about 100 of them have lost their lives due to the disease, an Iranian official was quoted by news agency IRNA as saying.

"The sacrifices made by nurses in the past year have alleviated some of the problems of the people during the epidemic, and we should appreciate their efforts," Deputy Health Minister Mariam Hazrati said in a public tribute in Tehran.

Reports on the coronavirus-caused deaths of around 100 nurses are being analyzed under the supervision of the Ministry and the Foundation of Martyrs, and some of the deceased have already been approved to be recognized as "martyrs of service."

At her daily briefing, spokeswoman for Iranian Ministry of Health Sima Sadat Lari said 81 new deaths related to the coronavirus were registered in Iran in the past 24 hours, and 7,975 new cases of COVID-19 were detected between Friday and Saturday.

The new figures make for a death toll of 59,980, and an overall count of 1,623,159 infections in Iran. Sadat Lari said 1,386,534 patients have recovered.

The Iraqi Ministry of Health reported 3,543 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total nationwide infections to 692,241.

It also reported in a statement 18 new deaths, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 13,383, while the total recoveries in Iraq climbed by 2,820 to 632,998.

Israel's Ministry of Health reported 3,290 new COVID-19 cases, raising the tally in the country to 773,261.

The death toll from the COVID-19 in Israel reached 5,726 after 32 new fatalities were added, while the number of patients in serious condition increased from 738 to 760, out of 1,236 hospitalized patients.

The total recoveries in Israel rose to 727,779, with 3,947 newly recovered cases, while the active cases decreased to 39,756.

The number of people vaccinated against COVID-19 in Israel surpassed 4.68 million, or 50.3 percent of its total population, since the vaccination campaign began on Dec. 20, 2020.

Lebanon registered 3,100 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 372,775 in the country. Meanwhile, the number of deaths from the virus went up by 42 to 4,652.

Lebanon received on Saturday the third batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.

Abdul Rahman Bizri, member of the Lebanese National Infectious Diseases Committee, said on Saturday that Lebanon continues to vaccinate staff in the health sector and the elderly above 75.

The Qatari health ministry announced 460 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 163,197,.

Meanwhile, 412 more people recovered from the virus, bringing the overall recoveries to 153,219, while the fatalities remained 257 for the sixth day running.

Kuwait reported 844 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 189,890.

The Kuwaiti Health Ministry also announced six more deaths, taking the death toll to 1,078. The tally of recoveries in Kuwait rose by 1,064 to 178,197, while 10,615 coronavirus-related patients were receiving treatment.

Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 483,410 on Saturday as 416 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours. The death toll mounted to 8,615 as seven COVID-19 patients died in the last 24 hours.

The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 468,807 after 420 new ones were added.

Meanwhile, 3,435,997 people have been vaccinated so far against COVID-19 in the country. The North African country launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Jan. 28 after the arrival of the first shipment of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines.

Algeria reported 155 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the North African country to 112,960.

The death toll from the virus rose to 2,979 after two new fatalities were added. Meanwhile, 134 more patients recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries in the country to 78,036. Enditem
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
404

  

              
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.

London, Feb 28 : Mental health issues have grown drastically amid the coronavirus lockdown in Britain, local media reported on Saturday.

"What we perceive as straightforward symptoms, even something like a sore throat, even those calls are coming through with mental health issues," Ruth Lander, a member of the training team for the non-emergency 111 service in North Wales, said.

"It has definitely increased the mental health aspects to the calls we get -- they may be elderly and struggling with loneliness or a young mum who has lost her support network and is struggling," Lander said.

"People are anxious and they are scared, and that's the benefit of this service because we can explain and help those patients," Lander added.

According to Jason Killens, the chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, even with increased public awareness of mental health support, the full effects of lockdown are only just emerging, the Xinhua news agency reported.

"We expect these problems to increase and for them to become even more complex as people suffer different stresses in their lives across our communities," Killens said.

"Everyone has been touched by the pandemic in some way -- many people have lost their jobs, of course, and that creates anxiety and mental health problems too," he said.

"There is increasing recognition over recent years that mental health needs parity with physical health in terms of how we provide services and care for patients," he said.

"We have got a small number of mental health clinicians within our service and we expect to expand that this year... we realise there is more that we can do and that we can do better," he added.

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.

Another 8,523 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,163,085, according to official figures released Friday.

The country also reported another 345 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 122,415. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

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.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
"We are so thankful for this generous donation, which is crucial in helping The Salvation Army continue to assist those in need, especially during this particularly cold and snowy winter", said Major James Betts, Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army New Jersey Division.

Each of The Salvation Army's 29 corps will distribute the coats within their communities and to individuals being helped through their programs, including food pantries, soup kitchens, daycare centers and homeless shelters.

Hilco Global and The New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund partnered together to identify The Salvation Army as a wonderful organization to donate the coats to given their ongoing presence and impactful services in communities throughout New Jersey, and their ability to efficiently distribute the coats to those who need them the most.

International financial services firm Hilco Global, the world's preeminent authority on asset valuation, monetization, and advisory services, donated the coats through its ongoing global philanthropic program, "Hilco Helps," which supports causes and not-for-profit organizations that seek to enhance the lives and maximize the potential of the world's most important assets: human assets. Over the last few months, Hilco has donated over 9,500 coats with a retail value of over $1.8 million dollars to shelters, schools, and various community & religious organizations throughout Chicago, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Boston.

"Hilco Global is thrilled to partner with the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund and The Salvation Army to help "WARM THE WINTER" by distributing over 3000 brand new winter coats to people in Jersey City and throughout communities all over New Jersey that can at times use a helping hand," said Jeremy Grey, Executive Vice President Hilco Redevelopment Partners.

NJPRF was established in March 2020 to raise funds and organize and coordinate resources to fight the medical, social and economic impacts of COVID-19 on New Jersey's most vulnerable. To date, the fund has raised more than $64.4. million from over 62,000 donors and allocated $55 million to 500+ organizations in all 21 counties in NJ.

"The Salvation Army continues to do incredible work on behalf of New Jersey families in need, and the NJPRF, in partnership with Hilco, is proud to support them again by providing 3,000 new winter coats to families and children in need," said New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy, the Founding Chair of the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund. "In Jersey City and around the state, The Salvation Army opens its doors to provide for those who are food insecure, need emergency assistance, and daycare -- all tremendously important functions as we continue to combat the COVID pandemic."

Individuals in need of a winter coat should contact their local Salvation Army for more information about coat distribution dates.

To help ensure that The Salvation Army can continue to provide vital services throughout New Jersey, supporters can donate online at www.SalvationArmyNJ.org. Every donation provides help and hope to those in need, and all gifts stay within the community in which they are given.

About Hilco Global

Hilco Global (www.hilcoglobal.com) is a privately held diversified financial services company and the world's preeminent authority on maximizing the value of assets for both healthy and distressed companies. Hilco Global operates as a holding company comprised of over twenty specialized business units that work to help companies understand the value of their assets and then monetize that value. Hilco Global has over a 30-year track record of acting as an advisor, agent, investor and/or principal in any transaction. Hilco Global works to deliver the best possible result by aligning interests with clients and providing them strategic insight, advice, and, in many instances, the capital required to complete the deal. Hilco Global is based in Northbrook, Illinois and has 640 professionals operating on five continents and has large offices located in Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia within the US. Hilco Helps (www.hilcohelps.com) serves as a Hilco Global worldwide initiative to support causes and not-for-profit organizations that help enhance the lives and maximize the potential of the world's most important assets: Human Assets. Through many Hilco Helps programs, the organization works to improve the lives of those in need (often children) in communities that are under served and require assistance to maximize their full potential providing millions of dollars of support (through in-kind donations, direct donations, and marketing efforts/sponsorship) to non-profit groups doing outstanding work.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army annually helps more than 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of "America's Favorite Charities" by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country's largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit.

For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.

About the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (NJPRF)

The New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund was created to fight the medical, social and economic impact of Covid-19 on NJ's most vulnerable citizens. By leveraging resources, expertise and partnerships with leading organizations, the Fund is able to have a huge impact throughout the state. To date NJPFR has raised $64.4. million from over 62,000 donors and allocated $55 million to 500+ organizations in all 21 counties in NJ.

To learn more about NJPRF, please visit: www.NJPRF.org, and make sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

SOURCE Hilco Global

Related Links

https://www.hilcoglobal.com


Bexar County grand juries handed down more than 200 felony indictments this week in several cases, including one in which a man is facing a capital murder charge after being accused of killing a woman for her cellphone.

District Attorney Joe Gonzales said grand juries impaneled by the 144th District Court and the 226th District Court concluded this week, handing down a total 1,815 felony indictments during their eight-week term.

The hard work and commitment of these citizens of Bexar County is a vital part of the criminal justice system. We thank them for answering the call to serve our community, Gonzales said.

Daniel Calvillo, 28, was indicted on a count of capital murder.

He is accused of shooting Giovanna Modesty Augusta Barrera, 24, as she was removing her skates while in her car Dec. 9 near Walzem Road and FM 78, according to the Bexar County Sheriffs Office.

Calvillo had asked Barrera for her cellphone, but she refused and threw it underneath her car seat investigators said. Thats when Calvillo shot her in the face, deputies said.

Investigators said he then got into a car driven by Keyana Jones, 20, and fled the scene. The two were arrested the next day during a traffic stop.

The duo also is accused of robbing a man at gunpoint Dec. 7 in the 300 block of Terrell Road. The man, who was found bleeding profusely from his head and neck by a passerby, told police the people who assaulted him took his wallet, phone and keys.

Police identified Calvillo and Jones after they were spotted on security camera footage using the mans credit card at a gas station.

Calvillo, who is also charged with aggravated robbery and two counts of unlawful carrying of a weapon, remains jailed in lieu of bail totaling $715,000.

If found guilty of the capital murder charge, he faces life in prison without parole or death, officials said.

Jones remains in Bexar County Jail on charges of aggravated robbery and felon in possession of a firearm, according to court records. Her bail is set at $160,000.

On ExpressNews.com: Judge sentences distracted driver who killed 2 in San Antonio car crash

In another case, Mariah Jade Flores, 22, was indicted on a count of failure to stop and render aid causing death, officials said.

Police said Flores was driving a green Honda CR-V on Oct. 24 when she hit a white SUV driven by Alex Reyna.

Reyna, 24, was killed when his SUV hit a metal sign, flipped over and came to rest between guardrails at the Interstate 10 East and Interstate 37 South junction.

Police said Flores fled the scene after telling witnesses she needed to leave because she had warrants.

Flores was apprehended on Nov. 23.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Flores also is accused of being part of the alleged robbery of a man at a La Quinta Inn, 7134 Northwest Loop 410.

According to the affidavit, Flores distracted the man while he was sitting in his car by asking for a ride.

Another person, armed with a gun, then approached the man, asking for his money and keys, San Antonio police said.

A third person ordered the man out of the car and then got in and drove away, police said. Flores left in a separate car with the second person, investigators said. The incident occurred on Nov. 22.

The other two people involved have not been identified.

Flores also has been charged with aggravated robbery, failure to identify as a fugitive and driving while intoxicated. She remains in Bexar County Jail with her bail set at $170,000.

Top hits: Get San Antonio Express-News stories sent directly to your inbox

In another case, Tyler Cantu, 24, and Gavin Lee Lopez, 18, are accused of trafficking and sexually assaulting a girl, 16, who is learning disabled, officials said.

Court records show that a witness found the girl in distress Nov. 5 outside a business in the 1400 block of Bandera Road and called San Antonio police.

The girl told investigators she had sex with two men in a nearby hotel, but she could not remember her name or where she lived. She said Lopez had also taken her cellphone when he left the hotel.

According to an affidavit, the girls mother said she had seen Lopez video chat with the girl. She was concerned that he was exploiting her because he knew she was disabled.

Lopez is charged in a two-count indictment with trafficking of a child and sexual assault. He is out of jail on a bond. His bail was set at $100,000.

Cantu was charged on a three-count indictment including trafficking of a child, sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by contact. He remains in jail with bail set at $100,000.

Trafficking of a child is a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison, officials said.
Fine Gael ministers will not accept a pay hike due within the coming months, it has been revealed.

It comes after Fianna Fail Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath said he plans to waive the increase and expects his government colleagues to adopt the same position.

The 2pc pay rise is due on the TD portion of ministers salaries that is also paid to all deputies before July 1.

The increase, which due under a wage restoration process, would bring a TDs salary of 98,113 up to 100,191.

Ministers pay is made up of this TD wage of 98,113 plus a ministerial salary of 81,100  a total of 179,213.

Read More

Fine Gael ministers have not accepted any pay restoration or any pay increase since restoration began in 2014 and will not be accepting the next restoration in July, said a party spokesperson.

A Department of Finance spokesperson had also earlier confirmed that Minister Paschal Donohoe will not be availing of the increase.

Speaking during the week, Mr McGrath said he was going to gift the increase back to the State. It is part of a programme of restoration of pay cuts imposed during the financial crisis.

Mr McGrath was speaking about the TD portion of his salary.

Ministers have already waived 12pc of their wages, worth over 21,000, after taking a 10pc pay cut and waiving a 2pc pay rise under the last public sector pay deal.

This means they have an effective salary of approximately 157,707, although their gross pay before waivers would still be used to calculate pensions.

The pay restoration process only impacts on the TD portion of a persons salary and not on the ministerial portion.

A Department of Public Expenditure and Reform spokesperson confirmed that ministers cannot benefit from restoration of pay cuts under legislation on the ministerial part of their pay.

The 2017 Act specifically precludes ministerial pay from benefiting from the further unwinding of pay cuts provided in that act for other public servants in 2021-2022, she said.

The TD salary element is subject to restoration in line with the linked grade of principal officer in the civil service.

However, she said the ministerial portion of their wages will be eligible for a 1pc increase in October this year.

This is due under the new Building Momentum public sector pay deal.

It will fall to Government to consider, at the appropriate times, whether it wishes to adopt a collective position on these adjustments, she added.

The increase due by July 1 to public servants on less than 150,000, including TDs, to restore wages will bring their pay back to peak levels in 2008.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that there are no plans to reintroduce higher pay rates for TDs with longer service.

In 2008, TDs used to get what were known as long-service increments after a certain number of years.

This meant at their peak in 2008, a TDs wages stood at 106,582 after a second long-service increment.

Although the next increase will restore TDs pay to 2008 levels, a department spokesperson said the long-service increments would not be reintroduced.

They were abolished for TDs and senators from March 2011.

The Building Momentum process was backed by unions this week and means the countrys 340,000 public servants are in line for increases of up to 3pc by the end of next year.

Union leaders announced this week that members of 13 of 17 Ictu-affiliated unions had voted in favour of the two-year agreement. Building Momentum will cost 906m.

A 1pc pay rise is due on October 1, with another 1pc the same month next year. A third increase worth 1pc is also available to unions who lodge claims on behalf of groups of staff.
Texas A&M Forest Service

The wintry weather didnt do much to help the dry conditions inside Midland County.

In fact, county commissioners decided Friday to enact a burn ban for 30 days (until March 28).

Justin Bunch, Emergency Management coordinator for the county, reported Friday that this burn ban will have a few changes, including some that will allow for residents to burn household trash. They include:

- Burning must be conducted between sunrise and 9 a.m. on the same day (it is illegal to burn at night in Texas);

- Sustained winds must be below 15 miles per hour;

- Must be household trash only;

- Must be contained in a barrel or other container, cannot be in an open pit;

- Must be observed by a responsible adult during the entire burning processes;

- Must have a sufficient water source within reach of the person responsible for the burning.

Weather and sunrise information for the purpose of this order will be determined by the National Weather Service and can be found at weather.gov, according to the county.

The National Weather Service reported Friday that 0.52 of an inch of precipitation has fallen at Midland International Airport  0.7 of an inch below what is normal through Feb. 26.

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows the region, including Midland County in exceptional drought conditions. Also, the Climate Prediction Center is calling for a 50 percent chance of less-than-average rainfall during the month of March.

As always, if you start a fire, you are responsible for that fire, according to the county in the release. If the fire gets out of control and causes damage to anothers property, you can be found criminally and civilly liable. Make sure you follow these conditions and ensure that you are as safe as possible. Always, contact the Midland Fire Department at 685-7340 before burning and inform them of your intention to burn.

If there are questions regarding burning in Midland County, please contact the Midland County Fire Marshals Office at 688-4160

If a resident would like more information about this topic, please call Bunch at 688-4160, or email jbunch@mcounty.com.
Jaipur, Feb 27 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot on Saturday were seen sharing the same helicopter as they flew to address a Krishi Mahapanchayat at Shri Dungargarh, presenting a united face of the state Congress after many months of bickering.

Rajasthan Congress has started campaigning for the bypolls scheduled next month. Two krishi Mahapanchayats are scheduled on Saturday at Shri Dungargarh in Bikaner and then at Matrikundiya in Chittorgarh later.

Four bypolls are scheduled in Sujangarh, Rajsamand, Sahada and Vallabhgarh in ensuing month as four respective MLAs have passed away between October 2020 and January 2021, Keeping these bypolls in mind, the Krishi Mahapanchayat (mega farmer rallies) has been called at Shri Dungargarh and Matrikundiya.

People from Bikaner, Nagaur and Churu attended the gathering of Shri Dungargarh. Addressing the gathering, Pilot urged everyone gathered there to vote for the Congress.

"Late MLA Master Bhanwarlal and I have worked together on many projects. We have to win the seat of Sujangarh once again as a tribute to Meghwal," he said.

At the same time, farmers of Bhilwara, Rajsamand and Udaipur have been called in the second meeting to be held at Matrikundiya in Chittorgarh. Also, people from Vallabhgarh in Udaipur, Sahada of Bhilwara and Rajsamand assembly constituency of Rajsamand district have been invited.

Gehlot and Pilot were accompanied by Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasara and party's state in-charge Ajay Maken in the helicopter. The two leaders were seen travelling together for the first time after the Lok Sabha elections which were held in 2019.

However, later the two grew apart. Differences grew to such extent that the Congress appeared fragmented as Pilot rebelled against the state leadership.

Recently during Rahul Gandhi's rally in Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot was asked to come down from dias which left the Pilot lobby infuriated. Even spiritual guru Pramod Acharya, who is considered close to Priyanka Gandhi, objected on the same and questioned Congress' future.

Now, the two leaders flying in the same helicopter is seen as damage control exercise by the party workers keeping in view the upcoming bypolls.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text

For Subscribers Why South Dakota county officials are shirking state-given water rights

Grant County could be the thirteenth county to repeal their drainage ordinance in the past decade.
Mazda January 2021 Sales and Production







Mazda January 2021 Production and Sales TOKYO, Feb 25, 2021 - Mazda Motor Corporation's production and sales results for January 2021 are summarized below.I. Production1. Domestic ProductionMazda's domestic production volume in January 2021 decreased 12.1% year on year due to decreased production of passenger and commercial vehicles.[Domestic production of key models in January 2021]CX-5: 27,399 units (down 19.3% year on year)MAZDA3: 11,380 units (down 12.0%)CX-30: 7,555 units (down 10.5%)2. Overseas ProductionMazda's overseas production volume in January 2021 decreased 11.2% year on year due to decreased production of passenger and commercial vehicles.[Overseas production of key models in January 2021]CX-30: 12,052 units (down 1.2% year on year)MAZDA3: 9,533 units (down 24.5%)CX-4: 5,470 units (down 2.4%)II. Domestic SalesMazda's domestic sales volume in January 2021 increased 1.5% year on year due to increased sales of passenger vehicles.Mazda's registered vehicle market share was 5.2% (down 0.6 points year on year), with a 2.1% share of the micro-mini segment (up 0.3 points) and a 4.0% total market share (down 0.2 points).[Domestic sales of key models in January 2021]CX-30: 2,576 units (down 12.7% year on year)CX-5: 2,035 units (down 25.8%)MAZDA2: 1,951 units (down 10.8%)III. ExportsMazda's export volume in January 2021 decreased 5.0% year on year due to decreased shipment to North America.[Exports of key models in January 2021]CX-5: 22,252 units (down 13.8% year on year)MAZDA3: 12,844 units (up 20.3%)CX-9: 5,108 units (up 0.8%)IV. Global SalesMazda's global sales volume in January 2021 decreased 2.3% year on year due to decreased sales in China and Europe.[Global sales of key models in January 2021]CX-5: 31,771 units (up 0.6% year on year)MAZDA3 (includes Axela): 22,436 units (down 8.4%)CX-30: 16,503 units (up 20.1%)For more information, visit bit.ly/3qWV7cj.
New York, Feb 27 : Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has personally been blamed in a report released by President Joe Biden's administration for the brazen assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for US media.

The report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) made public on Friday underpins a shift in Middle East Policy by Biden away from the historically very close ties with the kingdom but also shows the limits.

The report's release came a day after Biden had ordered airstrikes on militias in Syria that are backed by the Saudi's nemesis Iran, showing how difficult reworking policies in the region is.

A few days earlier, Biden had removed the sanctions imposed by former President Donald Trump on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels fighting the Saudi-supported government in Yemen.

Biden, who has tried to make human rights the centrepiece of his foreign policy, is facing the compulsions of realpolitik when it comes to dealing with influential middling countries like Saudi Arabia, leave alone powers like China or Russia.

During a debate of candidates for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, Biden attacked Saudi Arabia for Khashoggi's murder and said that he would make the kingdom pay the "price" and make it a "pariah".

But now in power, he finds he cannot go that far even as he recalibrates ties with it, while trapped between Riyadh and Teheran.

Salman himself escaped US retribution for the killing of Khashoggi, a permanent resident of the US and a columnist for the influential Washington Post, but instead the State and Treasury departments took separate actions against other Saudis.

This enables the Biden administration to continue working with Riyadh as he is the equivalent of a head of government and it cannot afford break with the regime.

Biden has gone only as far as refusing to talk to Salman citing protocol which places him lower than a president and insisting on talking only with King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud, even though he is not actively running the country.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a policy of "Khashoggi Ban" against those acting on behalf of governments to attack activists abroad and in the first action he imposed visa restrictions on 76 Saudis.

He said that they were "believed to have been engaged in threatening dissidents overseas, including but not limited to the Khashoggi killing".

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced sanctions on former Saudi intelligence chief Ahmad Hassan Mohammed al Asiri and the country's Rapid Intervention Force (RIF) freezing their assets in the US and barring anyone from doing business with them.

"The United States stands united with journalists and political dissidents in opposing threats of violence and intimidation," she said.

Democratic Party's leaders in Congress were not satisfied with these actions and called on Biden to go further.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Menendez said he wanted the administration to "take concrete measures holding Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally responsible for his role in this heinous crime".

Adam Schiff, the head of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said that the repercussion for the murder should "go beyond those who carried it out, to the one who ordered it -- the Crown Prince himself".

The four-page executive summary of the ODNI report, which had several words, including one on its title page, blacked out declared, "We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey, to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi." It said, "The Crown Prince viewed Khashoggi as a threat to the Kingdom and broadly supported using violent measures if necessary to silence him. Although Saudi officials had pre-planned an unspecified operation against Khashoggi we do not know how far in advance Saudi officials decided to harm him." An outraged Congress had demanded the release of the intelligence report on his killing, but former President Donald Trump had refused to release it because of his close ties to Saudi Arabia.

Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen and critic of the monarchy, disappeared in October 2018 after he was seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get documents from his divorce needed for him to get married again.

After claiming that he had left the consulate alive, Saudi Arabia finally admitted that he had been killed in a fight.

Turkey's intelligence obtained recordings of his killing inside the consulate and they became public. According to the agency, his body was dismembered and disposed of.

The US is no longer dependent on Middle East oil giving it some flexibility in approaching the Middle East.

But having been historically involved in the region and dragged further into it due to its interventions in Iraq, Syria and Libya, Washington has to pilot itself amid Saudi Arabia, Israel and Iran in a region studded with their proxies, governments as well as militias and groups.

Trump has made things more complicated by pulling out of the multinational nuclear deal with Iran while drawing closer to Saudi Arabia and Israel and imposing sanctions on Teheran.

Biden has to get Teheran to agree again to stop developing its nuclear capabilities and rejoin the agreement, even as the Iran regime tests the limits with the US when militias supported by it attack US interests in Iraq -- and invites US retaliation.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)
Over 2,000 drivers of Peace Mass Transit Ltd (PMT) are currently undergoing the annual retraining and recertification program of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FSRC, in Enugu.

Statutorily, corporate commercial transport operators, with a fleet of three vehicles and above, are required to undertake the cost of, and provide enabling environment for retraining and recertification of its drivers by the FRSC,as a mandatory condition for renewal of its operational license.

Peace Mass Transit is on record as having the best possible record on this score.

It regularly ensures drivers in its employ get these refresher courses on schedule, mostly handled by experienced FSRC operatives, at the beginning of every year, and intermittently within the year, by equally knowledgeable PMT safety and training officers.

Head of the Education Department at the Enugu FSRC sector command, Azubuike Oti, who flagged off the training on Monday, has also led other resource persons from the regulatory agency to drill the drivers.

Participating drivers are taken in batches of 50 to 70, in the exercise which is billed to last one full month.

Depot managers have been guided on how to route drivers to the Emene, Enugu headquarters of the company, on different days, in a seamless order, to ensure normal PMT operations are not disrupted while the program lasts.

PMT Safety Manager, STO Sunday Igwegbe,rtd., and Head, Training and Development, Emmanuel Ujam, are coordinating matters with the FSRC marshals to guarantee a hitch free exercise.

Founder and CEO of PMT, Dr. Samuel Maduka Onyishi, has regularly won accolades for the maintenance and safety infrastructure put in place for the smooth and safe operations of his fleet.

This years exercise, as in previous years, dwells on passenger/ customer relations; vehicle and driver maintenance; defensive driving techniques, and highway safety protocols.

PHOTOS

Signed:

David Okoroafor.

Executive Director,

Operations.

for: PMT

Feb.24,2021

ADVERTISEMENT


ITHACA, N.Y.  The Ithaca mayors proposal to replace the police department with a new model for public safety is dangerous, ill-conceived and political, union leaders said at a fiery news conference Friday.

Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick last week announced a plan to create a new Department of Community Solutions and Public Safety, composed of two divisions: One an unarmed force of community solution workers and the other an armed unit of public safety workers who respond to and investigate crimes.

The proposal received national attention as one of the most radical proposals from a public official to address nationwide cries to change policing and end police brutality. Ithaca was among cities nationwide that saw large protests following the death of George Floyd in May in Minneapolis.

The proposal would install a civilian executive director atop the new department, rather than a police chief. The 98-page proposal acknowledges that some measures would defund the police, but ultimately, just as much of the citys funding and resources, if not more, would go toward public safety.

The proposal calls for the city to reallocate the police departments $12.5 million budget  which includes 63 sworn officers  but would not reduce overall funding. Current officers would have to reapply to keep their jobs as public safety workers.

Myrick, in announcing the proposal, said he arrived at the idea as a result of community dialogues, meetings and protests over the last several months and years.

But police leaders at the news conference sharply criticized the mayor, saying the police department was not meaningfully included in the devising the idea.

Key stakeholders have been left out, said Thomas Condzella, the leader of the Ithacas Police Benevolent Association. Those stakeholders are the police. We are experienced professionals.

The mayor gave an interview to GQ that announced the proposal, which blindsided some police department members, according to Condzella. The mayor later apologized for that, according to 14580.com.

Conzella said the mayor is taking a gamble on the safety of the police and the community they serve. He suggested the mayor is deliberately hamstringing the police department to help his case that the department needs to be replaced.

Violent crime in the city of Ithaca is steadily rising. However, our ability to address it is decreasing by the day, almost as if by design, to further this proposal, he said.

Joining Condzella at a news conference Friday were leaders of other police unions in the area, like Joseph Moran at the Syracuse Police Department, and the president of the state union of police associations. Members of other labor unions were also in attendance.

Condzella called the proposal, among other things, an underhanded attempt to bust the union.

The mayors proposal is a response to Gov. Andrew Cuomos mandate for cities across the state to develop plans for police reform. But union leaders say the plan goes way too far.

The governors reform mandate is being used to implement changes that are unnecessary, unprecedented and likely extremely dangerous, Condzella said.

He called on the Ithaca city council to show leadership in not allowing the proposal to go further. If it does, he warned, police and residents of Ithaca would be the subjects of a potentially dangerous experiment.

Are you willing to test this new public safety model on your employees and your constituents when actual lives hang in the balance? he asked.

To watch the full news conference, see below:
Bangla shooter released on bail

PHUKET: The drunken off-duty policeman who shot a noodle vendor on Bangla Rd on Tuesday (Feb 23) has been released on bail.

patongpoliceviolenceSafetycrime

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Saturday 27 February 2021, 12:59PM

The Phuket Provincial Court approved Cpl Pornthep Channarong, an officer of the Phuket Provincial Police at the time, to post B600,000 bail, The Phuket News has been told.

Pornthep, who has already been dismissed from the Royal Thai Police, faces an attempted murder charge for shooting noodle vendor Aroon Thongplab in the stomach just before 6am on Tuesday while Mr Aroon was walking along the street after collecting a noodle bowl from a customer.

Pornthep also faces charges of carrying a firearm in a public area, and discharging a firearm in a public area.

Mr Aroons wife, Kulthida Chananan, told reporters late yesterday that she had been informed that Pornthep had been released on bail at about 4pm yesterday (Feb 26).

A lawyer who has volunteered to help her had informed her that Porntheps relatives had raised the money to post bail, she said.

To be honest, my family and I are only normal people. We are afraid that he will threaten and assault us, Ms Kulthida said.

I want to ask for mercy from the court, please do not give him a bail, as we are feeling very insecure, she said.

Mr Aroons mother, Nuanchan Thongplab, also called for bail to be revoked.

I want the court to be kind to us. We want to fight the bail approval, as we want him to face the charges. I do not want him to come out and live normally anymore. My son is still in the ICU room, and I am afraid that he will return to assault us, she said.

Mr Aroon is still in intensive care at Vachira Phuket Hospital, Ms Kulthida said.

The doctor told us that he is conscious all the time now, but he cannot make any movements and still needs a breathing tube, she said.

A local motorbike taxi driver who knew Mr Aroon before the shooting said she too believed more bad luck was to come.

The driver, who asked to be named only as Ms Jidapa, knew Mr Aroon when he worked as a motorbike taxi driver in the area, before he was forced to start selling noodles with his mother-in-law in order to make a living.

Ms Jidapa worked at the same motorbike taxi rank as Mr Aroon.

In the morning,about 6am, I returned from delivering a passenger and found the area was blocked off. A lot of people had gathered around the area, and one of them told me that Aroon had been shot, Ms Jidapa said.

I believe that the incident happened because he is now 25 years old. Thais believe in benchapet, which means that people in their 25th year will have bad luck or face bad incidents, she said.
HPs Hamirpur crossed the vaccination target beyond two lakh 01 Jun 2021 | 8:45 AM Hamirpur, Jun 1 (UNI) More than two lakh people (males and females both) have got them vaccinated by Monday night and that is a record achievement in respect of the district. see more..

Natural farming leads farmers of Harned village towards prosperity 01 Jun 2021 | 8:35 AM Hamirpur, Jun 1 (UNI) Hailing from Harned village of the district of Hamirpur, Lalit Kalia, a less known farmer has now become a famous one thanks to starting of Natural farming khushal kisan yojna of the state government. see more..

Man arrested with 40 grams charas in a Hamirpur village 01 Jun 2021 | 7:50 AM Hamirpur, June 1 (UNI) Bhoranj police of the district have arrested one person Rajinder Kumar of Jahoo Kalan area of the district for carrying forty grams charas in his pocket. see more..

MP CMs condolences 01 Jun 2021 | 2:28 AM Bhopal, May 31 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed grief on Monday over the demise of the states erstwhile minister Laxmikant Sharma.

I pray for peace to the departed soul and fortitude to the bereaved family for bearing the sorrow, the senior politician conveyed via social media. see more..
MUSQUEAM, SQUAMISH AND TSLEIL-WAUTUTH, VANCOUVER, Feb. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The BC Treaty Commission congratulates Tlowitsis Nation and the governments of Canada and British Columbia on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing, transitioning the negotiations table from Stage 4 to Stage 5 of the BC treaty negotiations framework.



This MOU recognizes the Parties shared vision to achieve and implement a tripartite treaty, and the Parties commitment to establishing a new approach to Tlowitsis treaty negotiations in accordance with the key policies and legislation. This includes the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration), the Recognition and Reconciliation of Rights Policy for Treaty Negotiations in British Columbia, and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

By signing this Memorandum of Understanding, the Parties affirm a shared vision of reconciliation and the recognition of Tlowitsis inherent rights and title, through treaty. There is no greater expression of sharing sovereignty than through a constitutionally protected treaty, and today the Parties are closer to their shared commitment and ongoing nation-to-nation relationship, says Chief Commissioner Celeste Haldane.

Tlowitsis Nation has approximately 435 members, with traditional territory covering part of northeastern Vancouver Island and a part of the mainland, northwest of Sayward. In late 2017, as a result of extensive efforts by the Nation, Tlowitsis acquired additional lands for a new community, Nenagwas, in Campbell River.

Chief Commissioner Haldane and Commissioner Angela Wesley joined the virtual celebration of the signing this afternoon.

Quick Facts

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Sashia Leung / Associate Director / 604-482-9235 / sleung@bctreaty.ca

Mark Smith / Director of Process / msmith@bctreaty.ca

About the BC Treaty Commission

The Treaty Commission is the independent body responsible for overseeing treaty negotiations among the governments of Canada, BC and First Nations in BC. It has three roles: facilitation, funding, and public information and education.
New Zealands Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a seven-day lockdown of Auckland after the emergence of a mystery case involving a man who moved through the community for a week when he should have been isolating.

From 6am on Sunday, all schools will move to remote learning, anyone who can work from home must do so and businesses can only operate for online purchases or click and collect.

The rest of New Zealand will be put into Level 2 restrictions that limit public gatherings, among others, Ardern told a news conference on Saturday evening.

A border will also be set-up around Auckland with police to control checkpoints in and out of the city.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.


The book When Harry Became Sally came out in 2018 and was a bestseller and looked at 'public policy on gender identity and the human costs of getting it wrong'

A group of Republican Senators have written to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos demanding answers as to why a book that 'challenges the transgender movement' has been pulled from the site.

When Harry Became Sally was on the site's bestseller list with the book providing 'thoughtful answers to questions arising from our transgender moment' while offering 'a balanced approach to public policy on gender identity, and a sober assessment of the human costs of getting human nature wrong.'

But the book by Ryan T. Anderson has been removed after being on sale for the last three years.

In a letter to Jeff Bezos, the Republican senators who include Marco Rubio of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Mike Braun of Indiana and Josh Hawley of Missouri are demanding further information as to what led to the pulling of the title which is also no longer on Kindle or Audible.

Sen. Marco Rubio, left, and Sen. Mike Lee have both signed the letter to Bezos

Sen. Mike Braun, left and Sen. Josh Hawley, right have also signed their name to Bezo's letter

The decision to pull the book came in for harsh criticism from Twitter users unhappy at what many said was akin to censorship

The senators have accused Amazon of 'openly signaling to conservative Americans that their views are not welcome on its platforms.'

'When Harry Became Sally prompted important discussions in the national media and among policymakers in 2018, and remains one of the most rigorously researched and compassionately argued books on this subject,' the senators wrote in a statement.

'By removing this book from its marketplaces and services, Amazon has unabashedly wielded its outsized market share to silence an important voice merely for the crime of violating woke groupthink.

It's not known exactly when the book was pulled from the site but the company has so far not responded to the Senators' letter. Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, pictured

Author, Anderson, tweeted about the books sudden removal from the site

Anderson advised people to head to Barnes & Noble where the book is still for sale

'Amazon has been unable to provide a sufficient explanation as to how the book supposedly violated a vague, undefined offensive content standard,' they wrote.

Amazon has not commented on the letter or on its reasons behind the removal of the title with the company stressing that it reserves the right not to sell certain content based on its content guidelines for books.

'All retailers make decisions about what selection they choose to offer and we do not take selection decisions lightly,' a statement read.

Author, Anderson, tweeted about the books sudden removal from the site.

'I hope you've already bought your copy, cause Amazon just removed my book 'When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment' from their cyber shelves.... my other four books are still available (for now),' Anderson tweeted on Monday.

'While you can't buy the book on Amazon, you can still get it (for now?) at Barnes and Noble. Given the aggressive push on trans policies coming from the Biden admin, now is a great time to read it. Buy it before you no longer can,' Anderson added in a second tweet.

The senators claim Amazon is 'unable to provide a sufficient explanation' as to how the book 'supposedly violated a vague, undefined 'offensive content' standard'. An Amazon distribution center in North Las Vegas is pictured

A spokesman for Encounter Books which publishes 'When Harry Became Sally,' told the Wall Street Journal it had been removed for violating Amazon's content guidelines.

Amazon describes 'offensive content' in its publishing guidelines: 'We don't sell certain content including content that we determine is hate speech, promotes the abuse or sexual exploitation of children, contains pornography, glorifies rape or pedophilia, advocates terrorism, or other material we deem inappropriate or offensive.'

'This harms the entire culture of book authoring, publishing, and reading--as it will have a chilling effect on all aspects of the book market,' Anderson told The Independent.

Ross Douthat, a columnist with the New York Times suggested Amazon was 'conducting an experiment in what they can get away with.'

American political commentator, David French, who is a Republican said the move was both 'absurd and unacceptable'

'Likewise it cuts off important political and cultural discussion about important matters when we need it most.'

American political commentator, David French, who is a Republican said the move was both 'absurd and unacceptable'.

Ross Douthat, a columnist with the New York Times suggested Amazon was 'conducting an experiment in what they can get away with.'

In the wake of this week's publicity, the print edition of the book is sold out on Barnes and Noble's website and reached number 3 on their list of the top 100 digital books earlier in the week.
New Delhi: The coronavirus vaccination at government facilities will be provided for free and the cost will be borne by the Central government, the Union Health Ministry announced on Saturday (February 27, 2021) whereas at private facilities will be charged subject to a financial ceiling.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Health Ministry Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, "Vaccination at private facilities will be charged subject to a financial ceiling whereas vaccination at government facilities is totally free, the cost being borne by Central government."

Vaccination at private facilities will be charged subject to a financial ceiling whereas vaccination at government facilities is totally free, the cost being borne by Central government: Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Health Ministry#COVID19 https://t.co/ubHJaEuFld  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2021

Vaccination at government facilities will be free of cost, while the cost of the COVID-19 vaccine at private hospitals has been capped at Rs 250 per dose, including Rs 100 as a service charge, official sources were quoted as saying by ANI.

While, the participation of Private Sector in the innoculation drive has been scaled up with around 10,000 hospitals under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY and 687 hospitals under CGHS to be used by states as COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs).

In a press release the Health Ministry stated that states have been given freedom to use all private hospitals empanelled under State Government Health Insurance Schemes as CVCs. Also, states can use Health Facilities of all PSUs and all Government Health Facilities as CVCs.

The private hospitals functioning as CVCs may recover a charge subject to a ceiling of Rs 250 per person per dose.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has renewed his open offer for dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues with India. Khan gave his statement welcoming the ceasefire recently announced between Indian and Pakistani border security forces along the Line of Control (LoC).

The Pakistani Premier said the country has "always stood for peace and remains ready to move forward to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue".

"The onus of creating an enabling environment for further progress rests with India," he said.

Imran Khan's renewed offer for dialogue to India comes after the Director Generals for Military Operations (DGMO) of both countries mutually agreed to enforce the ceasefire from February 25, 2021 along the disputed LoC, which has remained extremely tense with escalated engagements of shelling from both sides, leaving casualties of officials and civilians.

However, Prime Minister Imran Khan marked February 27 2021 as "Surprise Day", congratulating the armed forces of the country for successfully conducting Operation Swift Retort, which led to the downing of at least two Indian aircrafts (MiG21 & SU-30) jets and the capture of Wing Commander Abhinandan.

"The country demonstrated responsible behaviour in the face of India's irresponsible military brinkmanship by returning the captured Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot", he said.

"I congratulate the entire nation and salute our Armed Forces on the 2nd Anniversary of our response to India's illegal, reckless military adventure of airstrikes against Pakistan", he added.

Imran Khan said Pakistan is a proud and confident nation as it responded with determined resolve at a time and place of its own choosing.

Tensions have been intensifying between the two arch-rivals since February 2019, after India accused Pakistan's hand in the Pulwama terror attack and launched an air-strike at an alleged militant training camp in Jabba near Balakot, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province.

India claimed it had killed at least 350 terrorists belonging to Masood Azhar, being trained and fed there to launch terror attacks inside India. However, Pakistan rejected New Delhi's claims and stated that the only casualty caused by the Indian "botched" air-strikes was two house buildings and a crow.

In that backdrop, the latest and rare joint statement by both countries is being seen as a major development.

Analysts however, believe that New Delhi's agreement to enforcing a ceasefire at the LoC may be due to its tense standoff with China, which has been going on for months.
This Saturday at 7 p.m. CST, Tennessee Riverkeeper will host Downstream, a virtual fundraiser concert. A star-studded lineup will entertain and educate viewers with an evening of performances created just for this event, including: Jackson Browne, Lyle Lovett, Michael Franti, Patterson Hood, Jason Isbell and many others.



Alicia Silverstone and David Whiteside are the fundraisers emcees. "Alicia and David have both dedicated more than 20 years of their lives to advocating for environmental issues," organizers said. "This concert is produced by David Whiteside, who founded Tennessee Riverkeeper in 2009. Whiteside quickly assembled this squadron of supporters, mostly via text messages."



These musicians and hosts are Republicans, Democrats, and Libertarians who understand that clean water is a nonpartisan issue.

We can help unite our divided country by building a bridge over troubled waters, said Mr. Whiteside, founder of Tennessee Riverkeeper.Ms. Silverstone said, Everyone needs clean water and healthy food. Its exciting to co-host this fun concert for Tennessee Riverkeeper with David Whiteside. We hope youll join us and support this great cause."Native Americans called the Tennessee River, 'The Singing River,' because of a legend of a woman who lived in the river and sang to them," organizers said. "For over a decade, many of our regions most prominent musicians, from Muscle Shoals to Nashville, have honored this Native American mystique by fostering and supporting the growth of nonprofit Tennessee Riverkeeper and educating millions of fans about the importance of water. Now, an ensemble cast of Riverkeepers talented allies are coming together for a common purpose: their love of clean water."Since the 1930s, the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers have received a plethora of pollution from chemical factories, coal, plastics and a grim litany of other toxins. All life depends on clean water, especially humans as our bodies are comprised of more than 60 percent water. More than 6,300,000 citizens depend on the region we serve for their drinking water. Too often we take our water supply for granted, said Mr. Whiteside.In additional to the musicians, Downstream will feature appearances by other leaders in film, comedy and sports, including comedian Ms. Silverstone, Bill Burr, three-time Olympic Gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings, comedian Cheryl Hines and Phish drummer Jon Fishman.Mr. Fishman, the drummer and namesake of the band Phish, helped Mr. Whiteside organize his first major fundraiser in 2004 which benefited Black Warrior Riverkeeper, a nonprofit that Mr. Whiteside founded as his senior thesis at the University of Vermont. Mr. Fishman said: I met David Whiteside when he was in college at the University of Vermont, its been more than 15 years since then, and Ive only known Whiteside to work harder and his dedication to trying to keep our water safe and clean has been unmatched as far as anyone else I know. David is just relentless.Riverkeeper is immensely grateful to our inspirational co-host Alicia Silverstone who has worked so hard to produce this event, as well as Warner Music Nashville and CEO John Esposito for their continued partnership with our organization over the years, and their support of our work to protect the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers and the tributaries. Were so excited that Warner artists, Chris Janson, Brett Eldredge and Morgan Evans  some of the biggest names in country music  are lending their talents to Downstream, added Mr. Whiteside.

You can watch Downstream live on the Tennessee Riverkeeper YouTube and Facebook pages.



While Downstream is free to watch, they are asking for a suggested donation of $25 from each viewer. One hundred percent of all donations through their page will go directly to Tennessee Riverkeeper.




A $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill, the first major legislation of President Joe Bidens term, passed the U.S. House along party lines early Saturday morning.

The legislation includes stimulus checks 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. Along with Decembers $600 payments, that fulfilled the Democrats promise of providing $2,000 to most Americans still trying to recover from the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent economic downturn.

Those payments would phase out for individuals earning from $75,000 to $100,000 and for couples earning from $150,000 to $200,000.

The bill passed almost entirely along party lines, 219-212. All but one Democrat voted yes and every Republican voted no. All 10 New Jersey House Democrats voted yes, and the states two Republicans voted no.

It now goes to the U.S. Senate, where it needs only 50 senators plus Vice President Kamala Harris tie-breaking vote, under a parliamentary process known as reconciliation. Biden has promised to sign the bill.

The American Rescue Plan would help millions of people who are struggling in every community in our nation as a result of the pandemic, Rep. Albio Sires, D-8th Dist., a member of the House Budget Committee, said during debate on the bill.

It sends direct aid to those who need it most, boosts vaccination efforts, provides lifelines for small businesses, helps kids get back to school safety, and much more.

Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., objected to the legislation in a floor speech, saying it did not prevent taxpayer financing of abortions.

Unborn babies, Smith said, need the president of the U.S. and members of Congress to be their friend and advocate, not their adversary.

Lawmakers of both parties came together last year to enact the $2 trillion CARES Act in March with $1,200 payments, $484 billion in April for small businesses and health care providers, and $900 billion in December with $600 checks.

But every House GOP member but one opposed a $3 trillion stimulus bill in May and all voted no on a $2 trillion proposal in September, both of which passed the chamber but werent considered by the then-Senate Republican majority.

This time, Republicans complained that the legislation would increase the federal deficit by $1.9 trillion just four years after they approved a tax law that grew the deficit by the same amount, according to the Congressional Budget Offices analysis of both bills 10-year impact.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Congress plans to pass a final bill by March 14, the day the current extended federal unemployment insurance benefits end. The legislation extends the benefits to late August and provides an extra $400 a week to claimants, up from the current $300.

The House bill includes $350 billion in long-sought federal aid to states and localities to help cover added expenses and decreased revenues due to the pandemic. According to an updated estimate from the House Oversight Committee, New Jersey and its municipalities would receive an estimated $10 billion, with $6.5 billion going to the state and $3.5 billion to local governments.

Nobody knows Jersey politics like NJ.com. Add your email now and dont miss a story.



I rise in strong support of the bill and of the 1.4 million first responders, teachers, transit workers, sanitation workers and other public servants already laid off from state and local governments across this nation, said Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. We must act before more people lose their jobs and more lifesaving programs are cut.

Republican refusal to provide such aid, a top Democratic priority, prevented passage of a stimulus bill before the 2020 elections.

While Texas would be the second-biggest recipient of federal assistance, one of its Republican representatives, Jodey Arrington, insisted the funding was a windfall to states who were mismanaged and broke before COVID.

There also would be $130 billion to help schools reopen, $25 billion to help restaurants, $1.5 billion for Amtrak, and $28 billion for public transportation systems such as NJ Transit, where ridership and revenue are down.

The bill would provide money to distribute and administer the vaccines, to convince people to be vaccinated to test and trace Americans for the virus, and to increase health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.

President Biden has set forth a national plan to crush the virus, said House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th Dist., on the House floor. With this bill, Congress is providing the president with the resources and the tools to implement a national plan that was sorely lacking under President Trump.

The legislation also would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, matching New Jerseys. But unlike the state, the federal provision would require tipped workers such as restaurant workers and bartenders to be paid $15 an hour, not including gratuities.

But Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that the wage increase could not be included in the Senate version of the legislation under reconciliation, leaving Democrats to find an alternative that would pass muster.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that Biden still supported the $15 an hour minimum wage and wanted to see it enacted.

I will tell you that we are committed to finding the best path forward to increasing the minimum wage, and that will require a number of conversations with leaders in Congress and members who are committed to this issue moving forward, Psaki said at her daily press briefing.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said they would try to get the wage hike into the stimulus bill some other way, perhaps through tax incentives and penalties.

We couldnt get in the front door or the back door, so well try to go in through the window, Wyden said.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Dubai, Feb 27 : A 15-year-old Indian girl who went missing after her mobile phone was confiscated by her parents, was found hours later hiding on the rooftop of their Dubai home, police said on Saturday.

The girl was reported missing since Thursday morning after she was punished for scoring low school grades.

Harini Karani disappeared during her morning walk on Thursday morning, Gulf news reported.

According to a Dubai police official, the girl was hiding on the rooftop of her parent's house in Umm Suqiem as she was "feeling sad after her parents took away her phone as a kind of punishment" after she scored low in school.

"The family alerted the police about their missing daughter, even as they rushed and sought people's help by sharing the incident on social media platforms. Her parents were afraid that their daughter might harm herself," the official added.

Dubai police managed to solve the mystery within a few hours and found the girl hiding on the rooftop on Thursday night.

Harini is a student of a British curriculum school in Al Barsha.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
As on Friday, only 37.9 per cent of Telangana states frontline workers - from the police, panchayat raj, municipalities, among others  have come forward to take the first dose of the vaccine. (Representational Photo: PTI)

Hyderabad: They were out in the forefront in their tens of thousands as the state geared up to combat the fast-spreading Covid-19 last year. Many continue to do so today. However, when it comes to receiving a vaccine for Covid-19, frontline workers in Telangana state appear to be a reluctant lot.

As on Friday, only 37.9 per cent of Telangana states frontline workers - from the police, panchayat raj, municipalities, among others  have come forward to take the first dose of the vaccine. According to the state health department, of the 2,57,239 workers, only 97,646 have received their first dose of the vaccine so far.

The picture with respect to healthcare workers, from both the government and the private sector, is also not very rosy but only a little better than that of the frontline workers. The government planned to provide the first dose of vaccine to 3,31,097 healthcare workers but, as on Friday, 1,97,895 had received their first dose, accounting to 59.7 per cent of the target.

The health department said that 1,47,630 healthcare workers had received their second dose of the vaccine. The government has been simultaneously delivering the second dose to healthcare workers who got their first shots early after the campaign began on January 16.
This village in Maharashtra is COVID-19 free, thanks to its youngest sarpanch

UK in early stage of third variant of COVID-19 warns scientist

As six states account for 86% new cases, high-level COVID-19 meet held

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Feb 27: The cabinet secretary chaired a high-level review meeting today with eight states and union territories exhibiting a surge in COVID-19 cases, and six of whom account for 85.75 per cent of the new cases in the country, the Union Health Ministry said.

The states showing a surge are Telangana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal.

India's total COVID-19 active caseload is 1,59,590 which is 1.44 per cent of the total infections.

Six states - Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat - have shown a surge in new cases in a span of 24 hours, the ministry underlined.

Maharashtra continued to report the highest daily new cases at 8,333. It was followed by Kerala that reported 3,671 new cases and Punjab with 622 new cases.

The ministry said 85.75 per cent of 16,488 new cases registered in a span of 24 hours are from six states and UTs.

"Eight states are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new cases," the ministry said.

"In the last two weeks, Kerala has shown the maximum decline in the number of active cases, from 63,847 on February 14 to 51,679 today, while Maharashtra has shown the highest rise in active cases in the same period, from 34,449 on February 14 to 68,810 currently," the ministry added.

The cabinet secretary will chair a high-level review meeting today with Telangana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and West Bengal which are exhibiting a surge in cases, it said.

A total of 1,42,42,547 vaccine doses have been administered through 2,92,312 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am.

These include 66,68,974 healthcare workers (HCWs) who were administered the first dose, 24,53,878 HCWs who were given the second dose and 51,19,695 frontline workers (FLWs) who took the first dose.

The second dose of COVID-19 vaccination started on February 13 for those beneficiaries who completed 28 days after receipt of the first dose. The vaccination of the FLWs started on February 2.

As on Day 42 of the vaccination drive (February 27), a total of 7,64,904 vaccine doses were given. Out of these, 3,49,020 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 13,397 sessions for first dose (HCWs and FLWs) and 4,20,884 HCWs received the second dose of the vaccine.

Eight states account for 62.75 per cent of the cumulative second dose vaccinations in India. Uttar Pradesh alone accounts for 12.64 per cent (3,10,058) of the total second dose vaccinations in India, the ministry said.

Nine states and UTs have administered the first vaccine dose to less than 60 per cent of the registered healthcare workers. These are Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Telangana, Ladakh, Chandigarh, Nagaland, Punjab and Puducherry.

Twelve states and UTs have reported vaccination coverage of more than 65 per cent frontline workers. These are Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Rajasthan, Kerala and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The ministry said 12 states and UTs have reported vaccination coverage of less than 40 per cent of the frontline workers. These are Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Meghalaya, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Nagaland, Goa and Mizoram.

A total of 1,07,63,451 people have recovered so far, with 12,771 patients having discharged in a span of 24 hours.

"India's COVID-19 recovery rate of 97.17 per cent is among the highest in the world," the ministry underscored.

It said that 84.79 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 6 states and UTs.

Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 4,936 newly recovered cases. As many as 4,142 people recovered in Kerala in a span of 24 hours followed by 642 in Karnataka.

Besides, 113 deaths were reported in a span of 24 hours.

Six states and UTs account for 82.3 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties at 48. It was followed by Punjab with 15 daily deaths and Kerala reported 14 deaths in a span of 24 hours.

Seventeen states and UTs have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in a span of 24 hours, the ministry highlighted.

These are Gujarat, Odisha, Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Manipur, Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Sikkim, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andman and Nicobar Islands, Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2021) - Pan Andean Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: PAD) ("Pan Andean" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent ("LOI") agreement with Belmont Resources Inc. ("BEA" or "Belmont") to acquire a 25% interest in the A Block of the Kibby Basin Lithium Project (the "Kibby Lithium Property").

Belmont is the owner of the property known as the A Block, located 65 km north of Clayton Valley, Nevada, U.S.A. (2,971 acres, 1,202 ha) claim block.

The Kibby Lithium Property is approximately halfway between Las Vegas and Reno and located 65 km north of Clayton Valley Basin with Albemarle Corporation's lithium brine producing operations (Silver Peak Mine). Analyzing geophysical and drilling data, Belmont believes there is great potential for both brine and clay lithium in the Kibby Basin.

"The Kibby Lithium Property adds significant upside potential to the Company's position," said Spencer Huh, President and CEO of the Company.

This non-binding LOI allows for a 15-day period which Pan Andean will perform due diligence on the A Block.

About Pan Andean Minerals Ltd.

Pan Andean Minerals Ltd. is Vancouver-based junior resource company focused on battery metals exploration in North America. The Company has staked new mining claims in Golden, BC, along a strike with a quartzite bed, targeting silica in the quartzites for a total of 467 hectares. The Company focuses on exploring and producing silicon, which, when added to anode materials in the production of lithium-ion batteries, provides improvements in capacity and efficiency over lithium-ion batteries using graphite in their anode materials. The Company intends to become an integrated silicon producer and anode materials supplier to the electric vehicle industry. For more information, please visit the Company's website at: https://www.panandeanminerals.com/.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Spencer Huh

President and CEO

604-697-2408

shuh@panandeanminerals.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75640

Have You Seen This? Baby calmed by Imperial March


Gehlot, Pilot take same chopper as bypolls near Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot on Saturday were seen sharing the same helicopter as they flew to address a Krishi Mahapanchayat at Shri Dungargarh, presenting a united face of the state Congress after many months of bickering. Rajasthan Congress has started campaigning for the bypolls scheduled next month. Two krishi Mahapanchayats are scheduled on Saturday at Shri Dungargarh in Bikaner and then at Matrikundiya in Chittorgarh later. Four bypolls are scheduled in Sujangarh, Rajsamand, Sahada and Vallabhgarh in ensuing month as four respective MLAs have passed away between October 2020 and January 2021, Keeping these bypolls in mind, the Krishi Mahapanchayat (mega farmer rallies) has been called at Shri Dungargarh and Matrikundiya. People from Bikaner, Nagaur and Churu attended the gathering of Shri Dungargarh. Addressing the gathering, Pilot urged everyone gathered there to vote for the Congress. "Late MLA Master Bhanwarlal and I have worked together on many projects. We have to win the seat of Sujangarh once again as a tribute to Meghwal," he said. At the same time, farmers of Bhilwara, Rajsamand and Udaipur have been called in the second meeting to be held at Matrikundiya in Chittorgarh. Also, people from Vallabhgarh in Udaipur, Sahada of Bhilwara and Rajsamand assembly constituency of Rajsamand district have been invited. Gehlot and Pilot were accompanied by Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasara and party's state in-charge Ajay Maken in the helicopter. The two leaders were seen travelling together for the first time after the Lok Sabha elections which were held in 2019. However, later the two grew apart. Differences grew to such extent that the Congress appeared fragmented as Pilot rebelled against the state leadership. Recently during Rahul Gandhi's rally in Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot was asked to come down from dias which left the Pilot lobby infuriated. Even spiritual guru Pramod Acharya, who is considered close to Priyanka Gandhi, objected on the same and questioned Congress' future. Now, the two leaders flying in the same helicopter is seen as damage control exercise by the party workers keeping in view the upcoming bypolls.




An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted unanimously on Friday to recommend that the agency approve the use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine in adults.

"I think authorization of this vaccine will help meet the needs at the moment," Dr. Archana Chatterjee, a committee member and dean of the Chicago Medical School, said after casting her vote as USA Today reported.

Once the FDA's acting commissioner agrees, the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine could begin rolling out in the U.S. as early as next week. This would make Johnson & Johnson the third vaccine to reach Americans, joining Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech.

Since Johnson & Johnson has met all the requirements that the FDA set last year, the approval of the FDA advisory group, known as the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, was expected.

These FDA's criteria or standards include a large-scale trial proving safety and effectiveness and evidence that the firm can manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine consistently and safely.

Related article: Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Applies for Emergency Use Authorization

FDA Panel Member Says the 3 COVID-19 Vaccines Are Safe

All three COVID-19 vaccines are deemed safe and effective, according to several committee members after the vote. Dr. Cody Meissner, chief of the division of pediatric infectious disease at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, said it is important that people do not think that one COVID-19 vaccine is better than the other.

The panel, consisting of infectious disease experts, doctors, and medical researchers, has considered whether the benefits of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine outweigh its risk for use in people aged 18 and older.

In a 44,000-person trial, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine candidate showed an overall 66 percent effectiveness in preventing moderate to severe cases of COVID-19. The effectiveness of the single-dose vaccine varied over time and location.

In the U.S., the vaccine's reported effectiveness was 74 percent at 14 days and 72 percent two weeks later. On the other hand, the shot was 64 percent effective after 28 days in South Africa, according to a Reuters report.

The vaccine was also reported to have 100 percent effectiveness at preventing hospitalizations 28 days after vaccination. There were also no COVID-19 deaths among those who received the shot.

Aside from that, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can be stored at normal refrigerator temperature, making distribution easier than Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

Dr. Jay Portnoy of Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, said that there is an urgency to roll out the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as the country is in a race between the virus mutating and stopping it as new variants are coming out that can cause further disease.

Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine

Johnson & Johnson vaccine was tested in the U.S., Latin America, and South Africa at a time when more contagious mutated versions of the virus were spreading.

The vaccinemaker's representatives said they chose to start with the single-shot as the World Health Organization (WHO) and other experts agreed that it would be a faster and more effective tool in an emergency.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Dr. Rochelle Walensky noted that new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have increased over the past few days.

Walensky said the third vaccine would help protect more people faster despite being early to tell if the trend will last. A CDC panel is expected to meet soon to discuss how to best utilize the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Read more: Pfizer to Seek FDA Approval for COVID-19 Vaccine After Election
New Delhi, Feb 27 : The CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front is going to give a tough fight to the Congress-United Democratic Front coalition and the Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala, as it is likely to win 87 seats out of 140 and have a vote share of over 40 per cent, the IANS-CVoter survey revealed on Saturday.

On Friday, the Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule for the Kerala Assembly election. The state will vote in a single-phase election for all 140 seats of the Kerala Assembly. It is likely to be a hotly contested political battle. In 2016, the LDF had assumed charge.

According to the survey of more than 8,796 participants taken in six weeks, the LDF may have a vote share of 40.1 per cent as against 41.9 in the 2016 elections. It may score 87 seats, down by four.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front will gather a vote share of 32.6 per cent, in comparison to 2016, when it logged 38.8 per cent. The seats will increase from 47 to 51.

Notably, Bharatiya Janata Party's vote share will plummet from 14.9 per cent in 2016 to 12.7 per cent in the upcoming elections. The seats will, however, remain constant at one. Kerala, for long, has remained an unconquerable fortress for the BJP.

The surveyor asked the participants who they will vote for if the assembly elections are held today? To this, 40.1 per cent said that they will vote for LDF, 32.6 per cent for UDF, while 12.7 per cent said BJP.

In the outgoing Assembly, the CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front had 91 seats, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front had 47, and the BJP and P.C. George, whose party is not allied with any of the three fronts, had one each.

The LDF comprises 14 parties, including the Kerala Congress-Mani and the erstwhile Janata Dal-U (now the Loktantrik Janata Dal), which crossed over from the UDF last year.

In the UDF, there are just five parties at present, and while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance also has five, the others, apart from the BJP and the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena, have just a nominal presence.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced that the COVID-19 vaccine from India has landed in Africa. The minister had also recently traveled to the Maldives where he handed over 1 lakh additional doses of the made-in India vaccine.

India has been sending COVID-19 vaccine doses to several different countries in South Africa. The latest batch of vaccines arrived in Cote dIvoire on Friday (February 26). The EAM shared the news with two pictures of the vaccine being unloaded from a plane.

He wrote in his Twitter post, This time for Africa. Made in India vaccines land in Cote dIvoire. #VaccineMaitri.

This time for Africa.

Made in India vaccines land in Cote dIvoire.#VaccineMaitri pic.twitter.com/wdo8M8Jsa9  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 26, 2021

India has been swift to aid neighbouring countries by supplying the COVID-19 vaccines wherever it is needed. The most recent deal signed for the vaccine doses was with Brazil. Bharat Biotech announced that it will supply 20 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine 'Covaxin' to Brazil.

Apart from Africa and Brazil, India has been supplying the vaccine doses to Canada, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh and more. The WHO Chief lauded India for it's efforts in providing the vaccine to the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to the WHO Chief by saying, "we are all together in the fight against this pandemic."

Global coronavirus infections have fallen by 16 percent in a week, WHO said in its latest update on the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospitalization rate and death toll has also declined across several countries of the world.

At least 2.7 million cases of new coronavirus infections were registered worldwide last week, which pushed the overall confirmed cases to 108 million.

Live TV


Shahid Kapoor recently turned 40 and like his wife Mira Rajput said, he surely doesnt look like one. The actor is the sexiest dad in town and the hunk just gets hotter with every passing year.





Last evening he shared a hot selfie on Instagram. In the click we see the actor in sexy aviators and sleeveless tee. The picture just has half of his face but boy, he has managed to grab the attention. Whats more, Shahid Kapoors caption is super hilarious and gets his fans interactive. He has posted saying, Ae ae ae. . Hope you all had a good day.

Well, we dont know about you but after seeing this selfie were surely going to have a good day. Isnt it?

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor)

Shahid Kapoor is currently in Goa shooting for Raj and Krishna DKs next web series. This is the actors debut in the digital world and the actor is giving it his all for this one. At the movies he has Jersey which will be released during Diwali this year.
There were smiles all round last week at Bayview Family Practice in Ballyshannon as over 200 people from South Donegal and North Sligo received their Covid-19 vaccines.

For the purpose of vaccination, GPs who have less than 200 patients on the Over 70 age category will be assisted in 'buddying up' with a larger practice in the area.

In this way, the small patient numbers from one practice will attend at the larger practice for vaccination.

In this case, Dr. Ide Leddy's practice in Moneygold, Grange, was linked up with Bayview Family Practice to allow the over 85s to receive their vaccination.

Vaccination is well underway here in the North-West in large practices," Dr. Conor Mitchell of Bayview Family Practice told The Sligo Champion.

The vaccination of people over the age of 85 started at the practice last Friday, when 218 patients received their first dose of the vaccine.

Expand Close Dr. Conor Mitchell at Bayview Family Practice, Ballyshannon / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Dr. Conor Mitchell at Bayview Family Practice, Ballyshannon

The practice covers a large area of South Donegal, and now North Sligo too.

It was a joyous occasion, with many of the elderly people who received the vaccine relieved to be doing so.

"It was fantastic. It was almost a social event with people coming in to get their vaccine done, they haven't seen some of their friends in nearly 12 months," said Dr. Mitchell.

He added: "They were over the moon. They were happy to have the vaccine and we had very few cancellations. All of the cancellations were actually due to illness rather than unwilling to come in.

"It was a great feeling to get that amount of vaccines out to that cohort of patients."

The vaccines were largely given to the over 85s last Friday, but a small number of 84-year-olds also received theirs.

"This is the first step towards the end we hope. We're trying to vaccinate our elderly groups and most at risk groups. If we can vaccinate them then we do reduce the risk of serious illness, hopefully, for that age group and then as we go down to the younger age groups we can ramp it up, especially with some of the other vaccines that are coming on stream such as the Johnson and Johnson one."

Dr. Mitchell feels that GP practices can be a huge help when it comes to vaccinating the population, once more vaccines become available.

"It's something that we can deliver. We can deliver it fast and in a timely fashion and we can deliver it in large numbers as a GP cohort, we can get this done it's just that we need vaccines, if we can get the vaccines then we can deliver."

GP practices have remained open throughout the pandemic. Changes have had to be made to ensure the safety of patients, but GPs across the country remind people that they are open and not to put off making contact if you are worried about something or feel unwell, unrelated to Covid-19.

"We're open and we've been open right throughout this pandemic. We have changed how we do things," said Dr. Mitchell.

"With our practice we triage over the telephone first. We're still seeing people and bringing people in, we're still doing bloods. There may be more of a wait but in the grand scheme of things it is a short wait.

"If you need to be seen then you will be seen. That's the most important thing. We are open and seeing patients on a daily basis. We've changed the way we're doing things to provide a safer environment for patients .

"What I would say to any patient is if you are worried about something then pick up the phone and ring your GP, you will be seen. It may not be today or tomorrow."

The first day of vaccinations was a positive one for clinics such as Bayview, and Dr. Mitchell says he and his colleagues are delighted to be a part of this.

"It's the first step, it's the first moment. The amount of happy and smiling faces today, it was a great boost to us as community. We're delighted to give it out."

As of Friday, February 19th, over 340,000 people had received vaccinations, with over 126,000 people receiving their second dose.
A day after a large contingent of police descended on Narragansett Town Beach to break up a big fight, Narragansett town officials reassured the public Monday that the beach is safe. Eight people, all from outside of town, face charges following the Sunday afternoon melee, which drew a response from local police as well as departments in North and South Kingstown and the state police. Unruly teens are not new to beaches. In Narragansett, residents complained last summer when a group of youths showed up at the town beach and acted disruptive. With that being said, do you ever feel unsafe at local beaches in Southern Rhode Island? Let us know in this week's poll question.

You voted:
iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 are shaping up to be the biggest upgrades to iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 since their initial release last September. Apple is going to introduce several major new features with the upcoming update. Below is a look at the top five features that iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 will bring to your iPhone and iPad.

Apple is expected to release iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 in mid-March. If you cannot wait until then, you can always install the developer or public beta of the OS. However, remember that the builds might be a bit buggy, and you might experience random crashes and other issues. Until iOS 14.5 lands though, check out the top 5 cool features that it will add to your iPhone.

Cool New iOS 14.5 Features Coming to Your iPhone

1. Unlock iPhone with Apple Watch

The biggest highlight of the iOS 14.5 update is that it adds the ability to unlock an iPhone using the Apple Watch. The pandemic has greatly limited Face IDs usefulness as it does not work when one is wearing a mask. This requires iPhone users to unlock their device by entering the device passcode, which can get frustrating quickly.

Apple is putting an end to all such issues for iPhone owners who also use an Apple Watch by using the latter as a second authentication source.

Read: How to Unlock iPhone With Your Apple Watch When Wearing a Mask

2. 200+ New Emoji

The iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 update will add over 200 new emoji characters as well. Apple will also update many existing emojis for better diversity. The headphone emoji has also been updated to make it look similar to the AirPods Max. You can read about all the new emojis in iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 over at Emojipedia. Additionally, the update also adds emoji search support in iPadOS 14.5.

3. Change Default Music App

After allowing users to change the default email and browser app in iOS 14, Apple is taking things a step further and will allow iPhone and iPad users to change the default music app as well.

Using Siri, you can set Spotify, Books, YouTube Music, and one of the many other third-party music streaming apps as the default music app on your iPhone once iOS 14.5 lands.

4. App Tracking Transparency

This is a major new privacy feature that Apple will launch with iOS 14.5. To the end-user, App Tracking Transparency might not seem like a big deal. However, if you have followed the rollout of this feature, youll know that it has led to Facebook openly criticizing Apple and even claiming that this move will be devastating for small businesses.

App Tracking in iOS 14.5 will require that whenever an app tries to track user activity across other apps and services for advertising purposes, it requests the required permission from the end-user.

5. Safer Web Browsing

Apple has improved fraudulent website tracking in iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 and proxies all queries through its own services to prevent Google from logging ones IP address and other details. To be clear, Apple is still relying on Googles fraudulent website database, but its own servers act as a proxy server for requests. Due to this, Googles server only sees Apples proxy server IP address and not the users IP address.

Moreover, Safari in iOS 14.5 sends only hashed prefixes of the URL, or basically a hidden URL, to the phishing website checker. Since Apple uses a hashed prefix, Google can never know the website youre trying to visit. Again, this might not impact usability in a big way, but its a step in the right direction for Apple to further beef up user privacy in iOS 14.

iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 pack plenty of other new features apart from the five mentioned above. This includes Hey Siri, Call Emergency support, more languages support in Scribble for iPadOS 14.5, a new gesture in the Apple Music app, AirPlay 2 support for Fitness+, and more.

iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 Release Date

iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 are currently in beta testing stages from Apple. While theres no word from Apple, iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 will likely be released sometime in March. The OS release might also coincide with the launch of new iPads, third-gen AirPods, and AirTags.

Are you looking forward to the release of iOS 14.5 and trying out all the new features it packs? Drop a comment and let us know!
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, shown at a Feb. 17 news briefing, said this week that U.S. airstrikes against facilities in Syria used by Iran-backed militia groups were in response to recent attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq. (Associated Press)

A U.S. airstrike against a Syrian camp used by Iranian-backed militants accused of attacking American bases was a message from President Biden that such attacks would not go unpunished, Pentagon officials said Friday.

What meaning Tehran took from the attack on its proxies remains unclear.

Biden is hoping to draw Iran into negotiations on reviving a 2015 agreement that restricts Tehrans nuclear program  one that was abandoned by the Trump administration. That goal led to intense debate within Bidens national security team over choosing a target that would not spark an escalating military conflict with Iran, officials said.

Asked what message he was sending to Iran with an airstrike in Syria, Biden told reporters in Houston on Friday: You cant act with impunity. Be careful.

The predawn Friday attack by two U.S. warplanes destroyed nine buildings and damaged two others at the camp near the Iraq-Syria border town of Dair Alzour, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters.

U.S. officials said multiple groups used the camp to move weapons and personnel into Iraq. Those included Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, two Iranian-backed militias that the Pentagon believes is responsible for recent attacks, including a Feb. 15 rocket barrage on a U.S. base in Irbil, Iraq, that killed a contractor and wounded several service members and contractors.

Casualties from the U.S. attack on Friday were still being assessed, Kirby said. Iraqi officials have said the bombing caused at least one fatality and wounded four, though some estimates from online accounts associated with militias said as many as 17 people had been killed.

The limited strike in eastern Syria was meant to signal to the Iranians that the U.S. would not ignore attacks by Iranian proxies but was not seeking a wider military confrontation, officials said. It was no accident that the U.S. struck what amounted to a base used by the militias, an equivalent target to their attacks on the American facilities, officials said.

Story continues

This really was a defensive strike  to try to make an impact on these groups and their ability to conduct future attacks and to send a very clear signal that the United States is going to protect its people, Kirby said Friday.

The U.S. has offered no evidence that Tehran ordered the attacks on American facilities, and some officials believe the militias may have carried them out on their own.

The Biden team is saying, Even though were highly committed to reestablishing dialogue with the Iranians, we can undertake military strikes at the same time, said Michael Knights, an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Tehran has not signaled whether it will respond militarily to the U.S. action, though militia leaders in Iraq have vowed to retaliate for the attack.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh condemned the U.S. strike, calling it illegal aggression and a violation of human rights and international law.

Hours after the U.S. attack in Syria, an Israeli-owned cargo ship sailing in the Gulf of Oman near Iran was damaged in an explosion, according to multiple reports. The crew wasnt injured, but the ship was forced into port for repairs. The incident occurred near where several other ships were damaged in explosions in 2019. The U.S. Navy blamed the incidents on Iran, which denied involvement.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said it "condemns in the strongest terms the cowardly U.S. attack on areas in Dair Alzour near the Syrian-Iraqi border." In a statement, it said the Biden administration "is supposed to stick to international legitimacy, not to the law of the jungle as [did] the previous administration.

In Washington, some Democrats were critical of Biden's decision to carry out an airstrike in Syria without first briefing Congress on the legal rationale, saying it wasn't clear the attack was authorized under existing authorization for using force.

The strikes by Iranian-backed militias on bases in Iraq hosting U.S. troops are unacceptable," said Sen. Christopher S. Murphy (D-Conn.). "But Congress should hold this administration to the same standard it did prior administrations, and require clear legal justifications for military action, especially inside theaters like Syria, where Congress has not explicitly authorized any American military action."

White House officials defended the strike, saying it was carried out under Biden's constitutional authority to defend U.S. personnel and was legal under international law that allows self-defense.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that Biden "has the right to take action in a manner of his choosing" and that the U.S. strike was necessary and "pursuant to the right of self-defense."

Its unclear how much control Iran has to rein in the militias.

Analysts said Tehran's control over militia groups it supports in Iraq has splintered since January 2020, when then-President Trump approved an operation to kill Maj. Gen. Qassem Suleimani, an Iranian operative who was responsible for directing the militant groups.

A cease-fire declared in September by Kataib Hezbollah and other factions largely held until Bidens inauguration, but its not perfect, said Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at the London-based Chatham House think tank.

These groups are decentralized," he said. "The Popular Mobilization Forces are not a monolithic organization."

The U.S. assessment that Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada were behind the attacks on U.S. bases threatened to disrupt Washingtons outreach to Tehran, especially because the Biden administration had conducted a number of good-faith gestures to reengage in nuclear negotiations.

Sabereen News, a channel affiliated with Iran-supported groups, posted images of some of the structures destroyed in the attack, which it said were used by the groups to stop the flow of Islamic State members into Iraq. It added that most of the buildings had been emptied of fighters prior to the strike when spy planes were spotted circling overhead.

Cloud reported from Washington and Bulos from Beirut.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
When I was growing up, my mother would constantly tell me to mind my attitude. This most often occurred while I was doing household chores at her request. What she meant was for me to not only respect her but also be gracious and grateful, even while doing chores.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Charleston County School District is joining a growing number of school systems and other groups resorting to legal action to stop the spread of e-cigarettes among teenagers.

Charleston district officials filed suit independently on Feb. 25, accusing Juul Labs, which is part of Philip Morris USAs Altria Group, of purposefully marketing a dangerous product to children and seeking monetary relief.

Greenville County schools and Lexington One have already pursued legal action against Juul. Richland One is considering the issue.

A separate class-action suit is being managed by the law firm Berger Montague.

Drugwatch, a Florida-based consumer advocacy group, reports that more than 750 class-action suits have been filed against Juul as of July, with many claiming its marketing practices target minors. Company officials have denied the allegations.

"We will continue to reset the vapor category in the U.S. and seek to earn the trust of society by working cooperatively with attorneys general, legislators, regulators, public health officials, and other stakeholders to combat underage use and transition adult smokers from combustible cigarettes," said Austin Finan, a Juul spokesman.

"As part of that process, the company reduced its product portfolio, halted television, print, and digital product advertising and submitted a Premarket Tobacco Product Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration including comprehensive scientific evidence to support the harm reduction potential of its products and data-driven measures to address underage use," he wrote. "Our customer base is the worlds 1 billion adult smokers. We will respond to the allegations through the appropriate legal channels."

School officials and their attorneys say that vaping nicotine-laden products is harmful to students and has created problems in the schools.

Carl Solomon of Solomon Law Group, one of the firms representing the Charleston school district, said this suit was filed independently, and not as part of the class action, so the district could determine how best to proceed should the effort founder or fail. All such suits in South Carolina will be part of whats called a multi-district litigation process which centralizes legal discovery efforts, he said.

The lawsuit addresses a public nuisance," Solomon said. Problems caused by external agents that divert educators from their mission and cost taxpayers money are being introduced into the school environment and require abatement.

The lawsuit seeks to stop Juul from marketing to students; to require the company to be proactive about preventing teens from using vaping products in the first place; and to force Juul to provide funding to address education, addiction treatment, monitoring and counseling  all extra burdens the schools would not have had to cope with if vaping among underaged teenagers was not so rampant.

Appropriate financial compensation would be determined in the courts, but Solomon said his calculations suggest that the equivalent of one full-time employee would be needed in every middle school and high school in the district.

In 2019 and into early 2020, federal regulators conducted a sweeping investigation into the safety of various vaping products. A February 2020 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found more than 2,800 people across the country were hospitalized because of lung complications tied to e-cigarettes, with 68 deaths.

Findings published by the FDA in April 2020 warned against using any vape products containing vitamin E acetate or similar additives.

"FDA and CDC recommend that people not use THC-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products, particularly from informal sources like friends, or family, or in-person or online dealers," the agency said.

Although federal regulators were particularly concerned by vitamin E acetate and other additives in THC-containing products, the FDA said, "no one substance" was found in all samples they tested.

A 2019 survey of tobacco use among youths concluded that 22 percent of South Carolina teens used e-cigarettes in the 30 days before the survey was conducted.
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.
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.

Sorry!

This content is not available in your region
GORDA, Calif. - Life here in this tiny town built on the continent-ending cliffs of the Pacific coast has always had an anxious "when," not "if," quality to it. And much of that uncertain fate, season to season and year to year, has been tied to the two-lane road that runs through it.

Highway 1 is a California spectacle, a Depression-era monument to the state's quixotic ambitions and stunning beauty. It runs from the Orange County surf haven of Dana Point in the south into cannabis-cultivating Mendocino County, carrying heavy traffic over the Golden Gate Bridge and under the bluffs of Santa Monica, where it is better known as the Pacific Coast Highway, on its 650-mile route.

But it is here in the middle, in one of the highway's emptiest and most awesome stretches, where it is also most in peril. California's shifting weather patterns are presenting new threats to this exotic road as wildfire reaches into places it has never been, leaving raw landscapes and fresh dangers in its burn path.

Late last month, pounding rains brought a torrent of mud and tree trunks the size of small boats through the narrow culvert at Rat Creek, about 25 miles north of here, where a wildfire had burned just months before.

The slide washed away a 150-foot section of road and severed prime wine country to the south from the marine wonderland of Monterey Bay to the north, an isolation that will take months to end. The tourists who once filled the simple hillside cabins for rent here have been replaced by cleanup crews.

The engineering folly of a road built on sheer cliffs has meant that closures are annual events - the "whens," not "ifs" - for the people and the economy it supports.

But the wild card now is the increasing frequency of wildfire along a roughly 100-mile stretch from William Randolph Hearst's hilltop castle at San Simeon to Carmel, which is stripping fragile hillsides of stabilizing vegetation and causing more slides and more serious washouts across a region known broadly as Big Sur.

"We understand our winters - we're Big Sur people, and we know this happens," said Patricia Nunez, who on a recent day was working the register at the town's minimart, which also rents cabins and oversees the Whale Watcher's Cafe, a business known collectively as the Gorda Springs Resort. "This is an expensive, high-maintenance road. But it has to stay open because this is a place that is for more than just tourists. We live here."

- - -

The state has spent $200 million in emergency funds over the last 5 years on Highway 1 along the Big Sur coast, an amount that covers one big repair and many smaller ones. If it were any other road, the high cost and temporary returns of keeping it open would raise questions about whether preserving Highway 1 here is fiscally responsible.

But it is not any other road.

This sweep of highway has been the home of beatniks and bohemians, the backdrop to a million honeymoon drives, the wide shot for an equal number of adventure car commercials - its dips and climbs, hair-pinning hundreds of feet above a rough Pacific, an elemental part of California culture and economy.

At the Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery, a breeding ground for the jumbo, bad-humored mammals just north of San Simeon, Ryan Riezebos and his wife, Lori, made the hours-long drive from the Central Valley recently for a look at the animals and the ocean along Highway 1.

They do it often, sometimes heading north along the road into Monterey when it is open.

"They'll repair it, they always do," said Riezebos, a 55-year-old dairy farmer. "It's a big tourist deal and they will make it work. They have to."

California's changing climate - toward one of extreme wet seasons followed quickly by extremely hot, dry months - has imperiled other landmarks once thought protected by their geography. "Burn scars," "debris flows" and "atmospheric rivers" have joined the state's thickening lexicon of natural-disaster terminology, now used in everyday conversation.

In the past year, long-standing coastal redwood groves have burned for the first time in modern memory. Unprecedented evacuation orders have been issued along Highway 1 north of here both during fires and in their aftermath - the landslides and mud flows that often prove even more deadly and damaging.

In 2016, the Soberanes Fire along Highway 1 just south of Carmel burned nearly 60 homes and killed a bulldozer operator, making it among the most expensive fires to fight in state history at the time and the cause of dozens of debris flows that temporarily shut down the road in subsequent months. Some hiking trails in the area have yet to reopen.

The whiplash shift from fire to flood was captured most terribly three years ago in Santa Barbara County, a few hours south of here, when hillsides charred just weeks earlier by the Thomas Fire gave way under hard rain, flooding the neighborhood of Montecito and killing 23 people. Some of the roads covered by the mudslide took years to reopen.

What happened here last month followed a similar pattern.

During a dry, windy August last year, the Dolan Fire sparked up along the Santa Lucia Range and burned nearly 130,000 acres of hillside, including the south wall of the culvert cut by Rat Creek. It took firefighters, 15 of whom were injured in the process, four months to contain the blaze, which also forced a number of temporary closures along Highway 1.

The rains came last month, blowing in from the Pacific and stalling over the Santa Lucia. Before the storm moved on it had poured 15 inches of rain on the Big Sur region and brought the surface of the mountain down at Rat Creek in a 40-foot wall of mud and debris, which overwhelmed the preventive drainage measures installed by highway engineers and then the road itself.

Although the most serious, the washout was not the only one. Dozens of slides occurred along the cliffside stretch. Today, dump trucks, bulldozers and excavators along the route are busy with more minor cleanups.

"It's year-round maintenance now, with special attention paid to the winter rainy season," said Kevin Drabinski, a spokesman for the state Transportation Department, known as Caltrans, during a recent tour of the site. "And it's the burn scar we're really dealing with now. But this is also a very active geological zone."

Highway 1, or at least its surface, now sits in a pile of gray shards on the north side of the washout, its double yellow line visible on the larger pieces.

- - -

This stretch first opened in 1933, as the highway welcomed traffic in stages down the coast, a hopeful draw for tourists and new agricultural access to the oceanside pastures south of here. In a sign of things to come, parts of the highway had to be closed before the road was entirely open, because of slides.

The work to repair even this 150 feet is monumental. It requires deep engineering expertise just to begin the cleanup process, now taking place in a mud-filled pit on the edge of the cliff. A $5 million emergency contract is paying for the cleanup's first phase.

Drone surveys and on-the-ground assessments have been conducted. On Thursday, Caltrans announced that it would build a new road, rather than construct a bridge, over a filled-in culvert still surrounded by the threat of loose ground. Parts of the south wall hold the charred trunks and the singed tufts of shrubs from the Dolan Fire, which did not jump across the creek.

The choice of a road, rather than a bridge, will be a less expensive option for Caltrans. It is also a project with a far shorter timeline and could mean, weather permitting, that the road could reopen to at least some traffic as soon as this summer.

On a recent morning, four excavators worked in the pit, their long bucket arms swinging in choreographed tandem, dipping into the bog to scoop out mud and redwood trunks for deposit in a designated pickup spot.

"Do you have the bottom yet?" called out a worker with a chain saw, his job cutting the tree trunks into sections that will fit into the backs of the caravan of dump trucks.

In response, the excavator driver pushed the arm as deep into the mud as he could. It sank and sank, finally hitting something like bottom at about six feet and lifting the front of the excavator off the ground.

The worker with the chain saw shook his head at the digging out left to do.

To Steve Balaban, the Caltrans project engineer, that hard bottom is "OG," short for "original ground." The cleanup has to locate "OG" across much of the pit before the culvert can be refilled in earnest. There is much work to do to get there.

"This section lasted almost 100 years, so that's a pretty good track record," said Balaban, who has been working projects on the coast for 3 decades. "In any case, we always try to anticipate future geologic hazards and strive to incorporate preventive measures in our repairs projects."

An even larger stretch of Highway 1 reopened in 2018 after a 14-month closure at Mud Creek about 20 miles south of here. The road was buried - not washed away, as in Rat Creek's case - when the rocky ground above it gave way in hard rains.

The repair project cost $54 million, and today, Caltrans engineers say the hillside is stable. A fence made of coils of heavy wire, hard against the hillside, lines parts of the repaired section. Engineers also added a hefty stone retaining wall to protect the road.

"We literally built the road across the slide," Balaban said.

- - -

Big Sur is both a region and a specific place - many would also say a state of mind - and the town known as Big Sur lies about 14 miles north of the Rat Creek closure. The north endured the brunt of the Soberanes Fire several years ago and, like any town along the highway's length here, it feels the pinch of a closure.

"Highway 1 is the lifeblood of Big Sur," said Kirk Gafill, whose family has owned Nepenthe, a Big Sur restaurant, since its opening in 1949. "It's of paramount importance to us as a community. It makes all things possible."

Calling Nepenthe a restaurant is a bit like calling the Sistine Chapel a church. It is a restaurant and gift shop, as well as a kind of cultural happening. Everyone knows it. Jack Kerouac, in his 1962 novel "Big Sur," talks about drinking away hangovers overlooking the Pacific from Nepenthe's cliffside terraces.

For Gafill and other business owners along Highway 1, it is location, location, location that matters with every closure. Caltrans estimates that as much as 70% of the nearly 1 million cars and trucks that travel this section of Highway 1 annually come from the north, meaning that the Rat Creek closure will hurt Gafill's business but not decimate it.

Over the decades, Gafill has seen the washouts and mudslides range from "inconveniences to extraordinary events," among the most memorable being the El Nino year of 1998 and the dozens of washouts that left sections accessible only by helicopter.

He acknowledges that fire and the volatile burns left behind are a relatively new worry, and how lucky the region got that a storm did not follow the Soberanes Fire.

The increasing frequency and coastal locations of the recent fires - historically, most in the area have been inland - make them a growing concern. But not enough, he said, for the state to give up on a road key to its broader tourism economy.

"This is going to be a big responsibility and challenge for the state to keep the highway repaired and open," Gafill said. "But this has been the case since the highway first opened and what comes from building a road along the edge of a continent."

The southern end of the Highway 1, as it passes through Ragged Point and into Cambria, feels the economic downturn from a closure at Rat Creek far more sharply.

At Sebastian's, a general store and tasting room for the Hearst Ranch Winery, business was just getting started again when the road was washed out.

The mostly indoor business had been closed for months because of state health regulations designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Those were recently eased, but then Highway 1's southbound tourist traffic stopped.

"And before that we had just got the other section reopened, got the business back online," said Jim Saunders, owner of the Hearst Ranch Winery, who estimated that his tasting room business might fall 40 percent because of the closure. "Fast-forward to where we are today and I don't think anyone thought that covid would last this long. And here we are, just trying to survive, when the road washes out."

The tasting room was busy on a recent weekday, the seaside picnic tables nearly full despite a stiff, cool breeze that shook stands of eucalyptus trees and filled the air with their astringent scent. But Saunders is pessimistic that, with tourists unable to complete the trip north along Highway 1 through San Simeon, his business will regain its footing anytime soon.

"We were hoping it would be back by this spring or summer at the latest," Saunders said. "Now I don't think that will happen. What we didn't need was another punch."

This closure, because of the fire, is also proving to be far harder on this town of 11 people.

- - -

In 2017, the Mud Creek landslide blocked all traffic to Gorda from the south. For tourists traveling one-way from the Bay Area, though, there was still a detour available along Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, a 25-mile link just north of Gorda connecting Highway 1 and Highway 101, a major north-south route farther inland.

But the Dolan Fire and January rains have shut that road to the general public, reserving it almost entirely for emergency traffic. The result is that Nunez, among others, first has to travel south for hours before then making her way north.

Twice a month she takes her 10-year-old daughter, Victoria, to a rehabilitation appointment at Monterey County Hospital for a hip problem she was born with. The drive usually takes 90 minutes round trip. Now, with the closure, it is a seven-hour journey there and back.

"Let me tell you, amigo," Nunez said, "if something happened to the road south of here now we'd be in big trouble. We'd be completely cut off. It's already much worse than last time for us."

Nunez, 51, has lived along Gorda's cliffs for seven years. There are many challenges, she acknowledges, but she loves the beauty and camaraderie of the place.

Fortunately, Pacific Valley School, where Victoria is the only member of her class, sits just to the north of Gorda and so is not cut off by the closure. When the road floods, teachers often make the trip to see Victoria rather than force her to travel a dangerous route.

The minimart is the center of town, a place where residents in the hills get their mail and some list as their home phone numbers along a stretch where there is no cell service. For now, a new economy rising around the closure has helped replace some of the tourist-driven business that disappeared last month.

The cubby holes holding keys to the 14 rooms and cabins Nunez rents out are nearly all stuffed with messages and mail. Eleven of them are being rented now by Caltrans workers and contractors, who get a breakfast and box lunch from Nunez to take to the site.

It is the inn's only income.

"We're still open," she said. "No matter what. We stay open."
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Beyond barbecues and ceremonies: Recognizing Memorial Day

For many, Memorial Day weekend is about gathering with family and grilling or attending a parade. Some find a more personal way to honor the holiday.
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
Senior leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi on Friday said many people are joining the his party inspired by the work done by the led government in the national capital.

Retired judicial officer Sukhbir Singh Malhotra joined the Aam Aadmi Party in the presence of Sisodia.

"It is mission of the Aam Aadmi Party that people of this nation receive the best education and healthcare facilities. The vision to provide the best services to the people of Delhi, that our Chief Minister believed in, has now become a reality. I welcome Sukhbir Singh into our party with the hope that he furthers this people-centric vision of AAP," Sisodia said.

Some other persons, including members of BSP and Congress, joined the in the presence of party MLA Raghav Chadha.

People are joining influenced by the "historical work" of the Kejriwal government in all areas including schools, hospitals, electricity, water, road, transport and WiFi, Chadha 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.)
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Ali Oetjen may be single, but she's certainly not ready to mingle.

Speaking to the Courier Mail on Wednesday, the former Bachelorette star, 34, confirmed that she's fully recovered from her emotional split from Taite Radley, 30, last year, and is now happily single.

'I'm just doing me at the moment,' she confirmed.

'I'm just doing me at the moment': The Bachelorette's Ali Oetjen, 34, (right) says she still isn't ready to start dating again, seven months after devastating split from Taite Radley, 30 (left)

Ali split from Taite in July last year after a whirlwind two-year romance.

Heartbroken, the reality star moved into her parent's home on Queensland's Sunshine Coast for four months, before finally moving into her own two-bedroom 'treehouse' earlier this month.

'I found a beautiful treehouse to call my own,' she told the Courier Mail, describing the move as a 'whole new world'.

'I'm into the next chapter. I couldn't be happier': Ali said she's finally at peace with single life after moving out of her parent's home and into a new two-bedroom 'treehouse'

'I'm into the next chapter. I couldn't be happier,' she said.

Ali and Taite announced their split via Instagram seven months ago saying they were 'taking time apart' and giving each other 'some space'.

The couple shared near identical statements underneath selfies together and said they were making the shock announcement with 'the heaviest heart'.

Splitsville: Ali and Taite announced their split via Instagram seven months ago saying they were 'taking time apart' and giving each other 'some space'

Just weeks later, Ali joined the cast of Seven's military-style show SAS Australia.

During an interrogation scene on the program, Ali tearfully explained to the drill sergeants how 'empty' she felt after losing the man she considered her 'soul mate'.

Speaking on the How To Life podcast in November, Ali admitted she was terrified to have her heart broken again.

Gutted: During an interrogation scene on SAS Australia, Ali tearfully explained to the drill sergeants how 'empty' she felt after losing the man she considered her 'soul mate'

'[Dating] actually scares me now. You think something's it and then it doesn't turn out to be what you were hoping, even throughout the relationship,' she confessed.

'I've never had any relationship hurt so bad; I am still healing,' she said at the time.

Ali admitted that the split became even more painful when she developed the toxic habit of checking personal trainer Taite's Instagram page.

'You think something's it and then it doesn't turn out to be what you were hoping': Speaking on the How To Life podcast in November, Ali admitted she was terrified to have her heart broken again

'You can't help but not check their Instagram! I can definitely say that I have stopped checking [Taite's] Instagram because I found that was a pattern as well that I had to break,' she admitted.

She also revealed she and Taite had initially kept in contact after breaking up because neither wanted to 'fully let go'.

Sadly, Ali would often find herself in tears after every interaction with her ex.

The pair have since ended all forms of communication.
Thu Hoai turned up at a party with a Bulgari handbag valued at over VND100 million, a favorite of many celebrities in the world, including Miranda Kerr and Kate Moss.

Hoai said the gown and accessories she wore had a total value of VND400 million. But this was just a small figure, because she once appeared at another party in a gown worth VND3 billion.

It is just middling, she said, adding that there are many people richer than she is willing to spend more money on party clothing.

Hoai said that 99 percent of women want to own at least one item of a famous brand. The first branded item she had was a Louis Vuitton handbag.

The daughter of a billionaire in the real estate sector, she has many products from famous brands Dior, Hermes, Gucci and Chanel, travels all over the world, and has dinner at luxury restaurants.

In order to satisfy the demand of luxury item fans like Thu Hoai, Louis Vuitton has opened a large store on Ngo Quyen street in Hanoi. There are two VIP rooms at the store, with private space where clients can fully enjoy unique experiences with all senses.

The famous brand set foot in Vietnam in 1997 when it opened the first store at Metropole Hanoi Hotel.

The International Center, which is not far from the hotel, operational since 1995, has a lot of luxury brands, such as Prada, Hermes, Gucci and Patek Philippe. At Trang Tien Plaza, the products of 200 brands are displayed.

However, analysts note that the number of luxury brands in Hanoi is still lower than in HCM City.

Online shopping is unsuited to luxury product distribution. Many shopaholics fly to HCM City to do shopping, according to Johnathan Hanh Nguyen, called the Branded goods King.

The next-generation of wealthy people

Vietnamese fans of luxury goods have been younger in recent years. The article Rich Kids of Vietnam was published in Business Insider in mid-July 2017. It noted that they had luxury items with famous brands when they were just 18 or 20 years old.

Savills Vietnam reported that the number of young people conversant with knowledge about technology is increasing rapidly and are the clients that luxury brands target.

With the strong development of technology, youth now have more chances to see luxury products through celebrities on social networks and go to stores to see the products with their eyes and buy them.

Middle class people are also willing to spend money on luxury items. These people tend to save money to buy valuable things, and like branded products.

A report released in 2018 showed that the Vietnamese middle class has been expanding rapidly with 1.5 million people each year in recent years and it is expected to account for 33 percent of Vietnams population by 2020.

2020 was a tough year for luxury brands. The border closure and the spread of the coronavirus have mostly stopped the worlds tourism and caused a sharp fall in the sale of luxury items.

Even people with lower income also wants to own luxury products. A film director said at a talk show that a young girl he knows who lives in a rented room with unstable income has a Gucci handbag worth VND70 million.

A survey by Luxury Institute found that luxury products are not only considered high-quality items, but also the manifestation of the class of their owners.

Promising land

According to Matthew Powel, director of Savills Hanoi, the latest presence of LVMH with Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior stores in Hanoi is a good sign of confidence in the Vietnamese market.

Thierry Stern of Patek Philippe, talking about his impression about local wealthy people, said he knows Vietnamese businessmen have watch collections and own high-end real estate.

2020 was a tough year for luxury brands. The border closure and the spread of the coronavirus have mostly stopped the worlds tourism and caused a sharp fall in the sale of luxury items.

McKinsey, a market analysis firm, predicted that the global fashion industry worth $2.5 trillion lost 27-30 percent of revenue in 2020. Meanwhile, luxury brands saw sales decrease by 35-39 percent.

A lot of luxury brands have flocked to Vietnam as they believe that it will be a potential market for them.

Previously, wealthy Vietnamese people had to fly to Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong to buy luxury clothes and cosmetics. But now many luxury brands are present in Vietnam.

The income of Vietnamese people has been increasing. According to IMF, Vietnams economy had value of $1.05 trillion in 2020 and GDP per capita was $10,000 if calculating in the PPP (purchasing power parity) method. The Economist in August 2020 listed Vietnam among the 16 most successful emerging economies.

With the growth slowdown in China, Bain and Altagamma believe that Vietnamese consumers will benefit from the massive landing of luxury brands in coming years.

Statista estimates that Vietnams luxury goods market was valued at $974 million in 2020, a slight decrease of 6 percent from 2019.

Duy Anh

Billionaires win big on pre-Tet days The enterprises of billionaires Pham Nhat Vuong, Ho Hung Anh, Nguyen Dang Quang and Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao have reported good business results for 2020.
Olivia Munn has been on a mission in recent weeks to help stamp out the rising number of hate crimes against Asian-Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

And on Friday she was back in the spotlight again, when she discussed the alarming trend during some media appearances on Instagram Live and the morning talk show, The View.

Afterwards, The Newsroom star decided to wind down from her busy day by stepping out for dinner at a celebrity hotspot in Los Angeles in a leggy ensemble.

Gams on parade: Olivia Munn, 40, turned more than few heads when she stepped out for dinner at the celebrity hotspot, Craig's, in Los Angeles on Friday

The actress, 40, turned heads as she made her way to Craig's restaurant in West Hollywood in skimpy denim shorts and black knee-high boots.

She also donned a button-down shirt and a cream-colored jacket, as she carried a stylish black purse.

Her dark brown tresses were styled long past the middle of her back with a part in the middle.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still very much a danger, Munn wore a black protective mask over her mouth and nose

Stunner: The Newsroom actress turned heads decked out in skimpy denim shorts, black knee-high boots. and a button-down shirt and jacket

Safety first: With the COVID-19 pandemic still very much a danger, Munn wore a black protective mask over her mouth and nose

Comedic side: Munn showed off her flare for comedy when she was a correspondent with The Daily Show with Jon Stewart from 2010-2011

Earlier in the day, Munn used her star power to shine a light on the disturbing trend of Asian hate in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

She made passionate pleas for people to be apart of the solution when she appeared on The View. Off the top, Munn detailed a recent assault on her friend's mother, a petite 5-foot-3 Chinese woman, in Queens, New York last week.

'She was shoved so viciously that she was hurled horizontally in the air; her feet still flailing she hits a metal newspaper stand box, and goes unconscious,' she said as video of the assault was playing.

'Massive gash in her head, and thankfully there was a bystander that saw what happened, followed the guy, and got pictures of him. Because we had such good pictures, we were able to put that out into social media and the NYPD was then able find an arrest him.'

Raising awareness: Earlier in the day, Munn used her star power to shine a light on the disturbing trend of Asian hate in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, which included an appearance on the morning talk show, The View

While on The View Munn detailed a recent assault on her friend's mother, a petite 5-foot-3 Chinese woman, in Queens, New York last week; police have since made an arrest

Munn was among the people who posted a photo and video of the suspect on her social media platforms.

With the public's help NYPD arrested and charged Patrick Mateo with assault and harassment.

Later in the interview, the X-Men: Apocalypse star blamed the association between China and the coronavirus for the surge in assaults.

By early evening the biracial star, whose mother is from Vietnam and is of Chinese descent, talked about the rise in Asian hate over the past year, and Black and Asian solidarity, during an Instagram Live conversation with Dr. Gerald Onuoha,

Making a difference: Munn has been raising awareness of the rising trend of Asian hate in recent weeks
British Airways's owner swung to a record loss of 6.5billion after the pandemic closed borders and stopped millions of passengers flying.

IAG, which also owns Spain's Iberia and Ireland's Aer Lingus, saw revenues plummet 69 per cent to 6.7billion last year.

It lost the equivalent of 19million a day  or 205 a second  as it carried just a third of the travellers it did in 2019.

Struggle: IAG, which also owns Spain's Iberia and Ireland's Aer Lingus, saw revenues plummet 69 per cent to 6.7billion last year

IAG boss Luis Gallego said it was too early to say how the company would perform in 2021 because there is still too much uncertainty around the pandemic.

Second waves of the virus derailed the winter holiday season, which the industry had been counting on for a last-minute boost, and fresh lockdowns mean IAG expects to run just a fifth of the 2019 schedule in the first quarter of the year. But shares in IAG bounced yesterday, despite the bruising figures, rising 3.1 per cent, or 5.7p, to 191.95p.

Gallego said it was encouraging that vaccination rollouts were 'progressing well' and that there was a 'big increase' in demand for travel after Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled his road map for ending lockdown on Monday.

Flight bookings were up by more than 60 per cent on the day of the announcement compared with the same day the previous week  a surge other airlines such as Easyjet also enjoyed. Holidays could be allowed from May 17 under the plans, but no earlier and this date could be pushed back.

Gallego also urged governments to set up 'vaccine passports' to ensure foreign holidays can go ahead this summer.

British Airways already accepts the Verifly app, on which travellers can upload proof of a recent negative Covid test. But the makers say it could be expanded to include proof of vaccination within days, if governments were to reach agreements on accepting inoculated tourists.

Gallego said: 'The aviation industry stands with governments in putting public health at the top of the agenda. Getting people travelling again will require a clear road map for unwinding current restrictions when the time is right.

'We know there is pent-up demand for travel and people want to fly. Vaccinations are progressing well and global infections are going in the right direction. If we continue with the road map to open aviation, we are going to have a positive summer.' Gallego, 52, said the 2020 results  the first he has delivered as boss  'reflect the serious impact that Covid-19 has had on our business'.

IAG has been particularly badly hit by the drop in transatlantic flights during the pandemic because BA  by the far the biggest airline in its stable  relies on these lucrative routes.

Norwegian Air and Gatwick Airport also released bruising figures yesterday.

Budget carrier Norwegian dived to a record 1.9billion loss last year. The firm, which is under bankruptcy protection in Norway and Ireland, earned much of its cash before the pandemic from cheap transatlantic flights. It has now abandoned these routes.

And Gatwick tumbled to a loss of 465m after passenger numbers fell by nearly 80 per cent.
She regularly explores the more open parts of Los Angeles to keep her age-defying figure in shape.

And Goldie Hawn, 75, was at it again on Friday as she hiked around LA while rocking a casual athleisure outfit.

While on the go, the Sugarland Express star stopped to chat with a friend she ran into.

Working up a sweat: Goldie Hawn, 75, was spotted hiking around Los Angeles on Friday in a low-key athleisure outfit

Goldie showcased her trim arms in a simple black tank top while tying a black sweatshirt around her waist.

She also had on a set of gray-and-black camouflage-patterned leggings and conservative black Nike trainers.

The Oscar winner swept her blonde locks back and blocked out the sun with a beige visor while adding some sparkle with a diamond-encrusted necklace.

She wore a pale blue surgical-style mask to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, but she wore it under her chin part of the way, making it useless.

Back in black: Goldie showcased her trim arms in a simple black tank top while tying a black sweatshirt around her waist. She wore gray mottled leggings and black Nikes

While out and about, Goldie stopped to catch up with a friend, who was also dressed for a hike and wore her mask below her mouth.

Skipping out on the Death Becomes Her actress' workout was her longtime partner Kurt Russell, 69.

Earlier this month, the longtime lovebirds celebrated 38 years as a couple after first getting together on Valentine's Day in 1983.

Meeting up: While out and about, Goldie stopped to catch up with a friend, who was also dressed for a hike and wore her mask below her mouth

MIA: Skipping out on the Death Becomes Her actress' workout was her longtime partner Kurt Russell, 69, who celebrated 38 years with her after getting together on Valentine's Day in 1983

Last month, Goldie shared that she and Kurt had expanded their family with an adorable puppy.

She shared a photo of herself embracing the cute dog, which appeared to be a yellow Lab.

'Look what Santa rescued for me! Introducing Roy Hawn Russell,' she captioned their photo on Instagram while adding the hashtag, '#goodboyroy.'

Cutie pie: Last month, Goldie shared that she and Kurt had expanded their family with an adorable puppy named Roy

Goldie also has a grandchild on the way, as her son Wyatt Russell is expecting a child with his wife Meredith Hagner of Search Party fame. The two actors revealed that they were expecting in November.

Wyatt is the only biological child that Goldie shares with Kurt, but she also shares Kate and Oliver Hudson with her ex-husband Bill Hudson.

Kurt also has a son, Boston Russell, from his marriage to Season Hubley.
Posted Saturday, February 27, 2021 8:44 am

Almost a year after Washington was hit by the first big pandemic-related layoffs, the state unemployment system is still straining under the crisis, lawmakers and worker advocates say.

Although the flood of jobless claims last spring has receded, thousands of Washingtonians are either waiting for payment from the state Employment Security Department (ESD) or appealing claims the agency has denied.

The filing process still can be complicated, slow and easily stalled, many claimants say. Those with questions often struggle to contact the agency. Its website and computer-generated notifications can be notoriously confusing and even inaccurate.

"It's incompetence," grouses Renton resident Kevin Johnsted, 55, one of many Washingtonians who were told by the ESD  incorrectly  that they owe federal taxes on unemployment benefits that were actually paid to criminals in last spring's $600 million fraud scheme.

"I have never seen a bureaucracy that was so completely unaware of the people it's supposed to be serving," adds Dennis Friscia, an unemployed Kent resident who has been without benefits since ESD cut him off in December and has been stuck in a frustrating loop of poor communication trying to verify his identity to the agency. "I am furious over it."

Frustrations like these are helping fuel legislative proposals to both fix existing problems and strengthen the unemployment system for the next crisis. Washington "literally failed workers" during the pandemic, says state Rep. Liz Berry, D-Seattle, one of dozens of lawmakers behind a broadly bipartisan effort to upgrade the state unemployment system. "So what can we do now to fix that for the future?"

But fixing those problems won't be easy or fast. Many of the system's failings during the pandemic were likely unavoidable given the historic scale of job losses; in the crisis's first three months, Washingtonians filed twice as many unemployment claims as they did during nearly two years of the Great Recession  and are still filing roughly twice as many claims as they were a year ago, before the pandemic.

Many claimants also stalled out while applying for emergency federal unemployment benefits, which had their own complex eligibility rules. And after last spring's fraud debacle, many legitimate claimants were ensnared in the agency's beefed-up anti-fraud measures.

Still, lawmakers say these challenges were magnified by structural problems in the state's unemployment system, which are the focus of several bills  notably Senate Bill 5193 and a companion House measure, HB 1487.

A top priority is expanding the number of so-called adjudicators trained to resolve eligibility questions and disputed unemployment claims. Because the ESD lacked enough adjudicators during last spring's claims surge, even minor issues spiraled into a huge backlog of people "stuck in a queue," says state Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, chair of the committee with ESD oversight and a co-sponsor of SB 5193, which passed 48-0 on Thursday; the House could vote in early March.

Even now, the limited number of adjudicators may be affecting claimants such as Tim Orchard, a 54-year-old maintenance worker from Spokane, who says he has been waiting some 13 weeks for a benefit payment or "even a decision on my unemployment."

SB 5193 would create a reserve of trained adjudicators, drawn from state government workers and private citizens, whom the ESD could bring in during high-load periods.

Another top legislative priority is fixing the agency's often-confusing website and its automated notifications.

Critics point to a situation last fall when many claimants who were receiving federal unemployment benefits may not have understood an ESD notification saying their federal eligibility likely was ending. After thousands of claimants didn't respond correctly, in time or at all, many got notifications demanding repayment of thousands of dollars in federal benefits. (The ESD eventually suspended the eligibility process that had generated the confusing notifications.)

Notifications like that were "disheartening" for claimants "already fighting, some for months and months, to get unemployment that's due to them," says Rep. Gina Mosbrucker, R-Goldendale.

ESD's automated notification system also generated many erroneous 1099-G tax notices for Washingtonians whose identities were used to file fraudulent unemployment claims. Johnsted, the Renton resident, says he received such a notice in January despite having alerted the ESD to the fraud in May  and then contacted the agency at least five times before he got a corrected 1099 form. (The ESD says it now has sent corrected 1099s to all those who requested them.)

SB 5193 requires the ESD to "assure [that] written communications are tested and in plainly understood language." If any communications failed that test, the law directs the ESD to "consider" switching to manually generated notifications until the agency can update its automated system.

ESD officials say they've already made substantial improvements. A new "customer experience" team is improving notifications. The agency has been adding staff since the pandemic struck. The number of claimants in any given week who have yet to receive a benefit payment from ESD and are waiting for an ESD decision was around 8,800 as of last week, or less than half the level it was at for much of late 2020, says spokesperson Nick Demerice.

But lawmakers want to ensure that improvements continue even after the pandemic.

To that end, SB 5193 would subject the ESD to quarterly legislative review on key performance measures  among them, the number of claims in adjudication, and call center volumes, hold times, abandoned calls, and "all circuits busy messages." It also requires the agency to post performance data on an online dashboard.

"If there's something that's not getting done, and something that needs to be attended to, we can require that in law," says Keiser, adding that the ESD will face additional oversight by a recently re-established advisory committee from the business and labor communities. After the pandemic, the "ESD is going to be taking in quite a bit more information and guidance than they have before."

Lawmakers also want to address problems in the unemployment system outside of the ESD. One bill would expand state eligibility for workers who often struggled to get benefits during the pandemic, including some ride-hailing drivers and employees who quit voluntarily to care for family members, says Berry.

Lawmakers also want to help other state agencies that were overwhelmed by pandemic-related layoffs.

At the state Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), for example, more than 31,000 claimants are waiting to appeal disputed unemployment claims, and the usual (pre-pandemic) monthlong wait for an appeals decision is now four months, says Lorraine Lee, OAH's chief administrative law judge, in a Feb. 5 letter to lawmakers. Without a temporary increase in funding for staff, Lee warns, the backlog "will rise to nearly 70,000 appeals and the wait time will climb to 23 months."

But some worker advocates say the proposed reforms don't go far enough or were weakened by amendments.

Under SB 5193, ESD's quarterly reviews will continue only through 2022 and the agency must publish performance metrics only when the state unemployment rate exceeds 5%.

Advocates are also unhappy that SB 5193 requires the ESD to merely study or "explore" other proposed improvements. These include automatic "triggers" that would boost staffing at certain workload thresholds; and a caseworker claims model that connects each claimant with a single ESD staffer through the claims process.

"The state Senate took most of the teeth out of the bill," says Anne Paxton, policy director at the Seattle- and Spokane-based Unemployment Law Project, which represents claimants appealing their claims.

Working Washington, a worker advocacy group, thinks lawmakers also should require the ESD to determine a claimant's eligibility within three weeks. "We think that's a solution that really forces other changes to get made" in the rest of the claims handling process, says spokesperson Sage Wilson.

Lawmakers say they'll revisit the issue if claimants tell them that reforms aren't working. "If their needs aren't being met, then the oversight piece is key and absolutely needs to be addressed," says Rep. Dan Bronoske, D-Lakewood, a lead sponsor of HB 1487.

Even the measures that seem likely to become law may not bring immediate relief for workers. Training adjudicators and testing notifications for clarity takes time and is "not going to happen overnight," Keiser says.

That means claimants might see more delays as ESD deals with an expected surge in jobless claims next month if Congress extends expiring federal benefits.

Reform's slow pace may also mean some tough choices for Washingtonians such as Friscia who can't wait any longer to get their benefits.

Early in the pandemic, the 68-year-old quit his gig driving for delivery services such as DoorDash because he didn't want to risk his health. But without the $211 weekly federal benefit he was receiving, Friscia says he has drained his small savings and will be forced to start driving for DoorDash again.

Adding to his angst, Friscia says the ESD demanded he repay the approximately $5,000 in benefits he received last year and implied he had obtained the funds fraudulently. "It's a heavy allegation," Friscia says. "It feels terrible. It's almost like criminalizing people."

___

(c)2021 The Seattle Times
A narcotics officer with the Baton Rouge Police Department was booked into jail Friday night, accused of stealing drugs seized as evidence and giving them to his friend.

The officer was identified as Corporal Jason Acree, 34, a narcotics detective who has served with the department for the past 12 years. He was booked into jail Friday evening.

The arrest came after another officer witnessed Acree stealing marijuana that had been seized as evidence during a recent narcotics investigation, according to his arrest warrant. Acree admitted to the other officer that he was planning to give the drugs to his friend, the warrant says.

Chief Murphy Paul announced the arrest in an email to his subordinates Friday evening, acknowledging the news would "bring unwanted attention and scrutiny to our department."

"After a thorough investigation into allegations of police corruption, the heartrending but necessary decision was made to arrest another Baton Rouge police officer," Paul wrote. "The actions of these officers are indefensible."

The prior arrest he referenced was announced several weeks ago. Corporal Jeremiah Ardoin was arrested for more minor alleged crimes involving stolen property. The department did not disclose details of the case.

BRPD union vice president fired over media interview, another officer arrested for stolen property The vice president of the Baton Rouge police union has been fired for giving an unauthorized interview to a former local television reporter, 

Ardoin had served 12 years and was assigned to the BRPD Criminal Investigative Bureau. Officials said he was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation and was issued a misdemeanor summons  which allowed him to avoid being booked into jail, signaling less serious charges.

His case is ongoing and he remains on administrative leave, officials said Friday. It remains unclear whether the two arrests are related, or whether additional arrests are forthcoming.

"These officers are NOT a representation of you and your extraordinary efforts," Paul told his department in the email. "I thank you for your dedication and sacrifice."

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Police spokesman Sgt. L'Jean McKneely Jr. said the investigation into Acree was launched after BRPD leaders received a complaint from inside the department about "possible criminal wrongdoing and corruption within the BRPD narcotics division" but did not provide additional details or documents.

However, the warrant says detectives searched the home of the friend who allegedly received the drugs from Acree. The friend later admitted to police that Acree had brought him marijuana and THC vape pens on several occasions for his personal use, according to the warrant. The friend said he knew Acree was a narcotics officer but was unaware where the drugs were coming from, the warrant says.

Acree was booked into jail on possession with intent to distribute marijuana and malfeasance in office.

This is not his first time facing allegations of misconduct on the job.

A lawsuit filed against Acree and another officer several years ago resulted in the city of Baton Rouge paying $25,000 to a man who alleged he was unlawfully beaten and strip searched during a 2014 marijuana raid. The lawsuit ended in a jury trial and received significant media attention.

The jury found, among other things, that the city showed "deliberate indifference" toward an apparent custom by officers of performing warrantless strip searches.

Brett Percle, who filed the suit, said Acree was the supervising detective during the raid and authorized the strip search. Acree did not have a warrant for a body search, though he had one to search the house, and Percle wasn't ultimately arrested or accused of any crimes. Another officer, Robb Moruzzi, was accused of knocking his teeth out during the raid. Moruzzi also remains on the force.

The police chief at the time, Carl Dabadie, later admitted his officers made some mistakes on that scene, saying the department would reevaluate its policies on warrants and strip searches.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has disclosed what should happen to state governors negotiating with bandits. HURIW...





The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has disclosed what should happen to state governors negotiating with bandits.

HURIWA said state governors negotiating with bandits should be arrested, prosecuted and impeached.

The group was reacting to remark by the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle that engaging bandits in a dialogue was not as bad as Nigerians make it look.

Matawalle had said it was not a sign of weakness but part of peace efforts because he realised not all bandits were criminals.

Reacting, HURIWA said governors negotiating with bandits have failed in securing their states, hence should be dealt with.

HURIWAs National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko made the call in a statement he signed and issued.

The statement reads partly: The Zamfara State governor and all others who actively preach appeasement for terrorists and kidnappers as well as bandits, must be punished in accordance with the law which is why we are advocating for his immediate impeachment, arrest and prosecution for failing to protect his people from the violence of TERROR GANGSTERS roaming freely in that part of the Country.

Meanwhile, bandits had abduction over 300 female students of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe area of Zamfara State.

How a call from this neta left the Patna DM stumped

'Priority is to stop BJP at all costs': RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav announces support to TMC

BJP: Are not Tejashwi Yadav, other leaders from outside Bengal backing TMC outsiders?

RJD to contest Assam Assembly elections with like-minded parties

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Feb 27: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday said his party will contest the upcoming Assam Assembly polls in alliance with "like-minded" parties.

Yadav, during his first visit to Guwahati, said he has already spoken to Congress and will hold talks with the AIUDF later in the day to formalise the alliance.

"We are talking to like-minded parties," he told a press conference here.

TN, Bengal, Kerala, Puducherry, Assam elections 2021: Full polling, counting schedule

Yadav said apart from the Congress and AIUDF, the RJD is in touch with other smaller parties.

"There are around five per cent Hindi-speaking people from Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. We have considerable number of such people in 11 seats, but we'll contest only where chances of winning are high," Yadav said.

The senior RJD leader also said he would travel to other poll-bound states West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry to campaign against the BJP and its allies.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 27, 2021, 16:16 [IST]
A quarter-century has passed since Oregon voters said yes to a law that would profoundly reshape how the state treats its most violent offenders.

Measure 11 created a class of crimes that in the eyes of voters deserved longer prison sentences and ensured people convicted of those offenses served every day of their terms.

Today, offenders prosecuted under the landmark law make up about 47% of the 12,586 people in Oregons prisons, according to the state.

Two years ago, legislators made significant changes to the law when they did away with a provision that automatically transferred juveniles accused of violent crimes into adult court.

Now, fueled in part by the outrage over the killing of George Floyd last year by Minneapolis police and the ongoing reckoning over racial disparities in the American criminal justice system, the Legislature is poised to take up a slate of proposals that would undo the states mandatory minimum sentencing law as it applies to adults.

The controversial law now faces the latest -- and most existential -- challenge in the Legislature since it was passed in 1994.

One of the bills, House Bill 2002, had a hearing this week. It has the backing of a coalition of community organizations focused on racial equity, criminal justice reform groups, the Legislatures 12-member Black, Indigenous and People of Color Caucus and House Speaker Tina Kotek.

The bill would do away with mandatory minimum sentences and give violent offenders the chance to earn credit toward early release by taking part in treatment and other prison programs. It also would make other major changes, such as prohibiting police stops based solely on certain traffic violations and limiting when parole and probation officers can carry guns.

One of the bills proponents, Elona Wilson, advocacy director for the Coalition of Communities of Color, echoed a common critique of Measure 11: Such policies, she said, are fear-based and harm people of color, young Black men in particular, and reflect a racist mindset that has failed. Her Portland-based organization works to reduce socioeconomic disparities and institutional racism.

The proposal already has encountered pushback from a trio of progressive-minded district attorneys who support doing away with mandatory minimum sentences but say some of the bills other provisions need discussion before they can support them.

Oregon is one of 37 states with laws that impose mandatory minimum sentences or target repeat offenders, according to Portland State University professor Mark Leymon, a criminologist and authority on sentencing.

Some states have begun reexamining those policies in recent years, though drug offenses, not violent crime, tend to be the focus.

In Oregon, the political battle to undo mandatory minimum sentences is likely to be an uphill one: Any reduction to voter-approved sentencing requirements requires a two-thirds supermajority vote of each chamber.

That means proponents of changing the law will need all 37 Democrats and three Republicans in the House and all Democrats and two Republicans in the Senate to enact reform.

Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that shes very anxious about changing Ballot Measure 11, given its wide margin of voter approval.

Johnson is a moderate Democrat who generally votes with her caucus, but her occasional swing votes on high-profile issues, such as siding with Republicans on matters like cap-and-trade and gun control, make her a powerful force in the Senate.

Im going to be a tough sell, she said.

UNRAVELING MEASURE 11

Advocates for getting rid of Measure 11 say the law is inflexible, overly punitive and compounds racial disparities in Oregons prisons. They argue that mandatory minimum sentencing laws are a vestige of 1990s-era tough-on-crime policies that have proven ineffective in preventing crime.

The most outspoken supporters of the law so far have been prosecutors, who say Measure 11 ensures that the courts treat violent criminals in a consistent and fair manner. They say the states mandatory minimum sentences for crimes like rape -- eight years and four months -- are reasonable, hold offenders accountable and keep communities safe.

They acknowledge racial disparities in Oregons prisons, but say deeper problems with American society at large, not mandatory minimum sentences, are the root cause of those inequities.

There is racial disparity in education, racial disparity in health care, racial disparity in wealth, Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth said. It wouldnt be shocking to see it in another one of our institutions, in our criminal justice system.

If you want to curb it in the criminal justice system, he said, you have to look at society as a whole.

In addition to HB 2002, lawmakers will consider two other bills that fundamentally change Measure 11.

Like HB 2002, House Bill 2172, submitted by Gov. Kate Brown, and Senate Bill 401, sponsored by Sen. Floyd Prozanski, would end mandatory minimum sentences and replace them with the existing sentencing guidelines, which are typically shorter.

Under the proposed approach, judges would have some room, based on strict criteria, to hand down shorter or in some cases longer sentences.

The three bills also would allow prisoners to earn credit for early release through participating in prison programs.

Prozanskis bill, like Browns, covers Measure 11 crimes with the exception of murder and aggravated murder. The sentences for those crimes range from life with a minimum of 25 years to, in rare instances, the death penalty.

Prozanski, an attorney who at one time worked as a prosecutor in Lane County, said hes open to debate about whether certain sex offenses should remain subject to mandatory minimum sentences.

A fourth bill, Senate Bill 191, also aims to allow Measure 11 offenders the chance to get out on early release credits. The bill is the work of a grassroots organization, Time Does Not Fit the Crime, made up of people with Measure 11 convictions and their families.

Emerida Echevarria, 43, of Salem recalled her own prison experience and the hopelessness she felt knowing she was not eligible for early release.

If we did the crime, we pay for the crime, said Echevarria, who served an eight-year sentence for a Measure 11 arson conviction in the early 2000s and serves on the groups board of directors. There is no doubt about that. All we are asking for is a fair chance for people to earn good time for good behavior.

Brown spokeswoman Elizabeth Merah cited major reforms passed by the Legislature over the past decade and said the governor recognizes that Oregon has the opportunity to make further changes.

Browns goal is to significantly reduce the prison population by 2030 and to reduce racial disparities in that population, Merah said.

CREATING A ONE-STRIKE LAW

Measure 11 was part of a wave of laws adopted by states in the 1990s in response to rising rates of violent crime.

Though violent crime in Oregon was down from the previous decade, juvenile homicides and assaults in Multnomah County had reached unprecedented levels in 1994. The number of juveniles arrested on murder charges, for example, shot up from five in 1993 to 19 in 1994.

Judges relied on sentencing guidelines that took into account the crimes severity and an individuals criminal history. But it was ultimately the state parole board or the Department of Corrections that determined how long someone served, and that often ended up being less than the original sentence.

The parole board was very busy releasing a lot of inmates significantly early, said Kevin Mannix, an activist Republican and architect of Measure 11.

Mannixs proposal was a one-strike law: 16 violent offenses that automatically earned significant prison time, even on a first offense. The list has since grown to include two dozen crimes.

The measure ensured that what mattered in sentencing was the crime itself -- no ifs ands or buts, he said.

He focused only on violent crimes and applied it to juveniles, though lawmakers changed that part of the law in 2019.

It was about a person hurting somebody else, Mannix said.

Measure 11 passed in 1994 with 67% support.

An effort to repeal the law in 2000 was opposed by 73% of voters.

Any potential changes, Mannix told The Oregonian/OregonLive, should be sent to the voters.

He credited the law with making Oregon safer and pointed to tens of thousands of Oregonians who have not been victimized by violent criminals because they were pulled out of circulation and held accountable.

But Kevin Modica, a retired Portland assistant police chief, said Mannixs proposal was the product of a huge moral panic over the war on drugs. He said the policy has done lasting harm to people of color in Oregon.

It made people feel better, said Modica, who is Black. But quite frankly, it helped continue the destruction  of communities and impacted families decades later that we even see today.

SHIFTING PUBLIC SENTIMENT

Over time, Oregonians views of mandatory minimum sentences have shifted.

A 2019 poll by Portland-based DHM Research, an independent and nonpartisan opinion research firm, found 81% of those polled either strongly or somewhat supported giving judges more sentencing discretion.

Fifty-five percent said they strongly or somewhat supported lowering the mandatory minimums sentences.

Half were either strongly or somewhat in favor of repealing the law altogether, the poll found.

The firms John Horvick said the survey was part of routine polling undertaken by the company on a wide range of topics. The firm paid for the poll.

The shift in Oregon appears to echo a national change in public sentiment since the 1990s.

In 1992, for instance, Gallup polling showed 83% of Americans thought the criminal justice system wasnt tough enough. That number plunged to 41% in the latest polling in 2020.

Passing a law like Measure 11 today would be a real challenge, Horvick said.

On the other hand, changing the status quo is always difficult, too, he said. Its not clear a repeal would pass either.

STUDY SHOWS STARK DISPARITIES

Analysts for the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, the states clearinghouse for criminal justice statistics, have studied Measure 11 twice since it was passed, with the latest study set for release next week. The new study examined the law from 2013 through 2018.

According to the agencys preliminary findings, stark racial disparities exist in who gets indicted, convicted and sentenced for Measure 11 offenses.

Black men, for instance, are indicted for Measure 11 crimes at a rate 4.4 times higher than white men when compared to the general population. And Latino and Native American men are indicted at a rate 1.6 times higher than white men.

But analysts have not yet determined the role the mandatory minimum sentencing law plays in creating those disparities.

The latest study also found that the number of indictments for Measure 11 crimes has remained relatively stable over time and most of those indicted have no criminal history.

The analysis found that second-degree assault is by far the most common charge with first-degree sexual abuse coming in second. Combined, the two charges make up nearly 40% of Measure 11 indictments, the commission found.

Under Measure 11, the sentence for second-degree assault is five years and 10 months; for first-degree sexual abuse, the sentence is six years and three months.





The latest study does not assess whether the law has been an effective crime deterrent.

The 2011 analysis concluded it was difficult to say for certain, though academics point to multiple studies showing get-tough policies like Measure 11 dont reduce crime.

It doesnt mean that crime doesnt change, said Leymon, the PSU criminologist who has studied Measure 11. It doesnt mean that crime hasnt gone up at times and gone down at times. It does, but its largely for other reasons, societal reasons.

Oregons crime rate had begun to dip before Measure 11 and only continued after the law as part of a national trend, Leymon said.

At the same time, states across the country saw their crime rates drop, regardless of their sentencing policies.

The trend was due to a number of factors, among them lower unemployment rates and a slightly better social safety net, Leymon said.

Another consideration: Baby Boomers had begun aging out of peak crime time years, he said.

We just had a demographic shift where we started to have a lot of people that were born all around the same time suddenly kind of start to get out of their prime and they just stopped committing crime, he said.

WHO ARE THEY WHEN THEY COME OUT?

Oregon district attorneys are split on reforming Measure 11.

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt campaigned on changing the law and said he plans to lobby for giving judges a more meaningful role in handing down sentences in the most serious cases.

They should take into account an individualized assessment of the person in front of them, he said. All crimes are not the same. All people are not the same.

Schmidt, along with Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel and Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis, broke with the Oregon District Attorneys Association over Measure 11.

Hummel, who like Schmidt was elected on a reform-minded platform, said prison sentences should not be determined by voters from another era.

He conjured the image of a voter in the mid-1990s filling out the ballot.

She has to say to herself, Now theres going to be a crime committed in 2021. I dont know anything about the defendant. I dont know anything about the victim. I wont know anything about the severity of the injuries. I wont know the age of the suspect and I can decide what the penalty is now or a trained judge in 2021 with all the facts will decide with the sentence, Hummel said.

Who is more likely to render the most appropriate sentence?

But other prosecutors said Measure 11 establishes clear sentencing expectations that are often critical for victims of violent crime.

When a judge sentences someone to 100 months, that means eight years and four months and when I say even the leap years he serves that extra day, I just cannot tell you how valuable that is, said Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton.

Barton, a former child abuse prosecutor and an outspoken proponent of Measure 11, said he does not see crimes in the abstract, like an academic or a professor would. I see actual cases and crime victims that we have handled.

That includes the case of a man who killed his infant son in 2012.

The childs mother said the law gave her a measure of reassurance in an otherwise excruciating process.

The woman asked to be identified only by her first name, Angela, to protect the identity of her surviving son.

Her childs killer, Kaliq Mansor, is serving a 27-year sentence for first-degree manslaughter, first-degree assault and first-degree criminal mistreatment. The boys name was Bryan.

We have so many unknowns, said the woman. Having a finite sentence and knowing that my loved ones killer is going to be in prison for 27 years gives me peace of mind. I know that my family is safe and most importantly that my child is safe.

Kimberely Dixon, whose son Andreas Jones was fatally shot in in 2013, questioned the value of mandatory minimum sentences.

After somebody has served their mandatory minimum, what happens when they come out? said Dixon, an instructor at Portland Community College. Who are they when they come out? Did they learn how to become criminalistic because of the sentence that we gave them? Did we provide opportunities for them to be able to come out and be productive citizens?

She said accountability and justice are important, but the policy of mandatory minimum sentences is flawed and hurts young men of color.

The system has done harm, she said. Let us not do more harm.

Charges against her sons alleged killer, Demetrius Brown, were dropped this month after he was deemed unfit to stand trial due to mental illness. Brown is at the Oregon State Hospital undergoing treatment.

WHATS NEXT

Meg Garvin, a leading national authority in victims rights and executive director of the Portland-based National Crime Victim Law Institute, said crime survivors views of sentencing vary.

What matters to most is some degree of certainty about the sentence.

That aids the victim in that dramatic moment to understand what are the possibilities, what do I have to prepare myself for? she said.

Garvin, a Lewis & Clark Law School professor, urged the Legislature to hit the pause button so it can hear from survivors of crime before moving ahead with a major criminal justice policy shift.

Everyone chooses and uses victims to advance their agendas, Garvin said, and there really isnt an independent space for the continuum of victim voices to be heard on their own merit.

The debate before the Legislature, said Prozanski, the state senator from Eugene, will come down to how people see the goal of the criminal justice system.

I think there is a difference in just outright philosophy: retribution versus reformation and restorative-type justice, he said.

Prozanski said the number of proposals before the Legislature this session suggests an appetite for change.

He said he expects a first hearing on his bill sometime in March.

I hope, Prozanski said, to make this a centerpiece of the session.

-- Noelle Crombie; ncrombie@oregonian.com; 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie
Bexar County grand juries handed down more than 200 felony indictments this week in several cases, including one in which a man is facing a capital murder charge after being accused of killing a woman for her cellphone.

District Attorney Joe Gonzales said grand juries impaneled by the 144th District Court and the 226th District Court concluded this week, handing down a total 1,815 felony indictments during their eight-week term.

The hard work and commitment of these citizens of Bexar County is a vital part of the criminal justice system. We thank them for answering the call to serve our community, Gonzales said.

Daniel Calvillo, 28, was indicted on a count of capital murder.

He is accused of shooting Giovanna Modesty Augusta Barrera, 24, as she was removing her skates while in her car Dec. 9 near Walzem Road and FM 78, according to the Bexar County Sheriffs Office.

Calvillo had asked Barrera for her cellphone, but she refused and threw it underneath her car seat investigators said. Thats when Calvillo shot her in the face, deputies said.

Investigators said he then got into a car driven by Keyana Jones, 20, and fled the scene. The two were arrested the next day during a traffic stop.

The duo also is accused of robbing a man at gunpoint Dec. 7 in the 300 block of Terrell Road. The man, who was found bleeding profusely from his head and neck by a passerby, told police the people who assaulted him took his wallet, phone and keys.

Police identified Calvillo and Jones after they were spotted on security camera footage using the mans credit card at a gas station.

Calvillo, who is also charged with aggravated robbery and two counts of unlawful carrying of a weapon, remains jailed in lieu of bail totaling $715,000.

If found guilty of the capital murder charge, he faces life in prison without parole or death, officials said.

Jones remains in Bexar County Jail on charges of aggravated robbery and felon in possession of a firearm, according to court records. Her bail is set at $160,000.

On ExpressNews.com: Judge sentences distracted driver who killed 2 in San Antonio car crash

In another case, Mariah Jade Flores, 22, was indicted on a count of failure to stop and render aid causing death, officials said.

Police said Flores was driving a green Honda CR-V on Oct. 24 when she hit a white SUV driven by Alex Reyna.

Reyna, 24, was killed when his SUV hit a metal sign, flipped over and came to rest between guardrails at the Interstate 10 East and Interstate 37 South junction.

Police said Flores fled the scene after telling witnesses she needed to leave because she had warrants.

Flores was apprehended on Nov. 23.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Flores also is accused of being part of the alleged robbery of a man at a La Quinta Inn, 7134 Northwest Loop 410.

According to the affidavit, Flores distracted the man while he was sitting in his car by asking for a ride.

Another person, armed with a gun, then approached the man, asking for his money and keys, San Antonio police said.

A third person ordered the man out of the car and then got in and drove away, police said. Flores left in a separate car with the second person, investigators said. The incident occurred on Nov. 22.

The other two people involved have not been identified.

Flores also has been charged with aggravated robbery, failure to identify as a fugitive and driving while intoxicated. She remains in Bexar County Jail with her bail set at $170,000.

Top hits: Get San Antonio Express-News stories sent directly to your inbox

In another case, Tyler Cantu, 24, and Gavin Lee Lopez, 18, are accused of trafficking and sexually assaulting a girl, 16, who is learning disabled, officials said.

Court records show that a witness found the girl in distress Nov. 5 outside a business in the 1400 block of Bandera Road and called San Antonio police.

The girl told investigators she had sex with two men in a nearby hotel, but she could not remember her name or where she lived. She said Lopez had also taken her cellphone when he left the hotel.

According to an affidavit, the girls mother said she had seen Lopez video chat with the girl. She was concerned that he was exploiting her because he knew she was disabled.

Lopez is charged in a two-count indictment with trafficking of a child and sexual assault. He is out of jail on a bond. His bail was set at $100,000.

Cantu was charged on a three-count indictment including trafficking of a child, sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by contact. He remains in jail with bail set at $100,000.

Trafficking of a child is a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison, officials said.
Franklin High School students Thaddeus Bergschneider and Madden Delaney were the top two finishers in the Central Illinois Poetry Out Loud competition earlier this month.

Bergschneider recited Mary Carrs All This and More and W.D. Ehrharts Beautiful Wreckage. Delaney recited Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalibs No, I wasnt meant to love and be loved and Stephen Dunns Propositions.

They will advance to the Illinois State Finals, to be held virtually on March 8, according to Springfield Area Arts Council, which collaborated on the contest with the Illinois Arts Council Agency and other arts organizations.

The state competition will feature poetry recitations by two students from each of eight Poetry Out Loud regions in Illinois, with the state champion advancing to the national contest.

Some 260 students and 10 teachers at five schools started the 2021 Poetry Out Loud season in central Illinois in the fall.

Others participating in the regional competition included:

 Ryan Horstman of Springfields Sacred Heart-Griffin High School; he finished in third place with his reading of Edgar Allan Poes The Conqueror Worm.

 Elisabeth Anderson and Maddy Graham of Eureka High School.

 Makenna Gill and Bethany Wagner of Morton High School.

 Grace Lambert of Sacred Heart-Griffin.

 Alysa Samaniego of Springfield High School.

The Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through analysis, memorization, performance and competition; to build public speaking skills and self-confidence; and to learn about literary history and contemporary life.

The organization provides resources and materials for teachers wanting to implement the program in their classes or school. For more information, go to poetryoutloud.org.
Riverdale, Feb. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air quality is currently at the forefront of public attention due to the nature of the current pandemic. While effective air filtration has the potential to reduce infection risk in public places, improving air quality is a step to improving the overall public health particularly that of young, developing children and adolescents as they return to in-person school.

Though many parents have opted for their children to attend school virtually, teachers and those students attending school in person must have adequate protection from poor indoor air quality. While the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends keeping windows open as much as possible, some climates and environmental factors (such as location adjacent to a busy road) make this impractical and unsafe for many schools. Read the full story here: >> What Should Schools Do To Keep The Air Safe? >> .

The Importance of Air Quality in Schools

Aside from COVID-19 infection risks, improving air quality is essential for students health. With developing immune systems and growing lungs, children are especially vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality. UNICEF (the United Nations Childrens Fund) explains that this is because on average, children inhale a larger volume of air in proportion to their body size per breath than adults do. This also means children inhale a larger proportional volume of hazardous chemicals and particulates.

School buildings are far from the ideal environment for growing children, with indoor air quality affected not only by pollution coming in from outdoor sources (busy roads, for example), but also because the buildings themselves often emit dangerous substances. Schools in older buildings are prone to releasing residue of toxic, outdated building materials into the air. All schools are at risk for high volumes of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from sources such as cleaning fluids, teaching supplies, building materials, and some paints.

Breathing cleaner air allows children to benefit from improved mood and productivity, better immune system, cleaner lungs, reduced allergy and asthma symptoms, and even a longer lifespan on average.

Related  Air Cleaner Case Study: Air Filtration Company Camfil Brings Clean Air to the Home





Indoor Air Solutions for Schools, according to experts.

Air filtration experts from Camfil, one of the worlds leading air filtration manufacturers and researchers, recommend the following supplemental filtration systems for schools. Because both of these are stand-alone air purification systems, they do not require replacing or adapting a buildings HVAC system which would be a financial impossibility for many schools. Both air purifiers are designed for use in rooms of various sizes commonly found in schools. The units are designed to operate quietly, so they wont disturb classroom instruction or student concentration.

1. Camfils City M Air Purifier

The City M Air Purifier includes a HEPA-grade particulate filter and a molecular filter that work in conjunction with one another to remove dust, contaminants, harmful VOCs and odors for healthier indoor air. The City M Air Purifier consumes 50% less energy than competitor units. Read more about the City M here.

2. Camfils CamCleaner CC500

The CamCleaner CC500 air purifier was originally designed early on in the pandemic for hospitals that needed to create negatively pressurized isolation areas. The unit was also engineered to serve as a standalone air purifier for offices, schools, and other public buildings. The CC500s MERV-9/9A prefilter extends the life of the 99.99% HEPA filter, leading to lower overall running and maintenance costs. Read more about the CamCleaner CC500 here.



For more information about which air purifier is the right fit for your school, let a local Camfil expert help you.

Camfil Clean Air Solutions for Schools Air Filtration

Camfil believes that breathing clean air should be a human right. For more than half a century, Camfil worldwide has been helping people breathe cleaner air. As a leading manufacturer of premium clean air solutions, we provide commercial and industrial systems for air filtration and air pollution control that improve worker and equipment productivity, minimize energy use, and benefit human health and the environment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Camfil has been applying their decades of experience in biosafety containment, healthcare, and other sectors of the air filtration industry to provide technological solutions for the public as well as in hospitals and healthcare facilities. To get in touch with a local Camfil consultant, please click here.

https://www.camfil.com/en-us

##

Media Contact:

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

E: Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

F: Friend Camfil USA on Facebook

T: Follow Camfil USA on Twitter

Y: Watch Camfil Videos on YouTube

L: Follow our LinkedIn Page







This news has been published for the above source. Camfil USA Air Filters [ID=17091]

Disclaimer: The information does not constitute advice or an offer to buy. Any purchase made from this story is made at your own risk. Consult an expert advisor/health professional before any such purchase. Any purchase made from this link is subject to the final terms and conditions of the website's selling. The content publisher and its distribution partners do not take any responsibility directly or indirectly. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the company this news is about.





Attachment
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
WSE Registration of the changes in Articles of Association of the Company.

The Management Board of Work Service S.A. ("Company"), hereby informs that it has received information on entry, on February 26, 2021, by the District Court for Wrocaw-Fabryczna in Wrocaw, VI Commercial Division of the National Court Register, in the Register of Entrepreneurs of the National Court Register changes in the Company's Articles of Association ("Articles of Association").

The above amendment to the Articles of Association, adopted on the basis of Resolution no. 35/2020 of the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders dated 15/10/2020, consists in: 1) amend the existing  10 par. 1 clause e) of the Companys Articles of Association by giving it a new wording: e) appointment and dismissal of the members of the Supervisory Board; 2) amend the existing  10 par. 1 of the Companys Articles of Association and replace in clause q) full stops with a semicolon and add subsequent clauses r) and s) of the following wording: r) adoption of the remuneration policy of the members of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board; s) evaluation of the Supervisory Boards report on the remuneration of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board. 3) amend the existing  12 par. 1 of the Companys Articles of Association by giving it a new wording which shall read as follows: 1. The Supervisory Board consists of 5 to 10 members, including the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman. The number of members of the Supervisory Board of a given term of office shall be established by the General Meeting. Until the Companys shares are admitted to trading in the regulated market in the territory of the Republic of Poland, at least two members of the Supervisory Board shall meet the criteria of independence of the Company and entities being materially related to the Company resulting from the rules of corporate order applicable in the regulated market in the territory of the Republic of Poland in which the Companys share are or are to be listed (Independent Member of the Supervisory Board). 4) amend the existing  12 par. 2 of the Companys Articles of Association by giving it a new wording which shall read as follows: 2. In the case of resignation prior to the lapse of the term of office or in the case of death of a member of the Supervisory Board, the remaining members of the Supervisory Board, irrespective of their number, shall have the right to co-opt a new member in the place of the resigning or deceased member of the Supervisory Board. The number of members of the Supervisory Board co-opted and not approved by the General Meeting of the Shareholders shall not exceed one-fourth of the number of the members of the Supervisory Board of a given term of office. The co-opted members of the Supervisory Board shall be approved by the next General Meeting of the Shareholders and their term of office expires along with the lapse of the term of office of the Supervisory Board. If the General Meeting of the Shareholders has not approved the co-opted members of the Supervisory Board, their term of office expires along with the closing of the session of the General Meeting of the Shareholders referred to above. 5) delete the existing  12 par. 3, par. 4 and par. 6 of the Companys Articles of Association and to amend the existing  12 par. 5 by giving it number  12 par. 3 and the new wording which shall read as follows: 3. Members of the Supervisory Board shall be appointed by the General Meeting. 6) change numeration of  12 of the Companys Articles of Association so that: - the existing content of  12 par. 7 shall constitute  12 par. 4, - the existing content of  12 par. 8 shall constitute  12 par. 5, - the existing content of  12 par. 9 shall constitute  12 par. 6, - the existing content of  12 par. 10 shall constitute  12 par. 7, - the existing content of  12 par. 11 shall constitute  12 par. 8, - the existing content of  12 par. 12 shall constitute  12 par. 9, - the existing content of  12 par. 13 shall constitute  12 par. 10. 7) amend the existing  13 par. 5 of the Companys Articles of Association by giving it a new wording which shall read as follows: 5. Resolutions of the Supervisory Board can be passed if at least half of its members are present at the session and all its members have been invited at least 3 days prior to the planned session. Resolutions of the Supervisory Board shall also be valid when its member notified within the shorter period of time than the period of time referred to in the preceding sentence declares in writing that they give consent to the content of the resolution of the Supervisory Board or arrive at the session of the Supervisory Board. 8) delete the existing  13 par. 6, par. 7, par. 10 and par. 14 of the Companys Articles of Association and to amend the existing  13 par. 9 by giving it number  13 par. 7 and the new wording which shall read as follows: 7. The session of the Supervisory Board can be attended personally or with the use of means of distance communication. The Supervisory Board can pass resolutions at the session or in lieu of the session in writing or with the use of means of distance communication. A resolution of the Supervisory Board passed in lieu of the session is valid on condition that all its members have been notified of the content of the draft resolution and at least half of its members took part in passing the resolution. Voting in lieu of the session of the Supervisory Board can be ordered by the Chairman or Deputy-Chairman of the Supervisory Board upon their own initiative or upon a request of a member of the Supervisory Board or of the Management Board. 9) amend the existing  13 par. 11 of the Companys Articles of Association by giving it number  13 par. 8 and the new wording which shall read as follows: 8. Resolutions of the Supervisory Board are passed with the ordinary majority of votes cast. 10) amend the existing  13 par. 13 of the Companys Articles of Association by giving it number  13 par. 10 and the new wording which shall read as follows: 10. If the specific resolution in the form and of the content presented in the invitation to the session of the Supervisory Board has not been adopted, then such resolution can be put to the vote again at the next session of the Supervisory Board which shall be held no sooner than after the lapse of forty two (42) and not later than after the lapse of forty five (45) days of the date of the session of the Supervisory Board that has not adopted such resolution. 11) change numeration of  13 of the Companys Articles of Association so that: - the existing content of  13 par. 8 shall constitute  13 par. 6, - the existing content of  13 par. 12 shall constitute  13 par. 9. 12) amend the existing  16 par. 2 clause b) of the Companys Articles of Association by giving it new wording which shall read as follows: b) appointment and dismissal of the members of the Management Board, subject to  17 section 3 and 4; 13) amend the existing  16 par. 2 of the Companys Articles of Association by replacing in clause ee) a full stop with a semicolon and by adding subsequent clauses ff), gg) and hh) of the following wording: ff) specification of the elements of the remuneration policy of the members of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board if the Supervisory Board has been authorised to perform such actions by the General Meeting; gg) deciding on temporary withdrawal from the application of the remuneration policy of the members of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board in cases and on the terms specified by the General Meeting in this document; hh) preparation of the annual report on the remuneration of the members of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board. 14) amend the existing  17 par. 2 of the Companys Articles of Association by giving it a new wording which shall read as follows: 2. The Management Board consists of one to seven members appointed by the Supervisory Board, subject to par. 3 and 4 of this  17. The Supervisory Board specifies the number of the members of the Management Board of a given term of office. 15) delete the existing  17 par. 3 and par. 4 of the Companys Articles of Association and change numeration of  17 so that: - the existing content of  17 par. 5 shall constitute  17 par. 3, - the existing content of  17 par. 6 shall constitute  17 par. 4, - the existing content of  17 par. 7 shall constitute  17 par. 5, - the existing content of  17 par. 8 shall constitute  17 par. 6. 16) amend the existing  27 of the Companys Articles of Association by giving it a new wording which shall read as follows: Provisions of  12 par. 1 and 2, concerning Independent Members of the Supervisory Board shall be applied for the first time in relations to the Independent Members of the Supervisory Board appointed in the Company after the date of entry by the registration court in the register of entrepreneurs of the Nation al Court Register of the amendments in the Companys Articles of Association, covering implementation of such provisions in the content of the Articles of Association. 17) amend the existing  28 of the Companys Articles of Association by giving it a new wording which shall read as follows: Business Plan refers to the Companys business plan for years 2013  2017 which has been approved by the resolution of the Supervisory Board no. 1 of 6 February 2013 or changed by the Supervisory Board on the basis of powers listed in  16 par. cc). In addition, Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders dated 15/10/2020, on the basis of resolution no. 36/2020, adopted the consolidated text of the Articles of Association, as set out in Appendix No. 1 to this current report. Appendix No. 1 - consolidated text of the Articles of Association of the Company adopted on the basis of the resolution No. 36/2020 of the OGM of the Company dated October 15, 2020.
Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan arrived at Crime Intelligence Unit at Commissioner's office in Mumbai on Saturday (February 27, 2021) to record his statement in connection with his 2016 complaint about fake emails in his name to actress Kangana Ranaut.

The War actor was issued summons by Mumbai Police's Crime Branch on Friday (February 26, 2020). The 2016 imposter case was transferred to the Crime Branch's Crime Intelligence Unit after Hrithik's lawyer approached, the Mumbai Police regarding the probe in December last year.

For those unversed, in 2016, Hrithik had filed a complaint alleging that someone was impersonating him and was sending mails to Kangana Ranaut from a bogus email ID in his name. Reportedly, the imposter had allegedly emailed the Manikarnika actress over 950 times using that email ID.

According to reports, the emails were sent between April-June 2014, and some were obscene in nature. Hrithik had registered a complaint against the imposter under section 419 (cheating by personation) of IPC and sections 66C (identity theft), 66D (cheating by personation using computer resources) of the Information Technology Act.

On the other hand, Kangana had claimed that the e-mail ID was provided to her by Hrithik himself. She had further alleged that they had been communicating via it since 2014.

Meanwhile, on Friday, after reports of Hrithik being summoned to record his statement in the 2016 imposter case surfaced on social media, Kangana took a dig at the actor with a sly tweet.

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut Takes A Jibe At Hrithik Roshan In Latest Tweet; Claims He Has Not Moved On Yet

ALSO READ: Hrithik Roshan Likely To Be Summoned By Crime Branch In Imposter Email Case With Kangana Ranaut
Visakhapatnam, Feb 27 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national spokesperson Kommareddy Pattabhi Ram on Saturday alleged that the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh government is escaping from its responsibility in the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) issue.

Pattabhi claimed that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy held a meeting with the representatives of South Korean steel giant Posco in 2019 itself and posed for photographs.

"On his part, YSRCP MP Vijayasai Reddy held discussions with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on the VSP issue," he alleged.

Pattabhi visited the port city on Saturday and met with the people protesting the privatisation of the steel plant and claimed that there was no way for the ruling YSRCP leaders to wash their hands of the privatisation plan.

"The CM and his Ministers were terrified to accept responsibility for the steel plant sale after seeing the rising agitation and raging sentiment of the Andhra people," claimed the TDP spokesperson.

According to Pattabhi, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan clearly stated in February 2020 that an agreement was signed with POSCO for privatisation.

"Standing committee on steel released its report in December, 2019 itself. The YSRCP government hid all these details from the AP public in order to deceive them," he claimed.

The TDP leader claimed that the Parliamentary standing committee on industry also gave a report in March, 2020 but YSRCP MP Avinash Reddy despite being a member of that committee did not allegedly raise his voice against VSP privatisation plan.

He lambasted Vijayasai Reddy for allegedly telling lies that he had no knowledge about the privatization plan.

Pattabhi claimed that it was shameful that the ruling party MPs were allegedly disowning responsibility over the sale of an industry which is a matter of pride to all Telugu people.

"The YSRCP deliberately hid details of the VSP privatisation threat from the public as they had personal benefits in this. Jagan and Vijay Sai Reddy were hurting the state with their secret deals," he claimed.

He claimed that YSRCP MPs have done historic injustice to the state with their alleged dubious role.

"It has become a routine for Jagan Reddy to destroy all the good work that Chandrababu Naidu has done," Pattabhi alleged.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
On February 24, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered a final consent judgment against Christopher Fulco and Fulco's company JM Capital Holdings LLC. The Securities and Exchange Commission had charged Fulco and JM Capital with engaging in an offering fraud.

According to the SEC's complaint, filed September 18, 2019, Fulco, through JM Capital, cold-called investors, including many elderly retirees, and solicited investments in multiple private companies. As alleged, the defendants never invested the money in the manner represented. Instead, according to the complaint, Fulco used the money to gamble at casinos, take vacations, and purchase luxury goods, among other personal uses. The complaint also alleged that Fulco used a series of aliases to conceal his true identity from investors and created fictitious documents to induce investors to transfer money to JM Capital.

In a parallel criminal action based on the same conduct, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Montana filed criminal charges against Fulco. Fulco pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of securities fraud. He was sentenced to 36 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,643,074 in restitution.

The final judgment enjoins Fulco and JM Capital from violating the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and the securities registration provisions of Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act, and finds them liable, on a joint and several basis, for disgorgement of $1,604,574, which is deemed satisfied by the restitution ordered against Fulco in the parallel criminal action. The SEC also dismissed its action against a relief defendant.

The SEC's litigation was conducted by James M. Carlson and Jessica Neiterman and supervised by Stephan Schlegelmilch. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Ms. Neiterman and supervised by Corey Schuster of the SEC's Asset Management Unit.
New Delhi: February 27, 2021, marks the 90th death anniversary of the Indian revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad.

Azad was killed on this day in 1931 in Alfred Park, Allahabad after an associate betrayed him. For quite some time, he held the well-armed police that circled him at bay, single-handedly with a small pistol and a few cartridges.

However, left with just one bullet, he shot himself in the head and lived up to his resolve that he would never be arrested and dragged to the gallows to be hanged.

Below are some facts on the freedom fighter who sacrificed his life for the nation:

Chandra Shekhar Azad was born on July 23, 1906, in Bhavra village, Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh to Pandit Sita Ram Tiwari and Jagrani Devi.

He received his early schooling in Bhavra. He went to the Sanskrit Pathashala at Varanasi for higher studies.

Young Chandra Shekhar was fascinated by and drawn to the great national upsurge of the non-violent, non-cooperation movement of 1920-21 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.

When arrested and produced before the magistrate, he gave his name as 'Azad', his father's name as 'Swatantra' and his residence as 'prison'. The magistrate sentenced him to 15 lashes of flogging. The title of Azad stuck thereafter.

After the withdrawal of the non-cooperation movement, Azad was attracted towards revolutionary activities. He thereafter joined the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA).

Azad reorganized the Hindustan Republican Association under its new name of Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA) after the death of its founder, Ram Prasad Bismil, and three other prominent party leaders, Roshan Singh, Rajendra Nath Lahiri and Ashfaqulla Khan.

He was involved in the Kakori Conspiracy (1926), the attempt to blow up the Viceroy's train (1926), the Assembly bomb incident, the Delhi Conspiracy, the shooting of Saunders at Lahore (1928) and the Second Lahore conspiracy.

Alfred Park is now known as Chandrasekhar Azad Park.

He used to fondly recite a Hindustani couplet, his only poetic composition:

'Dushman ki goliyon ka hum saamna karenge. Azad hi rahein hain, azad hi rahenge'

Live TV
Though Lightfoot said opposition to the spending on the Police Department was just dumb, Burke last week said the enormous amount would make most observers highly suspicious, and Lopez said it seemed like the administration was using the federal money to retroactively paper over structural problems in the 2021 city budget.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 21:50:09|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the first plenary meeting of the 26th session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, opened its 26th session on Saturday to prepare for the upcoming fourth annual session of the 13th NPC, which will open on March 5.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the session's first plenary meeting. A total of 168 members of the NPC Standing Committee attended the meeting.

Lawmakers reviewed the work report of the NPC Standing Committee, which will be submitted to the annual assembly of the legislature in March for deliberation.

They also reviewed the draft agenda for the NPC annual session, the draft name list of the session's presidium and secretary-general, and the draft name list of members invited to sit in on the annual session as non-voting participants.

A draft law on stamp-duty tax was submitted to the session for the first reading. The draft will keep the current taxation framework and tax levels generally unchanged.

Lawmakers also deliberated a law-enforcement report of the State Council, a Supreme People's Court report on its pilot reform project, a deputy qualification report, and personnel-related bills.

Li also presided over a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee after the meeting. Enditem
The beating heart of Black entrepreneurship in South Central Pennsylvania came out of the kitchens, the spare rooms, the garages, basements and literally whatever other business incubator space you can think of to command one of Harrisburgs main stages Friday night.

The event is the Black Is Beautiful Expo & Networking Event, a free, business exposition put together by Urban Revolution Marketing at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Second Street specifically to showcase the products and services offered by Black and minority-owned businesses in and around Harrisburg.

Its also a chance for winter-weary residents, in one stop, to see whats been created around the city while the coronavirus pandemic has been raging.

The show continues Saturday evening from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza. All attendees are given a temperature screening upon entry - which is free - and are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing.

Were not kidding about the pandemic part.

While Black is Beautiful features a handful of mainstays like Music Man Multimedia and the Texas Roadhouse restaurant, the expo floor was riddled with folks like Cecelia Davis, who in the wake of a recession lay-off from a local bakery, decided to go into business for herself and has now birthed her Ceces Cake Shop.

The big word was essential, last year, Davis explained. I felt very unessential being the one that was laid off... It motivated me though, because I knew that I had a skill (in cake decorating), I knew that I knew how to bake, which was kind of the other half of it. So it was just really a matter of figuring it out on my own.

Its much the same story for Shirley Reynolds, a Harrisburg woman who, after getting laid off from her job at Hollywood Casino, decided to re-direct her energies into a longtime interest in natural healing. She sells a variety of homemade candles and bath products through her online store, Natures Abyss.

This is a great opportunity for everybody. I know it definitely is for me, Reynolds said.

Reynolds said she liked the casino job, but the layoff last year put some things into focus for her: The owners of the casino, people go to work to support his dreams and his goals. But Im the only one thats going to support mine... so Im trying to get where he is with my business.

Some of the businesses showing this weekend are a little farther along in their development.

Like Cebrum George II, a Carlisle man who over the last few years has parlayed a set of skin care products he initially developed for his family into full-time business called NuBorn Skin.

George has been working at his home-based business full-time for about five years now, selling at special events throughout the area and through a handful of retail shops. The pandemic, he said, forced him to sharpen his e-commerce game. Its a lot easier now, since I was basically forced to do that.

Hes about ready now, George said, to search for dedicated manufacturing space for his face cleansers, moisturizers and beard conditioners.

And Regilynn Haywood, the proprietor of There She Glows day spa on Derry Street outside Harrisburg, has been in business for five years, but signed up to promote a new line of skin care products and to educate people about her new location in Swatara Township, which could have been out-of-sight and out-of-mind due to an eight-month pandemic shutdown.

Im here. Im enjoying it. I love the vibes. I love who Im meeting, Haywood said. I mean after Covid, you gain some connections, but you kind of lose your sense of community a little bit. So this is why Im here. Its to kind of feel a sense of community again.

Some of the show was devoted to a different type of business  electoral politics.

Three of Harrisburgs mayoral candidates  incumbent Eric Papenfuse, and his Democratic party challengers Otto Banks and Dave Schankweiler  had tables, as did incumbent Magisterial District Judge Sonia McKnight and city council candidate Robert Lawson.

They shared space with a number of community organizations like Young People of Color, Friends of Midtown, the Pennsylvania Diversity Coalition and Tri-County OIC.

The Harrisburg-based law firm of McNees, Wallace & Nurick chipped in with awards of one years worth of free legal services to five Black-owned businesses through its Legal Equity Advancement program.

The show is hosted by another Black-owned business, Urban Revolution Marketing.

After the success of an initial Black Is Beautiful expo in November, Urban Revolution CEO Bradley Wainwright said this months Part II was timed to fill a void created after the pandemic caused the cancellation of most of the Black History Month events around the city and region.

It was, by the looks of it, very much appreciated.

I just wanted to come out and network with other people who are on the same mindset and just to support overall because this is what we need to grow in our Black community, is supporting one another, said Harrisburg resident Mariah Lockette, who runs a financial literacy and credit repair business, Maximize With Mariah.

Florinda Smith, a retired city employee, was attracted to the show after seeing a television spot about it earlier this week.

I love to support people who are doing things that empower one another in our neighborhoods and our community, and in the city. Because its what we need, Smith said. So I came down to check it out, and see what might catch my eye.

Smith and Lockette both said they were impressed by the breadth and number of young Black entrepreneurs in the city.

Its very encouraging and uplifting to see, that the younger African-American men and women are doing things to leave a legacy behind, said Smith. To teach their children that you can do this, you can do whatever you want to.

Show attendees who visit every exhibitor will be entered into a raffle for prizes, free products and free services, Wainwright said.
MONTREAL - With its kilometres of rapids and deep blue waters winding through Quebec's Cote-Nord region, the Magpie river has long been a culturally significant spot for the Innu of Ekuanitshit.

The Magpie river in Quebec is shown in a handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Boreal River MANDATORY CREDIT

MONTREAL - With its kilometres of rapids and deep blue waters winding through Quebec's Cote-Nord region, the Magpie river has long been a culturally significant spot for the Innu of Ekuanitshit.

Now the river, a majestic, world-renowned whitewater rafting destination, has been granted legal personhood status in a bid to protect it from future threats, such as hydro development. Its new status means the body of water could theoretically sue the government.

On Feb. 16, the regional municipality of Minganie and the Innu Council of Ekuanitshit adopted separate but similar resolutions granting the river nine legal rights, including the right to flow, to maintain its biodiversity and the right to take legal action.

One of the resolutions says the river can be represented by "guardians" appointed by the regional municipality and the Innu, with "the duty to act on behalf of the rights and interests of the river and ensure the protection of its fundamental rights." It notes the river's biodiversity, importance to the Innu and potential as a tourism destination as reasons why the body of water needs special protection.

Pier-Olivier Boudreault, with the Quebec branch of the environmental charity Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, says the move is rooted in the belief that the river is a living entity that deserves rights. "The idea is that the river is living, that it has an existence that doesnt depend on humans," he said in a recent interview.

"It's not a simple resource for humans; it becomes an entity that has a right to live, to evolve naturally, to have its natural cycles."

Boudreault says the new designation for the Magpie is the first time a river has been granted legal status in Canada. Similar efforts have been successful in countries like New Zealand, India and Ecuador.

David Boyd, an environmental lawyer and United Nations special rapporteur on human rights and the environment, says the idea of granting rights to a river isn't as far-fetched as it seems. "In our legal system, we declare lots of things to have legal personhood, like municipalities and corporations," he said.

He said the "environmental personhood" movement is a response to the belief that successive governments around the world have failed to adequately protect the environment, as well as to the growing recognition of Indigenous Peoples' rights and their legal concepts.

While this is new in Canada, he said the resolution "could have quite a bit of strength" because of the constitutional protection of Indigenous rights. "In theory, you could have a lawsuit brought on behalf of the river to prevent a hydroelectric project from taking place," he said.

Uapukun Mestokosho, a member of the Innu community who has been involved in the Magpie river conservation effort, said the river is an important part of the traditional territory of the Innu of Ekuanitshit.

For some, spending time on the river is a way to reconnect to traditional land-based practices that were partially abandoned because of the trauma suffered by Indigenous people from colonial violence, including the residential school system.

"People are suffering a lot, with intergenerational traumas linked to the past," said Mestokosho, who described occupying the territory as "a form of healing." Mestokosho said her ancestors have always protected the Magpie, known as the Muteshekau-shipu, and that the recognition of the river's rights will allow them to protect it for future generations.

She and Boudreault agree the biggest threat to the Magpie is likely to come from the province's hydro utility, which has raised the possibility of damming the fast-flowing river.

Hydro-Quebec insists it has no plans for the Magpie in the "short or even medium term" and that no plans are "even foreseeable" in the next decade. "But in the long term, we do not know what Quebecs future energy needs will be," spokesman Francis Labbe wrote in an email.

"Right now, we do not consider it responsible, in terms of Quebecs energy security, to permanently renounce to the potential of this river." Any future project would have to meet several criteria, including social acceptability, he noted.

Boudreault says the Innu, members of the regional government and other environmental activists haven't given up on lobbying the Quebec government to grant the river official protected status. He said he thinks the province has been reluctant to commit to the idea, mostly because of the river's potential for hydroelectric power.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2021.
Retired Plainview Police Chief Ken Coughlin was back in town this week for a special recognition of the Plainview Police Department.

The department received a Texas Best Practices recognition by the Texas Police Chiefs Association for a second time in a row. The recognition stands for four years and Plainview PD last received the recognition in December 2016.

Coughlin, who representative of the association, took the opportunity to return to Plainview for a personal presentation to recognize the team he worked with for about six years.

The State of Texas is one of very few states that have anything like this going on, he told the Plainview City Council, city staff members and members of the police department who were in attendance. Its an honor and great privilege to get to see your smiling faces again.

The Best Practices recognition program was created to reward Texas Law Enforcement agencies that meet compliance with 166 best practice standards. The standards focus on reduction of risk and protection of individuals rights. Selection is based on an in-depth analysis of arrests, use of force, evidence inventory, training, integrity and several other standards. Applying for the recognition is a voluntary and lengthy process.

You cannot be recognized without jumping through all kinds of hurdles, Coughlin said.

He noted later than only 10 percent of agencies across the state receive this recognition.
Congress leader on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Sino-India border standoff, charging him with being 'scared' of the eastern neighbour.

Before the stand-off at eastern Ladakh, where the disengagement process has been completed with the withdrawal of troops, weapons and other military hardware from the North and South banks of Pangong lake areas, the Chinese "tested the idea in Dokhlam (in 2017)," he said.

"Essentially the Chinese occupied certain strategic areas in our country. They first tested the idea in Dokhlam.

They tested the idea to see how would India react and they noticed India did not react. And then they carried out the idea again in Ladakh and also I believe in Arunachal Pradesh," he said.

Launching his three-day tour of Tamil Nadu ahead of the April 6 Assembly polls, the Congress leader, while interacting with advocates here, reiterated his "hum do hamare do" jibe at the ruling dispensation at the Centre.

Speaking in detail over the border standoff, Gandhi said Modi's first reaction to the Chinese incursions was "that nobody has come into India."



"That indicated to the Chinese that the Prime Minister of India is scared of them. That is the message he indicated to the Chinese, that he is scared of them and the Chinese understood it.

And since then the Chinese have negotiated on that principle," he said.

"They know that the Prime Minister of India cannot stand up to them. Mark my words, our land in Depsang, which is the most important land, is not going to come back to under this government.

The Prime Minister will not get that land back. He will pretend everything is sorted out, but India is going to lose that territory," he charged.

Giving such a message to the Chinese was "very dangerous to the future because the Chinese are not going to stop with Ladakh," he alleged.

He said the government under the Congress "always dealt with the Chinese without any hesitation."



"The Chinese understood very well that India cannot be pushed around. Even in 2013 when the Chinese entered into India, we took action that forced them, forced them to compromise...we went and occupied other spaces," he said.

"They have now understood the Prime Minister doesn't have the courage...the Chinese know the Prime Minister is going to compromise," he added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United States on Friday (local time) imposed visa restrictions on 76 Saudi individuals who are believed to have been engaged in threatening dissidents overseas.

In a statement just after a report implicted Saudi's crown prince Muhammed bin Salman of approving the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, State Secretary Antony Blinken announced the "Khashoggi Ban," a new visa restriction policy.

While the United States remains invested in its relationship with Saudi Arabia, Blinken said that President Joe Biden has made it clear that partnership must reflect values.

"To that end, we have made absolutely clear that extraterritorial threats and assaults by against activists, dissidents, and journalists must end. They will not be tolerated by the United States," the statement read.

The Khashoggi ban will allow the State Department to impose visa restrictions on individuals who, "acting on behalf of a foreign government, are believed to have been directly engaged in serious, extraterritorial counter-dissident activities, including those that suppress, harass, surveil, threaten, or harm journalists, activists, or other persons perceived to be dissidents for their work, or who engage in such activities with respect to the families or other close associates of such persons".

To start with, Blinken said that the US Department of State has taken action pursuant to the Khashoggi Ban to impose visa restrictions on 76 Saudi individuals believed to have been engaged in threatening dissidents overseas, including but not limited to the Khashoggi killing.

Khashoggi, who was a vocal critic of the Saudi regime, was killed on October 2, 2018 in Turkey where he had gone to obtain paperwork certifying his divorce from his former wife Alaa Nassif in order to be able to marry his Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz.

Blinken said that the world was horrified by the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who paid with his life to express his beliefs.

"Individuals should be able to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms without fear of government retribution, retaliation, punishment, or harm. Jamal Khashoggi paid with his life to express his beliefs. President Biden said in a statement released last October on the second anniversary of the murder that Khashoggi's death would not be in vain, and that we owe it to his memory to fight for a more just and free world," the statement read.

"Today, the Biden-Harris Administration submitted an unclassified report to Congress, providing transparency on this horrific killing. Alongside the transmission of that report, and as part of the President's pledge, the United States Government is announcing additional measures to reinforce the world's condemnation of that crime, and to push back against governments that reach beyond their borders to threaten and attack journalists and perceived dissidents for exercising their fundamental freedoms," the statement further read.

The report said that Crown Prince Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The report 'Assessing the Saudi Government Role in the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi' was released on Friday (local time) by the US' Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

"We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," the report read.

The report was released a day after US President Joe Biden had a telephonic conversation with Saudi King Salman, though a White House summary of the conversation made no mention of the killing.

(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.)
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
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.
Corona vaccine price fixed at Rs 250 per dose in private hospitals

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Feb 27: In a new development, Private hospitals can charge up to Rs 250 per dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday as India prepares to vaccinate people aged above 60 years and those over 45 with comorbidities from March 1.

The ministry also specified 20 comorbidities among people aged between 45 and 59 years who will get the vaccine -- heart failure with hospital admission in past year, moderate or severe valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, CT/ MRI-documented stroke, diabetes of over 10 years or with complications, hypertension, end-stage kidney disease on haemodialysis, diagnosis of any solid cancer on or after 2000 or currently on any cancer therapy.

The COVID-19 vaccine will be given free of cost at government hospitals, while people will need to pay for it at private facilities. To ramp up the vaccination capacity manifold, a significantly large number of private facilities are being involved, the ministry said.

"Rs 250 will be the ceiling -- Rs 150 per dose of vaccine plus Rs 100 service charge. This arrangement will remain effective till further orders," an official source said.

All these information was shared by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan during an interaction with health secretaries and mission directors (National Health Mission) of states and union territories on the vaccination of age-appropriate groups through a video conference.

Vaccine FAQ: How much does a COVID-19 shot cost? When, how, where to get it in Phase-2

"Around 10,000 private hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY, more than 600 hospitals empanelled under CGHS and other private hospitals empanelled under State Governments Health Insurance Schemes can participate as COVID vaccination centres (CVCs)," it said.

"Health Departments of state governments have already initiated dialogue with these private hospitals so that they can be encouraged to participate in this drive as CVCs," the ministry said. A list of all these private hospitals has been uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Authority.

In addition, there will be government health facilities which will be used as CVCs such as medical college hospitals, district hospitals, sub divisional hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres, health sub-centres and health and wellness centres. Geo reference maps with GPS coordinates of all these health facilities have been prepared that will serve as CVCs and these Geo referenced maps are being shared with the states, the ministry said in a statement.

"States have been explained that the private hospitals functioning as CVCs can charge subject to a ceiling of Rs 250 per person per dose along with the electronic and financial management mechanism in this regard. The simplified system of certifying people with 20 co-morbidities within the 45-59 years age group was also explained to the states. The ministry has shared the format of the simplified one-page certificate to be signed by any registered medical practitioner.

The certificate can either be uploaded on Co-WIN2.0 by the beneficiary while self registering or a hard copy can be carried by the beneficiary to the CVC, the ministry said.

The ministry on Friday had said beneficiaries would be able to self-register in advance by downloading the Co-WIN 2.0 portal and through other IT applications such as Aarogya Setu, which will show the government and private hospitals serving as COVID-19 vaccination centres (CVCs) with date and time of the available schedules. The beneficiary would be able to choose the CVC of his/her choice and book an appointment for vaccination. However, people will not have the option of choosing between the two currently approved vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin -- but having the option of choosing the site of inoculation may lead to beneficiaries opting for a particular vaccine. There is, however, no official words on which vaccine is being supplied to which hospital.

"Eligible beneficiaries would be able to register themselves on the Co-WIN platform from March 1 itself," R S Sharma, Chairman of Empowered Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Administration, had said.

All the private health facilities which will serve as government COVID vaccination centres must follow strict norms of due process, quality and safety, including integration with the National Co-Win technology platform.

All private health facilities must also have adequate space, adequate cold chain arrangements, adequate number of vaccinators and support staff and adequate arrangements for addressing Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI). States were explained the three methods of registration -- advance self-registration, on-site registration and facilitated cohort registration.

Under the first route, beneficiaries will be able to self register in advance by downloading the Co-WIN 2.0 portal and through other IT applications such as Aarogya Setu.

The facility of on-site registration allows those who cannot self register in advance to walk into the identified CVCs and get themselves registered on-site and then vaccinated. Under the facilitated cohort registration mechanism, the state and UT government will take proactive lead.

The other comorbidities among eligible people aged above 45 include post cardiac transplant/left ventricular assist device, moderate or severe valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease with severe PAH or idiopathic PAH, coronary artery disease with past CABG/PTCA/MI, and kidney/liver/hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
A Bloomberg journalist who has seen Donald Trump's tax returns has claimed that people within the former president's organization may flip and turn against him during an inquiry by the Manhattan District Attorney.

On Thursday, D.A. Cy Vance's office revealed it had received 'millions of pages' of Trump's tax returns and financial records after a Supreme Court ruling refused an attempt to keep them under wraps.

Vance's prosecutors are investigating whether Trump committed tax fraud through inflating the value of his properties to get loans and deflating them for tax purposes, and are also believed to still be investigating hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal over their claims of having sex with the former president.

Bloomberg Opinion senior columnist Tim O'Brien told MSNBC that he believed Vance's acquisition of the tax returns meant that the 'dam Trump has spent decades building has gone down'.

He added that Vance's inquiry may also target 'people inside of the Trump organization who might flip on Trump if they're exposed to criminal liabilities', including his main accountant Allen Weisselberg.

Scroll down for video

Bloomberg Opinion senior columnist Tim O'Brien claims an investigation by the Manhattan district attorney could target 'people inside of the Trump organization who might flip on Trump if they're exposed to criminal liabilities'. He previously viewed Trump's tax returns

Trump lost a bid this week to keep his financial records from the Manhattan D.A.

O'Brien has previously had the opportunity to view Trump's tax returns after the former president sued him for saying that he wasn't as rich as he makes himself out to be.

Trump lost the suit.

O'Brien told MSNBC that Trump 'is very afraid of what's in these documents, I think'.

'The first thing to remember is it's just not the tax returns, it's the work product with his accountants. This is criminal case and one of the procedures in a criminal case is Cy Vance needs to show intent,' he said.

'He's going to need to show that Donald Trump had awareness of what was going on, or his children or executives in the Trump Organization, and that they were batting issues like this back and forth with their accountant.

'Presumably, they have also got communications and notes on all the decision they made about how they were valuing their properties: when they were taking them to banks and saying one thing and then how to value them when they were putting them in front of tax authorities and saying something completely different.'

O'Brien adds that the investigation also puts Trump's three eldest children Eric, Don Jr. and Ivanka 'on the radar'.

'Eric Trump has been deposed,' he stated.

'Ivanka's name has come up in disclosures already in the tax returns about receiving what appear to be very sketchy and lucrative consulting fees from her father's company - a company she already received a salary from.

'And then it also targets people inside the Trump organization who might flip on Trump if they're exposed to criminal liabilities.'

O'Brien says Trump's main accountant Allen Weisselberg could flip

O'Brien claims that the Manhattan D.A.'s investigation also puts Trump's three eldest children Eric, Don Jr. and Ivanka 'on the radar'. They are pictured with him in 2017

'He's really in deep on this one I think,' O'Brien said of Trump, claiming that Vance 'probably has reams and reams of the accountant's work product'.

'This is a criminal case, they're going to need to prove criminal intent on the part of Trump, his three eldest children, Allen Weisselberg, and anyone else in the Trump Organization who's fallen under the parameters of this investigation.

WHAT COULD PROSECUTORS FIND IN DOCUMENT TROVE? The millions of pages of Trump documents are not just his tax returns, but the paperwork which underlies them: internal company documents, emails, spreadsheets and memos, and banking records from lenders, which were used by accountants to generate the returns. That means prosecutors, who are now assisted by forensic accountants from private firm FTI, can try to reconstruct the thought process which led to the tax declarations - and look for any evidence of wrongdoing which went into them PROPERTY ISSUES Cy Vance's team is known to be looking at whether Trump changed the declared value of his Manhattan property empire for his own advantage. They pounced on claims by Michael Cohen, his Mr Fixit-turned-deadly-enemy, that the Trump Organization increased its claimed value for buildings when asking banks for loans, then decreased the values for tax authorities. Both would be offenses. PAYMENTS TO IVANKA? Consulting fees given to Ivanka Trump have raised eyebrows because she was also an employee of the Trump Organization. If the consultancy fees were given to evade or avoid tax, that could be of interest to Vance. His team will also be looking for any other payments to other people which they may conclude were an attempt to avoid tax. CAMPAIGN FINANCE The probe was launched initially in the wake of payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, allegedly to silence them from making allegations of sex with Trump. Evidence that further implicates him in making payments may be a campaign finance issue, and if there are other - so far unknown - payments to other people for other reasons, those too could be of interest. THE TRUMP FAMILY FORTUNE Trump is being sued by his niece Mary who alleges he and two of his siblings - his sister Maryanne Trump Barry and late brother Robert - swindled her and her brother out of their rightful inheritance through an orchestrated system which was also designed to avoid tax. She bases her claim on a previous treasure trove of older tax documents. Alleged crimes from the mid-1990s and earlier are likely to be covered by the statute of limitations, but prosecutors may look for similar patterns to those she alleges to see if there is an attempt to structure inheritances for younger generations of Trumps at the expense of the public purse. Advertisement

'And if there are email and notes and other records of communication about what they intended to do when they inflated the value of buildings so they could get loans against them and then turned around and deflated the value of the buildings so they could pay lower taxes on them, and there's a communication around that that predates any of these tax entries, that is gold for a prosecutor.'

O'Brien added that 'Trump has been well aware' of the charges that could be brought against him.

'That is why he's been resisting it with these garbage excuse of being under an audit he is very afraid of what's in these documents I think,' he said.

'There could be references in the email to what he [Weisselberg] was directed to do by Trump even if Trump's not the author the email and I think a lot of this will turn on how aggressive Cy Vance chooses to be.

'All of these sort of decisions and communications help to establish culpability and intent so what is important here is of course he has the tax returns, but he has something such more than the tax returns the period of time he has is important because it predates Trump's accent into the White House, and I think helps build the narrative around the money trail and Trump's motivations for his destructive and obscene dance with people like Vladimir Putin,' he said.

The journalist added that 'it's a shame' Vance could only get the tax returns from 2011 to 2019 as earlier finance records could have given away more information, but it is 'better than nothing'.

'I think this is one of the tragic misses of Robert Mueller's investigation' O'Brien claims.

'He could have gone back further, I think, than Cy Vance is able to into Trump's finances but nonetheless it is a substantial period of time it's eight years.'

O'Brien stated the importance of the investigation as if Trump is convicted, he will not be able to run for president again.

'That's looming over this entire thing as well,' he notes.

Trump himself has blasted Vance's investigation claiming it's 'a continuation of the greatest political Witch Hunt in the history of our Country.'

After the Supreme Court ruling on Monday, a nearly-400-word statement recited a litany of past complaints by the former president including blasting former special counsel Robert Mueller, and falsely claiming he won the election.

'So now, for more than two years, New York City has been looking at almost every transaction I've ever done, including seeking tax returns which were done by among the biggest and most prestigious law and accounting firms in the U.S.' it said.

'The Supreme Court never should have let this "fishing expedition" happen, but they did. This is something which has never happened to a President before, it is all Democrat-inspired in a totally Democrat location, New York City and State, completely controlled and dominated by a heavily reported enemy of mine, Governor Andrew Cuomo.'

The justices' ruling did not - and will not - make Trump's tax records public but gives Vance access to eight years of returns.

The high court's action is a blow to Trump because he has for so long fought on so many fronts to keep his tax records shielded from view.

Vance has disclosed little about what prompted him to request the records. In one court filing last year, however, prosecutors said they were justified in demanding the records because of public reports of 'possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization.'

Part of the probe involves payments to two women - porn actress Daniels and model McDougal - to keep them quiet during the 2016 presidential campaign about alleged extramarital affairs with Trump. Trump has denied the affairs.

Vance has hired a high-profile attorney with decades of experience with white collar crime cases as it ramps up its investigation.

Cy Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, is leading the investigation

The Manhattan district attorney's office hired Mark Pomerantz (pictured in 2008), a high-profile attorney with decades of experience with white collar crime cases, this month as it ramps up its investigation into Donald Trump's business dealings

Mark Pomerantz, a former prosecutor for the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, joined Vance's team as a special assistant district attorney earlier this month.

Pomerantz has already hit the ground running, conducting an interview with Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen last Thursday, Reuters reported.

His hiring is part of a flurry of recent activity in Vance's investigation into the Trump family business, a probe which has been open for two and a half years.

Vance also recently issued roughly a dozen new subpoenas in its investigation of Trump; two sources close to the probe told Reuters last week.

One of the subpoenas went to Ladder Capital Finance LLC, a major creditor used by Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, to finance the former presidents commercial real estate holdings, the sources said.

Vance's office has also conducted interviews with Ladder's staff, one source familiar with the matter said.

Separately, New York state Attorney General Letitia James is leading a civil probe into whether Trump's company falsely reported property values to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.

Both investigations are examining whether Trump's company placed artificially high values on several major commercial properties in documents used to secure favorable loan arrangements, while diminishing the value of those properties in filings used as a basis for calculating its tax bills.
Egypts parliamentary Defense and National Security Committee, chaired by Maj. Gen. Kamal Amer, discussed during a Feb. 14 meeting a plan by the ministries of culture, religious endowments and education to remove Quranic verses and hadiths (the prophet's sayings) from textbooks, and limit their inclusion to books for religion courses.

The meeting was held upon the request of the committees member Farid el-Bayadi, who put forward the plan aimed to counter extremism, and in the presence of Deputy Minister of Education Reda Hegazy.

During the meeting, Hegazy approved a proposal to teach the subject of religion in a book that covers interfaith shared values, the principles of tolerance, citizenship and coexistence. He noted that this subject would be added to the curriculum during the next academic year given its utmost importance.

Commenting on the presence of religious texts in nonreligious academic books, Hegazy said there are new government instructions to limit religious texts to the subject of religion.

Bayadi suggested during the meeting teaching students religion courses in order to educate them about the values that all religions share, and the principles of tolerance, citizenship and coexistence.

He said that including religious texts in the Arabic language, history and geography subjects allows unqualified teachers to provide an extremist and destructive interpretation of these texts, explaining that a number of studies by the parliamentary Defense and National Security Committee concluded that such a practice contributes to the dissemination of extremist ideas.

Since assuming power in 2014, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has repeatedly called for the renewal of religious discourse and associated some religious texts with terrorism and extremism, as part of a broad plan to put an end to the spread of what he describes as radical groups. Sisi called on all religious state institutions to work to achieve that.

In his speech during celebrations for Laylat al-Qadr, the holiest night of the Muslim month of Ramadan, in Cairo in July 2014, Sisi said, There are those killing us, and unfortunately they are among those who recite the Holy Quran. Islam is a religion of thruthfulness, perfection and tolerance. The religious discourse evolves as humans evolve, while acknowledging religious constants. Sisi called on Al-Azhar to provide a tolerant and moderate religious discourse that truly reflects Islam and Muslims.

Speaking at the Davos Economic Forum in January 2015, Sisi expressed his readiness to clear the religious discourse from the misconceptions that have led to extremism and terrorism.

The most recent call for renewing religious discourse and countering terrorism was made in January 2020. Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly spoke back then on behalf of Sisi at Al-Azhar International Conference on Renovation of Islamic Thought. He said religious institutions, particularly Al-Azhar, must acknowledge the importance of updating the religious discourse, because falling behind would allow those who claim having knowledge to hijack the minds of the youth, deny them the tolerant Sharia provisions and pass on to them misinterpretations of the Quran and Sunna.

Al-Azhar Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb said at the same conference, The topic of renewing Islamic thought and religious discourse has recently become a vague and ambiguous concept, because it has been frequently covered in newspapers by those lacking knowledge and those who talk about any subject without adequate study or previous scientific formation.

The Al-Azhar International Conference on Renovation of Islamic Thought was held back then in the presence of fatwa foundations and Islamic councils from 46 Islamic countries. The conference focused on the mechanisms to renew religious discourse, the role of international, religious and academic institutions in this regard and eliminating misconceptions.

Commenting on limiting the inclusion of verses of the Quran and hadiths to the religion subject and removing them from the rest of the curriculum, Sheikh Salama Abdel Qawi, former undersecretary of the Ministry of Religious Endowments, warned against what he called Sisis agenda. He told Al-Monitor, There is a plan to alter Egypts Islamic identity. Since he took office, [Sisi] has been calling for updating the religious discourse and has used all his media outlets to attack Al-Azhar, its grand sheikh and Islam.

He said, Taking Quranic verses from the Arabic language, history and geography books does not prevent sedition, but would rather stir strife. This is because Sisi upended the balance that [Anwar] Sadat and [Hosny] Mubarak pursued. He believes this would be a precedent to be added to his achievements and would resonate well with the Church, the West and his supporters under the pretext of fighting extremism.

Speaking to Al-Monitor by phone, Sameh Askar, a researcher in Islamic affairs, praised the decision to limit religious texts to the subject of religion, and stressed that it is a good decision that would reform the array of thought. He said, The manifestations of mixing religion and state have invaded the education system in Egypt [over the past years]. History was taught through the Quran and hadiths, and the same applies to geography and science. Thus, the state has recently decided that the science of religion should be limited to religion courses, which is the right thing to do.
Bengaluru, Feb 27 : Karnataka Law Commission chairman S. R. Bannurmath on Saturday appealed to the Karnataka government to improve the technical services in the legal infrastructure like providing internet, computers and updated software to allow High Court judges, advocate generals and other legal officers to discharge their duties properly.

Speaking after the launch of Karnataka dispute resolution policy and coffee table book on Karnataka Advocate generals and their contributions here, Bannurmath who was former Kerala High Court chief justice asked, "How can anyone function without interruption? Take my own case, whenever I come to my office (Karnataka Law Commission) at Vidhana Soudha, either the internet is not working, or the server is not working or even worse the computer is not working. Under such circumstances how can even anyone discharge their duties?" He added that the same is the case with the Advocate General's office and High Court judges too. "There are 20 lakh cases pending in the High Court of Karnataka and 15.2 lakh cases in subordinate courts. One of the main reasons for such high pendency of cases is lack of communication between law officers in higher courts with law officers of lower courts," he explained.

Citing his own experience, Bannurmath pointed out that when he was serving state prosecutor in Kalaburagi, one district law officers had not filed appeal against murder accused, who was acquitted for over 600 days only because he had not got any 'instructions' from Advocate General's office. "Advocate General's office must regularly monitor such things. For this the government needs to provide them with adequate infrastructure," he said.

According to him, of the 20 lakh cases, 4.42 lakh cases are related directly to the state government itself. "Of the 4.42 lakh cases, 3.20 lakh cases are filed against the government while in the remaining 1.2 lakh cases the government has filed cases. The government needs to augment the infrastructure in courts and legal officers offices," he argued.

He quickly added that high number of pendency was not just the phenomenon of Karnataka alone this is a country wide phenomenon.

The former Chief Justice also observed that the rise in the number of cases against governments in courts is a direct result of rise in activism. "The activism has not only succeeded in creating awareness of one's rights as a result of this many approach courts against governments. Most of the time, it gives relief in crucial issues, but in some cases this has also turned out to be impediment in implementing several initiatives," he said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  The state task force against COVID-19 has approved uniform travel protocols across all local government units, easing quarantine and documentary requirements.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced in an online media briefing on Saturday that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases gave the green light to the rules on land, air, and sea travel crafted by the Department of Interior and Local Government in coordination with LGU groups.

LGUs previously imposed varying requirements, including a negative swab test result, other documents, and mandatory quarantine, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Under the IATF Resolution No. 101, travelers still have to undergo COVID-19 testing if required by the LGU of their destination  the provincial government, and authorities of highly urbanized cities and independent component cities. In which case, only a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR test will be honored.

But travelers can no longer be compelled to go on quarantine unless they exhibit symptoms upon arriving at their destination. They are also no longer required to secure a travel authority from the polices Joint Task Force COVID Shield, even health certificates prior to their trip.

Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APORs) from national government agencies and their attached agencies must provide their identification card, travel order, and travel itinerary, and must pass symptom-screening at ports of entry and exit, the IATF added.

The task force stressed that minimum public health standards should be strictly implemented. Clinical and exposure assessment shall be done to ensure that only asymptomatic travelers, and those who did not have close contact with COVID-19 patients, can enter the LGUs.

"Health assessment of passengers, supervised by medical doctors, shall be mandatory upon entry in the port/terminal and exit at point of destination," the IATF stressed.

In a text message to CNN Philippines, Roque said the resolution takes effect upon publication. It was posted on the Official Gazette on Saturday.

The Department of Tourism said in a separate statement that the simplification of requirements will encourage domestic travel and help the industry recover. It added that those who will still be required to take a RT-PCR test can avail of the governments subsidized services.

Amid efforts to reopen the economy, the country records an increase of more than 1,000 to over 2,000 COVID-19 cases daily, with the tally now reaching 571,000.

Other rules

Meanwhile, the IATF ordered all ports and terminals nationwide to have sufficient isolation facilities, and a referral system to transfer symptomatic travelers to the care of the Bureau of Quarantine or LGUs.

For Metro Manila, buses bound for provinces can only use the Integrated Terminal Exchange as a central hub. No bus company or public transport shall be allowed use of their private terminals, the IATF said in its resolution.

It also institutionalizes the use of the Safe, Swift, and Smart Passage (S-PaSS) Travel Management System of the Department of Science and Technology, a one-stop-shop for travelers' application and communication needs, and the StaySafe.ph contact tracing app.

Traze App for airports, and such other existing contact tracing applications must be integrated with the StaySafe.ph System, the IATF said.

Eased travel protocols may accelerate COVID-19 spread in PH

Implementing uniform travel protocols may pose threat to areas with minimal COVID-19 risk, according to a fellow of OCTA Research team.

In a virtual briefing on Saturday, Dr. Guido David of OCTA Research said the move was a "bit concerning" given the new variants present in the Philippines.

"Some areas are doing well, and some areas are not doing well. We have to be careful [with] border controls," he said.

"We should be concerned. Halimbawa may tourists from NCR na pupunta sa Cebu, we already know na may variant na kumakalat dun, [so] we should be vigilant," the health expert added.

[Translation: For example, there are tourists from NCR going to Cebu, we already know that there is a variant that is spreading there, (so) we should be vigilant.]

RELATED: DOH confirms new COVID-19 mutations in Central Visayas

Dr. David stressed the virus will also spread quickly to Metro Manila's surrounding regions.

Meanwhile, Department of Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire in the same briefing expressed support to the IATF's decision.

She said that the government's health experts have long recommended the dropping of negative COVID-19 test results from domestic tourist requirements since it was "irrational" to do so.

"Minsan ang ginagamit ay hindi appropriate na test; minsan itetest pero wala pa sa peak na viral load, we miss the opportunity to detect the virus. So sometimes nagiging inefficient," the DOH official said.

[Translation: Sometimes what is used is not an appropriate test; sometimes it is tested but not yet at the peak viral load, we miss the opportunity to detect the virus. So, it becomes inefficient.]

Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 00:13:24|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

U.S. military vehicle is seen passing through the Tal Tamr area in the countryside of Hasakah Province in northeastern Syria on Nov. 14, 2019. (Xinhua File photo)

22 Iraqi fighters supporting Syrian gov't forces killed in the strike. Such attacks will only spread chaos, destroy infrastructure in Syria, and play into the hands of terrorists in Syria, Syrian gov't says.

DAMASCUS, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the U.S. strikes that targeted positions in eastern Syria before Friday's daybreak, state news agency SANA reported.

The U.S. strikes in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour near the Iraqi border killed 22 pro-Iran Iraqi fighters who were providing support for the Syrian government forces, according to the pro-rebel Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The attack undermines the international legitimacy in resolving the Syrian crisis and is part of the repeated aggression by the United States, Israel and Turkey on the sovereignty of Syria, the foreign ministry said.

Such attacks will only spread chaos, destroy the infrastructure in Syria, and play into the hands of the terrorist groups in Syria, it added.

The ministry accused Washington of supporting the Islamic State (IS) and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front in order for a pretext for the presence of U.S. forces in Syria.

It also highlighted the Syrian government's determination to liberate all Syrian areas from the forces of occupation, including the areas controlled by the Kurdish militia in northeastern Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. 
Prime Minister on Saturday asked the toy manufacturers to use less plastic and more eco-friendly material, in addition, to focus on innovation.

Inaugurating the first India Toy Fair 2021, Modi said, "We have to become Aatmanirbhar in the toy sector and also cater to the global market".

He regretted that India's share in the USD 100 billion global toy market is very less, and about 85 per cent of the toys sold in the country are imported.

"We need to promote hand-made in India," he said.

The Prime Minister also interacted with traditional toymakers from Chennapatnam, Varanasi and Jaipur and exhorted them to innovate and make traditional toys more relevant keeping in view the changing taste of children.

He asked the toy manufacturers to make eco-friendly, attractive and innovative toys and use more recyclable material.

The Prime Minister said the government has prepared a Toy Action Plan by involving 15 ministries with a view to make the domestic toy industry competitive.

The initiative, he added, is aimed at making India Aatmanirbhar in the toy sector and also increasing the presence of domestic toys in the global market.

The Indian toy industry has tradition, technology, concepts and competence, Modi said, stressing that "we can give to the world eco-friendly toys".

(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 BJP on Saturday raised the issue of 'political violence' in West Bengal with the Election Commission after their LED vehicles were allegedly vandalized by TMC goons in Kolkata.

"We have tried to reach to the Election Commission asking them to take cognizance of the kind of violence taking place in West Bengal. We wanted to raise the issue with the Kolkata Police Commissioner but he has not given us any time for us to speak to him to express our concern. So now, we visited the Election Commission sharing the kind of atrocities that are taking place in the state," said BJP MP Swapan Dasgupta after the meeting.

BJP levels allegations against TMC

Moreover, the party also alleged 'discrepancies' in the postal ballots adding that police officials were trying to tamper with the senior citizen ballots.

"We have more allegations. Some political leaders are being given chairman posts in municipalities so that they could capture elections. We have complained to EC also about the incident where our Rath Yatra vans were vandalized. The police has filed an FIR under the persons under bailable offenses. We question why this has happened. They are trying to terrorize the voters in Bengal by doing such acts," said Shishir bajoria

The shocking vandalism of BJP's LED vehicles comes hours after EC's announcement of the state's poll schedule. The end of the Election Commission's press conference also kick-started the model code of conduct in poll-bound Bengal, with such incidents posing a serious threat to safe, free, and fair elections in the state. Previously, the BJP had alleged that nearly 150 of its workers had died in the last two years under the TMC government's rule.

West Bengal: The LED vehicles launched by BJP were vandalised last night in Kolkata. BJP alleges TMC's role behind this.



Party leaders say, "They beat up a poor driver. They took away all the laptops, cellphones & broke the windscreens & LED screens. It's the pattern of TMC." pic.twitter.com/OknjQer0mN  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2021

Read: Mamata Banerjee's Ire At Bengal Election's 8 Phases Gets Prahlad Patel's Logical Counter

Read: Babul Supriyo Counters CM Mamata's Ire against 8-phase Bengal Polls; Upholds EC's Decision

The West Bengal battle

In the run-up to the vigorously contested polls, the BJP has gone all-guns-blazing, dispatching its top brass including PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP President JP Nadda to the state to campaign for the upcoming elections. Raking up issues of political violence and corruption, the saffron party has asked Bengal to bring an end to the 'dictatorship' of Mamata Banerjee and once again establish a 'Sonar Bangla'. The TMC, on the other hand, has hit out at the BJP vowing to never allow 'outsiders' to take control of Bengal, slamming the saffron party for its 'divisive politics'.

Elections to the 294 seats in West Bengal will be held in 8 phases across 1,01,916 polling stations from March 27 to April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

Read: CM Mamata Banerjee Holds Puja, Prays For Bengal's Peace Ahead Of Assembly Polls

Read: 'Bengal Wants Its Own Daughter, Not Pishi': BJP Attacks Mamata Banerjee With Latest Poster
ADVERTISEMENT

The Dangote Group of Companies has compensated the families of eight students killed in an accident involving its cement truck in Ondo State.

The students union president, Oluwasegun Obagunwa, confirmed this development in a statement to the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday.

PREMIUM TIMES on January 23 reported how the companys truck carrying bags of cement, suffered brake failure and rammed into shops at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) campus gate.

The accident led to the death of eight people.

The students union president, Mr Obagunwa said following their agitations, the company has now compensated the families of victims.

The Students Union Government wishes to announce to the students and the entire populace that the Dangote group of companies has reached out to all the families of the victims to pay them condolence visits.

The N500,000 has already been paid to each of the families. We all know that there is no amount of money, items or valuables that can ever be compared to the loss.

There are other on-going plans by the Dangote Group of Companies to further compensate the victims and their families in due time, he said.

Speaking on the development, Anthony Chiejina, the spokesperson of the Dangote Group, told PREMIUM TIMES that the N500,000 given to the families is one of many plans of the group.

Dangote group compensated the families of the victims, starting with N500,000 burial expenses among others like payment of insurance and death benefits, Mr Chiejina said.

We are deeply saddened that such a thing happened. It is not just paying people N500,000, we visited the families of the victims and also created communication channels with the University

It will also contain disability benefits for the injured. We have also stepped up compliance and enforcement processes to practically reduced the accident rate involving our trucks.
TICKERS: NRG; NRGOF

Source: Streetwise Reports (2/27/21)

Drill results from Newrange Gold's Pamlico project in Nevada are presented and interpreted in a Noble Capital Markets report.



In a Feb. 24 research note, Noble Capital Markets analyst Mark Reichman reported that Newrange Gold Corp. (NRG:TSX.V; NRGOF:OTCQB) discovered, through drilling, a new high-grade gold mineralization near the Merritt Zone at its Pamlico project.

"The recent results are very encouraging and are helping management's understanding of the geological environment at Pamlico," wrote Reichman.

The analyst reviewed the latest drill results, a combination of 19 holes (up to hole P20-110) placed in the Gold Box Canyon, the Good Hope Mine and the Merritt Zone, along with six new holes (from P20-111 through P20-117).

Results show high grade, oxide gold mineralization about 85 meters to the east of the Merritt Zone. Hole P21-115, for example, encountered several gold structures with high grades, up to 22.35 grams per ton, over 1.5 meters, with lower-grade material surrounding them. Because the mineralization in this new zone is close to surface, it likely could be mined via an open pit.

Reichman pointed out that the newfound mineralization bolsters management's hypothesis that multiple high-grade zones, enveloped in lower-grade halos, exist over a much broader area.

Given these findings, the analyst noted, Newrange plans to follow them up with reverse circulation drilling to better assess the parameters of the new zone.

Also, the company intends to conduct diamond drilling, at least five holes' worth, to test a deep chargeability anomaly identified on the induced polarization survey currently underway. This untested anomaly, in the Skarn zone area, extends more than 2.5 kilometers (2.5 km) from north to south and at least 1 km from east to west. Newrange expects to begin this program in about three weeks.

"Newrange has made significant progress with its exploration and drilling program at Pamlico. The recent results are very encouraging and are helping management's understanding of the geological environment at Pamlico," Reichman wrote. "The diamond drilling program could provide a leap forward in management's identification of the source of mineralization throughout the Pamlico district."

Noble Capital has an Outperform rating and a $0.20 per share target price on Newrange Gold, the stock of which is trading today at about $0.135 per share.

[NLINSERT]

Disclosure:

1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None.

2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Newrange Gold. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees.

3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the decision to publish an article until three business days after the publication of the article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Newrange Gold, a company mentioned in this article.

Disclosures for Noble Capital Markets, Newrange Gold Corp, Feb. 24, 2021

Company Specific Disclosures

The Company in this report is a participant in the Company Sponsored Research Program ("CSRP"); Noble receives compensation from the Company for such participation. No part of the CSRP compensation was, is, or will be directly or indirectly related to any specific recommendations or views expressed by the analyst in this research report.

The Company has attended Noble investor conference(s) in the last 12 months.

Noble intends to seek compensation for investment banking services and non-investment banking services (securities and non-securities related) within the next 3 months.

Noble is not a market maker in the Company.

ANALYST CREDENTIALS, PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS, AND EXPERIENCE

Senior Equity Analyst focusing on Basic Materials & Mining. 20 years of experience in equity research. BA in Business Administration from Westminster College. MBA with a Finance concentration from the University of Missouri. MA in International Affairs from Washington University in St. Louis. Named WSJ 'Best on the Street' Analyst and Forbes/StarMine's "Best Brokerage Analyst." FINRA licenses 7, 24, 63, 87.

RESEARCH ANALYST CERTIFICATION

Independence Of View:

All views expressed in this report accurately reflect my personal views about the subject securities or issuers.

Receipt of Compensation:

No part of my compensation was, is, or will be directly or indirectly related to any specific recommendations or views expressed in the public appearance and/or research report.

Ownership and Material Conflicts of Interest:

Neither I nor anybody in my household has a financial interest in the securities of the subject company or any other company mentioned in this report.
This means that no credible evidence of child abuse or neglect was found during this investigation, the DCFS letter to Pfleger reads. This does not necessarily mean that an incident did not occur. An incident may have occurred but the evidence did not rise to the level required to indicate for abuse or neglect as dictated by state law and DCFS administrative rule.

Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Photo taken on Feb. 25, 2021 shows the Tseung Kwan O bridge under construction in south China's Hong Kong. A prefabricated double-arch steel bridge for the Cross Bay Link, Tseung Kwan O, was erected on the bridge piers on Friday in Hong Kong using the "float-over method." Upon completion, it will be the longest span and heaviest steel arch bridge in Hong Kong and another landmark cross-sea structure. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

HONG KONG, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- A prefabricated double-arch steel bridge for the Cross Bay Link, Tseung Kwan O, was erected on the bridge piers on Friday in Hong Kong using the "float-over method."

Upon completion, it will be the longest span and heaviest steel arch bridge in Hong Kong and another landmark cross-sea structure.

The cross bay link in Tseung Kwan O is about 1.8 km long, of which 1 km is a marine viaduct and the steel bridge is an integral part of the marine viaduct.

The project team adopted the "float-over method" to erect the bridge which weighs over 10,000 tonnes, and the team also took the tidal conditions into account for the erection.

The entire process lasted about five hours, starting from 7 a.m. local time until close to noon, according to a spokesman for the Civil Engineering and Development Department.

This is the first time that the "float-over method" has been applied for bridge erection in China, said Kan Jun, director of the China Road and Bridge Corporation which is the contractor of the main bridge of the Link and associated works.

Kan said on Thursday that his team had conducted a meticulous analysis of every step to ensure smooth execution of the erection process.

The bridge project adopted off-site fabrication and assembly, whole bridge delivery and on-site installation, Kan said, adding that it is a breakthrough that high strength S690 steel is used for arches of the bridge.

To increase efficiency, the steel bridge components were prefabricated in the mainland and the 200-meter-long bridge was delivered to Hong Kong on Feb. 16 from Nantong, eastern Jiangsu Province.

The "Eternity Arch" option is adopted for the appearance of the marine viaduct. Two outwardly leaning arches and the gradually narrowing piers form an inter-connected ring. To view from both shores, it appears as a mathematical symbol of infinity, which echoes with the vibrant town of Tseung Kwan O.

Spanning across Junk Bay and featuring a carriageway with a cycle track and footpath, the Cross Bay Link will connect the southeastern areas of Tseung Kwan O with the Tseung Kwan O-Lam Tin Tunnel and provide linkage to Tiu Keng Leng and Tseung Kwan O town center. The project is scheduled for completion in 2022. Enditem
Despite closing 2020 with their third-best profits ever, Connecticut banks entered this year having yet to bring back the jobs they shed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Statewide payrolls are at their lowest since the aftermath of the Great Recession.

The jobs scenario reflects two trends in Connecticut and the New York City region  uncertainty over the economic outlook and a discovery that banks in some instances are able to fulfill customer expectations adequately with fewer employees.

Banks have braced for the uncertainty of whether residential and commercial borrowers will be able to keep up with their loan commitments, particularly in niche industries like hospitality or in locales where unemployment levels remained elevated for any extended stretch.

But whereas Connecticut banks cut jobs last year, banks in some parts of the United States were staffing up  only slightly in the aggregate, according to data supplied the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. In Northeast banks, only New Jersey and Maine saw staff levels increase last year, with New York absorbing only a slight decrease.

As of December, Connecticut banks listed 86 cents of every $100 in loans outstanding as being in arrears on payments due, equating to about $772 million on a total loan portfolio totaling a record $89.8 billion. Loan portfolios are in far better shape than at the worst point of the Great Recession, when problem loans accounted for about $3 of every $100 on the books. But banks are nevertheless socking away reserves against the possibility some borrowers will go bankrupt.

Weve been very patient with our hotel [borrowers]  and with good reason, said Jack Barnes, CEO of Peoples United Financial, during an interview after the company announced a $7.6 billion agreement to merge into M&T Bank. I believe well get there and help them get to the other side of this. Our regulators have also been very supportive of banks flexibility and patience on that. ... Everyones trying to do the right thing.

Prepared to expand

After hospitals emergency wards, bank staffs may have absorbed the next largest crush of pandemic mayhem last spring after the U.S. Department of the Treasury pushed the Payroll Protection Program out the door.

Banks had only hours notice to learn the intricacies, finalize systems, and train staff to handle the flood of PPP applications, with the funds supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs. While more than 67,000 businesses in Connecticut were able to land financing, many complained in the early going about responses by banks to which they were applying, even as banks reassigned staff to handle demand.

On the eve of a new round of PPP initiated last month, Connecticut banks were continuing to make do with staffing levels well below a year ago. In the aggregate, banks reported carrying 13,700 jobs calculated on a full-time equivalent basis as of the end of December, according data revealed this week by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. That was about 640 fewer than 12 months earlier, a 4.4 percent decline.

Banks held the line on payroll despite profits eclipsing the $1 billion mark for a third consecutive year. While that was down 22 percent from record earnings in 2019, profits were nevertheless five times what they booked in 2009, when the industry had about 200 more workers on their collective payrolls.

Even in a pandemic year, you look at commercial loan growth and its approaching 8 percent to 10 percent, said John Ciulla, CEO of Waterbury-based Webster Financial and its Webster Bank subsidiary. Were not about generating shareholder value through cost cutting. ... Our goal, obviously, is if we do get a lift in rates and loan growth comes back significantly, we want to be prepared to be able to expand commercial banking, hire new commercial bankers, continue to invest in technology.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman


Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - State lawmakers are reacting after a big change in Minnesota's economic outlook, setting the table for budget negotiations this spring.

State economists are now projecting a $1.6 billion surplus for the next two-year budget period after forecasting a $1.3 billion deficit in November. Experts attribute the shift to pandemic relief from the federal government granted since last fall.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling the announcement good news. However, Minnesota Management and Budget says Friday's forecast shows $450 million less in revenue than anticipated before the pandemic.

What Minnesota Republicans are Saying

Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka calls Friday's budget announcement "an amazing turnaround." He adds, "Senate Republicans will continue to focus on our priorities this session, primarily being safely reopening Minnesota's schools and businesses. We also want to place an emphasis on helping our economy recover and hard-working Minnesotans."

State Senator Carla Nelson of Rochester, who chairs the Senate Taxes Committee, tells KIMT the improved outlook presents an opportunity for targeted tax relief.

"Instead of tax hikes, I'm looking for tax relief. One, to get our economic engines juiced back up and producing that revenue that our state depends on, and then relief for families. Particularly families with young children who have been out of school, moms who have been out of work."

Nelson is also calling on all lawmakers to put aside partisanship, and work together in good faith. She says Minnesota has the distinction of being the only state that has a divided legislature, which points to a need for great collaboration between parties.

"We can do that best when people set aside their campaign hats and really look at solutions that are going to benefit Minnesota, and not try to score political points. We really just cannot do that, we should never do that, particularly in a time such as this."

What Minnesota Democrats are Saying

Governor Walz says the budget forecast is good news for the North Star State, proving "the measures we took during the pandemic have both saved lives and protected the economy.

The Governor adds while the improved outlook is a positive development, budget forecasts don't reflect the hardships Minnesota have endured since the beginning of the pandemic.

"As we come out of COVID-19, we cant forget the sacrifices so many of our workers and small businesses have taken to protect their communities," Governor Walz said. "Theyve been heroes throughout the past year, sacrificing their own bottom line for their neighbors. And they saved lives. Thats why my budget focuses on leveling the playing field to support working families and small businesses.

DFL legislative leadership echoed that sentiment, with House Speaker Melissa Hortman saying it's important to recognize currently meet the needs of all state residents.

"We must pull together and make the investments all Minnesotans need to recover from the pandemic and thrive once its over, Speaker Melissa Hortman said. She continued in part, "House DFLers remain focused on building a Minnesota that works better for everyone.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 21:28:37|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

The municipality of Israel's Tel Aviv opened a COVID-19 vaccination point at the Jenia Bar at Dizengoff Square to offer a free drink to anyone who gets a vaccine jab. The bid, which started last weekend, aims to encourage young people to take the vaccine shots as Israel's vaccination drive started to slow down.
There have been changes to guidelines around visiting hospitals and other care settings in Northern Ireland after the UK's Covid-19 alert level was downgraded.

Care home residents will be allowed a wider variety of visiting arrangements under the new plans.

From March 1 all health and social care trusts are advised that they should allow at least one face-to-face visit per week by one person.

It comes after the four UK Chief Medical Officers recommended that the Regional Alert Level should move back from Level 5 to Level 4 with immediate effect.

Hospital visits were suspended in January after Northern Ireland saw a spike in Covid-19 cases after Christmas, however some end of life visits were still allowed.

Under the new alert level in hospices one visitor will be allowed for one hour daily where the environment is Covid-19 secure.

Rules including maintaining social distance of up to 2m, attending to hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene, good ventilation and appropriate use of PPE and wearing face coverings remain in place.

In maternity services one partner will be able to accompany the pregnant woman to dating scan, anomaly scan, early pregnancy clinic, fetal medicine appointments and when the woman is in active labour (to be defined by midwife).

Visits in antenatal and postnatal wards will also be allowed for one person for up to one hour once a week.

Care homes that do not have a current outbreak of the virus are being advised to allow a variety of visiting arrangements, including in indoor settings where possible, to enable meaningful contact between residents and their loved ones.

Care homes that havent already implemented arrangements for care partners are being encouraged to do so.

Under the scheme a designated person is allowed to visit a care homes resident, with coronavirus protection measures in place.

"The guidance is subject to local risk assessment. It will be kept under constant review and revised as appropriate," a Department of Health spokesperson said.
Nigerias independent fact-checking platform, Dubawa, in Abuja on Friday graduated 22 fact-checking fellows selected from Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone in its 2020 fellowship.

According to the platforms programme officer, Temilade Onilede, 28 fellows began the six-month fellowship, now in its second installation, but 22 of them met the criteria for graduation.

The fellows were sent forth at a dinner held in Abuja on Friday, where some fellows were awarded for their exploits during the programme which spanned from July 2020 to January 2021.

Initiated in 2019, the fellowship is one of the flagship programmes of Dubawa, a project under the auspices of the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), aimed at teaching newsrooms in new media platforms, radio and TV stations analytic, dedicated and innovative journalism to research and write truth-based and factual stories.

PREMIUM TIMES publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi, said the fellowship was inspired by the needing to tackle the menace of misinformation and disinformation in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and beyond. He added that it is the mandate of the programme to make fact-checking commonplace in the media space.

The editor of Dubawa, Kemi Busari, who took up the role in August 2020, commended the graduands, adding that the fellowship has brought a lot of improvements in editing, in the writing of fellows and my interpersonal relationship. I must say I enjoyed the bit of every relationship with you all.

He urged the fellows to continue fact-checking, and keep the torch of fact-checking burning by nurturing their colleagues who have not started.

Corroborating this, the PTCIJ programme manager, Tosin Alagbe, said we are here to celebrate our second cohort of fellows whom we are incredibly proud of for their role in instituting the culture of fact-checking in their various newsrooms and producing media literacy and research work to enrich the existing body of knowledge about misinformation and disinformation in the region.

Awardees

Daily Trust reporter, Francis Iloani, clinched the best fellow award at the gala, in addition to emerging first runner-up in the Best Fact-check Award category with his piece: Israels currency has Arabic inscriptionNigeria is not a secular state  Other claims by MURIC fact-checked.

Sierra Leonean fellow, Alie Tarawally, won the best fact check award for his story COVID-19 vaccine does not lead to penis enlargement, while Ghana-based fellow, Jonah Nyabors report False; the Akufo-Addo government has NOT sent Ghana into HIPC was also adjudged the second best fact-check.

Kunle Adebajos piece titled Analysis: An Assessment of the Claims On Christian Genocide In Nigeria and Vivian Chimes entry God is Allah in Arabic biblea christian introduced Arabic to Naira notes  Are these claims by MURIC true? were adjudged joint fourth best fact check award.

The best research article was awarded to Raji Rasaki for his analysis on the Impact of Fact-Checking Training on the Nigerian Journalists to mitigate the spread of mis/disinformation.

One of the fellows, Elfredah Kevin, told PREMIUM TIMES that the fellowship has deepened her ability to verify claims and has opened doors of opportunities for her.

This fellowship brought several international opportunities to my doorstep. When I apply for grants to tell stories, I boldly tell them I am a fact-checking fellow of Dubawa, and upon hearing the word fact-check it gives them confidence that the story will be told with lots of fact checks on claims made by interviewees, Mrs Kevin said.

For Uthman Samad, another fellow, he began to appreciate the essence of fact-checking when I started doing it as a core beat.

This, he said, offered him fresh ideas and helped him learn new things more than what I do think I know.

Kunle Adebajo said the fellowship has strengthened his verification skills. He praised the facilitators and editors of the programme, which he said was generously incentivised.

I improved my ability to spot fake and suspicious claims, manner of presentation, and knowledge of various cognitive biases that aid the spread of misinformation. I pray the fellowship will continue for a long, long time so other journalists can benefit in the present and coming years, Mr Adebajo noted.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dubawa is a verification and fact-checking platform accredited by the International Fact-Checking Network.

The organisers of the event also said the third installation of the fellowship will kick off soon.

Investors weren't sold on a cheery update from Rightmove even as it said the housing market might be on the brink of another boom.

Britons cooped up indoors scoured the property portal last year for places with more outdoor space and room to work from home.

Record numbers visited Rightmove's site  with a flurry of potential buyers looking to take advantage of the stamp duty holiday which is expected to be extended to the end of June. But record website traffic did not translate to stellar results.

The company's profit slid to 135million last year, down from 214million in 2019, as revenue fell to 206million from 289million.

Investors weren't sold on a cheery update from Rightmove even as it said the housing market might be on the brink of another boom

Much of this is down to Rightmove cutting fees for agents  keeping them on its site was more important than earning full keep during the pandemic.

Expectations that the stamp duty cut will be extended into the summer have been welcomed by the industry  but there are some question marks about how much longer activity in the market can be kept artificially high. Rightmove said it had an 'optimistic start' to 2021, though there was a 'current shortage of new listings'.

These will correct themselves, it said, once the immediate lockdown is listed and crucially it said it does not expect there to be a lasting impact on estate agency branch numbers. While many will also see these challenges as a blip, not everyone was convinced.

Dan Lane, senior analyst at Freetrade, said there was a 'risk that complacency is setting in', adding: 'Rightmove pretty much has the online portal sector sewn up for now but if it can't turn record website hits into profits, is that a sign the model getting a bit bloated?' The annual figures failed to rouse Rightmove's shareholders, with shares down 6.8 per cent, or 41p, to 565p.

It was a dour day too on the wider market, with the FTSE 100 falling 2.5 per cent, or 168.53 points, to 6483.43, and the FTSE 250 by 1.4 per cent, or 287.75 points, to 20910.37.

Just three firms on the Footsie ended the week on a positive note, with British Airways-owner IAG rising 3.1 per cent, or 5.7p, to 191.95p, despite posting one of the largest corporate losses for 2020 so far.

Reckitt Benckiser rose 0.8 per cent, or 50p, to 6000p, and Kingfisher was up 0.6 per cent, or 1.6p, to 265.4p, as stock markets around the world went into the red.

Expectations that the stamp duty cut will be extended into the summer have been welcomed by the industry

Aston Martin went into reverse on the FTSE 250, falling 6 per cent, or 129p, to 2008p, undoing some of a rally on Thursday as shareholders looked to bank their profits.

Although the luxury car maker also chalked up heavy losses  in what is undoubtedly a running theme this results season  promising sales of its debut SUV the DBX had helped its stock spike.

Pub group Fuller's fell 4.2 per cent, or 38p, to 864p last night after its finance boss Adam Councell was poached by safety and regulation company Marlowe.

Fuller's said Councell will stay until a successor has been found, joining Marlowe at some point after October. The hire got a muted reaction, with shares falling 0.4pc, or 3p, to 680p.

Audioboom was in high demand after it was ranked the fifth largest US podcast publisher in an influential industry list. The company moved up from the sixth spot it had held since joining the Triton Digital index last May.

It has been averaging 10.95m downloads per week in the US.

Although Audioboom's success was music to investors' ears with its stock rising 6.2 per cent, or 25p, to 430p, Hipgnosis Songs Fund latest update fell flat.
The US lawmakers and civil society groups want President Joe Biden to support a proposal to waive some intellectual property commitments at the WTO in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The waiver, which would apply to a swath of obligations under the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), is set to be discussed at the General Council meeting next week and the domestic advocates hope that the Biden administration will use the opportunity to reverse the previous administrations opposition to the proposal. It is worth mentioning that India, South Africa and nine other developing countries have already proposed the TRIPS waiver.

The pressure on the Biden administration comes as poorer countries are trailing behind richer countries in administering vaccines. Last week, the UN had reported that 130 countries have not received a single dose of any COVID-19 vaccines. The developing countries have proposed a waiver for temporarily suspending provision in the TRIPS Agreement relating to copyrights, industrial designs, patents, and protection of undisclosed information in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic by ramping up production of medical equipment, therapeutics, and vaccines across many countries.

READ: Biden Tours Houston Food Bank During Storm Visit

While speaking at a press briefing, Rep. Rosa DeLauro said, Where is the moral imperative? Beyond anything else, that is what needs to be the motivation here. While announcing a letter from more than 400 US-based civil society groups, DeLauro added, The moral imperative to save lives. The United States should lead that charge. We should not be denying others the opportunity to do this. We have the wherewithal to do this.

US lawmakers from the Democratic Party have also joined the forces to persuade Biden to agree to the waiver proposal. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who is spearheading a letter to the President with fellow members of Congress, will urge him to support the waiver. Schakowsky said that the letter had 30 signatories and would be sent to Biden.

The letter from the civil society groups urges Biden to break with the unconscionable policies Trump supported by backing the waiver. The letter argued that the benefits are threefold. Firstly, the groups said that the waiver could save millions of lives. Secondly, "ending the COVID-19 pandemic as quickly as possible worldwide is also necessary to reboot the global economy on which so much of the US economy relies. And, finally, a US reversal of its opposition would "help restore Americas moral and public health leadership in the world.

READ: Airline CEOs, Biden Officials Consider Green-fuel Breaks

Nancy Pelosi in support of waiver

Previously, Schakowsky had even said that the waiver is supported by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She said that the speaker has said so many times that she has talked to the administration and she is fully in support of this waiver. Schakowsky added that with so many voices, she is optimistic that the right thing can be done by the US.

Meanwhile, it is worth noting that the General Council next week is not expected to make any decision on the TRIPS waiver but will receive a status update from the chair of the TRIPS Council on the state of the talks. Advocates are urging the Biden administration to use that opportunity to lift the US opposition and allow WTO members to proceed to text-based discussions in the council. Along with the US, the European Union, Canada and Japan have so far opposed the waiver, arguing that intellectual property is critical to innovation and that existing TRIPS flexibilities are sufficient to address any IP-related concerns. The proponents, on the other hand, have maintained that the waiver is needed to allow those with the capacity to ramp up production and ensure poorer countries have equal access to vaccines.

READ: Biden Warns Iran It 'can't Act With Impunity'

READ: On Texas Visit, Biden Warns Iran 'to Be Careful'





Days after the winter storm hit San Antonio, casualties of the historic event lay splayed on roadways beneath bridges and highway overpasses. What looked like small piles of dirt on the pavement were Mexican free-tailed bats.

Michelle Camara, owner of the nonprofit Southern Wildlife Rehab, joined an officer of the citys Animal Care Services Department at San Pedro Avenue and Loop 410 to rescue the frozen animals.

With blue-gloved hands, they picked up 1,200 of the winged mammals. Stunned by icy cold temperatures, some of the bats had internal injuries after falling 40 feet to the ground. The duo placed 600 dead bats in biodegradable bags. They secured the living inside vinyl carriers.

On ExpressNews.com: A primer on San Antonios Mexican free-tailed bats

As youre picking them up, some are still falling from beneath the bridge, Camara, 52, recalled.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

For the past week, Southern Wildlife volunteers and ACS officers have rescued more than 2,000 bats at sites around the city. Their mercy mission took the volunteers to an area near Interstate 10 and Vance Jackson and to the Interstate 35 overpass near Camden Street, where an art installation depicting sunfish is suspended above the River Walk.

Sightings of dead bats have been reported in Austin, Houston, Victoria and elsewhere. Texas Parks & Wildlife received reports that the storm also affected songbirds, waterfowl, turtles and fish.

Jessica Alderson, an urban biologist with TPWs urban wildlife program, said the majority of local bats migrate south in the winter. But because of San Antonios moderate winter temperatures, some stay in the area year-round and seek shelter in nooks and crevices beneath bridges, she added.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

She said anyone who encounters a storm-affected animal, dead or alive, can report the sighting at iNaturalist.org, an online community of naturalists. Go to bit.ly/3uAN8Uq and click on Add Observations to post a photo, a description or both.

Alderson said that if the animal is alive and struggling, members of the public can call her at 210-309-2416 to be referred to a rehabilitation group.

Camara cautioned people not to touch fallen bats. Instead, they are encouraged to call ACS (210-207-4738), Southern Wildlife Rehab (210-272-9621) or Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation (830-336-2725).

Acting ACS director Shannon Sims said the agency reached out to its nonprofit rescue partners when it started receiving reports of frozen, fallen bats.

On ExpressNews.com: How the polar vortex knocked out San Antonio

He said ACS has gotten calls about fallen bats during past cold snaps, but never on a scale like last week.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

Sims said ACS needed help from animal-rescue groups because its responsibilities with regard to bats are strictly prescribed by state law. ACS serves as a rabies control authority for Bexar County and operates on the assumption that a fallen bat may be infected and may have exposed someone.

Therefore, we are going to euthanize it and send it for testing for rabies, Sims said. We have to ensure that the propagation of rabies doesnt occur.

Rescue groups have a different mission  and special expertise in caring for the animals.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation rescues orphaned, injured and displaced wildlife, including nonnative animals caught up in the pet trade, held in roadside zoos or used in research.

Camaras group, Southern Wildlife, rescues and rehabilitates native animals with help from veterinarians and volunteers.

They are better equipped to deal with bats, Sims said of Southern Wildlife. Thats their forte. They were able to save a significant number.

ACS spokeswoman Lisa Norwood said: We recognize that we cannot, nor should we, do this job alone. That is why we have partners.

Camara credited ACS with helping to save the bat population affected by the storm.

This is a big step for the city, she said. Hopefully, theyll continue.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

Throughout the week, volunteers placed the injured bats in an outdoor pop-up tent at Southern Wildlifes rehab facility on the North Side. There, Camara and her team are nursing the winged mammals back to health.

Theyve kept the sickest bats warm in an incubator and used syringes to feed them protein and a hydrolyzed solution.

Camara said San Antonio will feel the loss in the spring, a season when bats devour large numbers of insects at night. But she said there is hope: Baby bat season is in May.

This year, were going to need them, Camara said. Its going to take a while to repopulate them.

vtdavis@express-news.net
With COVID cases declining nationwide and the vaccination effort well underway, it seems as though the U.S. is on the verge of turning the corner  away from pandemic restrictions and toward some sense of normalcy.

But experts continue to warn about the spread of more infectious COVID variants, pushing for more sequencing capabilities to identify mutant and potentially vaccine-resistant versions of the virus that threaten to reignite the pandemic.

More genomic surveillance is urgently needed for COVID, regionally and nationwide, said Karen Zusi, a spokeswoman for the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, a regional leader on the sequencing effort. This is why Broad Institute is further scaling up our efforts to support this need.

Genomic sequencing is conducted to determine if there are any genomic changes in virus samples, which are collected in state and commercial labs after residents are tested for COVID-19.

Currently Massachusetts sequences less than 1% of all COVID-positive cases statewide, according to the Department of Public Health.

In fact, most of the nation is sequencing at a rate of less than 1% of overall cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The states public health laboratory is sequencing roughly 100 cases a week, which officials say is nearly double what it had been in 2020. The Broad Institute, which is the largest surveillance entity in Massachusetts, turns over a couple hundred sequenced samples a week. But Zusi said that also includes samples from other states, not just those collected in Massachusetts.

The Broad Institute is ramping up to have the capacity to sequence 900 cases a week by March, according to the Department of Public Health. Officials are working with other academic and laboratory partners to scale up genomic surveillance amid a rash of confirmed cases of coronavirus variants in Massachusetts.

And many of the states academic colleges are jumping into the effort. Boston University is now looking to sequence every COVID-positive sample on its campus after starting a surveillance program several weeks ago, and UMass Medical School is embarking on a PILOT of its own in the coming days.

After samples are sequenced, they are turned over to health authorities, including the Department of Public Health, for analysis. Eventually the data is reported to the CDC. Roughly 3,773 sequenced samples from Massachusetts have been turned over to the CDC to date, data shows.

The CDC reports that there are at least 51 cases of the U.K. variant and at least two of the South African variant in Massachusetts. Both strains are said to be highly contagious, and experts say that future mutations may even be deadlier, or more virulent, challenging the efficacy of COVID vaccines.

Variants are becoming increasingly common across the United States, which is to be expected at this stage of a global pandemic of this nature, Zusi said. In order to monitor and track the spread of variants that may be more transmissible or have other effects on disease, and to inform public health response, its essential to detect these variants quickly.

Related Content:
Sometimes missed on North Koreas voluminous list of human rights abuses are its serial cyber kleptomania and global criminal schemes to rip off the worlds financial systems. Just days ago, we got a grim reminder of the massive cyberthreat it poses to global finance.

A federal indictment unsealed recently charged three North Korean computer programmers with criminal conspiracy to steal and extort more than $1.3 billion of money and cryptocurrency from financial institutions and companies, even to the point of using malicious cryptocurrency applications and systems to defraud.

In a second case, a Canadian-American citizen agreed to plead guilty as a money launderer for several criminal schemes, including a North Korea-orchestrated cyber bank heist.

There is a method to North Koreas cyberattacks. Effectively blocked from most traditional global financial channels and with a gross domestic product of about $18 billion, roughly half the economic output of Vermont, is in perpetual search of money. Said Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Wilkison for the Central District of California: The conduct detailed in the indictment are the acts of a criminal nation-state that has stopped at nothing to extract revenge and obtain money to prop up its regime.

Thats another way of saying that North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns ruthless regime, sometimes dubbed the Sopranos State, is financially fragile, and in many ways, desperate. Without the Kim familys dynastic myth that only a Kim can lead the country, brutal oppression backed by a massive military and strategic isolation of its impoverished citizens from foreign influences, North Korea would be a completely collapsed state.

This is the reason political opponents are brutally executed or sentenced to hard labor camps until they succumb to starvation and malnutrition. And why young girls are sold for sex or labor globally. And why threats of nuclear missile confrontation with the United States and South Korea are used to project the totalitarian regimes illusion of strength to its people.

The federal takedown is crucial, but federal agents have the daunting task to stay on top of North Koreas cyber kleptomania, which requires close cooperation of the private sector, governments and financial and law enforcement organizations across national boundaries. Cybercrimes can be launched inside or outside of North Korea and the vastness of the internet requires a high level of sophistication to track or block. A big illicit haul can offset the impact of traditional sanctions, and finance Kims missile and nuclear weapons programs.

The Biden administration must confront North Korea on nuclear and missile programs, economic dysfunction and human rights atrocities. U.S. policymakers also must prioritize countering North Koreas state-sponsored criminality, especially the work of its cybercriminals. This linchpin to the regimes survival, if unchecked, will continue to exploit vulnerabilities in cybersecurity and capitalism to the worlds detriment.
This item is available in full to subscribers.

Attention subscribers

We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.

If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.

If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.

Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Mr Peter Maala, the Upper West Regional Coordinating Director, has indicated that issues concerning child protection and welfare ought to be a concern for every responsible member of the society.



He said children were subjected to various forms of abuses, including child labour, which was inimical to their holistic development and well-being.



Mr Maala, who is the Chairperson of the Upper West Regional Child Protection Committee, said this at the first quarter meeting of the Committee in Wa on Thursday.



The meeting was to, among other things; develop the 2021 work plan for the Committee as well as to chart effective ways of ensuring that children had access to essential services amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.



Citing child labour as one of the abuses children suffer in the Region, Mr Maala observed that some parents, with the notion of training their wards in apprenticeship, ended up exposing the children to hazards.



The Director stated that such parents did not take into consideration the negative impact of those works on the lives of the children considering their ages and abilities.



Some parents will tell you they are training their children so that they will take over from them. They dont consider the age of the child.



These are issues that are nagging, in teaching the child, do you consider the hazards you are taking him or her through? Mr Maala queried.



He, thus, urged members of the Committee to take a critical look at such issues to ensure children were adequately protected and made to enjoy their unalienable rights.



Madam Matilda Chireh, the Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Children, noted that the Department, with support from stakeholders such as Plan International Ghana, was working to ensure that child centred policies such as the Child and Family Welfare Policy were fully implemented.



The Committee observed with concern that some parents were pushing their children into apprenticeship rather than encouraging them to be in school, particularly during the COVID-19 school closure.



It said it was a serious challenge in getting such children back to school as they have had some taste of engaging in some activities such as petty trading and apprenticeship.



Mr Christopher Asiedu, the Acting Upper West Regional Director, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, underscored the need for the Committee to take into consideration the cultural values of society in advocating child protection and rights.



He said there was also the need for media practitioners and journalists to be educated on the appropriate ways of reporting on issues concerning children, so as not to expose the child to danger through their reportage.



The multi-stakeholder committee, comprising government agencies and departments, security agencies and Non-governmental Organisations, was to ensure effective child centred policy coordination and issues regarding child protection.









Source: GNA









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

Featured Video
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.
CNN Philippines (Metro Manila)  COVID-19 vaccines developed by American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, British-Swedish company AstraZeneca, China-based Sinovac, and most recently Russian group Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology obtained emergency use approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA is still reviewing the applications for emergency use of the coronavirus shot made by India-based Bharat Biotech.

An emergency use authorization is issued for unregistered drugs and vaccines amid a public health emergency, a state which the country is in due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The EUA, which hastens approval for vaccines that normally takes years, is only valid for the duration of the public health emergency declaration, or upon the issuance of a certificate of product registration or CPR. CPR is necessary to sell the drugs and vaccines to the general public.

Meanwhile, three pharmaceutical firms are authorized to conduct local clinical trials for their COVID-19 vaccines. They are Johnson & Johnson unit Janssen Pharmaceuticals, China-based biotechnology company Clover Biopharmaceuticals and Sinovac.

Vaccines are designed to teach the body how to defend itself from the virus, and the serious diseases it causes. But how are they different from each other?

Heres a look at the types of COVID-19 vaccines that will be tested and used locally.

Inactivated vaccine

The Sinovac shot, which was the first to be rolled out in the country, is called an inactivated vaccine. This vaccine type uses a killed form of SARS-CoV-2, one of the oldest and tried-and-tested methods of prompting an antibody response. Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN, developed with the Indian Council of Medical Research, as well as the vaccine made by China's Sinopharm, work in the same way.

In early March, Bharat Biotech announced the COVAXIN demonstrated 81% efficacy in preventing COVID-19 after two doses, which were given 28 days apart. The companys Phase 3 trial enrolled 25,800 volunteers, including those above 60 and people with comorbidities. Meanwhile, Sinopharm earlier announced its vaccine -- which had been administered to President Rodrigo Duterte's security detail and allegedly to other high-ranking government officials despite the absence of regulatory approval -- had a high efficacy rate among the Asian ethnicity group -- at over 79%.

While deemed safe, an inactivated vaccine may not always generate a strong immune response, so a number of doses may be required to realize its benefit, according to the World Health Organization.

The regulator recommended giving Sinovac's CoronaVac to clinically healthy individuals aged 18 to 59. FDA Director General Eric Domingo earlier said CoronaVac is not recommended for medical workers exposed to COVID-19 patients, elderlies, and those with co-morbidities because it showed a low efficacy rate of 50.4%, in late-stage trials in Brazil. But Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire later said that while clinical trials show lower efficacy in preventing mild symptoms, CoronaVac is still 100% effective against moderate and severe symptoms.

No adverse reactions are so far linked to the Sinovac vaccine, according to the World Allergy Organization. Side effects are usually mild, experts said.

The Chinese government donated to the Philippines 600,000 doses of CoronaVac, 167,798 of which were already injected to healthcare workers, government data as of March 16 showed.

Viral vector vaccine

Unlike the inactivated vaccine, this type of shot utilizes a different virus as a vector, which delivers instructions to the cells to produce the COVID-19 spike protein, which is needed to trigger an immune response. The virus has been genetically modified so as not to cause an illness in humans.

Viruses are made up of a core of genetic material  either DNA or RNA  covered in a coat of proteins called capsid. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, uses RNA and its surface is called the spike protein.

Experts have given a word of warning about the vector vaccine: It may be less effective in individuals who had preexisting immunity to the modified virus used as vector. This is because humans develop immune responses when exposed to viruses, according to the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, a health agency based in the United States.

The vaccine of AstraZeneca, which is developed with a team at Britains University of Oxford, is an example of a vector vaccine, with a weakened virus as the critical component. Makers of this vaccine use an adenovirus, the virus that causes common cold, to carry the genetic material needed in viral protein building.

The country has received over 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines through the global initiative COVAX. These shots are for health care workers. WHO country representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe said the country will receive 4.5 million more doses of AstraZeneca vaccines by April or May.

An analysis of phase 3 clinical trials that have not yet undergone peer review showed that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine had an efficacy of 82.4% when two doses were given at least 12 weeks apart.

Likewise, Gamaleyas Sputnik V  which is 91.6% effective based on clinical trials involving nearly 20,000 people  is a vector vaccine. It uses common cold viruses adenovirus 5 and adenovirus 26.

Janssens single-dose vaccine is also a vector vaccine, which like Gamaleya, uses an adenovirus 26. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 66% effective at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, 28 days after the vaccination, according to the company.

mRNA vaccine

One particular vaccine type is getting a lot of attention, and for the right reasons  the messenger ribonucleic acid or mRNA shot. It is a new type of vaccine, but it took researchers decades to develop the technology behind it, which means it can be trusted, experts said. Unlike conventional vaccines, mRNA vaccine does not use an actual virus, just a genetic sequence of the virus-causing disease. No mRNA vaccine has been authorized for use in any disease, but COVID-19 has turned the tide.

This type of coronavirus shot works by injecting mRNA molecules into the body, which the cells read as genetic instructions to make the spike protein. The body will then produce antibodies against the spike protein since the immune system has never seen it before and therefore sees it as an intruder. The main goal of a vaccine is to teach the body what the virus looks like. Once the immune system learns what its appearance is, it will destroy the actual virus if it gets into the body.

The shots made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are mRNA vaccines, and they have shown high efficacy  well over 90% in clinical trials involving tens of thousands of participants, with limited side effects. Severe allergies including anaphylaxis have been reported after some received mRNA shots, but these adverse reactions are said to be rare.

Still, health experts are not recommending a second shot to anyone who has had a history of serious allergies to the ingredients (e.g. polyethylene glycol) of the vaccines developed by either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.

Subunit vaccine

Another way to make a vaccine is to just use parts of a virus  and this is called the subunit approach. Clover, for example, makes use of the SARS-COV-2's protein coat, with two adjuvants, to provoke antibody production. Adjuvants have been added to vaccine formulations for decades to make the products more effective in fighting off viruses. Clover said in February it is eyeing to begin global phase 2/3 trials in the first quarter of the year to release the interim analysis on vaccine efficacy possibly by the middle of 2021.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.

Washington: US President Joe Biden has decided that the price of directly penalising Saudi Arabias crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is too high, according to senior administration officials, despite a detailed US intelligence report finding that he directly approved the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the dissident and Washington Post columnist who was drugged and dismembered in October 2018.

The decision by Biden, who during the 2020 campaign called Saudi Arabia a pariah state with no redeeming social value, came after weeks of debate in which his newly formed national security team advised him that there was no way to formally bar the heir to the Saudi crown from entering the United States, or to weigh criminal charges against him, without breaching the USs relationship with one of its key Arab allies.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, left, with journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a scene from the documentary The Dissident. Credit:Briarcliff Entertainment

It is outrageous what happened, Biden said of the report he released.

But officials said a consensus developed inside the White House that the price of that breach, in Saudi cooperation on counterterrorism and in confronting Iran, was simply too high.
Canada's House of Commons on Monday voted 266-0 to recognize China's documented campaign of mass internment, forced labor and forced sterilization of Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang as a "genocide."

Why it matters: The vote will likely put pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to get tougher on China. Trudeau and most members of his Cabinet abstained from Monday's vote.

The non-binding motion also calls on the International Olympic Committee to move the 2022 Winter Olympics from Beijing if China does not stop its persecution of the Uyghurs and other ethnic minority groups.

The big picture: Trudeau has been reluctant to use the word genocide, calling it a loaded term and "suggesting that seeking broad consensus among Western allies on Chinese human rights issues would be the best approach," according to Reuters.

The Trump administration, in its final days in office, declared China's actions against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang a "genocide."

China denies allegations of abuses in Xinjiang.

What they're saying: "Western countries are in no position to say what the human rights situation in China looks like," Cong Peiwu, the Chinese ambassador to Ottawa, told Reuters ahead of the vote. "There is no so-called genocide in Xinjiang at all."

Go deeper:
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
"Naked Animals," the new CD by saxophonist/flutist Mark Lewis and his Quartet. These musicians were and are a high point in my endeavors. My one regret with this band is that we didn't record more.

Alto saxophonist/flutist Mark Lewis revisits a chapter from his own musical history on "Naked Animals," set for an April 2 release on the Audio Daddio label. Recorded in 1990, the album features eight original compositions performed by Lewiss Dutch quartet, the working unit he maintained through most of his 14-year residency in Rotterdam: pianist Willem Kuhne, bassist James Long, and drummer Frans van Grinsven.

A native of Washington State, Lewis was all of 20 years old when he settled in the Netherlands in 1978. Shortly thereafter he formed the quartet to focus on his original compositions; with the above lineup locked in by the early 1980s, the band gradually built a popular following across Holland. These musicians were and are a high point in my endeavors, says Lewis today. My one regret with this band is that we didnt record more. Indeed, Lewis only recorded the Dutch quartet twice, with "Naked Animals" coming near the bands final days.

Yet despite its being more than 30 years old, "Naked Animals" is no historical curio. It is a vital, hard-swinging piece of music that sounds as fresh and exciting as if it was recorded yesterday. The rhythmic tensions of Mercurian Rendezvous, Naked Animals, and City Slicker are remarkably contemporary post-bop, whereas the refined ballad A Dance with Monique and the blues-redolent The Seven Angels draw on the classic, foundational elements of the art form. Hipness, Lewis and the band suggest, knows neither geographical nor temporal boundaries.

"Naked Animals" is also timely in a more roundabout, coincidental sense. It was recorded thirty years, almost to the day, before Lewiss last pre-pandemic performance. Combined with the ageless character of the music, it serves as a stark link not only to past triumphs but to future possibilities foras van Grinsven succinctly puts it in the albums notesAdventurous, surprising and creative art!

Mark Lewis was born January 26, 1958 in Tacoma, Washington, and grew up outside nearby Gig Harbor. Profoundly visually impaired, he made sense of the world through musicespecially the jazz records in his parents sizable collection. At the age of nine he began playing music himself, starting on his grandfathers C melody saxophone and switching to his uncles old alto a year later.

Starting his first band while still in middle school, Lewis was leading several by the time he finished high school (in addition to playing in the schools stage and concert band and performing music for school plays). He studied composition, flute, piano, and electronic music at Western Washington University and at Seattles Cornish Institute of Allied Arts.

Even big-city Seattle could not keep him, however, and in 1978, at 20 years old, Lewis flew to Europe. He made a home in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where he made himself a force on the local, national, and international jazz scene. He led three working bandsan organ trio, a world-jazz quintet, and the progressive quartet heard on "Naked Animals"as well as creating a highly regarded record label, Audio Daddio, with Lewis himself as the house producer.

At the same time, Lewis made frequent trips back to the United States, continuing to work in Seattle and also establishing himself firmly on the Bay Area jazz scene, where he settled after returning to North America for good in the mid-1990s. He worked with the likes of Randy Brecker, Donald Bailey, Ted Gioia, Mark Levine, Bobby Hutcherson, and Larry Grenadier before returning to Washington to be closer to his family.

Lewis is a dizzyingly prolific musician, with more than 30 albums and an astounding 1,700 plus compositions to his name. His most recent document of his work, 2017s "The New York Session," was an acclaimed album featuring the all-star rhythm section of pianist George Cables, bassist Essiet Essiet, and Victor Lewis. "Naked Animals," however, is an important (and heretofore dormant) installment in Lewiss career, showing that he has long been able to hold his own with artists of such high caliber. It is a testament to what he is able to achieve when surrounded by great musicians who loved the music. Its not always easy to find musicians who really dedicate themselves to your music.
A cognitively challenged woman who sexually abused two of her children may have been manipulated by a man she had just met on a dating website, but she still knew what she was doing was wrong, a judge said Friday before sentencing her to seven years in prison.

A cognitively challenged woman who sexually abused two of her children may have been manipulated by a man she had just met on a dating website, but she still knew what she was doing was wrong, a judge said Friday before sentencing her to seven years in prison.

"I accept that due to her low mental abilities, the accused is easily manipulated by other people, but I do not accept that the lack of cognitive ability in any way excuses or explains (her) participation in these sexual offences," said Court of Queens Bench Justice Doug Abra.

The 37-year-old woman, who has an IQ of 65, cannot be named to protect the identities of her children.

In 2017, co-accused Justyn Friesen was sentenced to six years in prison in a case that went to the Supreme Court of Canada and redefined how courts should deal with offenders who sexually abuse children.

The high court ruled sentences handed to child sex offenders should increase in recognition of the long-lasting harm their crimes cause victims.

The woman pleaded guilty in May 2019 to two counts of sexual interference, but failed to appear in court for her sentencing the following December. The woman was rearrested last July and taken into custody. Another sentencing hearing set for last month was adjourned after she fired her lawyer and hired a new one.

"It is clear to me that in committing these offences the accused knew the consequences she faced, pleaded guilty, but then tried to dodge sentencing by not appearing in court," Abra said.

The woman, who was 31 at the time, connected with Friesen on a dating website on June 29, 2016, and quickly arranged to meet at her home for sex.

During two subsequent meetings at her home, the woman agreed to Friesens demands that she sexually assault her one-year-old son and four-year-old daughter.

"She knew Friesen was taking advantage of her, but she did nothing to resist," Abra said.

The assault on the girl was interrupted after a friend of the accused woman was awakened by her screams and ordered Friesen out of the house.

The Crown had recommended the woman serve eight years in prison.

While Friesen was convicted of assaulting only the womans daughter, "I recognize that (he) was the instigator of the sexual assaults on both children," the judge said. "Therefore, the sentence that I impose on the accused should not be significantly higher than the one imposed on Friesen."

As part of the womans sentence, she is to have no contact with her children while in custody and is prohibited from communicating with any children under the age of 16 for 20 years.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
Vietnam aims to repatriate over 3,800 Vietnamese stuck abroad in March after nearly two months of suspension in light of new coronavirus variants.

The Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed there may be two flights from Japan and Taiwan on March 5, with each carrying 343 passengers, Giao Thong newspaper reported.

On March 6, two flights from the Philippines and Malaysia are expected to carry 240 passengers home each. A day later, one flight from Singapore with 360 passengers is scheduled to arrive in Vietnam.

On March 8, there will be two flights from the U.S. and France, returning a total of over 700 passengers.

From March 9 to 14, a total six flights will bring over 2,000 Vietnamese from UAE, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Russia home.

Vietnam has suspended all inbound international commercial flights since March 2020, though the government has been operating repatriation flights to bring home Vietnamese citizens stuck abroad amid the pandemic, and has allowed special flights to carry foreign experts and investors to the country.

The government in late January limited inbound flights in light of new variants of the novel coronavirus spreading fast in many countries. Only special cases approved by the government can enter the country.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said Thursday the ministry is mapping out a plan to bring stranded Vietnamese home in line with the global pandemic situation, as well as domestic isolation capacity.

Over 75,000 Vietnamese were repatriated last year.
Foreign workers are leaving Britain at the fastest pace since World War II, presenting a challenge to an economy already roiled by Brexit and the coronavirus.

London alone has lost 700,000 people over the last year, recent research suggests. The implications are profound for the Treasury, landlords and the chances for a recovery from the worst slump in three centuries.

"The risk is that people don't come back, so we have skill and labor shortages and we lose some output, growth and tax revenue permanently," said Jonathan Portes, a King's College London economics professor who estimates well over 1 million foreign-born workers may have left. "Given how migration has driven economic growth, particularly in London, that could be bad news."

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and the Office for Budget Responsibility will confront some of those realities this year and perhaps in the budget on March 3. For the Treasury, fewer migrants ultimately means less economic output and tax revenue to pay down the huge debts accumulated to help people and businesses cope with Covid-19.

A turn in migration flows would reshape the politics of immigration after a decade of government efforts to limit the numbers arriving. Longer term, it could also exacerbate the demographic problem that the U.K. shares with countries from Germany to Japan: how to support a rapidly aging population.

A theoretical scenario where migration dries up instead of rising by around 100,000 a year could cost the U.K. about 1% of output after five years. That would raise the budget deficit by 0.7% of gross domestic product, based on a rule of thumb used by the OBR, the U.K. fiscal watchdog.

The loss of foreign workers may actually be a boon in the short term. Unemployment is rising, and swathes of the economy including hospitality remain closed for at least six weeks. Once those restrictions ease, a post-Brexit immigration system that makes it harder for EU citizens to settle in Britain means that jobs previously done by low-skilled migrants may be harder to fill.

"Those jobs won't be eligible for long-term work visas," said Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory research unit at the University of Oxford and an adviser to the government. "The government has made it clear it doesn't want to allow a lot of exceptions."

The flight of foreign workers marks a rapid turn from the trend of the past 20 years, where immigration generated more jobs, income for universities and higher housing costs. Now, there's evidence of a shift.

Rents in London fell 8.3% last year, according to property website Zoopla. While its director of research Grainne Gilmore can't connect that trend to migration, about three quarters of recent arrivals from overseas live in privately rented accommodation.

It's impossible to say exactly how many people have left. That's because the pandemic has limited government data collection. Statisticians are relying heavily on the Labour Force Survey, which has suggested the foreign-born population shrank by almost 900,000 to 8.3 million in the year through the third quarter.

Some say the true picture may be far worse. In a blog last month for the government-funded Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence, Portes and co-author Michael O'Connor put the drop at about 1.3 million people. London, they calculated, may have lost about 8% of its population.

Hospitality and retail have been particularly hard hit. Foreign workers accounted for 30% and 18% of employment in those sectors respectively.

"We are still expecting business failures and high unemployment, so we don't know what workforce may be required," said Kate Nicholls, chief executive of the lobby group UK Hospitality. "The best thing the chancellor can do is provide financial support."

EU citizens once drawn by the prospect of better pay and jobs have found their home countries faring far better than Britain during the pandemic.

"Economic developments in countries where many migrants came from in the early 2000s are actually quite positive," said Professor Christian Dustmann, director of the Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration at University College London. "They'll say why should I leave? Poland is doing as well as the U.K. There are a lot of opportunities here, so I'll stay at home."
HAMZA IBRAHIM KANO : An operation to rescue more than 300 girls kidnapped in Nigeria had failed to pinpoint their location by late on Friday, almost 24 hours after gunmen seized them in a raid on their school.

The raid in Zamfara state, where the governor ordered all boarding schools to close immediately, was the second such kidnapping in little over a week in the country's northwest, a region increasingly targeted by militants and criminal gangs.

Zamfara police said they had begun search-and-rescue operations with the army to find the "bandits" who took the 317 girls from the Government Girls Science Secondary School in the town of Jangebe.

"There's information that they were moved to a neighbouring forest, and we are tracking and exercising caution," Zamfara police commissioner Abutu Yaro told a news conference.

All the abductees remained at large, but the parent of one of them, Mohammed Usman Jangebe, said seven of their schoolmates had resurfaced after escaping the raiders by hiding in gutters.

The assailants stormed in at around 1 a.m., firing sporadically, said Zamfara's information commissioner, Sulaiman Tanau Anka.

"Information available to me said they came with vehicles and moved the students. They also moved some on foot," he told Reuters.

By late Friday, there had been no claim of responsibility for the raid.

School kidnappings were first carried out by jihadist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province but the tactic has now been adopted by other militants whose agenda is unclear.

They have become endemic around the increasingly lawless north, to the anguish of families and frustration of Nigeria's government and armed forces. Friday's was the third such incident since December.

The rise in abductions is fuelled in part by sizeable government payoffs in exchange for child hostages, catalysing a broader breakdown of security in the north, officials have said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The government denies making such payouts, and President Muhammadu Buhari reiterated on Friday that it would will not succumb to blackmail.

In a statement isued late on Friday, he also appealed to state administrations not to reward bandits with money or vehicles.

Rage and frustration

Jangebe town seethed with anger over the abduction, said a government official who was part of the delegation to the community.

Young men hurled rocks at journalists driving through the town, injuring a cameraman, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"People mobilised to block security operatives, journalists and government officials from getting access to the main town," he said.

Parents also had no faith in authorities to return their kidnapped girls, said Mohammed Usman Jangebe told Reuters by phone.

"We are going to rescue our children, since the government isn't ready to give them protection," he said.

"All of us that have had our children abducted have agreed to follow them into the forest. We will not listen to anyone now until we rescue our children."

Military shakeup

Buhari replaced his long-standing military chiefs this month amid the worsening violence.

Last week, unidentified gunmen kidnapped 42 people including 27 students, and killed one pupil, in an overnight attack on a boarding school in the north-central state of Niger. The hostages are yet to be released.

In December, dozens of gunmen abducted 344 schoolboys in northwest Katsina state. They were freed after six days but the government denied paying a ransom.

Islamic State's West Africa branch in 2018 kidnapped more than 100 schoolgirls in northeast Nigeria, all but one of whom - the only Christian - were released. A ransom was paid, according to the United Nations.

Perhaps the most notorious kidnapping in recent years was when Boko Haram militants abducted 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno state in April 2014. The incident drew widespread global attention, with then U.S. first lady Michelle Obama among the prominent figures calling for their return.

Many have been found or rescued by the army, or freed years later after negotiations between the government and Boko Haram, according to sources, but 100 are still missing.

Ikemesit Effiong, head of research at Lagos-based risk consultancy SBM Intelligence, said many northern governors were keen to pay to avoid protracted hostage situations attracting international outrage, which in turn gave an incentive for more abductions.

"When you have these mass abductions now and you see victims are released relatively quickly, unlike Chibok, the one thing that has changed is money," Effiong said.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
Ex-classmates of Rep. Madison Cawthorn have claimed he sexually harassed women at a Christian college and that they were warned not to go on so-called 'fun drives' with him in his white Dodge Challenger 'because bad things happened'.

Cawthorn, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a 2014 car crash, allegedly gained a reputation around the campus for making unwanted sexual advances toward women when he briefly attended Patrick Henry College in northern Virginia for a semester aged 21, in 2016.

One woman described sensing a 'danger warning' when she went out for a drive with Cawthorn and he started 'taking me out to the middle of nowhere' while asking questions about her purity ring.

Two resident assistants at the conservative religious college said they would warn young women to stay away from him and female students said they told each other not to end up alone with him.

The allegations surfaced in a Buzzfeed investigation, with more than 30 people including 20 former students, their friends and relatives alleging they witnessed, experienced or knew of sexual harassment and misconduct by the congressman around the college campus, at his nearby house and in his car.

The bombshell claims come after more than 160 members of the Patrick Henry College community signed an open letter in October describing the former student's 'reputation of predatory behavior.'

Cawthorn, an avid Trump supporter, has denied ever acting in a sexually inappropriate way.

The North Carolina Republican came under fire last month over his part in the January 6 MAGA mob riot on the US Capitol that left five dead, after he spoke at the Trump rally moments before the violent insurrection.

He has also faced accusations of lying about his past, after claims he was training for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games were disputed by athletes and claims his car crash ruined his chances of attending the Naval Academy were debunked after a watchdog reported he was rejected from the academy prior to the accident.

Ex-classmates of Rep. Madison Cawthorn (pictured at CPAC this week) have claimed he sexually harassed women at the Christian college and that they were warned not to go on so-called 'fun drives' with him in his white Dodge Challenger 'because bad things happened'

More than two dozen students spoke out about Cawthorn's alleged mistreatment of women on the campus including four women who said they experienced first hand his alleged aggressive, misogynistic, or predatory way toward women.

Cawthorn joined the school in fall 2016 at the age of 21 after his 2014 car accident and subsequent recovery delayed his college attendance, making him three years older than the strict Christian, conservative first-year women also attending.

Cawthorn soon became known for inviting women for a drive in his white Dodge Challenger and would brag about them as 'conquests' to his peers, according to the report.

Ex-classmates said he would boast about touching women, getting women to sit in his lap, and bragged about one incident at a party where he pulled a woman onto his lap and put his finger between her legs, reported Buzzfeed.

Caitlin Coulter, who was a senior at the time and had just split from her boyfriend, told Buzzfeed she agreed to go on a drive with him one evening. She said he started taking her along the back roads while asking her invasive questions.

'I realized he was taking me out to the middle of nowhere, Virginia,' she said.

Coulter said the energy changed and she became 'uncomfortable and nervous' and felt she was in 'danger'.

'We were on these small, like, one- [or] two-lane back roads, and I just felt so uncomfortable and nervous and not even something I think at the time I could put a finger on, but just, like, danger warning,' she said.

Coulter told Buzzfeed he was making 'insinuations' and kept asking about her purity ring on her finger.

When she refused to answer his invasive questions for about 20 minutes, he allegedly snapped and turned the car around, driving them back to the campus dangerously.

'It was really scary. And just I remember just being very happy to make it back home safely,' she said.

Cawthorn, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a 2014 car crash, allegedly gained a reputation around the campus for making unwanted sexual advances toward women when he briefly attended Patrick Henry College in northern Virginia (above) for a semester in 2016

Giovanna Lastra, a former resident assistant at the campus, told Buzzfeed she remembered Coulter returning to the dorm that night 'shaken up.'

'She felt unsafe and nervous and said, "He didn't do anything to me, but I was afraid he was going to",' she said.

Lastra said she warned the female students not to get in Cawthorn's car with him saying it was 'dangerous'.

Lastra was one of two resident advisors who told Buzzfeed they started warning women in their dorms to avoid Cawthorn and not to get in his cat with him.

'I got info from other RAs to warn the female student body not to go on joy rides with him because bad things happened on those joy rides,' said Lastra.

'Our school was filled with girls from a Christian background, and there was a high level of naivety.'

Leah Petree, now a Republican intern on Capitol Hill and former student at the college, said Cawthorn would often ask to take her for a drive - a request she repeatedly denied saying she had a boyfriend.

But she said his persistence soon became uncomfortable as he allegedly started waiting outside her dorm building for her to leave.

Petree also recalled an occasion where he called her a 'little blonde slutty American girl' in the dining hall when he was asking people about how many people they had kissed or had physical relationships with, and the races of them.

The new claims come after one woman, Katrina Krulikas (above), told World Magazine in August Cawthorn had forcibly kissed her in 2014 when he was 19 and she was 17

'And all of a sudden, he snaps at me in a tone and with a degree of anger that no man has ever spoken to me since or before then. He snaps at me that I was just a "little blonde slutty American girl" and yells this to me across the table, at a table of our peers - our Christian, conservative peers - all over a comment in response to an inappropriate, just astounding conversation that he's initiated,' she said.

Another former student Becca Webb said she remembers female students warning each other to stay away from Cawthorn and recalled one of many times he was misogynistic shouting 'shut up woman' at her.

Several former students told Buzzfeed Cawthorn had a bad temper and would often make rude, derogatory and misogynistic comments to and about women including one occasion where he allegedly asked other male students: 'Which race of girls gives the best blowjobs?'

The new claims come after one woman, Katrina Krulikas, told World Magazine in August Cawthorn had forcibly kissed her in 2014 when he was 19 and she was 17.

Krulikas, who did not attend the Christian college, claimed they were on a drive together when Cawthorn started asking if she was a virgin.

She said he pressured her to sit on his lap, tried to kiss her and when she dismissed his advances tried again by holding her face.

Cawthorn denied the allegation in September but allegedly texted Krulikas last February apologizing that he was 'over the line'.

Micah Bock, a spokesman for Cawthorn, referred DailyMail.com's request for comment to previous denials made by the congressman.

Two resident assistants at the conservative religious college said they would warn young women to stay away from him

'On September 4th, 2020 Rep. Cawthorn responded to the questions you are asking, saying: "I have never done anything sexually inappropriate in my life,' he said.

'On September 4th, 2020 Rep. Cawthorn said: If I have a daughter, I want her to grow up in a world where people know to explicitly ask before touching her. If I had a son, I want him to be able to grow up in a world where he would not be called a sexual predator for trying to kiss someone.'

Bock added: 'These questions were repeatedly asked and answered during the course of the campaign. The voters of Western North Carolina responded to these allegations by giving Madison Cawthorn a 12-point victory over his opponent.

'Rep. Cawthorn is now busy doing the work he was elected to do including helping our economy recover from the pandemic, creating jobs and opportunity, making health care more affordable, protecting our natural environment and defending life and our Second Amendment rights.'

Bock, who also attended Patrick Henry College where he befriended Cawthorn going on to become his communications director, was also accused of inappropriately touching a woman in the Buzzfeed report.

Petree said Bock pressed his genitals against her when she was asleep at a house after a pool party in 2016.

She woke up and 'could feel, like, hard genitalia,' Petree told Buzzfeed.

'It was that level of, like, I could feel him pressed into me and just being like, no.'

When she confronted him the next day she said Bock told her 'you wanted it.'

'He says to me, 'You definitely weren't really asleep. You wanted it,' she recalled.

Petree's boyfriend, friend and mother Rebecca Powell told Buzzfeed Petree had told them about the incident at the time, with Powell recalling confronting Bock about 'sexually harass[ing] my daughter when she visited the school later.

Bock denies the incident telling DailyMail.com: 'The allegation is completely untrue.'

In the open letter in October, more than 160 members of the Patrick Henry community accused Cawthorn of 'gross misconduct towards our female peers, public misrepresentation of his past, disorderly conduct that was against the school's student honor code, and self-admitted academic failings.'

The North Carolina lawmaker took to the stage of Trump's rally on January 6 and pushed unfounded claims the election had been stolen from MAGA supporters (above)

The new allegations come after Cawthorn last month faced calls to resign and be investigated by the House Office of Congressional Ethics over his part in the Capitol riot.

The North Carolina lawmaker took to the stage of Trump's rally on January 6 and pushed unfounded claims the election had been stolen from MAGA supporters.

'My friends, the Democrats with all the fraud that they have done in this election, the Republicans hiding and not fighting, they are trying to silence your voice,' he said.

'Make no mistake about it, they do not want you to be heard, but my friends when I look into this crowd I can confidently say this crowd has the voice of lions.'

This came one month after a speech in December where he encouraged Trump supporters to 'lightly threaten' members of Congress.

'And feel free, you can lightly threaten them, and say, "You know what? If you don't start supporting election integrity, I'm coming after you, Madison Cawthorn is coming after you. Everybody's is coming after you,"' he said.

Cawthorn was a vocal supporter of Trump's unfounded claims of widespread election fraud - claims that were debunked in the courts and by Trump's own administration.

When lawmakers returned to the Capitol after the riot to certify the election, Cawthorn voted to uphold objections to Arizona and Pennsylvania's votes.

Five people died in the storming of the Capitol including a Capitol cop.

Cawthorn said he doesn't take back his comments but called the rioters 'despicable.'

Cawthorn, 25, became the youngest member of Congress in November after he defeated Democratic rival Moe Davis for North Carolina's 11th Congressional District seat.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot


Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
An accident which took place in the yard of a Sligo factory and resulted in a 28-year-old man having to have his leg amputated, could have been prevented, Sligo Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Kevin O'Malley, an employee of Jackson Engineering, Castlebar Ltd, had to have his right leg amputated after it was crushed when a 100kg section of a crane fell on him in the yard of the Bruss GmBH factory, Finisklin Road, Sligo in 2018.

Jackson Engineering Ltd was before the court charged with six counts relating to being in breach of statutory and regulatory provisions of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, and as a consequence a person suffered personal injury.

Company joint director, Irene Jackson, pleaded guilty to two offences and the other matters were taken into consideration.

The court was told the company, which describes itself as a 'Heavy Lifting Solutions Provider', was contracted by Bruss to install a crane at the Finisklin Road site on September 1st, 2018 when the accident took place.

The court was told the accident was a result of Jackson Engineering's failure to ensure that the lifting operations involved in the movement and attachment of a jib section of the crane, to a jib handler of a forklift truck were not planned appropriately, supervised and carried out to protect the safety of employees, and in particular, there was no lifting operations planned appropriately in relation to people working in the vicinity of the jib section which was unsupported, and as a result fell on Mr O'Malley.

As a result of, Judge Francis Comerford convicted the company for the breach of the regulatory provision and fined them 30,000, plus costs of 3,833.15 to the HSA.

Brian McHugh, inspector with the Health and Safety Authority told the court three men were responsible for the installation of the crane, Mr O'Malley, John Joe Murray and Raymond Mayock. They were all either full or part time employees of the defendant company.

Mr McHugh launched an investigation on October 1st, 2018 and had been notified Mr O'Malley had to have his leg amputated as a result of the accident.

Mr Leo Mulrooney, state prosecutor, instructed by state solicitor, Ms Elisa McHugh outlined that the two other men, Mr Murray and Mr Mayock, mistakenly thought Mr O'Malley was the foreman on the day, when in fact it was Mr O'Malley's first time being on a site and he had only recently completed his Safe Pass.

Mr O'Malley was usually involved in sales, ordering products and was office-based. He joined the crew for the installation because another employee dropped out and he had been the person who priced the contract. It was the first time the other two men had worked with him.

The court was told Mr O'Malley was tasked with putting together a method statement for the installation of the crane, to outline how the work would be carried out safely.

He had not developed one of these before, but was made aware the company had installed a crane at Bruss in 2015 and a method statement was on file for that. He was told by joint director, Stanley Jackson to use this as a template. The dates and times were amended on the document.

Bruss came back to the company with several amendments to the document, focusing on the impact on its place of work, overhead services, clearances, etc.

Asked if Bruss questioned details regarding the lifting plan, Mr McHughe clarified this would be out of the company's remit, and the company would only be looking at the plan in relation to how it would impact the factory's functioning.

The men discussed the job on the way to the site and the method statement was signed.

The area was given over to them by Bruss and the tower area of the crane was installed without incident, but, in the factory yard the jib section, a 7.3metre steel section was left free standing for two minutes in a vertical position while alignments were being made and plastic wrapping was being removed from another section.

The jib section is the horizontal or near-horizontal beam used in many types of cranes to support the load clear of the main support.

The jib section fell over and trapped Mr O'Malley's legs. He had been standing behind the highest point of it.

In a witness statement from John Joe Murray, the part time employee of Jackson Engineering, with 30 years experience, said Mr O'Malley was the foreman. He said an L shaped section of steel was laid flat, and plastic was being unwrapped.

He said the jib section was then lifted away from the storage area by a forklift with two straps and Mr Mayock drove the forklift. The forks were raised high enough and the heel of the jib lifted off ground over the concrete yard, the forks were lowered, and the section was left in a vertical position and the forklift straps were allowed to go slack to measure the jib handler.

Mr Murray stated he thought it was in a stable position. The straps were hanging loose, not providing security. Mr O'Malley was standing near the heel section of the jib.

Mr Murray said he walked between the jib and forklift, and measured the jib handler. He looked back at the jib, it appeared to be fine, but then he heard a shout and saw the jib had fallen over and fell on Mr O'Malley, trapping his legs.

Raymond Mayock, a general operative and forklift operator, employed with Jackson Engineering for four years detailed in his witness statement that he was told about the job a week prior, by director, Stanley Jackson. He had not worked with Mr O'Malley before and was of the understanding he was the foreman.

He said the jib appeared to be stable and his colleagues were removing plastic and when he was readying a second forklift he noticed the jib started to fall and fell on Mr O'Malley's legs.

According to Mr McHugh, what seemed to have gone wrong was the misunderstanding that Mr O'Malley was the foreman on the day.

"There was not a detailed discussion of how crane components would be lifted. Mr O'Malley looked to the others for experience. Part of what went wrong seems to be Mr Murray and Mr Mayock thought Mr O'Malley was the foreman."

Mr McHugh told the court Jackson Engineering provided the HSA with safety documents for the project and the remedial lifting plan that was adopted since the accident.

Asked why the jib was put vertically on the ground, Mr McHugh said the straps had to be adjusted wide enough for clearance of the jib handler, meaning things had to be aligned and measured before components could be put into place, and also, plastic wrapping had to be cleared. Mr O'Malley also provided the HSA with a statement and outlined that it was his first installation job and because he priced the job he probably was seen as the supervisor. He said he was in a position to move the straps as needed when the section started to wobble. He suffered a severe crush to his right leg, which resulted in it having to be amputated from above the knee.

Mr Mulrooney put it to Mr McHugh that nothing had caused the jib to fall and that the position it was left in was 'inherently unsafe', to with the HSA inspector agreed.

Health and Safety Officer with Bruss confirmed to the HSA she received a safety statement, risk assessment sheet, training records and method statement before the job.

Dr William Curtain, surgeon, confirmed Mr O'Malley had suffered a crush injury and a high grade fracture to his leg. Surgery was performed to save the leg, however, as the leg was not viable it had to be amputated from above the knee. He had two further surgeries. His left leg was also badly injured and needed plates, which made learning to walk difficult. Mr O'Malley settled a civil claim for his injuries against the company in December 2020 for the amount of 1.7 million, the majority of which was paid out by Jackson Engineering Ltd's insurance. A contribution of approximately 100,000 was made by Bruss. Mr O'Malley received full pay by the company after the accident and subsequently returned to work for them between times of illness and level 5 lockdown.

Deficiencies in documents and inexperience a factor in accident

According to Health and Safety Authority investigator, Brian McHugh, Jackson Engineering Ltd's health and safety statement did not contain a risk assessment for the construction/installation work at a customer's place of work, but only on its own premises.

And, it was his belief the accident could have been prevented.

Mr McHugh told Sligo Circuit Criminal Court the risk assessment sheet for the job at Bruss on September 1st, 2018 was deficient, in that it did not include the lifting of crane parts and only dealt with overhead pipes and contact with machines.

He also informed the court the method statement did not contain details of lifting the jib section safely or how to prop or support it.

Explaining how the project should have been done, Mr McHugh said all the material, wrapping, etc, should have been removed first, and spacing issues should have been done on the ground.

"It should have been positioned from the start when it's [jib section] was horizontal, when it is clear and clean of plastic. It should be lifted in one go, clamped on, straps released and never left free standing. When lifting down, straps can be fed under, held suspended and no person should be allowed into the area until the jib section is in place."

A statement from Stanley Jackson, co director of the company said he referred Mr O'Malley to the 2015 method template, and asked him to prepare a statement. He said Mr O'Malley was not left to his own devices regarding the project and Mr Jackson was overseeing things and took responsibility.

Joint Director of Jackson Engineering Ltd, Irene Jackson described her business as a 'small family company' that was in operation for 25 years. The company had an unblemished health and safety record up until September 1st, 2018. She said although it was Mr O'Malley's first time on a project like this and he had only acquired a Safe Pass not long before, he was regarded as an "extremely capable mechanical engineer."

"There was a gap there as a staff member was gone, we felt it was only fair he was given an opportunity to get experience," said Ms Jackson.

She said the 2015 method statement had been prepared by an outside consultant, She said her husband, Stanley was not aware that the jib would be delivered with such dense wrapping around it. It was thought that the installation would be done in one step without having to place the jib on the ground.

Counsel for Jackson Engineering, Mr Desmond Dockery, SC, instructed by Ms Blaithin Gallagher, BL and Seamus White, solicitor, said there was no evidence the company ignored warnings of health and safety or deliberately took short cuts to profit.

The company had no previous convictions and only undertook sporadic crane installation previous to this. Once the task was done correctly with an appropriate lifting plan, the company ceased all off site installation work. And, after the accident the company developed a safety statement with a lift plan which was submitted to the HSA for approval.

Mr O'Malley was made aware he could attend court and make a Victim Impact Statement but he did not opt for either. The court was told while unable to work the company had topped up his occupational benefit payment so he was effectively on full wages, and, when he returned to work the company canteen was brought from upstairs to ground level.

Details of the company's financial standings were provided to the court by accountant, Mr Michael Kelly who detailed that Jackson Engineering had service loans of 86,000 per year.

This was a result of financial difficulty resulting from acquiring Johnson Manufacturing in 2005 through equity on the family home. Johnson's had debt of 2.7million and a restructuring of debt was needed. The company is now not allowed to make borrowings of over 20,000 without Bank of Ireland's consent and no expenditure or liability over this amount. Mr Dockery put forward that if the company was fined over 20,000 the bank may deem the company unviable and liquidate it.

In sentencing, Judge Comerford said the law was there to protect workers, and, a breach did occur, resulting in "deep and grievous" harm. The judge said the accident had permanently altered the rest of the young man's life. He added that the offences did not occur with "criminal intent" but were borne out of a failure to take "adequate care".

Judge Comerford said though the company was culpable, its culpability stands at a lower level and commended the way in which it had dealt with the injured man in the aftermath.

"It was a task that required specialist expertise, it should have been clear to Jacksons that expertise was needed. They had this expertise but did not administer it correctly."

The judge added there had been no clear leader on the day to make decisions. He said Jackson's never envisaged the work to be undertaken in the way it did and if they were aware of it it would not have happened, but, it did take place. The company was convicted of the regulatory breach with the other matters taken into consideration. The matter was adjourned to March 8th next for clarity on when the fine will be paid.
Plans are under way to develop an online archive of all the graves at St Gabriel's Cemetery in Arklow.

The project will involve the documenting of each burial plot in the graveyard including information about the headstone. This information, including a photo of the plot, will be uploaded to the Irish Graveyards website. It's understood that the project will to get under way after Level 5 restrictions ease. A similar project was completed last year at Rathnew cemetery.

Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council Cllr Pat Kennedy said: 'I'm delighted to announce that funding has been secured to proceed with the developing of an online archive of St Gabriel's Cemetery. I'm thrilled that this is now going to be done as I've been working closely with Cllr Paul O'Brien from the Wicklow Municipal District after the successful completion of a similar project in Rathnew cemetery.

Cllr O'Brien said: 'This is something I had been working on for over a year in conjunction with the County Council for the cemetery in Rathnew. The response has just been overwhelming, so when Cllr Kennedy approached me to assist him with doing the same for Arklow, I was only too delighted to do so.'

Cathaoirleach of the Arklow Municipal District Cllr Sylvester Bourke said: 'This is all thanks to an anonymous donor who came forward with a substantial amount of money after they saw how successful the survey was in Rathnew.'

Some councillors from the Arklow Municipal District were joined by Cllr O'Brien to launch the initiative in a socially distanced manner. Information about the graveyard will be collected, then uploaded to www.irishgraveyards.ie. Once this has been completed, all the information will go live in order to allow people make any required changes. The company will also supply the council with signs and maps to be erected in the graveyard. Members of the public can visit the Irish Graveyards website, type in the name of the person they are looking for and all the details of that person will be brought up, including dates, plot, section, and a photograph of the grave. The details will be inputted as accurately as possible although there will be a mechanism to report inaccuracies.

Cllr Kennedy added: 'I'd like to thank the anonymous donor for their very generous donation. I also want to thank Wicklow County Council for providing the balance of the funding required to make this possible and Cllr. O'Brien for his assistance.'
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 09:41:03|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

GABORONE, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Botswana is ready to bring into the country multiple COVID-19 vaccines, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said on Friday.

In his national address aired on television, Masisi said the southern African country will put in place a vaccination program in accordance with the Public Health Act, to ensure "a fair and equitable distribution of vaccines to all Batswana."

"We have opted for a multiple-vaccine approach to ensure that we do not put the entire population at risk in the event that one of the vaccines underperforms," he said.

"The dossier for SinoVac from China has been received and is being given urgent attention as others will once they arrive," he added.

The country has already granted emergency use approval for Pfizer, AstraZeneca and COVISHIELD.

The president encouraged the nation to continue adhering to health protocols declared by the World Health Organization and to take the vaccines when they become available.

Botswana has by far recorded 28,371 COVID-19 cases, with 310 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University statistics. Enditem
Egypt is marking the second stage of the inoculation campaign with the beginning of the much-anticipated roll-out of the coronavirus vaccine targeting priority groups.

The first stage, focused on medical staff, was launched on January.

In the plus-100 million population country, the coronavirus has claimed more than 10,000 lives and infected more than 180,000 people nationwide.

Egypt announced on Tuesday that the website launched by health ministry for people to register to receive the vaccine will be ready as of Sunday. Following registration, the people will receive a text message indicating the time and location for receiving the vaccine.

The optional vaccine shots were offered free of charge for medical personnel while it is set to be offered at a price of EGP200 (around $13) for the general public. The two-dose shot will be offered to the neediest people free of charge, the state stressed.

The registration website is linked to the programme of social protection named Takaful and Karama (Solidarity and Dignity) to ensure that the needy have access to vaccines.

Health Minister Hala Zayed stated on television that the set price is pitched to ensure the sustainable availability of the vaccines, since it is still unknown whether the shots will be taken once in a lifetime or yearly. Vaccination will be available in 40 health units in Egypt's 27 governorates.

The vaccination strategy prioritises those who suffer the hardest from chronic diseases -- excluding patients with stable cases of chronic diabetes and hypertension -- and those who are above 40 years, and the elderly, according to Zayed.

The websites software supports a system that arranges the priority of vaccination according to data about the number and severity of chronic diseases along with the age, without any human intervention, Zayed said.

The first week of March will see the beginning of the immunisation programme for citizens who reserved shots on the website, according to Zayed. Reservation is also available at hospitals, not only online.

With the recovery of about 139,000 patients, Egypt has passed the second coronavirus wave that started in late December, ending in late January.

The countrys health authorities have held many debates to settle for safest and most effective vaccines that don't have side effects on the short and long terms.

Chinas Sinopharm was on top of the list. It was the first anti-Covid vaccine Egypt obtained. Then comes Oxford Universitys AstraZeneca, Russias Sputnik V, which was the latest drug approved in Egypt for emergency use this week. Concerning the US Pfizer, the government is in contact with the giant pharmaceutical firm to provide the registration file for the vaccine in Egypt.

Egypt has 400,000 doses in stock. The first batch of 50,000 doses were supplied as a gift by the Emirati government from Sinopharm in December.

A second 50,000 batch was shipped by AstraZeneca in January. A third batch that includes 300,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, which is the biggest to enter Egypt till now, was supplied by the Chinese government as a gift.

Egypt is set to secure 100 million doses to cover 50 million people, according to the health ministers statements on the number of targeted shots, in which 40 million doses will be from the Sinopharm vaccine, 40 million doses from Gavi alliance, and 20 million from AstraZeneca.

Speaking about how many will be inoculated in Egypt until the end of 2021, 65 percent of the population are under 30 years, which means that the number of the population who are older than 30 ranges between 35 to 40 million. Our targeted contracts will cover 50 million persons, according to Zayeds interview with ON E, a privately-owned TV channel.

A timeline

10 December

Egypt was the first African country to receive Sinopharm, developed by Chinas National Pharmaceutical Group. The 50,000 doses shipment arrived at Cairo airport as a gift from the United Arab Emirates, which had been carrying out phase three of clinical trials of the vaccine. The vaccine was previously experimented on about a million people in China in an emergency programme.

2 January

Egypts health ministry held a series of meetings with representatives of US Pfizer company, the regional office of Pfizer in Dubai and Egypt Pfizer in the attendance of representatives from the Scientific Committee to Combat Coronavirus, the Egyptian Drug Authority, the Unified Procurement Authority and the Armed Forces, said Zayed in an interview with MBC, a satellite channel.

24 January

Ahmed Hemdan is the first nurse to be vaccinated on the first day of the medical teams vaccination campaign that started from the isolation hospital of Abu Khalifa in Ismailia governorate in northeastern Egypt.

31 January

Egypt's Unified Procurement Authority (UPA) announced it had received the shipment of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine manufactured in India, as part of a bigger plan set by Egypt to diversify the sources of the anti-Covid vaccine.

The batch, which consists of 50,000 doses, is part of Egypts deal with the Global Vaccine Alliance and Immunisations (GAVI) to cover 20 percent of the total needs of the vaccine, with an amount of 40 million doses.

The drug is developed by India's R-pharma and Serum Institute. An official deal between the UPA and Indian firms was inked on 23 January.

GAVI, an international scheme aiming to ensure equal access to new and under-used vaccines, is expected to grant Egypt a total of 40 million doses of one type of the coronavirus vaccine throughout 2021.

11 February

Zayed announced that Egypt signed a contract with a company she refused to name. The announcement was made during a virtual meeting with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to assess the repercussions of Covid-19 in Africa.

Vaccines are not the final solution to end the pandemic, but more developments will lead to more effective vaccines. Precautionary measures must be adhered to, she said during the meeting.

In September, WHOs delegation of international experts hailed Egypts vaccine maker Vacsera in a visit to assess the quality of production lines.

Amid the growing global demand for vaccines, Egypt aims to export vaccines to neighbouring African countries at affordable prices, according to statements by health authorities reiterating Egypts plans about local manufacturing.

23 February

Zayed's statements came hours after Egypt received a free shipment of 300,000 Sinopharm doses as a gift from Beijing, raising the countrys supply of the Chinese vaccine to 350,000 doses.

China's Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said the shipment is a symbolic gift that expresses China's support for Egypt, adding that "we are returning a favour to Egypt."

Last year, Egypt provided China, the US, Italy, the UK, Lebanon, Jordan, Sudan and 30 African countries with tons of preventive medical items, equipment, and sanitation tools to help deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

Also on 23 February, Zayed said on television that Egypt will receive 8.6 million doses during the first week of March, which is part of a deal between the government and GAVI to receive a batch of doses every three months.

24 February

The Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) announced its approval of the emergency use of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine, making it the third vaccine to be authorised for use in the country.

In September, Russia's Investment Fund (RIF) approved supplying Egypt with 25 million doses of Sputnik via Pharco, which it described as one of the country's leading pharmaceutical groups, Reuters said.

Local reports last year say that Pharco will start manufacturing the Russian vaccine starting April as per a memorandum of understanding between Biogenix Corporation, an affiliate of Pharco Pharmaceutical Group, and the RIF. In mid-January, the Russian embassy expressed its interest in providing Cairo with the technology needed for manufacturing Sputnik.

Short link:


Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In .

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In.
Just under 11,000 visitors secured flights to Australia in December despite 39,000 residents being still stranded overseas during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Passengers who ticked 'visitor' on their entry card accounted for just under a third of the 35,000 arrivals in December, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures have showed.

Of the 10,640 incoming passengers who said they were visiting the country that month, 2,480 travellers were Australian expats living overseas.

Many of them were returning briefly for a Christmas holiday or to see family.

39,000 Australian residents remain stranded overseas because of limited flights and cancellations due to the Covid pandemic

Many people with economy tickets have been frustrated after experiencing airlines continually cancelling their seats to return home

New South Wales took in 5,450 visitors, while Victoria had 1,560.

Figures from DFAT show 39,000 Australians have requested official help to return home and 5,000 of those were vulnerable.

Passengers with business and first class tickets can get back to Australia while many those with economy tickets are left disappointed as airlines continually cancel their seats, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

'The government prioritises facilitated flights where the need is the greatest based on registrations of Australians in vulnerable situations and the availability of commercial flight options,' a Federal government spokesperson said.

He added the government was working to bring Australians home and DFAT had helped more than 41,000 Australian get home since March 2020, including over 15,000 people on 109 special flights.

Just under 3,000 were permanent arrivals - mostly migrants with permanent visas and also Australian citizens born abroad and New Zealanders with the right to live in Australia.

Arriving travellers paid $3,000 for one adult aged over 18 in hotel quarantine, and then $1,000 for each extra adults, plus $500 for children.

A passenger wearing a face shield and mask walks to a hotel quarantine bus after arriving from a Hong Kong to Sydney flight

The states agreed to share the overall costs of quarantining and Victoria agreed to pay NSW $34.3 million to cover the price of quarantining Victorians.

Queensland has refused to pay additional costs until the Federal Government approves a new quarantine facility at Toowoomba.

Meanwhile, Labor's spokesperson for immigration Andrew Giles accused the government of not acting on an earlier expert report into national quarantine.

A passenger arrives at Sydney after an Air New Zealand flight lands at Sydney

We should not be pitting Australian against Australian for the chance to get home during this pandemic,' Mr Giles said.

It's not fair on so many Australian families who have struggled to find the means to secure seats on a flight home.'

'If Scott Morrison had followed Jane Halton's expert advice to establish a safe, equitable and sustainable national quarantine system and kept his promise and gotten the stranded Aussies home by Christmas, we wouldn't be in this mess.'
It's a Barbie world for 70-year-old Mike Richards of Carcur, Wexford who has become a fashion designer in miniature to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society.

Mike, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2019 and is due to undergo a course of radiotherapy in Waterford University Hospital at the beginning of March, has so far dressed 50 Barbie dolls in elaborate hand-made costumes worthy of a Milan catwalk, and is planning to make more.

Mike's partner Noreen Kennedy is a team leader with Wexford Relay for Life and the couple decided they wanted to do something special for this year's fundraising event in the aid of the Cancer Society, after a virtual relay last year.

'Noreen is interested in crafts and the two of us have crafted together for a few years. She was the one who got me into it. I was thinking about what I could do. I put out a call for Barbie dolls on the Wexford Reduce Reuse Recycle Facebook page and started making costumes for them,' he said.

Mike received a large number of unwanted Barbie dolls from people who had them stored in attics and cupboards and most of the dolls have one feature in common - 'nine times out ot ten the hair is in a state so I have to start by combing all the tangles out.'

The outfits are made from fragments of fabric, ribbons, lace and wool with Mike's front room now resembling a dressmaker's workshop filled with 'boxes of bling and ribbons'.

Much of the material for the costumes is also generously donated, with people regularly sending him random pieces of material.

'People have been so kind and so generous and when I've posted photographs of the dolls on Facebook, the comments have been so positive and complimentary. Nobody has ever said: what are you doing, a 70-year-old man sitting down making outfits for dolls?'

'I love doing it. I just love to sit here and make them. I'm retired. I don't go out because of the way things have been with me and you can't have people around. The only thing I do is go shopping.'

'If I need anything in particular - I might be looking for a piece of flowery material - I'll put a post on Facebook and someone will come up with it.

'To tell you the truth, I don't know where I get the ideas for the costumes. They come out of my head as I'm making them. I saw a picture of a Barbie doll and I thought, I could do that. I made the first one and it worked out well so I made another. Each one takes about four and a half hours.'

Mike uses the folded pages of a book to create a cone underlayer for the bottom of the dress before covering it with material and making the top of the outfit.

He is planning to sell the Barbie dolls through the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle website for about 20 each, with the proceeds going to Wexford Relay for Life.

Mike will begin radiotherapy treatment in March, travelling to Waterford Hospital five days a week for 10 weeks. Following his prostate cancer diagnosis in November 2019, he had a tough time last year - '2020 sort of went bottoms up for me and that's one of the reasons I started doing this.' A few years ago, Mike organised a campaign against dog fouling on the Carcur Road, painting slates with messages for pet owners, reminding them to clean up after their animals.
 Flash

Central Europe, which includes countries such as Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, is bracing for the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, topping the world in infection rate and death rate.

As COVID-19 continues dominating the agenda of governments in central Europe, new restrictive measures are introduced to prevent the outbreak from worsening. Governments also called on the public to strictly observe all kinds of orders and fight the epidemic together.

New restrictions

The third wave of COVID-19 has hit Poland, with around 12,000 infections recorded on two consecutive days. Due to the situation, the Polish authorities stressed tighter rules on faces masks, mandating masks in public space starting Saturday, instead of the previously allowed alternatives including scarfs and visors.

"The situation is very difficult outside the Polish border, especially in the South. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the epidemic figures are three-four times higher than in Poland. For this reason, we have decided to impose quarantine on people arriving from those countries," said Polish Health Minister Adam Niedzielski.

Those presenting a negative test result conducted within the preceding 48 hours are exempted from such quarantine measures. Both antigen and PCR tests are valid. Otherwise, the quarantine will be obligatory, according to Niedzielski.

In the Czech Republic, on average, nearly 1,000 new infections occur in every million people per day. Calling the situation "extremely serious," Prime Minister Andrej Babis said the existing anti-epidemic measures must be tightened.

In Austria, the government has imposed two rounds of lockdown to contain the pandemic. The public's patience has worn thin. The economic and social damage has piled up. Under pressure, the government has been treading carefully to relax lockdown in some areas while maintaining restrictions in other.

Meanwhile, it is increasing coronavirus testing, which is free of charge in the country's test centers and pharmacies.

Prolonged lockdown

The Czech government has declared a fresh state of emergency for 30 days until March 28. The Chamber of Deputies also approved a pandemic law, which allows the Ministry of Health and sanitation stations to have more choices in imposing restrictions.

Hungary will maintain the current restrictive measures until March 15. The restrictions include a curfew between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., mandatory wearing of face masks, the closure of theaters, cinemas, and hotels, as well as digital education for secondary and college students. Restaurants are allowed to offer takeaway services only.

"Mass vaccination will provide an opportunity to ease the restrictions. But we are currently in the third wave of the epidemic, so we will extend the measures until March 15," Gergely Gulyas, head of the Prime Minister's office, told a press conference on Thursday.

Vaccination underway

Vaccination against COVID-19 has been underway in the Czech Republic, but the vaccine quantity is not sufficient to meet the demand. Almost 582,000 vaccine doses have been applied so far with roughly 221,000 people having received both shots.

Hungary has already started to administer the Sinopharm vaccine as a third wave of the pandemic looms. As of Thursday, 508,073 people received at least one shot of the vaccine, while 211,073 had two jabs, according to official figures.

When asked whether Poland is looking for vaccines apart from those approved by the European Union (EU), Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said that Poland wants EU-approved vaccines only.

"The main criterion for us is the safety of patients. That is why we only consider vaccines admitted by the European Medicines Agency," Niedzielski said,

During a video summit of leaders of the EU member states, held on Thursday and Friday, Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic asked other member states to lend vaccines and send health workers to his country. He also thanked countries that have shown solidarity with Slovakia.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
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.
Chinese Christian woman persecuted for faith reveals why time in prison was 'wonderful'

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

When Voice of the Martyrs Todd Nettleton traveled to China in 2002 to interview Sister Tong, a Chinese Christian who was sentenced to six months in one of the countrys notorious prisons because of her faith, he wasnt prepared for her response.

Oh yes, that was a wonderful time, she told him.

Baffled, Nettleton asked Sister Tong to explain. Was she not imprisoned for six months because she hosted a church  an illegal religious gathering under Chinese law  in her home? Were government officials not trying to re-educate her, forcing her to become less Christian and more Chinese?

I'm thinking shes going to paint a picture for us of how miserable her life was in prison. How hard the bed was, how cold the cell was, how big the rats were, Nettleton told The Christian Post. But instead, she looked at me with this heavenly smile."

Sister Tong shared how, during her time in prison, God was right there with her, every step of the way.

"He felt so near to me during that time," she said.

She was also able to start a womens ministry in prison, sharing Christ with those who had never heard His name.

So, yes, it was an absolutely wonderful time, Sister Tong said.

As a relatively new member of the VOM team, Nettleton said he was blown away.

I couldnt imagine myself being in prison and thinking it was a wonderful time, he said. Sister Tong changed my perspective on how I view persecution. What if we all had the attitude, when we faced difficulties like unemployment or sickness, that Jesus was giving us an opportunity to minister and witness to others?

Stories like Sister Tongs, compiled over 23 years of ministry with VOM, inspired Nettleton to write his latest book,When Faith is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians.

In it, he shares stories of Christians from around the world who took a stand for their faith  even when it meant severe persecution. From India to Turkey, Nettleton gives a voice to the voiceless and challenges his readers to boldly follow Christ, whatever the cost. One hundred percent of the royalties from the book will go toward providing help to persecuted Christians.

The premise of the book is, why don't you come with me, Christian reader, and take a trip for 40 days. Lets sit down with these brothers and sisters, hear their stories, and drink tea. Lets meet these amazing followers of Jesus Christ," he said. "Because I think, by the end of the journey, the reader is going to be challenged and inspired and think about their faith differently after meeting brothers and sisters who are willing to give their lives for Christ.

The common thread hes seen among persecuted Christians around the world, Nettleton said, is that they all counted the cost of their faith ahead of time. Jesus said, In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world, Nettleton said, adding: Thats the message our brothers and sisters in hostile and restricted nations understand from the very first moment that they follow Christ.

But in the West, Christians are told that once they follow Jesus, their life will get better, he explained. So they arent prepared when trials or oppositions come.

The Gospel message that's presented in hostile and restricted nations is a very different Gospel message than we hear in the West, he said. It is, 'if you come to Jesus, your life here on Earth is probably going to get worse. Your family might reject you, you might get thrown in prison, you might get beaten up. But Jesus will be with you. And you have the promise of eternity with Christ.'

Still, over the last two decades, Nettleton told CP that hes been encouraged by how many Christians in the West are increasingly aware of the state of Christian persecution around the world.

The scriptural mandate is that, when one part of the body suffers, we are all supposed to feel that pain, he said. We can't do that unless we have an understanding of what's happening around the world. We can't do that unless we start to know the names and the faces and the places where our brothers and sisters are suffering. I think that awareness has increased. I hope that sense of being part of the Body of Christ and being connected has also increased as well."

He predicted that though persecution is likely going to increase  particularly in countries like China, India, North Korea, and in the Middle East  it also means that the Gospel is spreading.

As we see persecution increase, the other side of the coin that we need to recognize is the Church is growing. That's part of the reason persecution is increasing. So as we look to the future, I think we will see more persecution, but we will also see the Church grow. Christ promises the gates of Hell will not prevail against my Church.

When it comes to coming alongside persecuted Christians, Nettleton advised believers in the West to do three things: Pray, educate yourself, and then say 'yes to whatever God calls you to do in response.

The first thing they ask for is prayer, he said. We need to educate ourselves so we can pray effectively using their names, the names of their families, and addressing the particular challenges theyre facing.

As youre praying, as you're educating yourself and learning more about our brothers and sisters who face persecution, I think God will say, OK, this is what I want you to do, whether it's writing to imprisoned Christians or advocating on their behalf. And then it's up to us to be obedient to what God is asking us to do.
still such an incredible episode of tv despite everything. i havent seen it in years but think of it often

Reply

Thread

Link

The "Mom...Mom...Mommy?" that Buffy does always destroyed me, and I feel a bit weepy even just remembering it. Not going to watch the clip because I don't need to cry today!!!!

Reply

Thread

Link

Oh my god the episode before that where the end was just seeing Joyce on the couch. I'm getting goosebumps typing this... Oh and tomorrow is the tenth anniversary of my dad's death? Hot shit, I'm exiting this post now lol byeeee

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Sending you love bb <3 <3 <3

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

ugh Willow & Tara

Reply

Thread

Link

it is an amazing episode but everything about Buffy is weird to me now.

Reply

Thread

Link

same. i was rewatching it when the news broke and kept watching for a few days, and now the whole thing just feels gross

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

My dislike of Willow prevented me from really getting into Willow/Tara but I loved seeing the lgbt representation.

Reply

Thread

Link

Tara deserved better than Willow.



Not only was she a terrible partner, she moved on right after Tara died. Id haunt my partner if they did that. I know everyone moves on at different rates, but damn... it was a matter of months.

Reply

Thread

Link

I came here just to say this!

I never forgave Willow for using spells to mess with Tara's memory.



Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

the show definitely glossed over how abusive that was, too. I stopped liking Willow at that point.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Oz should have come back and helped out with the final show down and they just became good friends or something. Willow shouldn't have had a romance in season seven after almost ending the world over Tara's death in season six. It made no sense.



Edited at 2021-02-27 11:09 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

it was like 9 months after tara died when she met kennedy which makes sense to me, if you apply the whole "the world is probably ending for real this time and i just went through magic rehab and why not try it," thing that was happening in s7.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Justice for Tara.

Reply

Thread

Link

I liked Tara and Willow at first, but jfc, Willow was so entitled and had no boundaries. She messed with Tara's memories after they got into a fight and I think she also tried to do the same thing to Oz after he found out she cheated on him. Her behavior in the later seasons was straight up inexcusable and her "redemption" was basically spending a few months in England. idgaf that she murdered Warren's POS ass, but she tried to kill Buffy and almost ended the world.



Edited at 2021-02-27 10:01 pm (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link

She also tried to fuck with Xanders mind when she was cheating with him. Willow was an abusive partner to nearly every one she was with, Kennedy excluded.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Yeah. She's the typical character who's bullied and later becomes the bully. The problem is that the show never fully calls out Willow's terrible behavior or has her face any type of consequences, and still wants us to see her as the sweet, innocent Willow from s1.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I dont remember her messing with oz's mind! can you remind me how that played out?

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Poor Buffy. Her best friends sucked.

Reply

Thread

Link

She deserved much better friends.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

They were so unreasonable! I did a rewatch last year and couldn't get over how terribly they treated her all the time.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

That episode ruined them for me irreparably.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

they were so bad and just kept getting worse and i hated everyone but buffy by the finale

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

incredible episode that i think i can only watch once in my life, thank you.

Reply

Thread

Link

I know Buffy was kinda big back then but I never watched it, is it worth it? Is the show actually good? Or just nostalgia?

Reply

Thread

Link

It still is a good show, but aspects of it definitely have not aged well. IF you do watch it, keep in mind that season 1 is SUPER campy but the show hits its stride in season 2.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Agreed. The last ep of season 1 is when it really begins to move forward imo

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link





[ spoiler but not really since its written by OP in the post ]

when buffys mom dies she has to 360 her whole life, from finding work with no real education/skills yet, struggling with paper work, how to deal with stuff breaking in the house, bank stuff to keep the house, budgets and more. basically real things that a teen/young adult would have problems with after the sudden death of their provider. while in other shows, when parents die (vampire diaries im looking at you) the kids somehow just coast by with no money worries, no cps involvement etc. thats just an example of how the show handles many of the more real scenarios throughout buffy and her friends' lives.





its silly until it isnt, which makes it a good show imo. its good, but obviously take it for what it is (a teen show about vampires lol). It's campy and silly at times, has some plots here and there that wouldnt pass today, but also does a good job at navigating 'real life stuff'. i.e:its silly until it isnt, which makes it a good show imo.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Tara and Buffy is legitimately the only relationship from this show that I still really love. I wish they'd had the chance to interact more because Buffy needed a mom!friend who genuinely cared about her day to day well being.

Reply

Thread

Link

buffy and tara's friendship was lovely tbh

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I liked high school Willow but once she went to college she became really insufferable. I loved Tara. She deserved so much better.

Reply

Thread

Link

The Body is such a powerful episode. I've only seen it once and cried my way through most of it. SMG's performance in it is astounding.



Tara deserved much better than Willow.

Reply

Thread

Link

Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, which organizes the CPAC convention, at the convention in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 28, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Conservatives Can Succeed in Fighting Cancel Culture: Chairman of Conservative Union

The quickly growing conservative movement supported by about half of the countrys population can succeed in fighting against cancel culture and other socialist radical policies, Matt Schlapp, Chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU) said Thursday on the eve of CPAC 2021.

Schlapps organization co-founded the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world. This years editions theme is America Uncanceled.

Conservative voices often get silenced by big social media platforms. Today, peoples political comments may be flagged by social media as too extreme, people could be labeled domestic terrorists or be silenced for their political opinions, Schlapp said in an interview on Epoch Times Crossroads program.

Schlapp compared this situation to the French Revolution where there was no right side and wrong side. Those, who were against the people in power during that time, could have their heads cut off, Schlapp said.

Even people who have progressive views can be silenced like journalist Glenn Greenwald, who expressed his views about the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic and had different opinions on some issues than socialists, Schlapp said.

Greenwald, who himself upholds a lot of progressive ideas, had to leave the media platform he established, because he didnt take down the line socialist positions on everything, Schlapp added.

Social media companies are private entities that make their own choices, Schlapp said. For example, at prior CPAC editions, Twitter used to promote its services as a platform for everybody to express their political views, Schlapp said, and it convinced CPAC followers to use its platform.

However, a couple of years later, when it got big and powerful, it attacked those who believe in America and the Constitution, like former President Donald Trump and other conservatives, Schlapp said.

Theres some kind of a fraudulent approach to their business when they tell everyone, theyre going to operate one way, and then theyre actually operating another way,  Schlapp said adding that theyre treating different customers disparately, depending on their political views.

Had Twitter explained at the very beginning that it would have denied free voices and the ability to monetize no conservatives would have used its platform, Schlapp said.

Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Most U.S. corporations do not donate PAC (political action committee) money to Republicans who question the results of the 2020 election but rather fund the socialist movement in America that believes [corporations] should be nationalized,  pay confiscatory taxes, and be regulated, Schlapp said.

Half of the people in the country suspect that there were some shady dealings related to the election but because people are silenced when raising questions about it nobody knows how big and how grand it was, Schlapp said.

He encourages people to raise questions about the election and talk more about it. If there is no taboo to expressing political views people can find some ways to work together.

Many people question the election because it was the first time where 50 percent of voters voted by mail which created a lot of problems.

Schlapp believes that people will wake up from this nightmare and say, enough is enough.

If they dont, were just going to keep fighting because I think half the country is with us, Schlapp said.

Republican Party vs Conservative Movement

The Conservative Political Action Conference logo in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The Conservative movement is quickly growing so does ACU, Schlapp said, as half of the American population is alarmed by what happened with the election and the socialist radical policies aggressively embraced by the Democratic Party.

This is time to fight.  [The fight] is winnable, but its going to be tough, and were going to need everybody out there to fight, Schlapp said.

Schlapp considers his organization a conservative movement, not a political party but he believes that the conservative movement itself is the biggest part of the Republican Party.

We are the heart and soul of the Republican Party. When the Republican Party fails to remember that, the Republican Party fails, Schlapp said.

Former President Donald Trump is expected to speak at the CPAC and a lot of Republicans are alarmed the Trump will get involved in primaries, Schlapp said. He advised moderate establishment Republicans not to indict the MAGA movement but to embrace it.

They do not have to agree with Trump on everything he says or does but should give him a lot of credit because he fought for the things that they only talked about, Schlapp concluded.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 20:57:31|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

The return capsule of China's Chang'e-5 probe lands in Siziwang Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on Dec. 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Science and Technology unveiled the selected top 10 domestic scientific advances of 2020 Saturday.

Chinese scientists' remarkable progress in tackling COVID-19, the Chang'e-5 probe's retrieval of lunar samples, and the deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe's diving record topped the list.

Other advances include research on the transmission of human genetic materials, transparent ferroelectric single crystals with ultrahigh piezoelectricity, quantum interference in chemical reactions, as well as biomarkers and potential intervention targets for organ aging in mammals.

Chinese scientists' efforts in measuring the new height of Mount Qomolangma, revealing the evolution and migration history of Chinese populations with ancient DNA, and recreating the history of over 300 million years of biodiversity changes on Earth, are also listed. 
Richard Brady spent a month battling Covid-19 in ICU at Wexford General Hospital before he passed away last year during the first wave of the pandemic.

His wife Margaret, the woman he met and fell in love with in the late 1980s, said that the grieving process has been difficult and that she misses Richard every day.

'I find it very hard to accept that Richard died from this. I find it very hard that I didn't get to see him much after he went off in the ambulance a week before Easter Sunday,' said Margaret, who also contracted the virus in March of last year, from her home in Riverchapel.

'I find it hard that we had no proper closure. I really felt it was just a horrible way for anyone to go, without their family seeing them.

'Richard was one of those people that never socialised, he was so quiet and good humoured, he never offended anybody. We never stop talking about him or thinking about him, we're all broken hearted.

'I know we're all going to go sometime but a few months before that, his brother's wife died and we all got to go to the funeral. We were all there for her the whole time she was sick, but for Richard, we had none of that and even now we still haven't seen family or friends. I've family in Cork and Kildare and I haven't seen them. I still haven't been able to have a Mass in the church and that hurt me'.

Expand Close The late Richard Brady / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The late Richard Brady

Margaret explained that herself and Richard had different symptoms of the virus when they both contracted it in March 2020.

'I had a sore throat, a headache and awful forgetfulness and I didn't even know I had it until after Richard was tested and went to hospital in the ambulance. I thought it was just a flu or cold I had and, as it was very early into the pandemic in March, even though I had it, I didn't think it was Covid.

'We had locked down and we hadn't been anywhere, Richard had just gone to the shops, for his walks and home again. When I had it I was a bit confused with it, so I wasn't even really aware that Richard was sick. He told me that it hurt to touch his skin, but that was all he said.'

Margaret, who is in her 60s, explained that she has suffered with long-Covid symptoms since recovering from the virus.

'It has been mild compared to some people but I do have fatigue. I was always on the go but now when I'm in great form and get up to do something, as soon as I start I have to sit down as get tired very easily.

'Anybody that I know now does take Covid seriously but when I see people in the news or in the papers, the people who think it isn't real or don't believe in masks, it's very upsetting. I wonder is there just something wrong with them as I'd love to get a hold of them and show them. I can't understand it but these are obviously people that have had nobody who was sick with it like we had.

'I am annoyed with people who just couldn't give a damn, it's very hurtful, it really is. When you hear of these people with their parties, it's just not fair and there are people still taking chances. It's not that I wanted to have hundreds at the funeral, I just wanted to have people there who I felt were entitled to be there, as I have five children and nine grandchildren'.

Richard's grandchildren were his pride and joy.

'He was great with the grandchildren and he had a great time with them. If you ever wanted a babysitter, he was the man and every time we'd go on holidays with our children, he'd be minding their kids. He worked hard all his life for An Post in the GPO. One of our grandchildren lives just down the road from us in Riverchapel and Richard would collect her every day from school and do her homework with her and she still does her homework here.

'When I miss him most is when I wake up and go down and have breakfast on my own. That was the one time in the day that we'd always be together as one of us would be running here, there and everywhere. He loved to go into the shops as he was always looking for a bargain.

'I miss just having the banter with him. We had great times laughing and joking together and like every couple we had our arguments as well but it was always something that would just blow over'.

Margaret said that when Richard left in the ambulance at the start of April last year, she was nervous that he would pick up Covid at the hospital, not realising that they had already contracted the virus.

'We thought he'd recover,' Margaret said.

'He was in ICU for a month and he was always critical so I had it at the back of my head that he might not make it, but about a week after he went in, we were asked to come in as they thought he was going to pass that night. I was told that because I was positive so I couldn't go in.

'My daughter came down from Dublin and went in but even she found it hard as everything was in shut down and it was Easter Sunday night. We had to stay where we were in isolation, but my daughter from Dublin was allowed in.

'Richard held on then and we thought he might pull through. They said though that every time they tried to reduce the ventilation, he wouldn't have held on to go on further.

'We saw him the day he died. Because the ICU in Wexford General was empty, we were allowed in so I was with him when he died. As soon as he passed, the nurses wanted to clean up and I asked if a photo could go with him or we could give him his clothes, but we were told that because it was Covid, nothing could go with him.

'He was just wrapped up and it must be just awful for everybody who goes through that but now, people know that this is what is to be expected and they have heard other peoples' stories but at the time, I certainty didn't'.

Margaret looks forward to getting back to normal and having a proper celebration for Richard as soon as possible.

'He wasn't a religious man but we will have a Mass said for him, just for closure. We need to get back to the way things were years ago and although it'll never be the same for me, as I'm without my husband, I would like to get back to a bit of normality.

'Getting to see friends and family is what I look forward to, as the grief gets to you being left alone. I thought the vaccines should start from the younger people up, as I felt why not give it to those who are waiting to live and not the other way around? If children and upwards got it, they could go back to school and we'd get back to normal'.
Joshua Besaw, a Connecticut man who last year pleaded guilty to kidnapping a 12-year-old girl in Webster and sexually assaulting her, is scheduled to be sentenced Monday.

On May 31, 2019, Besaw approached the girl at a park in Webster and tricked her into getting into his car. He identified himself as Chuck and drove the girl to a wooded area in Thompson, Connecticut, where he sexually assaulted her, authorities said.

Last year, Besaw pleaded guilty in federal court in Hartford. On Monday, he is slated to be sentenced.

After Besaw kidnapped and assaulted the girl, he took her to a neighborhood she didnt know in Dudley, Massachusetts, and refused to give back her phone before driving off, authorities said. The girl borrowed a phone from a stranger to call her parents. They reported the assault to police and a sexual assault examination was performed at a medical facility.

Police started to search for the suspect.

Words are insufficient to describe the trauma Besaw inflicted on the minor and her family. This trauma was exacerbated by his ability to avoid detection for 47 days  leaving the victim, her family, and the community in fear that he might return, federal court documents read. Besaw further compounded the trauma by disparaging the victim and minimizing his own conduct, before and after he pled guilty, in a disgraceful attempt to cast himself as the person who was wronged.

Surveillance video from residences and businesses in Connecticut and Massachusetts were used to identify Besaw as the suspect, authorities said.

Investigators conducting surveillance saw Besaw discard cigarette butts. Those butts were collected to see if DNA matched evidence collected from the victim during the sexual assault examination.

On July 16, 2019, the Crime Lab issued its conclusion that Besaws DNA profile matched the DNA collected from the [victim] with an expected frequency of occurrence of this profile is approximately 1 in 610.5 octillion unrelated individuals, court documents read.

During the incident, the girl fought back against Besaw, authorities said.

Shes a strong little girl, Webster Police Chief Michael Shaw said in 2019 after Besaws arrest. Shes a hero in my eyes.

Related Content:
RTHK: US House passes $1.9 trillion Covid relief plan

The US House passed an enormous $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package early Saturday, hailed by Democrats as a critical step in funneling new funding toward vaccinations, overburdened local governments, and millions of families devastated by the pandemic.

Four days after the Covid-19 death toll surpassed 500,000 in the United States, the sprawling measure backed by President Joe Biden and described by Democrats as a moral imperative now heads to the Senate for consideration next week.

The bill, which cleared the House on a party-line vote of 219 to 212, includes a provision to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, but due to a Senate ruling the language will be stripped out of the final version. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The Niger State government has announced the release of 38 people abducted from the Government Science College, Kagara in Rafi local government area of the state.

The figure is lower than the 42 persons reported to have been kidnapped from the school last week.

Before their release, the government stated that 27 students, three staff and 12 members of their families were abducted by bandits who attacked the school from Tuesday evening until Wednesday morning.

The state authorities had also released 27 names of the students missing.

New figure

But in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sani Bello, Mary Noel Berje, the government stated that only 24 students, six staff and eight staff relatives were rescued.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported the release of the victims earlier on Saturday.

The governors spokesperson added that one of the abductees was hospitalised due to exhaustion.

Mrs Noel-Berje said Governor Bello received the abductees at the Government House in Minna, the state capital.

Addressing the kidnapped victims in a solemn mood, Governor Sani Bello thanked Allah for their safe return, and enjoined them to see their experience as one of the lessons of life and should not be discouraged in their educational pursuit.

The governor said beyond the release, the state government will put up a system to look at the root causes of kidnapping with the view to finding solutions.

According to the spokesperson, the released victims arrived Minna earlier in the morning and were taken to a government-owned facility for clean-up and medical examinations due to the state of their physical appearances.

She said the victims will remain under medical examinations for a few days before they will be reunited with their families.

Disparity

Asked to explain the disparity in figures, Mrs Noel-Berje did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES enquiries.

But an official in the state house who does not want his name mentioned as he is not authorised to speak, said the figures were muddled up because of the tension.

In fact, we asked the students and everyone and they said only 38 people were abducted. We also confirmed it ourselves, the source said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ransom?

While Mr Bello insisted he would not pay ransom for the release of the schoolboys last week, he did not mention anything about it on Saturday.

Rather, he said the release was a joint effort between the state government, security agents and traditional leaders as well as other relevant stakeholders.

The governor, said during the attack, the gunmen killed one student, Benjamin Habila, in the school before abducting his colleagues.

Buhari welcomes release

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed the release of the abducted students in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

The president applauded the efforts of the Niger State Government and the nations security and intelligence agencies for their efforts in securing the release. He also sympathised with the kidnapped victims and their family members.

We are happy they have been released, President Buhari said.

Kidnapping for ransom has become rampant in many parts of Nigeria.

A report published in May by SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence said between 2011 and 2020, Nigerians paid at least $18.34 million (7 billion) as ransom to kidnappers.

In Niger and many other states in North-central and North-west Nigeria, armed bandits kill and kidnap at will despite the efforts of security agencies.
Georgian opposition and civil rights activists have set up nearly a dozen tents in front of the parliament building in the capital, Tbilisi.

Activists spent the night in the tents following street demonstrations in Tbilisi on February 26 to protest a police raid on the headquarters of an opposition party and the arrest of its leader.

Thousands of people, waving Georgian and NATO flags and carrying signs, rallied outside the Georgian parliament building to call for new snap parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners.

Opposition supporters erected 11 tents in front of the parliament and vowed to continue protests until their demands are met.

Zaal Udumashvili, a leader of the United National Movement (ENM), told reporters on February 27 that the tents were part of our fight against the regime.

Police have not dispersed the activists but have warned them not to set up tents in Rustaveli Avenue, the citys main thoroughfare.

The protest was sparked by the February 23 police raid at the ENM headquarters in Tbilisi. Nika Melia, the leader of the movement, as well as several activists were arrested.

More than a dozen people were injured during the raid as police sprayed what appeared to be chemical irritants into the offices where party leaders -- as well as representatives of other opposition parties -- had been shielding Melia for several days.

Police accuse Melia of inciting violence at anti-government protests during the summer of 2019. Melia has dismissed the charges against him as politically motivated.

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (Democrat-New Jersey), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, joined counterparts from Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, and the Czech Republic in expressing concerns about destabilizing and antidemocratic actions in Georgia.

International rights group Amnesty International called the heavy use of force to take Melia into custody before a court has heard his appeal against pretrial detention a troubling indicator.

Georgia, a former Soviet Republic, is a close U.S. ally and has aspirations of joining NATO and the European Union, although membership in either organization is not imminent.

With reporting by Interfax
Long before the lockout laws or COVID-19, Oxford Street was written off as a failure. A 2008 story in this publication quoted a report for the City of Sydney which said the precinct had lost its mojo, as well as a business lobby group which described the strip as a butt crack between two cheeks.

Fast forward 13 years and the booze-fuelled violence has pretty much dried up. But the vacant shops, dilapidated appearance and general malaise remain.

Perhaps, however, Oxford Streets time has come. Owners and developers are investing hundreds of millions of dollars with big plans to install boutique hotels, gentrified pubs and creative spaces, as the council embarks on a review of planning laws in anticipation of a massive new creative and cultural precinct.

An artists impression contained in a development application lodged with the City of Sydney by developer TOGA.

In 2019, the City of Sydney council leased three blocks on the northern side of the strip, between Taylor Square and Riley Street, to investment group AsheMorgan for 99 years.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden toured the Houston Food Bank Friday, meeting with volunteers and helping pack boxes of food in the wake of last weeks winter storm.

The Bidens stopped by the food bank as part of a day-long trip to Houston, where residents are recovering from a food shortage after the storm disrupted supply chains and power outages spoiled refrigerated food. Even before the storm, food banks around Texas had begun seeing food shortages after the state Department of Agriculture slashed funding for a program that sends farmers surplus produce to food banks and charities.

Jill Biden arrived at the food bank shortly before the president and was joined by Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott as she placed canned peaches into bags for the Backpack Buddy program, which distributes food on weekends to students who rely on school meals during the week. The first ladies also helped pack food for a federally funded program that distributes boxes of food to low-income seniors.

Katherine Byers, the Houston Food Banks government relations director, said officials are hoping the Bidens visit will lead to an uptick in donations, as was the case after U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, stopped by the food bank last weekend.

Byers said she also hopes the visit signals Bidens presidency will bring increased funding for the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, and an extension of the age limit for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC. The program provides food to low-income women, infants and children up to age 5, at which point food advocates say kids can fall into a nutrition gap if they have not yet begun school and started receiving school lunch meals.

There are a lot of working families out there who really are struggling, and the donations help, but there's no way we can better people's lives in the long term by just putting a box of food in front of them, Byers said. We want to be able to do that to meet their needs in the short term. But in the long term, we need to see investments in SNAP, we need to see changes in WIC so we're bridging that 5-to-6-year-old gap.

Food bank officials also are pushing for the Texas Legislature to reverse Agriculture Commissioner Sid Millers move to cut funding by more than 40 percent for the Surplus Agricultural Products Grant program as part of the interim agency budget cuts ordered by Gov. Greg Abbott due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant pays farmers for fresh produce that would go to waste but instead is delivered to food banks. Houston Food Bank officials say they are losing 4 million pounds of produce due to the cuts, compounding their separate shortage of nonperishable food.

We really have faced a major dip in supply, mostly in terms of dry, shelf-stable things, Byers said. It has an impact on our ability to provide healthy nutrition to families and it has a negative impact on our ability to just maintain our supply, because produce can take the place  at least in terms of poundage  of the dry products.

State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, proposed reverting to full funding for the grant program when she laid out the Texas Senates base budget last month.

As President Biden toured the food bank Friday, he at one point stopped to give a pep talk to a young girl who was sorting food into bins with her mom and brother, whom Biden had greeted moments earlier.

My sister has all brothers  me and my two other brothers, Biden told the young girl. She's my best friend in my whole life. My best friend, really. She's smarter than I am, better looking than I am."

The girl hugged Biden then ran over to hug her brother.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
Seguin, Texas (78155)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Heavy downpours are possible. Low 69F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Heavy downpours are possible. Low 69F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
Police in British Columbia, Canada are searching for the head of Queen Elizabeth II after a statue of the monarch was decapitated by vandals.

'Investigators are asking for those with information to come forward after the Queen Elizabeth II statue in Beacon Hill Park was 'beheaded' in an act of vandalism,' police in Victoria said in a statement. 'The head has not been recovered.'

The statue, a version of a bust first erected in 1960, was vandalized overnight on Tuesday, at roughly the same time the city's nearby bylaw offices were targeted with graffiti reading 'Support Beacon Hill', 'Stop Lying' and 'FU Pig'.

Tensions have been increasing in Victoria after a massive homeless encampment sprung up in Beacon Hill Park when the pandemic shut down the city's shelters.

Police in British Columbia, Canada are searching for the head of Queen Elizabeth II after a statue of the monarch was decapitated by vandals

The bronze bust has stood in Beacon Hill Park since 1962, when it replaced a concrete version that was defaced and ultimately also beheaded

In recent days, there have been a number of attacks in and near the park on bylaw officers, who are tasked with municipal code enforcement.

On Tuesday, a man allegedly smashed a sledgehammer into the front windshield of a City of Victoria bylaw truck before fleeing into the park, according to the National Post.

Last week, a shovel-wielding man needed to be arrested at gunpoint after he threatened passing bylaw officers at another Victoria park.

The attacks may stem from disputes over tent structures erected by homeless campers in Beacon Hill Park.

A resident of the encampment who identified himself as Richard claimed credit for the sledgehammer attack, telling CHEK-DT that city workers were removing his tent and belongings when he snapped.

Tensions have been increasing in Victoria after a massive homeless encampment sprung up in Beacon Hill Park when the pandemic shut down the city's shelters

The defaced bust of Queen Elizabeth is a version of a statue first erected in Victoria's City Hall in 1960, one of Canada's first statues honoring the Queen following her 1953 coronation.

The initial concrete version of the bust was stolen from City Hall in a brazen heist by university students, but recovered without incident.

After it was installed in Beacon Hill Park, the concrete statue suffered a number of attacks with chisels, before the head was removed and thrown into the city's harbor.

The bronze replacement was installed in 1962 and proved more resilient. On a visit in 1994 for the Victoria Commonwealth Games, the Queen herself even formally unveiled the bronze statue, which was the version beheaded this week.

After the repeated vandalism to her work in the 1960s, sculptor Peggy Walton Packard never accepted another public art commission.

''It was awful. It seemed the university students were attacking the Queen and indirectly attacking me, too,' Walton said prior to her death in 2010, at the age of 95.
More than a month into President Joe Bidens term, nominees to fill some of the top posts at the Department of Health and Human Services are finally getting confirmation hearings in the Senate, starting with the nominee for secretary, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Barring something unexpected, it appears that Becerra, along with the surgeon general nominee, Vivek Murthy, and the nominee for assistant secretary for health, Rachel Levine, will all be confirmed, despite criticisms raised by some Republicans.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case challenging the Trump administration's rules for the federal family planning program that effectively evicted Planned Parenthood from participation. And the Biden administration asked the court to cancel oral arguments scheduled for late March about work requirements approved by the Trump administration for adult Medicaid recipients in some states.

This week's panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Tami Luhby of CNN.

Among the takeaways from this week's podcast:

Republican complaints that Becerra may not be qualified for the job of HHS secretary because he's not a medical doctor were surprising to many. Since HHS was separated from the Department of Education, there have been 12 secretaries and only three have been physicians.

Democrats seem confident that Becerra weathered Republican criticism about his qualifications and his support for reproductive rights and that he will be confirmed.

The Republican arguments about Becerra's positions on abortion may signal a shift away from the GOP's emphasis on repealing the Affordable Care Act and back to traditional issues that galvanize conservative voters.

The people Biden has chosen to work on health policy by and large have strong backgrounds in management and many were in the Obama administration working on the implementation of the ACA. They are likely coming in with a mission to make changes and do so quickly.

The Biden administration is expected to seek to reverse the Title X rule at issue in a case just accepted by the Supreme Court before the justices hear the matter. But even if the administration can do that, conservatives may still ask the court to proceed.

The covid relief bill moving through Congress includes several measures that would make health insurance plans sold on the ACA marketplace more affordable, but those changes would last only two years. ACA advocates reason it would be hard, however, for future lawmakers to take those benefits away.

Also this week, Rovner interviews HuffPost's Jonathan Cohn, whose new book, "The Ten Year War: Obamacare and the Unfinished Crusade for Universal Coverage," is out this week.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read too:

Julie Rovner: The Washington Post's "The Joy of Vax: The People Giving the Shots Are Seeing Hope, and It's Contagious," by Maura Judkis

Margot Sanger-Katz: Covid19-projections.com's "Path to Normality: 2021 Outlook of COVID-19 in the US," by Youyang Gu

Tami Luhby: The Guardian and KHN's "'It Doesn't Feel Worth It': Covid Is Pushing New York's EMTs to the Brink," by Martha Pskowski

Alice Miranda Ollstein: KHN's "Covid Vaccine Websites Violate Disability Laws, Create Inequity for the Blind," by Lauren Weber and Hannah Recht
Advertisement

Police in Myanmar fired tear gas and rubber bullets to scatter protesters gathered to oppose a military coup in the fourth weekend of demonstrations.

Terrified pro-democracy activists were seen sprinting away from riot police as gas canisters fizzed around them and rubber bullet flew through the streets of Rangoon on Saturday.

Myanmar has been shaken by a wave of violence since the military junta ousted the country's Oxford-educated leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1.

Riot police have gradually ramped up their use of force to suppress dissent, including ferocious beatings with batons and water cannon to knock protesters to the floor.

Live rounds have also been deployed, including last weekend when a 19-year-old woman was shot in the head after travelling to the capital from her village.

An ambulance stands by on the streets of Rangoon this morning as terrified protesters sprint away from tear gas fired at them by riot police

A demonstrator in handcuffs is led away by riot police in the Myanmar capital on Saturday as the country entered its fourth weekend of protests

A woman runs away as a heavy in the background aims a firearm at the crowd. Myanmar has been shaken by a wave of violence since the military junta ousted the country's Oxford-educated leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1.

Protesters break ranks as riot police move in with force on Saturday. Riot police have gradually ramped up their use of force to suppress dissent, including ferocious beatings with batons and water cannon to knock protesters to the floor.

Protesters set up a barricade with wood pallets and dust bins but were driven back by riot police firing rubber bullets and tear gas

Demonstrators are seen setting up a barricade today shortly before they were driven back

In Myanmar's biggest city Rangoon on Saturday, police used rubber bullets to disperse a demonstration at Myaynigone junction, the site of an hours-long standoff the day before.

'What are the police doing? They are protecting a crazy dictator,' the protesters chanted as they were chased away by the police.

Hundreds of ethnic Mon protesters had gathered there to commemorate Mon National Day, joined by other ethnic minority groups to protest against the coup.

They scattered into smaller residential streets and started building makeshift barricades out of barbed wire and tables to stop the police. Many wore hard hats and gas masks, wielding homemade shields for protection.

At least 15 people were arrested, a police official confirmed.

Local reporters broadcast the chaotic scenes live on Facebook, including the moments when the shots rang out, which AFP reporters on the ground also witnessed.

'We will try to find another way to protest - of course, we are afraid of their crackdown,' said protester Moe Moe, 23, who used a pseudonym.

'We want to fight until we win.'

Three journalists were among those detained - an Associated Press photographer, a video journalist from Myanmar Now, and a photographer from the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency.

The crackdown in Yangon came after Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations broke ranks and made an emotional plea Friday to the international community.

'We need... the strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people, and to restore the democracy,' Kyaw Moe Tun pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion.

Briefly speaking in Burmese, he pleaded with his 'brothers and sisters' to keep fighting to end military rule.

A bank of riot police stand ready to meet the protesters with their shields as one of their number launches tear gas grenades at the crowd

A demonstrator places his bicycle in front of riot police during a protest against the military coup

Police charge to disperse protesters taking part in a demonstration against the military coup in Rangoon

2 Barricades made by demonstrators are seen engulfed in tear gas fired by riot police during a protest against the military coup at Sanchaung township in the capital

'This revolution must win,' he said, flashing at the end the three-finger salute that has become a symbol of resistance against the junta.

His pro-democracy appeal broke from the current rulers of Myanmar - an extremely rare occurrence for a UN representative - and was met with applause in the chamber.

The junta has repeatedly justified its seizure of power by alleging widespread electoral fraud in the November elections, which Suu Kyi's party had won in a landslide, and promised fresh polls in a year.

Army chief General Min Aung Hlaing now holds legislative, executive and judicial powers in Myanmar - effectively halting the country's 10-year experiment with democracy.

A protester holds his head in his hands as tear gas fills the air for the fourth weekend in a row in Myanmar

Police form up at a junction as protesters demonstrate against the military coup in Dawei, Myanmar

A demonstrator is led away by three riot police on Saturday as officers broke up the demonstrations in Rangoon

Arrests are made in Rangoon today as riot police bundle demonstrators into the back of waiting vans as they disperse the crowds

Protesters carrying flags demonstrate against the military coup in Rangoon, Myanmar

People run as police in riot gear disperse protesters demonstrating against the military coup in Rangoon

Suu Kyi, who has not been publicly seen since she was detained, is now facing two charges for having unregistered walkie-talkies in her residence and breaking coronavirus rules.

While the Nobel laureate is expected to have a hearing on Monday, her lawyer has still not been able to make contact with her.

More than 770 people have been arrested, charged and sentenced since the February 1 putsch, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group, with some 680 still behind bars.

But protests have continued apace across Myanmar, from the remote mountain ranges of northern Chin state to the southern coastal city Dawei.

The White House on Friday revealed that the United States will screen airline passengers arriving from two African countries for Ebola 'out of an abundance of caution'.

The Centers for Disease Control said that beginning next week, travelers from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea will be funneled to six U.S. airports for health checks.

Airlines will collect passenger information for public health follow-up, contact tracing, and intervention for all passengers boarding a flight to the U.S. who were in DRC or Guinea within the previous 21 days.

It comes after at least five people died in the latest outbreak in Guinea and four in DRC.

The Centers for Disease Control said that beginning next week, travelers from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea will be funneled to six U.S. airports for health checks due to an outbreak Ebola. Similar restrictions were in place for coronavirus, as pictured in November

The CD said it is closely following the outbreaks and that the risk of Ebola to the United States is extremely low but it is bring in the checks 'out of an abundance of caution'

The CDC said it is closely following the outbreaks and that the risk of Ebola to the United States is extremely low.

There hasn't been an Ebola case in the country since 2015.

'Out of an abundance of caution, the U.S. government will institute public health measures for the very small number of travelers arriving from the DRC and Guinea,' the CDC said in a statement late on Friday.

'The Biden Administration is committed to working closely with the affected countries to end these outbreaks before they grow into epidemics,' it added.

Similar screening procedures had been in place for the coronavirus but were dropped six months ago as the administration deemed them to be of little use in controlling the spread of the virus.

Screening had also been introduced during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, where passengers entering the U.S. from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone had their temperature taken and asked about any potential exposure.

Guinea started an Ebola vaccination campaign on Tuesday, the World Health Organization said earlier in the week, with the hopes of eradicating the virus in six weeks.

This treatment was unavailable during the last epidemic.

The specific Ebolavirus species in the outbreak has not yet been determined.

According to a bulletin circulated to U.S. government agencies, WHO 'considers the risk of spread in the country as very high given the unknown size, duration and origin of the outbreak; potentially large number of contacts; potential spread to other parts of Guinea and neighboring countries; limited response capacity currently on the ground; and unknown virus strain'.

The return of the viral disease has evoked the specters of the devastating 2013-2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which left 11,300 dead in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

Ebola causes severe fever and, in bad cases, unstoppable bleeding. It is transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids, and people who live with or care for patients are most at risk

Ebola causes severe fever and, in the worst cases, unstoppable bleeding. It is transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids, and people who live with or care for patients are most at risk.

The resurgence of the virus has alarmed governments in the West African region and international health organizations, concerned that a major outbreak could overwhelm health infrastructures already battling a pandemic.

There is some confusion over the latest death toll from the most recent Ebola outbreak in Guinea but at least five people have died, according to the country's health agency.

The latest outbreak emerged near the town of Gouecke, in the forested Nzerekore region in Guinea's southeast.

Health workers began to administer Ebola vaccines in Gouecke on Tuesday, after over 11,000 doses arrived in Guinea the previous day.

Guinea's Health Minister Remy Lamah, as well as Georges Ki-Zerbo, the World Health Organization representative in the country, travelled to the town for the start of the rollout.

The latest outbreak emerged near the town of Gouecke, in the forested Nzerekore region in Guinea's southeast. At least five deaths have been reported and ten cases

The WHO plans to send about another 8,000 doses to Guinea, the UN health agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

Health Minister Lamah told AFP: 'I think that in six weeks, we can be done with this disease.'

Guinean health authorities have reported 10 confirmed or probable Ebola cases, and are tracking 400 more contact cases.

The vast majority of them are being monitored and will be among the first to be vaccinated.

No new cases have however been confirmed for a week.

There have been eight cases and four deaths reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The six countries surrounding Guinea are also launching national preparedness and readiness operational plans, WHO said.

'We've learned the hard lessons of history, and we know with Ebola and other health emergencies, preparedness works,' said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO's regional director for Africa.

'It's act now or pay later in lives lost and economies ruined. Systematic surveillance, comprehensive preparations and strong, cross-border coordination are crucial to detecting any cases and ensuring that they are quickly isolated, treated and that vaccination of high-risk contacts begin quickly.'

The Red Cross said that it has also called on a network of 700 volunteers to be 'activated as part of a first wave of response and the government has called on people to respect hygiene and prevention measures and to report signs of the disease to health authorities.'

The latest Ebola outbreaks come as the world is still struggling to get the coronavirus under control with more than 28.5 million Americans infected and the country's death toll now at 510,797.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
He may only be nine-months-old, but Boris Johnsons son already appears to have inherited his father's unruly blonde hair do.

In a photograph taken on Thursday, baby Wilfreds bright blonde hair could be seen spilling over the top of his buggy as mother Carrie Symonds pushed him around Westminster.

While the couple have not yet shared any photographs of their son - who was born on April 29th 2020 at the height of the first Covid crisis in the UK - with the public, it's obvious to see he's inherited his dad's mop of thick blonde hair.

Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, celebrity hairstylist James Johnson said: 'Boris son seems to have inherited his textured hair. I also love the colour!

'Other than the lovely natural wave his hair holds, people also spend hours and a fortune in the salon trying to achieve this shade of blonde - lucky lad!'

In a photograph taken on Thursday, baby Wilfreds bright blonde hair (pictured) could be seen spilling over the top of his pushchair as mother Carrie Symonds pushed him around Westminster

Boris Johnsons son already appears to have inherited his father's unruly blonde hair do. Pictured, leaving 10 Downing Street in London on December 1, 2020 to attend the weekly cabinet meeting held at the nearby Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

The photo comes just days after Boris Johnson unveiled a DIY haircut carefully crafted by Carrie Symonds - but his fiancee appeared to have gone carefully after previous unkind claims she must have used a ruler and shears to trim his unruly fringe.

The Prime Minister's shaggy shock of blonde hair has been branded a 'national crisis' and with six weeks until hairdressers open again his partner is claimed to have had a go herself inside No 10.

Boris Johnson had his hair styled to one side as he left Downing Street for Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, with experts claiming Carrie has given him the lightest of trims, dragged a brush through it and tamed it with some hair products.

But the smarter look didn't last, with his thatch of hair messed up again by the time he appeared in the Commons around ten minutes later.

Boris Johnson emerged from Downing Street (left) on Wednesday with his hair swept to the side after Carrie reportedly gave him a very light trim. His hair was very slightly longer when he appeared at a school in London Tuesday (right)

Normal service resumed only ten minutes later on Wednesday when his brushed hair was already messy again at PMQs

Piers Morgan tweeted: 'EXCLUSIVE: I can reveal to the world that Prime Minister @BorisJohnson has today had his hair cut by his partner @carriesymonds for the first time'

Mr Morgan compared Mr Johnson to scarecrow Worzel Gummidge after the Prime Minister unveiled his ultra-cautious roadmap out of England's third lockdown

Mr Johnson, wearing a face covering, leaves No10 on February 10, 2021

Critics have pondered if Carrie modelled his look on the couple's rescue dog Dilyn

Previously critics have said that his more severe 'pudding bowl' trims during three lockdowns have been a fashion 'crime' and pondered if Carrie modelled his look on the couple's rescue dog Dilyn.

Others have joked that it has been sticking up so much recently it looks like Mr Johnson had 'brushed his hair with a balloon'.

It was Piers Morgan who revealed that Carrie Symonds had given Prime Minister Boris Johnson a much-needed haircut.

The ITV star compared Mr Johnson to scarecrow Worzel Gummidge after the Prime Minister unveiled his ultra-cautious roadmap out of England's third lockdown to MPs and the public.

Boris Johnson's hair has mutated into a new strain: How the PM's locks have taken on a life of their own in the pandemic The Prime Minister has sported less than coiffed hair of late, unable to get a professional trim amid continual lockdowns. Boris - who is known to deliberately ruffle his hair up before a press conference - appears to favour the unkempt, disheveled look. As these pictures show, even before the pandemic took hold, he showed off a proudly unkempt look. MARCH 2020: Boris was animated at the Covid news conference inside number 10 Downing Street on March 19 - before salons were forced to close APRIL: By April 27, Boris's hair was taking on a life of its own as he spoke outside No 10 MAY 2020: The PM's hair was askew as he took part in weekly 'Clap for our Carers' applause for the NHS and key workers on the front line of the coronavirus JUNE: By June, his hair was quite out of control and it seemed he hardly saw the point in brushing it JULY: On July 28 the PM had finally had a haircut, and sported a more coiffed look in Nottingham AUGUST: One month after his trim, Boris was back to enjoying the ruffled look SEPTEMBER: Boris let his locks run wild during his visit to Exeter College OCTOBER: It seemed Boris had another cut in time for another lockdown NOVEMBER: Unbrushed while attending a service to mark the centenary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey DECEMBER: Boris seen after placing stringent measures on Christmas celebrations JANUARY 2021: Boris's hair was noticeably longer by the start of the year FEBRUARY: At the press briefing on Monday night, Boris announced that salons may reopen by April - leading to a collective sigh of relief across the nation Advertisement

Under No10's plans to ease the national shutdown, hairdressers, salons and nail bars will remain shut until April 12 'at the earliest' - provided coronavirus cases, hospitalisations and deaths continue to fall.

Piers Morgan had claimed that Carrie Symonds had acquired scissors to cut Boris' hair following Tuesday's statement to the Commons and Downing Street press conference to the nation.

But the Good Morning Britain host announced on Twitter that the Prime Minister had had his shaggy blonde locks cut by his partner 'for the first time'.

'EXCLUSIVE: I can reveal to the world that Prime Minister @BorisJohnson has today had his hair cut by his partner @carriesymonds for the first time,' he tweeted. Downing Street declined to comment.

In December last year, Boris Johnson apologised for his haircut and insisted he does comb it after he was accused of being too scruffy to represent the country.

Speaking on a trip to wet and windy Greater Manchester the Prime Minister, whose hair looked unbrushed, told reporters he 'does his best' with his shock of blonde hair.
Former Municipal Chief Executive for Akuapem North and a member of the NPP Communication team, Dennis Miracles Aboagye says legalizing LGBTQ+ in Ghana "won't happen today nor tomorrow".



The issue of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) has generated lots of discussions and anger in the country after an office was opened in Accra to promote their rights.



The Police on Wednesday, February 24 stormed and locked down the office of the group at Ashongman Estate in Accra.



Dennis Miracle speaking to this issue on Peace FM morning show 'Kokrokoo' said: "when you go to the United States Of America (USA), they say they don't negotiate with terrorists. In Ghana, we don't negotiate with LGBTs. Nobody in this country will state that it should be legalized; it will not happen today, it will not happen tomorrow...they should leave us alone"



Call Diplomats to order



Miracle has also asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to invite the diplomats who backed and supported the commissioning of the LGBT office to explain why they flouted the laws of the country.



According to him, "they have gone against our laws. As an Ambassador, you are to respect the laws of your host country and so if the laws of your host country do not support LGBTs and yet you engage in such an act, you need to be called to order immediately"



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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

Featured Video
Woodbine Mohawk Park would like to inform all horsepeople of its updated schedule for training and schoolers.

Due to mild temperatures and rain, Woodbine Mohawk Park has cancelled training for Saturday (Feb. 27) morning.

The next set of training days are scheduled for Tuesday (March 2), Friday (March 5) and Saturday (March 6). Sign-up for training opens Saturday (February 27) at 2:00 p.m.

Woodbine Mohawk Park will also offer four schoolers following this Mondays (March 1) qualifiers. Sign-up for schoolers also opens Saturday (Feb. 27) at 2:00 p.m.

Sign-up links for training and schoolers are available below:

Training:

 Tuesday, March 2, 2021

 Friday, March 5, 2021

 Saturday, March 6, 2021

Schoolers:

 Monday, March 1, 2021

(Mohawk)
Second phase of vaccination drive: Gujarat allows paid shots

India

pti-Madhuri Adnal

Ahmedabad, Feb 27: Eligible COVID-19 vaccine aspirants in Gujarat will have to pay Rs 250 per shot if they opt to get themselves inoculated at 522 designated private hospitals during the second phase of the vaccination drive beginning March 1, the state government said on Saturday.

However, the aspirants above 60 years of age and those aged 45 years and above with comorbidities can get the shots free across the network of over 2,000 government hospitals in the state, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who heads Health department, told reporters.

He said those seeking vaccination at private hospitals empanelled under the 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana' (PMJAY) and the state government's 'Ma Vatsalya Yojana' will have to pay Rs 250 for each dose of the vaccine, which included Rs 150 as the cost of the vaccine and Rs 100 as administration charge.

"The Gujarat government has made preparations for vaccination of beneficiaries above the age of 60 and those between 45 and 59 years of age but are suffering from comorbidities. Such beneficiaries will be administered COVID-19 vaccines free of cost in PHCs, CHCs, sub-district and district hospitals, hospitals of medical colleges as well as civil hospitals. There are 2,005 such hospitals across the state," Patel said.

Corona vaccine price fixed at Rs 250 per dose in private hospitals

He said the Central government had also made arrangements for aspirants to get vaccinated at private hospitals under the PMJAY by paying Rs 250 per dose, including Rs 100 towards registration cost and Rs 150 for the vaccine.

"Such beneficiaries will have to pay Rs 500 for both the doses," Patel added. He said 522 private hospitals in Gujarat are empanelled under the PMJAY and the Ma Vatsalaya Yojana. Patel said the stategovernment will supply vaccines to government and private hospitals eligible under these schemes. He stressed that COVID-19 vaccine will not be available in the open market.

"The vaccines in both government and private hospitals will be meant for the beneficiaries under the categories determined by the Central government," the deputy CM said. The first nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive, which began on January 16, covered healtcare workers and frontline workers. Gujarat is seeing a steady rise in new coronavirus positive cases. On February 26, the state recorded 460 new infections, taking the cumulative tally of cases to 2,69,031.
Tamara Ecclestone's beauty business, which includes a luxury haircare range, has lost almost 23million in just one year.

The Formula One heiress, 36, who is worth an estimated 125million, is a major shareholder in SBD International Ltd, which has recorded losses since it was formed in 2010.

Accounts from November 2019 show that the firm is 22,916,004 in the red, but Tamara has vowed to save it with her own money, according to The Sun.

At a loss: Tamara Ecclestone's beauty business, which includes a luxury haircare range, has reportedly lost almost 23million. (pictured in 2019)

Tamara, who is the daughter of ex-Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, 90, still holds 75 per cent of the company's shares.

The firm launched in 2010 as Tamara Ecclestone Brands Ltd, but the mother-of-two quit as a director in 2014.

The name was changed to SBD International Ltd in 2015.

Fabulous: The Formula One heiress, 36, is a major shareholder in SBD International Ltd, which has recorded losses since it was formed in 2010

A spokesman told the publication: 'There are legal proceedings presently ongoing.'

MailOnline has contacted Tamara's representatives for comment.

Last year, the heiress was forced to close both her chain of blow-dry salons and her children's skincare company.

She opened the first of her six Show Dry shops in 2015, which aimed to capitalise on the Californian trend for salons offering a relaxing hair treatment. But, at 38 per blow dry, the idea did not find a market in the UK.

Friends of Tamara said at the time she was upset by the failure.

Meanwhile, Tamara has been enjoying an extended holiday in Dubai with her husband Jay Rutland, 39, and daughters Sophia, six, and Serena, six months.

The family have barely been back to the UK since June and her husband admitted concerns over his family's safety was one reason they had not been back more.

All together: Tamara has been enjoying an extended holiday in Dubai with her husband Jay Rutland, 39, and daughters Sophia, six, and Serena, six months

Jay revealed to MailOnline that the family have no plans to return to London following the dramatic security lapse that led to a multi-million pound jewel heist at her West London home in December 2019.

Speaking from Dubai about their plans, Jay told MailOnline: 'We do not intend to return to the UK from Dubai.

'There are a host of reasons why we are not going back to London any time soon and security is one of them. The truth is we are playing it month by month and watching how the situation develops.'

It comes after Jay denied he and Tamara had broken travel restrictions as he explained: 'We have not broken the lockdown rules to come to Dubai, that is not what we have done.

'At the beginning of the outbreak last year we really stuck to the rules.

'From March to May we locked down and did not leave the house [in London]. We went to Croatia in [June] the summer, but that was only after the rules changed and everyone was allowed to travel.

'From there we went to Switzerland and we stayed there until Christmas when we came here to Dubai.'
An Israeli-owned cargo ship suffered at least one explosion while sailing in the Gulf of Oman on Friday in the latest such maritime incident in the Middle East.

The vessel, the MV Helios Ray, quickly turned around and headed for port around 1 a.m. morning after departing from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. The crew reported no injuries and the vessel continues to sail back toward the strait, according to an open-source maritime tracking website. It was believe that the vehicle carrier was headed to Dubai to assess the damage.

Reuters reported that an explosion above the ships water line caused holes in both sides of its hull, but that the vessel and crew were safe.

The ship is owned by the Tel Aviv-based Ray Shipping company, whose head, Rami Ungar, has ties to Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, Israels Kan broadcaster reported, without naming sources.

Kan quoted Ungar as saying that the two holes are roughly 1.5 meters (5 feet) in diameter and that it is not yet clear to us if this was caused by missile fire or mines that were attached to the ship.

Similar mysterious explosions struck two Saudi oil tankers near the Hormuz Strait in 2019, as well as two other ships. The US military publicly blamed Iran for the incidents.

The Pentagon subsequently released surveillance footage showing individuals in what appeared to be an Iranian-made boat removing a limpet mine from the side of one of the two damaged Saudi-owned tankers. Irans government denied a role in those attacks, but has not yet commented on todays incident. Limpet mines are attached with magnets.

Fridays explosion came just hours after the United States conducted an airstrike against a border-crossing facility used by Iran-linked militias in Syria. President Joe Biden approved the strike  which killed at least one member of a Kataib Hezbollah-affiliated militia  in response to recent rocket attacks on US-led coalition bases in Iraq and the Green Zone in Baghdad.

The Pentagon on Thursday night blamed Kataib Hezbollah and another militia group backed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for recent attacks in Iraq. Both Iran and Kataib Hezbollah denied responsibility for the largest of the recent incidents in Iraq. The head of US military forces in the region, Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, however, warned earlier this week that Irans government should not assume it has plausible deniability for attacks carried out by groups it supports in the region.

Saudi Arabia has also been hit by a recent spate of projectiles from known or suspected IRGC-linked groups in the region.

Officials in both Iran and the United States are maneuvering for leverage ahead of a proposed return to negotiations, in which both governments say they aim to return to compliance with the 2015 international agreement to limit Tehrans nuclear capabilities.

The administration of President Donald Trump walked out of the agreement in 2018, replacing it with a campaign of economic sanctions aimed at crushing Irans economy to force its leaders to pull back support for Shiite militias in Yemen, Syria and Iraq.

The waters of the Persian Gulf have been a stage for the contest between Washington and Tehran in recent years. Last month the IRGC seized a Korean-flagged tanker in the Gulf, citing environmental pollution violations.

The United States confiscated some $40 million in Iranian fuel bound for Venezuela last year with the help of authorities in Cape Verde, citing violations of US sanctions. Iranian officials called the move piracy.
Chennai, Feb 27 : Congress leader and former AICC president Rahul Gandhi has charged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) has destroyed the free press and institutions in the country in a systematic manner over the past six years. He was addressing a meeting of advocates at VO Chidambaram college hall, Tuticorn, on Saturday.

He said the nation is held together by institutions including elected institutions like Lok Sabha,Vidhan Sabhas and Panchayats and institutions like the judiciary and a supporting free press. Pointing out that all these institutions and a free press hold the nation together, Rahul Gandhi stated that democracy in India is dead. He went on to say that democracy does not die in a day but in a systematic manner and alleged that the RSS was instrumental in destroying the democracy of the country.

Gandhi, who is an MP from Wayanad constituency in Kerala, said that the RSS combined with capitalists has destroyed the balance of the country. He also charged that when the institutional balance of the country is lost, states don't have equal say.

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly, he said "The question is not that the PM is useful or useless but to whom is he useful? It's like Hum Do Hamare Do".

On the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Congress leader said that it is discriminatory and added that the farm laws passed by the parliament, are against the poor farmers of the country.

Rahul Gandhi also said that the people cannot rely on the institutions to protect democracy and added that people's power is the only power that can protect democracy and democratic institutions.

The Congress leader is on a three-day visit to Tamil Nadu where assembly elections are being held on April 6, along with Puducherry and Kerala. He had visited Puducherry before embarking on the Tamil Nadu visit.

It may be noted that the Congress party has been staking claim to contest in 45 assembly seats in the DMK-led alliance but the DMK has been sticking to its stand of allowing only 22 assembly seats to the grand old party.

Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was deputed by the Congress high command to have a one to one meeting with DMK supremo MK Stalin but a consensus was elusive even in that meeting.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has not invested in Bitcoin, he said in a live chat on the social network Clubhouse.



Mr Gates told host Andrew Sorkin that he preferred to invest in companies that make products, citing malaria and measles vaccines as examples.



The billionaire said he did not choose his investments on the basis of whether they would be worth more to others.



In an earlier interview, he had discussed Tesla founder Elon Musks enthusiasm for the virtual currency.



My general thought would be that if you have less money than Elon, you should probably watch out, he told Bloomberg.



Elon has tonnes of money and hes very sophisticated, so I dont worry that his Bitcoin will sort of randomly go up or down.



Bitcoins value jumped nearly 50% after Tesla revealed it had purchased $1.5bn of the currency and planned to accept it as payment, but it later dropped by 20%.



US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has described the currency as an extremely inefficient way of conducting transactions.



Bill Gates has long been skeptical about Bitcoin. In 2018 he said in an interview with CNBC that he would short it if he could. Short-selling, or shorting, refers to the practice of borrowing something (traditionally shares), selling them, waiting for the price to drop and then buying them back cheaper and returning them.

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
The Congress Saturday alleged the government has brought "non-statutory" guidelines without Parliament's assent to control social media platforms, saying vast powers have been given to bureaucrats which could be misused.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi did say social media cannot be left unregulated, but added no attempt should be made to control it through non-statutory rules and executive orders.

He termed the rules "extremely dangerous" for free speech and creativity, "unless extreme restraint is exercised" in implementing them.

He said no act has been passed in this regard, and even the Data Protection Act has not been cleared in three-four years. He said a Parliamentary scrutiny was necessary before bringing rules to regulate social media.

The government on Thursday had said a 'code of ethics' and three-tier grievance redressal mechanism would be applicable for publishers, over-the-top (OTT) platforms and digital media.

The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 were announced at a joint press conference here by I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad earlier this week.

Singhvi told reporters on Saturday, "Nobody is suggesting that there should be 'Jungle Raj' or unregulated, unknown territory forever in any area. But, equally, there should be no attempt in the guise of non-statutory, delegated legislation rules and executive orders, in getting control of such a vast field."



Singhvi said while the law in this regard is still pending you have brought such far-reaching changes and the czar, the monarch, the master of the universe is a bureaucrat.

"So, I would say that it is extremely dangerous for free speech, for creativity, unless extreme restraint is exercised, and unfortunately, I do not find any restraint in this 'Sarkar' in any sector," he said.

"Humongous, vast powers have been granted without statute, without parliamentary assent, without parliamentary scrutiny, Singhvi alleged, noting the operation of rules depends on the wisdom and restraint of bureaucrats exercising them.

"Such restraint in 20 other sectors is conspicuous by its absence as far as this government is concerned," the Congress leader said.

Singhvi also said the government has come out with guidelines under an IT Act, but there is no act created for OTTs or for other social media, the government has exercised general power under the T act.

He said that under the new rules, a bureaucrat will decide what national security is before arresting anyone, and asked whether every arrest made in the last five years has been on the genuine ground of national security.

He said these guidelines are covered under the IT Act, but this must go through Parliament and asked why the Data Protection Act has not been passed even after four years.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Saturday clarified that the provision in the new digital media guidelines to block internet content in a case of emergency nature has been around as a rule since 2009 and was not recently introduced.

Certain misgivings are being raised regarding Rule 16 under Part III of the guidelines which mention that in a case of emergency nature, interim blocking directions may be issued by the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, a ministry statement said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
I became a homeowner at 28, when I bought a small two-bedroom house near Dublin city centre on my own. I hadnt been working as a journalist for very long at that point and my yearly salary was below the average full-time salary in Ireland. I was able to buy that home because house prices were much lower in 2012 than they are now, but there were two other reasons as well: I received compensation after being involved in a car accident and I had help from my parents.

It feels a little exposing to admit to all that  to admit to my good fortune at buying a house when they were relatively affordable and to admit to my bad fortune at having been run over. But it feels especially exposing to admit that I received some help from my parents.

Getting hit by a car and receiving compensation for incurring significant injuries is a pretty extraordinary occurrence  but receiving help from your parents is commonplace: while the amounts will vary wildly, it is estimated that around half of first-time buyers in Ireland receive money from family members. However, a squeamishness attached to family handouts means that, even though its widespread, a lot of the time we simply pretend that it doesnt happen.

How will first-time buyers on average incomes afford the new apartments being built? people puzzling over the housing crisis ask, as they do sums that just dont add up. Lets say a house in Dublin costs 450,000 and the prospective buyer earns a full-time salary of 40,000. When you multiply her salary by 3.5 (which is what Irish banks generally lend), you realise that she would need to have a deposit of 310,000. Even if you give the imaginary buyer an imaginary partner on the same salary, and assume that they each have savings of 25,000, they still end up 120,000 short.

It only finally begins to make sense if you give each imaginary buyer some imaginary parents who can afford to contribute towards the cost of the substantial deposit.

Its unfair that some people will receive their deposits from their parents, while others will have to spend a decade saving or might be locked out of the housing market entirely  but ignoring it doesnt make it any less unfair. Capitalism has always relied on our unwillingness to talk about money with any degree of honesty  and right now, we are tricking ourselves into thinking that the Irish housing crisis affects all those on the same incomes equally. Much is said about millennials lack of capital, about their inability to save, but too often this conversation ignores the fact that plenty of millennials have parents who have amassed quite a bit of wealth. In the UK, researchers point out that inherited wealth is on course to be a much more important determinant of lifetime resources for millennials than it was for previous generations.

For lots of first-time buyers, the huge gap between what the bank will lend them and what the average house costs is plugged by their parents.

This situation has ramifications for our cities, our culture and our society. When housing becomes unaffordable, people are robbed of opportunities. Commentators wring their hands asking where the artists and the teachers will live  but the truth is that there will be artists and teachers in our cities; it will just be the case that those artists and teachers have well-off parents or spouses.

Unaffordable housing doesnt affect everyone equally; instead, it reinforces existing economic inequalities and restricts social mobility. We are not all in this crisis together  but we should all be equally worried about its consequences. Its uncomfortable to talk about money but by not talking about it, we allow damaging and untruthful narratives to thrive.

We Need to Talk About...

First we learnt Kim Cattrall would not be reprising her role as Samantha in the Sex and the City reboot, then we discovered the worrying news that Chris Noth might not be returning as Big. Yes, Carrie has more than two dozen other suitors in the show, but Big has always been integral to who she is. Big was there in the (still very good) pilot episode and he was there in the (still very bad) second film.

Its always a challenge for a rom-com writer tasked with creating a sequel: do you show what happens after the happily-ever-after ending (a healthy complacency, some minor, unexciting bickering) or do you just kill off the love interest so you can send your heroine back out into the world of dating scrapes? Helen Fielding chose to make Bridget Jones a widow in the third book in the series (Mark Darcy was killed by a land mine in Darfur, we were told) and it was the least funny and least successful instalment by some margin.

I couldnt help but wonder: does a similar fate await SATC without Big?
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.

Vote

View Results
The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has denied appointing controversial Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, as its peace ambassador.

The movie star broke the news of her appointment in an Instagram post on Friday and shared a picture of herself alongside Yakubu Pam, the executive secretary of the NCPC, during her visit to his office in Abuja on Thursday.

We had an extensive deliberation on NCPC vision, dissecting the values for National development and youth involvement in peacebuilding in line with the NCPCs mandate, she wrote on Instagram.

Finally, I wish to announce my position as the new Ambassador of the Commission for Peace Building. Need your prayers as we embark on Peacebuilding across the six geopolitical Zones of the Nation because peace is indispensable.

Mr Pam also shared photos from Dikehs visit on his personal Instagram page and commended the actress for pledging her desire to support NCPC in sponsoring intending pilgrims to the Holy land.

He, however, did not mention that the actress had been given an appointment.

Denial

The NCPC would later debunk her claims in a statement issued on Friday by Celestine Toruka, Head Media and Public Relations.

The statement read, The Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission NCPC wishes to state in categorical terms that King Tonto Dikeh paid an official courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission Rev Yakubu Pam on February 25, 2021, at the corporate headquarters of the Commission in Abuja.

As the founder of Tonto Dikeh Foundation, she expressed her willingness and interest in partnering with the Commission in the area of peacebuilding.

She equally cashed in on the visit to commend the NCPC boss for his positive and relentless peace initiatives across the country.

However, we are suddenly inundated with claims from King Tonto Dikeh herself that she has been officially appointed as Ambassador of peace by this great Commission. This claim has gone viral in the media.

The Commission frowns at this claim which is a clear misrepresentation of what transpired.

The fact remains that the Executive Secretary of NCPC never appointed King Tonto Dikeh an Ambassador of Peace for NCPC and this was not part of her visit, therefore this claim by her is spurious, unfounded, and should be discarded and seen by all Nigerians as a figment of her imagination

Nevertheless, we appreciate her desire to partner with us in our peace-building initiatives and in the area of pilgrimage sponsorship to the Holy Land.

Tonto Reacts

Reacting to the commissions rebuttal of her supposed appointment, the actress maintained that she had evidence to back her claims. She also inferred that some people were behind the NCPCs sudden decision.

There are video proofs, but I would Rather respect the commissions decision and take the Fall. Thanks to every Christian body that fought against this growth.

Dikeh, who was appointed as the director of socials and empowerment by the pro-government Committee of Youth on Mobilization and Sensitization (CYMS), in 2020, has had her own share of bad press in recent times.

She trended last week after her ex-husband, Olakunle Churchill, announced his marriage to her colleague, Rosy Meurer.

ADVERTISEMENT

Meurer was at the centre of Churchills divorce brouhaha with Tonto. Churchill was accused of having an extramarital affair with Meurer, his then P.A. in 2017.

In 2017, Tonto told Media Room Hub she was aware that Meurer is the reason Churchill abandoned her and his son, that she has been sleeping with her husband.

She also revealed that her husband bought Meurer a car as a birthday gift.

Meurer later debunked the allegations.
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.
Tikait, the national spokesperson of the BKU and a prominent face of the farmers' protest, will begin the tour from March 1. (Photo: PTI)

Ghaziabad: Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait will be touring five states in March to drum up support for the ongoing farmers' protest against Centre's new agriculture laws, a Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) office-bearer said on Saturday.

Tikait, the national spokesperson of the BKU and a prominent face of the farmers' protest, will begin the tour from March 1, the office-bearer said.

"Farmers' meetings will be held in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana, while two meetings will also be held in Uttar Pradesh in March," BKU media in-charge Dharmendra Malik said.

Two meetings will be held in Rajasthan and three in Madhya Pradesh. The last three meetings will be held on March 20, 21 and 22 in Karnataka, Malik said.

"One event is scheduled on March 6 in Telangana, but we have not got permission for it yet due to some election in the state. If permission is granted, the meeting in Telangana will be held as per schedule," he told PTI.

Thousands of farmers are camping at Delhi's border points at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur since November with a demand that the Centre should repeal the contentious farm laws enacted in September last year and frame a new one guaranteeing the minimum support price (MSP) on crops.

Tikait is leading the protest at Ghazipur.

The government, which has held 11 rounds of formal talks with the protesting farm unions, maintains that the laws are pro-farmer.
Myanmar envoy urges strongest UN action as junta clamps down

WORLD: Myanmars permanent representative to the United Nations yesterday (Feb 26) urged for the strongest possible action to end the militarys rule, an appeal that comes as riot police violently dispersed protesters in three major cities.

Myanmarpolice

By AFP

Saturday 27 February 2021, 11:20AM

Police march on a road to clear away protesters from holding a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon. Photo: AFP.

Since a Feb 1 coup toppling civilian Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar has seen an outpouring of defiance from hundreds of thousands of protesters demanding her release and calling for a return to democracy.

International condemnation has also been heaped on the junta - self-anointed as the State Administration Council (SAC) - and its generals have seen sanctions imposed by several countries.

Yesterday, Myanmars permanent representative to the UN appealed for the international community to end the juntas rule in his country.

We need... the strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people, and to restore the democracy, Kyaw Moe Tun told the UN General Assembly in New York.

He also flashed the three-fingered salute - a symbol of resistance for anti-coup demonstrators.

Its impossible to overstate the risks that #Myanmar UN ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun just took in the UN General Assembly, tweeted Samantha Power, a former UN ambassador for the United States.

UN envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener reiterated during the session that the use of lethal force against protesters was unacceptable.

So far, at least five people have been killed since the overthrow - four of them from injuries sustained at anti-coup demonstrations that saw security forces open fire on protesters.

The military said one police officer had died while attempting to quell a protest.

Fear and tension

The UN General Assembly session comes after a tense day, which saw nearly 100 protesters arrested in three major cities across Myanmar.

Since daily anti-coup demonstrations started three weeks ago, authorities have steadily increased their use of force.

But in commercial hub Rangoon, they have exercised restraint, largely relying on barricades and troop presence to prevent gatherings around city landmarks and embassies.

That changed yesterday, as riot police advanced on central junctions Hledan and Myaynigone - a key organising area for a movement that had bypassed restrictions by moving fluidly through the city.

Demonstrators who had been sitting on the ground and chanting slogans quickly dispersed into the smaller residential streets, with some assembling makeshift barricades using barbed wire and stacking tables to halt police.

Stun grenades were deployed in Hledan junction, according to witnesses and AFP reporters on the ground, sending protesters fleeing to hide in buildings nearby.

As officers searched apartments, residents protested by banging pots and pans - a common act of defiance against the military regime.

Authorities hauled away protesters, and a least one appeared injured from the melee, sitting in a police truck with a bloodied shirt.

They beat young protesters with rods and cursed them while doing it, said Thandar Cho, a street food vendor, adding that she saw police point their guns in a threatening manner towards apartments.

A Japanese journalist, Yuki Kitazumi, was arrested during the protracted crackdown, though he was later released.

He was beaten on the head by baton but he was wearing a helmet, his assistant Linn Nyan Htun said on Facebook.

More than 31 in Yangon were arrested, according to state-run media.

Worries over Suu Kyis trial

In Myanmars second biggest city Mandalay, thousands of anti-coup demonstrators were also violently dispersed when police shot at them - though it remains unconfirmed if live rounds were used.

At least one man was seriously injured, said doctor Thet Htay, who also treated four others.

The injury is severe with his left leg broken, said the doctor, declining to name what type of weapon had caused the injury.

Leftover bullet cartridges and ammunition for slingshots were found on the ground around the Mandalay rally.

Myanmars capital Naypyidaw saw similar chaos, with protesters fleeing as stun grenades go off and riot police chasing them.

State-run television reported that 39 people were arrested during the Mandalay protest, and 25 in Nay Pyi Taw.

The military has justified its power grab by alleging widespread electoral fraud in Novembers elections, which her National League for Democracy had won in a landslide.

The Nobel laureate faces two charges for having unregistered walkie-talkies in her residence and for breaking coronavirus rules.

Her trial is scheduled for March 1, but her lawyer told AFP yesterday that he still has not had contact with his client.

Its very important to get her signed power of attorney before the hearing starts on March 1 because we wont be allowed to act as her defence counsels if we cannot file (it), Khing Maung Zaw said.

Then Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will be rid of her right of fair trial without a legal counsel.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
* Username

This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely!
5 things you need to know Monday

News
Hong Kong: LeaveHomeSafe app to be enhanced

(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The LeaveHomeSafe mobile app's functions will be enhanced to step up the Governments anti-epidemic efforts, Deputy Government Chief Information Officer Tony Wong said today.

During a press briefing this afternoon, Mr Wong explained that the new functions would include alerts on venues or locations under compulsory testing orders that would be sent to the user.

He emphasised that the planned enhancements aimed to boost the Governments capability to combat COVID-19 and would not comprise users privacy.

This mobile app is an exposure notification app. It was never meant to be a contact tracing tool. We did not install any tracing components in the app.

It is purely a digital tool to assist citizens to record their visit history of different venues and to provide exposure notification, in case he or she had close contact or appeared in the same venue with a confirmed COVID-19 case.

Mr Wong added that the LeaveHomeSafe mobile app has been downloaded over 2.96 million times, with the majority of downloads in Hong Kong.

We did a rather comprehensive check of this mobile apps download rate from around the world. Our finding is that over 97% of the downloads are from Hong Kong app stores. The remaining 2% to 3% are from other app stores around the world.

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Cost overruns on the Keeyask and Bipole III projects by Manitoba Hydro were caused by a combination of incomplete planning and lack of oversight by the Selinger government, according to the results of an economic review released by the Manitoba Government on Friday.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

Cost overruns on the Keeyask and Bipole III projects by Manitoba Hydro were caused by a combination of incomplete planning and lack of oversight by the Selinger government, according to the results of an economic review released by the Manitoba Government on Friday.

The commission handling the report was run by former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall, who was tasked with looking into the cause of the projects costing a combined $13.4 billion when initial spending estimates had pegged the cost as being approximately $9.7 billion.

Keeyask Generating Station in 2018. Cost overruns on the Keeyask and Bipole III projects by Manitoba Hydro were caused by a combination of incomplete planning and lack of oversight according to the results of an economic review released by the Manitoba Government on Friday. (File)

Completed in 2018, Bipole III is a transmission line that delivers hydroelectric power from northern to southern Manitoba while Keeyask is a hydroelectric generating station on the lower Nelson River, 725 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

Although the report found that the cost overruns significantly harmed Manitoba Hydros financial health, it also concluded that the additional electrical capacity the projects provide will be a value to the province going forward.

The report itself cost Manitoba slightly less than $1 million to complete over two years.

While the report recommends that Manitoba Hydro should remain a Crown corporation and not become a private entity, it does recommend that its various divisions and subsidiaries should be sold off or shut down if they are found to impede Hydros ability to provide reliable and cheap electricity to Manitobans.

It also advises that future major projects that Manitoba Hydro undertakes should be public-private partnerships so that some of the risk is offloaded onto private partners. The Manitoba NDP decried this suggestion on Friday, calling it another step towards privatizing the Crown corporation.

In his opening remarks, Wall said it was important to review the contents of his report in the context of what is happening in Texas, where cold weather, deregulation of the electric industry and the local power grid being disconnected from the U.S.A.s larger countrywide grid led to extended outages in recent weeks.

"Not withstanding the fact that were going to be talking about real concerns with how Manitoba Hydro and the government of the day managed and drove these two particular projects, I think its important for us to begin by saying that the people of Manitoba are well-served by this Crown corporation, by a regulated grid system," said Wall.

The report states that the NDP government of the day overestimated how much Manitobas electricity needs would grow while electricity export contracts wouldnt cover the costs of the two projects.

With Keeyask, the report states that the $1.2 billion spent before approval was given for the province to proceed with the projects indicates that there were no plans in place to off-ramp should the project not go ahead and there was also no evaluation into how much money should be spent before approval.

For Bipole III, the report states that the western route chosen for the transmission line added $400 million in expenses "with some evidence that staging the transmission line on the east side may have avoided up to $1 billion in additional costs."

There was also criticism of how long it took to get Bipole III off the ground, having first been identified as a solution to reliable power delivery in 1975 but only entering into service in July 2018.

The report criticizes former NDP premiers Greg Selinger and Gary Doers accusations towards the then-opposition Progressive Conservatives that they wanted to mothball major hydroelectric programs, stating that this posturing made it more difficult to pause or stop the projects once they were underway.

And then, once the projects were in progress, the report states that there was a lack of formal oversight, which allowed them to progress to a point where despite overruns, the sunk costs made it certain that they would have to be completed.

"Following approval of the projects, the Review found that Government did not exercise any identifiable oversight nor consider the impacts of the projects on the financial circumstances of the province," one of the review documents states. "The Review found no interaction, presentation, discussion, or document that showed that the input of the Treasury Board Secretariat or the Department of Finance was sought or heard in the planning or execution of the project plans."

The recommendations made by the review endorse proposed changes the current provincial government wants to make in Bill 35, which would require Manitoba Hydro to regularly submit integrated resource plans to the minister responsible for the Crown corporation when proposing capital expenditures, changes to transmission and generation and limit the Public Utilities Boards oversight on Hydro rate changes.

In a statement issued after Walls media conference, Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton praised the economic review for uncovering the previous governments role in the cost overruns and its financial impact on Manitoba Hydro.

"Manitobans need to be able to hold Manitoba Hydro and the projects they undertake to account," stated Wharton. "This review confirms that Manitobans were deliberately left in the dark regarding Bipole III and Keeyask, and provides clear recommendations to ensure this can never happen again. Our government has already taken steps toward this with the introduction of Bill 35, the public utilities and ratepayer protection act, which would ensure all current and future operations of our publicly owned Manitoba Hydro are transparent and fully accountable to Manitobans."

Speaking with the Sun in the afternoon, Manitoba NDP leader Wab Kinew said the logic of Walls report doesnt add up.

"I think Mr. Wall is a skilled political operator, but no matter how skilled he is, he cant square the circle that he claims to be against privatization, but today hes recommending that Hydro break off parts of its business and sell it off to the private sector," said Kinew. "No matter how skilled he is, he cant square the circle that he seems to think that the Public Utilities Board is very important and yet in the same breath hes recommending that we accept Bill 35 that would see Hydro removed from PUB oversight."

Kinew alleged that the current governments actions will end up costing Manitobans more through rate increases for electricity once PUB oversight is removed.

In an email to members of the media, Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said that Manitoba Hydros problems have been caused by both the Progressive Conservatives and the NDP.

"Billions of dollars in Hydro debt has not gone into building dams, or Manitoba jobs or transmission lines  it was used by the NDP and PCs to pay for pet projects and tax cuts," stated Lamont. "If Manitobans, or even the Federal Government, are willing to invest in Hydro and take over just some of the billions in debt the PCs and NDP forced it to take on, we dont have to privatize, or cut jobs, or hike rates. This is a bad report."

CUPE 998, which represents some Hydro employees, said in a news release that Walls report opens the door to privatization.

"Pallisters approach to privatizing Manitoba Hydro is about taking one slice at a time," stated Michelle Bergen, president of CUPE 998. "This government is carving off pieces of our Crown Corporation for sale, winding down subsidiaries, and now potentially introducing P3s to our hydro infrastructure and allowing private, for-profit generation of electricity."

 cslark@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ColinSlark
Tehran, Feb 27 : Iran will keep supporting the Syrian government in the fight against terrorism, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a telephone conversation with the Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad on Friday.

Zarif reaffirmed that the Islamic Republic will continue its supports for Syria in various fields and in its efforts to ensure security and stability across Syria, the Xinhua news reported.

The Iranian foreign minister also stressed the need for a solution that preserves the interests, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Arab country.

For his part, Mekdad thanked Iran for supporting the Syrian people in the economic arena with the purpose of mitigating the effects of unilateral economic sanctions.

The two sides also urged the western states to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions on Syria, said the report.

The conversation between the two senior officials of the regional allies followed US air strikes that killed at least 22 pro-Iran fighters in eastern Syria on Friday morning.
A BELFAST criminal has been jailed for conspiring to import cocaine with a murder victim suspected of involvement in the fatal shooting of Dublin hitman Robbie Lawlor.

Liam Dewar was sentenced to 26 months in prison on Friday for conspiring with Warren Crossan to import 180,000 of cocaine into Northern Ireland.

Crossan from Belfast was arrested in relation to the murder of notorious criminal Lawlor last year and was himself later shot dead in a revenge attack.

Lawlor was shot dead in Belfast last April in a hit which was believed to have been orchestrated by a criminal consortium including Northern criminals, a feuding gang in Drogheda and the north Dublin gangboss known as Mr Big.

Crossan was importing drugs into the north after forming an alliance with the Dublin gangsters and was facing charges related to the importation of the 180,000 worth of cocaine which was transported from Dublin to Belfast in November 2019.

Read More

However, he was shot dead in Belfast last summer before he could face trial.

Dewar was also charged in relation to the cocaine and was sentenced at Craigavon Crown Court this week.

Judge Patrick Lynch said given Dewar was responsible for the importation of a substantial quantity of drugs....lengthy custodial sentences are inevitable.

Expand Close Warren Crossan was gunned down in broad daylight outside his mother's house in June / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Warren Crossan was gunned down in broad daylight outside his mother's house in June

He said Dewar would spend half his sentence in jail and half on supervised licence conditions

At an earlier hearing Belfast man Dewar, of no fixed abode entered guilty pleas to conspiring with Crossan to import cocaine and to possess the class A drug with intent to supply on 8 November 2019.

On Friday prosecutor Joseph Murphy outlined how Dewar was arrested when cops stopped a van he was driving on the A1 close to Hillsborough, Co. Down.

An initial search found nothing and the van was locked into Creightons Garage for the weekend while Dewar was freed on police bail.

Cops couldnt find the drugs hidden inside a van and were about to hand it back when a gang tried unsuccessfully to bust it out so suspicious detectives had another look and uncovered three kilos of cocaine, said to be worth 180,000 under the floor, behind the drivers seat in the Citroen Berlingo van.

Mr Murphy said Dewars phone was also seized and triaged by police and it showed numerous text exchanges between him and Warren Crossan along with a photograph of 15,000 in cash.

Expand Close Murdered crime boss Robbie Lawlor. Photo: Pacemaker / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Murdered crime boss Robbie Lawlor. Photo: Pacemaker

During interview, Dewar claimed he had travelled to Dublin to hand over money for the payment of damages to a vehicle but he denied having any knowledge of the drugs.

He further claimed he had taken the picture of the cash as he had never seen that amount of money before and had given it to an unknown male in the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.

Crossan (28) had been on bail accused of involvement in the importation but he was gunned down close to his home on Rodney Parade in west Belfast on 25 June.

To date no one has been charged with his murder.

In court on Friday, defence counsel Peter Coiley said Dewar had been working for Crossan, delivering and collecting vehicles so there was an element of trust being built up but that when he went to Dublin and saw the cocaine being stashed in the van, he was way in over his head.

He said it was an exciting time in his life, he was mixed up in a very sinister world.

Mr Coiley submitted that Dewar made a very foolish decision to acquiesce in the plan....and that decision in a car in Dublin will now haunt him.

Jailing Dewar, Judge Lynch said while there was an element that Crossan had groomed him to become involved, describing his role as not a chief but a trusted soldier....nevertheless you are responsible for the importation of a large quantity of drugs.

Lawlor was shot dead outside a house on Etna Drive in Belfast in April after being set up while going to collect a debt and detectives believe criminals from north and south of the border collaborated on the killing.

Belfast men Patrick Teer, 45, and Adrian Holland, 37, have been charged in relation to the murder and the PSNI said over 20 suspects have been identified in the case.
Profile photo of Chinese researcher Chen Wei, who is awarded a national honor at a seminar in Beijing, China, September 8, 2020. /CFP

Chinese company CanSino Biologics Inc. (CanSinoBIO) can produce an annual 500 million doses of its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine, said Chen Wei, a lead researcher of the CanSino vaccine, in an interview on Friday.

The vaccine has been approved for conditional commercial use nationwide two days ago.

Chen, a researcher from the Beijing-based Academy of Military Medical Sciences, led a team in developing China's first single-shot recombinant adenovirus vaccine, Ad5-nCoV.

She said the advantage of the recombinant vaccine is that it can be quickly put to mass-production. "The annual production capability of 500 million doses means it will benefit 500 million people each year, not just 250 million people who need two shots each."

The vaccine is over 90 percent effective based on data collected around the globe as its biggest impact is on "preventing severe disease or death", Chen added.

Based on ongoing research, the protection of the vaccine can last for at least six months. After that, vaccinated can choose to be inoculated with another shot to boost protection by 10 to 20 times. "The immunity time can increase to two years after two shots."

CanSino vaccine has also been tested on vulnerable groups, including children from six to 18 and elderly over 60, who are not included in the vaccination programs by some others COVID-19 vaccines.

"We've finished the clinical trial data of the children which are under review of National Medical Products Administration," she said, adding that people over 60 were already included in the second trial last April.

Chen added they have been monitoring vaccine efficacy on virus variants. Related research and development have been launched for potential use in the future.

The 55-year-old researcher is working on adapting the vaccine to be stored at room temperature, benefiting more people in countries lacking cold-chain logistics infrastructures.
Spring break in Panama Beach, Fla. is great and all, but nothing beats a Texas-sized party week.

As school districts, colleges and universities get ready for a week off, young adults from all over will be heading to the closest beach.
The Rebecca Foundation headed by the first lady of the Republic of Ghana, Rebecca Akufo-Addo has donated an appreciable number of hospital beds and consumables to the Kaneshie Polyclinic in the Greater Accra Region.



This, according to the Foundation is to support healthcare delivery at the health facility.



The items donated include 20 hospital beds, Wheelchairs, plasters, PPES, Compression Bandages, Syringes and Needles, Bedside Lockers, Sterile Gloves and many others to support activities at the hospital.



Receiving the items, the member of Parliament for Okaikoi South, Mrs Darkoa Newman in a brief ceremony expressed her gratitude at the gesture made by the Rebecca Foundation.



Mrs Akufo-Addo after the presentation stated that her foundation will continue to do more for the health facilities in the country as they also call on corporate organizations and individual philanthropists to help improve the health infrastructure in this country.





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.

Featured Video
Media mogul Kerry Packer told broadcaster Phillip Adams he had 'a big black hole inside' him just hours after they first met to cut a movie deal, the journalist has revealed.

The ABC radio host said the late billionaire opened up to him at a Chinese restaurant in Sydney's Kings Cross after giving him $200,000 to finance his film The Getting of Wisdom - which was released in 1977.

'What's a black hole?' Packer suddenly asked Adams at 3am - who tried to give a scientific explanation before being cut off.

'That's what I've got inside me  a big black hole,' Packer blurted out, Adams recalled in a column for The Weekend Australian.

Kerry Packer pictured right with his son James. He told broadcaster Phillip Adams he had 'a big black hole inside' him more than four decades ago

Kerry Packer gave then movie producer Phillip Adams $200,000 to make The Getting of Wisdom (still from film pictured), then veered off on a tangent about having 'a big black hole inside'

'And it was perfectly true,' Adams wrote. 'I don't think I've ever known a sadder person.'

Adams also claimed he talked Packer out of a near-suicide attempt after the findings of the Costigan Royal Commission into criminal activities within the Painters and Dockers Union were handed down in 1984.

Although Packer was investigated, no charges were laid and he was later exonerated.

Adams said he knew Kerry's son James as an 'overwhelmingly vulnerable' and 'lovely kid ... shy, polite, obedient, as much in awe of his father as Kerry had been.'

Adams went on to claim that Kerry's 'black hole' came from years of child abuse from his cruel father Sir Frank Packer, which then became James's 'major inheritance'.

Kerry Packer pictured in 1999. Adams also claimed he talked Mr Packer out of a near-suicide attempt

During hearings for the inquiry into Crown casinos in 2020 James Packer testified that his bipolar disorder impacted his behaviour.

Casino giant Crown Resorts was found unfit to run its $2.2billion Sydney casino because it facilitated money laundering and has other 'deep' problems, when a New South Wales inquiry released its report in February.

In a 2013 interview James detailed how Hollywood actor Tom Cruise helped him through a tough period when he was 'depressed and emotionally exhausted' over the collapse of his first marriage to bikini model Jodhi Meares.

The 53-year-old has also spoken out in the past about his battles with depression and dealing with the 2005 death of his domineering father.

For confidential support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636.
Addis Ababa, Feb 27 : Ethiopia has reported 935 fresh Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, pushing the cumulative tally to 157,047, health ministry said on Saturday.

The ministry said that 19 new deaths from the coronavirus were reported across the country during the same period, taking the toll to 2,340.

The East African country reported 954 more recoveries, taking the national count of Covid recoveries to 134,567, Xinhua reported.

Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populous nation, has so far reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the East Africa region.

According to the ministry, Ethiopia currently has some 20,144 active Covid cases, while 375 patients are said to be in serious condition.

The Ethiopian government has been urging the public to implement the precautionary measures to contain the spread of the virus.

The East African nation has so far conducted 2,121,277 Covid tests, the ministry said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Saturday that the federal government should be given time to improve its vaccine program in aged care, but would not rule out intervening in the scheme or in the mass vaccination of the population through general practitioners.

Mr Hazzard said there had not been any discussions about NSW stepping in to assist at this stage, and we need to give the federal government and our colleagues at the front line of the aged care facilities time to improve.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard. Credit:Cole Bennetts

Meanwhile, he indicated Sydney commuters should expect mandatory mask wearing on public transport for a quite some time to come, despite NSW notching up 41 days without any local COVID-19 cases, because its the safest thing to do.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt expects the aged care vaccine program to be back on track by the end of this week after a difficult start involving two patients in Brisbane receiving an incorrect dose and the rollout proceeding much slower than expected.
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait will be touring five states in March to drum up support for the ongoing farmers' protest against Centre's new agriculture laws, a Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) office-bearer said on Saturday.

Tikait, the spokesperson of the BKU and a prominent face of the farmers' protest, will begin the tour from March 1, the office-bearer said.

"Farmers' meetings will be held in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana, while two meetings will also be held in Uttar Pradesh in March," BKU media in-charge Dharmendra Malik said.

Two meetings will be held in Rajasthan and three in Madhya Pradesh. The last three meetings will be held on March 20, 21 and 22 in Karnataka, Malik said.

"One event is scheduled on March 6 in Telangana, but we have not got permission for it yet due to some election in the state. If permission is granted, the meeting in Telangana will be held as per schedule," he told PTI.

Thousands of farmers are camping at Delhi's border points at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur since November with a demand that the should repeal the contentious farm laws enacted in September last year and frame a new one guaranteeing the minimum support price (MSP) on crops.

Tikait is leading the protest at Ghazipur.

The government, which has held 11 rounds of formal talks with the protesting farm unions, maintains that the laws are pro-farmer.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

An 11-year-old girl horrifically discovered both of her parents dead from COVID-19 complications at their Missouri home last Thursday, according to local authorities.

The Mehlville couple, both in their 40s, had recently moved into their new home in St Louis, and were found dead on February 18.

While the St. Louis County police did not identify the couple, social media posts from family and friends and obituaries identified the couple as Gregory and Erika Greenman

Neighbors explained to KSDK that it was the couple's 11-year-old daughter, their only child, who discovered them in the bed.

'To lose both parents at one time you know for an 11-year-old, it's really tragic,' said neighbor Chuck Duy.

The Mehlville couple, both in their 40s, had just moved into their new home in St Louis, Missouri

Social media posts from family and friends and obituaries identified the couple as Gregory and Erika Greenman. Neighbors said it was the couple's 11-year-old daughter, their only child, who discovered them in the bed

'Last year at Christmas time they came down to our door and gave us cookies. They were just the nicest people. We are praying for the girl and their family.'

Guy said that he spoke with family members who said that the woman had gone to the hospital.

'Supposedly she had gone to the hospital. They thought she had a stroke, but I guess it was due to COVID,' Duy said.

He added: 'She tested positive, but they sent her home and then her husband meanwhile was home with a positive test for COVID, so they both were quarantined downstairs in their bedroom in their basement.'

Last Thursday, a woman identifying herself as Erika's sister took to Facebook to announce that the mother and her husband had died

Last Thursday, a woman identifying herself as Erika's sister took to Facebook to announce that the mother and her husband had died.

'Please pray for my family,' Anne Nance Bulliner said on Facebook. 'We lost my baby sister and her husband today. Such a sad day! I am gonna miss you soooo much. I love you!!'

Michael Nance added: 'Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we are mourning the loss of my Aunt Erika Nance Greenman and her husband Scott Greenman. Love while you can because life is so uncertain!'

'It doesnt make sense why God would allow this horrible virus take you both on the same day,' said Erica Goodwin, a friend of the couple's.

'It doesnt make sense why your beautiful baby girl lost both of her loving parents, why one of my closest friends lost her dear sister, or why our Firm lost two exceptional employees and friends. Our hearts are broken. Rest In Peace dear friends.

'It doesnt make sense why God would allow this horrible virus take you both on the same day,' said Erica Goodwin, a friend of the couple's
TAMAQUA

Incidents reported

Tamaqua police reported the following:

 James P. Carnes, 50, New Ringgold, attempted to buy a gun in the borough on June 11 and provided false information on the required forms, claiming that he was never convicted of a crime where he could have been sentenced to a year in jail. He is prohibited from having a gun due to a 2003 felony conviction for possessing a controlled substance in Missouri. Police were asked to investigate on Feb. 17.

 David Benitez, 37, Coaldale, was taken into custody on Feb. 11 for a Luzerne County warrant after a report of a suspicious man at 201 Schuylkill Ave. at 1:17 p.m. The caller said a man knocked at her door, asking to use her phone but then proceeded to go through her house. Police arrived and took Benitez into custody, finding a small amount of marijuana inside his coat pocket. He was taken to Schuylkill County Prison and faces charges for the marijuana.

 Travis K. Christman, 29, Tamaqua, faces harassment, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief after police responded to a fight at Turkey Hill, 330 E. Broad St., on Feb. 14 at 9:50 p.m. When police attempted to get a statement from Christman, he refused though video footage showed him inciting the fight with another man. A glass window was damaged.

 Brad C. Frye, 39, Quakake, faces possession of a controlled substance, use or possession of drug paraphernalia and two summary violations. Police on patrol stopped his vehicle on Feb. 16 after noticing him driving in the area of Pine and Biddle streets. He had a suspended license and was wanted by Schuylkill County detectives. Frye also had a small bag of methamphetamine and a pipe with residue.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
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.

Vote

View Results
Childrens booksellers often need to satisfy more than one customer when making a book recommendation. Theres the young reader herself, but theres likely also a parent, grandparent, or other adult with an opinion about what belongs on her shelf. With multiple people to please, childrens booksellers say they tend to reach for beloved older titles, and consequently, children end up reading deeply into an author or genres backlist.

In short, backlist is integral to starting kids on the path to becoming lifelong readers, says Cathy Berner, childrens and YA specialist and events coordinator at Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston. You want to hook them; you want them to love reading. When they do, they gobble up books. When youve got a voracious reader, you need to know backlistits so important for the bottom line. Every bookseller in the store has favorite backlist titles that we always keep in stock.

Backlist at front of mind

One way Blue Willow is able to boost sales is by pairing board and picture books with sidelines. Two of the stores booksellers will pore over catalogs looking for new plush animals, and then hit up Berner: Ill get a text that says, Do we have any cute panda books?  Right away, she knows her colleagues are looking at a catalog with a new plush toy. More often than not, she turns to backlist, not new releases.

For pandas, Berner recommends 2016s Panda Pants by Jacqueline Davies, illustrated by Sydney Hanson. For elephants, her go-to is 2015s Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo. With board and picture books, she says, parents and grandparents are the main shoppers. When it comes to middle grade, kids begin making choices for themselves. Those readers move so swiftly through new books, they quickly run out. Here, too, deep backlist knowledge is critical. Berner and her fellow Blue Willow booksellers rely on long-running series including Junie B. Jones, Geronimo Stilton, and the Magic Tree House books.

As middle grade readers get a little older, Berner says, you want them to keep plowing through books. The same approach applies: for every new frontlist book, she is thinking of a backlist title to guide the reader to next. YA favorites include Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Ally Carter, and Jason Reynolds.

Old books, new life

When a shopper comes into Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, Ga., looking for a board book for a baby shower, the booksellers ask two questions: What did you love, and what do you feel nostalgic for?

Most of those books are still around, store manager Justin Colussy-Estes says. The deep backlist board books continue to sell, though some of the most venerable, such as Pat the Bunny, are on the wane. At the same time, theres growing customer interest in more recent backlist titles, especially thematic series such as Gibbs-Smiths Baby Lit books. They just absolutely dominate the board book section for us, Colussy-Estes notes.

One of the stores strongest backlist categories, books by local authors, has taken a bit of a hit in the past year. Prior to the pandemic, Little Shop of Stories was a hub for a thriving childrens and YA literary scene whose authors command national attention, including Becky Albertalli, Roshani Chokshi, and Nic Stone. Those writers came in frequently to sign backlist, and readers enjoyed the local connection. The store continues to host (virtual) events, but Colussy-Estes has seen an overall decline in customer awareness of many local backlist books.

In their place, theres more interest in media tie-in editions of older titles. It used to be that there would be a Netflix movie based on a book and I would order it in, but the impact was never as good as I thought it was going to be, Colussy-Estes says. Thats changed. For example, theres a lot more interest in Enola Holmes because its a Netflix show than there would have been a year ago.

That shift in reader tastes is indicative of the new ways that readers are finding books at a time when their access to booksellers for advice is more limited. Though Colussy-Estes is pleased with the sales, the lack of customer interaction is another matter entirely. Until in-store shopping resumes, booksellers have been urging authors who used to show up regularly for events and sign stock to boost their backlist online, using their social media networks to point readers their way.

Proven advice

Brein Lopez, manager of Childrens Book World in Los Angeles, says no single seasons frontlist alone will be diverse enough for him to do what he considers most important: help prepare young readers for a challenging world. Of particular interest to him is sharing books that help boys see different, and nonstereotypical, representations of masculinity.

This overriding machismo exists that makes men feel like they have to act a certain way or be a certain way, Lopez says. One of the ways to fight that is through books. Its important to have stories that boys can read now, that show them another way to be. Many of the books he turns to are backlist titles, including Jason Reynoldss As Brave as You and Dan Gemeinharts The Honest Truth, Some Kind of Courage, and Scar Island, all published between 2014 and 2017.

Though conventional wisdom assumes parents and grandparents drive interest in the backlist, Lopez says, children dont care if a book was published last week or last year. When in-person shopping returns, hell make sure children have space for discovery, which means having a strong backlist to greet them when they walk in.

The best books are always going to be there, Lopez says. Occasionally something will fall through the cracks, but if its really meant to stick around, it will stick around. And thats why so many classics are still in print. Backlist is where were going to find some of our most interesting titles, and those books speak to subjects that are still important.

Return to the main feature.
Twitter has announced plans for a new "super follow" feature which will enable account holders to charge for exclusive additional content.



This could take the form of extra tweets, joining a community group or receiving a newsletter, the firm said.



Twitter unveiled its plans at a virtual event held for investors.



It's the first time in a while that the platform has announced significant changes to the way in which people can use it.



It also said it was testing a live audio discussion service - which has proved popular on a new rival, the audio-only social network Clubhouse.



"Why don't we start with why folks don't believe in us," said Twitter founder Jack Dorsey.



"It comes down to three critiques: we're slow, we're not innovative, and we're not trusted."



Twitter, which was launched in 2006 and recorded its first annual profit in 2018, said it hoped to double its revenue in 2023.



"Twitter is unquestionably looking for ways to drive new revenue streams with this new service," said analyst Ben Wood from CCS Insight.



"For those with compelling enough content this service could be attractive but I expect it will be hard to deliver big paydays for the average Twitter user."



The news has received a mixed reaction among Twitter users. Social media consultant Matt Navarra asked his followers whether they would be prepared to pay a premium for their favourite accounts - and 85% responded that they would not.



A spokesman for Twitter said Super Follow was due to be launched this year.

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
The nuclear family is the enemy of leftism since it is the ultimate non-state support and control system. No wonder America's leftists have managed to enact a long list of laws challenging the nuclear family. The latest comes out of New Jersey, which implemented a law holding that police may not notify parents that their children were caught smoking pot or drinking alcohol. This is not random stupidity; it's part of a pattern.

A recent articulation of the leftist hostility to the family comes from the trained Marxists at Black Lives Matter. Before BLM deleted their "What We Believe" page (which lives on at the Wayback Machine), it stated:

We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and 'villages' that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.

If that village remark sounds familiar, you're old enough to remember Hillary Clinton's 1996 book, It Takes A Village, which said society, not families, raise children. Most people understood the book to be a demand for more government involvement in raising children.

In 2013, Melissa Harris-Perry, an MSNBC host, was explicit about the fact that it's society, not the family, that should be responsible for inculcating values in children:

"We have never invested as much in public education as we should have because we've always had kind of a private notion of children. Your kid is yours and totally your responsibility. We haven't had a very collective notion of these are our children," she says in a spot for the network's "Lean Forward" campaign. "So part of it is we have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents, or kids belong to their families, and recognize that kids belong to whole communities."

Although many states require parental consent for piercings, tattoos, and tanning beds, the trend among leftists has been to prevent parents from having a say in things integral to their children's most significant physical and mental health issues: birth control, abortion, and so-called "transgenderism." This operates at both the federal and state level.

Under federal law, Title X and Medicaid, teens do not need parental consent to obtain birth control. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 23 states, plus D.C., explicitly allow minors to get contraceptives without their parents' consent. Your 13-year-old daughter can get the Pill without your ever knowing it, even though the Pill is an extremely powerful hormonal modifier that's never been fully studied for political reasons and a 13-year-old's emotional unpreparedness for a sexual relationship.

When it comes to abortion, only 37 states require that parents must be involved in the decision. That means that in 13 states, your daughter is on her own  or maybe the pedophile who got her pregnant is in on the decision with her. (In California, the law was that parents at least had to give consent, but a court permanently enjoined that policy.) You, the parent, just aren't sufficiently important to be part of this decision.

In recent years, transgenderism is the hot new area in which parents are being excluded from having a say in their children's physical and mental well-being. In New Jersey, for example, schools do not need to tell parents if a student has decided that he is really she.

These laws ignore the fact that, for girls, peer pressure figures largely in their announcements about their "gender identity." Children with Asperger's syndrome and autism are also easily made to believe they're transgender. As a general matter, America's leftist public schools are pushing transgenderism on children behind their parents' backs.

Given this trend, it shouldn't be a surprise that New Jersey has now decided that parents don't need to know if their children are getting into trouble with pot or alcohol:

It's a world without consequences thanks to a new statute, signed into law on Monday by Democrat governor Phil Murphy, that prevents law enforcement officials from informing parents when their minor children are caught smoking marijuana or drinking alcohol. The legislation was attached, at the last minute, to a package of bills intended to legalize recreational marijuana for adults, a measure approved by voters last November. [snip] If that wasn't insane enough, cops themselves could face criminal penalties for alerting parents that their children were caught using illicit substances. Families will only be contacted if their kids become repeat offenders, which is likely of little comfort to parents, who were blindsided by the legislation and never given the opportunity by lawmakers to offer any feedback.

The Democrat party might want to consider a new slogan: "All your children are belong to us." And the rest of us might want to have our own slogan: "Be afraid. Be very afraid."

Image: Underage drinking. YouTube screen grab.

Price Chopper/Market 32 and Freihofers completed an annual corporate giving program, raising more than $200,000 to benefit Muscular Dystrophy Association, Cure Rare Disease, and the Melodies Center at Albany Medical Center Hospital. The supermarket chain promoted the purchase of specific Freihofers products in its stores with a designated donation to the charities.

For the past three years, Community Bank N.A. has supported local pantries and food banks by hosting food drives at each of its branches. Last year, Community Bank collected 12,290 canned food items and the bank has continued to participate in the celebration this year by donating $12,290 to eight food banks in its four-state footprint which includes New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Massachusetts. Locally, Community Bank donated $1,200 to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY.
Hyderabad: Implementation of the free drinking water scheme for supply of 20 kilo litre per month by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) is caught in an inter-departmental wrangle.

The Water Board claims it cannot clear the pending dues of about Rs 1,100 crore and bear the electricity charges for the supply of the water. Citing its weak financial condition, it has urged the electricity department not to disconnect power until a budgetary allocation for this purpose was made by the state government.

Notably, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had intervened in the matter and previously promised suitable budgetary allocations. On this basis, the Water Board urged the power department to continue the power supply for three months by which time, it said, the issues could be sorted out with the government.

In a request to the TS Electricity Regulatory Commission (TSERC), the Water Board said it had incurred a net loss of Rs 232.33 crore for 2016-17, Rs 330.01 crore for 2017-18, Rs 299.95 crore for 2018-19, Rs 577.49 crore for 2019-20 and Rs 265.86 crore for 2020-21 up to October.

The board said the deficit was on account of operations of the board which does not include capital expenditure. Due to the vast spread of urbanisation, it has become a challenging job to supply potable water to all citizens in and around Hyderabad. The maintenance of sewer systems has also become a challenging job for the HMWS&SB.

The present operational area is about 1,570 sq km, which includes the GHMC area extending up to the Outer Ring Road (ORR). The supply of drinking water has become more challenging due to the concessional tariff and with an average cost recovery of Rs 10 per kilo litre against a cost of production of Rs 47.

The board proposed a concessional power tariff, which was sanctioned by the government. This could be a great help for sustenance of our operations and also help achieve self-sufficiency over a period. Otherwise, the operations would suffer.

It said the cost of production was increasing by the day, while the tariff has been retained for the last nine years.

The electricity department responded claiming that it too was in a sad condition. There was no revision of tariff since 2017-18. If the orders dated July 18, 2020 of the regulatory commission were to be implemented with effect from 2018-19, distribution companies (discoms) were bound to incur a revenue loss of Rs 244.57 crore, for fiscal 2018-19, Rs 257.38 crore for fiscal 2019-20, Rs 63.59 crore for the first quarter of fiscal 2020-21. Further the discoms would be losing Rs 21.19 crore per month till the revised tariff orders are approved. This loss was due to lack of tariff revision and fall in revenue.

Hence, the total impact on revenue for discoms is Rs 538.95 crore up to June 2020, including Rs 83.35 crore towards surcharge.

It said the commission has given its nod to supply power to all water supply pumping stations of HMWS&SB at a tariff linked to energy charges at Rs 3.95 per unit as decided by the government in August 3, 2018, and as per the directions given to the commission in the letter dated June 26, 2020, from fiscal 2018-19.

It would continue to do so till a final view is taken by the commission on determination of tariff for retail supply for fiscals 2019- 20 and 2020-21 and also in a true up of retail supply tariff for fiscal 2018-19.

A senior Water Board official told Deccan Chronicle that the issue has been taken to the notice of the Chief Minister. The CM has asked the Water Board to make part payment immediately and assured that he would make suitable budgetary allocation for the present fiscal.

He also advised the electricity department not to disconnect power supply to HMWS&SB for the next three months until the budgetary allocation is made. The CM said the free drinking water supply scheme would continue as the government has given such an assurance to the people.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
How and Where I Write: Marvin Olasky

David George Moore

Its been my privilege to be in the personal spaces of several writers. Among others, Pulitzer winner Tony Horwitz warmly welcomed me at his home on Marthas Vineyard as did William F. Buckley at his place on Long Island Sound.

I have interviewed over 200 authors. Everyone has their own style with reading, capturing what they have read, research, and then writing. In my own writing I have settled on an approach that certainly has its idiosyncrasies.

Marvin is editor in chief of WORLD magazine and dean of the World Journalism Institute. He joined WORLD in 1992. He has also served as a university professor and college provost. He has written 28 books, including his most recent, Abortion at the Crossroads. Abortion at the Crossroads: Three Paths Forward in the Struggle to Protect the Unborn: Olasky, Marvin: 9781642938142: Amazon.com: Books

Moore: Do you still acquire books as you get older or have you slowed down a bit?

Olasky: I follow my wifes Law of the Conservation of Mass: 1) Only 18 bookcases allowed in our house, spread through eight rooms. 2) All shelves are now filled. 3) Good book in, another good book out. The beneficiaries are students involved with Hill House, a great Christian study center just off the campus of The University of Texas at Austin.

Moore: What are the best time(s) and place(s) for you to write?

Olasky: After our magazine goes to press. Just about anywhere, but I like my old desk with books and old issues of WORLD piled up, along with the ESV Literary Study Bible, a photo of Susan, a copy of my favorite novel (The Cypresses Believe in God), and a big ranch bell an old friend made for me.

Moore: How do you capture your research? Old school with note cards etc., or new school with computer programs?

Olasky: Old new school: notes on Microsoft Word. Right now, I have 18 folders on my desktop with titles like columns reviews interviews upcoming events internsWORLD reporters upcoming books. The folders all have sub-folders.

Moore: Do you immediately start writing on the computer (perhaps typewriter) or by longhand?

Olasky: Computer. I admire the rare writer who can think and then put down exactly what he means to say, but I tend to start with a few observations and then play with them.

Moore: Do you put marginalia in your physical books?

Olasky: Yes, now that I read mostly review copies. Sometimes words, but sometimes just a line next to a paragraph on a dog-eared page to remind me of what I want to quote or allude to in a review.

Moore: Do you read digital books?

Olasky: With rare exceptions, only in the middle of the night on Kindle, when my wife beside me is reading on her Kindle.

Moore: What is some good advice you received on writing?

Olasky: Expect 10% writing and 90% rewriting.

Moore: What do you think is your best book?

Olasky: Its satisfying when people tell me that The Tragedy of American Compassion helped them rethink programs that werent working and pushed them to be both generous and discerning. The new book, Abortion at the Crossroads, may help others to think through ways to be pro-life.

Moore: Please name a few of your favorite authors from your own field of study.

Olasky: Among journalists, David French, Ross Douthat, and Karl Zinsmeister. Among writers on abortion, Anne Hendershott and Magda Denes. Among writers about worldviews, Francis Schaeffer and Tim Keller. Among writers about helping the poor, Darrow Miller and Arthur Brooks. Among historians of America, Thomas Kidd and whoever teaches me what I dont know, which means I have lots of favorites.

Moore: What is a book you should have read by now, but havent? This will make all of us sleep better!

Olasky: Since my first four decades of Boston baseball were frustrating, I would like to have been able to read How the Red Sox Won the World Series Every Year From 1960 to 2003.

David George Moore is the author of the forthcoming Stuck in the Present: How History Frees and Forms Christians (Leafwood/Abilene Christian University Press). Stuck in the Present: David George Moore: 9781684264605: Amazon.com: Books
Trump Endorses Former Aide Max Miller Against GOP Rep. Who Voted for Impeachment

Former President Donald Trump on Friday endorsed his former aide, Max Miller, in his primary challenge of incumbent Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), who voted to impeach the former president.

Max Miller is a wonderful person who did a great job at the White House and will be a fantastic Congressman. He is a Marine Veteran, a son of Ohio, and a true PATRIOT, Trump said in a statement through his Save America PAC. Current Rep. Anthony Gonzalez should not be representing the people of the 16th district because he does not represent their interest or their heart. Max Miller has my Complete and Total Endorsement!

Miller previously served on the White House staff as a senior adviser to Trump. He also previously served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve.

Miller responded to the endorsement on Twitter: I am honored to be endorsed by President Donald J. Trump as I begin my campaign for Congress. I will never back down and will never betray my constituents. Join us. We will save America together.

A release from Millers campaign reads, Growing up in Ohio, Max saw first-hand the havoc wreaked on middle Americas middle-class by politicians who abandoned them in favor of cheap, exploitative foreign labor. He watched the government enable big corporations to sell addictive drugs to struggling people who didnt need them or know their risks. Max also shares the frustration that Northeast Ohioans have with Congress failing to do the peoples work while it instead spends time playing virtue-signaling political games.

The people want steel-spined leaders that stand up to all who would take advantage of them  whether foreign adversaries, domestic profiteers, or anti-American ideologues. Max is running for Congress to stand up for Northeast Ohioans and represent their interests in Washington. Unbending and straightforward, Max Miller will be their champion.

Trumps endorsement comes shortly after Miller late Friday announced his primary challenge to Gonzalez.

Im running for Congress to stand up for Northeast Ohioans. They overwhelmingly voted for the America First agenda, he said on Twitter. But their Congressman betrayed them when he voted to impeach President Trump. I wont back down. And Ill never betray them. Join me.

Gonzalez, who currently represents Ohios 16th District, was one of 10 House Republicans who voted in favor of impeaching Trump.

Previously, in a statement on Jan. 13, Gonzalez accused Trump of having influenced the events of Jan. 6, when a group of protestors breached the Capitol building in Washington while lawmakers were gathered to certify election results to affirm the victory of now-President Joe Biden.

The Vice President and both chambers of Congress had their lives put in grave danger as a result of the Presidents actions in the events leading up to and on January 6th, Gonzalez said. During the attack itself, the President abandoned his post while many members asked for help, thus further endangering all present  When I consider the full scope of events leading up to January 6th including the Presidents lack of response as the United States Capitol was under attack, I am compelled to support impeachment.

Trump on Jan. 6 called on Americans in Washington to go home in peace after news emerged that there was a breach at the Capitol building. His message was blocked by social media companies, who accused the president of policy violations. On Jan. 7, both Trump and the White House separately issued statements that condemned the violence that took place on Capitol grounds.

Trump yesterday issued an endorsement for Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). Moran had voted to acquit Trump at the Senate impeachment trial earlier this month. Because former President Trump is no longer in office, I voted to acquit, he wrote in statement on Feb. 13. Moran had criticized Trump for having continued to allege on Jan. 6 that there was widespread election fraud, calling Trumps action wrong.
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Ta-Nehisi Coates and J.J. Abrams teaming up on a Superman reboot? Yep, the Man of Steel is back for a brand new film, spearheaded by the two long-time superhero superstars, Deadline reported on Friday. Seeming in the early stages of development, the film, which will be written by Coates and Produced by Abrams's Bad Robot production company, has no confirmed plot and no confirmed actors signed on. With no attachments as of yet, its unclear who, exactly will take the titular role, however, the site reports that Henry Cavill, who played Superman throughout the 20-teens is "eager to get back into the cape," the outlet reported.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

Yet according to The Hollywood Reporter, Michael B. Jordan, renowned for his work in Black Panther and Creed, is a potential pick for the role. "According to sources, the project is being set up as a Black Superman story," the outlet reported. "This is something that the studio has been trying to wrap its head around for months, if not a year or two. Michael B. Jordan tried to develop a Black Superman project when he first arrived at the studio with his deal in 2019, but that did not go very far at the time, according to sources. It is possible that the studio could return to him to star down the line." Mr. Abrams, Mr. Coates, if you're reading this, please, please cast Michael B. Jordan as Clark Kent. This is the Superman reboot we neeed.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

Dream cast aside, Coates is best known for his work as a journalist and bestselling author, having penned 2015's National Book Award-winning Between the World and Me and the 2008 memoir, The Beautiful Struggle. His literary expertise, however, expands beyond groundbreaking works of nonfiction, delving into the universe of Marvel Comics. In 2016, Coates was the head writer for a new Black Panther series which will conclude this April after a revolutionary five-year run. Coates' work withMarvel spans beyond Wakanda, with the author also penning a Captain America comic back in 2018.

"To be invited into the DC Extended Universe by Warner Bros., DC Films and Bad Robot is an honor," Coates told Shadow and Act. "I look forward to meaningfully adding to the legacy of America's most iconic mythic hero."

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

Abrams, on the other hand, is famed for his work on the recent Star Wars trilogy, directing, producing, and co-writing The Force Awakens and directing and co-writing 2019's The Rise of Skywalker, along with other credits. Abrams is also known for his 2006 directorial debut with Mission Impossible III as well as 2009's Star Trek and its 2013 sequel.

"There is a new, powerful and moving Superman story yet to be told," Abrams wrote in a statement to the publication. "We couldn't be more thrilled to be working with the brilliant Mr. Coates to help bring that story to the big screen, and we're beyond thankful to the team at Warner Bros. for the opportunity," he continued.
That was then...

New York, November 20, 2020  Governor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York will receive this years International Emmy Founders Award, in recognition of his leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic and his masterful use of television to inform and calm people around the world.

Let's briefly examine Cuomo's Emmy Awardwinning leadership record handling the Wuhan virus in New York State, especially regarding the elderly. Hint: It is not good.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo may finally be facing a partial reckoning for sending elderly COVID patients back into nursing homes, thereby spreading the disease to the most vulnerable group of all, the elderly. New York State also has the highest COVID death toll (42,000) but is only the fourth largest state by population. ... Thanks to a report by New York attorney general Letitia James, it is now on the public record that the COVID deaths among nursing home residents were undercounted by as much as 50%, mostly thanks to the trick of failing to count the deaths of those who were readmitted to hospitals and died there.

This is now.

A few days ago, another accusation against Cuomo dropped. Sexual harassment. In a detailed report, Lindsey Boylan, the former chief of staff at New York's state economic agency, described the ongoing

... culture within his administration where sexual harassment and bullying is so pervasive that it is not only condoned but expected. His inappropriate behavior toward women was an affirmation that he liked you, that you must be doing something right. He used intimidation to silence his critics. And if you dared to speak up, you would face consequences.

While giving numerous examples of Cuomo's sexual bullying and physical assaults against her and even from other female staffers who confided in her that, #MeToo, they too endured similar behavior from Cuomo, she also admits:

I know some will brush off my experience as trivial. We are accustomed to powerful men behaving badly when no one is watching. But what does it say about us when everyone is watching and no one says a thing?

Now, I firmly believe that a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court room. Having expressed these caveats, nevertheless, these are credible accusations.

While there are growing calls to impeach Governor Cuomo plus demands that he resign, Cuomo is hanging tough. Denying the accusations and continuing to behave governor-like, Cuomo defends his record and accuses the accusers.

My belief in innocent until proven guilty remains. However, the Emmy Award is tarnishing and even melting before our very eyes because of the numerous  and believable accusations regarding Cuomo's "leadership." Perhaps the Emmy Awards committee might soon award itself its own lifetime achievement Emmy for hypocrisy, stupidity, and willingness to be duped to advance its own political and social agenda.

More is sure to come. And New York State citizens will probably no longer remain calm as they await the verdict.

Image: Pat Arnow via Flickr.

Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  The first plea is entered in the discovery of about 14 pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of oxycodone pills.

Ann Mare Jessen-Ford, 57 of Rochester, has pleaded not guilty to 1st degree sale and 1st degree possession of drugs. No trial date has been set.



Douglas Howard Douglas Howard

Matthew Lyman Matthew Lyman

Jessen-Ford was arrested along with two other men after an investigation that began with a traffic stop on January 17. Matthew James Lyman, 47 of Mantorville, was pulled over after law enforcement said he was swerving through traffic and failed to signal a lane change. Court documents say five pounds of meth and 4,000 oxycodone pills were found in his vehicle, along with two handguns. One of the guns had been reported stolen.

Lymans arrest started an investigation that led to the search of a home in the 2100 block of 18  Avenue NW where authorities say nine more pounds of meth were found. Jessen-Ford and another man at the house, Douglas Ray Howard, were arrested at the home.

Lyman is charged with three counts of 1st degree sale of drugs, three counts of 1st degree possession of drugs, receiving stolen property, 5th degree drug possession, and DWI. Howard, 57 of Rochester, is charged with 1st degree sale and 1st degree possession of drugs. Neither man has entered a plea.
Your team is dynamic, Powell said. I am truly excited about the prospect of working with all of you on this very important topic in our community. You bring such a breadth and depth of experience and skill from so many different aspects. I think its really going to be a positive process, but most importantly, were going to get some real action items for us to work on and implement at the end of this process.
The book market in Mexico, like others around the world, has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, with unit sales of print books dropping 23.5% last year compared to 2019, according to Nielsen BookScan Mexico. Home-bound readers there have gravitated toward self-help books. The #1 print book in January is The Negotiator, a guide to negotiation by Arturo Elias Ayub, a Mexican telecom executive, while the #2 spot is held by Sofia Macias, a popular social media financial advisor. The third spot is taken by Lety Sahagun and Ashley Frangie, who host a popular podcast.

One huge, mega trend in Latin America in general, and in Mexico in particular, is the rise of this nonreaderyoung people who are reading not the traditional books that we were used to but books by influencers from YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, said Roberto Banchik, CEO of Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Mexico during the recent Publishing 2020 Vision webinar series hosted by Hewlett Packard. These are new, young readers who are coming into the market, and this is, I think, a source of hope for the future.

Banchik noted that the book market in Mexico reflected the same trends seen around the world during the pandemicparticularly the move toward digital and online sales. E-book readership grew quite a bit, especially in the first period of last year, probably rising over 35% compared with 2019, he added. The same happened for audiobooks, which is a category that really exploded in 2020.

As a result, PHRGE Mexico ramped up production of audiobooks in the past year. It now has a backlist of 1,000 titles and is producing 100 new titles per month among all the PRH affiliates in Latin America.

Mexico has long lagged behind other large markets when it comes to digital innovation, hampered by a relative dearth of stable, affordable high-speed internet access throughout the country. E-commerce developed slowly, with major players like Amazon having only launched full retail operations in 2015 (and Prime in 2017) and other competitors, such as the major bookstore chain Ghandi, also growing conservatively.

Another factor impacting innovation is that more than half of books produced in Mexico are produced by or for the government, much of them for educational consumption. So print still very much dominates, and readers are still largely dependent on shopping in bookstores.

That said, online sales grew from 5% of total book sales to 20% in the first nine months of 2020, Banchik said.
A 19-year-old man stabbed to death in a central London street as been named as Ahmed Beker.

The teenager was killed shortly after 9pm yesterday in Paddington Green, London.

The young man died at the scene despite the best efforts of police and paramedics.

Ahmed Becker, 19, pictured, was murdered in Paddington Green, London on Friday night. The teenager was stabbed less than 100 metres were his cousin Josiph had been murdered in 2019

His uncle James Beker said; 'We are not in the war. How can they do this? How can they carry a knife to kill people? Its unbelievable.'

Mr Becker's son Josiph was also stabbed to death in 2019, less than 100m away from Friday nights tragedy, outside a KFC on Edgware Road.

He said: 'Im so shocked and devastated. Its hurting me. It reminds me what happened. Its the same thing again.

'My brother is devastated. Im scared for him.

'He cant get this. He doesnt understand whats happened. He wont believe it.'

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to Paddington Green at 9.13pm last night where they found the 19-year-old victim. Pictured: The scene last night

Despite the efforts of police and paramedics, he was later pronounced dead at the scene

No arrests have yet been made. A crime scene remains in place while police continue their investigation. Pictured: Police at scene

No arrests have yet been made. A crime scene remains in place while police continue their investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to call 101 or tweet @MetCC with the reference CAD7919/26FEB.

Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
.

Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz said on Saturday his "initial assessment" was that Iran was responsible for an explosion on an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman

The ship, a vehicle-carrier named MV Helios Ray, suffered an explosion between Thursday and Friday morning. A U.S. defence official in Washington said the blast left holes above the waterline in both sides of the hull. The cause was not immediately clear and no casualties were reported.

"Iran is looking to hit Israeli infrastructure and Israeli citizens," Gantz told the public broadcaster Kan. "The location of the ship in relative close proximity to Iran raises the notion, the assessment, that it is the Iranians."

"Right now, at an initial assessment level, given the proximity and the context - that is my assessment," Gantz said, adding a deeper investigation still had to be carried out.

There was no immediate comment from Iranian officials.

The ship is owned by a Tel Aviv company called Ray Shipping through a company registered in the Isle of Man, according to a U.N. shipping database.

Israeli Channel 13 News said defence officials believed the Iranian navy had launched a precision strike to avoid casualties, firing two missiles at a part of the ship that if damaged would not have sunk the vessel.

It added an Israeli delegation was en route to Dubai, where the ship was docked, to investigate.

Reuters was not immediately able to confirm the report.

Kan named the owner as Rami Ungar and quoted him on Friday as saying: "The damage is two holes, diameter approximately 1.5 metres, but it is not yet clear to us if this was caused by missile fire or mines that were attached to the ship."

Iran said in November it would make a "calculated" response to the killing of its top nuclear scientist, which it blamed on Israel.

Tensions have risen in the Gulf region since the United States reimposed sanctions on Iran in 2018 after then-president Donald Trump withdrew Washington from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.

Washington has blamed Iran for a number of attacks on shipping in strategic Gulf waters, notably on four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, in May 2019. Iran has denied carrying out those attacks.

Short link:


LOS GATOS, Calif., Feb. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This year marks the 29th anniversary of the Khojaly Massacre. 29 years ago, on the night of February 25-26, residents of the small Azerbaijani town of Khojaly in Nagorno-Karabakh fell victim to one of the most heinous war crimes since World War II.

The Khojaly massacre is considered the bloodiest event of the 1991-94 Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

By February 25, Khojaly was completely surrounded by Armenian forces, and before the assault, the city was subjected to a massive artillery shelling, as result of which many civilians were killed and wounded.

Along with the Armenian armed forces, as well as mercenary militants from the Middle East, personnel and military equipment of the Russian 366th motorized rifle regiment, stationed at that time in Khankendi, took part in the storming of the city.The massacre of the residents of the city, along with the officers of the Armenian armed forces, was led by then field commanders Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sargsyan (later the second and third presidents of Armenia).

As a result of the massacre 613 persons died only that night, including:

63 children,

106 women,

70 elderly,

8 families were completely annihilated,

25 children lost both parents,

130 children lost one parent,

487 persons including 76 children were wounded

1275 persons taken hostage,

150* still missing.

Investigations conducted by the international human rights organization HRW have revealed in details all circumstances of the crimes committed by the Armenian armed forces. According to the conclusions of the international human rights experts, the massacre of Azerbaijani civilians cannot be justified under any circumstances.

This heinous crime was also documented by numerous Azerbaijani and international journalists, who filmed the bodies of the dead both in Khojaly itself and in the snow-covered fields outside the city, and recorded the testimonies of the survivors of the massacre.

Despite the abundance of materials that documented the events of the massacre and fully exposed the crimes of the Armenian militants against the innocent Azerbaijani population, none of the perpetrators of this crime has yet been brought to justice. Therefore everything possible must be done to draw international attention to the massacre in Khojaly, Azerbaijan so that the perpetrators will finally be brought to justice, and such horrific events will never ever happen again.

SOURCE Azerbaijani Union

Related Links

https://www.azerbaijaniunion.com



An Alabama girl, 7, has been selling lemonade at her mom's bakery to pay for her own brain surgeries after she was diagnosed with multiple cerebral malformations.

Liza Scott set up a stand inside Savage's Bakery in Homewood, Alabama, where she is selling her own homemade lemonade as well as cookies and candy canes to drum up funds for her life-saving treatment.

The little girl was diagnosed this month with three rare cerebral malformations - an irregularity of the brain - after she suffered a seizure back in January.

Liza is set to undergo the first of multiple brain surgeries at Boston Children's Hospital in March as she said 'I hope I make it' but admitted 'I feel like I'll not'.

Liza's mom Elizabeth, who is co-owner of Savage's Bakery, said the family's life has been 'turned upside down' ever since doctors learned her daughter has the rare condition.

Liza Scott, 7, has been selling lemonade at her mom's bakery to pay for her own brain surgeries after she was diagnosed with multiple cerebral malformations. Pictured Liza at her lemonade stand

Liza said she 'I hope I make it' but admitted 'I feel like I'll not' as she is set to undergo the first of multiple brain surgeries at Boston Children's Hospital in March

Liza set up the lemonade stand inside the neighborhood bakery so she could sell her sweet creations, with all proceeds from each glass going toward her upcoming brain surgeries.

Making lemonade and selling it to the local community was already one of the seven-year-old's 'favorite things to do', according to a MightyCause page set up to for donations for her treatment.

'If there is anyone who can take lemons and make it to the most amazing Lemonade ever, it is Liza,' the page, set up by Elizabeth, reads.

'Selling lemonade (and other special treats) is one of her favorite things to do.'

Elizabeth said her daughter's love for lemonade has 'inspired this next journey' as they prepare for the 'unimaginable' road ahead.

'From the start Liza has taken the lemons thrown her way and shown us all that adding a little Zest to life is what making Lemonade is all about,' she wrote.

Liza told News 19 she is scared she won't survive her first round of surgery next month.

Liza's mom Elizabeth, who is co-owner of Savage's Bakery, said the family's life has been 'turned upside down' ever since doctors learned her daughter has the rare condition. Pictured Liza with her mom and brother

Liza set up a stand inside Savage's Bakery in Homewood, Alabama, where she is selling her own homemade lemonade as well as cookies and candy canes to drum up funds for her life-saving treatment

'I can't handle it. So, I hope I make it,' Liza said. 'My mom keeps saying I'm going to, but I feel like I'm not.'

Liza first suffered a Grand Mal seizure - where the individual loses consciousness and suffers violent muscle contractions - on January 30.

After weeks of tests, neurologists and neurosurgeons at the Children's Hospital in Birmingham discovered she has an 'extra special' brain with three cerebral malformations.

The malformations are rare and even rarer for an individual to have more than one, Elizabeth said.

'In most every instance of these rare malformations doctors only see one malformation - in Liza's case she has 3 - the first a Schizencephaly (or cleft) -- the second a Parietal Arteriovenous Malformation - or AVM (You and I know it as an aneurysm) - and lastly, a Dural Arteriovenous Fistula (DAVM) - or very rare vascular condition where abnormal connections (fistulas) are made between branches of arteries and veins,' she wrote.

The little girl was diagnosed this month with three rare cerebral malformations - an irregularity of the brain - after she suffered a seizure back in January. Pictured in hospital this month

Liza and her brother inside her mom's bakery where she has been selling lemonade to pay for her own treatment

Local residents are supporting Liza by buying glasses of her homemade creation while donations to the MightyCause page had topped $137,000 Saturday

The malformations require immediate treatment to prevent Liza suffering further seizures, haemorrhages or even a stroke

Elizabeth told News 19 the 'world has turned upside down' since her daughter's sudden illness and said she is looking to her faith as they travel to Boston for Liza's first operation next week.

'You know, in the moments that I feel like I can't breathe, or I'm awake in the night and I can't sleep, I pray,' she said.

'I'm on my hands and knees, literally, praying.'

Elizabeth said she has taken out extra insurance to pay for her daughter's surgeries but the treatment will mean several weeks of staying in hotels away from home for each surgery.

Travel and accommodation costs and extra medical expenses have already set her back almost $10,000, she said, which as a single mom of two is 'not something you can budget for.'

Local residents are supporting Liza by buying glasses of her homemade creation while donations to the MightyCause page had topped $137,000 Saturday.
North Sea producer Premier Oil has gained regulatory and antitrust approval to re-emerge under its new trading name Harbour Energy Plc. having agreed to a merger due to high levels of debt in late 2020. Leading U.K. energy independent Chrysaor Holdings Ltd. agreed on a reverse takeover of Premier in October 2020, paying $1.23 billion cash to fold one of the oldest independent producers in the world. Chrysaor and Premier are surprising everyone by announcing plans to recommence trade in the first quarter of 2021.

Harbour Energy Plc. is expected to start trading by 1st April, leaving behind its multi-million dollar debt. This follows approval for Premier's and Chrysaor licence interests in the UK from both the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) and the Mexican Economic Competition Commission.

The merger gives Chrysaor a 77 percent stake in the entity, with 23 percent being held by Harbour Energy, an upstream investment subsidiary of private equity group EIG Global Energy Partners, based in Houston.

Having acquired assets from Royal Dutch Shell Plc, as well as several other firms, Chrysaor has risen to become the biggest oil and gas producers in the British North Sea. In 2020, Chrysaor was producing an average of 200,000 bpd oil equivalent, which was expected to increase by 70,000 bpd thanks to its acquisition of Premier.

The emergence of Harbour Energy Plc. comes at an increasingly positive time for the oil industry, with prices expected to reach $70 a barrel by the end of 2021.

Related: How High Can Oil Really Go?



Like many in the industry, Chrysaor has been hit hard by the drop in oil demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Drilling activities scheduled for 2020 are now being planned for 2021, with a shutdown for repairs of the U.K.s main crude pipeline scheduled for three weeks in May.

These works will affect Chrysaors production levels as seven of its fields rely on the Forties pipeline for oil delivery. Nevertheless, the increased production rate expected thanks to the Premier merger will help the company manage these production losses.

In addition, in 2020, Chrysaor outlined plans for various facility modifications and well campaigns across its oil fields, including the drilling of a new subsea well scheduled for 2021.

Chrysaor is not the only player betting on North Sea production. This week, ExxonMobil announced the sale of its non-operated assets in the North Sea to Norway-based private equity fund HitecVision for over $1 billion.

This deal is expected to double HitecVisions oil production levels to 70,000 bpd equivalent.

Despite calls on energy companies to gradually reduce North Sea oil production, following in Norways footsteps, the region continues to be a major oil producer. Sales of North Sea oil totalled 24.8 billion in 2018, at an annual increase of 30.1%. Production in the region also accounts for an estimated 269,000 jobs.

An estimated 30,000 jobs were under threat in the U.K.s oil sector in 2020, due to severe cuts related to pandemic restrictions and a loss in oil demand. Plans such as those of Harbour Energy Plc. and HitecVision are hopeful for a region that has been hit hard both economically and by unemployment.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Retired Garda Assistant Commissioner Michael OSullivan has been appointed as the Chair of the Safe Balbriggan Pillar

A former Assistant Garda Commissioner has been appointed to head up 'Safe Balbriggan', an initiative to help tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in the town and build a safer community.

The Balbriggan Leadership Group ratified the establishment of a Safe Balbriggan Pillar at its quarterly meeting, last week.

This brings to five the number of pillars that the Leadership Group is responsible for with Safe Balbriggan being added to Local Economy & Enterprise, Community Affairs & Integration, Employment, Education & Training and Public Realm & Placemaking.

At the meeting retired Garda Assistant Commissioner Michael O'Sullivan was appointed as the Chair of the Safe Balbriggan Pillar and the Leadership Group agreed terms of reference, membership and works programme for the new Pillar.

Former Assistant Commissioner O'Sullivan retired from An Garda Siochana in March 2020 after a 39-year career serving in a wide variety of roles in Ireland, the European Union and internationally.

He has held a number of key positions in An Garda Siochana, most recently as the Assistant Commissioner in charge of national security and intelligence. He remains a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and, in July 2020, he was appointed by Government, for a four-year term, as one of the lay person nominees to the Judicial Council of Ireland's Sentencing and Guidelines Committee.

Professor Brian MacCraith, Chair of the Balbriggan Leadership Group, said: 'The establishment of the Safe Balbriggan Pillar is an important step forward for the Leadership Group as it is directly in response to community feedback seeking investment in this sphere. I would like to thank the Department of Justice, An Garda Siochana and Fingal County Council for the work they have done since last October to establish a framework for this new Pillar.

'They have also sourced an excellent leader for the Pillar in former Assistant Commissioner Michael O'Sullivan and his huge experience from 39 years as a police officer working in Ireland and abroad will be of tremendous benefit to Balbriggan as we seek to enhance community positivity and well being through multi-agency collaboration and community policing initiatives.'

Michael O'Sullivan, Chair of the Safe Balbriggan Pillar, said: 'I am delighted to have been appointed as Chair of the Safe Balbriggan Pillar and become a member of the Balbriggan Leadership Group. We have put together a strong team to oversee the Safe Balbriggan Pillar and have a comprehensive programme of works to deliver.'

In addition to former Assistant Commissioner O'Sullivan, the membership of the Safe Balbriggan Pillar will also include representatives from Department of Justice, Department of Children & Youth Affairs, An Garda Siochana and Fingal County Council as well as Public Sector, Education Sector and Community Sector representatives and a member of the Leadership Group.
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.
Covid 19 vaccination drive being inaugurated at the Gandhi Hospital Hyderabad in the presence of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy, Telangana Health minister Eatala Rajender and Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar. (DC Image/SSR)

HYDERABAD: Around 400 medical students of Gandhi Medical College (GMC) have been left out of Covid-19 vaccination programme because their data was not sent to the district medical and health authorities by the college and Gandhi Hospital.

The students left out include postgraduates and house surgeons working in different departments as also in Coronavirus wards.

A junior doctor, on condition of anonymity, told this newspaper: "We have represented the matter to the principal of GMC, heads of departments as also superintendent of the hospital. They say our data has not been sent to district authorities. So, we cannot get the vaccine. When vaccination drive for the first dose has attracted less than 50 per cent response from healthcare workers, why cannot they give us a chance to get vaccinated? As frontline workers performing duties around Covid-19 patients, we are worried over being left out."

Medicos left out are those doing their second and third year. With their exams in the offing, they are unwilling to speak out openly about the issue. However, there are 30 junior doctors in GMC who have got their vaccinations, as they had volunteered to take the vaccine during the first trial. Other resident doctors, whose names were given by hospital authorities, have also been vaccinated. They have been administered the second dose too.

The left-out doctors are approaching senior ex-professors of Gandhi Medical College and members of Indian Medical Association (IMA) to highlight their issue before the government.

According to sources, district medical and health officials have been strictly instructed that only those be vaccinated whose names have been given by their respective hospitals. A senior doctor belonging to IMA says, "The first dose was given on January 16. From then, till now, why have the hospital not acted on this matter, the doctor asked.

It is believed that with cases of Covid-19 becoming resurgent, those who had missed out on the vaccination want to take the vaccine as a precautionary measure. Earlier they were worried about side effects of the vaccine but now they would like to opt for it.

Senior officials of Gandhi Medical College and district medical and health officials refused to comment on the subject.
NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 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 Class 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 firms 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 Jianpus transactions carried out by the Credit Card Recommendation Business Unit involved undisclosed relationships or lacked business substance; (2) as a result, Jianpus revenue and costs and expenses for fiscal 2018 and 2019 were overstated; (3) there were material weaknesses in Jianpus internal control over financial reporting; (4) as a result of the foregoing, Jianpus fiscal 2018 Form 20-F was reasonably likely to be restated; and (5) as a result, Jianpus 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 investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

lrosen@rosenlegal.com

pkim@rosenlegal.com

cases@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com


Netflix's teen-fantasy drama Fate: The Winx Saga, which was filmed at Killruddery in Bray, has been greenlit for a second series.

Season two will include eight one-hour episodes, with production set to return to Ireland later this year. The drama follows the coming-of-age journey of five fairies attending Alfea, a magical boarding school in the Otherworld where they must learn to master their powers while navigating love, rivalries, and the monsters that threaten their very existence. It's a live-action re-imagining of the Italian cartoon series Winx Club by Iginio Straffi.

The cast set to reprise their roles include Abigail Cowen as Bloom, Hannah van der Westhuysen as Stella, Precious Mustapha as Aisha, Eliot Salt as Terra, Elisha Applebaum as Musa, Sadie Soverall as Beatrix, Freddie Thorp as Riven, and Danny Griffin, while Brian Young (The Vampire Diaries) will return as Showrunner and Executive Producer.

'The six episodes in season one only scratched the surface of this incredibly rich world and the powerful fairies who inhabit it,' said Young.

'As Bloom's story continues to evolve, I can't wait for you to learn even more about Aisha, Stella, Terra, and Musa! And you never know who might show up at Alfea next term.'


More deets on a local roundup and a realization that a reported "INSURRECTION" isn't going to be taken lightly just because the suspects seem like okay dudes when they're on the clock at a suburban box store.



Read more . . .
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost on Friday asked the Ohio Supreme Court to commence suspension proceedings against indicted Cleveland Councilman Ken Johnson.

Yost made the request under provisions in the Ohio Revised Code that authorize suspension of local public officials who, like Johnson, have been charged with a felony relating to their official duties.

Johnson was arrested Tuesday morning on 15 charges from a federal grand jury that among other things accuse him of swindling the council out of $127,000 by submitting false expense reports.

Sadly, its become routine for us to initiate suspension proceedings for indicted city council members  Ohioans deserve representation free of public corruption and we must constrain those that abuse their power, Yost said in a statement. The suspension of a public official facing charges of public corruption is the proper remedy while the criminal case is resolved.

If Johnson were suspended, he would not be allowed to participate in the business of Cleveland City Council. The law allows for a probate judge to appoint an interim replacement.

Johnson would, however, retain his title as a councilman and continue to receive his salary of nearly $87,000 a year.

Johnson could not immediately be reached for comment.

Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley said the action should provide confidence to the public that city government and taxpayer dollars are protected while the criminal charges are adjudicated.

Johnson has been a member of Cleveland City Council since 1980, representing a ward that includes Shaker Square and portions of the Buckeye-Shaker, Woodland Hills, and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods.

His longtime aide, Garnell Jamison, and John Hopkins, who served as the executive director of the Buckeye-Shaker Square Development Corp. in Johnsons ward, also were accused of crimes.

All three pled not guilty Tuesday U.S. District Judge John Adams. They were released on personal bonds.

Yosts request asks for Ohio Chief Justice Maureen OConnor to appoint a three-member commission to consider his request.

The commission, comprised of retired judges, then has 14 days to review the case and decide. If it approves a provisional suspension, Johnson could challenge that decision.

A suspension would generally remain in place until the criminal proceedings are resolved, according to the Ohio Supreme Court.

This is not the first time Yost has sought suspensions for public officials. He has argued it is the proper action to balance the accuseds right of a presumption of innocence with the publics interest to have a functioning government.

Without question, the criminal acts in the federal indictment are directly tied to Johnsons position as a member of Cleveland City Council, Yost said in his court filing. To be sure, Johnsons alleged criminal conduct adversely affects the interests of the public.

Last July, Yost sought the suspension of four members of Toledo City Council accused of corruption. In December he requested suspensions for two indicted members of Cincinnati City Council.

In those cases, the public officials voluntarily agreed to suspensions until the charges could be resolved in court.

More from Cleveland City Hall

Former whistleblower at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport suspended for violating security rules

Cleveland considering a new recycling program that would require residents opt in to participate

Cleveland City Councilman Ken Johnson stripped of chairmanship, removed from committees in wake of federal indictment

Advocates want to save Detroit-Shoreway club with historic ties to Clevelands Hispanic community from wrecking ball

Indicted Cleveland Councilman Ken Johnson wouldnt get to pick successor if he resigns in disgrace
New Delhi, Feb 27 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded the cancellation of the candidature of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate, Dhirendra Kumar, from the Election Commission for concealing information in his poll affidavit.

According to the BJP, there are criminal cases registered against Kumar which he failed to disclose in his poll affidavit. Kumar is contesting from East Delhi's Kalyanpuri corporation ward for the upcoming by-elections in five municipal wards in the national capital slated for February 28.

BJP MLA Abhay Verma said the AAP candidate has tried to cheat the people by hiding information about his criminal cases and the conviction related to these cases in his election affidavit.

Verma has demanded action in this matter by giving a written complaint to the election officer and the police station of the area.
India is in the process of making the third batch of Covid-19 vaccines that will be sent as a grant to Palestine. India's Deputy Representative to the UN K Nagraj Naidu on Friday told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). He said 'India believes that equity in access to vaccines across the world is important to mitigate the impact of coronavirus'.

India intends to further its efforts in providing vaccines to Palestine as the people of Gaza, in particular, have been affected severely as the healthcare infrastructure is seemingly fragile, he said. Palestine is in dire need of vaccines and has received 10,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, as it is about to launch the vaccination program.

The pandemic's impact on the people of Gaza has been particularly severe due to fragile healthcare infrastructure. We note that #COVID19 vaccines are being made available to people of Palestine, including in Gaza: Deputy Permanent Representative to UN, K Nagaraj Naidu, at UNSC pic.twitter.com/NA7ubh2SnK  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2021



Last year, India donated at least $5 million to support all sectors in the country including donations for the social services for Palestinian refugees. While India also extended a help of $10 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, for Palestinians affected by the war in Israel.

READ | Justin Trudeau Thanks India Over Fighting COVID, Securing Vaccine Doses For Canadians

Naidu tweeted "India strongly believes that equitable access to vaccines across the world is important for mitigating the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. India had earlier provided critical medicines & medical equipment to Palestine as assistance during the pandemic.

READ | China Mum Over India's Upper Hand In COVID Vaccine Diplomacy; Cites 'global Cooperation'

He also confirmed that the second batch of vaccines will be ready to send and more medicines will be sent to Palestine in coming weeks. India has launched the 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative under which it has already sent vaccines as grants to Bangladesh, Barbados, Bhutan, Myanmar, Mauritius, Seychelles, and the Maldives. Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil and Morocco among others are also set to receive vaccinations from India under commercial agreements.

READ | Home Secy Writes To States, UTs: 'Need To Maintain Strict Surveillance To Overcome COVID'

READ | Chandigarh Reports 69 New COVID Cases
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 11:59:14|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

A worker transfers the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines made by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac on its arrival in Montevideo, Uruguay, Feb. 25, 2021. Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou on Friday thanked China for its support in providing COVID-19 vaccines. Lacalle Pou expressed the gratitude during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Uruguay Wang Gang, according to Secretary of the Presidency Alvaro Delgado. (Photo by Nicolas Celaya/Xinhua)

MONTEVIDEO, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou on Friday thanked China for its support in providing COVID-19 vaccines.

Lacalle Pou expressed the gratitude during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Uruguay Wang Gang, according to Secretary of the Presidency Alvaro Delgado.

Accoring to the authorities, Uruguay will launch a vaccination campaign on March 1 to combat COVID-19 following the arrival of vaccines made by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac.

The first stage of the vaccination plan is aimed at inoculating teachers, military personnel, firefighters and police officers, among other essential workers.

On late Thursday, social networks such as Twitter were lit up with messages celebrating the first batch of vaccines to arrive at Carrasco International Airport, the main hub for international flights to and from Uruguay, aboard a flight from Beijing. Enditem
Facebook, following a San Francisco federal judges approval on Friday, will pay $650 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that claimed its facial recognition technology, used to tag photos, infringed on users privacy. The lawsuit alleged Facebook stored users biometric data  namely digital scans of their faces  without prior notice or consent  resulting in the company violating the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.

Facebook users who submitted claims will get at least $345 from the company, per the settlement; as of mid-December, 1,571,608 claim forms had been filed. The settlement, according to U.S. District Judge James Donato, attracted widespread support from the class, with only three members overall objecting to the deal.

By any measure, the $650 million settlement in this biometric privacy class action is a landmark result, Donato said. It is one the largest settlements ever for a privacy violation.

Donato added the settlement is a major win for consumers in the hotly contested area of digital privacy.

A Facebook rep, in a statement to TheWrap, said We are pleased to have reached a settlement so we can move past this matter, which is in the best interest of our community and our shareholders.

Also Read: Facebook Apologizes for Removing Congresswoman's Video of Trans Pride Flag

The settlement comes after traveling a long and winding road, the judge said, that began in 2015. Facebook initially agreed to pay $550 million last year, but another $100 million was added on at the judges insistence. The parties also agreed on changes Facebook will implement, which includes the following:

For all users who have not affirmatively opted in or consented to biometric scans, Facebook will set its Face Recognition default user setting to off, and it will delete all existing and stored face templates for class members unless Facebook obtains a class members express consent after a separate disclosure about how Facebook will use the face templates.

Facebook will also delete the face templates of any class members who have had no activity on Facebook for three years, according to the agreement.

Read original story Facebook Reaches $650 Million Settlement in Facial Recognition Lawsuit At TheWrap
Burma Myanmars UN Ambassador Wins Praise at Home for Condemning Regime

U Kyaw Moe Tun, the UN ambassador for Myanmar, concludes his speech with a three-finger salute in solidarity with anti-regime protesters at home at the informal UN General Assembly on Friday.

In an unprecedented move, U Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmars ambassador to the United Nations, defended the countrys elected civilian government overthrown by the Feb. 1 coup, denouncing the regime and asking for the international communitys help to restore democracy.

The ambassadors speech on Friday brought hope to millions of citizens who are opposing the regime and demanding the restoration of the democratically elected government. He received rousing applause from the General Assembly and his speech was wholeheartedly welcomed by protesters at home.

U Aung Myo Min, the director of Equality Myanmar and a long-time human rights advocate, told The Irrawaddy: This represents the civil disobedience movement [of striking civil servants] at the diplomatic stage and the UN level, as he clearly stands up for the elected government and rejects the regime.

U Aung Myo Min said the ambassador spoke for the Committee Representing the Union Parliament, known as the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), to draw attention from the international community.

I could not believe I was hearing such a strong, committed speech at first. It took courage and his address really cheered up the people who are taking part in the civil disobedience movement and anti-regime demonstrations, he said.

This was unprecedented and the first time in UN history that a countrys representative has stood up against the authorities in power in their country and chosen to reflect the voices of the millions of voters, said U Aung Myo Min.

U Kyaw Moe Tun asked the 193-member UN General Assembly to use any means necessary to take action against the Myanmar military.

Christine Schraner Burgener, a UN special envoy to Myanmar, urged no country to recognize or legitimize the junta at the informal General Assembly meeting on Friday.

U Kyaw Moe Tun read out a CRPH statement, which was formed three weeks ago with elected members from the November election.

Myanmars security forces have killed at least six people in Naypyitaw, Yangon and Mandalay. They have violently detained hundreds of protesters, including students and reporters, and injured numerous demonstrators.

We need further strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people and to restore democracy, said U Kyaw Moe Tun, in a voice quivering with emotion.

At first, the ambassadors remarks appeared to have left the audience shocked. U Aung Myo Min said expectations for the speech were low as on Feb. 12 another ambassador to the UN, U Myint Thu, defended the regime.

U Kyaw Moe Tun concluded in Burmese with, the revolution must succeed and a three-figure salute, which is used by protesters opposing the regime.

He asked protesters to keep on fighting and acknowledged their efforts to fight the military dictatorship, calling for all detainees to be released.

From 2016 to 2018, U Kyaw Moe Tun was director-general for International Organizations and Economic Development at Myanmars Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 1993 and 2015 he held a range of government positions as well as diplomatic posts in Indonesia, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States.

Many social media users thanked the ambassador for his stand and for voicing the peoples demands.

U Kyaw Moe Tun said he talked to the CRPH and agreed to speak for the elected members at the UN.

This week the CRPH chose Dr. Sasa, a medic, to represent them at the UN level, but his mandate is limited to lobbying outside formal UN meetings.

The military seized power from the democratically elected government, citing its claims of electoral fraud and declared a state of emergency. They detained the civilian leaders and have brought charges against them.

The UN and many countries have condemned the militarys action and urged it to reinstate the civilian government.

Burgener said: The will of Myanmar people must be upheld as the National League for Democracy won a landslide in the election with 83 percent of the vote.

There is no justification for the militarys actions and we must continue to call for the reversal of this impermissible situation, exhausting all collective and bilateral channels to restore Myanmars path on democratic reform.

The Swiss special envoy had several calls with the regimes deputy chief this month, echoing international and UN concerns and asked to visit Myanmar on the condition she can meet the detained leaders.

Regrettably, the current regime has so far asked me to postpone any visit. It seems they want to continue making large-scale arrests and have been coercing people to testify against the NLD government. This is cruel and inhumane.

You may also like these stories:

Myanmars Anti-Regime Protesters Urge Asian Counterparts to Unite for General Strike

Injuries and Arrests Mount as Myanmar Police Intensify Crackdown on Protesters

Myanmar Regime Hunts Down Labor Activists Despite International Condemnation
Thousands of people laid flowers on February 27 at the site where Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was assassinated on the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge near the Kremlin six years ago. An ardent critic of President Vladimir Putin, Nemtsov had been working on a report examining Russia's role in the conflict in Ukraine at the time of his killing on the night of February 27, 2015. Municipal authorities turned down a request to put up a plaque there in his honor and city workers have taken down makeshift memorials on several occasions over the years. Two people were sentenced in 2017 for their involvement in Nemtsov's murder, but the late politician's allies said at the time that the people who had ordered his killing remained at large.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.


* Username

This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely!

FLINT, MI -- The city has launched a new online tool to help residents report streetlight outages and problems.

Mayor Sheldon Neeley announced the launch of the reporting tool in a news release Friday, Feb. 26, saying the program is designed to address residents frustration over not being able to conveniently report non-functioning or minimally functions streetlights.

The city of Flint worked alongside Consumers Energy to create this solution and to provide better service to the residents of the city of Flint, Neeley said in the statement released by the city. This is yet another tool to continue to move Flint forward in a positive direction,

To report a streetlight problem, residents should visit the citys web site at www.cityofflint.com and click on Online Services and then select Report Streetlight Outage.

The web page shows a series of dots representing streetlights throughout the city, and allows the user to click on the problem area and make the report.

When the issue is addressed, the map is updated with that information, the city announcement says.

Consumers Energy maintains and repairs about 11,000 streetlights in Flint and the city pays for the operating costs, using a street light assessment of $100 per parcel to help make those payments.

For more information or assistance using the online streetlight reporting tool, call 810-766-7426, ext. 3027.

Related:

Public hearing on Flint street light assessment draws objections from a small crowd

Bone testing for lead expands in Flint but appointments fill up almost immediately

Hearing for man accused of stalking Flint councilman adjourned until April
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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

Chicago knows him as The Walking Man or The Walking Dude. A mostly silent wanderer of downtown streets with long wavy hair and a thick mustache who often wears a sport coat, sometimes with a boutonniere.

The mystery has fed rumors for decades. He fell from a wealthy family, he once worked on Rush Street as a bartender, he had taught college literature, he was a graphic artist.

None of those is true, his family said Wednesday as the 69-year-old man lay in a hospital bed at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the victim of a vicious beating on Lower Wacker Drive near Lake Shore Drive.

His name is Joseph Kromelis. Hes a street peddler who prefers to keep to himself and walk the city, every day and in every kind of weather. Its just a way of life for him, said his sister-in-law, Linda Kromelis, of Michigan.

Advertisement

See more of our top stories on Facebook >>

Thats what Joseph Kromelis was doing around 11 a.m. Tuesday when he was attacked. He told police he was on Lower Wacker and said hello to someone he passed. That man began punching and hitting him with a bat, Chicago police said.

A police officer responding to a battery call saw the attacker straddled over Kromelis, struggling with the bat, according to a police report. A witness told the sergeant the suspect also tried to throw Kromelis over a railing to the pavement about 20 feet below.

Kromelis was taken by ambulance to Northwestern to be treated for several injuries, including severe cuts to both eyes, according to the report. He also suffered leg injuries from being hit with the bat. He was listed in fair condition.

Police said the suspect was also taken to Northwestern for observation before being transferred to jail.

Kromelis has been a fixture in downtown street life, often seen patiently browsing inside stores and walking the streets of the Magnificent Mile and Streeterville. He has been featured in news stories and videos, including a YouTube feature titled, Dudementary. A few years ago, someone created a Facebook page where people post sightings.

People who know him on the street describe him as a nice man who never loses his temper.

That guy doesnt bother anybody, said Michael Parks Sr., who has worked the corner outside the 7-Eleven on St. Clair Street for 4 1/2 years. Ive never seen him in an argument. If somebody said something [negative] to him, he would just walk away. I dont like to see the people who dont do anything to anybody get hurt.

Advertisement

A doorman at a nearby hotel instantly recognized Kromelis in a photo, saying he last saw the man about three days ago. Kromelis stood out from the regular cast of street people because he was often well-groomed, wearing a sport coat.

He was a real nice guy. Hes never been irate, the doorman said. I see some that are irate all the time, trust me. He was quiet. Very, very quiet.

Kromelis family said he is very private and a loner. He grew up in Lithuania and moved with his family to Chicago when he was about 5 and attended high school here, Linda Kromelis said.

His father, Jonas Kromelis, owned a tavern in Chicago, but in the middle to late 1960s, he and his wife, Gertruda, moved to Michigan because they liked the area. Kromelis stayed in Chicago, where he worked as a street vendor selling jewelry, Linda Kromelis said.

Advertisement

For about 30 years, Kromelis lived in an apartment near Lincoln Park. But about two or three years ago, he had to move because the building was converted to condominiums, she said. He never married and has no children. His parents are dead, as are his three brothers and one of his two sisters.

We always worried about Joe, something happening to him, out in the streets all the time, Linda Kromelis said.

The last time she spoke to him was about a year ago when he telephoned after the death of his brother Pete, Kromelis husband.

He didnt drive, and, when he would visit, her husband would usually pick him up and hed stay for a few days. Kromelis would usually call from a public pay phone in the hallway of where he was staying, she said.

Advertisement

He was just kind of private, Kromelis said. He was always that way.

A nephew, Vytas Vaitkus, has created a GoFundMe page to raise money for his uncles medical and living expenses.

Hes lived his life on the street, Vaitkus said. If hes blind now or incapacitated in any way, I dont know what hes going to do.

Vaitkus said he doesnt know where his uncle is going to go when he gets out of the hospital and doesnt think he is eligible for Social Security. Its an individual that can really use the help.

Advertisement

ALSO

In the final stretch, how will a divided Supreme Court rule on these big cases?

With water rising, 19 people waded through neck-deep water to escape Kentucky cave

96-year-old Dr. Heimlich uses his signature maneuver to help woman choking at senior living center

Advertisement

Gorner writes for the Chicago Tribune
Under pressure: The travel industry has been greatly affected by the Covid crisis

A Northern Ireland corporate travel company lost over 60m in sales as a result of the Covid crisis, its company accounts show.

World Travel Centre Ltd warned that the virus's impact would last for several years, with no return to 2019 levels of growth for at least three years.

While it has survived the pandemic, it voiced sympathy for other firms that had shut.

In results for the year ending October 2020, revenue at the firm was 36.8m - compared to 98m the year before.

Pre-tax profits also fell from 1.2m to 84,000.

A strategic report filed with the accounts said that company activity had fallen by about 62%.

It added that the company is now operating at about 15% of its usual business.

It had also had to let staff go, with some benefiting from an "attractive voluntary redundancy scheme" but "unfortunately, lay-offs" for others with short service.

The workforce dropped from 122 to 86 during the year.

The strategic report said the firm's directors were "very satisfied with the company's performance, given the complete collapse in international travel due to Covid-19". It also warned that "Brexit may hinder the return to growth in the short-term".

All brands and business channels had been performing well for the firm until Covid-19 put paid to almost all international travel at the beginning of March last year, the report said.

The company is based at Murray Exchange on Linfield Road in Belfast.

A spokeswoman for Selective Travel Management, the trading name for World Travel Centre, said it had been pleased to avoid losses in a very difficult trading year, even though revenues fell by more than half.

She said the Executive needed to provide clarity to the industry, including on quarantine hotels - which have already been rolled out in England for people travelling from 'red list' countries with high levels of coronavirus infection.

"Whilst we are feeling optimistic at the speed of the vaccination roll-out and plans for getting the UK out of lockdown, we are cautious that there needs to be more clarity from the Government on quarantine hotels, quarantine periods, testing and vaccine passports as without these, travel will continue to be restricted.

"Although we have survived the pandemic, we are saddened that many in our industry have fallen. It is therefore essential that the Government act now and provide extended support for the travel industry to enable survival and recovery.

"Government support needs to include an extension of the furlough scheme, business rates relief and other tailored support grants and regulatory measures to help with unavoidable fixed costs."

It comes after holiday operators hit out at the impact on the trade from comments by Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill on whether people should be booking summer breaks.

Smaller operators warned they could go out of business after the comments.

Reacting to a six-fold rise in bookings in England after Prime Minister Boris Johson unveiled his lockdown exit plan, Ms O'Neill said: "I don't think I could stand here today and say to people it's OK, go and book your holiday."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a virtual meeting Friday at the State Department in Washington with Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau, who is in Ottawa, Canada.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
In other words, the moment you connected the USB-C cable to launch Android Auto , the smartphone automatically restarted, and users explained this happened every single time.If I leave the cable plugged in, the phone will reboot then once I swipe up to unlock it will show the Google logo and reboot again repeatedly until I disconnect my phone from the cable. I have tried to boot into safe mode, which sort of works, I can connect my phone to the cable and use the phone still, but Android Auto never connects to the head unit at all, one user explains.Google has confirmed earlier this week that it managed to determine the cause of the problem, and as it turns out, Android Auto wasnt the only one to blame for the whole thing.Google Chrome, the browser that comes pre-loaded with Android devices, came with a rare bug which alongside an issue in Android Auto caused a combined glitch forcing Pixel phones to automatically reboot on connect.A fix has been applied for Android Auto app version 6.1 (currently rolling out in Google Play) and Chrome app version 88.0.4324.181 or higher (available in Google Play for everyone). A configuration change to the Chrome app unrelated to Android Auto caused an unexpected combination of bugs in some head units and the Android operating system, a member of the Android Auto team confirmed this week.So there you go, if your Pixel reboots when connected to the head unit in an attempt to launch Android Auto, what you have to do is to install the latest app updates on the device. The issue apparently affected Pixel phones exclusively, so if you run Android Auto with a Samsung device, the rebooting glitch shouldnt normally occur.
Growing vegetables in Go Cong Tay district, Tien Giang province (Photo: VNA)

Tien Giang  The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang has invested 15 billion VND (650,000 USD) in 70 in-field irrigation projects on 27,000ha of farming land in the coastal districts of Go Cong Dong and Go Cong Tay during the 2020 - 21 dry season.

The projects include building or upgrading in-field irrigation canals and ditches that ensure water and help to prevent saltwater intrusion in the dry season.

The projects have protected more than 18,000ha of rice, 6,000ha of vegetables and 3,000ha of other crops from water shortage and saltwater intrusion in the winter  spring crop.

They have also helped to secure daily-use water for 38,000 households in coastal areas.

In Go Cong Dong, apart from investing in in-field irrigation canals and ditches, local authorities have built four new sluices for taking irrigation water since the beginning of the dry season.

The district has organised the collection of rubbish and water hyacinths on in-field irrigation canals and ditches so that irrigation water can flow easily into each field.

The district has taken measures to restructure agricultural production to suit each area, according to local authorities.

In the winter  spring crop, farmers in Go Cong Dong have expanded cultivation of vegetables and other crops on 1,500ha.

Go Cong Dong and Go Cong Tay districts normally face severe saltwater intrusion in the dry season and face shortage of irrigation water at the end of the winter  spring crop.

The two districts have also expanded advocacy activities about the impact of saltwater intrusion to the public.

Local authorities in the two districts have encouraged farmers to dredge irrigation ditches in orchards to preserve fresh water for irrigation.

Ngo Van Dung, head of the Go Cong Tay Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the district has invested in irrigation projects and taken measures to cope with saltwater intrusion and drought.

Besides investing in in-field irrigation canals and ditches, the district has built 124 temporary dams to preserve irrigation water for the dry season, he said.

In the ongoing winter  spring crop, the two districts have solved the shortage of irrigation water for growing rice and other crops as more irrigation projects have been built and the winter  spring crop rice was planted earlier than normal.

Farmers are having a bumper harvest of winter  spring rice, getting a yield of 6.5 tonnes per hectares, up 1.2 tonnes against the last winter  spring crop, according to local authorities.

Profits from growing vegetables are two to three times higher than from rice, said local authorities.
You have permission to edit this collection.

Edit Close
REDDING, Calif.  An investigation for the distribution of fentanyl in Redding landed two people in the Shasta County Jail.

Officers with the Neighborhood Police Unit (NPU) said they have been investigating 32-year-old Brandon Douglas Roades and 31-year-old Ashley Lin Myers, for the distribution of fentanyl in Redding.

Shasta County said it has seen an increase of fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths in recent months, according to RPD.

NPU said it learned Roades and Myers were picking up large quantities of fentanyl from the Bay Area and transporting it back to Redding. Roades and Myers would then sell the fentanyl to their customers, according to police.

On the morning of Feb. 11, NPU located the vehicle being driven by Roades and Myers around Cypress Ave. and Parkview Ave. The vehicle was stopped and Roades and Myers were detained.

NPU and Agents from the Shasta County Interagency Narcotics Task Force (SINTF) served a search warrant on Roades and Myers and the vehicle they were driving. Officers located two ounces of fentanyl. This is a significant amount of fentanyl, as a very small amount is needed to feel the effects of the drug, according to RPD.

Roades and Myers were booked into the Shasta County Jail for transportation of controlled substances across noncontiguous counties and for possession for sale of controlled substances. NPU said it is also submitting to the Shasta County District Attorneys Office for charges of transportation of controlled substance and for conspiracy to commit a crime.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Posted Friday, February 26, 2021 4:21 pm

U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler will have a host of challengers from her own party as three Clark County residents have already thrown their hat in the ring more than a year-and-a-half before the 2022 election.

The announcements came roughly around the same time last week, with candidates seeking to move representation of Washingtons Third Congressional District farther to the right. The candidates seek to unseat Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, who has represented the district since her first successful election in 2010.

Army veteran Joe Kent said he was an America-first Republican in a campaign video. He spent more than 20 years in the Army, including 11 deployments and assignments in the Ranger regiment and special forces, a biography on his campaign website stated.

He retired when his wife, Shannon, who was also a combat veteran, was killed fighting ISIS in Syria.

I am mostly concerned that the person we elected to represent our values and make our voices heard decided to listen to deceptive and divisive media and radical left instead of standing strong for the people of Southwest Washington and the over 74 million Americans who voted for President Trump, Kent said on his campaign page.

In his campaign video, Kent said his decision to run for office was based on Herrera Beutlers vote to impeach former President Donald Trump following the storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters Jan. 6. On his campaign page, Kent denounced those who participated in the siege, saying that those who acted violently are criminals and have no place in our movement.

However, the violent actors are a small fringe group, not representative of our over 74 million strong, diverse populist movement, Kent wrote.

Kent grew up in Portland, though he notes he spent a lot of time in Southwest Washington in his youth. He left Portland for Yacolt after seeing how Portland had changed from being a vibrant small city into a hotbed of lawlessness and far left ideology, his campaign page stated.

Kent, who has written opinion pieces about military operations for foxnews.com, listed pulling troops out of Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria as one of his policy points on his campaign page, and he supports modernization of the military to focus on our main threat, China. He notes he is anti-abortion, supports strict immigration and will not support any new firearms legislation.

Author Heidi St. John, a Battle Ground resident, said she is a Reagan conservative through and through during a speech at a Clark County Republican Party meeting Feb. 23, adding that conservatism in this nation has taken a backseat to the Democrats for too long.

Its time for us to get off the bench and get on the battlefield, St. John said.

St. John, who noted she and her husband have a family with seven children and three grandchildren, took issue with the state of education in the U.S.

There is no one in Washington D.C. advocating for children right now, St. John said, adding that the woke Democrats and the progressive Left in this nation were sources of issues with education. Among the issues she had was with comprehensive sex education being taught in schools.

Someone needs to stand up and say thats enough, no farther, St. John said.

St. John also notes energy independence on her website and mentioned her opposition to the Affordable Care Act during her speech with Clark County Republicans as issues she would address if elected.

St. John, who has a social media following of more than 360,000, said she was not planning on making a career out of a House seat if elected, pointing to the inability of those serving multiple terms to achieve results during their tenures.

It was astonishing to me to watch Republicans run for the hills when President Trump tried to get something done, St. John said.

I want to go to Washington, D.C., not because I have nothing better to do, St. John said, but because this is a war, and we need to step up to the plate.

Marxism is at the door of the United States, and we need to say no more, St. John said.

United States Navy Veteran and Trump Administration appointee Wadi Yakhour has also launched his campaign to unseat Herrera Beutler.

For the last four years, I have watched self-serving politicians fight only for themselves and the powerful special interests who control them, instead of the voters who put them in office, Yakhour said in a news release. It is high-time our district and great country have representatives who steadfastly stand up for their values.

Censorship and socialism have no place in the United States of America, free speech should be free, our elections must be made secure, and our schools and businesses should be open, Yakhour continued.

One day, Jamie Herrera Beutler will make a great Biden Administration appointee, CNN contributor, or Lincoln Project Board Member  but she certainly no longer has a place representing the Republican party for Washingtons Third District, and I am running to help her make that career change, Yahkour concluded.

Yakhour moved to the Vancouver area when he was 11 years old, and his mother served as a deputy sheriff at the Clark County Sheriffs Office for nearly 20 years, according to the news release. Yakhour joined the United States Navy in 2008 and served as an Aviation Warfare Systems Operator.

He later received the Navy Achievement Medal in recognition of his service to the country, according to the release.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : The National Democratic Alliances (NDA) vote share is likely to increase by 1.9 per cent in the upcoming Assam elections, while it may bag 72 seats out of the overall 126, the IANS-CVoter survey revealed on Saturday.

On Friday, the Election Commission of India announced the dates for elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly, set to be held over three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6 with the results to be declared on May 2.

According to the survey of more than 4,700 participants done in six weeks, the National Democratic Alliance led by the BJP may get 43.8 per cent vote share as against 41.9 per cent in the last election held in 2016. It may score 72 seats, down by two.

Notably, the United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) vote share is likely to increase dramatically with survey projections showing it at 43.8 per cent in comparison to 2016, when it logged merely 31 per cent. The seats will increase from 26 to 47.

The vote share of the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) is most likely to come down to 1.1 per cent as against 3.9 per cent in the 2016 state elections. The vote shares of other parties may stand at 13.7 per cent, down from 23.2 per cent in the last elections.

Region-wise, the majority of votes from Central Assam, Hills and Barak Valley and Upper Assam will go to the BJP, while votes from Lower Assam are likely to sway towards the Congress. In 2016, the majority of votes from all the regions went to the BJP.

The surveyor asked the participants who they will vote for if the assembly elections are held today? To this, 43.8 per cent said that they will vote for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, 41.4 per cent said that they will vote for the United Progressive Alliance.

Next, the participants were asked -- Irrespective of whichever party you support or vote for, which party or alliance do you think will win the West Bengal state election? To this, 49.5 per cent said NDA, while 31.2 per cent named UPA.

The last assembly polls in 2016 in Assam were held in two phases wherein the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies had won 86 of the state's 126 assembly constituencies.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Following the sellout agreement by the Chicago Teachers Union to resume in-person instruction as the pandemic continues, Democratic politicians across Northern California are moving forward their own drive to get children back into classrooms before the pandemic is contained.

Kindergarteners entering an elementary school in California

On February 7, the United Educators of San Francisco (UESF) union reached an agreement to allow limited instruction when San Francisco County moves to the second highest red tier of the pandemic as defined by state government's guidelines, provided that teachers are vaccinated beforehand. If the county moves to the orange tier, then full in-person instruction can resume without teachers being vaccinated.

This followed the February 3 San Francisco City lawsuit against the school district over the delay in school re-opening. Mayor London Breed threw her support behind the lawsuit, posturing as a champion for childrens education, and reiterating the scientifically false claims used to promote school reopenings: Our children are suffering. And theres no way I would ever support using the legal system to get our schools open if we were on a path of moving forward and if not for the Department of Public Health telling us its safe to do so. We have to be better.

Susan Solomon, UESF president, was quoted by Bay City News as stating, This agreement sets the stage to safely reopen schools in San Francisco. However, this claim by the union could not be further from the truth. In the county of San Francisco, the seven-day new case average is at 72.9, with 2.6 deaths per day.

San Francisco County is still in the highest purple tier of infection. The metrics used in this system vastly underestimate the risk of infection in order to provide the false impression that reopening can be safe. California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom's system uses an adjusted case rate that leaves out those infected in prisons and jails. San Francisco Countys adjusted case rate stands at 5.2, which underestimates the actual case rate at 8.3.

Regardless of tier, closing school sites to in-person instruction remains among the most effective public health interventions to slow the spread of the pandemic. Although many California cities have experienced a drop in infection rates from their disastrous highs in December and January, there remains uncontrolled community spread as a deadlier variant of the disease, designated CAL.20C, has become dominant.

A University of California San Francisco study showed that this new variant grew to more than half of sampled new infections in January. A review of patient records in San Francisco showed patients with this variant were five times more likely to need ICU admission and 11 times more likely to die. Those precise ratios need to be refined with further study, but highlight the need to eradicate the pandemic before more lives are lost or more variants can evolve.

Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Dr. Chiu, the senior author of the study, said that it would be imperative to drive down infections as much as possible while rapidly moving to vaccinate the population. This assessment was echoed by Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a Georgetown University virologist, who stated, The [UCSF] findings warrant taking a much closer look at this variant.  They underscore the importance of pulling out all the stops in terms of both exposure reduction and increased vaccine distribution and access.

One of the arguments put forth by the city and the state governments of California, that schools are safe to reopen since there is no detected spread at them, flies in the face of research.

Dr. Deepti Gurdasani, an epidemiologist from the UK, challenged these claims on the Mehdi Hasan Show on Feb. 19. She pointed out that the data used to make these claims comes from students who are tested after showing symptoms, thus missing the high percentage of asymptomatic cases. She provides the data collected in the UK from random sampling, which removes this bias. The data shows a strong correlation of infection in children to school openings. Dr. Gurdasani has said on twitter: The infection rates among primary & secondary school children closely follow school openings, closures & levels of attendance. E.g. We see a dip in infections following Oct half-term, followed by a rise after school reopening.

Exploding the myth that infection among children is simply a reflection of infection in the community, Dr. Gurdasani points to ONS (Office for National Statistics, UK) research last year showing primary school children were twice as likely as adults to be the first case in the household, and once infected, twice as likely to infect contacts than adults.

Instead fighting to reduce transmission to zero, district after district is working with the unions to suppress teacher opposition and put students and families at risk by reopening in person instruction. In Berkeley, California, another significant Bay Area school district, the Berkeley Unified School District and the Berkeley Federation of Teachers have also come to a tentative agreement for reopening. The plan involves a staggered reintroduction of in-person learning starting March 29 for second grade students and younger, and ending April 19 for those in grades 10 through 12.

In San Jose, the largest city in Northern California, Mayor Sam Liccardo has begun a campaign to pressure the school district and teachers union to finalize an agreement to return to school. The Mayor, anxious to get students in school and parents at work, falsely claimed, School can be open and teachers and staff and children kept safe even without vaccinations, at a press conference Thursday. Previously the district and union agreed to reopening based on entering the orange tier of spread, currently it is in the purple tier.

Meanwhile the Oakland Unified School District is pushing to have students back in the classroom within weeks, according to a letter sent this week by the school board to families. The Oakland Education Association bargaining team sent out a message to special education teachers asking how they felt about volunteering to return to in-person instruction. The reopening would begin mid-March and continue through April.

The California Department of Public Health updated the states COVID-19 tier map Tuesday, showing that both Marin and San Mateo counties had moved into the less restrictive red tier. Underscoring the rampant spread of the virus, under this supposedly safe tier for re-opening, San Mateo County still has reported 96 new cases and three deaths per day for the last seven days. Marin County still reports a seven-day average of 23.3 new cases, with 1.3 deaths per day. Marin is returning to at least part-time, in-person instruction starting on Monday.

In December, Governor Newsom unveiled a plan to hand $2 billion to schools for a safe reopening. The plan would provide limited funding for vaccination of teachers, coronavirus testing for students and staffers, personal protective equipment and updating ventilation systems. The entire proposal is farcical, following the states 2020 budget decision to delay $11 billion in funding to schools. Even this new limited plan has yet to be approved by the state legislature. That the governor has been working with the unions to open schools was revealed by the governors comments that his administration has been in talks with them for months and has a "very, very constructive relationship" with them.

Teachers must be warned that the well-being of themselves and the children is not paramount in the minds of union officials. Just like in Chicago, the unions are actively preparing their betrayals. Not a single step in this struggle can be taken with any of the unions in charge.

Teachers in the Bay Area must join the Northern California Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee to organize a struggle independent of and in opposition to union treachery, uniting teachers throughout the region with their allies in the working class. To join the committee, learn more at wsws.org/edsafety.
DID YOU KNOW 

Sojourner Truth, an ex-slave, who preached against the cruelties of slavery and for human rights for African Americans and women, made her home in Battle Creek, Michigan. She was born Isabella Bomefree, one of the youngest of 12 children born to James and Elizabeth Bomefree. She was sold many times to many slave owners.

In 1843, she decided to drop her slave name. She prayed to God to give her another name. The name Sojourner came to her. She then prayed for a second name. The name Truth came to her. The abolitionist, with her signature turban and sunbonnet, Sojourner Truth went to several states preaching about womens rights, religious tolerance and pacifism with only a bag of clothes and 25 cents. Sojourner made her way to Washington, D.C. to speak with former President Abraham Lincoln about her anti-slavery movement and she was well received.

Sojourner Truth believed she was God ordained to further the cause of Black people. She was a no-nonsense, tell it like it is Black woman who delivered her message for 40 years in various states in our nation. She received donations for her dynamic and powerful speeches which helped pay the mortgage on her Battle Creek home.

In one of her most famous speeches when she defined womanhood from an African American womans point of view, she said, Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud puddles, or gives me any best place. Aint I a woman?

On Nov. 26, 1883, she died in Battle Creek, Michigan, spending the last 16 years of her life there. There is a giant sculpture, by artist Tina Allen, which was unveiled in 1997, which was the estimated bicentennial of her birth. The statue is on South Division Street and East Michigan Street.

Compiled by Shirley Madden, member of the Manistee Area Racial Justice & Diversity Initiative.
(Photo : "Johnson & Johnson" by Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine is marked under CC0 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/cc0/1.0/) After a day-long meeting on Friday, an advisory panel for the US Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously to recommend and issue an Emergency Use Authorization for Johnson & Johnsons single-shot, refrigeration-stable Covid-19 vaccine.

After a day-long meeting on Friday, an advisory panel for the US Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously to recommend and issue an Emergency Use Authorization for Johnson & Johnson's single-shot, refrigeration-stable Covid-19 vaccine.

J&J One-Shot Covid-19 Vaccine

According to the Washington Post, the Johnson & Johnson scientist argued that the One-Shot vaccine was 66 percent effective in protecting against moderate to severe illness cases in a large, global trial and 85 percent effective against severe cases.

The panel's recommendation comes the same week the US reached yet another grim milestone of 500,000 Covid-19 related deaths, raising experts' hopes of a faster and more effective inoculation process as virus mutation spread.

MIT Technology Review reports that the J&J One-Shot vaccine has an additional advantage of being easy to store because it requires nothing colder than ordinary refrigerator temperatures. It stopped 66 percent of mild and serious Covid-19 cases in a trial carried out on three continents.

The J&J One-Shot vaccine will join a US Covid arsenal that already includes authorized vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer. Those vaccines, which use messenger RNA, were significantly more effective, but they require two shots, and doses need to be stored at ultra-cold temperatures.

While the new J&J One-Shot vaccine is not effective as those made using messenger RNA technology, health officials said that should not dissuade people from getting it since it still sharply reduces the chance of illness and death.

Also Read: COVID-19 Vaccine Availability Near Me: How to Sign-Up for Alerts with Visualping!

With that said, US Chief Virologist Anthony Fauci stated that having two vaccines is fine, but having three is better. People have more choices and increases the supply, and will undoubtedly contribute to flattening the curve.

J&J One-Shot Vaccine Efficiency

Arstechnica reports that the J&J One-Shot vaccine's efficiency was 66 percent effective at preventing moderate to severe Covid-19 at 28 days after vaccination. Johnson & Johnson defined mild cases to include cases with two symptoms, such as cough and fever, which would have classified as merely "symptomatic" infections in other trials. This was all in a detailed FDA review of Phase III clinical trial data submitted by the company.

The international trial that involved over 44,000 participants in various trial sites has different efficiency in different locations. In the US, the overall efficacy was slightly higher at 72 percent. However, in places where variants of concern are widely circulating, the effectiveness fell by 64 percent in areas such as South Africa and Latin America.

Simultaneously, the J&J One-Shot vaccine's efficiency against severe and critical diseases was high across the board in all the trial locations and across all age groups. The efficiency against severe conditions was 85 percent overall in 28 days after vaccination. By location, the vaccine was efficient against severe diseases in the US by 86 percent, 82 percent in South Africa, and 88 percent in Brazil.

J&J One-Shot vaccine Side Effects

Meanwhile, the J&J One-Shot vaccine's side effects have a "favorable safety profile," according to the FDA. The most common side effect seen among 44,000 participants were injection site pain (49 percent), headache (39 percent), fatigue (38 percent), and myalgia (33 percent). There were 15 cases of blood-clotting-related conditions among vaccinated participants than the 10 participants in the placebo group.



Related Article: COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments Being Hoarded, Count Health Officials Warns About Consequences

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by: Luis Smith

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
New projections from public health researchers suggest that a COVID-19 variant could become the dominant strain here in the coming weeks, which would drive a spring surge and lead to hundreds of thousands of new cases.
He was speaking after celebrating his 59th birthday at Bhudan Pochampalli on Friday among the weaver community in the presence of BJP vice-president D.K Aruna. (Image credit : Twitter/@GudurNarayana)

Hyderabad: BJP state senior leader Gudur Narayana Reddy said that he will strive hard to strengthen BJP in Telangana state.

He was speaking after celebrating his 59th birthday at Bhudan Pochampalli on Friday among the weaver community in the presence of BJP vice-president D.K Aruna, and former minister M. Narasimhulu. Narayana Reddy stated that he was lucky to have been born in the area which had given him a chance to serve the poor.

Leaders appreciated Narayana Reddy for helping 30 poor families by distributing Aasu Yantram (weaving machines). Leaders of the weaving community of Pochampalli and surrounding villages also appreciated the BJP leader for his gesture.

Aruna appreciated Narayan Rao for not being pompous and instead choosing the path of helping the weaving community. She appealed to the cadre to work for the victory of MLC candidate G. Premendar Reddy in the graduates constituency polls for the Legislative Council.

Narasimhulu lambasted Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for likening the CMs post to his left footwear and for equating women with dogs. He said that Chandrashekar Rao had no respect for the people though they had elected him for the top post.
Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by subscribing or contributing today.
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.
Jill Biden is racking up a pretty impressive record as a hypocrite.

This time, the topic is her divorce. While taking in a softball interview from ace investigative interviewer Kelly Clarkson, otherwise known as a second-rate celebrity with personal problems, she started emoting to Clarkson on the topic of Clarkson's divorce:

Citing her late mother's advice, she tells Clarkson things happen for a reason. She also says her divorce freed her to meet Joe Biden and have a family with him. "My mother always said to me things are going to look better, tomorrow," Jill Biden said, encouraging Clarkson to "take one day at a time, and things will get better." "I look back on it now, and I think, you know, if I hadn't gotten divorced, I never would have met Joe," she continued. "I wouldn't have the beautiful family I have now. So I really think things happen for the best and I think, Kelly, over time, I don't know how long it's been for you, but I think, over time, you heal, and you're going to be surprised and I can't wait until that day comes for you."

She never would have met Joe? Her ex-husband recalls things differently. According to the New York Post, reporting last August 2020:

Jill Biden's ex-husband has accused the potential first lady of having an affair with Joe Biden and says they lied about how they met in the 1970s, according to a bombshell new report. Bill Stevenson on Monday accused the presumptive Democratic nominee of being a home-wrecker and says the feel-good story of how Joe and Jill met on a blind date is completely made up, the Daily Mail reported. "I don't want to hurt anyone," said Stevenson, now 72, who is working on a book that includes the lurid claim. "But facts are facts and what happened, happened." Stevenson and his then-wife grew close to Biden in 1972 while working on his first campaign to represent Delaware in the US Senate.

As I noted at the time:

The account says that Stevenson first suspected an affair in 1974. But the pair "grew close" during his 1972 Senate political campaign, which predated the crash. Was Biden sneaking around on Neilia even then? There was a distinct possibility of it, given that the affair was secret. This, if true, would suggest that maybe he didn't like Neilia as much as he claims to have liked Neilia. Worse still, did he breathe a sigh of relief that she was gone without a divorce? Maybe someone should ask.

Far from Jill meeting Joe serendipitously, the pair had apparently been sneaking around. Like the swingers of the early '70s. Nobody knows how she really felt when divorce was called, the most likely sense would have probably been "good riddance."

She's a cold, calculating political creature posing as the queen of compassion. She's targeting the pop press to better reach the low-information voters. Now she's putting out a phony story, for her and her husband's own benefit. Apparently, she does this sort of political work a lot. When a key was made for one of Hunter Biden's foundation offices in Washington, the give-to list included a China state-linked business executive pal and...Jill Biden. She knows what she is doing.

Anyone ask her about the teachers' unions keeping schools closed? She's made much hay billing herself as a teacher.

Meanwhile, the ex-husband says he's writing a book about this so-called "devout Catholic" who eventually became his ex. If he does, the sleazy history of the Bidens will once again come to the fore.

Image: Screen shot from Today show video, posted on shareable YouTube.
Imperial Valley News Center

Former Owner of Aquarium Business Sentenced to Prison for Illicit Trafficking of Protected Reef Creatures

Washington, DC - The Justice Department announced Monday that a Puerto Rico man was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for felony violations of the Lacey Act that involved the trafficking and false labeling of protected reef creatures as part of an effort to subvert Puerto Rican laws designed to protect coral reef organisms.

In 2013 through 2016, Aristides Sanchez, of Arecibo, was the owner of the Arecibo-based saltwater aquarium business, Wonders of the Reef Aquarium. A large part of the business was devoted to the sale of native Puerto Rican marine species that are popular in the saltwater aquarium trade.

Sanchez sent live specimens to customers in the mainland United States and foreign countries by commercial courier services. One of the most popular items that Sanchez sent off-island was a coral-like organism from the genus Ricordea. These animals are known as rics, polyps, or mushrooms in the aquarium industry. Members of the genus form part of the reef structure and spend their adult lives fastened in place to the reef. These animals are colorful in natural light, but what makes them particularly interesting to aquarium owners is that they glow under the UV lights that are typically used in high-end saltwater aquariums.

It is illegal to harvest Ricordea, zoanthids, and anemones in Puerto Rico if the specimens are going to be sent off-island or otherwise sold commercially, nor is there a permit available to do so. Sanchez personally collected some of the Ricordea and other reef creatures that he sold off-island. Because Ricordea are attached to the reef substrate, Sanchez would utilize a hammer and chisel to break off the animals, and in doing so, take chunks of the reef with him. At other times, Sanchez would purchase the Ricordea from other sources, knowing or suspecting that the specimens had been harvested illegally.

In order to cover up the nature of his shipments and to avoid detection from governmental inspection authorities, Sanchez would falsely label each shipment. Sanchez would refer to living marine organisms as pet supplies, aquarium supplies, LED lights, or similar inanimate objects on shipping labels and invoices. At times, he used a fake name to cover his actions.

From January 2013 to March 2016, Sanchez sent or caused to be sent at least 130 shipments of falsely labeled marine species that were illegally harvested in the waters of Puerto Rico. While there is some variation in the price of Ricordea depending on coloration, size, and other factors, the retail value of Ricordea shipped by Sanchez typically ranges from $25 to $50 per item. From on or about Jan. 7, 2013, through on or about March 16, 2016, the retail value of the falsely labeled and/or unlawfully harvested marine invertebrates shipped personally by Sanchez or on his behalf with his knowledge, was at least $800,000.

In addition to the prison time, Sanchez was sentenced to a supervised release term of two years and 120 hours of community service. The court also banned Sanchez from collecting or procuring marine life, shipping marine life off-island and scuba diving and snorkeling in Puerto Rico.

To view pictures of the seized coral, click here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/992481/download.

This case was investigated as part of Operation Rock Bottom and Operation Borinquen Chisel by Special Agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with support from the USFWS Inspectors. The case is being prosecuted by Christopher L. Hale of the Justice Departments Environmental Crimes Section along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen Marquez of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Puerto Rico.




Editor's note: Dennis Etler is a current affairs commentator who holds a doctorate in anthropology from the University of California, Berkley. He conducted archaeological and anthropological research in China throughout the 1980s and 1990s and taught at the college and university level for over 35 years. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

U.S. President Biden has declared that China is an "extreme competitor" and the U.S. has to mobilize to combat it. His statement is rather ironic since the U.S. has historically said its free-market capitalist economic system and representational democratic method of governance were models for the world, which should be emulated by one and all. The United States' belief in its own institutions has led it to try and impose its model throughout the world, provoking attempts at regime change and direct military interventions and occupations to enforce its will over others. But, it now sees China as an existential threat.

How is it then, that China has been able to become such a threat? For decades American pundits have said that China had to emulate the U.S. or it would fail. As former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "the Chinese system is doomed" and its leaders are on a "fool's errand." It is self-evident that she and the rest of the U.S. political class got it dead wrong.

Rather than taking a supercilious, holier-than-thou attitude, the U.S. should show a little humility and admit that China has succeeded beyond all expectations. It has built a modern industrial base and the world's largest trading nation. Despite those who said that "China can't innovate," it has become a leading innovator in hi-tech, including 5G, quantum computing and AI. It has constructed a 21st-century infrastructure, including the world's largest high-speed rail network, superhighways and bridges traversing the entire country. It has constructed an ultra-high voltage national electricity grid, developed alternative energy sources and deployed internet connectivity throughout the nation.

China has lifted hundreds of millions out of impoverishment and completely eliminated absolute poverty. It now provides adequate housing, education, health care and social security for its population of 1.4 billion people. In fact, it has achieved a moderately prosperous society for the vast majority of its citizens, something that no Western nation can boast.

In addition, China, a nation that has been historically invaded, occupied and plundered by foreign powers both far and near, now stands tall with a national defense force without equal. China's governance system has also shown itself an effective means to frame and implement both short-term responses to emergencies such as COVID-19 and natural disasters such as flooding and earthquakes, as well as long-term social and economic policies such as poverty alleviation and industrial planning. The U.S. has recently failed in all those efforts.

Over the last four decades, while China pulled itself up by its bootstraps, the U.S. went about dismantling its industrial base as its multinational corporations sought to maximize profits by outsourcing production. That, in conjunction with the destruction of the labor movement and deregulation of financial markets led to the growth of explosive economic inequities and a heightening of social and racial tensions.

Faced with a plethora of challenges, can the U.S. achieve success that's on the same level as China's? The Biden administration has already proposed what amounts to an American industrial policy similar to China's plan to secure domestic supply chains and subsidize new emerging high-tech economic sectors with public and private investment. Whether they acknowledge it or not, this is a page right out of China's economic playbook.

Washington has long said it needs to invest trillions of dollars in revitalizing the nation's infrastructure. The U.S. has historically invested public resources into the development of its rail and highway systems, essential components of its prior economic growth and development. Does it have the wherewithal to repeat that success? The dysfunctional political environment in Congress mitigates against it.

Support for free or low-cost universal education, including vocational, college and university, especially in STEM disciplines, as well as low-cost universal health care is another essential ingredient in China's success as it improves its human capital and makes it more competitive. Will the U.S. commit resources to do the same? It has not yet demonstrated the ability to do so.

China's policy of targeted poverty alleviation could also be something worth learning for the U.S. How about reconstructing America's cities by forming urban villages that provide the poor with new modern housing, neighborhood healthcare, social services, high-grade education and more jobs?

And finally, the U.S. has got to realize that it must take care of its own people before it goes around proselytizing its failed system and imposing its will on other people and nations. The money it spends on its bloated military budget and global troop deployments must be redirected towards meeting the needs of its own people.

The U.S. can do all of the above and more, in partnership with, not in opposition to, China. If it chooses to launch a new Cold War, it is bound to fail.
FAIRFIELD  School officials and staff will be busy this coming week as they prepare the buildings for students full return on March 8 and 9.

Elementary students will fully return on March 8 and grades 6-12 students return fully in person the following day. This means they will be in school five days a week for the full day, including lunch. This will essentially be the first time this has happened in a year.

For 6-12, this is in many ways is going to be the first day of school again with the two cohorts coming together, Superintendent Mike Cummings said at a special meeting detailing the reopening plan.

The Early Childhood Center, Walter Fitzgerald Campus and pre-K will also return to a five-day week beginning March 8. The K-5 students in the Remote Learning Academy have the option to return in person then, with the option extended to the 6-8 grade students later, most likely when the marking period ends.

Cummings said students who leave the Remote Learning Academy wont be able to go back to it for the rest of the year, and will instead have to switch to the synchronous learning offered with the classroom teacher if they decide in-person isnt working for them.

There will no longer be a hybrid option, and students will either be in person or following along at home through the synchronous option.

He said theyre working to prevent students from switching back and forth between the two models, which is detrimental to the students and difficult for teachers to plan for. He also said they want to stop people from using the synchronous option as a way to take vacations, which, though not a rampant issue, is happening.

Were trying to hold the line because theres been an increasing concern, Cummings said.

Sands Cleary, Fairfields health director, said now was a good time to reopen the schools because every major variable has been declining for six weeks, including deaths and hospitalizations. He said the current numbers are similar to those in mid-to-late October.

Then we were on an increasing trend, now were on a declining trend, he said. In addition to that, we have more experience.

Cummings said he recognizes the challenges facing students, so the priorities will be to rebuild that sense of community and focus on their mental health and social and emotional well-being. Instructionally, the classes will focus more on skill building than the content. Courses will still align so students end in the same place regardless of their section, and teachers can pick up next year.

Building administrators are finalizing schedules and staff will move furniture back into the classrooms and cafeteria this weekend and coming week. March 8 will be a remote day for 6-12th grade students, so teachers have a chance to finish setting up their classrooms before the full return.

A key part of the reopening is ensuring people continue to follow the mitigation strategies, especially wearing masks.

The absolutely most important thing we can do is have strict adherence to the mask wearing, Cummings said.

People will also have to maintain appropriate distances. For adults, thats 6 feet and for students 3 feet. Other mitigation measures will be used when this isnt possible.

Officials cautioned that more people in the schools and the shorter distance could result in more quarantines if there is a positive case. It will most likely be more targeted, though, and could mean the whole class quarantines from earlier might not happen based on who is within 6 feet of the positive case and when.

This will be trickier at the high school level where students change classes.

Jill Mitchell, Fairfields nursing supervisor, said the best comparison she can give is what she has seen at a private school in town thats remained in person. There, one case can cause about 20 to 40 students to quarantine.

I dont really expect it will be that high given we have the advantage of block schedules and less exposure, she said.

The timing for the vaccine is also helpful because it will reduce the need for teachers and staff to have to quarantine after a certain number of days of getting the second dose, and reduce their chance of getting COVID. A clinic is scheduled for school employees on March 1.

Its a game changer, said Chairwoman Christine Vitale. It gives a lot of comfort knowing we can offer it to our staff on day one.

Seating charts will be critical to determining quarantines, especially in the lunch rooms where students will have assigned seats, sign in or use a QR code to help with contact tracing. Lunch was one of the biggest challenges for the reopen plan.

Students will sit in every other seat to keep a 3-foot distance and use barriers while eating. Elementary students will bring their plastic barrier with them and older students will pick up cleaned ones in the cafeteria. Tents might be used so students can eat outside when the weather is nicer and spread out more.

Cummings said some elementary lunch waves will start earlier, with the entire lunch period lasting three hours based on the waves themselves and the cleaning in between them. He said snack time will be adjusted based on when the students eat.

The schools are seeking volunteers to help monitor lunch waves, and anyone interested should contact their school office. The district is hoping to hire monitors too.

There will be assigned seating on the buses as well.

Cummings encouraged parents to send their children on the bus instead of driving them. He anticipates long drop-off lines, at least in the beginning, and the district is working with the police department on traffic control.

Theres a chance there might be some staffing shortages if teachers dont feel comfortable returning with more students in the buildings.

Its something we dont have a handle on but are aware it could become an impact, Cummings said, adding theyre working with those employees.

Like everything so far, he said they will continue to monitor health data, taking it week by week and could have to change plans.

We have to have guarded optimism about where were going, he said.

kkoerting@newstimes.com
Joe Bidens presidential campaign proposed a host of economic initiatives, and now that hes in office, Michiganders are watching to see which pieces may have been empty talking points and which might come to fruition.

Back in November, when it looked like Republicans would keep the majority in the Senate, experts doubted Biden could implement much of what hed proposed.

If the Democrats dont take both Senate seats (in Georgias January election), you can say goodbye to every single item on the Democratic wish list, Wayne State adjunct business professor Matthew Roling said in November. Its just not going to happen.

But the Democrats won both seats, giving them control of the presidency, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The markets cheered the Democrat wins in Georgia, because I think the expectation was, it would mean more stimulus, faster, Roling said this month.

A robust stimulus package and other items on the Democratic wish list  like raising taxes for corporations, increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour and mandating paid sick leave  have a far better chance of impacting Michiganders now, economists say.

Heres a look at some of Bidens economic plans  many of which were listed on his campaign website  and what economists say they could mean for Michigan, if approved and implemented.

Another round of stimulus

Biden has proposed and the House has passed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 aid package, which could include $1,400 stimulus checks, unemployment money and vaccine distribution funding.

First things first  to get this stimulus package done, Roling said.

Congress has spent weeks ironing out the details. While Democrats have a narrow majority in the Senate, Michigan State University economics professor Charley Ballard said the final plan could be smaller than $1.9 trillion.

I think Biden would still love to have some bipartisan support for whatever goes through, Ballard said. But when hes at $1.9 trillion and (Republicans) are at less than one-third of that, its not looking that good for working across the aisle.

The potential for stimulus is good for the stock market, Roling said.

When former President Donald Trump tweeted in October that a stimulus bill wouldnt happen until after the election, the stock market took an immediate dive. In addition to helping struggling families and businesses, the idea of stimulus funding is to encourage spending and stimulate the economy.

After the Georgia runoffs were called, the Dow and S&P 500 closed at all-time highs Jan. 7.

RELATED: Biden tweaks PPP loans to help smallest of small businesses

Theres still debate about who should be eligible for the $1,400 checks. Lawmakers are considering dropping the income threshold for those eligible to get the full amount from $75,000 to $50,000.

After seeing how much of last springs stimulus checks were put into savings, Ballard said such checks only have a notable economic effect when they go to lower-income families. Unemployment money also has a strong economic impact, he said.

A lot of the stimulus checks went to people who (A) didnt need it and (B) didnt have anything to spend it on, Ballard said. If youre a low-income worker whos just lost a job, those unemployment benefits are not going to go into a savings account. Theyre going to go immediately into consumption expenditure. And that will be stimulative.

Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour

Mixed into Bidens $1.9 trillion plan are some of his other policy proposals  which have less to do with COVID-19.

Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour is one of those. Bidens plan also proposes to end the tipped minimum wage and sub-minimum wage for people with disabilities, although it seems unlikely the proposal will be allowed into the bill.

Any issue that supports essential workers will be moved up the priority list, Roling said, while Bidens other economic policies will likely be punted until after the pandemic.

The current U.S. minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and hasnt been raised since 2009. With a 40-hour work week, $7.25 an hour adds up to $15,080 per year, while $15 an hour adds up to $31,200 annually. The current minimum wage in Michigan is $9.65. Thats $20,072 a year, full-time.

Hiking the federal minimum wage is another proposal that became more likely when Democrats won the Senate in January.

I think the chance that we will get a $15 minimum wage is exactly zero, Ballard said in November.

Now, he says the chances are slightly above zero, but still unlikely. Phasing in a compromise, like a $12-an-hour minimum wage, is possible, Ballard said.

One reason: Many minimum wage jobs are in restaurants, which are already suffering during the pandemic. Such a drastic jump in unemployment would hit small businesses disproportionately hard  potentially forcing price increases, layoffs or hiring freezes, Ballard said.

$15 is probably not much of a stretch in San Francisco. How about Bad Axe, Michigan? How about Eagle or Ishpeming? Ballard said. I think some increase in the minimum wage would be fine and would have relatively few adverse effects. But the further you go, the more youre likely to run into that kind of trouble.

RELATED: Protesters ring bells, dress in costume in attempt to draw President Bidens attention outside Pfizer

Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour is growing in its bipartisan support, however.

Interestingly, that happens to be a really popular measure, said Luke Shaefer, director of poverty solutions at the University of Michigan.

Shaefer notes 61% of Florida voters agreed in November to a constitutional amendment to raise the states minimum wage to $15, incrementally, by 2026. That happened during the same election in which Trump won Florida by 370,000 votes.

But ultimately, Roling agrees a compromise may be needed to force the minimum wage up, since some Democrats arent supportive of doubling the minimum wage.

Beefing up the Child Tax Credit

Bidens stimulus plan also includes a temporary increase in the Child Tax Credit. Currently, qualifying families get $2,000 per kid every year, but the proposal would raise it to $3,000 or $3,600 for younger kids.

Its a proposal Shaefer and the UM poverty solutions group have been lobbying for.

Raising kids is expensive and the government has a reason to help people do it as well as they can, Shaefer said. Canada, the UK, Australia, they all provide a child benefit that might look like $250, $300 a month that families receive.

The proposal is part of Bidens stimulus plan, but has been on his campaign website since before the election. The change would cost the U.S. an extra $100 billion per year, Shaefer said.

RELATED: Parents could receive $300 monthly checks for children in latest stimulus proposal

The program, Shaefer argues, should be tweaked to split payments into monthly chunks instead of one annual payment. Leaders also should ensure all low-income families are eligible, he said.

Expenses dont just all come at tax time, Shaefer said. We want to have benefits for them that can help them buy food and pay for utilities throughout the year.

Shaefer believes its likely the tax credit will be boosted. And if it is, he hopes the change becomes permanent.

Were in a time of incredible anxiety, uncertainty, Shaefer said. But were also in a time when theres a real chance to do something on child poverty that I think we would benefit from for a long time.

Raising taxes on corporations, the rich

One of the most specific plans on Bidens campaign website is raising the corporate tax rate and raising taxes for high-income families.

Trumps Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 lowered the corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, among other changes. Biden proposes raising the rate back to 28% and taxing foreign earnings of U.S. companies at a higher rate.

The overwhelming majority of its benefits went to very high-income individuals, especially those with large stock market portfolios, Ballard said about the 2017 cuts. Biden proposes to reverse some of that.

Bidens plan includes raising the top individual income bracket from 37% to 39.6%, as it was before Trumps TCJA.

Bidens campaign website also proposes tax penalties on businesses that ship jobs overseas; mandating a 15% minimum tax on book income so corporations dont get away with paying zero taxes; and making people with more than $1 million pay the same tax rate on investment income as they do on wages.

His campaign website bills the changes as: A tale of two tax policies: Trump rewards wealth, Biden rewards work.

After Trumps tax cuts, 91 Fortune 500 companies didnt pay federal income tax in 2018, and another 56 of the companies paid less than 5% in taxes, Bidens website notes.

Joe Biden will not raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000. Period, the campaign website promises. But he will ask wealthy Americans and big corporations to pay their fair share.

Other economic plans

Heres a look at some of the other economic plans on Bidens website. Many are vague in nature.

Put people to work by enlisting them to help fight the pandemic, including through a Public Health Jobs Corps

Support the Paycheck Fairness Act to ensure women are paid equally for equal work

Mandate companies offer universal paid sick days and 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave

Offer a $15,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit

Provide financial help to state and local governments through COVID-19 aid

Spur development of affordable housing and offer tax credits to renovate homes in distressed areas

Spend $50 billion in the first year to start repairing roads and bridges, as part of a $1.3 trillion infrastructure plan

Restore the full electric vehicle tax credit and invest $5 billion over five years to boost their range and slash electric vehicle prices

Invest $20 billion in rural broadband infrastructure

Invest $100 billion to modernize the nations schools

Make child care more affordable and offer universal preschool to 3 and 4 year olds

Offer tuition-free college for families making less than $125,000

To see all of Bidens plans  economic and otherwise  go to joebiden.com/joes-vision/.

Who are the winners and losers?

Bidens economic policy resembles a bottom-up approach of boosting the economy by supporting the most vulnerable, as opposed to the trickle-down economics ideology of enriching high earners and business owners  who, in theory, would hire more employees and spread the wealth to their workers.

Theres not a Democrat alive that cant find something they like in this plan, Roling said.

Bidens plan focuses on helping the unemployed, steering money to low-income families, raising the minimum wage and aiming to offer more opportunities to people with few options.

The winners would mostly be those in the bottom half, Ballard said.

Meanwhile, business groups and high earners would likely oppose plans like raising the minimum wage and setting higher tax rates, Ballard said, since the costs would fall on their shoulders.

The COVID-19 relief package of 2020 helped the U.S. economy stay afloat when it easily could have gone off an economic cliff, Shaefer said.

Weve never taken on an approach that was primarily driven by providing cash transfers to families, Shaefer said. All the evidence looks to me like it worked and it worked really well. And I think the Biden plan is even more aggressive on that front.

Letting the market play out without the government stepping in would have crashed the economy, Shaefer believes. He credits Trump and Congress for their actions last spring, sending money to those in need in hopes of keeping the economy moving. Its a lesson Shaefer says applies beyond the pandemic.

A rising tide does lift all boats, he said.

RELATED STORIES

The 2020 heart attack Michigans economy suffered wont heal overnight, economists say

Michigan loses estimated 60,000 leisure, hospitality jobs in December

Michigan economy, COVID-19 response completely intertwined, says Whitmer ahead of State of the State address

COVID-19 shutdowns dont have long-term effect on jobs, study finds
ADVERTISEMENT

The Nigerian government has confirmed that the expected four million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines will arrive the country on Tuesday morning.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, made this known in a video message sent to PREMIUM TIMES late Saturday night.

I can assure you that the vaccines are coming and they are coming very quickly barring any change in the delivery plan that has been released to us by UNICEF, Mr Mustapha said.

We believe that our vaccines should depart India on the 1st of March, 2021 at 10:30pm and arrive Abuja on 2nd of March by 11:10 am.

Nigeria is expecting 16 million doses of the Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccines through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Assess Facility (COVAX), a World Health Organisation-backed programme set-up to divide about two billion doses of vaccines across 92 low-and middle-income countries.

The facility promised access to vaccines for up to 20 per cent of participating countries population with an initial supply beginning in the first quarter of the year to immunise three per cent of their populations.

The Nigerian government had earlier announced that the first four million doses of the vaccines will arrive the country by the end of February.

Nigerias health minister, Osagie Ehanire, on Wednesday admitted that the country may have to wait till March to receive its first doses of the vaccines.

Ghana received 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines on Wednesday, making it the first country to benefit from the COVAX programme.

Ivory Coast, a country with over 32,000 COVID-19 cases and 188 deaths, also received over 500,000 doses of the Oxford-Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Friday.

One year after Nigeria recorded its index case, more than 155,000 people have been infected with the virus in the country, data from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows.

Over 1,900 deaths have also been recorded.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 16:38:34|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou on Friday thanked China for its support in providing COVID-19 vaccines. Lacalle Pou expressed the gratitude during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Uruguay Wang Gang, according to Secretary of the Presidency Alvaro Delgado. According to the authorities, Uruguay will launch a vaccination campaign on March 1 to combat COVID-19 following the arrival of the Chinese vaccines. The first stage of the vaccination plan is aimed at inoculating teachers, military personnel, firefighters and police officers, among other essential workers.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-24 05:21:43|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

QUITO, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- At least 50 people died on Tuesday in three prison riots in Ecuador, according to a preliminary report by the National Police.

On its Twitter account, the police said the deaths occurred in social rehabilitation centers in the provinces of Guayas (southwest), Azuay (south) and Cotopaxi (central), "where the police are taking control (of the prisons)."

"At the moment forensics report more than 50 PPL (persons deprived of liberty) dead," the police said without providing more details.

The riots broke out on Tuesday morning due to power struggles between rival gangs, according to information released by police authorities, as uniformed police officers were sent to take control of the facilities. Enditem
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
He was the King depicted by William Shakespeare as a hunchback villain.

But now geneticists are expected to shed light on whether or not Richard III really did have a dark side.

Scientists at Leicester University's department of genetics have sequenced the complete genome of the last Plantagenet King.

The team is led by Professor Turi King, who in 2013 matched DNA from bones discovered under a car park in Leicester with living relatives of the monarch - confirming the remains belonged to him.

Along with offering new insights into his health and appearance, scientists are examining potential associations of genes with personality traits, including psychopathy, narcissism and propensity to commit violence, The Times reported.

The findings could settle debate over whether Shakespeare's negative portrayal of him had a truthful foundation, or if the King was a victim of Tudor propaganda.

Richard's negative image also partly comes from the long-held belief that he ordered the murder of the 'Princes in the Tower' - King Edward V and Richard, Duke of York - in 1483.

The princes were the sons of King Edward IV and when their father died, their uncle, King Richard III, locked them up in the Tower of London while he acted as regent.

Their disappearance and believed murder led to the greatest cold case in English history, which rumbles on to this day.

He was the King depicted by William Shakespeare as a hunchback villain. But now geneticists are expected to shed light on whether or not Richard III really did have a dark side

Scientists at Leicester University's department of genetics have sequenced the complete genome of the last Plantagenet King. His remains were discovered in a Leicester car park in 2012

Professor King said of Richard's genome: 'It's really interesting and runs the gamut from his blood type to was he lactose intolerant to was he genetically predisposed to baldness or heart disease.'

The expert said analysis could also help reveal for Richard's scoliosis - the curvature of the spine which was seen in his skeleton.

It is believed the condition accounts for Shakespeare's depiction of him as a hunchback.

It is also hoped that Richard's genome will give a better understanding of how Richard looked.

A 2013 facial reconstruction was based on his skeleton and cruder genetic analysis, as well as a portrait of him which is believed to be a Tudor copy of an original.

The team is led by Professor Turi King, who in 2013 matched DNA from bones discovered under a car park in Leicester with living relatives of the monarch - confirming the remains belonged to him

The genome could give better predictions of Richard's possible hair and eye colour as well his skin tone and the chances of him suffering from hair loss.

The research may also reveal whether Richard carried genes which left him predisposed to aggression.

But Professor King said that any analysis shedding light on Richard's personality was an area of genetics which is still 'extremely fuzzy'.

She said developments would never prove if Richard was 'horrible' because factors such as his upbringing and experiences would also have a significant effect on personality.

A 2013 facial reconstruction was based on his skeleton and cruder genetic analysis, as well as a portrait of him which is believed to be a Tudor copy of an original

Richard's remains were found in 2012 by experts who had used historic maps to trace a friary where he was rumoured to have been buried after being killed in battle.

After only three weeks of digging at the location, now a car park in Leicester, the archaeologists found the skeleton of an adult male.

It had injuries consistent with his recorded death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

The skeleton was also found to have severe scoliosis, again backing up accepted knowledge about the monarch.

The king was famously ridiculed by Shakespeare as 'rudely stamp'd, deformed, unfinish'd'.

The Leicester remains were confirmed to be Richard in 2013 after DNA was extracted and matched with two maternal relatives of the King.

Richard's remains were then re-buried in Leicester Cathedral at a star-studded funeral after a legal challenge contesting that he should be buried in York delayed the ceremony by several months.

The genome news comes after an expert said earlier this month that it was likely Richard did have his nephews murdered.

Many believe Richard III had Edward, 12, and Richard, 9, killed in order to take the throne for himself.

Professor Tim Thornton of the University of Huddersfield published a study which he claims could prove the 'Princes in the Tower' were indeed murdered by King Richard III.

Sir Thomas More, a trusted courtier of King Henry VIII in the early 16th century, wrote a book detailing the dark saga before he joined Henry VIII's Privy Council, in 1518.

His is the earliest detailed account of the deaths and it unmasks two men as the murderers  Miles Forest and John Dighton  who were acting on direct orders from Richard III.

The book and its findings have been taken with scepticism by historians due to the fact Sir Thomas was five years old when the 'Princes in the Tower' scandal occurred.

Richard's negative image also partly comes from the long-held belief that he ordered the murder of the 'Princes in the Tower' - King Edward V and Richard, Duke of York - in 1483. The princes were the sons of King Edward IV and when their father died, their uncle, King Richard III, locked them up in the Tower of London while he acted as regent

It was believed his book and its theory may have been royal propaganda and published as a Tudor scheme to besmirch the name of the former king and boost public support for the new House.

However, Professor Thornton found evidence the alleged killer Miles Forest had two sons who became courtiers for King Henry VIII and worked alongside Sir Thomas.

Professor Thornton speculated the two sons spoke with Sir Thomas about their father's role in the infamous regicide and told him about the role Richard III played in having the princes slaughtered.

These inside sources allowed Sir Thomas to publish his accusations against Richard.

'This has been the greatest murder mystery in British history, because we couldn't really rely on More as an account of what happened - until now,' says Professor Thornton.

'But I have shown that the sons of the chief alleged murderer were at court in Henry VIII's England, and that they were living and working alongside Sir Thomas More.

'He wasn't writing about imaginary people. We now have substantial grounds for believing that the detail of More's account of a murder is credible.'

The murder of the two children, one of whom became the monarch when his father died, has captivated public attention for more than 500 years.

They were 'stifled with pillows by the order of their perfidious uncle Richard the Usurper', according to the inscription on the urn their believed remains are kept in.

Their death ranks atop the list of royal misdeeds and scandals due to the rippling side-effects it had on the royal family.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Bihar's main opposition party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday said that his party would contest the upcoming Assam Assembly polls in alliance with "like-minded" parties.

Tejashwi Yadav, who is the leader of opposition in Bihar Assembly, arrived in Guwahati on Friday and on Friday and Saturday held meetings with the leaders of Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) headed by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal.

"We are talking with the like-minded parties to defeat the BJP in Assam and other elections bound states," the RJD leader said hinting that the party would field candidates in constituencies with Hindi-speaking voters in both Assam and West Bengal.

He said that apart from the Congress and AIUDF, he is in touch with other smaller parties in Assam. There are around five per cent Hindi-speaking people from Bihar in Assam and West Bengal. "There are considerable numbers of Hindi-speaking people from Bihar in 11 Assembly constituencies in Assam. However, we would field candidates only where chances of victory are high," said Tejashwi Yadav, son of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.

The RJD leader also told the media that he would travel to other election-bound states - West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry - to campaign against the BJP. The elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
URI researchers: Microbes deep beneath seafloor survive on byproducts of radioactive process

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. - February 26, 2021 - A team of researchers from the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography and their collaborators have revealed that the abundant microbes living in ancient sediment below the seafloor are sustained primarily by chemicals created by the natural irradiation of water molecules.

The team discovered that the creation of these chemicals is amplified significantly by minerals in marine sediment. In contrast to the conventional view that life in sediment is fueled by products of photosynthesis, an ecosystem fueled by irradiation of water begins just meters below the seafloor in much of the open ocean. This radiation-fueled world is one of Earth's volumetrically largest ecosystems.

The research was published today in the journal Nature Communications.

"This work provides an important new perspective on the availability of resources that subsurface microbial communities can use to sustain themselves. This is fundamental to understand life on Earth and to constrain the habitability of other planetary bodies, such as Mars," said Justine Sauvage, the study's lead author and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Gothenburg who conducted the research as a doctoral student at URI.

The process driving the research team's findings is radiolysis of water - the splitting of water molecules into hydrogen and oxidants as a result of being exposed to naturally occurring radiation. Steven D'Hondt, URI professor of oceanography and a co-author of the study, said the resulting molecules become the primary source of food and energy for the microbes living in the sediment.

"The marine sediment actually amplifies the production of these usable chemicals," he said. "If you have the same amount of irradiation in pure water and in wet sediment, you get a lot more hydrogen from wet sediment. The sediment makes the production of hydrogen much more effective."

Why the process is amplified in wet sediment is unclear, but D'Hondt speculates that minerals in the sediment may "behave like a semiconductor, making the process more efficient."

The discoveries resulted from a series of laboratory experiments conducted in the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center. Sauvage irradiated vials of wet sediment from various locations in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, collected by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program and by U.S. research vessels. She compared the production of hydrogen to similarly irradiated vials of seawater and distilled water. The sediment amplified the results by as much as a factor of 30.

"This study is a unique combination of sophisticated laboratory experiments integrated into a global biological context," said co-author Arthur Spivack, URI professor of oceanography.

The implications of the findings are significant.

"If you can support life in subsurface marine sediment and other subsurface environments from natural radioactive splitting of water, then maybe you can support life the same way in other worlds," said D'Hondt. "Some of the same minerals are present on Mars, and as long as you have those wet catalytic minerals, you're going to have this process. If you can catalyze production of radiolytic chemicals at high rates in the wet Martian subsurface, you could potentially sustain life at the same levels that it's sustained in marine sediment."

Sauvage added, "This is especially relevant given that the Perseverance Rover has just landed on Mars, with its mission to collect Martian rocks and to characterize its habitable environments."

D'Hondt said the research team's findings also have implications for the nuclear industry, including for how nuclear waste is stored and how nuclear accidents are managed. "If you store nuclear waste in sediment or rock, it may generate hydrogen and oxidants faster than in pure water. That natural catalysis may make those storage systems more corrosive than is generally realized," he said.

The next steps for the research team will be to explore the effect of hydrogen production through radiolysis in other environments on Earth and beyond, including oceanic crust, continental crust and subsurface Mars. They also will seek to advance the understanding of how subsurface microbial communities live, interact and evolve when their primary energy source is derived from the natural radiolytic splitting of water.

###

This study was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The project is also affiliated with the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations.

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.


Last week, after I wrote about former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, I knew they would come, and come they did: emails and tweets from readers asking why Higgins didnt pursue criminal charges against her alleged perpetrator in 2019, when the alleged sexual assault occurred.

Why did Higgins take so long to speak up, and why did she go to the media with her story instead of taking the correct avenue of pursuing her former colleague through the criminal justice system?

Illustration: Reg Lynch Credit:

Another person I spoke to in the past week was a 32-year-old Melbourne lawyer, who raised her complaint of sexual assault in multiple forums and even had her application to the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal upheld. But her alleged attacker still holds a prominent position in Melbournes legal fraternity and has faced few consequences for the alleged assault.

Una (not her real name) was 24 when she was raped, she says. In 2013, as a young lawyer, she accepted an invitation to spend a weekend at a holiday house with friends. One of the group was a guy she knew from law school. Late on the first night, she says he got into bed with her, uninvited, and forced himself on her.

In addition to commenting on the draft reform plan, residents can still respond to the sheriff office's survey. Schenck said they have received approximately 575 responses, adding that he's happy with that number.

Those interested in commenting on the proposed reform plan can click on "Citizen Feedback" on the sheriff's office website. People can then hit the safety tab under the Sheriff heading. A person can log in as a guest or make an account to write in their thoughts in the provided comments box.

Schenck intends to revisit these plans once they're approved, and wants to roll out a survey annually to continually get feedback so the office can know how it is doing and how it can do better.

"I look at this plan as an ongoing document that's going to change moving forward, that it's not just going to be one-and-done and we move on and never hear from the public again," he said. "I just want to make sure that we continue to keep the public engaged in public safety."

Adding that people can reach out to him directly through his desk number, (315) 253- 4337, or by email at sheriff@cayugacounty.us, Schenck said he wants more people to feel comfortable contacting him, regardless of whether they have a compliment or criticism.
The U.K. and Israel have raced ahead of most of the rest of the world in covid-19 vaccinations, speeding shots to millions of people.

Although new variants of the coronavirus are raising concern, the crash immunization programs show signs of working. Case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths are falling in both countries, allowing their governments to set out plans for reopening.

Bloomberg News spoke with Kate Bingham, former head of the U.K.'s Vaccine Taskforce, and Ran Balicer, chair of the covid advisory committee at Israel's Ministry of Health, about how these countries were able to move so quickly and what the world can do to prepare for future pandemic challenges. Their comments have been edited for clarity.

Q: When buying vaccines, you had to lock in supplies without knowing which shots would work. How did you decide what to acquire?

Bingham: Our approach was to build a portfolio of different vaccines. That meant blending the most clinically advanced vaccines, about which we knew the least -- which are the mRNA vaccines and the adenoviral-based vaccines -- with the more established vaccine formats. That's the protein adjuvant-based vaccines and the whole inactivated virus vaccines. So our approach was to pick the most promising across the different formats, with the hope that at least one or more of them would be successful.

A: In Israel you've done it largely with one vaccine so far. How did that come about?

Balicer: Israel was fortunate to get enough from Pfizer to allow a very wide vaccination campaign. The vast majority of our populations at risk have now been covered. We are beginning to see the benefits of this vaccination program as we see a massive decline in the rates of severe morbidity.

Q: Some people in the European Union are skeptical about the AstraZeneca vaccine, which the U.K. is relying on alongside the Pfizer shot. How well does it work?

Bingham: When you're running different trials in different places with different mutations, it may not be exactly apples to apples, but the evidence we're seeing out of Scotland is that the AstraZeneca vaccine is demonstrating a higher level of reduction in hospitalization versus the Pfizer vaccine. But the fact is both are effective, both are safe and if anyone gets offered those vaccines they should take them.

Q: How will the new variants affect strategies, and how well are we prepared to deal with them?

Bingham: Part of our strategy has been to make sure we are able to pivot quickly if there are serious mutations that evade the current vaccines. At the moment that's not the case. The evidence we have is that the vaccines we've got will address the U.K. variant and the South African variant and the Brazil variant. We have doses coming from Novavax, which shows very profound effects against those different variants.

Beyond that we have two different strategies. One is to explore mixing and matching different vaccines so as to provoke different immune responses. And we've invested in manufacturing so that we can pivot quickly to update the vaccines to address those potential variants if they evade the current responses.

Balicer: The U.K. variant was the key driver of the surge in new cases we've seen in recent months. We've been able to get it under control thanks at least in part to the massive vaccination campaign, which our data suggests has been highly effective. All of the data we have about vaccine effectiveness stems from the time when the new variant was the dominant strain of the virus, so this is good news.

At some point we will have strategies mixing and matching different vaccines, and I also believe both Pfizer and Moderna will be able to create new adapted vaccines that will be more appropriate for those new variants as they come along.

Q: Do you think that at some point we'll get so-called multivalent vaccines that work against whatever new variant comes along?

Balicer: We haven't been able to do that for flu, but flu is mutating in a different way from coronavirus. While I maintain the hopes, I'm not sure we'll be able to develop such a vaccine. We might need to update our vaccine campaign on a yearly basis or a seasonal basis depending on the variants that come in. I think the jury is still out on this question.

Q: How much of a responsibility do the U.K. or Israel have to ensure equitable vaccine distribution around the world?

Balicer: As a small country, there's fairly little that can be done. What we are trying to do is get evidence out about the effectiveness of the vaccine, and in that way help other countries tackle vaccine hesitancy.

Bingham: It was a core responsibility and one that we've taken very seriously. An important part of what we've done in the U.K. is to make sure that the clinical trials we've supported and run generate data that can then be used by regulators around the world to make sure those vaccines are approved as quickly as possible.

Q: This won't be the last pandemic the world faces. What can we do to respond even more quickly next time around?

Bingham: The current vaccines, albeit highly effective, are not particularly suitable for widespread distribution around the world. We have costly cold chains and storage, complicated logistics, we're using glass. We need to find formats that address all of that -- scalable, stable, cheap, ideally no health-care professionals involved, so no needles, no on-site dilutions. That is where we should be investing.

Balicer: We also need to improve our surveillance mechanisms. It's thanks to the tremendous efforts of the U.K. which has been doing massive, systematic sequencing that we have the information in time for other countries to prepare for whatever the variants will bring in. Our surveillance mechanisms need to be harmonized to allow us to reach conclusions in a quicker way.

We need to improve our ability to create less costly and less fastidious vaccines that we will be able to produce quickly and disseminate in all countries regardless of their ability to have more expensive logistics in place.
A massive outbreak of COVID-19 has emerged at the University of Virginia (UVA). As of Friday, 1,335 students have tested positive out of approximately 25,000 students at UVA. While 220 university employees have also tested positive.

The Rotunda building at the University of Virginia [Wikimedia Commons]

The outbreak emerged just a week into the semester, which started February 1. According to the universitys COVID-19 tracker, positive cases began to grow on February 8 with an exponential growth that peaked at 226 new cases in a single day, February 16.

The test positivity rate spiked from 0.5 percent at the start of the semester to nearly 5 percent before settling down to just over 2 percent on Thursday. This shows that the high number of COVID-19 cases is not a result of increased testing.

In a town hall meeting last Friday, university president James Ryan and other senior leaders confirmed that the B.1.1.7 COVID variant, often referred to as the UK variant, has been identified at the university and in the surrounding community. This variant is more transmissible, potentially more lethal, and possibly more vaccine-resistant. It is expected to become the dominant variant in the United States by April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In response to the outbreak, the university has implemented severe restrictions on student mobility. All in-person student events, on or off campus, are banned. Libraries and recreation facilities are closed. Students in university housing may leave their rooms only for class, dining, and individual exercise. Incredibly, classes still meet in person.

The university was unable to identify a single source of the outbreak. Instead, contact tracing showed many small clusters of ambiguous origin. Nonetheless, university leaders sought to shift the blame onto students, attributing the outbreak to students not following guidelines requiring mask wearing and maintaining physical distance. The UVA Student Council has endorsed this claim; calling on the university administration Wednesday to temporarily suspend student organizations found violating social distancing protocols.

In fact, it is the reopening of the schools themselves which drive the overall outbreaks on campuses as well as the wider areas where they are located. Numerous studies, including those published by the CDC, show major increases in outbreaks at campuses reopening in-person.

University administrators, not students, bear responsibility for the outbreak. That a significant outbreak would emerge should have been anticipated. Across Virginia, there were more than 200,000 new COVID-19 cases in January, the month before students returned to UVA.

While Democratic Governor Ralph Northam has prohibited group gatherings of more than 10 persons, most UVA classes exceed this threshold. The universitys large student body primarily resides in high-density housing with shared facilities, making strict physical distancing difficult.

The experience of other universities during the pandemic has shown that the resumption of in-person classes leads to significant outbreaks on and off campus. In the fall, many large universities, including Michigan, Iowa, North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and several campuses of the State University of New York system emerged as COVID-19 hotspots. Some were forced to move classes online just days after resuming in-person instruction. The University of Maryland at College Park, another large university which, like UVA, draws students from the Washington D.C. metro area, is currently locked down to contain its own COVID-19 outbreak.

The reopening of UVA risks an outbreak in the surrounding communities of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. While the daily counts of new COVID-19 cases have fallen in most of Virginia since January, new cases in Albemarle County have exceeded their January peak.

By reopening its campus during a lethal pandemic, UVA has subordinated student health to the profit motive. The resumption of in-person classes at universities is part of a broader push by the Biden administration to reopen schools at every level, continuing the herd immunity policies of Trump. This is despite Bidens promises during the 2020 election campaign to follow the science. In reality, epidemiological studies have shown that closing schools is one of the most effective ways to contain the pandemic.

In Virginia, following the Biden administrations lead, Governor Northam announced on February 5 that all schools statewide should reopen by March 15. Fairfax County, the largest school district in the state, and Loudon County, the third largest, began reopening schools last week.
Maria Bailey says she was destroyed by the swing-gate incident and believes she could have won back her seat in the Dail had she not been deleted by Fine Gael.

In the summer of 2019, the former Fine Gael TD was involved in controversy after she took legal action for alleged injuries following a fall from an indoor swing. She would later drop the compensation claim.

Speaking today on RTE Radio One, Ms Bailey said she had been deleted instead of being deselected as a candidate for last years general election.

Read More

I had already been sanctioned; I had apologised countless times, she said. I had done polls, I knew I had been damaged, but I was still in with a shot of getting a seat.

Unfortunately, by being deleted, the choice of the people was taken away.

Ms Bailey said she was too afraid to go anywhere after the swing-gate incident.

When youre in a role as a politician you make a lot of judgment calls... and this was obviously a bad one, she said.

I was getting direct messages. The social media stuff was just vile. It was so toxic.

Some of it I cant repeat, and theyre words I wouldnt use. Another of it was just words like fraud, things I should do to myself. Fairly horrible things.

At the time, when you feel that vulnerable - and believe me I felt vulnerable - and ashamed, youre under a rock and youre just trying to get out from under that rock.

To be honest it destroyed me.

Ms Bailey also discussed the late TV presenter Caroline Flack, saying she could understand the hole she felt she was in.

Somebody said on that interview, you know, it had been very difficult for her [Caroline Flack], in the space of a month there had been 100 articles, Ms Bailey said.

I remember going: in the space of 11 days I was up at nearly 130 articles and front pages. But nobody is calling that out here. Its like its only happening over in the UK. Were not as bad here.

I just thought that was stark there were some articles that were favourable to me, and you have no idea how much I appreciate them. And you wanted to reach out and thank somebody for them, but you were afraid it was a trap.

When swing-gate first took hold in the media, Ms Bailey had also been dealing with serious familial issues.

This blew up out of nowhere at a very vulnerable time in my life and my familys life, she said. My father had been diagnosed with rapid motor neuron disease.

We were watching him disappear in front of our eyes at the time, and he was on breathing machines, suction machines, hoists. Anybody who is caring for a family member, they know the pressure that comes with that.

While he was sitting in the sitting room, the TV would be on, and this [swing-gate] was on every outlet, radio, TV - there was no escaping that.

Ms Bailey also revealed that Senator Joan Freeman reached out to her at the time to check in on her own mental wellbeing.

She [Ms Freeman] said: You know there is help available, if you need to talk to somebody there is help available.

I kept in touch with Joan for a long time and at pinch points when things got too much I was able to pick up the phone to her. And she redirected me to a couple of options that were available.

As for the future, Ms Bailey added that: Im of a much stronger mindset, but Im lucky I got through it, but I didnt get through it unscathed.
Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Blackrock Education Centre are running the national 'Something Fishy' poetry competition aimed at 5th and 6th class primary school students in Wicklow and nationwide.

This is the second year the competition has been run as a fun way for students to learn more about fish and their environment while also being in with a chance to win some great prizes.

The competition is to write an acrostic poem; in which the first letter of each line spells out a word. Each student is to spell out the word 'STREAM' to write their own acrostic poem.

Students are also encouraged to illustrate their poems with their own artwork. Only one entry is permitted per student and it is to be original work.

There are three categories - 5th and 6th class and Irish language. Each category will have three prize-winners. First prize is a fishing kit to the value of 100, second prize is an outdoor field trip valued at 50 and third prize is a 30 goody bag.

The closing date for entries is Friday, May 28. Parents/guardians are being asked to email the entry to outreach@fisheriesireland.ie and to include the student's name, class and school name and address.

The winning illustrated poems will be chosen by a panel of judges and will be announced on June 18.
WINNIPEG Mayor Brian Bowman has offered a blunt critique of joint efforts to address homelessness, claiming collective government efforts have, so far, fallen short.

WINNIPEG Mayor Brian Bowman has offered a blunt critique of joint efforts to address homelessness, claiming collective government efforts have, so far, fallen short.

"Ending homelessness has been talked about for decades, and numerous and well-meaning governments; I know, (I) have made numerous funding announcements. The outcomes we are seeing in Winnipeg are falling short Id like to move from funding announcements to outcome announcements," Bowman said Friday.

The mayors comments were part of a joint news conference with federal Families Minister Ahmed Hussen and Manitoba Families Minister Rochelle Squires, which highlighted a small change to a previously announced housing project.

A news release noted the budget will jump to $5 million (from about $4.3 million) for 18 affordable modular apartments that will serve women and children experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. (The project was first announced in December 2020.)

The new funds include $624,000 from the province and $90,000 of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. support.

The effort at 260 Toronto St. will redevelop a former housing complex into affordable housing, with tenants expected to start moving in by December.

While the mayor deemed the project a welcome step to providing more housing, he stressed Winnipeg is still far from ending homelessness  a goal it had hoped to reach by the 2024-25 fiscal year.

"The last street census that we had was 2018. It identified approximately 1,500 Winnipeggers affected by homelessness. Ultimately, Id like us all, ourselves included, to really be focused more on those individuals, with the ultimate goal of getting (the number who are homeless) down to zero," said Bowman.

When asked if they felt enough has been done to address homelessness, the senior government ministers agreed more work is needed.

"We know that on many fronts we need to move quicker in addressing those who are experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness," said Squires.

Hussen stressed Fridays announcement is just one federal housing initiative, with others still to come.

"We share in the urgency of this with the City of Winnipeg, with the province of Manitoba. There will definitely be more projects, more announcements because we know that the work continues," he said.

The federal minister said more funding has been offered that could also help Winnipeg. He noted a National Housing Strategy agreement was signed by Canada and Manitoba in 2019 for $450.8 million in joint housing renewal and expansion funding.

"We know that the needs in Winnipeg are substantive, and were doing everything we can to deliver federal resources," said Hussen.

The news conference came amid a growing spotlight on an apparent lack of affordable housing in Winnipeg, following a recent fire-related death at a homeless camp and repeated concerns of people opting to sleep in bus shelters.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga
Islamabad [Pakistan]: As Pakistan 's financial debt continues to mount, the Imran Khan government received USD 6.7 billion in gross foreign loans in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, including a new commercial loan of USD 500 million from China last month.

According to The Expresss Tribune, Ministry of Economic Affairs reported that during the July-January period of fiscal year 2020-21, the government obtained USD 6.7 billion in external loans from multiple financing sources. The gross loans were higher by 6 per cent or USD 380 million over the same period of the last fiscal year.

In January alone, the government received USD 960 million in foreign loans, including USD 675 million from commercial banks, which were the most expensive loans. Out of the USD 6.7 billion, an amount of USD 2.7 billion or 41 per cent of the total loans were on account of foreign commercial loans, said the ministry.

The Express Tribune further reported that nearly 87 per cent of the foreign loans or USD 5.8 billion were for budget financing, building foreign exchange reserves and commodity financing.

"The country would be paying back those loans after taking new loans as no revenue-generating assets were created by using the loans. Project financing was a mere USD 897 million or 13 per cent," it reported.

China's continued financial assistance to Pakistan has helped in keeping the gross official foreign exchange reserves at around USD 13 billion despite the suspension of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, negative growth in exports and major debt repayments to Saudi Arabia and other creditors.

Ahsan Munir, a columnist for The Nation said that the Pakistani parliament "legislate less and fight more" over the allocation of development funds for their constituencies--more in the ambit of the local government bodies.

"All governments which come to power comprise different interest groups, which promote their vested interests and pay little attention to the economic side of governance. Resultantly, billions of dollars have been borrowed from external and internal sources for which the country has nothing to show for," he wrote.

State-owned enterprises, such as PIA and Pakistan Steel Mills have been bankrupted; and utility distribution companies are running into losses for reasons unfathomable to an income taxpayer, who not only pays his bill but also of those from which the government fails to collect, the columnist pointed out.

"All our ruling parties conjure up initiatives that are trumpeted to be game changers for the ordinary masses of this nation. But all these initiatives only add to the debt woes of this country," Munir wrote

This comes as Pakistan's foreign debt and liabilities have mounted by USD 3 billion or 2.6 per cent during the six months period ended in December last year, the central bank's data reported last week.

Pakistan secured a debt relief of USD 1.7 billion from the G-20 countries, together with the Paris Club creditors under the debt service suspension initiative, announced to provide fiscal space to stressed economies hurt by the Covid-19 and lockdown.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked the toy manufacturers to use less plastic and more eco-friendly material, in addition, to focus on innovation.

Inaugurating the first India Toy Fair 2021, Modi said, "We have to become Aatmanirbhar in the toy sector and also cater to the global market".

PM Modi also raised concerns about the popularity of imported toys and said that India's heritage of artists have been ignored over the last 70 years. He further said "the imported toys brought external thoughts with them. We will have to change this situation together and be more vocal for local."

He regretted that India's share in the $100 billion global toy market is very less, and about 85% of the toys sold in the country are imported.

"We need to promote hand-made in India," he said.

The Prime Minister also interacted with traditional toymakers from Chennapatnam, Varanasi and Jaipur and exhorted them to innovate and make traditional toys more relevant keeping in view the changing taste of children.

He asked the toy manufacturers to make eco-friendly, attractive and innovative toys and use more recyclable material.

The Prime Minister said the government has prepared a National Toy Action Plan by involving 15 ministries with a view to make the domestic toy industry competitive.

The initiative, he added, is aimed at making India Aatmanirbhar in the toy sector and also increasing the presence of domestic toys in the global market.

The Indian toy industry has tradition, technology, concepts and competence, Modi said, stressing that "we can give to the world eco-friendly toys".

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
San Francisco: A US federal judge has approved a $US650 million ($843 million) settlement of a privacy lawsuit against Facebook for allegedly using photo face-tagging and other biometric data without the permission of its users.

US District Judge James Donato approved the deal in a class action, involving nearly 1.6 million Facebook users, that was filed in Illinois in 2015.

Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer and founder of Facebook. Facebook changed the system after the lawsuit was filed in 2015. Credit:Bloomberg

Donato called it one of the largest settlements for a privacy violation.

It will put at least $US345 into the hands of every class member interested in being compensated, he wrote, calling it a major win for consumers in the hotly contested area of digital privacy.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Over the swimming carnival season, some students have been banned from cheering their teammates, while others have not. Some parents have been allowed to watch their kids swim, while others have not.

But its not just sport. Tim Spencer, the president of the P&C Federation, said parents were becoming frustrated with inconsistencies in the application of all kinds COVID-19 rules between schools, especially when there were so few cases in the community.

But the NSW Department of Education said schools and parents could expect updated guidelines imminently.

School have been giving conflicting advice as to how to cheer on events such as school carnivals. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Mr Spencer said parents had been complaining about different interpretations from different schools. Were certainly hearing things that are inconsistent, he said. Theres still P&Cs not allowed to meet on school premises, and they still need to meet virtually.
At 81, Trieu Tai Cao no longer has the physical strength to trek through the forest tended by his family.

But every day, even in the cold of the northern winter, he stands by the front door of his house to gaze at the forest with pride and happiness.

The trees were all planted by him and his family over 50 years, and his life has been dedicated to growing and protecting them.

Cao belongs to the Dao ethnic group, and lives in Tan Dan Commune in Ha Long Town of Quang Ninh Province, home to the world-famous bay.

Trieu Tai Cao at his home in Ha Long in Quang Ninh Province. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Cuong.

The Dao used to be nomadic, felling forests to meet their temporary land needs for cattle and crops before moving on.

It was not until 1968 that they started to settle. By then Cao had started thinking about growing trees. He began to look around for seedlings of valuable timber trees such as ironwood, shorea and apitong.

Between 1970 and 1980 he and his family planted those and other trees on 32 hectares (80 acres).

They faced a lot of challenges in protecting the forest initially because there were no regulations for transferring forest lands to local residents, meaning his family had no authority to manage the forest.

In 1992 the government announced a policy of handing over forests for people to maintain and exploit sustainably.

"I love our familys forest," Cao says.

"Thanks to that policy, I could continue growing timber while many people around us opted for growing wattle, also known as acacia."

Growing acacia takes less time and effort and starts providing an income sooner than timber.

Now the forest has around 600 ironwood trees aged 40-70 years besides hundreds of other timber trees.

Trieu Tien Loc in his familys forest in Ha Long in Quang Ninh Province. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Cuong.

"I am close to death now and have fulfilled my wish to leave the future generations a forest with such valuable trees.

"Forests are humans lungs and should not be treated as public property. So I also wish my children and grandchildren will continue to grow trees and protect this forest."

Trieu Tien Loc, 35, the youngest of his five sons, says: "Many traders have come to us and asked to buy the ironwood, but my family has been insistently saying no. My father has spent his entire life growing and protecting the forest, and we will continue that."

"My family's forest is a watershed forest, and there are large trees that can hold the soil and water, which protects us from landslides."

Even without chopping down or selling any of the large trees, Cao's family enjoys an income from the forest by growing other types of plants in it such as bamboo, herbs and medicinal plants.

Pham Van Sau, Party chief of Tan Dan, says Cao's family is the only one in the commune to successfully grow timber and protect the trees for long.

"Many provincial officials have visited Cao's forest. Two years ago we sought permission to turn the forest into an eco-tourism area, but have yet to get it."

Quang Ninh has more than 337,000 hectares of forests, including 122,700 ha of natural forests. Its forest cover of 54.7 percent is among the highest of any province in the country.

Around 700,000 ha of land are still available in the country for growing forests, Vuong Van Quynh, former head of the Institute for Forest Ecology and Environment at the Vietnam National University of Forestry, had told VnExpress last year.

Vietnam has a target of growing around 200,000 ha of forests each year.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Sally Shannon always expected big life events such as weddings, pregnancies and babies would be very much a village experience, as they were while she was growing up her home country of South Africa.

Having moved to Melbourne with her Australian husband in May 2018, she felt confident she could have a smaller, but still lovely, version of this among her new family and friends after she became pregnant with their first child.

Sally Shannon and Max (left) and Romi Kaufman and Mila (right), met in online expecting-mothers groups during lockdown in Melbourne and have become very close in real life. Credit:Luis Ascui

But, as with so much community life in 2020, the long months of lockdown took away real-life access to all that.

As COVID suddenly hit, it was like I went from, OK, Ill have a mini-village experience, to being OK, my village is gone, said Ms Shannon, a physiotherapist whose son, Max is now eight months old.
Reported cases of Lassa fever are on a steady rise as the nation grapples with the challenges of stemming the spread of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic across the country.

More persons have also died of the disease since its new season began in January.

Lassa fever is an acute viral illness and a viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF), whose causative agent is a single-stranded RNA virus in the arenaviridae family of the Lassa virus.

It was first reported in Lassa community in Borno State, Nigeria, when two missionary nurses died from an unusual febrile illness.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Lassa virus is transmitted to man by infected multi-mammate rats, the mastomys natalensis species complex which is the reservoir host.

Humans become infected from direct contact with the urine and faeces of the rat which contains the virus, through touching soiled objects, eating contaminated food, or exposure to open cuts or sores.

Statistics

According to the NCDC, a total of 22 persons have died of the fever since January 2021, beginning the week 1 of its cycle.

In the last one week, three persons have died of the disease across the country.

The total confirmed cases are 102, after the nation recorded 19 new cases in the last one week.

The new cases were reported in Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Enugu and Taraba states.

The disease is now prevalent in about eight states and 32 local government areas, with a fatality rate of 21.6 per cent.

Edo and Ondo States are in the lead of affected states, and had maintained the trend in the last three years.

While Edo States has 50 confirmed cases so far, it has only suffered four fatalities, whereas Ondo State with 26 confirmed cases, has witnessed eight deaths in the new wave of the epidemic.

ALSO READ: NCDC issues Lassa fever public health advisory

Taraba has 11 confirmed cases with six deaths, while Ebonyi has six confirmed cases with one death.

Two persons have died in Bauchi and one in Enugu as a result of the disease.

COVID-19 challenge

Speaking on the development, the Ondo State Epidemiologist, Stephen Fagbemi, told PREMIUM TIMES the focus on the fight against COVID-19 was a major drawback in this years campaign against Lassa Fever.

He noted that although the states have stepped up their awareness campaign to stem Lassa fever, the challenge is that the same personnel involved in the Lassa fever fight are the same officials dealing with the dreaded pandemic.

It is true we are challenged because the focus is much on COVID-19 and that is somehow affecting the way we react to Lassa fever as well, he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dont forget we are fighting the battle in two fronts and we are also deploying the same set of personnel in the conflict, so there will be some challenges in this regard.

He said, because of the COVID-19 situation, not many sick persons are willing to go the hospital, and by the time they are brought in, it is almost too late for them to survive.

Mr Fagbemi noted that the state, which has the highest number of fatalities, had done a lot to reduce the rate of infections compared to what was obtained in 2020.

He said the state had continued its deratification programme by distribution a huge number of rat poisons and collecting the dead rats for proper disposal.

Mr Fagbemi said with the current effort, the states would improve on the records of last year in the fight against the disease.
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.

Vote

View Results
(FILES) In this file photo taken on December 15, 2014 (FILES) In this file photo taken on December 15, 2014 Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi attends a press conference in the Bahraini capital Manama. - The US director of national intelligence is expected to release a damning report today on February 26, 2021 that fingers Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the brutal murder and dismemberment of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. (Photo by MOHAMMED AL-SHAIKH / AFP) (Photo by MOHAMMED AL-SHAIKH/AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images)

A wave of anger followed the revelation that Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggis murder was directed by Saudi Arabias crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, with much of it directed at Donald Trump.

Democratic Rep Eric Swalwell pointed directly to Mr Trump and former Secretary of Defense Mike Pompeo and accused them of covering up the murder.

Not surprising but not to be forgotten: President Trump and @mikepompeo covered up the murder of a US resident and journalist, he said.

Mr Trumps administration had access to intelligence naming Mr bin Salman as culpable in the murder of Khashoggi, according to a newly released report from the Biden administration.

Scott Dworkin, the executive director of The Democrat Coalition, also weighed in on Mr Trumps knowledge of the crown princes role.

Trump knew the Crown Prince was behind Khashoggis murder, but helped cover for him instead. Got it, he wrote.

Sen Tim Kaine appeared on CNN to offer his perspective on the report, and said he supported Congressional action on the newly released information.

Im not happy with the lack of accountability for MBS. He ordered it, he said. President Trump knew it, and there needs to be accountability ... Were going to have to explore in Congress what more we can do.

Sen Elizabeth Warren also commented on the slaying, saying she was glad the world would be aware of the crown princes involvement in the murder.

Im glad the Biden administration released this assessment so the whole world can see Mohammed bin Salman for who he is, she wrote.

The report details the killing of Mr Khashoggi, spelling out in no uncertain terms that the assassination was ordered by Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, who previously claimed he had no knowledge of the hit.

Khashoggi was considered a threat by the crown prince, and was abducted by a hit team and killed at the Saudi Embassy in Turkey. Reports suggest the columnist was killed and dismembered with a bone saw, and implicated Mr bin Salman as well as 21 others.

Story continues

Much of the intelligence about the murder was collected by Turkish spies collecting information at the Saudi embassy.

In November 2018, Mr Trump released a statement downplaying the assassination that seemed focused on moving past the murder in an effort to not fray US relations with the kingdom.

Mr Trump emphasized the importance of US arms sales to Saudi Arabia and claimed threats from Iran made it important for the US to remain in good standing with the country. He also undermined the allegations that the crown prince was involved.

Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, Mr Trump wrote, but it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event  maybe he did and maybe he didnt!

Mr Trump made the statement at a time when CIA reports had already established that the crown prince was almost certainly involved in the slaying.

The same month Mr Trump made the statement, intelligence officials told Congress that they were confident the crown prince gave the order to have the columnist killed.

The next year, Congress passed a measure requiring the executive branch to provide lawmakers with an unclassified report on Khashoggi's murder, but the Trump administration never complied with the directive.

The recently released report confirms publicly that the crown prince was behind the assassination.

We assess that Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the report said.

Joe Biden has spoken to King Salman of Saudi Arabia in the wake of the report's release. The details of that discussion have not been made public, but the White House report on the call did not suggest that the men discussed the report. However, officials speaking with The New York Times said the men did discuss the report.

Mr Biden's administration has already decreased the number of arms sales to the kingdom and has stopped supporting the nation's war in Yemen.

Officials speaking to the paper said Mr Biden plans to isolate the crown prince, and has not had direct contact with Mr bin Salman.

Read More

Jamal Khashoggi: Biden will take no action against MBS after intelligence report finds Saudi leader responsible for murder of journalist

Biden raises human rights in call with Saudi king as intelligence officials to release report on Khashoggi killing

US intelligence report to blame Saudi crown prince for murder of journalist Khashoggi

US implicates Saudi crown prince in journalists killing

Recent drone attack on Saudi royal palace launched from Iraq

Biden pledges to recalibrate relations with Saudi Arabia in apparent snub to Mohammed bin Salman

She tied the knot in a surprise wedding to her partner Richard Lavender on New Years Eve at his estate in the Southern Highlands.

And now, it seems that Sunrise host Samantha Armytage is finally getting away with her new husband on a romantic honeymoon in Tasmania.

The 40-year-old shared glimpses of trip to the Apple Isle on Saturday, starting with a short video of a barge transporting the couple's car from Tasmania to the idyllic Bruny Island.

Honeymooning? Samantha Armytage is enjoying a trip to Tasmania with her new husband Richard Lavender this weekend, after their surprise wedding

From there, the pair visited Get Shucked Oysters and enjoyed a selection of fresh seafood.

The blonde beauty shared a photo of the shells and wrote: 'So delicious I forgot to take a pic before demolishing.'

She followed that with a photo of her beau carrying a box oysters and bucket, which she captioned: 'My husband... loves an oyster.'

Island escape: The 40-year-old shared glimpses of trip to the Apple Isle on Saturday, starting with a short video of a barge transporting the couple's car from Tasmania to the idyllic Bruny Island. They soon enjoyed some oysters

Holiday mode: The Sunrise host followed that with a photo of her beau carrying a box oysters and bucket, which she captioned: 'My husband... loves an oyster'

The Sunrise host also tagged their luxury accommodation, Satellite Island Tasmania, which can be booked for $2,200 per night.

Samantha shared a photo of road signs pointing out to different locations and the direction of Antarctica, during what appeared to be the couple's stroll around the island.

Later in the day, she showed her followers that she was enjoying one of the local delicacies as recommended to her.

'And to everyone asking, yes we stopped at the Bruny Island Cheese,' she wrote on a picture of her dipping bread into a delicious container of cheese.

Almost there: Samantha shared a photo of road signs pointing out to different locations and the direction of Antarctica, during what appeared to be the couple's stroll around the island

Yum! She also showed her followers that she was enjoying one of the local delicacies as recommended to her. 'And to everyone asking, yes we stopped at the Bruny Island Cheese,' she wrote on a picture of her dipping bread into a delicious container of cheese

This comes after Samantha announced she is launching a podcast, in conjunction with Stellar magazine, called: 'Something To Talk About with Samantha Armytage'.

The new venture is a weekly conversation that is similar to her column for the publication.

Shared the exciting news Thursday along with the poster for the podcast and wrote in the caption: 'BIG NEWS: I'm starting a podcast.'

The Sunrise host's big news comes after her surprise New Year's Eve nuptials to millionaire businessman Richard.

'BIG NEWS': This comes after Samantha announced she is launching a podcast, in conjunction with Stellar magazine called: 'Something To Talk About with Samantha Armytage'. The new venture is a weekly conversation that is similar to her column for the publication

Just married: The Sunrise host's big news comes after her surprise New Years' Eve nuptials to millionaire businessman Richard

The pair exchanged vows in front of a small group of family and friends at Richard's 40-hectare estate in the Southern Highlands.

The couple reportedly started dating in April 2019 and officially confirmed their romance in November that year.

She has officially taken on Richard's surname personally, and for now, will continue to use her maiden name professionally.

When Samantha returned to the Sunrise desk in January, she shared details of her nuptials.

'We decided three days before we were going to get married and we did. It was lovely. Twelve of us there and it was just gorgeous,' she said.

'We just didn't know when we were going to get it done.'

Simple: When Samantha returned to the Sunrise desk in January, she said of her wedding, 'We decided three days before we were going to get married and we did... Twelve of us there and it was just gorgeous,' she said. Pictured is Samantha with co-host David 'Kochie' Koch

'Rich's family were all in lockdown on the northern beaches so they couldn't come, my sister is in London, and dad was like, "Just do it." We've done it. Dad loves a party so we gave him one.'

They exchanged vows at Richard's home shortly before midday, then moved to a luncheon at the Centennial Vineyards Restaurant in Bowral.

Sam and Richard started dating in April 2019, and announced their engagement in June last year.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
Like the rest of Harris County, and Texas as a whole, Jersey Village residents experienced burst pipes, power outages and lack of water due to Winter Storm Uri. But the community was able to pull together with help from their local leaders.

I just want to thank everyone who stepped up to help, Mayor Andrew Mitcham said. I got to see it firsthand and it was so, so great to see our neighbors step up and help turn off water mains, find supplies, drive and find food, sanitize water. We live in a great little village and it was so, so great to see.

The week of Feb. 15 saw Winter Storm Uri come to Texas, causing rolling blackouts, loss of water and power and water damage across the state. Jersey Village City Manager Austin Bleess said the city is still assessing total damage.

We know of a few commercial buildings that had busted pipes and a lot of water in them, Bleess said. Public Works responded to about 300 requests to turn water off at the meter, and a number residents turned the water off at their meter without the city knowing. So, we are not sure exactly how many residents may have had busted pipes.

On HoustonChronicle.com: More than 60 Cy-Fair ISD campuses damaged by Winter Storm Uri

The City of Jersey Village also issued a boil water notice Feb. 16, but the notice was lifted Feb. 20.

Mayor Mitcham, during a city council meeting on Feb. 22, commended the public works department for responding to the hundreds of requests for turning on and off water mains during the week of the storm

A lot of people who helped out, their own homes were damaged and they basically put that on pause to help out so thank you very much, he said. I want to thank Austin and his team for quickly responding to as many people as possible. He quickly activated his team when we first got the water boil notice to make sure we could get pressure back. We were one of the first municipalities in the region to get our water boil notice rescinded.

Along with thanking his fellow Jersey Village staff, Mitcham thanked members of the community who helped keep other members of the community in the loop during a time of no electricity and lack of information, including the Jersey Village police and fire departments.

People want to know whats going on, they want to know how quickly their power will be back on, how quickly their water will be turned back on, where they can find resources, Mitcham said. There were a few citizens who have worked with FEMA before who filled the void of information and I felt like everyone at least had a lot of resources at their fingertips if they really needed it.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Cy-Fair ISD looks at solutions to instructional gap caused by pandemic

The city is requesting residents fill out a damage assessment form available through the Jersey Village website where they can detail the damage done to their property during the February 2021 winter storm. The form is not for requesting disaster relief or assistance, but is intended to help support efforts to obtain federal aid.

This will allow us to provide an accurate summary of impacts to the County, State and Federal government, in order to support requests for Federal aid. It will also allow us to understand the type of help residents needs as we coordinate local resources with our partners, states the damage report.

Assistance and relief resources may be found at www.readyharris.org.

Mitcham also said residents can receive help from FEMA, although he admitted the process may be difficult. In order to help, Jersey Village City staff can be contacted to connect residents to resources to speed the process up, Mitcham said.

For more information, visit www.jerseyvillagetx.com .

chevall.pryce@chron.com
"Selling Sunset" star Chrishell Stause has finalized her divorce from "This is Us" star Justin Hartley.

ADVERTISEMENT

People confirmed this week that Hartley, 44, and Stause, 39, have settled their divorce and had a judge sign off on the documents Feb. 8.

TMZ also reported the news Monday.

RELATED LINK: 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' PROS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS: WHO'S DATING OR MARRIED TO WHOM!? (PHOTOS)

Hartley filed for divorce from Stause, who competed on Season 29 of "Dancing with the Stars" last fall, in November 2019 after two years of marriage.

He listed their date of separation as July 2019.

At the time, sources told People that Hartley and Stause were "fundamentally incompatible."

"Chrishell is really ready to just settle down and be a wife and stay-at-home mom and was hoping to start a family relatively soon. Justin wants that but also doesn't think it has to happen in the near future and is at a point in his career where he wants to really be able to explore all the options that are coming his way," a source said.

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

Hartley was previously married to actress Lindsay Korman and has a 16-year-old daughter, Isabella, with his ex.

He went Instagram official with his new girlfriend, actress Sofia Pernas, on New Year's Eve in December.

"Last minutes of 2020 here in LA. Bring on 2021! Happy New Year!" Hartley captioned the post.

Hartley plays Kevin Pearson on "This is Us," while Stause stars on the Netflix reality series "Selling Sunset."
COVID-19 hospitalizations continued to fall on Friday, days before the state is set to expand vaccine eligibility and as federal regulators could approve a third vaccine for use in the United States.

There were 34 fewer patients hospitalized on Friday, dropping the statewide total to 451.

The daily positivity rate sat at 2.22 percent after 787 new cases were found out of 35,512 tests.

Eight more fatalities attributed to the virus were reported, bringing the states official death toll to 7,622.

That comes as the state is poised to allow adults over the age of 55 to register for the vaccine starting Monday. Teachers, school staff and child care professionals will also be eligible, but state officials have asked those workers to wait to be vaccinated at clinics organized through schools and local health departments.

That comes as a key panel voted unanimously to recommend an emergency use authorization for the vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson, the Associated Press reported. The agency could approve the companys vaccine as early as Saturday, giving the country a third vaccine in the fight against the virus

Johnson & Johnsons single-dose vaccine could help aid distribution of the vaccine, because the doses can be kept at refrigerator temperatures  much warmer than the two vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

Gov. Ned Lamont said Thursday the state is expected to receive some 30,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week if the companys application is approved.
New Delhi: With the announcement of assembly poll dates for four states- West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, and one Union Territory was announced by the Election Commission of India on Friday, the eyes of the nation are now at the most crucial state elections as they are expected to pave a new politics. The debacle of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on the one hand, would be an unparallel victory for the ruling BJP at the Centre as it would vanquish its most vocal opponent, while the opposite result, on the other hand, will clearly make Mamata Banerjee the leader of anti-saffron alliance at the national level and probably under whose leadership the entire opposition would unite in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to take on the BJP-led NDA.

The elections beginning on March 27, with West Bengal having eight-phase polls and Assam three, and the rest will go for a single-phase, while the counting for 824 assembly seats will be held on May 2.

West Bengal is considered to be the most crucial state elections as it is expected to witness the most-violent fight between Trinamool Congress and the BJP in 294 Assembly seats. CM Mamata Banerjee is fighting the toughest political battle of her political career because the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, BJP has emerged as the direct challenge to her with a 40% vote share restricting the TMC to about 43%. The closest race is expected between the two opponents if Congress does not enter into an umbrella alliance with Didi. A triangular fight, however, is expected if Congress enters into an alliance with the Left parties, the scenario would probably weaken the TMC's sway over the consolidated minority vote bank.

In the eastern part of India, Assam holds great significance for BJP, whose victory in the 2016 Assembly election was stated to be a surprise win, but the upcoming election is expected to permanently damage the stronghold of the Congress. Of the total 126 Assembly seats, the BJP had won 60 seats with a 42% vote share while it had contested merely 89 seats. The ruling dispensation would face a formidable alliance of has Congress, AUDF (Assam United Democratic Front), along with Left parties.

During anti-CAA agitation, Assam was also greatly affected and the Congress-AUDF alliance is likely to take on the ruling BJP to exploit the situation, but CM Sarbananda Sonowal's non-controversial image and development initiatives are expected to help the BJP retain the state.

In the southern states, the BJP has so far failed to extend beyond Karnataka, therefore, the upcoming state elections are stated to be very crucial for the ruling party at the Centre.

In Tamil Nadu, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited on February 25 to unveil several developmental projects, the BJP has already launched roadshows in all 234 Assembly seats. The 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra' is on the lines of 'Poribortan Yatra' of West Bengal. The Saffron party has also formed 4800 booth committees out of 70,000 booths in the state, where it has won a 3.9% vote share in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but no seats.

Tamil Nadu currently offers the best prospects for Congress to check erosion in its electoral fortunes as it has decided to contest as a junior partner of DMK, which along with its alliance partners had won 38 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in 2019. The DMK is a front-runner in the assembly polls, but the ruling AIADMK after surviving post-Amma odds with BJP as a partner is still going strong.

About 6.l crore electorate, the state will decide the fate of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his allies and also prove him to be the true inheritor of Jayalalithaa's legacy, which is currently claimed by Sasikala who has come out hail to find her place in the state politics. Her entry into the fray is expected to dent the AIADMK prospects.

On the contrary, weakening of the ruling alliance would further the prospects of MK Stalin's leadership of DMK, which could win 96 seats with allies and could garner only 31.6% vote share in the 2016 Assembly election. The AIADMK, however, has won 135 seats with over 40% vote share.

Closely associated with Tamil Nadu politics, Puducherry, however, is being witnessed as the focus area for the BJP's entry into southern politics. The Union Territory with 30 Assembly seats had a Congress government, but the V Narayanasamy government came down just ahead of the polls in the wake of resignations from Congress and DMK.

On February 25, PM Modi visited Puducherry and made several announcements in the politically surcharged atmosphere of the UT, wooing a 9.8 Lakh electorate. The upcoming elections are expected to give a tough fight to Congress and the DMK alliance as it failed to hold onto their flock.

With Congress on a sticky wicket, the UT presents BJP its best opportunity to make an entry in the south in alliance with All India NR Congress (AINRC) of former chief minister N Rangaswamy, and AIADMK.

After losing badly in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Congress in Kerala would not spare any effort to destabilise the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), which had won 91 seats out of 140 with a vote share of about 42%, while the Congress could win only 47 with a vote share of 38%.

In the recently held local body polls in Kerala, the LDF held its edge over others with a vote share of 42%, followed by Congress-led UDF 37.9%, while BJP allies were restricted to a mere 15%. The Congress recently entered into an alliance with the Jamaat-backed Welfare Party and this is being witnessed as a reason that may annoy its traditional vote bank, but it is, still, posing the strongest challenge to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijaya, who reportedly is trying to assuage the feelings of Hindus during the Sabarimala agitation, withdrawing cases against them.

The polls in Kerala are an acid test for the BJP, which was recently joined by E Sreedharan at a meeting organised at Changaramkulam during the "Vijay Yatra" led by Kerala BJP chief K Surendran, and is considered to be a man who may help the saffron party to challenge the Left alliance.
Washington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will receive the CERAWeek global energy and environment leadership award during an annual international energy conference next week.

Prime Minister Modi will also deliver the keynote address at the CERAWeek Conference-2021, which will be held virtually from March 1 to 5, its organiser, IHS Markit, said on Friday.

Prominent speakers at the conference include US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry, Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and founder of Breakthrough Energy Bill Gates and president and CEO, Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser.

"We look forward to Prime Minister Modi's perspectives on the role of the world's largest democracy and are pleased to honour him with the CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award for his commitment to expanding India's leadership in sustainable development to meet the country's, and the world's, future energy needs," IHS Markit vice chairman and the conference's chair, Daniel Yergin, said.

In charting its path towards economic growth, poverty reduction and a new energy future, India has emerged at the centre of global energy and the environment, and its leadership is crucial to meet climate objectives for a sustainable future while ensuring universal energy access, he said.

The annual international conference is a gathering of energy industry leaders, experts, government officials and policy makers, leaders from the technology, financial and industrial communities, and energy technology innovators.



Live TV
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  Both houses of Congress are suspending their scheduled legislative inquiries into the deadly shootout between police personnel and narcotics agents to allow the National Bureau of Investigation to take charge of the probe as requested by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told CNN Philippines on Saturday that the President asked lawmakers to allow NBI's sole investigation into the exchange of fire between Quezon City police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency operatives near the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant on Commonwealth Avenue on Wednesday. Four people were killed, including two cops, one PDEA agent, and one informant.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said the panels hearing is temporarily suspended following Dutertes pronouncement.

If we feel that our questions are not answered and we feel that there could be a legislation that we can propose then we will proceed, he said.

Senator Ronald Bato dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief, also postponed the hearing set by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, which he chairs. He earlier said it could be a case of poor coordination.

PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva and PNP chief General Debold Sinas said their men were both conducting legitimate "buy-bust" operations, and insisted they coordinated. They appealed for more time to divulge what really transpired, saying they have to wait for the findings of their joint board of inquiry, which was effectively dissolved by Dutertes order.

Documents obtained by CNN Philippines show that the Quezon City Police District informed PDEAs Metro Manila regional office about the buy-bust the night before.

Villanueva stressed that the PDEA operation was not a "sell-bust" sting, where authorities pose as sellers instead of buyers of drugs. A sell-bust is illegal, he said.

Duterte met with Sinas and Villanueva Friday night. Roque said the President explained that he wanted NBI to solely investigate to ensure an impartial probe.

NBI Director Eric Distor as well as Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra were also present. Both have said the NBI is prioritizing the case.

The NBI has formed a composite team led by Deputy Director Antonio Pagatpat, assisted by agents from the investigation, intelligence, and forensic divisions of the NBI, Guevarra said.

NBI agents inspected the encounter site on Saturday to gather more evidence.

CNN Philippines' Triciah Terada and Paolo Barcelon contributed to this report.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 15:14:00|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Guests celebrate the arrival of the Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine at a logistics center in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 27, 2021. A total of 585,000 doses of the Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine procured by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government arrived in Hong Kong from Germany on Saturday. These were among the first batch of 1 million doses of the Comirnaty vaccine, developed by Fosun Pharma and BioNTech, delivered to Hong Kong. The remaining doses will arrive in early March, a spokesman for the HKSAR government said. The online booking system for this vaccine will open next week. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

HONG KONG, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- A total of 585,000 doses of the Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine procured by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government arrived in Hong Kong from Germany on Saturday.

These were among the first batch of 1 million doses of the Comirnaty vaccine, developed by Fosun Pharma and BioNTech, delivered to Hong Kong. The remaining doses will arrive in early March, a spokesman for the HKSAR government said.

After the arrival of the Comirnaty vaccine, staff carried out stringent checking and inspection of the vaccine to ensure that it complies with the product specifications and that the transportation process follows the relevant cold-chain requirements.

As the vaccine has to be stored in a freezer at a temperature of -70 degrees centigrade, the HKSAR government has made appropriate arrangements, including placing the vaccines in designated storage facility and keeping all the vaccines in validated freezers to ensure the proper storage condition of the vaccines in accordance with the temperature indicated by the drug manufacturer.

"Following the arrival of the Comirnaty vaccine, we will open the online booking system next week for the public to make appointments to receive the Comirnaty vaccine. Detailed arrangements will be announced at a suitable time," the spokesman said.

Comirnaty vaccine received authorization for emergency use in Hong Kong after the advisory panel on COVID-19 vaccines reviewed its clinical data, the overseas authorization obtained, and other information relevant to the safety, efficacy and quality of the COVID-19 vaccine.

At present, the COVID-19 vaccines purchased in advance by the HKSAR government are the inactivated virus vaccine from Sinovac Biotech (Hong Kong) Limited, the nucleic acid vaccine from Fosun Pharma and BioNTech, and the viral vector vaccine from AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford.

Hong Kong received from the Chinese mainland the first batch of 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines produced by Sinovac Biotech on Feb. 19.

The HKSAR government has launched a free COVID-19 vaccination program, under which people may receive the jabs at five community vaccination centers and 18 general out-patient clinics of Hong Kong's Hospital Authority. Enditem
As Black and Latinx families experience disproportionate food insecurity, experts warn of famine in dozens of countries.

by Robin Scher

Beyond the questions surrounding the availability, effectiveness and safety of a vaccine, the COVID-19 pandemic has led us to question where our food is coming from and whether we will have enough. According to a United Nations World Food Program (WFP) report, COVID-19 might have left up to 265 million people with acute food shortages in 2020. The combined effect of the pandemic as well as the emerging global recession could, without large-scale coordinated action, disrupt the functioning of food systems, which would result in consequences for health and nutrition of a severity and scale unseen for more than half a century, states another UN report.

In the United States, food insecurity has doubled overall, and tripled among households with children due to the pandemic, states a June 2020 report by the Institute for Policy Research (IPR) at Northwestern University, which relied on data provided by the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. In a recent interview with CBS News, IPR Director Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach warned that these statistics would likely continue to hold, with the numbers indicating particularly dramatic rises in food insecurity among Black and Latinx families. Indeed, families of color are being disproportionately impacted. According to an analysis of new Census data by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), 22 percent of Black and 21 percent of Latinx respondents reported not having enough to eat, compared to just 9 percent of white people.

Globally, the effects of COVID-19 on food security are equally, if not more, severe. According to a CBS News report, WFP Director David Beasley told the UN Security Council in April 2020 that the world is on the brink of a hunger pandemic. He added, In a worst-case scenario, we could be looking at famine in about three dozen countries, and in fact, in 10 of these countries we already have more than one million people per country who are on the verge of starvation.

The number of chronically hungry people increased by an estimated 130 million last year, to more than 800 millionabout eight times the total number of COVID-19 cases to date, wrote Mark Lowcock, the under-secretary-general and emergency relief coordinator at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and Axel van Trotsenburg, managing director of operations at the World Bank. Countries affected by conflict and climate change are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. Empty stomachs can stunt whole generations.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) warns that climate change is likely to diminish continued progress on global food security through production disruptions that lead to local availability limitations and price increases, interrupted transport conduits, and diminished food safety. The same might be said about the pandemic, which has made it abundantly clear: climate resilience, food security and global health are closely intertwined.

In terms of food security, another major concern is the pandemic-related school closures that have occurred across the globe, with UNICEF reporting that more than 1.6 billion children and young people have been affected. Schools provide a food lifeline for children; for so many, that is where they get their only nutritious meal of the day. In January, the UNICEF Office of ResearchInnocenti, and WFP released a new report that found that more than 39 billion in-school meals have been missed worldwide since the pandemic began, with 370 million children worldwide having missed 40 percent of in-school meals.

In early 2020, when COVID-19 was still a looming specter rather than the deadly virus were more familiar with today, the threat of food insecurity was a practical problem. Scenes of shoppers descending on aisles to stock up on supplies were a common sight. As CNN reported in March 2020, supermarkets around the world rationed food and other products such as toilet paper and cleaning supplies, in an effort to curb stockpiling.

In Vermont, for instance, a steady increase in food insecurity since the start of the pandemic has correlated to employment levels, according to a survey conducted by the University of Vermont between March and April 2020. Approximately 45 percent of respondents had lost their jobs, been furloughed or had their hours reduced during the pandemic, and a further two-thirds of survey participants who recorded scarcity of food in their households had experienced job losses or work disruptions since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to the survey. Vermont is just one example; the impact has been felt across the U.S. During the week before Thanksgiving in 2020, the Guardian reported that 5.6 million U.S. households struggled to put enough food on the table, while referring to the analysis of the Census data by CBPP.

As the pandemic continues to upend lives across the world, it has impacted the entire food supply chain. With factory and supermarket workers being highly susceptible to COVID-19, theres been a concomitant decline in food production and a rise in prices. As Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), reported, farmers in the U.S. were already facing labor shortages prior to the pandemic, and with tightened immigration as well as the heightened risk and poor compensation associated with these jobs, food processors and farm labor contractors may struggle to find other workers willing to risk their lives to work in meat plants, packing sheds or produce fields.

The pandemic has exposed the weakness of the industrialized global food system, which depends on long, complex transportation chains and cross-border travel. [T]he monstrous and unsustainable food industry known as Big Ag relies on the horrendous treatment of laborers, a wasteful allocation of resources, worldwide environmental devastationand in a pinch, can quickly devolve into near-collapse of the entire system, as evidenced by the delays, shortages and pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the deepening hunger crisis in America, April M. Short, a fellow at the Independent Media Institute, recently wrote in Salon. Among the many necessary systemic changes 2020 has illuminated is the need to majorly restructure the way we cultivate and access food in our communities.

It didnt take the pandemic to reveal the inefficiency and injustice of our food system: globally, a third of all food is wasted, while nearly 690 million people were undernourished in 2019almost 60 million more people than in 2014. But the pandemic has underscored the matter: According to OCHA, the number of acutely food insecure people could increase to 270 million due to COVID-19, representing an 82 percent increase compared to the number of acutely food insecure people pre-COVID-19.

And the disruption of transportation has shown that the long distances it normally takes for food to get from one place to another can be a serious liability during a crisis. [F]ood banks are under tremendous pressure to meet the skyrocketing demand, said a CNN article quoting from a letter Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, Feeding America CEO, and Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, wrote to then-Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in April 2020. At the same time, however, we are seeing literally tons of agricultural goods being discarded because of the shutdown of so much of the economy.

Consumer demand has shifted from eating out at restaurants and food services away from home, and food supply chain operations have had to be retooled. And that impact has been felt within the transportation sector. Forbes reported that Andrew Novakovic, an agricultural economist at Cornell University, points to a number of weak spots in the food transportation system that could be aggravated by the increased demand for food. A shortage of truck drivers is one potential weak spot, says Novakovic. Although he concedes there is debate on this matter, Novakovic maintains that [t]rucking companies are finding it much harder to recruit [those] long haul drivers. China, which was the first country to be hit by the virus, offers insight into the prolonged impact of the pandemic on transportation and food systems. The lockdown in the Hubei province of China, which is home to 66 million people, led to a shortage in delivery of animal feed as well as refrigerated containers full of imported vegetables, fruit and frozen meat in February 2020, according to an article in the Conversation.

In addition to shifting consumer demand, the pandemic has also made us take a closer look at where our food comes from and how it impacts not only the lives of food workers but also the lives of animals trapped in the food system. According to a new public opinion survey conducted by Lake Research Partners and commissioned by the animal rights group American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, [t]he vast majority (89 percent) of Americans are concerned about industrial animal agriculture, citing animal welfare, worker safety or public health risks as a concern. The survey also found that 85 percent of farmers and their families support a complete ban on new industrial animal agriculture facilitiesalmost twice the level of support expressed by the general public. This finding shows key support for the Farm System Reform Act, legislation that was introduced in 2019 by Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey that, among other reforms, seeks to put a moratorium on new or expanding factory farms.

Food insecurity has long been a pressing issue, particularly for developing countries. However, as Mir Ashrafun Nahar, a research associate at the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling, explained in a Financial Express article, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more acute. In response, Nahar argues for a policy-based approach that includes subsidy based transportation systems for agriculture to support supply chains, as well as policies aimed at cutting down on agricultural production costs in order to help farmers recover from the effects of the pandemic.

With the pandemic still affecting food supply, though, there are a number of logical measures for reducing the impact of the virus and maximizing output. First, OSHA [the Occupational Safety and Health Administration] and the USDA must be directed to issue emergency standards that require employers to provide personal protective equipment, enough space to work without spreading the virus, and housing and transportation options that will reduce the spread of the virus, wrote Faber.

Proposed in April 2020, Fabers suggestions, unfortunately, remained unaddressed under the Trump administration. Fabers relief measures further include the expansion of USDA programs to purchase surplus commodities to offset supply chain disruption; redirecting food that might be destroyed toward food banks; and increasing the standard SNAP benefit (food stamps) by 15 percent. And, echoing Nahar, Faber also proposes adopting policies that will help to alleviate financial burdens faced by farmers and food suppliers, as well as offering subsidy support.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental economic group with 37 member countries, said that the pandemic has laid bare pre-existing gaps in social protection systems in a report published in June 2020. While the impacts of COVID-19 are still unfolding, experience so far shows the importance of an open and predictable international trade environment to ensure food can move to where it is needed, the OECD report states. The biggest risk for food security is not with food availability but with consumers access to food: safety nets are essential to avoid an increase in hunger and food insecurity.

Another problem is the lack of media coverage about the food insecurity being witnessed around the world, particularly during the COVID-19 era. As the Economist recently pointed out, journalists in 2020 wrote more than 50,000 articles about the canceled Eurovision song contest, but only around 2,000 about drought and hunger in Zambia.

Fortunately, beyond the failings of a state-led response to the pandemic, some positives have emerged at a community level. With restaurants and supermarkets becoming less viable options, there has been a growth in demand and supply of local food. According to HuffPost, farmers have seen a massive rise in demand for local produce. The result of this trend is that consumers who are able to access local food are changing their behavior toward procurement and consumption of food permanently.

Things are changing on a federal level, too. In a recent article about how the U.S. food system could be transformed during the Biden administration, New York Times food correspondent Kim Severson noted that [h]unger relief is a pressing issue for Tom Vilsack, who has been confirmed by the Senate to become the agriculture secretary in Bidens Cabinet, a job the former Iowa governor also held under the Obama administration. However, while Severson notes that Vilsack has his critics, President Biden has already made changes at the top, signing an executive order meant to deliver relief to families and businesses amid the COVID-19 crisis, including expanding and extending federal nutrition assistance programs to [a]ddress the growing hunger crisis facing 29 million Americans. His proposal to Congress includes a $3 billion package to help women, infants and children get the food they need and access to nutritious food for millions of children missing meals due to school closures.

For meaningful reform to the food system to occur, change is going to have to happen at every level: from federal, state and local governments, to Big Ag, small farmers and everyday consumers. With the future looking ever more uncertain due to the climate crisisone of President Bidens top prioritiesadapting to new ways of producing and transporting food will be key to our survival.

This article first appeared on Truthout and was produced in partnership with Earth | Food | Life, a project of the Independent Media Institute.

Robin Scher is a writer based in South Africa. He is a graduate of the Cultural Reporting and Criticism program at New York University. Find him on Twitter @RobScherHimself.


Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
The initial NDC Synthesis Study released by the UN Climate Change emphasizes that nations must double and intensify efforts and apply better, more aggressive national climate action plans in 2021 if they are to meet the Paris Agreement target of reducing the rise in global temperatures by 2  C and, hopefully, by the end of the century, 1.5  C.

2021 Goals

To face the global warming emergency, 2021 is the make-or-break year for the initiative. The science is clear; we need to cut global emissions by 45% by 2030 from 2010 to reduce the global temperature increase to 1.5C. The preliminary UNFCCC report is a red flag for the world. It shows that policymakers are nowhere near the commitment expected to reduce climate change to 1.5 degrees to meet the Paris Agreement's objectives. In their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), the big emitters need to step up even more ambitious emission reduction goals for 2030 far before the November UN Climate Conference in Glasgow," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

A new UN Climate Change report shows that climate plans submitted so far by countries do not put us on a path to meet the Paris Agreement goals.



But many parties must still submit their #NDC. This year, we can turn this trend around. #ItsPossible



 https://t.co/7zTXKFzQIu pic.twitter.com/NJ70jFRS4g  UN Climate Change (@UNFCCC) February 26, 2021

Time to Step Up

"It's time now. Governments, businesses, investors, cities, regions, and civil society are rising through a global alliance dedicated to net-zero emissions by 2050. COVID is a virus that infects humans. The chance to build back greener and safer is provided by recovery plans. Decision-makers must walk the talk and step up. Long-term promises must be balanced by urgent steps to kick-start the decade of change that people and the world so desperately require, "he said.

Related Article: Biden First Day: POTUS Commits to 'Global Climate Initiative' as US Rejoins Paris Climate Accords

Commitment

Parties to the Paris Agreement demanded the study to determine the success of national climate action plans, or NDCs, ahead of COP26 in Glasgow this November. It reveals that 75 Parties have communicated a new or revised NDC, reflecting nearly 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions until December 31, 2020.

"The report shows that current levels of climate ambition are far from placing us on a path to achieve our Paris Agreement goals," Patricia Espinosa, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, said. "While we understand the recent political change in momentum toward greater climate action around the world, decisions to intensify and expand climate action must be made now in every region. This underlines that COP 26 must be the moment when a green, safe, balanced, and stable planet is on its way."

Related Article: Australia's Ruling Party Opposes Prime Minister's Climate Policy; PM Put in a Tough Spot

Improvement

Although most countries listed raised their individual levels of commitment to reduce emissions, their cumulative effect puts them on target to reach a less than 1% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 2010 levels, according to the study. By comparison, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has suggested that carbon mitigation ranges could be about 45 percent smaller to meet the 1.5  C temperature target.

Related Article: Greener Earth: The Real 'Big' Problem

Unforeseen Factors

Since COVID-19 raised major obstacles for many countries to complete their submissions by 2020, Espinosa explained that the Synthesis Study is a "snapshot, not a complete picture" of the NDCs. She announced that a second study will be published before COP26. She encouraged all countries - especially major emitters who have yet to do so - to send their data as soon as possible to be included in the updated report.

NDC Synthesis Report

The secretariat was requested by COP 21 (Paris, 2015) and CMA 2 (Madrid, 2019) to prepare a synthesis analysis of the NDCs sent by Parties before COP 26. Given the postponement of COP 26 to November 2021 and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the planning process for the NDC, the Secretariat agreed to release two editions of the NDC synthesis report: the original version before 28 February 2021 and the final version before COP 262. (date to be determined yet).

ALSO READ: Common Every Day Activities that Help Mitigate Climate Change!

For more environmental news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!

Hello!

I am planning a trip of 3 to 5 women traveling for a Yoga retreat and whale shark swimming in April 2021. My thoughts so far are arriving in Belize city and hiring a driver to the temples

And cave floating. ?? Not sure what city to look at accommodations. Can the temples and caves be done in 1 day? Do we stay overnight in this area? Any suggestions of hotels or guesthouse and tour companies that would be helpful & appreciated!!

From there we wanted to hire a driver to Placencia ( can that be done from this area? )

and stay on the water for 2 or 3 days for a quiet yoga & beach retreat. We are looking for suggestions on a whale shark tour company that is safe & reputable. We would fly back to Belize City for return flights home.
Yestock/iStockBy ANGELINE JANE BERNABE, ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- As the U.S. continues to celebrate Black History Month, Black medical workers are shining a spotlight on the lack of diversity in their profession.



A biennial study conducted in 2018 by the Association of American Medical Colleges found that only 5% of physicians in the U.S. are Black or African American, compared to 56.2% of U.S. physicians who are white.



While the interest for health-related careers among Blacks and African Americans in the U.S. has increased in recent years, with the Association of American Medical Colleges reporting 10.5% of students entering medical schools across the country in 2020 are Black or African American, only 3.6% of medical school faculty are Black or African American.



"What happens when it's only 5% of physicians who are African American? That continues on as you go through so that when you get all the way up to the level of professor or professors in medical schools, there's only 1.8% of professors who are African American males and only 0.26% of professors that are African American females," said Dr. Andrea Hayes-Jordan, the surgeon-in-chief at North Carolina Children's Hospital in Chapel Hill and a tenured professor of surgery at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Medicine.



"So if you keep marching that out, the people making the decisions on who to hire, who are the chairs of the department, are also going to be few and far between African American. Latinos are about the same numbers as well," added Hayes-Jordan.



Black representation in the medical field is important more than ever as the coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately impacted Black Americans.



Black individuals are twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as white Americans and three times more likely to be hospitalized with the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.



While the coronavirus pandemic isn't the only time in history when Black individuals have been disproportionately affected in terms of health care, it has displayed the deep-rooted disparities among Black individuals, racism in medicine and mistrust, all issues which go back centuries.



"There is an environment that creates distrust and mistrust within our community," Dr. Martha A. Dawson, president of the National Black Nurses Association, told ABC News' Good Morning America. "When you look at any health indicator, [we] African Americans always have the worst outcomes. At a systemic standpoint, health care has not been readily available to Black and brown individuals in this country, either because we don't have access to insurance, we don't have access to a lot of medical facilities and personnel within our community."



"There's a heightened conversation because of COVID, but what's going to happen when COVID is finally brought under control?" she added. "If we want to really be committed to changing the health outcomes in the African American community, we need more African American physicians and nurses and other health care providers."



To fight the effects of racism in medicine and address the lack of representation in the medical field, many organizations and current health professionals are working to bolster the percentage of Black medical workers.



Here's how Dawson, Hayes-Jordan and more are addressing the need for more representation in the medical field:



Society of Black Academic Surgeons



Since 1989, the Society of Black Academic Surgeons has worked to increase the number of Black and underrepresented minority surgeons in the U.S. by offering mentorship for current and aspiring surgeons, as well as providing a community for diverse surgeons to learn from others in the field.



Hayes-Jordan is currently at the helm of the organization.



"It's a really gratifying organization to be a part of," Hayes-Jordan told Good Morning America. "We have such a problem with not having enough African American surgeons."



Hayes-Jordan pointed out the need for Black surgeons in the U.S.



"There are many studies that show that Black patients prefer to have a Black surgeon," said Hayes-Jordan. "They're more likely to adhere to the recommendations of a surgeon if the surgeon looks like them. In this day and age, when we see so many disparities in surgical care, where if you're in a poor neighborhood or if you're in a rural neighborhood and you're Black and brown, you're less likely to get the best, most up-to-date surgical care. So the more surgeons we can train, the more we can improve the health of African Americans."



Hayes-Jordan's hope is for the number of Black medical school matriculants to reflect the U.S. population of Black Americans, which is 15%.



"We're hoping that one day it'll be parallel," said Hayes-Jordan.



National Black Nurses Association



When it comes to recruiting the next generation of Black nurses in America, the National Black Nurses Association has a multi-faceted agenda to ensure diversity in nursing.



At a local level, the organization, which is made up of 114 chapters in 35 states plus Washington, D.C., works with elementary schools to introduce the field of nursing as a profession to young students, and let them know at an early age the skills they'll need if they want to become nurses in the future.



"What we found is that we have to move all the way back to the elementary schools to get them to understand that nursing is a science-based discipline," said Dawson. "You have to be really good in your STEM courses and we want them to know moving forward, they need to be taken."



In addition, the group hosts an annual conference for kids to learn about nursing and other health care disciplines.



The organization, which is made up of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nursing students, also provides mentorship opportunities for students to sync up with nurses throughout their time as students and to find support if they find themselves struggling with coursework. The group also provides annual scholarships for students.



On a national level, the organization -- which was formed in 1971 -- meets with congressmen each year in Washington, D.C., for National Black Nurses Day to discuss health policies.



"Our mission really is to support African American nurses in terms of their professional development so that we can actually then serve our population and also marginal populations to improve health outcomes," said Dawson.



Project Diversify Medicine



While there are many organizations that have been around for years, some doctors are taking it upon themselves to reach the next generation of medical workers in a relatable way.



Through Project Diversify Medicine, Dr. Ashley Denmark of St. Louis has created a platform on social media to help underrepresented doctors get into medical school.



It's also become a space for Black doctors to have conversations about what they're experiencing on the job.



Denmark said she started Project Diversify Medicine in 2015 shortly after completing her first month of residency at a hospital in South Carolina.



"I was in a predominately white program and I was the only Black intern at that program at the time," said Denmark, who explained that she experienced many microaggressions while on the job from colleagues. "I didn't really have a space to discuss those feelings -- a part of it was me trying to find a space to talk about these things."



After starting Project Diversify Medicine, Denmark said she began to hear stories that echoed hers. So the group became a way for other medical workers to share their experiences and address issues such as stereotyping in the workplace and navigating uncomfortable situations.



"There's nothing we can't talk about," said Denmark. "We want to be able to have these conversations -- healthy conversations."



In addition to creating a forum for Black doctors, Project Diversify Medicine has become a place to discuss health disparities in the Black community during the pandemic and inform Black patients about the importance of getting vaccinated.



"The Black community has reason to be concerned," said Denmark. "But my job and my passion and my reason for being here on this earth is for me to help bridge that gap and really help show why we need to start engaging in our health care."



"I empower my patients all the time," added Denmark. "You have rights in this health care field. If you don't understand something, speak up. If you don't feel comfortable about vaccinations, make the doctor talk about why you should get the vaccine. Tell them to explain the risks and benefits of it."



Copyright  2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Facebook has doubled down on its efforts to take on the growing Chinese short-video making platform TikTok, this time by launching a new app for creating and sharing raps.

Called BARS, the app is now available in the Apple App Store in the US and makes it easy to create and share raps so that rappers can focus on and experiment with the content, "rather than investing heavily in equipment and production".

"Audio production tools can be complicated, expensive and difficult to use. With BARS, you can select one of our professionally-created beats, write lyrics and record yourself dropping bars," Facebook said in a statement on Friday.

"BARS auto-suggests rhymes as you're writing to keep your flow going. You can also jump into Challenge mode and freestyle with auto-suggested word cues. Choose from a variety of audio and visual filters to take your creations to the next level," the company added.

Facebook's internal R&D group, the New Product Experimentation (NPE) Team, is behind the new experimental app.

BARS is NPE Team's second launch in the music space, following its public debut of music video app Collab last year.

Collab brings together creators and fans to create, watch, and mix and match original videos, starting with music.

For BARS, no formal rap experience is required.

"You can create something great whether you've just thought of a dope couplet or have been freestyling for years," Facebook said.

A rapper Erica aka @Bliss posted on Facebook: "The final product on the BARS app sounds like you went to a studio and recorded it. I just create for myself, but hearing my creations sound good, and the positive feedback from other people makes me feel like, "Hey maybe I can really create a good song and put it out there and people will like it!" The company said it will open up invites in batches for the app, starting in the US.
Maiduguri: Gunmen in Nigeria on Saturday released 27 teenage boys who were kidnapped from their school last week in the northern state of Niger, while security forces continued to search for more than 300 schoolgirls abducted in a nearby state.

Schools have become targets for mass kidnappings for ransom in northern Nigeria by armed groups, many of whom carry guns and ride motorcycles.

An empty classroom following an attack by gunmen at Government Science College, Kagara, Nigeria, earlier this month. Credit:

On February 17, an armed gang stormed the Government Science secondary school in the Kagara district of Niger state, and abducted 27 students, three staff and 12 members of their families. One boy was killed during the raid.

After their release, boys were seen by a Reuters witness walking with armed security through a dusty village, some struggling to stand and asking for water. A government official said the boys were aged between 15 and 18.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Saturday chaired a high-level review meeting with Chief Secretaries of various states and Union Territories and advised them not to lower their guard, enforce Covid-19 appropriate behaviour and deal firmly with the violations.

The meeting to review and discuss the Covid management and response strategy, held through video conference, was attended by the Chief Secretaries and senior health professionals of the States and UTs along with the Union Health Secretary, DG of ICMR, NITI Aayog Empowered Group members, and representatives from Home Ministry.

Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Telangana and Jammu and Kashmir have been reporting a high active caseload or an increasing trend in new cases in the last week.

Six states - Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat - have shown a surge in new cases in the last 24 hours.

Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases at 8,333. It is followed by Kerala with 3,671 while Punjab reported 622 new cases in the last 24 hours. In the last two weeks, Maharashtra has shown the highest rise in active cases from 34,449 on February 14 to 68,810 currently.

A detailed presentation was made on the current status of Covid-19 in these States with a focus on districts reporting increasing number of new cases, increasing trend in positivity and having a concerning testing trends.

This was followed by a comprehensive review with all the States and UTs. The Chief Secretaries briefed about the current situation in the States and their preparedness to tackle the recent spike of Covid cases.

They informed about the enforcement of Covid Appropriate Behaviour by levying heavy fines and challans, reviewing the surveillance and containment activities closely with the District Collectors, and other steps being taken in line with the guidelines provided by ministry of Health and Ministry of Home Affairs.

Cabinet Secretary reiterated that States need to maintain a continued rigorous vigil in terms of containing the spread and not squander away the gains of the collective hard work of the last year.

They were advised not to lower their guard, enforce Covid appropriate behaviour and deal firmly with violations. It was strongly underlined that they need to follow effective surveillance strategies in respect of potential super spreading events.

Need for effective testing, comprehensive tracking, prompt isolation of positive cases and quick quarantine of close contacts were also strongly emphasized.

The states were advised to take the steps, including to improve the overall testing in districts reporting reduction in testing, increase RT- PCR tests in states and districts having high antigen testing, refocus on surveillance and stringent containment in selected districts reporting reduced tests or high positivity and increased cases.

They have also been asked to monitor mutant strain and clustering of cases for early hotspot identification and control, focus on clinical management in districts reporting higher deaths, undertake priority vaccination in districts reporting higher cases.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The use of police restraint in managing a Belfast DJ who died in hospital hours after an incident involving the PSNI should have been the "last thing" on officers' minds, an inquest has heard.

Eric Baskind, a consultant in the use of physical interventions and restraints, made the assessment at the inquest into the death of Gerard McMahon.

The 36-year-old, from Short Strand, became unresponsive while being restrained by officers called to a disturbance in Belfast city centre on September 8, 2016.

Earlier this week the inquest, overseen by Coroner Joe McCrisken, heard the Belfast man was suffering from acute behavioural disturbance (ABD), a condition that should have been treated as a medical emergency.

Despite the efforts of officers at the scene and paramedics, Mr McMahon later passed away in the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Mr Baskind explained that he had compiled his findings based on CCTV footage of the incident.

Mr McMahon was discovered in Great Victoria Street wearing only a pair of boxer shorts and behaving erratically, the coroner had been told.

Officers placed him in handcuffs to the front of his body as "he was a danger to himself" before moving him to the steps of the Grand Opera House.

CS spray was later deployed at close range to Mr McMahon, who was on the ground, the inquest was told.

Mr Baskind said that while he approved of how the three officers initially approached Mr McMahon, he had identified "two main failures", the first of which was "not identifying ABD".

He added that Mr McMahon was "already in a seated position" and there was "an opportunity to restrain him in that position."

"Restraint should have been the last thing on the officers' mind," he said.

Mr Baskind accepted, however, that the CCTV footage had no audio, and had poor lighting.

Constable David Hodgins, who helps deliver officer training, said that throughout his career he had not "knowingly, come across someone who had ABD" but officers are confronted by those who drink and take drugs to excess.

Since Mr McMahon's death, the PSNI has introduced mandatory refresher training.

The inquest continues.
The incident, which saw a private security firm employee receive a punch to the face, occurred at around 10pm on Thursday.

The security guard tried to calm a couple that was having an argument. The male party was told that he was not allowed to board a train due to his temper, at which point he became yet more aggressive.

He then started shoving the security guard, before punching him in the face. The man also verbally abused him and even threatened to kill the guard. After help arrived on scene, the woman started threatening personnel too. Formal complaints have been issued against both.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.

Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
The fact that police have obtained an arrest warrant in the fatal shooting of Kevin Jiang doesnt necessarily mean theyve found something new, according to one criminal justice expert, but it does signify an intensifying case against MIT graduate student Qinxuan Pan, who has now been charged with Jiangs murder.

This is a command from the court that an arrest be made, said John DeCarlo, director of the masters program in criminal justice at the University of New Haven. He becomes a wanted person at this point.

Pan had previously been called a person of interest in Jiangs death. DeCarlo said that the murder charge means a judge agreed the evidence was strong enough to warrant an arrest.

What it means is that the court has reviewed the work and all of the facts that have been presented in the affidavit and they have found that probable cause exists for an arrest to be made in the case, he said.

New Haven police on Saturday noted they have an arrest warrant charging Pan with murder. The department said it would release additional information on the case Monday.

U.S. Marshal Matthew Duffy said Friday that the 29-year-old Pan is still at large and is believed to be in Georgia. Officials believe Pan fled to Georgia after fatally shooting Jiang.

When asked if the murder charge suggested that an arrest was imminent, Duffy said that while that is the hope, the last confirmed sighting of Pan was weeks ago.

The marshals office is offering a reward of $10,000 for information leading to Pans arrest. Duffy said the murder charge carries a $5 million bond when and if Pan is apprehended.

Jiang, a 26-year-old graduate student in Yales School of the Environment, was found dead on Lawrence Street near the intersection of Nash Street around 8:30 p.m. Feb. 6.

He was engaged to marry Zion Perry, and photos have emerged online that appear to show Perry and Pan together at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology dance in March of last year.

New Haven police said they have not ruled out the possibility of a prior relationship between Perry and Pan, hinting at a possible motive.

Police said they believe Pan stole an SUV from a dealership in Mansfield, Mass. and changed the plates before coming to Connecticut.

Pan is reportedly 6 feet tall, weighing 170 pounds with short, black hair. Police said he could possibly be staying with friends or family in the Duluth or Brookhaven areas of Georgia.

A family member of Pans told police that he had been acting strange in the days before the killing, Duffy said, and that a family member could not really describe it.

We dont know his state of mind, Duffy said of Pan.
2021-02-27

Maeci

Today, in the Vatican City, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, met with the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Arch. Monsignor Gallagher, within the framework of the bilateral consultations between Italy and the Holy See, a consolidated process for a wide-ranging exchange of views on key issues of the international agenda.

Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
More than 120,000 residents living across eleven Melbourne suburbs have been urged to watch for symptoms after Covid-19 fragments were found in sewage water.

The affected suburbs are Taylors Hill, Plumpton, Hillside, Sydenham, Delahey, Caroline Springs, Burnside Heights, Kings Park, Albanvale, Burnside and Deer Park.

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton issued the warning to locals and visitors to the outer-west of Melbourne after the viral fragment was detected in a sample on February 22.

Covid-19 has been detected in wastewater in 11 Melbourne suburbs, and residents are urged to get tested immediately. Pictured: Samples being taken from a sewer in Melbourne, May 2020

Mr Sutton has asked anyone who was in 11 suburbs from Feb 20 to 22 with symptoms to come forward for a test. Pictured: Melbourne commuters wear masks in July, 2020

Mr Sutton has asked anyone who was in those suburbs from February 20 to February 22 with symptoms to come forward for a test.

'Fragments of the virus detected in wastewater may be due to a person with COVID-19 being in the early active infectious phase,' he said.

'Or it could be because someone is continuing to shed the virus after the early infectious period.'

There are 15 cases in Victoria, but the state recorded no new positives on Saturday despite 10,000 tests being taken.

Four of the active cases are from hotel quarantine and eleven are community cases.

The vaccine rollout has started in the state, with 3612 doses being administered so far.

Premier Daniel Andrews also eased restrictions in Victoria on Friday, with 30 people now allowed in a home setting and 100 can gather outdoors.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton (pictured on February 20) is asking locals and visitors to the outer west of Melbourne with even the mildest symptoms to get tested urgently

There are 15 cases in Victoria, but the state recorded no new positives on Saturday despite 10,000 tests being taken. Pictured: Sewer samples in Melbourne

Mr Andrews also announced both public and private offices can return to 75 per cent capacity - the first time since the pandemic began.

Restrictions for aged care homes and hospitals have been removed meanwhile crowds at the MCG and Marvel Stadium can return to 50 per cent capacity.

The rules surrounding masks in schools will remain, the premier said.

Mr Andrews said while the 'circuit breaker strategy' clearly worked, the possibility of future snap lockdowns wouldn't be ruled out.

AFFECTED MELBOURNE SUBURBS Anyone who lives in or has visited these outer-western Melbourne suburbs from February 20-22 is being urged to get tested immediately if they have any Covid symptoms Taylors Hill Plumpton Hillside Sydenham Delahey Caroline Springs Burnside Heights Kings Park Albanvale Burnside Deer Park Advertisement

Victoria eased a string of restrictions from midnight on Saturday after the state emerged from a five-day Covid-19 lockdown

'I've said this a lot, but I'm going to say it again because it's important. We all want this to be over desperately, but it's not. And we can't pretend that it is,' he said.

The announcement comes two weeks after the Holiday Inn cluster which sparked 22 infections including hotel staff, those quarantining and close contacts.

The two new cases recorded on Friday were both in quarantine at the time and health authorities say there is no risk to the community.
The abduction of 317 schoolgirls at Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Zamfara State on Friday is the latest episode of a phenomenon that is fast becoming commonplace in Nigeria.

The breakdown of security in the North-west and North-central regions of the country has led to a surge in kidnapping and banditry and added to the over a decade-old insurgency in the North-east.

Kidnapping is one of the most pervasive and intractable violent crimes in the country, experienced in less dramatic forms in the southern part of the country.

Nigeria has one of the worlds highest rates of kidnap-for-ransom cases globally. Over the years, this has continued in spite of the government vow to address the situation.

Different bands of outlaws are responsible for the menace in the North-west and North-central, unlike in the North-east where Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the two incidents in Chibok and Dapchi some years ago.

Timeline

Here are some of the cases of mass kidnapping of schoolchildren in Nigeria in the last seven years and the events around them .

April 14, 2014: Boko Haram terrorists abducted hundreds of schoolgirls from their dormitories in Chibok, Borno State at a time the students were writing their final year exams. About 57 of the girls manage to escape at different times while on transit with their abductors.

April 16, 2014: The military said soldiers had rescued over 100 of the Chibok schoolgirls but quickly withdrew the claim after the school principal, Asabe Kwambura, and many of the parents of the abducted girls refuted it.

May 12, 2014: Boko Haram releases the first video of the abducted girls, a development which confirmed that the girls were actually in the custody of the Abubakar Shekau-led terror group. Mr Shekau in the video threatened to marry the girls off or use them as part of his war booty.

May 20, 2014: The Borno State government set up a N150 million special fund for the rehabilitation of the 57 Chibok girls who had escaped.

October 16, 2014: The former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, an air vice-marshal, said the federal government had reached a ceasefire deal with leaders of Boko Haram and that the 216 girls in their captivity would soon be released. But Boko Haram leaders quickly denied the claim.

November 2, 2014: Boko Haram leader, Mr Shekau, released a video in which he declares that all the 216 girls in his custody had been converted to Islam and married off. He also denied ever negotiating with the federal government concerning the girls.

March 24, 2015: A woman who escaped from Boko Haram captivity said some of the Chibok girls were being held somewhere near Gwoza and that two of the girls had been killed during a military air strike on one of the terrorists locations.

May 29, 2015: President Muhammadu Buhari, in his inaugural speech, promised to end the Boko Haram insurgency and rescue the Chibok schoolgirls within six months.

August 29, 2015: President Buhari meets 90 of the parents of the abducted Chibok girls during which he restated his promise to rescue the girls.

November 30, 2015: President Buhari during a media chat said there is no credible information on the whereabouts of the Chibok girls, dashing hopes in their release.

May 18, 2016: One of the abducted Chibok girls, Amina Ali Nkeki, was found with her baby and a man she identified as her husband.

October 13, 2016: Boko Haram releases 21 Chibok girls following negotiations.

ADVERTISEMENT

January 5, 2017: Another Chibok girl, Rakiya Abubakar, is found with her baby, which brought to 23 the number of the abducted girls to have regained freedom.

May 2017: Another 82 girls are released in exchange for five Boko Haram commanders. Later that month, Boko Haram released a video in which a woman in a black veil claiming to be one of the Chibok girls brandishes a gun and proclaims loyalty to the group.

December 30, 2020: The Chibok community demands the release of the remaining schoolgirls in Boko Haram captivity.

February 18, 2018: Nearly 110 schoolgirls are kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists in Dapchi town of Yobe State.

February 20, 2018: The Nigerian government confirms that 110 schoolgirls are missing.

February 21, 2018: The Yobe State government announces the rescue of some of the girls and says they are with the army.

February 22, 2018: The Yobe government retracts the statement and apologises for misleading the public, saying No girl was rescued.

February 23, 2018: President Buhari calls the abduction of schoolgirls in Dapchi a national disaster.

February 25, 2018: The Nigerian Air force announces the deployment of aircraft and additional personnel for search and rescue missions.

March 9, 2018: Women hold a protest in Abuja three weeks after the abduction of the Dapchi schoolgirls.

March 12, 2018: President Muhammadu Buhari announces plan to negotiate the girls release, rather than use military force.

March 14, 2018: Mr Buhari makes first visit to Dapchi, assuring parents of the missing schoolgirls that the government will rescue the students.

March 20, 2018: Amnesty International claims Nigerian Army ignored repeated warnings of an attack on Dapchi town, hours before the abductions.

March 21, 2018: The Nigerian government announces that 104 of the 110 schoolgirls have been freed.

December 11, 2020: Suspected gunmen attack Government Boys Science Secondary School in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State and abduct over 300 students.

December 12, 2020: the Katsina State government shuts all public schools.

December 12, 2020: Mr Buhari speaks on the abductions.

December 16, 2020: Parents and guardians of the abducted schoolboys in Kankara said they were disappointed with President Buhari and Governor Aminu Masari, who they said had failed to ensure security in the state.

December 17, 2020: The abducted Kankara students regain freedom.

December 18, 2020: The United States (U.S.) condemns the abduction of students, urging the Nigerian government to hold kidnappers accountable.

February 17, 2021: Suspected bandits abduct 27 students and 15 others at Government Science School, Kagara in Niger State.

February 17, 2021: The federal government promises to take political and military steps to secure the release of college students.

February 17, 2021: The Nigerian Army said its troops were in hot chase of the bandits behind the abductions in Kagara.

February 19, 2021: The governor of Niger State said negotiation for the release of the abducted persons is at the final stage.

February 24, 2021: Kidnappers demanded ransom from victims parents and warn that the students may starve to death if the ransom is not paid quickly.

February 25, 2021: The governor of Niger State said the Nigerian government is not helping in the rescue of the abducted persons.

February 26, 2021: Bandits kidnap 317 female students of Government Girls Secondary School Jangebe, Zamfara State in an early morning raid on their school.

February 26, 2021: The Zamfara State government confirms the abduction.

February 26, 2021: The police confirm that 317 schoolgirls were abducted in Jangebe.
Prosafe has signed a contract with CNOOC Petroleum Europe Limited for the charter of the Safe Boreas to provide gangway connected operations supporting the Buzzard platform complex in the UK sector of the North Sea. The firm duration of the contract commencing mid-April 2021 is 100 days with three 30-day options.



The Safe Boreas will perform the gangway connected work scope using dynamic positioning, providing CNOOC Petroleum Europe Limited flexibility in operation.



Total value of the contract excluding the option periods is approximately USD 8.5 million.



Jesper Kragh Andresen, CEO of Prosafe says: "The Safe Boreas will strive to offer CNOOC the highest level of service. The Safe Boreas has operated extensively in the UKCS and will provide the safest working environment."

www.prosafe.com

Prosafe is a leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with ticker code PRS. For more information, please refer toStavanger, 27 February 2021Prosafe SEFor further information, please contact:Jesper K. Andresen, CEOPhone: +47 51 65 24 30 / +47 907 65 155Stig Harry Christiansen, Deputy CEO and CFOPhone: +47 51 64 25 17 / +47 478 07 813This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act
Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova expects that losses from misappropriation of funds in the PrivatBank case will be reimbursed in the future.

"I see [the prospect]. Maybe in fact it will not be as fast as we all want this, maybe it will not be the entire amount that we indicate - 5.5 billion - but most of it will be returned. Maybe later, through compensation in economic and civil courts, we will return the rest, with compensation from the state," she said on the air of Savik Shuster Freedom of Speech on Friday night, asked about how she sees the procedural prospect of the return of the misappropriated funds.

She noted that the process is going on in the plane of criminal justice and in economic courts.

"When we spoke with the Minister of Justice, it seems that he named 400 proceedings in which the state protects these assets," she clarified.

"The work is going on all fronts. And I really hope that it will be not only in this particular case [with suspicion], but in all directions," she summed up.
Have You Seen This? Baby calmed by Imperial March

SUZHOU, China, Feb. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2016, China officially pledged that by the end of 2020, it would raise its remaining 832 counties out of extreme poverty - a target reached last November. Last Thursday, China's President Xi Jinping hailed the achievement as a "complete victory" at a ceremony in Beijing to honour key project participants.

Dr Alessandra Cappelletti, Associate Professor at the Department of International Studies at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, says there are a few reasons why this project was so successful, and believes there are a number of lessons other countries can learn.

Lesson 1: Make it a priority

One of the keys to success for China's plan was the strong political will, says Dr Cappelletti. "The government mobilised the whole machine, from the bureaucratic point of view," she says.

Things were on track to reach the deadline, but early this year, the Covid-19 pandemic caused a worldwide economic slowdown.

Rather than putting the programme on hold, says Dr Cappelletti, the central government quickly issued directives for local officials to stay on target. "When the central government conveys a defined goal, it really becomes a must."

Lesson 2: Think ahead

Once a county was lifted out of poverty, it would have been easy for officials to sit back and congratulate themselves for a job well done. However, says Dr Cappelletti: "Chinese policymakers think every solution generates 10 more problems. This is from the 'relational' worldview, which sees complexity in everything."

One of these new problems is maintaining wealth.

"One strategy is to help farmers develop their own businesses. In a village in Sichuan, China Agricultural University in Beijing aided farmers to restore their houses and rent out rooms to tourists," she says.

Lesson 3: Look inside

Over the years, Cappelletti explains, China has shifted its economic focus: "There was a push to upgrade the Chinese economic system from one based on cheap labour and dependent on coal, to an innovative technology-led model." The country also prioritised boosting the domestic market and reducing reliance on exporting.

An indirect way to stimulate the local economy is to increase investment into education and healthcare, she explains, because when these services are more affordable to ordinary citizens, there's more disposable income.

"There are, of course, still some challenges. But it's difficult not to be optimistic," she says.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1445959/Alessandra_Poverty_Alleviation.jpg
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.
Paula was featured in my third cookbook Further From the Farm published in 2010. Im only on my fourth published cookbook, while Paula just released her 19th in 2019! My books are all based on my newspaper columns and the first three of Paulas cookbook library each saluted her Lady & Sons restaurant. Her first cookbook The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook was published in 1998 and comedienne and author Fannie Flagg, who wrote Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, described it as: The recipes are so good, I almost ate the book.
A closer view of an Iraq-Syria border crossing and buildings before airstrikes, on Feb. 3, 2021. (Satellite image (copyright) 2021 Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters)

Iran Condemns US Air Strikes in Syria, Denies Attacks in Iraq

DUBAIIran on Saturday condemned U.S. air strikes against Iran-backed militias in Syria, and denied responsibility for rocket attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq that prompted Fridays strikes.

Washington said its strikes on positions of the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah paramilitary group along the Iraq border were in response to the rocket attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq.

Western officials and some Iraqi officials have blamed those attacks on Iran-backed groups.

However, Tehran has denied any involvement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday condemned the U.S. strikes as illegal and a violation of Syrias sovereignty in a meeting with his visiting Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein, Irans state media reported.

Zarif said some recent attacks and incidents in Iraq are suspect, and could be designed to disrupt Iran-Iraq relations and Iraqs security and stability, the media reports said.

We emphasize the need for the Iraqi government to find the perpetrators of these incidents, Zarif was quoted as saying.

Hussein gave assurances that Baghdad will not allow incidents in this country to be used to disrupt the excellent relations between the two countries, state media reported.

Progress has been made in talks on Irans frozen funds and Baghdad would facilitate Tehrans access to its funds, Hussein added. Some $6 billion in Iranian funds have been blocked in Iraq because of U.S. sanctions.

Irans top security official, Ali Shamkhani, met Hussein earlier and said Fridays U.S. air strikes encouraged terrorism in the region.

Hussein is in Iran to discuss regional developments, including ways to balance relations and avoid tension and escalation with Iranian officials, according to an Iraqi foreign ministry statement.

An Iraqi militia official close to Iran said the U.S. strikes killed one fighter and wounded four. U.S. officials said they were limited in scope to show President Joe Bidens administration would act firmly while trying to avoid a big regional escalation.

Washington and Tehran are seeking maximum leverage in attempts to save Irans nuclear deal reached with world powers in 2015 but abandoned in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump.
Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images

En espanol | President Joe Biden signed into law March 11 a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill that will fund increases in vaccine distribution, $1,400 cash payments to millions of Americans, extended unemployment benefits and support for caregiving, nutrition programs, health care and pensions.

This latest COVID relief measure contains most of the provisions of the package the president sent to Capitol Hill in January and includes elements strongly advocated by AARP. Congress finalized the bill on March 10 with a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The American Rescue Plan Act will greatly benefit Americans 50-plus at a time when too many people 50-plus are hurting as a result of the pandemic and economic fallout, says Nancy LeaMond, AARP executive vice president and chief advocacy and engagement officer. Too many lives have been lost and too many have experienced unprecedented financial hardship this past year.

LeaMond pointed out that the bill includes provisions to help people better afford their basic necessities, including direct stimulus payments, making health care more affordable, expanding paid leave tax credits, and increasing SNAP food assistance benefits and delivery of more meals to older Americans. Importantly, it also includes support for increasing COVID vaccine efforts, improving infection control in nursing homes, allowing more people to remain in their homes and communities, and reducing elder abuse.

Stimulus payments

Individuals earning up to $75,000 in annual income, heads of households earning up to $112,500 and couples with incomes up to $150,000 would be eligible for $1,400 in cash payments.

Stimulus payments phase out as incomes climb higher. Individuals with annual incomes of $80,000 or more, heads of households earning $120,000 and over and couples with incomes of $160,000 or more would not receive any payment.

Eligible dependents, including adult dependents, also would each get $1,400.

People receiving Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans Administration (VA) and Railroad Retiree benefits would automatically receive the payment, even if they don't normally file tax returns.

Vaccines and testing

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would receive $7.5 billion to improve the process of distributing and administering the COVID-19 vaccines, including help to state, local and tribal health departments.

An additional $46 billion would go for testing, contact tracing, diagnosing and monitoring the pandemic, on the federal and state levels.

The public health workforce would be bolstered with $7.6 billion, including resources for community health centers for vaccine distribution and testing.

The Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC would get $1.75 billion to improve surveillance of new COVID-19 strains.

Unemployment insurance

Emergency pandemic unemployment assistance would be extended until Sept. 6, and self-employed and part-time individuals could qualify for benefits.

The extra weekly unemployment benefit would remain at $300.

Tax relief is provided on up to $10,200 in income from unemployment benefits for households earning less than $150,000 a year.

The total number of weeks individuals who are not able to return to work can collect benefits rises from 50 to 74.

Paid family leave

Tax credits to businesses that offer paid leave to their employees would be extended to Sept. 30. That includes offering family caregivers the same leave available to parents and workers who need to care for themselves.

The bill would not require businesses to offer paid leave.

Nutrition

The 15 percent increase in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, would be extended.

The Community Supplemental Food Program  food packages for seniors  would receive $37 million to keep it available until Sept. 30, 2022.

Older Americans Act programs, including nutrition services, home- and community-based services, vaccination outreach, social isolation and caregiver support, would receive $1.4 billion.

Housing

Emergency rental assistance and other relief for the homeless would get $30 billion.

$10 billion would be available for mortgage assistance.

Nursing homes



Half a billion dollars would support the deployment of strike teams to nursing homes with diagnosed or suspected COVID-19 resident or staff cases.

$200 million would go for infection control and the prevention and mitigation of COVID-19 in skilled nursing facilities.

Health care

A two-year increase in Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies would help people afford health plans in the ACA marketplaces. People with incomes above 400 percent of the federal poverty level ($51,520 for an individual) would qualify for subsidies so they would not have to pay more than 8.5 percent of their annual income for their health care premiums.

COBRA subsidies would be available through the end of 2021 to help workers who have been laid off or furloughed. Medicare-eligible individuals on COBRA would be reminded to transition to Medicare to avoid Part B late-enrollment penalties.

Pensions

Severely underfunded multiemployer pension plans could get federal assistance from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation to help protect the earned benefits of workers and retirees.

Tax credit

The Earned Income Tax Credit for childless people would temporarily increase to $1,502 from $542 for 2021.

The bill removes the age cap that limits the tax credit to workers under the age of 65.

Dena Bunis covers Medicare, health care, health policy and Congress. She also writes the Medicare Made Easy column for the AARP Bulletin. An award-winning journalist, Bunis spent decades working for metropolitan daily newspapers, including as Washington bureau chief for The Orange County Register and as a health policy and workplace writer for Newsday.

The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
Crowd control: A police officer during a protest against the military coup in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Photo: Reuters.

Police cleared protesters in Myanmars two biggest cities yesterday, firing stun grenades, rubber bullets and guns into the air in a crackdown on weeks of demonstrations that have challenged the armys bid to re-impose its rule.

At least one person was wounded in the protests in the main city of Yangon, a witness said, and several people were hurt in the second city of Mandalay. Police were not immediately available for comment.

The Southeast Asian country has been in crisis since the army seized power on February 1 and detained government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and much of her party leadership after the military complained of fraud in a November election her party won.

The election commission said the vote was fair.

Ms Suu Kyi had been moved this week from house arrest in the capital Naypyitaw to an undisclosed location, the Myanmar Now website said, quoting officials of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party.

A lawyer for Ms Suu Kyi said he had been told the same by NLD officials.

He earlier complained that he had been given no access ahead of a court appearance set for March 1.

There have been daily protests and strikes by democracy supporters for about three weeks, often drawing hundreds of thousands of people across the ethnically diverse country.

In Yangon, hundreds of people congregated again in several groups, chanting slogans. Riot police rushed at them, firing stun grenades and guns into the air to send people scattering.

One house let me in to hide, a journalist said from the scene. I cant leave yet as the police are very near and firing into the air.

Several people were detained, witnesses said, among them a Japanese journalist who was held briefly.

Domestic media and witnesses reported a similar confrontation in Mandalay where police also fired rubber bullets. An emergency service worker said children were hurt there and media published pictures of two with minor injuries as well as of one man with a bloody leg wound. It was not clear how they were hurt.

Police also broke up protests in the capital, Naypyitaw, the central town of Magwe and in the western hill town of Hakha, according to witnesses and social media posts.

Security forces have been more restrained than they were during earlier bouts of protest in the course of nearly half a century of military rule.

Military chief General Min Aung Hlaing says authorities were using minimal force.

Nevertheless, at least three protesters have died. The army says a policeman was also killed.

Ms Suu Kyi (75) has been detained incommunicado in Naypyitaw since the coup.

The Myanmar Now website said she had been moved from her home, quoting a senior NLD source as saying: We dont know where shes being kept any more.

A lawyer for her, Khin Maung Zaw earlier complained he was not able to prepare properly for her next hearing, on Monday, because he had no access.

I need instructions from her on how to conduct our defence at the court... Im concerned that there will be a loss of rights to access to justice and access to legal counsel, he said.

Ms Suu Kyi, the daughter of Myanmars independence hero, spent nearly 15 years under house arrest under previous juntas. She faces charges of illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios and of violating a natural disaster law by breaching coronavirus protocols.

Protesters say her partys election victory must be respected.

But the military replaced the election commissions top officials and its new chairman, citing fraud and voter-list errors, said yesterday the polls had been annulled, the Irrawaddy online media outlet reported.
Over the past year I learnt I have more value than [just] being photographed; my value lies in me creating these campaigns and consulting with brands, he says. Why have I limited myself to using my creativity just for me? Rebels with a cause ... with Tavi Gevinson at New York Fashion Week in 2011. Credit:Getty When hes not appearing on his own social channels, including TikTok, or launching a new magazine, Perfect, with a small London-based team, he consults off-camera to some of fashions biggest brands, including Prada and Cartier. But it wasnt always this way. In the late 2000s Bryanboy, along with fellow blogger Tavi Gevinson, of Rookie magazine fame, were among the first digital influencers to sit front row at international fashion weeks, sparking the whole bloggers v editors debate, which on Thursday took a fresh turn with the appointment of 27-year-old one-time blogger Maragaret Zhang as editor-in-chief of Vogue China. While Gevinson, 26, has retreated from fashions spotlight, Bryanboy has gone from industry outsider to one of the most sought-after creatives in the luxury sector. Because of social media, people have lost interest [in traditional advertising campaigns] ... they would rather see fashion on real people or interpreted in a more personal or intimate way, he says.

These days, he prefers the title digital strategist rather than influencer, and says he has fought hard to maintain absolute independence in his work; Bryanboy is no mere mouthpiece  he has to believe in what a brand is about, as well as what its selling. With Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) at 2013 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia. Credit:Caroline McCredie He cut ties with Dolce & Gabbana after the brand landed itself at the centre of several racism scandals in the past three years. He contrasts Dolces rap sheet with that of Gucci, a brand he continues to work with despite its own slips, as he puts it. (In 2019, the brand released a sweater featuring the blackface look of over-drawn red lips, which, after global condemnation, was removed from sale. The brand apologised and introduced processes to prevent future errors.) Although he praises the likes of Diet Prada for calling out poor brand behaviour, he doesnt think people ought to be cancelled outright. I dont believe in cancel culture ... or shaming a person for what they have done and not giving them the opportunity to reform themselves, he says. To cancel someone as a recreational sport, I like to call it recreational outrage ... if youre like that towards a person, youre not really helping them to change themselves.

As part of his own professional evolution, Yambao took a leap in 2020 by joining the video-sharing platform TikTok, where he already has one million followers. One of his most-watched videos showed him stealing a Prada earring, which he cites as proof of the creative freedom hes afforded by some of the worlds most luxurious brands. So, is all the posturing and pouting the real Bryanboy, or a character, like the baby-voiced ingenue Paris Hilton moulded herself into for 20-plus years? Loading What you see online is not a 100 per cent representation of who [anyone is] as a person, he says. Its like one facet of you ... my identity online is 100 per cent me  but its one part of me. He says the debate over authenticity on social media has been bandied about so much its almost become meaningless. You can easily fake looking authentic online ... so people need to define what real authenticity is ... more than ever, people should be using their platforms to express their voice; thats what matters.
Leaders of many countries have extended their congratulations to Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong over his re-election as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam in the 13th tenure.





Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong during the press conference held after the conclusion of the 13th National Party Congress in Hanoi on February 1, 2021

Leaders of many countries, including the US, Russia, France, South Korea, and ASEAN countries, have extended their congratulations to Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong over his re-election as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam in the 13th tenure.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's message says Russia values the personal contribution of the Vietnamese Party leader to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

It expresses his belief that with joint efforts, the two countries will continue to promote bilateral constructive dialogues and effective cooperation in all fields, which meets the interest of the people of both Russia and Vietnam and contributes to ensuring stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden appreciated the commitments made by General Secretary Trong to promoting the US-Vietnam partnership, and expressed his wish to further bolster the bilateral ties.

He also welcomed the Vietnamese Party leaders efforts in fighting corruption and promoting good governance, and wished the Party General Secretary success in his position.

The US President stressed that cooperation among the US, Vietnam and the ASEAN community, was very important to promoting shared priorities in the context of grave challenges facing the international community.

The message from Indian President Ram Nath Kovind notes that under General Secretary Trongs leadership, the special and time-tested relations between India and Vietnam have witnessed unprecedented development in the past decade with the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016.

The President wished to continue working with the Vietnamese leader to further promote the relationship between the two nations, saying that the close coordination and partnership between the two countries in the post-pandemic world will contribute to peace and prosperity in the region and the world.

Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said he was honoured to meet and talk with General Secretary Trong during his visit to Vietnam, his first trip abroad after taking office. He expressed a hope that he and the Vietnamese Party leader would continue to coordinate in the future to further develop and deepen the extensive strategic partnership of the two countries across the fields from politics and security to economics and trade.

As the world is facing unprecedented threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan wishes to stand side by side with the international community, including Vietnam, to overcome difficulties and challenges, Suga's message reads, noting his hope that the Japan-Vietnam cooperative relationship will continue to be strengthened even during the pandemic.

President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Moon Jae-in praised the efforts of the Vietnamese Party leader to develop the RoK-Vietnam ties. He hopes to continue working with General Secretary Trong for the development of the two countries strategic cooperative partnership in the time ahead.

In his message, French President Emmanuel Macron notes that the two countries have made joint efforts to enhance their friendship and cooperation for many years. It highlights the visit by General Secretary Trong to France in March 2018 as a strong boost to bilateral ties. France wants to work together with Vietnam to overcome great global challenges, especially the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and preservation of biological diversity.

Macron hopes that the two sides will join hands to further deepen bilateral ties in economics, culture, health care and national defence. The message reiterates Frances strong commitment to ASEAN and close cooperation in multilateral institutions such as the UN Security Council on the basis of international law.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's message says that under the leadership of General Secretary Trong, Vietnam has made strong leaps in the past decade. The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam marked the start of a new key period in Vietnams socio-economic development.

Singapore and Vietnam are both traditional friends and strategic partners, and have always cooperated closely and effectively in both bilateral and ASEAN frameworks. The message affirms the Prime Minister's belief that the close bilateral relations will continue to be promoted in the years to come.

Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha wrote that the outcomes of the Congress demonstrated the trust of the Vietnamese Party and people in Party General Secretary Trong.

I believe that under your sound leadership, Vietnam will continue to develop more strongly, he wrote, and re-affirmed Thailands firm commitment to further deepening the enhanced strategic partnership with Vietnam.

The Thai PM wishes that the two countries will cooperate more closely for the interest of their people and for peace and development in the region.

VNS

Thirty-three years ago, on February 27-29, 1988, pre-planned massacres of Armenians were carried out in the city of Sumgait, Azerbaijan, amid the encouragement of the Azerbaijani authorities and the permissiveness of the law enforcement bodies. Hundreds of Armenians were killed, including women, children and elderly, and thousands of Armenians were forcibly displaced. The Foreign Ministry of Armenia has noted this in a statement it released Saturday on the 33rd anniversary of the anti-Armenian massacres in Sumgait.

Sumgait massacre was a response to the aspiration of the people of Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] to assert their inalienable right to a dignified and safe life in their historical homeland and to exercise their right to self-determination. Azerbaijan opposed the attempts of exercising human rights with the policy of collective punishment, subjecting the Armenian population of the Sumgait town to severe violence and torture.

The atrocities of Sumgait instigated the ethnic cleansing and massacres of Armenians in other cities of Azerbaijan, such as Baku and Gandzak. Moreover, the unequivocal justification of such crime, the glorification of the murderers for killing Armenians were reflected in the efforts of the Azerbaijani authorities to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with the use of force.

Last year, on September 27 the full-fledged war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh and its people was accompanied by similar war crimes against the Armenian identity, with one difference - the murders of the civilians were not carried out by controlled mobs, but by servicemen of the Azerbaijani armed forces and the relevant videos were uploaded on the Internet.

During the 44-day war, the Azerbaijani armed forces, driven by a sense of impunity, committed numerous violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, which are manifestations of mass atrocities, including ethnic cleansing and war crimes. While adhering to the behaviour of terrorist groups, the Azerbaijani armed forces committed violations against prisoners of war, civilians, barbarically destroyed historical-cultural monuments and desecrated sanctuaries. The executions of the Armenian prisoners of war and civilians in the Hadrut region of Artsakh and other settlements fallen under the military control of Azerbaijan are the results of the past uncondemned crimes.

Today, by paying tribute to the innocent victims of the Armenian massacres in Sumgait, we once again emphasize the determination of the Republic of Armenia, Republic of Artsakh and all Armenians to live a free, independent and dignified life in their homeland, the Armenia MFA statement also reads.
LUCE COUNTY, MI  Michigan State Police have released more information regarding a shooting in Michigans Upper Peninsula.

UpNorthLive reports that a shooting in which a 14-year-old teen has been charged with the murder of his 10-year-old sister was not accidental.

Troopers from the Michigan State Police Sault Ste. Marie Post say the incident occurred at a residence in Luce Countys Lakefield Township on Tuesday, Feb. 23. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene.

The allegations in the charge support that this wasnt accidental, MSP Lt. Mark Giannunzio told the TV station. It wasnt a random crime. People shouldnt be worried that there is somebody out on the loose doing this kind of thing.

The kids parents werent in the home when the shooting occurred, police told the TV station, while also urging parents to keep firearms and ammunition locked up and away from children.

The brother was arraigned on one count of open murder in 92nd District Court in St. Ignace on Feb. 24. He is being held at the Sault Tribal Juvenile Detention facility.

Due to the ages of the victim and suspect, no names will be released, police have said.

More:

Woman police say was killed by teen sister died of multiple stab wounds: coroner

No charges will be filed after 10-year-old accidentally kills brother with revolver: DA

Pa. man shoots neighbor to death after argument: police
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
This village in Maharashtra is COVID-19 free, thanks to its youngest sarpanch

UK in early stage of third variant of COVID-19 warns scientist

Flying to UP from Maharashtra, Kerala? You will need to take a COVID-19 test

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Lucknow, Feb 27: The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday directed officials to conduct rapid antigen tests for all people arriving into the state from Maharashtra and Kerala at airports, a senior official said.

"Antigen tests of all those coming in from Maharashra and Kerala should be done at airports. Those found positive should remain at home isolation and RT-PCR should be conducted on those having symptoms by taking their samples," Additional Chief Secretary Amit Mohan Prasad said in an order issued in Lucknow.

He said that those found negative in RT-PCR test should also remain in home quarantine for a week.

The order also stated that those coming from rail and bus routes should also be monitored and tested accordingly.

Delhi to make negative Covid RT-PCR test report must for arrivals from 5 states

During a meeting earlier in the morning, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stressed upon focussed testing of COVID-19 pointing out that the testing work has an important role in breaking the chain of coronavirus infection.

He also said that it should be ensured that there are no less than 1.25 lakh tests conducted per day in the state.

The CM further said that extra vigilance should be taken in UP in view of the increase in cases in some outside states.

In UP, he stressed that arrangements should be made to ensure contact tracing and quarantine of people coming from outside states.

He also said that an effective system should be maintained for prevention and treatment of coronavirus cases.

Imran Khan says onus of further progress in ties on India | Oneindia News

The Integrated Command and Control Centre established in the districts should be actively operated, he underlined while adding that people should be constantly made aware about protecting themselves from the virus.

He has also issued instructions that people should be made aware through the use of public address systems along with various media in this work.
With RSS, BJP behind, AIADMK only a mask says Rahul Gandhi

Will Sasikala return to AIADMK: Certainly suggests this audio clip

TN assembly polls 2021: AIADMK clinches seat-sharing agreement with PMK

India

pti-Madhuri Adnal

Chennai, Feb 27: The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Saturday clinched a seat-sharing deal with ally PMK for the April 6 Assembly elections, allotting the S Ramadoss-headed party 23 seats.

AIADMK Coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said his party and PMK have decided to face the ensuing polls as allies.

Tamil Nadu elections 2021: AIADMK-BJP begin seat sharing talks

"As per the agreement reached between AIADMK and PMK, 23 seats have been allotted to PMK," in the ruling party-led alliance, he said in the presence of Chief Minister K Palaniswami and PMK Youth wing leader and Rajya Sabha member Anbumani Ramadoss.

The Election Commission on Friday announced the schedule of assembly polls for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala on Friday. Single phase elections to the 234 member assembly in Tamil Nadu will be held on April 6.
5 things you need to know Monday

News
The Ulster Bank on Stephen Street, Sligo, one of the citys stand out buildings. Pic: Donal Hackett

After the announcement that Ulster Bank is pulling out of the Republic of Ireland banking market, the concern locally is what will be the future for its staff and the iconic branch building itself in the centre of Sligo.

The bank says it will commence a phased withdrawal "managed in an orderly and considered manner, from the Republic of Ireland over the coming years."

It is in negotiations with other banks and uncertainty remains about the future of its current branch network and its staff. In Sligo in particular, concerns centre over the future of customer accounts, mortgages and what might happen to the branch building in the coming years, and, what use it could be put to in the event it will no longer operate as a bank.

For Seamus Leonard (above, left) , who has been a customer with Ulster Bank for over 50 years, the news that the bank was pulling out of the Irish market was "devastating".

The Ballymote man, who has to travel to Sligo town to do his banking since the Ballymote branch closed over three years ago, told The Sligo Champion he must now decide what financial institution to move to.

"It's devastating news. We've been told to sit tight and not say anything for awhile but I hope there will be an alternative."

"It's a big inconvenience. I still have to travel 15 miles to this bank and that was okay providing it [Ulster Bank] kept going, but that's going now, it's left me in an awful way."

Mr Leonard told The Sligo Champion that despite having to make the trip to Sligo town to do his banking, he had been satisfied with services at the branch.

Asked if he was concerned about what would become of the iconic building, Mr Leonard said he hoped it would "come to good use. I think they've a future for Ballymote [bank building]. I'd like to see them turned into something useful."

The bank, built to the designs of James Hamilton of Glasgow and Belfast in 1863, is a notable feature of the town centre and is described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as being 'significant' and 'attesting to the prosperity of Sligo town in the late nineteenth century'.

Another Ulster Bank customer, Mike Treacy (above, right) said he will have to "look for the best option" when changing banking institution following the recent announcement.

"We're from outside Tubbercurry, and with Ballymote gone we have to come in here." Mr Treacy feels he has little choice in financial institutions going forward.

"If you go to Bank of Ireland or AIB you're looking at more charges than here, but where we live we'll be forced to go with one [of them]."

Mr Treacy, who previously lived and worked in the UK before returning to Ireland a number of years ago took issue with AIB and Bank of Ireland's offering of services when returned to Ireland.

"The only other option would be the Post Office or the Credit Union, it's something I'd probably think about. AIB in Tubbercurry has no cash point...I'll be looking at the best option I can get," he said.

Ulster Bank Chief Executive Officer, Jane Howard said:"I want to be clear that there will be no change for customers, changes will happen over the coming years.

"Ulster Bank will continue to offer a full banking service in our branches, online and through normal channels for existing and new customers for the foreseeable future. Customers do not need to take any action as a consequence of this announcement.

"We will communicate with customers in a timely manner over the coming weeks and months.

"We will now consult with employee representative bodies to determine how best to plan and manage an orderly withdrawal of the bank over the coming years.

"There will be no new compulsory departures from the bank this year. I am acutely conscious of our responsibilities to our colleagues and I am wholeheartedly committed to managing this process in a fair and responsible manner."
Lawyers for the petitioner and the two respondents in the 2020 presidential election petition have filed their closing addresses, seeking to further convince the Supreme Court to uphold their respective cases.

While lawyers for former President John Dramani Mahama (petitioner) are urging the court to uphold their clients case, those for the Electoral Commission (EC) (the first respondent) and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (the second respondent) have described the petition as frivolous and impressed on the court to dismiss it.



Lawyers for the respondents filed their closing addresses on February 17, while the petitioners address was filed last Tuesday.



Former President Mahama, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the December 7, 2020 elections, filed the petition on December 30, last year to challenge the declaration of President Akufo-Addo as the President-elect by the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa.



He is urging the apex court to declare the declaration by the EC as unconstitutional and order a run-off between him and President Akufo-Addo.



Mahamas address



In their closing address, lawyers for the petitioner argued that their client had successfully proved that President Akufo-Addo did not win the December 7, 2020 presidential election because no candidate obtained more than 50 per cent of the total valid votes cast, as stipulated by Article 63(3) of the 1992 Constitution.



They argued that the evidence to prove that no candidate won the 2020 presidential election was in the declaration announced by the Chairperson of the EC on December 9.



The petitioner, they said, was not the returning officer for the election and, therefore, he had no obligation to present figures in support of his claim that no candidate won the election.



Also, the lawyers contended that the petition was challenging the constitutionality of the declaration by the EC; therefore, the petitioner only had to prove that the said unconstitutionality related to the declaration and nothing more.



The fact that the petitioner is not disclosing in the petition what he or other candidates should have obtained, compared to the numbers declared by the first respondent, cannot lead to a conclusion that the declaration by the chairperson of the first respondent is constitutional, the closing address stated.



The petitioners lawyers are also calling on the court to take cognisance of the fact that the respondents, specifically the EC, failed to present the Chairperson of the commission, Mrs Mensa, to testify in support of the assertion by the EC that it made an inadvertent error in the declaration.



Such a move, they argued, meant that the court could not attach any evidential value to the respondents answers challenging the petition.



No basis



Lawyers for the EC and President Akufo Addo contended that the petitioner woefully failed to prove his case, arguing that the basis for the petition that no candidate won the election was false.



With regard to President Akufo-Addo, his lawyers argued that although the Chairperson of the EC had, during the declaration, inadvertently used the total votes cast (13,434,574) as the total valid votes cast (13,121,111), that was not a ground to prove that President Akufo Addo did not obtain more than 50 per cent of the valid votes.



The summation of the total valid votes cast in favour of all the 12 candidates yields 13,121,111 as the total number of valid votes cast. It must be noted that a straightforward and simple computation of the valid votes declared in favour of second respondent (President Akufo-Addo) as a percentage of the total valid votes of 13,121,111 yields a percentage of 51.295 per cent, the closing address said.



Such a fact, the lawyers contended, was confirmed by the first witness of the petitioner (Mr Johnson Asiedu), who is the General Secretary of the NDC.



Apart from the fact that this figure is incontrovertible, the petitioner failed and/or refused to provide any contrary evidence that would establish or at least suggest that the valid votes declared for the 12 candidates were erroneous, it said.



For the EC, its lawyers argued that the total valid votes that were used to declare a person President-elect were calculated on data from all the polling stations.



The total valid votes cast is calculated based on data and not based solely on the words of the returning officer. It is especially so when there had been an admission that the figure announced was an error, the EC added.



Jurisdiction



Another leg of the closing addresses by lawyers for the respondents is the propriety of the petition.



Lawyers for President Akufo-Addo argued that the petition was not challenging the validity of the election but rather raises the case of how the Chairperson of the EC performed her function as the returning officer of the presidential poll.



That, they contended, meant the petition did not meet the criteria of a presidential election petition, as set out in Article 64(1) of the 1992 Constitution, and, therefore, the petitioner had failed to invoke the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.



It is our submission, therefore, that the instant petition properly belongs to the class of actions which can best be described as suits challenging the declaration, rather than the validity of the election itself, it said.



Relying on a case Rojo Mettle-Nunoo vs the EC in 2007, lawyers for President Akufo-Addo argued that the Supreme Court held in that case that a challenge to a declaration did not mean the election itself was invalid.



A declaration as President can be set aside and voided and the person declared elected will still have been duly elected President. The only result from an action challenging the declaration of a person as President, if successful, may be an annulment of the declaration and a new declaration ordered, but not voiding the election conducted throughout the country, the address stated.



With respect to the EC, its lawyers contended in their closing address that it was clear that the petitioner had failed to properly invoke the presidential election petition jurisdiction of the apex court.



The jurisdiction of the court, under Article 64(1), is distinct from the enforcement and interpretative jurisdiction of the court, it added.









Source: Graphiconline.com









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

Featured Video

For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe.

Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime.
Commemorating 50 years of defeating Pakistan in the 1971 war, Indian Air Force ( IAF ) Chief RKS Bhadauria gifted a legacy Alouette III helicopter to Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) and got a legacy F-86 Sabre aircraft as a return gift from Dhaka .

"To mark the Golden Jubilee of 1971 War of Liberation, IAF chief RKS Bhadauria gifted a legacy Alouette III helicopter to the Bangladesh Air Force. Bangladesh Air Force chief too gifted an F-86 Sabre aircraft that had been restored by BAF after the 1971 war. Both legacy aircraft will find a place of pride in museums on both sides," IAF stated in a tweet.

The exchange of aircraft took place in Dhaka during the four day trip of Bhadauria to Bangladesh where he visited different airbases and interacted with the top military leadership of that country.

India and Bangladesh are celebrating 50 years of the liberation war in which the Pakistan Army was thrown out of Bangladesh and 90,000 of their troops were made to surrender.

A number of events are being organised by both countries to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the decisive war.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
Orlando: US President Joe Biden is facing significant push-back from Democratic allies in the US Congress for launching air strikes in eastern Syria, Bidens first lethal military action since entering the White House.

The Defence Department said the strikes, which were carried out on Friday (AEDT), were against buildings in Syria that were being used by Iranian-backed militias.

The strikes killed at least 22 people, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, citing unconfirmed Syrian reports.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders criticised Bidens decision to launch air strikes on Syria. Credit:AP

Some congressional Democrats criticised the strikes as an unnecessary military provocation while others complained that Biden had not sought congressional approval before ordering the attacks.
Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media

NORWALK  The SoNo branch of the Norwalk Public Library is hosing a virtual Kwanzaa celebration Saturday, with community leaders presenting each of the holidays seven principles.

While Kwanzaa is typically celebrated in December, the key principles should be practiced year-round, Interim Library Director Sherelle Harris said. As February is Black History Month, Harris put together the Kwanzaa celebration, as the holiday is common in Black communities.
Angola, IN (46703)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine in the morning with more clouds for later in the day. High 74F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower late. Low 54F. Winds light and variable.
Ecoppia, a pioneer and world leader in robotic solutions for photovoltaic solar, has signed an agreement with an international energy company for the deployment of its robotic solutions in BenBan Solar Park.

Ecoppia, a pioneer and world leader in robotic solutions for photovoltaic solar, has announced a new project in one of the worlds largest solar parks in BenBan, Egypt.

BenBan solar park, located near the southern Egyptian city of Aswan, has a total capacity of 1,650 MWp corresponding to an annual production of 3.8 TW, and is spread across nearly 40 km.

While enjoying very high radiation rates, the facility also suffers from major soiling and desert sands, requiring frequent cleaning to ensure steady and optimal production, said the company in a statement.

Ecoppias robotic solutions were proven to be extremely effective, cleaning nearly 10 million solar panels every night in harsh climatic conditions, spreading across roughly 2,500MW of installations globally.

Not only effective, the robots were also proven to be fully safe and reliable on all module types, to include glass on glass and bifacial.

"We are excited to take part in the sustainability revolution in the Middle East," said Jean Scemama, CEO of Ecoppia.

"As leaders in robotic cleaning solutions for solar, entering a new country is a great milestone in the companys growth, especially when the project is in one of the largest and most significant solar parks in the world," he added.

Ecoppias unique robotic solutions are completely autonomous, water-free and energy independent, allowing site owners to enjoy the benefits of a year-round peak performance while lowering their O&M expenses and overall, their LCOE.

This project in BenBan will feature the light weighted Ecoppia T4 solution, designed especially for Single Axis trackers.

This is yet another vote of confidence in Ecoppia by leading multinational energy company, following the long-term engagements already in place with market leaders such as Engie, EDF, First Solar, Fortum, ReNew Power, Azure Power and others, remarked Scemama.

"Our unparalleled experience in the region, operating in the Middle East since early 2014, enables us to deliver great value to such projects, as we see more and more energy companies advancing towards full automation of their O&M activities," he added.
Carlingford is without a tourist office at the moment as Richard Brennan of Visit Carlingford, who has been operating the service in the Old Station House, has had to close the office and run the business from home.

Like others in the tourism sector, his business has been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, but he is cautiously optimistic about the summer season.

'Things are still very much up in the air but people are making bookings for June/July/August,' he says.

'We are getting inquiries from all over the country. They are looking to get away with their families so there is a lot of demand for self-catering. People have been cooped up for months and they just want a change of scenery, even if it's only for a weekend or a few days. That's what it will be about this year - catering for the staycation market.'

There is, however, a lack of accommodation in Carlingford at the moment, as one of the main providers, Carlingford Accommodation stopped operating last March, while houses which would have been used as Airbnb have gone into the long term lets or were placed on the market to be sold.

Everyone involved in the tourism sector in Carlingford 'just wants to get back to work once it's allowed,' he added.

The hope is that they will have as good or better a season as they did last summer which gave the industry a short but much needed boost.
A Derry councillor has asked people to show more respect to children's play parks in the city.

Sinn Fein councillor Sandra Duffy was speaking after the latest vandalism attack on a local park.

Overnight, someone set fire to one of the tyre swings at Ballyarnett County Park.

The park has been targeted by vandals on a number of previous occasions.

Cllr Duffy said she was 'really annoyed' to see the destruction at the park.

"This is a beautiful modern park used by local families, especially popular now with us being in lockdown...and to see this level of wanton destruction just makes you angry, there is no need!

"I have reported it to council now to have it fixed, but people need to have respect for the facilities that we have, this week I had to report fly tipping and general rubbish around the park."
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Days after the Director-General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan announced the implementation of the 2003 ceasefire, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan once again raked up the Kashmir issue.

Imran Khan tweeted, "I welcome restoration of the ceasefire along with the Line of Control (LoC). The onus of creating an enabling environment for further progress rests with India. India must take necessary steps to meet the long-standing demand and right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination acc to UNSC resolutions."

"We also demonstrated to the world Pakistan's responsible behaviour in the face of India's irresponsible military brinkmanship, by returning the captured Indian pilot. We have always stood for peace & remain ready to move forward to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue," he further said in his tweet.

The United States, United Nations, and Hurriyat have all welcomed the reinforcement of the 2003 ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

India also said that it wants normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan but its position on key issues remains unchanged.

Imran Khan's raking up of the Kashmir issue is unlikely to go down well with India, as New Delhi has maintained that it is a bilateral issue and is ready to hold a dialogue only when Pakistan stops sponsoring terrorism.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not responded to Imran Khan's recent assertion as of now.

(ANI)
LANSING, MI - COVID-19 relief. Health care reform. Financial disclosures from state lawmakers.

The pace picked up in the Michigan State Capitol this week, with the Senate approving $1.9 billion in COVID-19 relief along partisan lines and the House introducing new legislative pushes to intervene in the prescription drug market.

In committees, lawmakers discussed investigating COVID-19 nursing home policy and questioned Gov. Gretchen Whitmers choice to lead the state health department.

Heres a look at Lansing happenings from the week of Feb. 22-26.

Sen. Jim Stamas listens as votes are taken at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on Thursday, April 25, 2019. Neil Blake | MLive.comNeil Blake | MLive.com

Michigan Senate approves $1.9 billion COVID-19 relief plan amid fierce debate

The Michigan Senate approved more than $1.9 billion in COVID-19 supplemental appropriations Thursday, opting to provide piecemeal funding to various sectors affected by the pandemic.

Senate bills 29 and 114 were passed partisan lines 20-15 during the Feb. 25 session. The two bills would appropriate mostly federal dollars to fund vaccine distribution, COVID-19 testing, emergency rental assistance, school aid, plus an extension and increase on direct care worker payments.

The $1.9 billion package is about a third of Gov. Gretchen Whitmers initial $5.6 billion supplemental proposal.

Read more: Michigan Senate approves $1.9 billion for vaccine distribution, direct care worker payments, school aid

The vote took multiple hours to complete, in part due to debate over a provision that removes the state from sending vaccines to regions based on race, socioeconomic level, age and 12 other factors.

The removal of the states Social Vulnerability Index was introduced by Sen. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, who argued that the index creates inefficiencies in getting seniors the vaccine and his proposal is about fairness.

Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, argued Wednesday during the Senate Appropriations Committee that the current index distributes vaccines to communities more if you have minority status and you dont speak English that well than for someone who is over 65 years old.

The vaccine is not currently available for general public use.

I dont care what race they are. I dont care what ethnicity they are. I dont care what language they speak. These are the people who are vulnerable to die, Runestad said, referencing senior residents.

Sen. Erika Geiss, D-Taylor, called the amendment from Republicans racist bulls---.

Some of the same people pushing to deny using the SVI are among those who pushed against the most basic practice of wearing masks when around others, Geiss wrote in multiple posts on Twitter, who framed COVID early on as Black people were getting sick and dying as a Detroit problem, who said things like build a wall around Southeast Michigan, who fought the governor tooth & nail every step of the way claiming they had no legislative power but never introduced any meaningful legislation around addressing the pandemic. But now, suddenly, are demanding that the state ignore the most vulnerable communities. Its a bunch of racist bulls---.

Several amendments from Democrats put forward on the floor were voted down.

Senate begins vetting DHHS director

The Senate Advice and Consent Committee began its vetting process for new Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel this week, who on Thursday told lawmakers the state is headed in the right direction on COVID-19 while asserting her departments authority to respond to it.

In the instance of a public health crisis or a public health emergency, its absolutely the responsibility of the state health department to take action and have that authority, she said.

Hertel, a former deputy director in the department, was Gov. Gretchen Whitmers pick to lead the MDHHS after former director Robert Gordon abruptly announced his resignation on Twitter last month. Its currently the highest-profile role subject to the Senates advice and consent process, which gives the chamber 60 days to reject certain gubernatorial appointees by majority vote.

Whether Hertels appointment wins approval from a majority of senators remains unclear. Senate Republicans have used the advice and consent process to reject 18 Whitmer appointees this year as a show of disapproval against the Whitmer administrations COVID-19 response.

The Advice and Consent Committee is expected to meet with Hertel again next week for further questioning.

Related: Michigan headed in right direction on COVID-19, MDHHS director says during Senate vetting

Joint resolution passes House, Senate buries in committee

On Wednesday, the Michigan House cleared a resolution to overhaul how lame duck works, voting 102-7 to require a two-thirds vote on any bill taken up after November general elections in even years.

The resolution is sponsored by Michigan House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Clare, and is part of his overall push to improve government transparency and ethics laws. He and other supporters of the lame-duck change such as Rep Terry Sabo, D-Muskegon, have said it would help prevent term-limited lawmakers from making major partisan policy changes at the last minute.

We have a problem when it comes to transparency and trust, and this is a great step out of many to help fix that, he said. Ive seen over the years, some pretty terrible lame duck activity...its just not the way the state government should be operating.

House Joint Resolution A was sent to the Senates Government Operations Committee.

Rep. David LaGrand speaks from the House Chamber floor at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on Thursday, April 25, 2019.Neil Blake | MLive.com

Elected officials in Michigan would disclose financial records in new House bill

Michigan lawmakers are reengaging on an effort to mandate elected officials to fill out financial disclosure forms.

A previous effort fizzled in 2019, when a similar legislative package spearheaded by Rep. David LaGrand, D-Grand Rapids, failed to reach the House floor for a vote despite approval from House Elections and Ethics Committee.

LaGrand and a bipartisan group of House representatives are trying again to address the states lagging transparency rankings.

Michigan is one of two states  and the only one with a full-time legislature  with no requirement for state public officials to disclose basic financial information, including income sources, business investments, gifts and travel compensation. Michigan ranked last in the Center for Public Integritys 2015 State Integrity Investigation, a wide-ranging 2015 report that documented several facets of each states transparency laws.

Michigan House battling health care insurance industry to control drug prices

A bipartisan group of state House representatives on Wednesday introduced health care reforms that aim to cap costs on medications and improve transparency in the price-setting process.

The 15-bill package, sponsored by 10 Republicans and five Democrats, would attempt to control prescription drug pricing through various methods, including capping co-pays on medications such as insulin, regulating the middlemen between health insurers and drug manufacturers and requiring more reporting on how hospitals, pharmacies and insurers set prices.

A full list of the proposed reforms can be viewed here.

Read more: Michigan House package aims to curb skyrocketing prescription drug, health care costs

MDHHS director declines to committee invite to discuss nursing home policies

Despite an invitation from the House Oversight Committee, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services director Elizabeth Hertel declined to attend a Thursday hearing.

She instead sent a letter stating that the state has done an exemplary job of collecting, tracking and validating data on nursing homes.

Oversight Chair Rep. Steven Johnson, R-Wayland, wants several more questions answered, including how many long-term care facility residents died in nursing facilities versus hospitals and why the states numbers differ from the CDCs reporting on the state.

Johnson also alluded to New Yorks nursing home situation, where the state led by Governor Andrew Cuomo has underreported nursing home deaths according to the Associated Press.

These questions must be answered by our governor and DHHS, Johnson wrote in a statement. They continue to claim our state has the most accurate data yet have not supplied us with what we have been asking for weeks. The Oversight Committee also heard compelling testimony from residents that showed just how disastrous these nursing home policies are. Its time the Governor and DHHS listen to the people of Michigan.

Election reforms recommended by Auditor General make it out of committee

The Auditor General recommended in a 2019 a series of election reforms that included cleaning up the qualified voter files list of names, ensuring better training of local clerks and improving campaign finance reporting.

Three Republicans and two Democrats in the House sponsored five bills to address these problems. The same bills died in the last legislative session, but have made it out of the Election and Ethics committee for a future vote on the House floor.

House bills 4127-4131 would:

Require the Michigan Secretary of State to remove voters from the qualified voter file who dont respond to requests to update their birthdates. This addresses the audits recommendation to remove people that appear on the file as older than 122, or the oldest recorded person in the state.

Remove voters who have not voted since the 2000 general election in November and fail to respond to requests to update their information.

Require the Secretary of State to post the names of clerks who have not completed required training, but only in odd-numbered years.

Move back the timeline for lobbyists to submit their reports back a month. This means reports need to be in by Feb. 28 for the preceding reporting period of Aug. 31 to Jan. 31. The second report needs to be made by Sep. 30 for the preceding Jan. 31 to Aug. 31.

Extend by one month the deadline to correct errors and omissions in filed campaign finance statements.

Related: Michigan Republicans want election reform. That usually means opposing absentee ballot expansion

Democrats push for expanded unemployment benefits

A group of House and Senate Democrats rolled out legislation aimed at increasing the duration of unemployment benefits and the amount of money those who qualify are eligible to receive.

Led by House Democratic Leader Donna Lasinski, D-Scio Twp., and Rep. Terry Sabo, D-Muskegon, in the House and Sens. Erika Geiss, D-Taylor, and Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, in the Senate, the legislation would restore the number of benefit weeks from 20 to 26 weeks, a policy proposal long supported by Democrats.

The bills would also increase the weekly maximum for unemployment benefits from $362 to $593 and would subsequently index that amount to 58% of the state average weekly wage annually. Unemployed workers who dont qualify for the weekly maximum unemployment benefit would receive 6.1% of their highest quarter earnings instead of the current 4.1%.

The package would reverse changes to the states unemployment system approved in 2012.
At what point are we going to start using universally honest political language.

Let's call it welfare anytime anyone gets taxpayer dollars given to them for doing nothing. Lets quit using euphemisms like subsidies and tax incentives.

Lets all agree welfare is the giving of our tax dollars to people who provide no labor to earn those dollars.

In the last few years, farmers received welfare. Ostensibly to make up for losses due to the trade policies/practices of the past administration. Does someone in the conservative party want to explain the logic of creating policies making it harder to sell products? Then giving those folks welfare?

The bottom line is farmers are now welfare recipients.

The current administration is now asked to send taxpayer dollars to Texas to cover the current policy disaster. Money Texas didnt work to earn. This policy disaster is entirely of their own making.

The Texas government failed to do its job. Thus its the taxpayers being asked to provide welfare to the government of Texas.

Deception and betrayal at the hands of a charming psychopath are common themes in lurid TV dramas.

But Mary Turner Thomson has suffered a real-life ordeal that even the most imaginative scriptwriters would find hard to invent.

When the Scottish single mother met Will Jordan, he seemed the perfect man  stable, loving and kind.

Mary Turner Thomson, 55, (pictured) from Edinburgh, married and bore two children to a man only to discover he was a bigamist conman with another wife and five fiancees

But after marrying him and bearing his two children, she was horrified to discover he was a bigamist conman with another wife, five fiancees and several other families.

After Jordan scammed her out of hundreds of thousands of pounds, he was jailed and deported from Scotland to the US, where he continued to prey on vulnerable women.

In the next mind-boggling chapter of her extraordinary story, Mary teamed up with another of her ex-husbands victim to launch a daring undercover sting operation that delivered Jordan into the hands of the police.

Now her hell at the hands of an unscrupulous predator has informed her tell-all book, The Psychopath, which comes out on Monday.

In it, she explores how caring and empathic women are tricked by psychopaths like Jordan and delves into the methods these devious men use to ensnare their victims.

And yesterday, Mary delivered a blistering attack on her former husband and other men like him.

The man whom Id pledged to have and to hold turned out to be a monster who not only impregnated women to rip them off for money, but psychologically tortured and abused women all his life  mentally, emotionally and financially crippling them just for his own amusement, said Mary, 55, from Edinburgh.

Her nightmare began like a romantic dream when she met Jordan online in 2000 when they were both 35.

A single mother with a one-year-old daughter and recovering from a failed relationship, Mary hoped to find love with a caring man. Handsome, confident, and smooth-talking, American Will Jordan seemed ideal.

The Scottish single mother met American Will Jordan online in 2000 when they were both 35 (pictured on their wedding day in 2002)

He used the kind of techniques that cult leaders and abusers use, showering me with love right from the very beginning, before Id even met him, Mary said.

When we started talking online, he sent me long, flowing emails about his past and about the person he was, and I told him my dreams and aspirations. We wrote three, four, five times a day. It became intoxicating. I was swept away by the romance of it.

Even then, Jordan used a technique called gaslighting to unbalance Mary and make her question reality.

Hed stood me up when we were supposed to be going to London on a romantic trip and I met him furious and determined to dump him. It was Christmas Eve and he presented me with a teddy bear wearing a ribbon with a diamond ring. It completely threw me.

As well as charm, Jordan also lied shamelessly to gain her sympathy, claiming he had mumps as a child and was infertile.

It felt good to have a man talk to me so openly about his feelings. His infertility made him that much more of a suitable prospect as I already had a child and wanted a father figure in her life. It was all easy - and it was all totally insincere.

The couple married in 2002 and later had two children, Eilidh and Zach.

Meanwhile, Jordan convinced Mary he worked for the CIA in IT, as a cover for why he was absent so often  to see his other family, as it turned out  and that dangerous men were out to kidnap their children.

It sounds farfetched, but he gave me proof, including pay checks. I was in a constant state of panic and believed he was the only person who could keep us safe.

Four years into what Mary assumed was a happy marriage, a phone call turned her life upside down.

A woman rang and introduced herself as her husbands other wife  and revealed she had had five children with him.

My external world shattered as my mind inside crumbled. At that moment I couldnt imagine how anything would ever be all right again, added Mary.

Shocked by her husbands double life, Mary was appalled to discover she had also fallen victim to a callous financial scam.

Jordan had forged her name on several credit cards, running up debts of 56,000.

Mary had a one-year-old daughter and recovering from a failed relationship. The couple married in 2002 and later had two children, Eilidh and Zach (pictured)

He had also persuaded her to sell her home - apparently to pay a ransom to prevent dangerous men associated with his CIA work from kidnapping their children.

She was left penniless - and with crippling debts.

As the truth sunk in, Mary was driven to find out more about his shady life - and uncovered a past littered with abandoned and deceived women and children.

Hed been telling me outright lies. Not only did he already have at least six children when I met him in 2000, but both his wife and his wifes nanny were pregnant by him at the time.

'I also discovered he was a convicted sex offender and that he had five fiancees, us two wives, and 13 children.

When Will Jordan found out I had met his other wife in April 2006, he showed no remorse or guilt whatsoever. He never apologised or took responsibility but continued to say all would be explained in time.

'He asked me to have faith in him. This time it wasnt working. His spell over me had been broken.

In November 2006, Jordan admitted bigamy, obtaining funds by deception, failing to register as a sex offender and possession of a stun gun.

Now Mary's hell at the hands of an unscrupulous predator has informed her tell-all book, The Psychopath, which comes out on Monday

I knew then that he was a psychopath  he looked bored in court, as if he was getting a parking fine, and when he was sentenced there wasnt a flicker of emotion.

His eyes were dead, said Mary, who went on to write about her ordeal in her first book, The Bigamist.

After two and a half years in a British prison, Jordan was released and deported back to New Jersey in 2009. But only seven months later Mary was contacted by other victims.

One woman had been left pregnant and homeless after meeting Jordan on a dating site, another was a Mexican woman with a Downs Syndrome sister whose family he had ruined financially.

He cynically used a photograph of the sister with Downs Syndrome to play on the sympathy of his next victim, saying he was looking after his girlfriends daughter, Mary added.

The chance to ensnare him came in 2014 when 36-year-old American nurse Mischele Lewis got in touch with Mary.

Like me, she was a single mother who had been in an unhappy situation before meeting a man who seemed to be Mr Right. Like me, she got engaged to him, lost money to him and then found out the truth.

The two women came up with a daring plan for Mischele to secretly record Jordan with a hidden camera worn as a button until he confessed to conning her out of money. Waiting police arrested him, and he was jailed.

But on his release in 2017, Jordan continued to target vulnerable women. Mary realised the best way to stop him was to write a book, drawing from her own experiences and teaching women how to spot the tell-tale signs of a predator like Jordan.

Marys children, Robyn, now 22, Eilidh, 19, and Zach, 15, (pictured) have come to terms with Jordans behaviour

I thought there must have been something wrong with me to make me a target, but I found out that I score highly on the empathy scale, and Will Jordan homes in on women who are empathic, testing them out early on to see if they feel sorry for his sob stories about a terrible childhood.

These women tend to work in caring professions and are mostly single mothers, who are sleep-deprived so theyre not thinking straight and are less likely to chase him down as theyre tied to the house.

'He presents himself as being the kind of stable and caring man they need and has children with them to create a bond thats difficult to break.

I used to blame myself for being taken in by him, but I came to realise that the reason women like me are so trusting is that as empaths we would never do anything so awful to anyone else  it just doesnt enter our thought processes.

She said all of his victims told similar stories: Love-bombing, lies, deception, gaslighting and fraud: he repeats his patterns over, and over again.

It was what he did to me  he love-bombed me at first. Hed look deep into my eyes and make me feel loved as Id never been loved before.

The bubble burst when I found out he had another wife and was a convicted sex offender.

'Nothing of the man I used to love remained  the man he had pretended to be was a fiction. It was like being in love with Captain Jack Sparrow, not Johnny Depp.

The chance to ensnare him came in 2014 when 36-year-old American nurse Mischele Lewis got in touch with Mary (Mischele and Jordan, pictured)

'With that knowledge, my love for him evaporated like a dream, leaving only the realisation of the monster he truly was.

Marys children, Robyn, now 22, Eilidh, 19, and Zach, 15, have come to terms with Jordans behaviour.

I sat them down when it all came out and made sure they knew it wasnt their fault, that he was just made that way. It was hard for them, but they accepted it, Mary said.

In the last year, she has been contacted by several women alleging Jordan has seduced and scammed them  the most recent a 19-year-old who was eight months pregnant with his child.

At the last count he had 14 children that I know. Will Jordans never going to stop. Hes a psychopath with no capacity for love and no conscience.

'Hes a predator and putting him in prison doesnt work  you might as well put a cat in a cage and tell it not to hunt when you let it out.

'The difference is he knows what he is doing is wrong. All I can do now is warn other women about him and people like him.
Victorias Education Minister has called for a nationwide rollout of Respectful Relationships education in all schools in light of a public petition which has detailed hundreds of allegations of sexual assaults of school students across the country.

Minister James Merlino has also instructed his department to meet with the young woman behind the petition  22-year-old former Sydney schoolgirl Chanel Contos  to see where Victoria could improve.

Education Minister James Merlino Credit:Luis Ascui

Ms Contos launched the online petition a week ago calling for consent education to be taught at a younger age. By Saturday evening it ran to 70 pages, detailing hundreds of disturbing allegations of sexual assaults either while the victims were at school or soon after.

While consent is addressed in all Victorian state schools as part of the governments Respectful Relationships and Sexuality program, private schools are free to make their own calls on how and when to run sex and relationship education in their curriculums.
The RSS chief arrived at Nirmal on Thursday night and had interaction with local RSS members and leaders. (DC Photo)

Mankapur (Adilabad): RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday called upon farmers to unite and solve their problems while in distress but avoid embarking on agitations. However, he said he has no objection to the present farmer protests as such agitations will go on.

He was addressing a gathering of 1,500 farmer families practising organic farming in erstwhile Adilabad district. The event was organised by the Ekalavya Foundation (NGO). He performed a Go Puja at the event.

Bhagwat stressed on the need for agriculture-based employment and business to strengthen the national economy. Organic farming can create both employment and business.

He shared his experiences during his visits to the continents of Africa, Europe and America. The vegetable there were tasteless due to excessive use of chemicals and fertilizers. Vegetables used to be tasty in India at that time, he said.

The RSS chief said the country will become stronger and farmers will be liberated from debts and distress.

Bhagwat hoped that the cause of organic farming will be spread across the country. India will become a role model to the world in the near future, he said and appreciated the efforts being made by Venugopal Reddy of the Ekalavya Foundation for encouraging farmers in organic farming.

He described the farmers of Indi as scientists and agriculture fields as laboratories. He added: Farmers are doing experiments and Indian farmers are having more traditional knowledge than the scientists of any agriculture university.

Bhagwat said farmers would do well to take up organic farming and continue with the responsibility of feeding the country though they did not get much yield and profits. With organic farming, farmers become self-reliant in terms of preparing their own seeds, natural manure and pesticides with cow dung and urine as fertilizers and pesticides.

Organic farming will reduce the cost of investment and make farmers self-reliant. They will not have to depend on businessmen and moneylenders for agricultural inputs and investment, Bagwat said.

The RSS chief insisted on crop rotation to get rid of pest attacks and use of natural manure to keep the soil fertile for more years. He added that doing agriculture is a tradition of Hindu Dharma.

Bhagwat said he himself was involved in agriculture-related activities in his childhood. His father and forefathers were engaged in agriculture.

Some of the farmers practising organic farming have shared their experiences on the dais in the presence of the RSS chief. Religious leader Narayana Guru said the kind of food people took will shape their character. People will become sathvik if they took satvik food.

Tight security arrangements were evident for the event in view of Mohan Bhagwats presence. Ekalavya Foundation representative Keshav Reddy also spoke.

The RSS chief arrived at Nirmal on Thursday night and had interaction with local RSS members and leaders. BJP MPs Dharmapuri Aravind, Soyam Bapurao and BJP district president Payal Shankar and Palvai Harish Babu were among those who met Bhagwat.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Joan Wakefield has barely been able to walk for the best part of six months. The 72-year-old from Stockport had a knee replacement in October and has since suffered infections in the scar tissue, causing agonising pain.

Then at the beginning of this month she received the first dose of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine. 'I woke up the next morning and the leg pain and stiffness was gone,' she says.

'I couldn't believe it. I joked with my partner about whether the vaccine had anything to do with it. Previously, I couldn't even bend my leg. Now I can extend it fully, and even put my shoes and socks on. I'm optimistic I'll be able to return to work sooner, rather than later, now.'

It seems ludicrous  a vaccine designed to protect against one virus can, somehow, improve other totally unrelated elements of health.

But Joan Wakefield is far from alone.

A man receives his Covid-19 vaccinations at Lichfield Cathedral, Staffordshire earlier this week

The NHS vaccine programme is already having an impact on the number of people being hospitalised due to Covid-19

As well as reducing the number of hospitalisations, the number of deaths is also falling since the widespread rollout of the vaccine among the elderly

EU nations including Germany are being far outpaced by Britain in the vaccine race after Brussels was late to place orders with firms including Pfizer and AstraZeneca

Last month, Mail on Sunday GP Ellie Cannon wrote about the curious case of a man with Lyme disease who'd found his long-term fatigue had evaporated just days after having the Covid vaccine. Scores of you wrote in to tell similarly miraculous tales.

One has seen stubborn patches of eczema on her arms, legs and midriff mysteriously disappear within hours of having the jab. Another claimed that dizzying vertigo she's battled for 25 years vanished four days after her shot.

Meanwhile, a woman wrote that her husband had enjoyed a full night's sleep for the first time since his diagnosis of a sleep disorder 15 years ago. Even more bizarrely, some claimed to have been left in better health having contracted the virus itself.

What to read, watch and do READ The Science Of Living: 219 Reasons To Rethink Your Daily Routine, by Dr Stuart Farrimond Does exercising daily serve as many long-term benefits as we think? A scientist reveals the truth about the daily health hacks many of us live by. DK, 15.99 The Science Of Living: 219 Reasons To Rethink Your Daily Routine, by Dr Stuart Farrimond WATCH Dispatches: One Doctor's Story A fly-on-the-wall look inside Covid wards, courtesy of Dr Saleyha Ahsan, who filmed her daily routine during the second wave. A moving and disturbing insight into the toll on NHS workers, revealing how close so many came to breaking point. Tomorrow, 8pm, Channel 4 Dispatches: One Doctor's Story DO Have a pottery party Studies show that doing arts and crafts can reduce levels of anxiety  and sculpting pottery has been proven to be particularly calming. sculpd.co.uk, 39 for a kit for two people. Larger kits are available. Advertisement

One 95-year-old care home resident was described by her daughter and being suddenly 'alert and alive' after having Covid last month.

'Previously, mum was very frail, losing weight and her voice losing power. We were prepared for the end not to be far away,' wrote Roz Ellis, from Ilford, Essex.

'Four weeks after recovering from Covid, her voice is stronger. She stands at the window for ten minutes and she's put on 3 lb.'

Most readers guess the jab  or infection itself  caused the immune system to leap into action and attack other, niggling health problems. And they might well be right. Scientists have documented unexpected benefits of vaccines for decades  known medically as 'non-specific effects'.

Studies in the 1970s and 1980s by Danish scientist Peter Aaby found mass measles vaccination in West African communities reduced the risk of child death by a third  but only four per cent of this decline was explained by more people surviving measles.

Also in the 1970s, Russian scientists discovered vaccinating the population against polio reduced death from flu and other infections by up to 80 per cent.

More recently, Dutch and Greek researchers have reported astounding early results from trials looking at whether giving elderly people a vaccine for the bacterial infection tuberculosis  the BGC jab  could guard against other common infections that often land the frail and vulnerable in hospital.

Nearly twice as many infections were seen in the placebo group, compared to the vaccinated participants.

And the BCG vaccine is already used to treat bladder cancer patients with non-invasive tumours  it is administered directly into the bladder to help the immune system fight the cancer.

What's more, bladder cancer patients who receive this therapy are less likely to develop Alzheimer's, according to a recent Israeli study. But why?

Scientists are unsure as to the exact mechanism. Some indeed suggest vaccines can 'train' the immune system, strengthening it.

But Professor Sheena Cruickshank, immunologist from the University of Manchester, doesn't buy into this theory and insists there's a different explanation.

She says: 'The protection we see against other health problems in those who've had measles and BCG vaccines is a benefit of not having suffered those illnesses in younger years.

'Suffering measles, tuberculosis or any other infections we vaccinate against can have long-term detrimental effects on our immune system.'

Studies show they weaken the response to threats and provoke systemic inflammation. Over time, this increases the risk of a host of diseases.

For those experiencing miraculous recoveries after the Covid-19 jab, Professor Sheena Cruickshank, immunologist from the University of Manchester, pictured, says the explanation lies with our emotional response to it

'People vaccinated against these infections will in turn be less likely to suffer other diseases as a result.'

As for those experiencing miraculous recoveries after the Covid-19 jab, Prof Cruickshank says the explanation lies with our emotional response to it. 'The pandemic has been hugely stressful, and we often underestimate the effect of stress on our immune system,' she says.

Vax fact Vaccines prevent more than 2.5million deaths around the world every year, according to the World Health Organisation. Advertisement

She explains that increased stress hormones interfere with the ability of immune cells to target infections. She says: 'This is why we tend to get bad colds or pick up bacterial infections when we're stressed and run down.

'It's also this response that, in vulnerable people, leads to a flare-up in inflammatory conditions like eczema  because the immune system is going haywire.'

Dr Cruickshank suspects that the vaccine will come as a relief to many, immediately reducing stress levels. The beneficial effect on the immune system can be instant. It's astonishing,' she adds.

She also highlights that the type of vaccine used to prevent Covid-19 is markedly different to those used in previous studies.

'The measles and tuberculosis jabs are all what's called 'live' vaccines.

'They involve injecting a minuscule amount of a weakened version of the virus or bacteria that causes the disease.

'This helps the immune system recognise it when it sees it in larger doses, so it's quicker to respond.

'But all the Covid-19 vaccines work, not by injecting viral particles, but the genetic instructions that our immune cells need to create a small part of it.

'It's unlikely it'll have any effect on immune cells they're not specifically designed to target.'

Joan Wakefield has no doubt about the cure for her creaky knee. She writes: 'As soon as I read about other people seeing miraculous effects from the vaccine, it all made sense.

'I fully believe this is the case with me.'

EU could still be jabbing people in 2023 - while Britain's success in the Covid vaccine's 'arms race' should see the jab offered to all UK adults by July

By Glen Owen for the Mail On Sunday

Britain's success in the vaccine arms race against the EU has been such that Germanys bestselling newspaper that it envied the UK  and the number-crunching shows why.

If the major European countries dont dramatically accelerate the speed of their vaccine rollout, it could be 2023 before they have offered a jab to all adults.

In other developments:

This newspaper has established that a quarter of frontline NHS workers in London are refusing the vaccine;

A Mail on Sunday poll found 81 per cent of voters think it should be compulsory for medics and care home workers to have the vaccine, while 54 per cent support vaccine passports as a condition of entry to restaurants or on public transport;

Boris Johnsons poll ratings have surged since he announced his roadmap out of lockdown, which is supported by more than two-thirds of people;

Almost three-quarters of care homes bosses said they wanted to implement a no jab, no job policy;

New Covid cases have fallen by 28 per cent over the past seven days to 7,434, while deaths dropped by more than a third to 290;

The number of first-dose vaccinations administered surpassed 19.6 million, with more than 750,000 people having their second jab;

Tributes were paid to Captain Sir Tom Moore at his funeral yesterday;

EU leaders have been warned it could be 2023 before the bloc manages to offer a jab to all of its adult population;

Pubs and restaurants complained they were facing a nightmare of red tape if they wanted to reopen for alfresco service on April 12, in line with Mr Johnsons roadmap.

PM Boris Johnson has outlined his roadmap plan to lift all restrictions in England by June 21

No 10 announced last week that it expected to have offered a vaccine to all UK adults by the end of July, as part of Boris Johnsons roadmap plan to lift all restrictions by June 21.

More than 19 million people in the UK have received at least one dose of a vaccine, compared with just 5.5 million in Germany and fewer than four million in France. If Germany keeps to its current seven-day average of injecting 114,000 people a day, it will be another 551 days before it has reached every adult  on August 28, 2022.

In France, which is managing barely 92,000 jabs a day, liberation would not come until July 8, 2022. Other countries are faring even worse: Italy is due to hit the target on December 11, 2022, while Belgium is on course for May 22, 2023.

Britains success has been hailed by No 10 as an illustration of the benefits of Brexit: the UK refused to join the EUs cumbersome vaccine procurement plan, instead striking out on its own to make early deals for millions of doses.

In its article, the Bild newspaper said: While the British are already planning their summer vacation, Germany is stuck in lockdown.

It came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would not take the Oxford/AstraZeneca shot because German regulators have not approved it for over-65s  despite the scientific evidence that it is highly effective.

French President Emmanuel Macron initially questioned the AstraZeneca vaccine, but last week admitted that the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been proven. He added that he would take it  but at 43, and given his countrys current rate of progress, he will have to wait until next year.

France and Germany's denigration of the Oxford jab is turning a crisis into a catastrophe, writes DR GUNNAR BECK, German MEP

Two contrasting public statements in the past few days tell you everything you need to know about the vaccination crisis engulfing the European Union.

In Britain, the Queen took a clear lead by declaring that anyone hesitant to take the jab should think of others and not themselves.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, meanwhile, told 83 million Germans that she would not be taking the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine  so adding to the fuel to the fire  and caused further concerns by raising the prospect of a compulsory EU vaccination passport in the spring.

I think you can guess which nation has so far vaccinated 20 million people and has set out a road map for normal life by June 21.

It is small wonder German newspaper Bild last week printed a Union Flag on its front page with the headline 'Dear British, We Envy You'

It is small wonder German newspaper Bild last week printed a Union Flag on its front page with the headline 'Dear British, We Envy You'

And which, on the other hand, has vaccinated just four million people amid huge public resistance to the AstraZeneca vaccine and an ominous warning of a third wave of infection.

Small wonder that the popular German newspaper Bild last week printed a Union Flag on its front page with the headline 'Dear British, We Envy You'.

Suspicion of the AstraZeneca jab is not restricted to Germany, of course. It is shared across the EU.

So deep is the distrust, that 80 per cent of the 6.1 million doses delivered to the bloc so far lie unused in hospital refrigerators.

In Berlin, the vaccination centre at the former Tegel Airport which only offers the AstraZeneca jab  reports that only 200 people have been turning up for the 3,800 daily appointments.

In France, Le Quotidien du Medecin, the GP's daily newspaper writes about a Paris surgery where half the patients with serious underlying health issues  those most at risk  have turned down the Oxford jab.

In an empty Belgian vaccination centre, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was said to have been dismissed as a 'low-budget Aldi' alternative.

This state of affairs has nothing to do with the actual merit of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab  or even the virtues of the vaccination programme itself as a treatment for coronavirus - and everything to do with the political posturing of the EU elite as it tries to cover up its failures by pointing the finger of blame elsewhere.

While Britain used its Brexit freedoms to obtain a range of different vaccines and organise a national roll-out, the EU went into its default mode of mutual back scratching, bickering and failure.

The roots of the problem go back to early last summer when it was slow to secure vaccine supplies, particularly in comparison with Britain.

In Berlin there are reports that only 200 people have been turning up for the 3,800 daily appointments.

By July 20 last year, the UK was able to announce it had signed a deal with AstraZeneca for 90 million doses of its vaccine. This was a calculated gamble, but one which the British government hedged by buying small numbers of additional doses from other suppliers.

It seems to have paid off  and in spades.

The EU approach was haphazard. Worse, it acted as if it were sharing out the potential spoils of a war among its member states.

In theory, the European Commission could use its buying power to ensure the rapid delivery of hundreds of millions of doses at rock bottom prices. But that ignored the dead hand of the EU bureaucracy, which is the last thing you need in a crisis.

Valuable weeks and months were lost amid furious horse-trading in Brussels. Many orders were not made until September which, despite its financial clout, put Europe at the back of the queue.

Leaders including Chancellor Merkel (pictured) and President Macron started a furious row with AstraZeneca over vaccine allocation

And those orders were badly flawed. In particular, they included an agreement to buy 300 million vaccine doses from the French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi  the same quantity as from Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca  even though Sanofi was trailing in development. The arrival of its vaccine has now been put back to the end of this year at the earliest.

The truth, of course, is that the EU had simply prioritised EU manufacturers.

Then came the blame game as leaders including Chancellor Merkel and President Macron started a furious row with AstraZeneca over vaccine allocation.

German leaders rebel against Merkels strict lockdown and push ahead with easing restrictions amid woefully slow vaccine roll-out Angela Merkel is facing a rebellion from regional leaders and voters over Germany's call to extend lockdown restrictions following of a terrible start to the vaccine rollout. Several of the country's state leaders defied the Chancellor by allowing garden centres, florists and nail parlours to reopen from Monday. Mrs Merkel had pushed for an extension to current lockdown restrictions, warning the country faced a 'third wave' of coronavirus if rules were lifted too quickly. But Germany's government system means regional leaders have power over lockdowns. Even Bavarian leader Markus Soder, one of Mrs Merkel's staunchest supporters on the lockdown, is said to have moved away from her position. A majority of citizens are now reported to support easing restrictions. A survey by ZDF television found that 56 per cent supported such plans while only 41 per cent were opposed. Chancellor Angela Merkel and state leaders are expected to meet on March 3 to discuss a gradual easing of lockdown measures that are currently in place until at least March 7. Despite Mrs Merkel agreeing with the 26 other EU nations to keep 'tight restrictions' on public life and free movement, she is expected to make a compromise after telling German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 'We always have to be flexible'. Germany's Economic Minister Peter Altmaier said he was confident that restaurants could be allowed to partially open soon so that outdoor dining on terraces and in beer gardens should be possible around the Easter weekend. Restaurants, bars and entertainment venues have been shut since early November. A stricter lockdown from mid-December forced non-essential shops, services and schools to close as well. Factories and offices have remained open. The lockdown has helped to push down infections and deaths since the start of the year. But worries over more transmissible variants of the virus and a third wave of infections persist, making it more difficult for leaders to ease restrictions. Advertisement

The last thing the EU needed was growing public opposition to the Oxford jab. Yet this is precisely what its leaders have brought about to deflect attention from their own failings and incompetence.

The damage seemed to start with erroneous reports in the German press that the AstraZeneca vaccine was only eight per cent effective for those aged over 65. The claim was immediately refuted by both Oxford University and the German Health Ministry.

But the EU gave the impression that it is more than happy for these negative reports to circulate  an attitude which is petty, protectionist and vindictive.

Doubts grew when the German authorities announced they would not allow the AstraZeneca jab to be used in people over 65 because there was insufficient data in the trials.

Results from Scotland have shown that the Oxford jab cuts the risk of hospitalisation by as much as 94 per cent.

And evidence from Public Health England revealed in today's Mail on Sunday suggests it might be even more effective than the Pfizer-Biontech rival.

The real hammer blow, however came from Macron, who claimed  without scientific justification  that the early results were not encouraging for 60 to 65 year old people. Later, he even said the vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65.

True, the European Medical Agency has approved the vaccine, but that has made little difference to the public mood.

Last month, the British government made a second calculated gamble, which again drew sneers from across the English Channel.

By delaying second doses, the UK allowed many more people to receive the initial jab.

So we are now in the situation where a third of the British population has been vaccinated, with infection and mortality rates in decline.

Germany meanwhile has vaccinated just five per cent of its population. France has vaccinated only four per cent.

Faced with this, the EU leaders have finally started to make the right noises.

Macron has claimed that he would take the Oxford jab if he were offered it  a radical change of stance.

Just a few days ago, Angela Merkel's spokesman pleaded with Germans to take 'the safe and highly effective' Oxford vaccine  although the message was clouded when 66-year-old Merkel then announced to the world that she would not be taking it because it is not appropriate for people her age!

Germans have also been concerned to hear her talk about the prospects of a vaccine passport in the spring, amid widespread fears that jabs will become compulsory.

Now, the political point scoring has left many people so confused that they're turning down appointments.

I'm not a medical doctor or an expert. I'm not even qualified to take a view on whether or not a vaccine programme is the right way forward or not. But I am certain of this: the vaccine chaos has crystallised the true nature the EU. It is in crisis or, rather, it is in state of perpetual crisis.

It is quite clear that Germany could have done so much better on its own, without the dead hand of the EU.

The Brussels true believers are hell-bent on sticking to their project, the construction of a centralised super-state. And in doing so, they manipulate the democratic and legal process left, right and centre  even if that means spreading damaging rumours about a life-saving vaccine in the middle of a public health crisis with catastrophic economic consequences. Germany's political elite is so convinced the EU can do no wrong that last year it criminalised the vilification of the EU flag, now punishable with up to three years in prison.

It is a perfect illustration of why all-too-often, harmonisation means levelling down to the lowest common denominator.

And why Britain, now freed of its chains, can finally take decisions in its own national interest.
(@FahadShabbir)

TORONTO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2021) The Canadian government has secured 2 million doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine version produced by India's Serum Institute, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.

Earlier in the day, Canadian health regulators authorized the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine along with the Serum Institute version of the vaccine.

"Canada has secured two million doses of the Covishield vaccine through an agreement with Verity Pharmaceuticals and the Serum Institute of India," Trudeau told reporters.

Procurement Minister Anita Anand said the first shipment of 500,000 vaccine doses will arrive in the "coming days." The remaining 1.5 million doses will arrive by mid-May, according to a Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Ahmedabad: The election to various for elections to 81 municipalities, 31 district panchayats and 231 taluka panchayats in Gujarat will take place on Sunday (February 28, 2021) and the results will be declared on March 2.

The BJP is on a high after winning all six civic corporation polls held in Gujarat recently, though the Congress believes the fuel price hike and public disenchantment can turn the tide.

On the last day of campaigning, Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil led a road show in Navsari, while Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Paresh Dhanani, took part in a motorcycle rally in Amreli, while Aam Aadmi Party head and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal sought votes during a road show in Surat, rpeorted PTI.

For the first time, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) has fielded candidates in minority-dominated seats in Godhra, Modasa and Bharuch municipalities.

The Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia said over 44,000 policemen along with 54,000 homeguards will be deployed on February 28 to ensure incident-free voting.
A U.S. airstrike in Syria targeted facilities belonging to a powerful Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, killing one of their militiamen and wounding several others, an Iraqi militia official said Friday. The Pentagon said the strikes were retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier this month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops. The Iraqi militia official told The Associated Press that the strikes against the Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades, hit an area along the border between the Syrian site of Boukamal facing Qaim on the Iraqi side. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak of the attack. Syria war monitoring groups said the strikes hit trucks moving weapons to a base for Iranian-backed militias in Boukamal. "I'm confident in the target that we went after, we know what we hit," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters flying with him from California to Washington, shortly after the airstrikes, which were carried out Thursday evening Eastern Standard Time. The airstrike was the first military action undertaken by the Biden administration, which in its first weeks has emphasized its intent to put more focus on the challenges posed by China, even as Mideast threats persist. Biden's decision to attack in Syria did not appear to signal an intention to widen U.S. military involvement in the region but rather to demonstrate a will to defend U.S. troops in Iraq. The U.S. has in the past targeted facilities in Syria belonging to Kataeb Hezbollah, which it has blamed for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq. The Iraqi Kataeb is separate from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that monitors the war in Syria, said the strikes targeted a shipment of weapons that were being taken by trucks entering Syrian territories from Iraq. The group said 22 fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces, an Iraqi umbrella group of mostly Shiite paramilitaries that includes Kataeb Hezbollah, were killed. The report could not be independently verified.

Defense Secretary Austin said he was "confident" the U.S. had hit back at the "the same Shia militants that conducted the strikes," referring to a Feb. 15 rocket attack in northern Iraq that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition personnel. Austin said he had recommended the action to President Joe Biden. "We said a number of times that we will respond on our timeline," Austin said. "We wanted to be sure of the connectivity and we wanted to be sure that we had the right targets."



Earlier, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. action was a "proportionate military response" taken together with diplomatic measures, including consultation with coalition partners. "The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel," Kirby said. Kirby said the U.S. airstrikes "destroyed multiple facilities at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militant groups," including Kataeb Hezbollah and Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada.



Further details were not immediately available. Mary Ellen O'Connell, a professor at Notre Dame Law School, criticized the U.S. attack as a violation of international law. "The United Nations Charter makes absolutely clear that the use of military force on the territory of a foreign sovereign state is lawful only in response to an armed attack on the defending state for which the target state is responsible," she said. "None of those elements is met in the Syria strike."



Biden administration officials condemned the Feb. 15 rocket attack near the city of Irbil in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish-run region, but as recently as this week officials indicated they had not determined for certain who carried it out. Officials have noted that in the past, Iranian-backed Shiite militia groups have been responsible for numerous rocket attacks that targeted U.S. personnel or facilities in Iraq.



Kirby had said Tuesday that Iraq is in charge of investigating the Feb. 15 attack. He added that U.S. officials were not then able to give a "certain attribution as to who was behind these attacks." A little-known Shiite militant group calling itself Saraya Alwiya al-Dam, Arabic for Guardians of Blood Brigade, claimed responsibility for the Feb. 15 attack. A week later, a rocket attack in Baghdad's Green Zone appeared to target the U.S. Embassy compound, but no one was hurt.



Iran this week said it has no links to the Guardians of Blood Brigade. Iran-backed groups have splintered significantly since the U.S.-directed strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad more than a year ago. Both were key in commanding and controlling a wide array of Iran-backed groups operating in Iraq.



Since their deaths, the militias have become increasingly unruly. Some analysts argue the armed groups have splintered as a tactic to claim attacks under different names to mask their involvement. The frequency of attacks by Shiite militia groups against U.S. targets in Iraq diminished late last year ahead of Biden's inauguration.



The U.S. under the previous Trump administration blamed Iran-backed groups for carrying out multiple attacks in Iraq. Trump had said the death of a U.S. contractor would be a red line and provoke U.S. escalation in Iraq. The December 2019 killing of a U.S. civilian contractor in a rocket attack in Kirkuk sparked a tit-for-tat fight on Iraqi soil that culminated in the U.S. killing of Iranian commander Soleimani and brought Iraq to the brink of a proxy war.



U.S. forces have been significantly reduced in Iraq to 2,500 personnel and no longer partake in combat missions with Iraqi forces in ongoing operations against the Islamic State group.
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.
Social media chatter among Australian anti-vaccination groups skyrocketed in the past week as the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine were delivered amid false claims that the jab would be mandatory.

A protester at Health Minister Greg Hunts Mornington Peninsula electorate office holds a sign claiming the COVID vaccine is a poison that will alter peoples DNA. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

An independent project monitoring online vaccine sentiment for the federal government has reported that comments and other interactions surged from about 200 a day to almost 6000, within 20 key Australian anti-vaccination Facebook groups open to the public.

It is only the second time since the pandemic began that such a notable jump has been observed, and the first time in almost a year.

But researchers from the University of Western Australia leading the Coronavax project say the number of people in Australias anti-vaccination community, while growing, was still relatively small. There are around 300,000 followers in the public Facebook groups.

New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday (February 27, 2021) welcomed the ceasefire agreement and said that the 'onus lies with India'.

Khan took to his official Twitter account and said, "I welcome restoration of the ceasefire along the LOC. The onus of creating an enabling environment for further progress rests with India."

The Pakistan PM's comments came two days after both sides agreed to a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) starting from February 25.

The decision also saw a global positive response as the United Nations and European Union welcomed the India-Pakistan ceasefire agreement.

President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly Volkan Bozkir said that he 'wholeheartedly' welcomes the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan.

He said, "I wholeheartedly welcome today's ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. Their stated commitment to achieve sustainable peace through addressing each others core issues and concerns sets an example for other countries and demonstrates."

I wholeheartedly welcome today's ceasefire agreement between #India and #Pakistan. Their stated commitment to achieve sustainable peace through addressing each others core issues and concerns sets an example for other countries and demonstrates #UNGA values.  UN GA President (@UN_PGA) February 25, 2021

Nabila Massrali, Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, EU, said: "The EU welcomes the agreement between India and Pakistan to observe a strict ceasefire at the Line of Control in Kashmir and to engage through the established mechanisms."

She added, "An important step in the interest of regional peace and stability on which to further bilateral dialogue."

India / Pakistan: The EU welcomes the agreement between to observe a strict ceasefire at the Line of Control in Kashmir & to engage through the established mechanisms.

An important step in the interest of regional peace & stability on which to further bilateral dialogue.  Nabila Massrali (@NabilaEUspox) February 26, 2021

The decision on the ceasefire, effective since Wednesday midnight, was taken at a meeting between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan.

The DGMOs held discussions over the established mechanism of hotline contact and reviewed the situation along the Line of Control and all other sectors in a "free, frank and cordial atmosphere", a joint statement issued by the two countries said on Thursday.

Live TV
Amidst the cacophony of anguish, protests and Green/Orange political debate about how soon children in Northern Ireland can be got back into the classroom, it strikes me there is one significant voice missing.

That of the pupil who doesn't want to return. Ever.

Maybe it's indicative of how schools have changed since I was a teenager, but it's astonishing that every pupil vox-popped on the subject seems to be grief-stricken at not being back in 5B.

They all express a fervent desire to knuckle down to work. The Covid-19 hiatus has been a severe blow to their already firmly held career goals. The thought of not being able to walk into an exam hall in a few weeks' time seems to genuinely upset them.

What on earth is going on with our kids?

Culturally, it seems such a far cry from when I was their age. Back then, I can assure you the arrival of a global event which shut down school across the planet for a full year would have been evidence, if such were needed, that a benign supernatural power existed devoted to answering the fevered prayers of anxious teenagers from Patagonia to Tokyo to the North-West Passage and the Khyber Pass, with Donegall Pass in between.

In the Eighties, you'd have been more likely to find me and my friends on our knees praying for something - anything - that would have gifted us a lengthy break from the chalk-face. Just a flurry of snow had us looking to the skies pleading for enough to fall for the bus service to be cancelled, the school heating to fail.

I genuinely think that if my generation were teenagers now at this time of a global pandemic, many of us would be more stressed at the idea of an imminent return to the classroom rather than fretting about not getting back at all.

Every day would be a nerve-wracking round of Google searches, scanning papers and listening to news bulletins. The vaccine breakthrough would have been a hammer blow. The anticipation that life would be going back to normal pretty soon would have been the stuff of nightmares. Talk of dangerous mutations would have seen us poring over our biology books, desperate for a setback to secure another few weeks living between bedroom and kitchen.

School often provided a kind of sanctuary from the Troubles but that wasn't really how we saw it at the time. Instead it felt like we were being punished for something we didn't even know we'd done. Pink Floyd spoke straight to our hearts - "Hey, teacher, leave those kids alone!"

It wasn't just the early starts, the slow trek on a draughty bus and the odd bolshy teacher, it was also the piles of homework and the pressure to get good marks. There was no course work, it all rested on a couple of papers on a sticky June afternoon.

Can anyone at school in the Eighties honestly say they never experienced the telephoned hoax call to the school office during exam time, a vain effort to get Physics or Algebra cancelled for at least a day? Even if it was just one or two brave souls who would simply skip off classes, surely we can't have bred them out of society in a generation or two?

The time-honoured waster and layabout for the ages, Dennis the Menace, joined by the anxious child facing failure every single day, and the bullied and put-upon dreading break-time and sports, can't have so easily been erased from the collective DNA.

The articulacy of some of today's kids on the airwaves is astonishing and terrific to hear; they already sound like the lawyers, doctors, accountants they want to be. No doubt some are reaping the considerable benefits of following in their parents' footsteps, but they will also have enjoyed considerable careers' support at school.

Back in the Eighties there was the same expectation that you'd get on in life, but scant practical help about how to do so. Careers' information usually involved one brief chat with a teacher before being handed the key to the careers' library. There, you'd pull out a file marked "Journalist" to find a yellowing pamphlet saying "always have a spare quill" or something like that.

Perhaps that's a tad unfair - most teachers were doing their best within the limitations of what schools were then.

But still, how different it all seems now. School today is less of a prison and more of a place where young people get pastoral support. That function is vitally important too, for those children whose voices we don't hear in the media at the moment.

Clearly, pupils from challenging backgrounds are going to find the classroom a haven from the issues unfolding at home. Some rely on getting a decent meal there. Teachers are on the alert for any worrying signs. No wonder these kids crave getting back to some sort of normality.

Also, the classroom provides some form of equality in what is still a very unfair world. Right now the child who can't access a laptop at home is horribly disadvantaged even further. Some parents are going to be much more thorough when it comes to home schooling. Others couldn't care less.

For most pupils today school seems to be their social hub and the place where they live their life. People my age seemed to live their life when they got out of school. School then was a more daunting environment. No doubt rules and regulations still abound today, but the atmosphere seems more relaxed and convivial.

There's a sense that pupils now are encouraged to be individuals in their own right, to let their personalities shine through. Young people can be themselves. Doing well in exams is still crucial, but those sitting them are regarded as more than results fodder.

Let's hope that's all true. Let's hope there's a much more mature approach to learning and the risks to competitive young lives than was the case in my day.

There is far too much anxiety around as it is among the young and we can forget, in our own ambition for their future, just how young they are.

So, for all the undoubted value of education and for all the virtues of application and study and love of learning and bookish habits, and the enhanced career prospects of those who advance up the education ladder, let's hope there are still those growing souls out there who are desperately hoping to make it to the summer holidays without having to return in the early morning to the little desks of 5B.

After all, they'll only be keeping up an honourable old tradition.

John H. Durham, the U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut and special counsel appointed to investigate the origins of the inquiry into the Trump campaigns possible ties to Russia, announced Friday he is resigning from the post after more than three years.

The resignation has been expected for weeks as the Biden administration has asked holdover U.S. attorneys appointed during the previous administration to resign.

But the U.S. Department of Justice is expected to have Durham continue in his role as special counsel. The lengthy investigation is examining whether officials in the Obama administration broke the law through their probe into interference in the 2016 election.

Outgoing Attorney General Bill Barr designated Durham as a special counsel in December. That move was seen as a way to keep the investigation ongoing despite the transition of power at the White House.

The investigation has so far resulted in criminal charges for one person involved in Russia investigation. Former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith was sentenced to one year of probation after he was accused of altering an email used as evidence for a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant.

Durhams resignation goes into effect at midnight Sunday.

My career has been as fulfilling as I could ever have imagined when I graduated from law school way back in 1975, Durham said in a statement. Much of that fulfillment has come from all the people with whom Ive been blessed to share this workplace, and in our partner law enforcement agencies. My love and respect for this Office and the vitally important work done here have never diminished. It has been a tremendous honor to serve as U.S. Attorney, and as a career prosecutor before that, and I will sorely miss it.

Durhams career with the federal government spans more than 40 years. Before he was appointed interim U.S. attorney in 2017 and then permanently to the post in 2018, he worked as assistant U.S. attorney in Connecticut for 35 years, according to the release.

His prosecutions included complex organized crime, violent crime, public corruption and financial fraud matters, the release said.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard C Boyle will take Durhams seat as acting U.S. attorney.

The Office will be in the extraordinarily capable hands of Len and our superb supervisory team who, together, guarantee that the proper administration of justice will continue uninterrupted in our district, Durham said.
The last year has turned the working lives of millions of people across the country upside-down.

Unemployment levels have reached their highest for nearly five years and thousands of people are still on furlough, while others have been seemingly left high and dry in terms of financial support from the Government.

The situation is gloomy, but there are pockets of entrepreneurial spirit and gritty determination sprouting up all over Britain, with start-ups being led by people who've undergone radical career shifts in recent months.

This is Money spoke exclusively to two people, Matt O'Crowley and Lena Bond, who have experienced fairly extreme career changes during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Turmoil: The last year has turned the working lives of millions of people across the country upside-down

'I'm now selling toilet paper for boats and caravans'

Matt OCrowley is the sales director at Tanki

Matt O'Crowley, 37, from Shropshire, has certainly had a fairly radical career shift during lockdown.

After working on PS Monarch, the world's smallest commercial paddle steamer, Matt joined the Merchant Navy as a deck officer and then moved on to get a job as a safety expert in the Middle East and Africa. After that, Matt enjoyed a lengthy career as a safety and risk consultant.

But, before the first national lockdown, Matt was diagnosed with HIV after feeling unwell for months.

'I lost some business contacts by being open about it, but frankly they were clearly rotters and don't deserve a second thought', Matt told This is Money.

He added: 'Overall people have been incredibly kind and generous and I was lucky to get an undetectable level within 30 days thanks to the marvellous treatments that are now available, meaning that I cannot pass the virus to anybody else and will live a normal working life providing that I keep taking a single pill with my morning coffee.'

On top of his HIV diagnosis, the pandemic also turned Matt's work world upside-down and he knew he had to act fast to keep money coming in after being told he was ineligible for furlough cash or any form of government support.

Matt gave himself one week to figure out a new business idea and knew he had to focus on a physical product to sell. Toilet paper for, among other things, boats, caravans and yachts, fit the bill perfectly.

'One day my loo blocked, and I suddenly remembered all the places in the world where a paper bin sits next to the lavatory due to the sewerage systems not being able to cope.

'This led to thoughts about how the same problem exists on ships, yachts caravans and houses with wonky plumbing that might be connected to septic tanks and sewerage treatment systems. Everything at that point pointed to smelly old tanks and Tanki was born!', Matt said.

Taking the plunge: Matt O'Crowley, left, and Mark Collins, right, of toilet paper firm Tanki

Along with commercial director Mark Collins, Matt created his business called Tanki which sells toilet paper aimed at the maritime sector and is, according to Matt, both plastic and glue free.

Matt says the paper can be flushed into the Arctic as it is the first of its kind to comply with maritime pollution regulations.

'A real plus is that the toilet paper, which is manufactured by a third party is 'non-blocking', Matt added.

Matt and Mark were able to launch Tanki in October after receiving a start-up loan via the 'Biz Bitain' scheme.

Tanki also won the latest 'Maritime UK Innovation Award' and has been bolstered by private investment via friends 'whose ears I had chewed off for weeks about loo roll.'

The company has also received major support from broadcasting giant ITV via an advertisement campaign in the last few weeks.

Matt and Mark now expect Tanki to have a turnover of around 1million this year.

Matt says he's gone from riffling through the clearance items at Lidl and wondering about whether it's viable to turn on the heating at home, to turning down venture capitalists wanting a slice of his new business venture.

Matt's tips for career switchers

It's been a whirlwind year for Matt and he's got some tips for anyone who has lost their job or is struggling workwise during the pandemic.

'Network like crazy, associate with creative people, don't let your bum get flat watching TV and don't be afraid of failure.

'If everything has hit rock bottom, the only way is up, but you have to believe in yourself and let others believe in you too.

'These days it's so easy to stay in your pyjamas and pretend that everything is bleak and miserable. But it's not. The sun rises every day in order for us to grasp the opportunities that we see. You just have to get on and do it.'

'I've opened an online sex shop during lockdown'

Mother-of-two Lena Bond, 42, lives in London and before the pandemic worked as an events manager for a high-end steak restaurant chain.

Lena worked at the restaurant group for around a year before Covid-19 struck and loved her job. She told This is Money: 'I pretty much lived for my job.'

Lena is still on furlough and says she is getting 60 per cent of her wages, as tronc payments are excluded.

New venture: Mother-of-two Lena Bond has launched an online sex shop called Chain and Bow

Lena, who has an 18-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter, expects to return to her normal job in the summer at the earliest and on a part-time basis.

She started ruminating about the idea of setting up a new business in the middle of last year. She told This is Money she had always had a secret fascination with the sex industry and knew she had to establish a business that was 'bullet-proof' and could be enjoyed by as many people as possible.

So, in January this year, and by using money from an inheritance after her grandma died, Lena set up the Chain and Bow online sex shop, selling all manner of items to suit every desire and taste.

Lena gets her products from a manufacturer in Hertfordshire and says her online shop offers customers a modern, fresh and competitively priced range of products.

Opening up an online sex shop is a sure-fire way to raise eyebrows, but nothing fazes Lena any more. She is used to 'lots of sniggering, side eyes and scratching of chins' from her children for a start.

It's early days for Lena's business, but she remains hopeful that it will prove profitable as the months and years roll on.

Lena's tips for people making a radical career move

Lena told This is Money: 'If you are going to make the transition, make sure you do your research, but don't spend decades thinking about it.

'Procrastination is a passion killer in general. You can end up talking yourself out of setting up a new business.'

Lena also recommends working hard to keep costs down and try and establish a company that can withstand anything, including a pandemic and lockdown restrictions.'

As a new start-up, Lena is also all too aware of the need to engage with reputable social media and marketing companies who can help drive up sales. 'Big boys are buying up keywords, so you have to try and get a competitive edge online somehow', Lena told This is Money.

Not every business can rank first place in Google's listings, but Lena is hoping to do just that in the future.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 21:18:53|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

by Tichaona Chifamba

HARARE, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Some Zimbabwean doctors who are part of the frontline workers inoculated with their first doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by China, saying it is safe and encouraged others to get the jab, state media reported Saturday.

Epidemiologist and director of health for Kadoma City Daniel Chirundu told The Herald newspaper that he had taken the vaccine for a number of reasons.

"I took the Sinopharm vaccine to protect myself, those I work with and our clients. My vaccination also served as a cue for action among my subordinates and others who are now demanding it. It has been three days and I have not experienced any side effects," he said.

Chirundu urged all Zimbabweans to accept vaccination if eligible.

He also encouraged Zimbabweans to continue wearing clean face masks the proper way, practicing social distance and hand hygiene (washing hands with soap and clean water).

"This is the only other non-pharmaceutical tool that is now available to complement our toolbox," he said.

Misheck Ruwende, a doctor at Bulawayo's Mpilo Central Hospital, said some people were anxious because COVID-19 was a novel disease and that vaccines were developed in a short period of time.

"That is not enough reason for people to say 'I should not take it.' It is just some of the steps that were supposed to be done as ABCD, that is B to come after A and C to come after B. It was now done as A along with B along with C. Remember people were dying and vaccine producers had to give way to all this so that vaccines come out early," he explained.

Ruwende added that the other challenge was that people are getting themselves involved in the geo-politics happening between the Western and Eastern countries.

"China is developing better and better things," he said.

Ruwende added that many Zimbabwean doctors were getting vaccinated.

"Even where I work, many doctors are getting vaccinated. So if doctors are leading, they know best about the side effects, about vaccines, and if they are giving us a good example, there is no need for people to be hesitant to take the vaccine," he emphasized.

Ruwende further said the Sinopharm vaccine had been used in various countries across the globe.

"It is being used in various countries. The United Arab Emirates was the first to approve it for their population in December. They had already approved it for their health workers months before. Hungary was the first European country to approve it, and they are already using it in their country," he said, adding that the Sinopharm vaccine was also being used in many other countries including Morocco and Egypt.

"The Sinopharm vaccine has gone through all clinical trials. My advice is whatever vaccine you get right now, just get it. The vaccines go through rigorous exercises." He said.

He added that "this is voluntary, no one is being forced."

He said skepticism was good in the absence of evidence, but thankfully available evidence was heavily in favor of vaccination.

"COVID-19 has killed over 2.5 million people worldwide including thousands of fellow Zimbabweans, some of them among our families and friends," he said. Enditem
Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. High 73F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds overnight. Low 52F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
The drive to offer two doses of Covid-19 vaccine to all care home staff and residents in Northern Ireland has been completed.

Coming less than three months after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was granted approval, it is indicative of the success of the hugely complicated process to date.

Looking at the wider vaccination programme, some 537,086 vaccines have now been administered to people across Northern Ireland.

But the apparent success of the programme has also thrown up a range of questions about what it means for the well-worn issue of the border.

While Northern Ireland is now vaccinating people in their 50s, in the Republic of Ireland, those aged 65 and over who live in long-term care facilities, frontline healthcare workers and those aged 85 and older who live in the community are being offered the jab. According to latest figures, 373,280 vaccinations have been administered south of the border.

This has prompted Lord Kilclooney, a former deputy leader of the UUP, to call on the Executive to help the Republic ramp up its Covid vaccination programme.

He said: "Some 96% of the population in the Republic have not been vaccinated and we have freedom of movement on this island. So, it is important for the health of people in Northern Ireland also to help as many people get vaccinated as we can."

It is true, as the chief medical officer has stated on numerous occasions, that none of us are safe until all of us are safe, which is why the UK and other countries are looking at donating vaccines to developing nations.

So, it isn't the altruistic act that it first appears to be - increasing immunity in some of the poorest countries will in turn help to keep the virus under control here.

And with so much travel in both directions over the border in Ireland, there are concerns about the different position here in Northern Ireland compared to the Republic.

Padraic O'Kane, a managing partner at the Fire Steakhouse & Bar at the Mansion House on Dublin's Dawson Street and Sole Seafood & Grill on South William Street in the city, lives in Newry.

He said he believes the faster rollout of the vaccine in Northern Ireland will "cause issues" for him and his hospitality peers.

"It's looking like Northern Ireland will be around eight to 12 weeks ahead of the south when it reopens and that will cause us issues no doubt," he said.

"We're working from a perspective of indoor dining on July 1, with outdoor dining in May. Northern Ireland could be at least a month ahead of that and that will be a problem for those businesses around the border counties.

"It then comes down to free movement. Will you be able to travel freely in Northern Ireland while in the south we can't leave our county? We believe we could open at the same time in a safe way and there are safe ways to it.

"But in Dublin we've taken the attitude that we don't want to reopen if it means opening and closing again and again. We've gone past that.

"When we look at the economy opening again, schools will go back, then construction. There will be more opening before us. If the Northern Ireland Assembly goes with London's plans, there will be a big gap and I worry will the south be able to catch up?"

A resident in Newry, Mr O'Kane added: "Living in Northern Ireland will not only mean I will have the vaccine before all my staff but before my mother in Cork and a lot of vulnerable people in the south."

Colm Shannon, chief executive of Newry Chamber of Commerce, said businesspeople in the area were concerned about the contrasting paces of the vaccination programmes on either side of the border.

"I've spoken to a couple of businesspeople across the Chamber where it has been mentioned, that there will be a time-lag in the impact of the vaccine on both sides of the island with the south about two months behind," he said.

"But the other thing Covid has taught us is that you can't predict anything and it's hard to tell what the impact might be.

"Irrespective of what way the vaccine rollouts might work, there will be a nervousness with travelling too far until people are comfortable and consumer confidence starts to grow again."

However, according to Dr Connor Bamford, a virologist from Queen's University, the disparity in the rollout of the vaccine programmes may have little impact when it comes to community transmission levels.

To begin with, the figures relating to the number of vaccines administered to date are somewhat misleading. While the Republic of Ireland has administered 373,280 jabs to Northern Ireland's 537,086, each nation is following a different policy - the UK has delayed the second dose of the vaccine to increase the number of people with a proportion of protection from the virus.

In comparison, the Republic of Ireland is adhering to the advice given by the pharmaceutical companies that created the vaccines and is working towards maximum protection for the most vulnerable members of society. This means 102,541 more people in the Republic of Ireland have had two doses of the vaccine than in Northern Ireland.

Dr Tom Black from the British Medical Association said the jury is still out on which policy is most effective, while Dr Bamford said: "It's really hard to predict what strategy is better. In addition, it isn't just about the vaccines, it also depends on the restrictions - the Republic will have more restrictions in place than us so should have less virus circulating.

"If anything, it may be worse for the Republic as we will probably have more virus but I also think that any impact arising from the difference in the number of people vaccinated will only be for a very short length of time. In reality, it is very difficult to compare and make predictions because the two vaccination strategies are different."
Satellite images show signs of mass graves near 2 Ethiopian churches after massacre: Amnesty

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Amnesty International says in a report that satellite images of mass graves suggest that hundreds of unarmed civilians were methodically hunted down and killed in northern Ethiopias predominantly-Christian and war-torn Tigray region by soldiers from neighboring Eritrea about three months ago.

Satellite imagery analysis  corroborates reports of indiscriminate shelling and mass looting, as well as identifies signs of new mass burials near two of the citys churches, said the report, which revealed that Eritrean troops fighting in Ethiopias Tigray state systematically killed hundreds of unarmed civilians in the city of Axum on Nov. 28-29, 2020.

The evidence is compelling and points to a chilling conclusion, Deprose Muchena, the human rights groups director for East and Southern Africa, said. Ethiopian and Eritrean troops carried out multiple war crimes in their offensive to take control of Axum. Above and beyond that, Eritrean troops went on a rampage and systematically killed hundreds of civilians in cold blood, which appears to constitute crimes against humanity.

In one instance, hundreds of people were hiding in Maryam Tsiyon Church in Axum, which is said to contain the Ark of the Covenant described in the book of Exodus in the Bible, amid an armed conflict on the day of the attacks. They were all brought out and shot to death, and local residents believed the aim was to take the Ark of Covenant to Addis Ababa, the Belgium-based nonprofit European External Programme with Africa reported in Januarys situational report.

The fighting began in Tigray on Nov. 4 when the regions ruling political party, Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, captured the Northern Command army base in the regional capital Mekelle as part of an uprising, after which Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered a military offensive. Military forces from Eritrea support the Ethiopian government.

The number of people killed is reported as 750, the situational report said. The church, the most ancient and sacred of Ethiopian Christianity and also known as the Church of St. Mary of Zion, belongs to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

Ive not heard more than rumors about the looting of the Arc from Maryam Tsion, but if its true that up to 750 died defending it, it is conceivable that the attackers didn't stop there, said Michael Gervers, a professor of history at the University of Toronto, at the time, according to The Telegraph. "The government and the Eritreans want to wipe out the Tigrayan culture. They think theyre better than rest of the people in the country. The looting is about destroying and removing the cultural presence of Tigray.

Amnesty said Ethiopian and Eritrean military forces took control of Axum in a large-scale offensive on Nov. 19, killing and displacing civilians. In the nine days that followed, the Eritrean military engaged in widespread looting of civilian property and extrajudicial executions.

They would kill you for trying, or even crying, a woman named Zenebu, a 48-year-old healthcare worker who lives in Colorado but was trapped in Tigray for weeks while visiting her mother, told AP earlier. The witness added that some Eritrean soldiers went door-to-door, killing Tigrayan men and boys as young as 7 years old.

The Amnesty report also includes testimonies of witnesses to extrajudicial executions, indiscriminate shelling and widespread looting after Ethiopian and Eritrean troops led an offensive to take control of the city.

I saw a lot of people dead on the street, a 21-year-old male resident was quoted as saying. Even my uncles family. Six of his family members were killed. So many people were killed.

After the killings, the citys streets and cobblestone plazas were strewn with bodies, the group said. One man, who had run out of the city returned at night after the shooting stopped, said, All we could see on the streets were dead bodies and people crying.

On Nov. 29, Eritrean soldiers shot at anyone who tried to move the bodies of those killed.
UDA drug dealer David Dee Coleman has appeared in court accused of breaking his electronic tag while messing about.

A lawyer for the Shankill estate-based gangster told Belfast Magistrates Court today it came off at his home on Friday.

The tag is part of a raft of bail conditions put in place to manage the volatile thug while his charges of drug dealing, assaulting police and a breach of the Terrorism Act are being dealt with.

A police officer told the court that G4S were alerted through their tag monitoring system that the device had been damaged at around 6.30pm on Friday.

When officers called to Colemans Hopewell Crescent home in west Belfast the 35-year-old claimed it had come off while he was messing about but the officers disagreed and he was arrested.

District Judge Mark Hamill released him on the same bail terms but warned him that if it happened again he would likely be remanded in custody.

Coleman isnt long out of jail having spent 18 months behind bars in Maghaberry for membership of the UDA.

He is also a convicted extortionist but did his first spell inside at the age of just 14 in 2000 for his role in a UDA gun attack on UVF supporters in the Rex Bar.

Coleman is currently charged with breaches of the Terrorism Act, possessing criminal property, supplying class A and B drugs and assault on police all dated between January and March last year.

But Coleman has bigger worries after the UVF threatened to kill him if he fails to return a gun stolen from the gang and given him as payment for a 2,000 drugs debt.

His home was also paint-bombed as a warning to give back the nicked weapon.
The bishops of the neighbouring provinces of Papua and West Papua recently met to analyze the situation and problems affecting their people. The region is plagued by violence fueled by an armed struggle for independence.

By Robin Gomes

The Catholic bishops of Indonesias easternmost Provinces of West Papua and Papua are urging a better future from the countrys authorities for their people in a territory torn by decades of struggle between Indonesian forces and separatist groups.

Seek the common good

Representatives of the five dioceses of the two provinces recently came together for a 3-day meeting to discuss several problems affecting the Papuan people and their land, AsiaNews reported. Among the issues they focused on were the territorys special autonomy law (UU Otsus), new job and development opportunities, and improving education, which now represents an emergency that must be tackled right away.

The Catholic Church in West Papua and Papua consists of the single ecclesiastical metropolitan province of Merauke, which includes the Archdiocese of Merauke and the suffragan dioceses of Jayapura, Agats, Timika and Manokwari-Sorong. The see of Timika is currently vacant.

In a press release on 25 Feb., at the end of their meeting, the Church leaders appealed to the countrys national and local leaders, urging them to focus on the common good of the people. According to them, peace can only be achieved through dialogue and an end to the armed struggle by separatist groups.

Struggle for independence

Indonesias military and security forces are pitted against local pro-independence armed groups who are pushing for a referendum on self-determination.

The bishops urged both sides to adopt an approach based on love and non-violence, inviting them to realize the importance of peaceful dialogue. Instead of discussing the further implementation of the special autonomy that has been in place for 20 years and which expires in 2021, they want to see the parties get back to work together.

Indigenous residents of West Papua and are Papua ethnically similar. The two provinces became part of Indonesia controversially in the 1960s, despite the former Dutch colony declaring independence in 1961. Since then, a separatist movement has been simmering in Papua, with sporadic violence. People have been complaining of discrimination and rights abuses at the hands of Indonesian authorities.



The prospects for peace are still conditioned by the armed struggle, which has led over the years to extrajudicial killings and violence on both sides. The civilians have suffered the most, forced to flee and seek refuge wherever they can, even inside churches.

Economic development and education

The bishops of the two Papuan provinces are stressing the need for creating a future of hope for their people through opportunities for economic development through jobs and encouraging local businesses and enterprises.

The bishops complain that local businesses are owned by on-Papuan migrants from other provinces. Regency officials, they said, should instead create opportunities for indigenous people, giving them the necessary skills and means.

Another emergency, they said, is education which has been negatively impacted recently by the coronavirus pandemic.

With school absenteeism normally high, the pandemic has exacerbated the situation, making illiteracy a serious problem. When the bases of primary education are inadequate, one cannot hope to achieve anything better from high school or universities, the bishops said. (Source: AsiaNews)
Prince Andrew's spin doctor has stepped down after palace officials expressed their fury at a botched attempt to discredit the royal's sex abuse accuser, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Mark Gallagher, nicknamed 'the backroom fixer', was hired almost a year ago in a bid to repair the Prince's scandalised reputation.

The Duke of York, 61, is facing accusations from alleged victim Virginia Roberts that she was forced to have sex with him on three occasions when she was aged 17 in 2001.

But in a bungling attempt to clear the Prince's name Mr Gallagher, and the Duchess of York's personal assistant Antonia Marshall, approached online troll Molly Skye Brown.

The Mail on Sunday last month revealed how the pair sought Ms Brown's help to prove a famous picture of the Prince with Ms Roberts, first published by the same paper, was doctored.

They also discussed the possibility of setting up a fake Twitter profile to ensnare other Epstein victims.

But in a dramatic twist, the 42-year-old mum-of-one from Orlando, Florida, turned on the pair and even reported their approach to the FBI.

Now Mr Gallagher has resigned amid fury from palace officials over the approach.

However the spin doctor, who says he will continue to advise the 60-year-old royal in a private capacity, insists the decision is due to 'deeply offensive and threatening' abuse he has received in the wake of the Epstein scandal.

Mark Gallagher (pictured), nicknamed 'the backroom fixer', was hired almost a year ago in a bid to repair the Prince's scandalised reputation

The Duke and Duchess of York's advisers sought help from an online troll in a bid to discredit the Duke's sex accuser. The aides hoped Molly Skye Brown, who attacked Virginia Roberts on Twitter for months, possessed information that might prove the infamous photo of Andrew with his arm around Ms Roberts, then 17, was manipulated. (Above, Ms Brown in 2001, the year she attended a Jeffrey Epstein party)

Virginia Roberts, one of the victims of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, claims she was forced to have sex with the Duke, now 60, on three occasions, allegations he vehemently denies along with any other wrongdoing. In a bizarre conversation, one of the Duke's team is alleged to have discussed with Ms Brown the possibility of setting up a fake Twitter account to ensnare a woman they suspected of doctoring the photo. Ms Roberts maintains the picture (above) was taken on the night she claims she had sex with Andrew in 2001

The MoS last month exposed the botched approach Ms Brown.

The former teenage beauty queen had waged a vitriolic online campaign against Ms Roberts, claiming she was in fact an 'enabler' of Epstein, a sex trafficker herself and that a picture of her with the Prince was doctored.

But the abuse meted out by Ms Brown towards Ms Roberts did not stop the approach from the Prince and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson's closest advisers.

In a 45-minute phone call and a string of texts in December the advisers discussed the possibility of discrediting Ms Roberts's allegations against the Prince.

Yet, instead of assisting the Prince's team, Ms Brown turned on the pair and even reported their approach to the FBI.

After the MoS exposed the botched approach, palace officials are said to have expressed their fury over the affair and the further reputational damage it caused.

Mr Gallagher, who also faced a barrage of criticism from Ms Brown online, stepped down from his role advising the Prince.

A source said: 'It was made very clear that the Palace does not believe that is an acceptable way to approach this matter, and that was conveyed in no uncertain terms to Mr Gallagher.

'A representative of the royal family can't be reaching out to people behaving in that manner.'

However, in an email to staff at his corporate PR agency, Pagefield, seen by the Telegraph, Mr Gallagher said the decision to step down was due to 'deeply offensive and threatening trolling' while working for the Prince.

In the email, reported in the Telegraph, he said: 'I am afraid that this comes with the territory, but was something I was prepared to tolerate because of my commitment to someone who I believe will be fully vindicated in due course.

'The fact that my work outside of Pagefield is impacting some of you working inside Pagefield is something I cannot accept.'

In response to the outcry over Ms Roberts's allegations, the Queen's son has been forced to give up royal duties and step down from all his charitable patronages.

Lawyers for the victims of Epstein have called on the Prince to submit himself for an FBI interview after the US agency made it clear they wished to speak with him.

But he has so far not been interviewed by the FBI despite claiming that he has reached out to the US Department of Justice and agreed to co-operate with their investigation.

The Duke's long-time friend Ghislaine Maxwell, 59, is currently awaiting a trial in America on charges of grooming teenage girls as young as 14 for Epstein to abuse.

Maxwell also featured in a famous picture of the Prince with his arm around Ms Roberts who says she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with the royal.

Ghislaine Maxwell (above, with Jeffrey Epstein), 58, is on remand in the US after being charged with the sex trafficking of underage girls and the enticement of minors. She has denied any wrongdoing

In response to the outcry over Ms Roberts's claims, the Queen's second son was forced to give up Royal duties and step down from his charitable patronages. With the US authorities still hopeful of interviewing him about the Epstein scandal, his team of advisers is working behind the scenes to try to restore his reputation. (Above, Prince Andrew with Epstein in 2010)

The Prince's then-advisers reportedly commissioned investigators to determine whether the 2001 image, understood to have been taken at Maxwell's London apartment after a night of clubbing, had been doctored.

And sources then briefed newspapers that the Duke's hands in the image, originally handed to this newspaper by Ms Roberts, 'don't look right'.

It was on this bizarre premise that the Prince's team approached Ms Brown, who also claims she was targeted by Maxwell as a 14-year-old to become a 'model', but did not take her up on the offer.

Following an approach by Sarah Ferguson's assistant Ms Marshall, the pair had a lengthy phone conversation in which they even discussed the possibility of setting up a fake Twitter profile to entrap Epstein victims.

In a series of follow-up texts with Mr Gallagher, Ms Brown asked the Duke's PR: 'What exactly we will be focusing on for our chat,' adding: 'As you know this is much bigger and darker than just a photo scandal. Agreed?'

Mr Gallagher tellingly replied: 'Entirely agreed, Molly. I'd like to talk to you in the round about the important distinction you have drawn between survivors and - in effects - enablers. That gets to the heart of this.'

But Ms Brown broke off contact with the Prince's adviser, describing him as 'desperate' before reporting the approach to the FBI.

A source close to the Prince said last month that the conversation was 'not out of the ordinary and 'nothing went further than an initial discussion.'

A spokesman for Mr Gallagher's Riverside Advisory firm said: 'Due to a business conflict, Mark reluctantly stepped down from the working group at the start of this year, but remains fiercely loyal to The Duke, as well as to the York family, and will continue to advise them in a private capacity.

'Reputation Communications, led by Lucy Goodwin, who has been working alongside Mark as part of The Duke's working group for the past year, have now stepped up to take on media and advisory to the Duke's working group.'

Mr Gallagher, formerly ITV's director of corporate affairs, first provided external PR advice to the Royal family during the Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory  Able to Detect UK Variant of COVID-19 Virus

Dr. Geoffrey Lossie, avian diagnostician and clinical assistant professor, is a pathologist involved in receiving samples sent to the ADDL. The primary transport containers are disinfected and the samples are prepared to be taken to the Molecular Diagnostic Section of the facility for testing. (Purdue University photo/John Underwood)

Innovators at Purdues Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) have used their expertise to make the on-campus testing facility one of the only labs in Indiana actively looking for and able to detect the UK variant of the COVID-19 virus. This ability, combined with the universitys data-driven testing approach, has made it possible for cases to be caught, thereby stopping any potential spread among the campus community.

The current PCR test run at the ADDL detects three viral gene targets  two of which must be positive to call the sample positive for SarsCoV2. Identification of the UK (B117) variant strain begins at the point of the ADDLs analysis of the sample, where one of the three targets, the S gene, is absent while the other two gene targets are observed. This S drop pattern is a hallmark pattern in the B117 variants, but not all S drops are actually the variant  many are the original strain. When S drop is noted, the sample is sent to another lab on campus for whole genome sequencing of the virus. Sequencing results are typically available in two days and reveal any mutations or changes in the viruss RNA, which can indicate a COVID-19 variant. All S drop samples detected at Purdue are sent to the Indiana State Department of Health, which then forwards the samples to the CDC.

More than 55,000 tests have been conducted since January 1. Of just over 1,000 positive tests in the spring semester, five cases of the UK COVID-19 variant have been confirmed in the Purdue campus community. The cases were detected as part of the universitys robust testing and contact tracing protocol and in collaboration with the Tippecanoe County Health Department and the Indiana Department of Health.

Four cases of the UK variant were detected in students during pre-arrival testing for the spring semester  two were roommates, and the other two unrelated. Each was arriving to campus from an international location. As previously announced, all students were required to have a negative test before the beginning of classes, and all students traveling internationally were and are required to quarantine before accessing campus. The four pre-arrival positives for the UK variant were discovered during that quarantine period. Contact tracing found that there was no spread due to the quarantine plan. The fifth case was recently identified in an individual who works in health care off campus. They have undergone isolation and contact tracing as well.

The Protect Purdue Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Esteban Ramirez, has discussed the presence of the variant and quarantine efforts during live-streamed Purdue Provosts Conversations and during public Tippecanoe County Health Department briefings. Our unique internal testing ability made us fortunate and able to catch the initial cases before returning to campus, Dr. Ramirez said. PPHC has not yet seen any difference in the severity in the small number of variant cases we have detected.

Campus leaders, in consultation with the Protect Purdue Medical Advisory Team and Tippecanoe County health leaders, are examining closely the latest available evidence on the COVID-19 virus and newly reported strains, which also have been detected elsewhere in Indiana. Per the CDC, these new strains, which appear to spread more easily among individuals, do not appear to lead to more severe illness or increased risk of death at this time.

Importantly, all current strategies for mitigating the spread of the virus remain the most effective tools in protecting ourselves, others, and the Purdues community: the de-densification of classrooms and workspaces, physical distancing, avoiding large gatherings, the correct and consistent use of face masks, robust personal hygiene, staying home when sick, promptly isolating the infected and quarantining those in close contact for further evaluation, avoiding unnecessary travel, and proactively pursuing testing when activities or interactions suggest risk of exposure. Diligent adherence to the Protect Purdue Pledge  even in ones shared residence and when off-campus or off-the-clock  is critically important, now more than ever.

Updates on testing numbers are posted daily on the Protect Purdue dashboard. More information is available on the Protect Purdue website.

Writer(s): Tim Doty, Purdue News Service | pvmnews@purdue.edu
Pension funds could be given the green light to invest hundreds of billions of pounds in building up Britain as part of Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Covid recovery plan.

Discussions are being held between insurance giants and senior Ministers on allowing pension funds to invest in affordable homes, regional developments and start-up companies as part of a bold plan to help regenerate the nation.

Sunak could announce details in Wednesday's Budget to help the UK to 'build back better' in what is expected to be an otherwise bleak speech.

Recovery: Sources said a plan to allow workplace pensions to invest in property trusts could be approved first

Sources said a plan to allow workplace pensions to invest in property trusts  which typically own commercial buildings and developments  could be approved first.

One insurance chief executive said: 'We will see a broadening of what pension funds can invest in.'

He pointed to affordable housing, infrastructure and helping the North to 'level up' with the South  one of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's pledges ahead of the 2019 General Election.

Pension and insurance bosses have been working on drafting new rules with the Treasury, the Government's business department and the Bank of England to open up multi-billion-pound workplace pension pots as a crucial source of funding for the economy. Andy Briggs, chief executive of Phoenix, the UK's largest retirement business, said: 'At the moment the regulations do make it harder for pensions to invest in illiquid assets. We've been keen on seeing change.'

Another insurance boss said: 'It's because the scale of these defined contribution and defined benefit schemes is so large that small tweaks in those rules will allow quite a bit of capital flowing into these new areas. It's capital that can be looked upon as sort of a 20- year investment in start-ups.'

A pensions expert said: 'The Government has areas where it needs money to do things and it can't do it on its own. So what it's thinking about is how do we get pensions money  the nation's savings  invested in creating things that will build a future that's worth living in?

'The Treasury is looking at pensions and thinking there's loads of money in there. At the moment, it's all going into equity markets. The biggest companies in the UK are oil and gas companies. And they are not helping us build the future that we want to live in.'

Phoenix and Legal & General are among the pension and insurance giants looking to put billions of pounds of pension money into infrastructure, real estate, green energy and the push to level up Britain.

Experts say the UK lags behind other countries  including France and Australia  in investing in sustainable finance, property and infrastructure.

These are considered 'illiquid' assets because they are hard to sell quickly in a crisis, but they can often generate higher returns. In France, pensions are required to report the environmental and social impact of their investments.

Some argue that pension savers do not need quick access to their money below a certain age, so it makes sense to invest some in illiquid assets.

But there are barriers including the cap on pension charges and the large number of small pensions that lack the firepower to invest.

It is understood that Pensions Minister Guy Opperman will be meeting with Phoenix executives shortly to discuss the future of retirement savings.

Briggs at Phoenix added: 'I think there's a huge opportunity for insurers to make a big contribution to the build back better and greener agenda.'
Hamas held its internal elections Feb. 19, during which tens of thousands of Hamas voters elected the administrative bodies for sub-regions, the General Shura Council, and the head and members of the movements political bureau, according to a Hamas statement on Feb. 23. The results have yet to be announced.

Hamas conducts its elections every four years in complete secrecy in the three separate regions where the movement is present, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and outside the Palestinian territories. The electoral process starts off with the election of the leadership of sub-regions, which vote for the Shura Council. The latter in turn elects members of the movements political bureau.

The last elections were held in May 2017, following which Ismail Haniyeh became politburo chief, succeeding Khaled Meshaal.

But this time, despite the secretive aspect of the elections, Hamas published pictures of the voting in different areas of the Gaza Strip.

Of note, Hamas members in Israeli prisons elected a leadership body on Dec. 10, 2020.

A Hamas source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, This years internal elections included for the first time the listing of names of those who have been in Hamas for 15 years so that they would be among those eligible to be elected. In previous years, only those with a sergeant rank were able to run, which is the highest rank within Hamas. The movements bylaws prevent self-nomination; the elections rather depend on voters spontaneously choosing names, and whoever ends up with the highest number of votes takes over leadership positions.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al-Monitor, Hamas internal elections are held periodically according to its own bylaws. The movement believes elections are the civilized way for members to choose their representatives. It is a serious and fair process that gives equal opportunities for everyone to participate. It is difficult to predict the results or names of those elected. Hamas internal elections come ahead of the Palestinian legislative elections in May. But this does not stop Hamas from participating in those elections.

The movements General Shura Council rejected in January a proposal submitted by some of the movements leaders to postpone the internal elections for another year in order to devote themselves to the legislative elections, a Hamas leader told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity.

The source added, There were talks about reelecting Ismail Haniyeh as head of the movement and electing Khaled Meshaal to be in charge abroad, succeeding Maher Salah, while Saleh al-Arouri would remain the leader in the West Bank and Yahya Sinwar in Gaza  although some of the movements leaders are vying for his (Sinwars) position. But he has the support of Hamas military leadership.

Another Hamas source told Al-Monitor, There are several names on the lists for the leadership positions in Hamas. It seems Haniyeh has the most chances of remaining in his position as head of the movement. Meanwhile, the competition over the Hamas leadership abroad is clear, with signs that Meshaal will be the next head of Hamas abroad. Others who may accede to this position are Salah and Mousa Abu Marzouk.

This source added, Hamas leader in the West Bank, Arouri, does not have competitors given the security situation there in the presence of Israel. Competition is more prominent in Gaza. Although Sinwar has the biggest chances to remain head of the movement in the Strip, others emerge such as Khalil al-Hayya, Nizar Awadallah and Fathi Hamad.

Wissam Afifa, the director of Al-Aqsa satellite channel in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Hamas decided to hold its internal elections despite the legislative elections being scheduled for May because it wanted to pump new blood into its bases and leadership and create a state of internal competition. It wants to show that it is not only an armed faction and demonstrate its internal democratic scene. Hamas wanted to tell the international community and the region that it is exercising its organizational democracy.

Afifa added, These internal elections are more competitive than previous ones. There are different currents and alliances, but they lack overt practice. Hamas keeps its leadership symbols in their positions, despite some fighting old-age, which opens the way for new young faces to be elected as members of the administrative bodies and Shura Councils, and even in the political bureau. The change rate is about 20% to 30%.

The new Hamas leadership faces many challenges  namely, the recent regional developments in the aftermath of the Arab Spring; Hamas' decreasing influence in the region, especially in Syria; the pressure it is facing from some Arab countries; the military confrontations with Israel between 2008 and 2014; and the 2018 Marches of Return. All of this requires great effort to restore Hamas' relations in the region.

Basem Naim, a member of Hamas International Relations Office, told Al-Monitor, Hamas held its internal elections with the participation of tens of thousands of its members in various regions, despite the great security risk involved. Despite the pursuit of Hamas by the Israeli occupation, the movement insisted on holding elections to maintain a transparent and impartial process within its organizational rules. These elections had an unprecedented rate of leadership change, and the average age of leaders is much younger than that of other Palestinian organizations.

Naim added, Hamas seized every opportunity to participate in the student, union and municipal elections, and its internal elections are a continuation of this democratic commitment.

The internal elections represent an opportunity for Hamas new leadership to study regional changes and rearrange its position in the existing regional axes. Perhaps Hamas internal elections in the absence of the Donald Trump administration means more regional stability, which allows its new leadership to preserve its alliances, but it may have to pay political prices, especially if the new US administration gets closer to Iran and demands it reduce its support for Hamas.

Sari Orabi, a researcher on Islamic movements, told Al-Monitor, The Hamas elections are not expected to result in fundamental changes in its leadership structure, except for Meshaals return abroad if he so desires  which will create a balance between the two strongmen in Hamas: Sinwar and Arouri. Hamas unity prevails in its internal elections, but alliances and influence still play a role.

Orabi added, Hamas internal elections in the West Bank were not easily conducted, for fear of being pursued by Israeli security. The movement has yet to find a solution to this dilemma. Elections were limited to its former prisoners and those residing abroad, which could cause many legitimacy issues for its leadership in the West Bank since not all bases could vote.

On Jan. 29, Wasfi Kabha, former minister of prisoner affairs in the Hamas government, told Al Jazeera, I am not pleased with the West Banks representation in Hamas last elections, because those who represent it are members residing abroad. In fact, those who leave should be counted as abroad votes, and only the people residing in the West Bank should represent it.
An Indian origin woman and her British husband have been jailed for breaking Singapores quarantine rules in a bid to spend time together, Channel News Asia reported on February 26. The couple, who had not seen each other in a long time, breached the countrys stringent isolation rules and met each other in a hotel room. In the aftermath, Agatha Maghesh Eyamalai has been jailed for a week while her husband Nigel Skea was awarded a prison term of two weeks and slapped with a fine of 1,000 Singapore dollars.

Despite several outbreaks in clustered neighbourhoods, Singapore has managed to curb the spread of COVID-19 to a large extend reporting 59,913 cases and 29 fatalities as of now. Any violator of mandatory quarantine in the country is liable to a fine of up to S$10,000 ($7,565) or up to six months in jail, or both.

Skea, who had travelled from London to Singapore in September, was placed under home quarantine. However, he called his then-fiance Eyamalai to meet at his hotel room. Both pleaded guilty during the trial. While, Skea admitted to charges of exposing others to risk of infection by leaving his hotel room and failing to wear a mask, Eyamalai pleaded guilty on charges of conspiring with Skea to breach quarantine measures.

'restrictions are necessary'

District Judge Jasvender Kaur later said it was not harsh for her not to place mitigating weight on the explanation for their breach  that Skea had travelled to propose marriage and they both were overcome by emotions after not seeing each other for a very long time. However, she added that the restrictions were necessary to prevent the spread of the pandemic, reasoning that it was for the greater good of everyone.

Read: Malaysians In Singapore Host Students To Celebrate Lunar New Year, See Pictures.

Read: Singapore Minister Warns Against Imposing 'widespread Sanctions' On Myanmar Amid Coup

Earlier this month, Singapore's leading Indian restaurant chain "Banana Leaf Apolo" ws charged with breaching multiple safe management measures, including having a self-service buffet, at its outlet in the Little India precinct. This came as the authorities stepped up inspections at food and beverage premises, malls and other public spaces over the past week to ensure compliance with safe management measures during the Chinese New Year period.

Read: Indian-origin Woman, Her British Husband Jailed For Breaching Singapore's COVID-19 Safety Measures

Read: Briton Jailed For Breaking Singapore Quarantine Order

(With inputs from Associated Press)

(Image Credits: AP)
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
There are companies who are very good at timely Android updates, there are companies who are quite bad at that, and then there's LG. The Korean firm has only sent out an update to Android 11 to the Velvet so far, but even for that model the new software only rolled out in South Korea.

Today marks the start of LG's second ever Android 11 rollout, this time for Verizon's V60 ThinQ 5G UW units. This is also the first LG device in the US to receive an Android 11 update, almost half a year after Google first released the finalized version of the OS.

Anyway, that aside, Verizon has released its update information. The Android 11 rollout comes alongside the January 2021 security patch level, which is not current but far better than what it used to be.

The new release is build V600VM20a, and Verizon outlines the addition of Bubbles for conversations, tweaks in the UI of the camera app, new quick settings icons, Focus Mode, Bedtime Mode, Nearby Share, and the moving of the volume panel from the top to the left.

As usual, the rollout is likely to be staged, so it may take a few days before all LG V60 ThinQ 5G UW units get an update notification. Hang tight, though, it's on the way now.

Source | Via
Lehigh University says it is planning in-person commencement ceremonies, for both the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021.

Details are set to be shared in March, according to an announcement on the Bethlehem schools website.

Nothing is finalized in terms of when or whether they will be combined or held separately, university spokeswoman Lori Friedman told lehighvalleylive.com.

Lehigh held an online celebration for 2020 graduates last May as the coronavirus forced colleges across the Lehigh Valley and beyond to dispense with traditional commencement exercises.

Lehigh this past week eased campus restrictions put in place amid a rise in COVID-19 cases.

The recent significant decline in the COVID-19 student positivity rate reflects important changes you have made over the past two weeks, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Nathan Urban and Vice President of Student Affairs Ricardo Hall told students in a message Friday. We want to take this moment to affirm your efforts and thank you for your patience and your willingness to do the things that we know contain the spread of COVID.

In a sign that the pandemic is continuing, however, the university has canceled all outside events this spring, including the 2021 Lehigh Valley Auto Show held for decades on the Goodman Campus.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.

Scientists are not usually the most confrontational bunch. But in the past few weeks the normally staid and uncontroversial world of epidemiology  a branch of medicine that involves working out how diseases spread and what can be done to control them  has erupted into all-out war.

Personal insults have been traded and deeply polarised views have led to the academic equivalent of a stand-off. Senior scientists have been accused of bullying and 'tearing down' colleagues who they disagree with, and the public spats are becoming ever more heated.

So what is it that has so divided the nation's top experts? The answer is a crucial issue that has implications for us all  the route out of lockdown.

On one side are those who back the Government's roadmap  the implication that we will learn to live with the virus and accept a certain number of hospitalisations and deaths, like with seasonal flu, as a trade-off for regaining our freedom.

The Covid vaccines would 'take some of the heavy load' and mean that infections did not inevitably mean hospitalisations and deaths, Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said last week

But there's an alternative view that is becoming increasingly prominent, with a growing band of scientists advocating a strategy known as Zero Covid  near elimination of the virus from Britain.

It is, they point out, what China, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand have achieved. And, as proof, they point to how normal life is in those countries right now.

For months their citizens have been free to socialise, go to theatres and attend packed festivals, rock concerts and nightclubs  often without a mask in sight. And it could be like this in Britain, say those who back Zero Covid. In this scenario, society would be opened up only when new Covid cases were vanishingly low and almost every person in the country had been vaccinated.

They warn that hopes of somehow keeping a highly infectious virus circulating at a low level are misplaced and any attempt to do so is likely to end in a third, horrific wave. And this  nightmarishly  would mean no other option but another lockdown to avoid the NHS being overwhelmed.

Last week, Boris Johnson poured cold water on such assertions, dismissing Zero Covid as 'not credible'. But Professor Devi Sridhar, Chair of Global Public Health and an adviser to the Scottish government, insists it is a possibility and one we should seriously consider.

Earlier this month, Prof Sridhar wrote online that Covid could end up 'more like measles than flu eliminated largely in rich countries with continual flare-ups requiring outbreak response'. Her words triggered an extraordinary backlash from other academics.

In a further post, Prof Sridhar hit out at academics with 'large egos' who felt 'a need to tear each other down and show how smart they are, at the expense of others. I've ignored it and blocked  life's too short for that kind of behaviour'.

Those on the other side of the debate argue that eradicating the virus is impossible, even with the vaccine, without many more months of total lockdown. And even then there would doubtless be pockets in society where the virus could silently hide, only to spring up again when we thought it was safe.

There is little middle ground and it's fair to say tensions are running high in the scientific community.

But the stakes are high as the UK continues to battle against one of the highest Covid death and infection rates in the world. So can either side claim to have the answer?

First, there is one view that is almost universally agreed by scientists: more infections, and sadly more deaths, are inevitable if we follow our current path.

As Martin Hibberd, Professor of Emerging Infectious Disease at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, says: 'Every scenario to open up society leads to a rise in transmission.'

The virus is still in circulation, with just under 10,000 new cases a day at present. The crucial questions, however, are not if another wave will hit, but when  and how serious will it be?

Normal life is returning in New Zealand. Pictured: Fan enjoy SIX60 at the Hawkes Bay A&P Showgrounds last month

The Government asked its scientific advisers to look at different scenarios for lifting the lockdown. They clearly showed that lifting restrictions in late April would lead to a huge wave of infections and nearly 90,000 people in hospital with Covid by July  more than four times the peak in April last year.

The advisers have proven to be uncannily accurate in their forecasting at previous stages in the pandemic, which is perhaps why the Government has ignored bullish calls from some MPs to 'take the brakes off'.

Other scenarios presented by the advisers did not rely on dates. Instead, they looked at what would happen if lifting restrictions was tied to the numbers of people vaccinated. These forecasts are what our current roadmap is based on  and produced the least-worrying outlook, keeping hospitalisations below a peak of 20,000 in July.

Critically, though, the actual picture might be much more optimistic than the advisers thought. Studies published last week found that the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were more effective after a single dose than was initially expected. And both are good at stopping people with no symptoms spreading the virus, which wasn't known just a few weeks ago.

Covid fact Despite the 30-year global drive to eliminate polio  involving international vaccination  the disease still remains in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Advertisement

But risk expert James Ward said this alone was 'enough to flatten the third wave'. He has calculated that based on the Government's plans, we could be looking at 12,500 hospitalisations a week, peaking in late October.

By comparison, there were roughly 30,000 Covid hospitalisations a week at the peak of the second wave in January. The NHS could easily cope and, despite mask-wearing and social distancing still being observed, society could be almost normal.

So that's the 'good' news. But for those who back Zero Covid, this is simply a policy of tolerable deaths, which they say is not just ethically wrong but avoidable.

Both side, doubtless, know there are problems that cannot be ignored. First, enough people need to take the vaccines for them to do their job. And no vaccination programme is perfect. By the time hair salons, gyms and pubs open up again  scheduled for the middle of April  the vast majority of adults under 50 will still not have had a jab.

About 20 per cent of the population are under the age of 18, and the vaccine is not licensed for use in children. While they are not likely to get ill with the virus, teens, in particular, can spread Covid. And the vaccines will not prevent illness in about ten to 15 per cent of people.

A further proportion  estimated to be a further 20 per cent at present  may refuse the jab.

Vaccine uptake among black, Asian and other ethnic minorities is strikingly low.

In some deprived, diverse parts of Birmingham, just 60 per cent are having the jab, compared with well over 90 per cent in more affluent, white areas. It's a similar picture in London and in places where the take-up of childhood vaccinations such as measles and chicken pox are generally low, such as parts of the South West.

Devi Sridhar, left, and Mark Woolhouse, right, are both professors at the University of Edinburgh but have differing views

The reasons are complex and the Government and health services appear to be throwing everything at improving take-up. But it raises the prospect of local flare-ups which could spread as restrictions ease.

This, say experts, happened last summer. Pockets of infection remained in parts of Manchester when national restrictions were lifted, which seeded the second wave in the North.

Of course, along with the vaccine, about 15 per cent of the population have some immunity from previous infection, according to the latest studies. But as the Government's scientific advisers and others have warned, even this  on top of vaccination  is not enough to meet the 'herd immunity threshold'.

Covid fact There are 14 nations yet to report a single Covid case  although most are isolated islands in the Pacific and Atlantic, such as Niue near New Zealand. Advertisement

Herd immunity is achieved when enough people are immune to an infection so it can no longer spread.

Scientists believe that given the highly transmissible Kent variant in circulation today, 70 per cent of the population may need to be immune for this to happen. So the numbers do not quite add up. This is one of the reasons scientists advocate driving cases down to far lower levels before opening up.

Prof Sridhar has claimed this is not as impossible as it may seem because it has already happened. She says Scotland was close to Zero Covid in the summer, only for the virus to surge back via tourists coming home from Spain.

As with everything in this debate, that has been disputed.

On Thursday, her colleague Professor Mark Woolhouse told a Scottish government select committee: 'Scotland was not close to elimination at any stage during this epidemic.'

The epidemiologist, who also advises the UK Government, continued: 'There appears to be no route to get to where New Zealand is now. We missed our chance to be like New Zealand back in February.'

He added: 'If you're going for elimination you have to be locked down for a very, very long time given where we started.'

Speaking on The Mail on Sunday's Medical Minefield podcast last week, Prof Sridhar outlined a critical middle ground between Zero Covid and the Government's plans. She said she believed the current roadmap may be enough to avoid a Covid resurgence as long as there is a 'trade-off': restricting international tourist travel this summer to keep cases low. It's what Zero Covid countries such as Australia have done so successfully.

'People hate to hear this, especially as they're booking their holiday,' she said, 'but if we keep our borders open, we could be exposed to other variants.'

The vaccines, she warned, may be less effective against these. 'Vaccines can be adapted, but it takes time and it may not be fast enough to stop the virus spreading and our hospitals being overwhelmed. And that's what we want to avoid.'

Britons took advantage of the good weather in Hackney Wick, east London yesterday, despite lockdown rules urging people to stay at home

Tourism restrictions wouldn't be for ever, she added. 'It's just while we wait for other countries to catch up to our levels of vaccination and suppression.'

A continual, low level of infection could also lead to a home-grown variant. Scientists believe that for every 10,000 infections in the community there is a mutation.

A high infection rate, therefore, means more variants will emerge, so it's no surprise they have emerged from places such as the UK, Brazil and South Africa  all countries that have recorded the highest numbers of cases.

There is, however, another glimmer of hope  there might not be a rise in infections over the summer at all, because the virus might be more seasonal than it was initially believed.

There is some evidence that it transmits more easily in the winter. This may be because we spend more time indoors, close to other people, when the weather is cooler and vice versa in the summer. Fresh air is known to help disperse the virus.

And, of course, a quiet summer would give us a golden opportunity to keep a lid on the spread of infections by testing and isolating cases that pop up, along with their close contacts. This is considered vital if we are to enjoy our freedoms again without the threat of further lockdowns.

Rather than eliminating the virus completely, more moderate experts believe we should pursue a policy of 'low tolerance' to new infections.

This doesn't mean there will be no cases. But when they do happen they are identified quickly, individuals are isolated and their contacts traced, tested and quarantined. Such a strategy is possible only when case numbers are low.

At the moment, Test and Trace reports it is doing well, reaching 90 per cent of close contacts.

But international guidance also recommends contacts are tested and isolated. Ireland, where death rates are half of what they are here, contacts are isolated and tested twice. Other countries, such as the US, Germany, Portugal and Sweden also pay workers who are forced to quarantine a significant proportion of their salary, while the UK recently rejected a proposal to pay 500 to every person made to self-isolate.

It means that many Britons who should isolate, particular those in deprived areas, don't.

Addressing these shortfalls would help keep Covid cases so low that the virus could be treated like measles rather than flu, according to Prof Sridhar.

She says we could then go after clusters of infected people aggressively where they pop up, while vaccinating against it.

'We don't want to be next winter where we were last winter  in lockdown with many people dying,' she said. 'When you try to gamble and say, 'Well, let's take an R [reproduction] rate of just above one, we'll just stay within healthcare capacity', in the end you go over it and then we're back in exponential growth and in a press conference with the Prime Minister saying the NHS is going to be overwhelmed  stay at home. And I think that would be devastating.'

It is vital to point out that the Government has not committed to following the roadmap in its precise form. Every five weeks, when a set of restrictions is eased, its scientific advisers will assess the data to see the effect on infection rates before giving the green light to the next stage.

June 21 is the earliest that a full lifting of lockdown could happen  but it's not a date set in stone.

So, as painful as it may be, there could well be restrictions for longer than we believe.

This has been welcomed by scientists on both side of the Zero Covid debate. Because, thanks to a cautious approach and the vaccines, Covid will soon be far less of a threat  a virus that lingers at a low level in the background, as health chiefs promised last week.

And then, finally, perhaps we can all get on with our lives.
Last year the City of Winnipeg hired the consulting firm MNP to conduct what was labelled a governance review of the structures and processes of city decision-making, including comparisons to leading practices in other Canadian cities. An interim report from the consultants was released in October, and the city is now staging virtual meetings on possible reforms.

Opinion

Last year the City of Winnipeg hired the consulting firm MNP to conduct what was labelled a "governance review" of the structures and processes of city decision-making, including comparisons to leading practices in other Canadian cities. An interim report from the consultants was released in October, and the city is now staging virtual meetings on possible reforms.

The term "governance" is a popular buzzword used by management consultants to describe the formal structures and processes that promote the efficiency of corporations and, with increasing frequency, public institutions. Debating governance of the City of Winnipeg only in terms of structures and processes is too narrow.

In my discipline, the term governance is used more broadly to describe not only the formal authority, structures and processes of government, but also the informal web of external connections and interactions that constrain and shape, to some not easily measured extent, the policies and administrative actions of governments.

This broader view is concerned with efficiency, but more importantly with political representation in decision-making and public support for policies and administrative actions.

This broader perspective recognizes that the city is an increasingly important but relatively weak policy actor compared to the provincial and federal governments. As a consequence, streamlining managerial reforms will improve only marginally the capacity of the city to address major policy issues such as poverty, affordable housing, sprawl, climate change and matters related to taxing and spending.

The city operates under fundamental constraints. Legally, it is a creature of the provincial government. It relies mainly on property taxes to finance its operations. To undertake any major policy initiatives, it must approach senior levels of government to obtain support, which usually means money.

The mayor and other city officials must also manage a web of external political relationships with a wide range of outside actors, including the business community, the capital regional municipalities, several public-sector unions and numerous civil-society groups. To work effectively in this interconnected world requires strong, facilitative leadership.

There are many parts to the interim review report; the focus here will be on the political relationships between city council, executive policy committee (EPC) and the mayor. How these entities interact reflects both the laws that assign authority and the dynamic forces of politics on multiple levels. Over the past several decades, there has been a shift in thinking about the preferred model for these relationships.

Back in the 1980s, the main problem was seen to be the diffusion of authority on council, parochial behaviour by councillors and a lack of attention to and accountability for citywide problems. The response was to create a set of institutional relationships that are labelled the "strong mayor" model. That model granted the mayor several prerogatives, most significantly the authority to appoint councillors to EPC.

The goal was to create an identifiable, cohesive and accountable executive, headed by the mayor, who is the only member of council elected on a citywide basis.

Fast forward four decades, and critics  such as Couns. Kevin Klein and Janice Lukes  complain about the concentration of excessive power in the mayors office supported by a compliant EPC. Centralization of power, it is alleged, means that the non-EPC councillors are denied policy influence and are frustrated in representing their wards.

Many structural and procedural changes to disperse power are possible, but the most drastic would be the elimination of EPC so the mayor would no longer have a majority of councillors beholden to him for their place in the inner circle. This would require an amendment to the City of Winnipeg Charter, which the province controls.

Complaints about one-person rule at city hall are an exaggeration. The mayor is undoubtedly the most influential member of council; however, because he does not lead a disciplined political party, there are no automatic majorities for his legislative and spending proposals. Also, councillors represent diverse local communities, including "have" and "have less" parts of the city, so there are bound to be divisions even within EPC.

In my view, the city needs a strong core executive, led by a mayor who performs the roles of lawmaker, chief political executive, ceremonial head of city government and, perhaps most importantly, a skilled negotiator and collaborator in the joined-up world described above. A council in which power was widely dispersed would weaken the city in other arenas, reduce the coherence and consistency of its policies and result in blurred accountability for results.

The review might clarify roles and responsibilities. It might improve the EPC appointment process, for example by having full-council votes to confirm members. Procedural reforms could be considered to improve the flow of information so that councillors receive reports in a timelier manner.

None of this, however, would change the subordinate constitutional and financial status of the city. As for civic democracy, managerial reforms are not the answer to political problems that arise from social and political inequality.

Paul G. Thomas is professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba. He served as a member of the City of Winnipeg Act Review Committee (1986) and chaired the Capital Region Planning Committee (2003).
President Joe Biden during his inauguration at the US Capitol, January 20, 2021. Patrick Semansky/Pool via AP

President Joe Biden enters office amid simmering tensions with US foes all over the world.

The costs of pursuing US global preeminence have been made clear, and it's time for US leaders to take a different path.

Frank Giustra is co-chair of the International Crisis Group. Andrew Bacevich is president and cofounder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.

Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.

If the escalating tensions between the United States and China aren't causing you concern yet, you've not been paying attention.

Any conflict between the two superpowers would result in unimaginable devastation - if not physical, at least economic. And don't forget: both China and the United States possess nuclear arsenals.

There's a lot going on right now in our Covid-besieged world. But war remains an omnipresent danger. Antagonism between the United States and China is only one source of concern. The broken relationship between the US and Iran is another.

A year ago our two countries came dangerously close to full-scale war. After Tehran-backed forces launched several missiles at a military base in Iraq housing US troops, Washington retaliated by assassinating Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani near the Baghdad airport. Iran responded by firing missiles at Iraqi air bases housing US forces.

Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed, and both sides walked back from the brink. But tensions between the US and Iran remain high. Next time, we might not be so lucky.

Biden, then Vice President, talks to soldiers at Camp Victory, on the outskirts of Baghdad, July 4, 2009. REUTERS/Khalid Mohammed

The bad blood between Tehran and Washington derives from many sources. Yet one proximate cause stems from the Trump administration's unilateral decision to exit the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the so-called Iran nuclear deal, as a part of a crude "maximum pressure" campaign.

That campaign failed abysmally, and in a hopeful sign, the Biden administration has now signalled its interest in rejoining the JCPOA. The journey from aspiration to achievement is likely to be arduous. But the effort is a necessary one.

Story continues

Sadly, the Trump administration's reliance on coercion in dealing with Tehran falls within a tradition of American statecraft which long predates Trump himself. Since World War II and especially since the end of the Cold War, a succession of administrations, Democratic and Republican alike, have opted for force, overt and covert, direct or through proxies, to shore up US global preeminence.

Trump revived the incendiary slogan "America First." But keeping American first, by whatever means necessary, defines the through line of US policy going back several decades. Taking stock of that approach and measuring its costs have become an urgent priority.

In a famous speech, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, son of a president and destined himself to occupy the White House, warned Americans against the temptation to go "abroad in search of monsters to destroy."

To indulge in this temptation, Adams believed, was to risk involving the United States "beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom."

Sailors watch the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis sail alongside the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in the Pacific Ocean, May 5, 2015. US Navy

This aptly describes the situation in which the United States finds itself today, mired in senseless "forever wars," maintaining over 800 foreign bases, seeking to contain the rise of China by military intimidation, and expending roughly a trillion dollars a year for what is loosely termed national security, even as hundreds of thousands of Americans are felled by disease. There is something radically amiss with the reigning ideas of security.

It is time for a change. America needs policies that emphasize diplomacy, promote peaceful coexistence, and regard military intervention as truly the option of last resort. Interestingly, American public opinion has been moving in the direction of non-intervention. Which raises the question, why haven't we seen the public's will make its way to the decision makers in Washington?

President Dwight Eisenhower once warned against the dangers of the "Military Industrial Complex." Simply put, the defense industry is big business. It makes a lot of money and creates some jobs, which, in turn, buys lobbying power.

The defense industry is not the only one exerting influence on Washington. There are also many foreign powers that support the status quo because it benefits their own political interests in their respective regions. Both groups have vast resources to spread around and gain influence. Too often, the results are unnecessary conflicts or tensions with countries - from Cuba to Libya to Iraq to Iran - that don't pose a significant threat to the American people.

Institutions such as the two that we are privileged to lead offer an alternative conception of America's role in the world, emphasizing military restraint and diplomatic engagement. Might the moment to try such an approach now be at hand?

Frank Giustra is co-chair of the International Crisis Group. Andrew Bacevich is president and cofounder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Lafayette College announced the investigation is continuing into a violent crime reported in the early morning hours Monday inside a college-owned home.

A male intruder entered the home in the 400 block of McCartney Street on Eastons College Hill at about 3:50 a.m., taking advantage of an unlocked door, campus authorities said earlier this week. The victim awoke as the man approached with a knife, and suffered minor scratches before the intruder fled with a cellphone.

During an Easton City Council meeting Wednesday night, Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said the city would like to get a website up and running with more information on campus alerts like the one issued early Monday in response to the break-in, which instructed nearby residents to shelter in place.

In an update Thursday, the Lafayette College Department of Public Safety said the search was continuing for the perpetrator wanted on crimes including robbery, burglary, prohibited offensive weapon, trespassing and terroristic threats.

We continue to conduct interviews, examine and process evidence left at the residence, review on- and off-campus CCTV, and pursue all investigative leads in collaboration with local law enforcement to identify and locate the suspect involved with this incident, campus authorities say in the update. This was a serious and alarming incident, and there is a heightened sense of anxiety in the community.

To that end, we added extra patrols of the neighborhood and will continue to monitor the areas on and immediately surrounding the campus.

The robber, who walked away, was described as having a medium build and wearing a T-shirt and shorts, campus authorities previously said.

Investigators ask anyone with information or video pertaining to this investigation to contact Detective Sergeant Keith OHay at ohayk@lafayette.edu or 610-330-5330.

Safety tips

Lafayette College offered the following personal safety practices that should be routinely followed by those in its campus community:

Secure all windows and doors.

Always be aware of your surroundings.

Know the locations of blue light emergency phones in case you need to use one.

At night, walk with a known companion, whenever possible.

Avoid walking in secluded or dimly lit areas.

If you believe you are being followed, cross the street or change directions. Attempt to get a good description of the person and call Public Safety (610-330-4444), if near campus, or 911 if off campus.

If youre still being followed, go to the nearest house or business and call Public Safety (610-330-4444), if near campus, or 911 if off campus.

Carry your cell phone to summon help and avoid talking on your phone if you are walking alone late at night.

While walking, do not wear headphones/earphones.

Utilize walking escort by Public Safety officers by calling 610-330-5330.

Editors note: This article has been updated. Lafayette College says the intruder did not use the victims name and that she is cooperating with investigators.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
WASHINGTON - For many accused of trying to block Congress from confirming the winner of the presidential election on Jan. 6, arrest was a reality check. Now they are getting another.

As defendants charged in the Capitol siege have been coming through court, some have been shifting blame onto former President Donald Trump, downplaying their actions or expressing remorse. But federal judges, particularly those who work a few blocks from the Capitol, aren't buying it.

One judge called a defendant's claim of civil disobedience "detached from reality." Another verbally smacked down an attorney who tried to use QAnon - the sprawling set of false claims that have coalesced into an extremist ideology - to explain his client shouting "Kill them all!" Other judges have been giving defendants civics lessons on how democracy works.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, chief federal jurist for the District of Columbia, responded incredulously to one defense attorney who said his client believed Trump requested his unlawful conduct. She said if a president could authorize overturning an election he would be no different from "a king or a dictator," and "that is not how we operate here."

When the attorney added that the man, the accused leader of a Proud Boys group, had been "chastened rather than emboldened" by the federal charges and that his anti-government "fever has broken," Howell clapped back.

"Essentially, that's what your argument is, saying, 'Whoops,' now?" Howell asked. "Has he expressed any remorse or rejection of his membership in the Proud Boys, a gang of nationalist individuals? Does he reject the fantasy the election was stolen? Does he regret the positions that animated the mob on January sixth? Is there anything on the record about any of those things?"

"Whoops" is, essentially, what many of the accused are now saying.

Through attorneys, at least six of the relatively small number of defendants arguing for release from jail pending trial have claimed that their disillusionment with Trump should be considered as a factor. Some, such as the horn-wearing "QAnon Shaman" Jacob Chansley, have cast themselves as both victims and perpetrators.

"Please be patient with me and other peaceful people who, like me, are having a very difficult time piecing together all that happened to us, around us, and by us," Chansley said in a public statement. "We are good people who care deeply about our country."

Chansley, after failing to get a pardon from the president, offered to testify against him in Trump's impeachment trial.

Some tie their delusions to involvement with militant right-wing groups and the consumption of far-right news, both of which amplified baseless claims that the election was illegitimate and that Trump would retake power by force.

Jessica Watkins, 38, a member of the Oath Keepers extremist group from Woodstock, Ohio, intended "not  to overthrow the government, but to support what she believed to be the lawful government," public defender Michelle Peterson of D.C. argued in court filings. "She fell prey to the false and inflammatory claims of the former president, his supporters, and the right wing media."

Watkins echoed that claim Friday afternoon in court, saying she was "humbled" and "humiliated" after Jan. 6 and was now "appalled  by my fellow Oath Keepers." She said she has disbanded her own militia and wants to focus on her struggling bar: "I did it out of love for my country, but its time to let all of that go."

U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta said it was "really hard reconciling" the Watkins described by the defense with the one who, according to prosecutors, discussed fighting and dying to keep Trump in power. He said he was particularly disturbed by evidence that she and others had a "quick reaction force" waiting with weapons on Jan. 6.

"Why somebody who was there for a political rally would be talking to others about rapid incursion forces doesn't make a whole lot of sense," the judge said. "This isn't someone who is simply expressing dissent" but "someone who is involved in the planning and organizing of  an incursion of our national Capitol that was a real threat to the fabric of our democracy."

Dominic Pezzola, a New Yorker, says he got fall with the Proud Boys - a far-right group with a history of violence - and had "honorable intentions" when he used a police riot shield to break a window at the Capitol, his attorney wrote last week, saying he believed he was "protecting his country." Pezzola "now realizes he was duped into these mistaken beliefs" and "is consumed with guilt."

Prosecutors say Pezzola was among the first people to charge through barricades onto the Capitol grounds, reaching the building's walls and flooding its west plaza. Once there, they said, he confronted police and grabbed a riot shield, becoming the first to breach a window through which rioters could enter.

A judge has yet to rule on Pezzola's bid for release. But Howell rejected an argument by attorneys for accused Kansas City Proud Boy William Chrestman that his conduct at the Capitol was authorized by the president.

Prosecutors obtained a fresh indictment Friday alleging Chrestman led a group of four Kansas City Proud Boys who traveled to Washington and stayed together at a short-term rental property near Washington. The indictment said they coordinated with additional Proud Boys and others "known and unknown" in a wider conspiracy to forcibly enter the Capitol to obstruct Congress, wielding weapons, assaulting police and destroying property.

"President Trump  for four years bragged that if he murdered someone on Fifth Avenue, his followers would still follow him," Howell said. "So if President Trump instructed members of the Proud Boys gang to murder somebody, and they did, that would be a legal excuse and immunize them from any liability for a criminal act?"

For the bulk of the more than 300 accused rioters charged federally, prosecutors have not sought detention. Many are accused only of misdemeanor trespassing, have no criminal record, and have shown work, family and community ties or public or military service. Judges have also pushed back at jailing individuals whose crimes do not involve violence. Many have been spared jail unless they have been alleged to be "one of the individuals who banged down doors, sprayed pepper spray or bear spray at law enforcement officers, injured law enforcement officers, poked out eyes of police in the building," as one judge recited in releasing a commissioner of a county in New Mexico pending trial.

But in detaining about 54 individuals on grounds that they pose a risk of flight, pose a danger to the community or are charged with certain violent offenses, and weighing requests to modify release conditions, courts have given urgent civics lessons, educating defendants and the public on the real-life functioning of American democracy.

"American democracy didn't always exist," U.S. Magistrate Philip Lammens began a detention order for an alleged Florida Oath Keepers leader, Kelly Meggs. "It started with a Declaration of Independence and a Revolutionary War, followed by the Articles of Confederation. That original founding document contained one branch of government - a Congress. It proved insufficient."

After a rebellion, founders agreed on a stronger government with three branches, an electoral college and certification of winners by both houses of Congress and the vice president, Lammens wrote. What happened on Jan. 6 "wasn't just one on an entire branch of our government (including a member of the executive branch), but it was an attack on the very foundation of our democracy."

Meggs attorney David Wilson declined to comment.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols agreed that Gina Bisignano, accused of inciting other rioters to violence, could be safely released on "strict conditions." But he pushed back when defense attorney Charles Peruto argued that the Beverly Hills, Calif., salon owner was engaging in "free speech," got "swept up in the moment" and "drank the Trump kool aid" when she shouted encouragement to rioters through a bullhorn on Jan. 6.

"She was an active person in a riot that aimed to prevent by violent means a normally quiet but critical step in the peaceful transition of power," said Nichols, a Trump appointee and the newest member of the D.C. court. "Her actions fly in the face of common decency and fly in the face of democracy and the rule of law."

Howell, as chief judge, has reviewed a particularly large number of Capitol cases, including appeals of detention rulings by lower courts nationwide, as well as her own assigned defendants.

A former longtime top Senate Judiciary Committee staffer whose courthouse office looks onto friends and former colleagues at the Capitol, three blocks away, Howell has noted how Jan. 6 has turned parts of the capital city into a militarized fortress surrounded by razor-topped fencing and roadblocks, off limits to city residents and visitors.

In the QAnon case, Howell rejected an attorney's explanation that when his client shouted "Kill them all!" in the Capitol - referring to lawmakers - he did not mean he would do so personally, but that he believed lawmakers would be executed by proper authorities in a Judgment Day apocalypse.

"QAnon believers will confront facts and reality in court," she said. "What happened January sixth is no fantasy for people inside the Capitol or for people in the country. The defendant is entitled to his beliefs. He can believe the QAnon theory. He can believe the Earth is flat. He can believe what he wants, but he is not entitled to break the law."

One of Howell's predecessors as chief judge, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, similarly told attorneys for a pair of defendants that characterizing their behavior "as mere trespassing or civil disobedience is both unpersuasive and detached from reality."

Lamberth, a former Army captain and prosecutor appointed to the federal bench in 1987, ordered detention for Lisa Eisenhart and Eric Munchel, a mother and son who prosecutors say entered the Capitol in tactical gear and armed with a stun gun, searching for "traitors."

Defense attorneys for Munchel and Eisenhart argued that Trump "invited" all Americans into the Capitol. Lamberth rejected that argument.

"By word and deed, [Eisenhart and Munchel] supported the violent overthrow of the United States government" and pose "a clear danger to our republic," Lamberth wrote. "Indeed, few offenses are more threatening to our way of life."
A MAN has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman as she walked past him in Dublin city centre.

Nicolae Cristea (29) is alleged to have leaned over and squeezed the womans breast as they passed each other on the pavement in an incident last summer.

The case against him was adjourned when he appeared before Dublin District Court.

Mr Cristea, with an address at Mountjoy Square in central Dublin, is charged with sexual assault.

The offence is said to have happened on a street in the north city centre last June 5.

Read More

A garda sergeant told Judge Bryan Smyth that the Director of Public Prosecutions was consenting to the case being dealt with summarily at district court level, subject to the judge considering the issue of jurisdiction.

The court heard it would be alleged that the woman was passing the accused when he leaned over toward her and squeezed her right breast with his hand.

The judge accepted jurisdiction in the district court instead of sending it forward to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, which has tougher potential sentencing powers on conviction.

Judge Smyth said the accused also has a right of election, meaning he could still choose to be tried by a judge and jury in the circuit court.

Defence solicitor Stephen OMahony sought an adjournment to take instructions from the accused, who has not yet entered a plea to the charge.

The judge ordered prosecution statements to be furnished to the defence and the court heard there was no CCTV evidence.

Free legal aid was granted after Mr OMahony made an application on behalf of his client and said Mr Cristea was out of work and in receipt of the Covid-19 payment.

The accused was not required to address the court during the brief hearing and was remanded on continuing bail to a date next month.


GENEVA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- After the enactment of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Hong Kong's law and order is restored, and residents can resume their normal daily lives, a senior HK official told a UN rights body Wednesday.

Teresa Cheng, deputy head of the Chinese delegation and secretary for justice of the HKSAR government, said at the 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council that Hong Kong has now reverted to a safe, rational, inclusive and vibrant society.

"In the second half of 2019, due to the civil unrest properties and facilities had been damaged, citizens arbitrarily attacked, the functioning of the legislature and government seriously disrupted, and many citizens and police officers were injured," she said.

She explained that to suppress those violent, subversive and terrorist activities which posed a serious threat to the national security, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China adopted the national security law in June 2020.

"Like the national security laws of many countries, it makes secession, subversion, terrorist activity, and collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security a crime. The civil unrest has since subsided and the residents can enjoy their lawful rights and freedoms," she said.

The official told the UN rights body that Hong Kong people are now free to travel without fearing for their personal safety; vigilantism is no longer prevalent and people are free to express different views openly; and people are more respectful of the rights of others whilst exercising their own.

She stressed that the national security law expressly provides that human rights, such as freedom of speech and assembly, be protected, and legal principles such as presumption of innocence be respected and observed.

The law enforcement agencies and courts of HKSAR have been entrusted by China's central authorities to exercise jurisdiction over cases concerning national security offences. When adjudicating cases, the judges in Hong Kong remain independent and impartial in discharging their judicial duties, free from any interference, she said.

According to the official, the national security law has been effective in restoring law and order and safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, which has provided the necessary conditions for maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, and enables Hong Kong residents to enjoy their rights and freedoms in a safe and peaceful environment.

"The measures are conducive to the rule of law, the protection of human rights, and the successful implementation of the 'one country, two systems' policy. This is in the long-term interests of both the country and the two systems," she said.
Denton, TX (76205)

Today

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.

Police in Myanmar launched their most sweeping crackdown in three weeks of protests against military rule on Saturday, in towns and cities across the country, with media reports of a woman shot dead and dozens of people detained.

The violence came after Myanmars UN envoy urged the United Nations to use any means necessary to respond to the February 1 coup.

Buddhist nuns display images of deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a street march in Mandalay. Credit:

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army seized power and detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and much of her party leadership, alleging fraud in a November election her party won in a landslide.

Uncertainty has grown over Suu Kyis whereabouts, as the independent Myanmar Now website on Friday quoted officials of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party as saying she had been moved this week from house arrest to an undisclosed location.

The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
An Israeli cargo ship has been struck by an unexplained explosion while sailing in the Gulf of Oman.

The crew were uninjured but the stricken vessel, believed to be MV Helios Ray  a Bahaman-flagged roll-on, roll-off vehicle carrier  was forced to turn back towards a port.

Satellite-tracking data from website MarineTraffic.com said the Helios Ray departed the Saudi port of Dammam on Wednesday.

It showed the vessel close to entering the Arabian Sea at around 10am local time (6am GMT) on Friday, before it suddenly turned around and began heading in the direction of the Strait of Hormuz.

By 4pm GMT, the ship was shown still in the Gulf of Oman and had not reached a port or the strait. Singapore was still listed as the destination on its tracker. The ship had been due there on 5 March.

Recommended Iran holds missile drill in Gulf of Oman amid tensions

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy and provides information on maritime incidents, said a MV [motor vessel] has experienced an explosion and provided the location as the Gulf of Oman.

Investigations are ongoing. Vessel and crew are safe and proceeding to NPOV [Naval Point of Contact], an advisory published on its website on Thursday evening said.

A spokesman for Israels Transportation Ministry said it had no information about an Israeli vessel having been struck in the Gulf.

While the circumstances of the explosion remain unexplained, Dryad Global, a maritime intelligence firm, said it was very possible the blast stemmed from asymmetric activity by Iranian military. Iran did not immediately acknowledge the incident, AP reported.

The Neptune P2P group, a maritime security company, said: There is no indication at this point as to the cause of the explosion, however, the incident took place close to an area where two vessels were attacked in July 2019 with what was believed to be limpet mines. There is nothing at present to suggest that this is the case in this incident.

The ship is understood to be owned by Tel Aviv-based Ray Shipping Ltd. The firms owner, Abraham Ungar, was quoted by Israeli media as saying that the explosion was likely caused by missiles or a mine placed on the bow.

Israeli authorities will investigate this together with me, he is reported to have said. I dont think this deliberately targeted an Israeli-owned ship, that has not happened to me before.

The US Navys Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said it was aware of the incident and was monitoring the situation.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 27 May 2021 A man waits to receive a dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, in the rooms of the Claudia Comte exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Castello di Rivoli near Turin AFP/Getty World news in pictures 26 May 2021 A girl, with her face painted with the colours of the opposition flag, looks on during a demonstration against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and presidential elections, in the opposition-held Idlib, Syria Reuters World news in pictures 25 May 2021 A Buddhist monk climbs atop a giant statue of Buddha, to wash and decorate on the eve of Buddha Purnima, a holiday traditionally celebrated for Buddha's birthday also known as Vesak celebrations, in Bhopal AFP/Getty World news in pictures 24 May 2021 Lava from the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo cuts through Buhene north of Goma, Congo AP World news in pictures 23 May 2021 Cyclists at the start of the 15th stage of the Giro dItalia, a 147km race between Grado and Gorizia AFP/Getty World news in pictures 22 May 2021 Swiss Guards take their position prior to the arrival of the European Commission President at San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican for a private audience with the Pope AFP/Getty World news in pictures 21 May 2021 A dog that has been trained to sniff out the coronavirus disease, screens a sweat sample at Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok, Thailand Reuters World news in pictures 20 May 2021 Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr in action during a F1 practice session at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo Reuters World news in pictures 18 May 2021 Horse-drawn carriages drive through the mudflats near Cuxhaven, northern Germany dpa via AP World news in pictures 17 May 2021 Kanoya Onishi in action during the Cycling BMX Free Style of Tokyo 2020 Olympics test event at Ariake Urban Sports Park in Japan EPA World news in pictures 16 May 2021 Rescuers carry Suzy Eshkuntana, 6, as they pull her from the rubble of a building at the site of Israeli air strikes, in Gaza City Reuters World news in pictures 15 May 2021 A ball of fire erupts from the Jala Tower as it is destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city AFP/Getty World news in pictures 14 May 2021 Muslims offer Eid al-Fitr prayers inside the Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh AP World news in pictures 13 May 2021 Muslim girls ride on a mini train after attending the Eid Al-Fitr prayer that marks the end of the Holy month of Ramadan at Uhuru Park in Nairobi, Kenya AFP/Getty World news in pictures 12 May 2021 Israeli artillery fire as the escalation continues between Israeli army and Hamas at the Gaza Border EPA World news in pictures 11 May 2021 Maya Nakanishi competes in the womens long jump - T64 category during a para-athletics test event for the 2020 Olympics at the National Stadium in Tokyo AFP/Getty World news in pictures 10 May 2021 A Palestinian man helps a wounded fellow protester amid clashes with Israeli security forces at Jerusalems Al-Aqsa mosque compound, ahead of a planned march to commemorate Israels takeover of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War AFP/Getty World news in pictures 9 May 2021 Falconer Giovanna Piccolo performs with her Eurasian eagle-owl at 'Roma World' theme park, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Rome Reuters World news in pictures 8 May 2021 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) is introduced as a starter against the St. Louis Blues at T-Mobile Arena. USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 6 May 2021 Buddhist monks and believers attend a lantern parade in celebration of the upcoming birthday of Buddha at a temple in Seoul, South Korea Reuters World news in pictures 5 May 2021 Russian MiG-29 jet fighters of the Strizhi (Swifts) and Su-30SM jet fighters of the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic teams fly in formation over the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin in Moscow during a flypast rehearsal for the WWII Victory Parade AFP/Getty World news in pictures 4 May 2021 An elevated metro line collapsed in the Mexican capital on Monday, leaving at least 23 people dead and dozens injured as a train came plunging down, authorities said AFP/Getty World news in pictures 3 May 2021 Lightning bolts strike buildings during a thunderstorm in Bangkok AFP/Getty World news in pictures 2 May 2021 Samaritan worshippers arrive to take part in a Passover ceremony on top of Mount Gerizim, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus AFP/Getty World news in pictures 1 May 2021 A Gilet Jaune, or yellow vest, protestor stands in front of a burning barricade holding his hand up with an inscription calling for President Macron to resign as May Day Protest turn violent near Place de la Republique in Paris, France Getty World news in pictures 30 April 2021 A demonstrator from the Rio de Paz human rights activist group digs a symbolic grave in front of rows of bags symbolising bodybags on Copacabana beach, during a protest against the Brazilian governments handling of the coronavirus pandemic, in Rio de Janeiro AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 April 2021 An aerial picture shows dead carp fish flushed to the shores of al-Qaraoun reservoir in Lebanons Western Beqaa District in the countrys east. Tonnes of fish have washed up dead on the shoreline of the highly polluted artificial reservoir in eastern Lebanon in recent days AFP/Getty World news in pictures 28 April 2021 Health workers wearing PPE attends to coronavirus patients inside a banquet hall temporarily converted into a covid care centre in New Delhi AFP/Getty World news in pictures 27 April 2021 The full moon, known as the Super Pink Moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City, Reuters World news in pictures 26 April 2021 Balinese people lay wreaths with names of the crew on board the sunk Indonesian Navy submarine KRI Nanggala during a prayer at the sea near Labuhan Lalang, Bali, Indonesia EPA World news in pictures 25 April 2021 An Ethiopian Orthodox Christian worshipper walks around the Edicule, the place believed to be where Jesus Christ was buried, during Palm Sunday celebrations at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem AFP/Getty World news in pictures 24 April 2021 Fans of Wuhan Three Towns FC cheer for their team during the 1st round match Wuhan Three Towns FC and Beijing Institute of Technology FC during Chinese Football League One in Wuhan, China Getty World news in pictures 23 April 2021 A girl prays in front of the Dome of the Rock, in the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalems Old City, on the second Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, as coronavirus restrictions ease around the country, in Jerusalem Reuters World news in pictures 22 April 2021 People walk through the art work 'THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS' by Yayoi Kusama, during the press preview of a retrospective exhibition of the Japanese artist at the Martin Gropius Bau museum in Berlin, Germany AP World news in pictures 21 April 2021 Hungary's Sara Peter competes in the Women's floor qualifications during European Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the St Jakobshalle, in Basel AFP/Getty World news in pictures 20 April 2021 South Korea university students gets their heads shaved during a protest against Japan's decision to release contaminated water from its Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea, in front of the Japanese embassy, in Seoul Reuters World news in pictures 19 April 2021 A spectator wearing a football jersey of Argentina's forward Lionel Messi attends the ATP Barcelona Open tennis tournament singles match between Japan's Kei Nishikori and Argentina's Guido Pella at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona AFP/Getty World news in pictures 18 April 2021 People raise their fist during a demonstration near the George Floyd Memorial in Minneapolis, Minnesota AFP/Getty World news in pictures 17 April 2021 Security personnel stand guard outside a polling station during the 5th phase of West Bengal's state legislative assembly elections in Kolkata AFP/Getty World news in pictures 16 April 2021 Palestinians take part in the first Friday prayers of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Islam's third holiest site, in Jerusalem's Old City AFP/Getty World news in pictures 15 April 2021 A firefighter inspects the site of a car bomb attack in Sadr City district of Baghdad, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 14 April 2021 This picture shows the 100 days countdown till the start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games displayed on the illuminated Tokyo Skytree in Tokyo on April 14, 2021 AFP/Getty World news in pictures 13 April 2021 This photo taken and received courtesy of an anonymous source shows Buddhist monks gesturing while taking part in a demonstration with protesters against the military coup in Mandalay during the Myanmar New Year festival of Thingyan AFP/Getty World news in pictures 12 April 2021 An Indian holi man during the Kumbh Mela royal bath (Sacred Hindu Pilgrimage) in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India. Thousands of pilgrims are gathering and taking holy dip in Kumbh Mela that is a mass Hindu pilgrimage which occurs after every twelve years and rotates among four locations EPA World news in pictures 11 April 2021 Nasa released images of of sand dunes on Mars captured using infrared reflections NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU World news in pictures 10 April 2021 People watch devotees pulling a chariot in Biska Jatra Festival in Bhaktapur, Nepal AP World news in pictures 9 April 2021 Maintenance workers clean the monument of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in Moscow on April 9, 2021. - Sixty years ago Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person in space, marking it a new chapter in the history of space exploration. AFP/Getty World news in pictures 8 April 2021 Protesters hold a banner and burning red flares during a demonstration of called by unions of healthcare and social workers in support of their sector and to demand a bonus in their pay in Paris AFP/Getty World news in pictures 7 April 2021 Protesters laying on the street near the Election Commission office in Kolkata during a demonstration demanding the halt of the ongoing state legislative election and campaign rallies amidst the rising number of Covid-19 cases AFP/Getty World news in pictures 6 April 2021 Voters stand in queue to cast their votes at a polling booth during third phase of West Bengal state elections in Baruipur, South 24 Pargana district, India AP

The Gulf of Oman saw a series of explosions in 2019 that the US Navy blamed on Iran.

Tensions have risen in the Gulf region since the United States reimposed sanctions on Iran in 2018 after the then-president, Donald Trump, withdrew Washington from Tehrans 2015 nuclear deal.

Washington has blamed Iran for a number of attacks on shipping in strategic Gulf waters, including two Saudi oil tankers in May 2019. Iran distanced itself from those attacks.

In early January, Irans Revolutionary Guards seized a South Korean-flagged tanker in Gulf waters and detained its crew.

Additional reporting by agencies
London: Britains Prince Harry has said he stepped back from his royal duties because the toxic British press had been destroying his mental health, adding he had not walked away from public service.

Last week, Buckingham Palace announced that the Queens grandson and his US wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, had made a final split with the royal family, and would not be returning as working members and would lose their patronages.

Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, sent shockwaves through the monarchy in January 2020 when they announced their intention to step back from royal duties and embark on a new life across the Atlantic.

It was never walking away. It was stepping back rather than stepping down, there was a really difficult environment as I think a lot of people saw, Harry said in an interview with James Corden, host of the Late Late Show in the US.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
A man has died and another is seriously injured after they were gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Melbourne's west.

A number of shots were fired from a moving vehicle outside The All Star Lounge on Westwood Drive at Ravenhall around midnight on Saturday.

At least one gunman is still on the run as homicide detectives investigate the shooting.

A number of shots were fired from a moving vehicle outside a pool hall on Westwood Drive at Ravenhall around midnight

Emergency services found a man at the scene who was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Another man with life-threatening injuries turned up to hospital, and later died.

Detectives and local police set up markers around the scene and bagged a tomahawk that was found outside the venue.

A local told The Herald Sun the pool hall was popular with young people since it opened a year ago.

He added it was normally busy on a Friday and Saturday and that the crowds were generally well-behaved.

The venue is located in an industrial area and is situated near a car hire company and funeral home.

Local real estate agent George Merceica said it was a 'really good area'.

'A lot of clients are very well-off business people,' he said.

'It's bad something like this happens; it puts a smear on everything.

No arrests have been made.
CPS Energys top executive said Friday that the utility may have to slow its shift to clean energy  and maybe build another natural gas-fired power plant  because of the financial blow it took from last weeks deep freeze.

Faster de-carbonization, utilizing technology  those sound great, CEO Paula Gold-Williams said. However, referring to the cost of relying on more green power sources, she added: They were already going to be hard before we had this weather event.

Early last week, temperatures that dipped into the single digits knocked CPS coal and nuclear plants and renewable energy sources out of commission. The utility had to hunt for scarce, suddenly expensive natural gas on the spot market to keep generating electricity.

CPS officials said theyre still calculating the cost. But its likely to be exorbitant.

And ratepayers may have to pay the full bill. If they do, Gold-Williams said, CPS would have little choice but to slow the rollout of the FlexPower Bundle, its planned clean energy initiative. One of the utilitys goals is to shut down CPS coal-fired Spruce generation units ahead of schedule and replace them with renewables.

If CPS customers shoulder the hefty cost of last weeks gas purchases, telling them to get ready for, potentially, rate increases to retire units early, I think, is going to be challenging, Gold-Williams said.

In addition to the Spruce plant, CPS is looking to decommission several aging natural gas plants. To replace the electricity they generate, the FlexPower plan calls for building 900 megawatts of solar power, 50 megawatts of battery storage and 500 megawatts of firming capacity, or power available whenever demand is high.

The utility has been evaluating bidders project proposals since Feb. 1 but hasnt released a cost estimate for the initiative.

CPS has said the 500 megawatts of power could come from new energy storage technologies.

But after last weeks power grid debacle, which left millions of Texans without electricity for long periods, Gold-Williams said CPS five-member board of trustees would be hesitant to make big investments in unproven technologies.

Trustees, she said, are going to ask us are we sure, when we make these decisions, that were also protecting reliability and affordability.

Instead of putting money into experimental energy storage methods or other cutting-edge technologies, the utility may invest in a new natural gas power plant, though a smaller one than its existing gas plants.

Making a smaller investment is much more manageable, even if technology creeps up on you, she said. Thats the problem we have with Spruce: Its got $1 billion in cumulative value and debt.

Greg Harman, a clean energy organizer at the Sierra Club, is concerned about CPS backsliding, rushing to build another fossil fuel plant.

Theres a real temptation to go with a seemingly muscular response and build new plants, Harman said. The city of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is looking at energy storage solutions that will revolutionize things, like compressed air storage. Thats where we need to be.

Since the winter storm cleared out of Texas, Gold-Williams has warned CPS customers that the utility may have to spread the cost of last weeks gas purchases over several years if it cant land federal or state aid to pay the bill.

On ExpressNews.com: CPS Energy: Natural gas behind sky-high costs during last week's winter storm

Before the winter blast, CPS said closing several of its fossil fuel-fired plants early and adopting more renewable power could cost ratepayers as much as an extra $12 on their monthly bills on average over the next 15 years.

CPS trustees are scheduled to hold a special meeting Monday to discuss the fallout from last weeks power crisis.

We will come out of this, Gold-Williams said. But I think its going to be a little bit slower on the resource plan ... until we can answer quite a few questions about what is our path forward on trying to resolve these big financial pressures.

diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net
Chris Churchill / Times Union

Chris Churchill's column, "What will become of Trump state park?" Feb. 7, was an interesting piece. Some 15 years ago, before he was president, Donald Trump donated property to New York state for use as a park in exchange for a $100 million tax write-off. His attorney stipulated that the park be named for Trump, and that his name be displayed at park entrances, and the state complied with that.

However, the actual deed conveying the land to New York state appears not to have included those conditions, and the state Legislature has considered stripping Trump's name from the park. Trump's response to that in 2016 was: "If they want, they can give me the land back".
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.

Highly anticipated: Nvidia has finally begun rolling out Resizable BAR support, beginning with the desktop RTX 3060 and a select few RTX 3000-series equipped laptops. Enabling it can be a bit of a hassle, but its a free upgrade, so it gets a thumbs up.

Resizable BAR is a feature of the PCIe standard that enables a systems CPU to see the entirety of the GPUs memory subsystem, instead of just a small 256 MB portion. Implementing the feature requires low-level support in the CPU, motherboard, and GPU, which is how AMD, who designs all three, was the first to market with a Resizable BAR implementation called SAM (smart access memory).

In our testing, enabling SAM on an RX 6800 could improve a games average frame rate by up to 20%, or harm it by up to 10%. In most titles, though, enabling the feature did almost nothing, which is reflected by the average improvement: just 3%.

Understandably, then, Nvidia is taking a different route. Their drivers will leave the Resizable BAR disabled by default, and only switch it on in titles where Nvidias found that it improves performance. As of writing, thats eight titles:

Assassins Creed Valhalla

Battlefield V

Borderlands 3

Forza Horizon 4

Gears 5

Metro Exodus

Red Dead Redemption 2

Watch Dogs: Legion

In these games, Nvidia says, Resizable BAR can improve performance "from a few percent, up to 10%." In late March, when the rest of the RTX 3000-series receives support for Resizable BAR, more games will be added to the list. Nvidias selective approach is undoubtedly a good idea (if done right) but unfortunately, its an advantage thats negated by the complexity of enabling the Resizable BAR.

In laptops, the situation is okay but not great: some laptops will come with the Resizable BAR enabled, some wont, and theres nothing you can do about it. Nvidia says to "check with each laptop manufacturer to discover if Resizable BAR is supported on a particular model."

Desktop compatibility is a game of 3D chess. Enabling Resizable BAR, or, equally likely, discovering that your system doesnt support it, is a five-step process. First, youll need to check if your CPU is compatible: all AMD 5000-series CPUs are, as are all 10th-gen Intel processors, but only the i5, i7, and i9 series from the upcoming 11th-gen will have compatibility. Simple enough...

Step two: check your motherboards chipset. AMD 500-series chipsets are compatible (if undesirable, at the moment) and the 400-series chipsets are compatible on motherboards that are also compatible with Ryzen 5000-series CPUs. The 500-series chipsets Intels announced as of writing are all compatible, and so are all their 400-series chipsets. Still with me?

Step three is more troublesome: youll need to update your motherboards SBIOS, but you'll just have to hope that an update exists. According to Nvidia, "the following manufacturers are offering SBIOS updates for select motherboards to enable Resizable BAR with GeForce RTX 30 series desktop graphics cards: Asus, Asrock, Colorful, EVGA, Gigabyte, and MSI."

Fourth, youll need to update your GPUs VBIOS, unless youre one of the lucky few with a new RTX 3060. For Founders Edition owners, Nvidia will provide the update themselves, but everyone else will need to download the update from their GPU manufacturers page.

And the home stretch: update your GPU drivers. Afterward, you can check if the Resizable BAR is working correctly in the Nvidia Control Panel, inside the System Information tab.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Lets be honest. Its a lot more pleasant to be hailed by the left than demonized, as you are during periods when youre holding a Democratic president to account, because the left can be just as nasty as the right.

When I went to the Vanity Fair Oscar party with A.G. Sulzberger in 2017, movie stars rushed up to thank him for fighting President Trump. Over and over again, he explained that it was not the mission of The New York Times to be part of the resistance. Rather, he said, the paper would be straight and combat lies with the truth.

As the Trump years went on and the outrages piled up, with the renegade president making it clear that he would not be bound by decency or legality, the left declared it a national emergency and acted as though all journalistic objectivity should be suspended. Some thought that the media should ignore Trumps news conferences and tweets and that the only legitimate interview with Trump was one where you stabbed him in the eye with a salad fork.

Many reporters offered sharp opinions, the kind not seen before in covering a president. The tango between Trump and the media  his most passionate relationship  was as poisonous as it was profitable. For reporters, who hadnt been this chic since Ben Bradlee battled Richard Nixon, fat cable, book and movie contracts flooded in. CNN was on Breaking News for four years straight, thanks to Trumps dark genius at topping himself with outlandish narratives.

Lines were blurred that would inevitably need to snap back when normality was restored.

Some of the new assertiveness was good and should continue. After many years when I had to comb the thesaurus to find a synonym for liar to use about Dick Cheney, The Times finally allowed us to call high-ranking politicians who lied, liars. Thank you, Donald Trump!

But the press, bathed in constant adulation and better remuneration, will have a tough adjustment. A whole generation of journalists was reared in the caldera that was Trumps briefing room.

Some Washington reporters have been worried about this for some time, that the left would work the refs, as one put it, and turn on the media and attack if they dared to report something that could endanger the Republic (a.k.a. hurt a Democrat).
A New Orleans man is accused of opening fire on another man with whom hed been feuding, according to Westwego Police.

Theodore Tardie, 51, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to attempted second-degree murder, stalking, being a convicted felon with a weapon and aggravated criminal damage to property, according to Jefferson Parish court records.

Tardie and his alleged target, a 46-year-old Westwego man, had been having an ongoing disagreement, according to Lt. Eric Orlando, a spokesman for the Westwego Police Department.

Tardie is accused of sending threatening text messages to the man in the days leading to the shooting. On the night of Jan. 8, the victim told police he was outside a residence in the 400 block of Avenue A when he noticed a sport utility vehicle drive by, Orlando said.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The SUV turned around in a neighbors driveway and headed back to pass the residence, again. But this time, the vehicle stopped and Tardie, who was inside it, exchanged words with the victim, according to Orlando.

He then allegedly fired five or six shots at the victim, who dove into the open door of a nearby car to escape the bullets. The man was not hit but did suffer cuts from shattered glass, Orlando said.

Tardie was arrested two days later. He was being held without bond Friday at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna. Tardie has a previous conviction for possession of cocaine in Orleans Parish, court records said.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 11:51:54|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday that more than 150 illegal migrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast.

"Over 150 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya today by the coast guard," the IOM said on Twitter.

Due to the state of insecurity and chaos in the North African nation following the overthrow of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, thousands of illegal migrants, mostly Africans, chose to cross the Mediterranean from Libya towards Europe.

The IOM estimates that 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.

Many illegal migrants who were either rescued at sea or arrested by the authorities end up detained inside overcrowded reception centers in Libya, despite repeated international calls for closing those centers. Enditem
Workplace compensation law firm Gordon Legals senior partner, Peter Gordon, confirmed his firm was acting for Ms Miller. Gordon Legal recently won the Robodebt case that forced the government to pay a total of $1.2 billion in restitution and compensation to 400,000 people. Beyond confirming that we act for Rachelle Miller we have no further comment to make at this stage, Mr Gordon said. It is understood that Ms Miller and her lawyers have decided not to participate in the Finance Departments internal inquiry because of deep concerns about its integrity and lack of independence. A spokesman for Senator Cash said the minister strenuously rejects claims of any adverse treatment of Ms Miller by her, or her office, and strongly disputes Ms Millers version of events. Brittany Higgins says she was raped in Linda Reynolds parliamentary office. Credit:Facebook

At the time of her employment, between late 2017 and mid-2018, the Minister and the office understood Ms Millers personal circumstances which is why support, leave and flexible work arrangements were offered to her. Given the matter is subject to a formal process in the Department of Finance, the Minister will not be commenting further. Mr Tudge did not respond to requests for comment before deadline and nor did the Department of Finance. Ms Miller, a highly respected former staffer who worked for the Coalition for a decade and before that in the corporate sector for 10 years, is working through the details of the case with her lawyers in preparation for the legal action. Ms Higgins rape allegations have rocked the federal government and triggered four separate inquiries, including an independent inquiry into the culture of Parliament. The government is now also grappling with accusations a cabinet minister raped a woman in 1988. The ABC reported on Friday that Labor senator Penny Wong and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young received anonymous letters containing allegations of the rape. They forwarded these claims to police, including a statement from the alleged victim who killed herself in June 2020.

In another blow to the Coalition government on Friday, Liberal MP Nicolle Flint announced she was quitting politics at the next election after just two terms in Parliament. Ms Flint is regarded as a rising star in the party and has been outspoken about the misogyny and abuse she received as a female MP during the 2019 election campaign. Fellow South Australian MP and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham paid tribute to Ms Flint on Saturday and highlighted the attacks from the left, from Get Up! and others, [that] have threatened her and have threatened her office staff during her time in politics. Minister for Finance Simon Birmingham. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Senator Birmingham said it was his understanding that a copy of the letter alleging the historical rape had been sent to the Prime Ministers office and it was speedily transferred to the Australian Federal Police, who can bring appropriate experience, expertise and thoroughness to undertake any investigation that is necessary.

Asked if the unnamed cabinet minister should come forward, Senator Birmingham said that everyone is entitled to natural justice and its important to back the police to do their job. Senator Wong said on Saturday that she first became aware of the complainants allegation when the pair had run into each on the street in Adelaide in November 2019. The complainant alleged that she had been raped many years earlier by a senior member of the government. I said that making a report to the appropriate authorities was the right thing to do. I facilitated her referral to rape support services and confirmed she was being supported in reporting the matter to NSW Police, Senator Wong said. The woman spoke to NSW Police last year but did not make a formal statement and investigators suspended the investigation after she took her own life. Support services: Lifeline 13 11 14; beyondblue 1300 224 636; Domestic Violence Line 1800 65 64 63; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732
Georgian opposition activists, who arrived in Tbilisi from regions on Friday, have set up 11 tents in a small square outside the parliament building and spent a night in them.

"The tents outside the parliament are part of our fight against the regime adversary to the people. It is our legitimate right to express protest. If necessary, we will set up tents in the middle of Rustaveli Avenue as well," Zaal Udumashvili, one of the leaders of the opposition party United National Movement, told journalists.

The police do not yet interfere with opposition activists' activities, but they do not allow them to set up tents on the traffic area of Rustaveli Avenue.

On Friday, leaders and supporters of the opposition held a noisy, but small rally in central Tbilisi. According to various estimates, from 1,000 to 2,000 people took part in it. The protesters demanded that United National Movement Chairman Nikanor Melia be released and that a new parliamentary election be scheduled. The opposition leaders said that the authorities must meet their demands in the next two weeks otherwise protests will grow more radical. Opposition activists plant to picket outside the buildings of the parliament, the State Chancellery, the Interior Ministry, and the city court.

Representatives of the ruling party Georgian Dream, in turn, told journalists that the protestors in Tbilisi are leaders and activists of the opposition parties, but they are not supported by ordinary citizens.

"The radical opposition led by former President Mikheil Saakashvili does not have support among the population today," Giorgi Volski, first deputy parliamentary speaker and one of the Georgian Dream leaders, told the press.

According to Volski, the opposition's events of the last few days were organized by Saakashvili who wants "not just to return to Georgia, but return to rule Georgia."

The ruling party is ready to negotiate with the opposition about stabilization of the political situation, but not about a new election, he said.
The State University of New York at Geneseo reportedly suspended a student for sharing an Instagram post in which the student asserted "a man is a man, a woman is a woman."

According to a Thursday report from The Daily Wire, which was able to obtain a copy of the suspension records, the State University of New York (SUNY) suspended Owen Stevens, an education student, from his access to required teaching programs after he posted several Instagram videos expressing conservative ideologies about biological sex.

"A man is a man, a woman is a woman," Stevens said in one of his videos. "A man is not a woman, and a woman is not a man."

SUNY sent an email to Stevens, saying he is suspended from his field teaching programs after his peers found videos of him posting conservative ideologies on social media.

In an email, the Dean of the School of Education at SUNY wrote to Stevens: "After review of all available materials, I find that, based on your continued public stance and social media presence, you do not consistently demonstrate behaviors required by the Conceptual Framework of the School of Education."

"You continue to maintain, 'I do not recognize the gender that they claim to be if they are not biologically that gender,'" the Dean continued. "This public position is in conflict with the Dignity of All Students Act requiring teachers to maintain a classroom environment protecting the mental and emotional wellbeing of all students."

The reason behind the suspension, according to the university, is that Stevens' videos "call into question" his ability to "maintain a classroom environment protecting the mental and emotional well-being of all of [his] students," The Daily Wire reported.

The university also claims that Steven violated the school's inclusivity doctrine, which requires teachers to foster "a diverse campus community marked by mutual respect for the unique talents and contributions of each individual."

Stevens, according to documents obtained by The Daily Wire, will be required to complete a "remediation plan," which includes deleting his Instagram posts, de-politicizing his social media presence, and attending a school-sanctioned training.

He will remain suspended until he completes the training, which Stevens described as "re-education."

The university also sent an email to all the students and condemned Stevens for the videos, The Blaze wrote.

"Yesterday, I was made aware of a current student's Instagram posts pertaining to transgender people," the university's president wrote. "I want to take this opportunity to publicly restate my deep personal commitment to promoting social justice."

In the same email, the president went on to suggest that the university would take action against Stevens, if possible.

"There are clear legal limitations to what a public university can do in response to the objectionable speech," the email continued. "As a result, there are few tools at our disposal to reduce the pain that such speech may cause."

In response to the issue, Stevens told The Daily Wire that he has "received threats and horrible incidents of students who all feel like they are making the world a better place by becoming the woke thought police."

Stevens also added that he just wants "justice and the right thing to be done."

A spokesperson from SUNY Geneseo told The Daily Wire that the university believes it is not violating the students' freedom of speech.

"Although we cannot comment on any particular student, SUNY Geneseo respects every student's right to freedom of speech and expression," the spokesperson told the outlet.

"By choosing to enter into certain professional fields, students agree to abide by the professional standards of their chosen field. At times, these professional standards dictate that students act and behave in certain ways that may differ from their personal predilections."

SUNY, in the past, promoted left-wing idealogy in its departments despite claiming that political ideologies are not brought inside classrooms.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Saudi Arabias crown prince likely approved an operation to kill or capture a U.S.-based journalist inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, according to a newly declassified U.S. intelligence report released Friday that could escalate pressure on the Biden administration to hold the kingdom accountable for a murder that drew bipartisan and international outrage.

The central conclusion of the report was widely expected given that intelligence officials were said to have reached it soon after the brutal Oct. 2, 2018, murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans authoritarian consolidation of power.

Still, since the finding had not been officially released until now, the public assignment of responsibility amounted to an extraordinary rebuke of the ambitious 35-year-old crown prince and was likely to set the tone for the new administrations relationship with a country President Joe Biden has criticized but which the White House also regards in some contexts as a strategic partner.

FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2015 file photo, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi speaks during a news conference in Manama, Bahrain. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali, File)AP

The report was released one day after a later-than-usual courtesy call from Biden to Saudi King Salman, though a White House summary of the conversation made no mention of the killing and said instead that the men had discussed the countries longstanding partnership. The kingdoms state-run Saudi Press Agency similarly did not mention Khashoggis killing in its report about the call, rather focusing on regional issues such as Iran and the ongoing war in Yemen.

Khashoggi had visited the Saudi consulate in Turkey planning to pick up documents needed for his wedding. Once inside, he died at the hands of more than a dozen Saudi security and intelligence officials and others who had assembled ahead of his arrival..

Surveillance cameras had tracked his route and those of his alleged killers in Istanbul in the hours leading up to his killing.

A Turkish bug planted at the consulate reportedly captured the sound of a forensic saw, operated by a Saudi colonel who was also a forensics expert, dismembering Khashoggis body within an hour of his entering the building. The whereabouts of his remains remain unknown.

The prince said in 2019 he took full responsibility for the killing since it happened on his watch, but denied ordering it. Saudi officials have said Khashoggis killing was the work of rogue Saudi security and intelligence officials. Saudi Arabian courts last year announced they had sentenced eight Saudi nationals to prison in Khashoggis killing. They were not identified.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Phil, a fictional fly, is often misunderstood as a pest. However, he is actually a friendly little guy who loves to take in the sights and go on thrilling adventures. And so Staten Islander Gabriell Lucchese-Hoods new childrens book, Phil Flys First Flight, begins.

A nomad, Phil is off on his next journey to find a temporary home, Lucchese-Hood, a Port Richmond High School alumna, said about her protagonist. Amidst his travel, he stumbles upon a strange place hes never seen before. The accidental discovery he makes changes his life forever in the most amazing way.

With her new book, the graduate of SUNY Purchase and Mariners Harbor resident  where she lives with her husband John and their dog Jedi  has fulfilled her long-time dream of becoming an author.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE ON AMAZON

The past year was a really rough one, so I decided to make the most of quarantine and make my dream a reality, she said.

By profession, Gabriell Lucchese-Hood, M.S., CF-SLP, TSSLD, is a speech-language pathologist and an EFL/ESL tutor, having completed a professional certificate program in Early Childhood Development.

In 2019, she received her masters degree at Adelphi University in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She is the daughter of Maria Scuderi Capasso, formerly of Westerleigh and a New Jersey resident, and Peter Lucchese, of Arden Heights.

INSPIRATION FOR THE BOOK

While I was traveling home from Texas in 2015, I jotted some ideas down in a notebook after spotting a fly on the plane I had boarded, said Lucchese-Hood. The very thought of this fly traveling to another state, much further away, with the same ease as I was experiencing made me laugh. I knew it wasnt an idea I could ignore.

Lucchese-Hood hopes her new book will encourage resiliency in her readers. Sometimes all it takes is stumbling upon something so small and if you let it, your imagination will do the rest, she said.

These days, youll find me opening up my Notes app to draft whatever stories or poems pop in my head. Ive already put together ideas for the second book in the Phil Flys Adventures series, she added.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

The authors brother, Damien Lucchese, a native Staten Islander, worked on the graphic design and print production portion of Phil Flys First Flight. Her husband, John Hood, also a native Staten Islander, currently handles the business side.

Our family has gone through many hardships within the past two and a half years so this project started as an outlet for stress that became a new source of fulfillment and joy, said Lucchese-Hood. Weve lost many loved ones, including three of our grandparents within less than one years time: Staten Islanders Rosa Scuderi, Peter Lucchese and John DEsposito.

Lucchese-Hood is confident they are all looking down and smiling.

I know they would have been so proud, she said. John DEsposito was the only one who was able to see the book as he passed away just two weeks ago and as he was in the hospital over the holidays, he told every nurse he had that his granddaughter wrote a book.

That alone will keep me going.

To order the book, please click here. To check out Phil Fly and his adventures, visit PhilFlyFlies.com.

Gabriell Lucchese-Hood holds her new book, "Phil Fly's First Flight." (Photo by Lisa Porazzo)
Mumbai, Feb 27 : Actor Rahul Roy says he is recovering gradually and doctors are happy with his progress. The 53-year-old actor took to Instagram on Saturday to share a photo of his twin brother Rohit along with a photograph of himself. The actor says it feels good to get back in shape and he can't wait to face the camera! "Miles apart but still twinning with my twin brother Rohit. Today I complete 3 months of being admitted to the hospital, so yesterday during my routine checkup with my doctors @wockhardthosp Mira Road my doctors are happy with my recovery and progress and hearing that my sister @priyankaroy_pia treated me with a healthy Tuna Sandwich filled with veggies (without any artificial sauces). Love getting back into shape and looking good then before. Waiting to get back in front of the camera. Love you all," the actor wrote.

Rahul is also undergoing music therapy as a part of his treatment.

The actor suffered a brain stroke while shooting for the film "LAC: Live The Battle" in Kargil in the last week of November. Soon after his brain stroke attack in Kargil, Rahul was brought to Mumbai and admitted to Nanavati Hospital. He was later shifted to a private hospital in Mira Road, from where he was discharged on January 7.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Hyderabad: The police in Telangana`s Jagtiyal district took a rooster in 'custody' for accidentally killing its owner, the bird will be produced in court.

The incident occurred on February 22 at Lothunur village when the owner Thanugulla Satish (45) brought the rooster for an illegal cockfight. The rooster tried to set itself free from the owners clutches in the attempt a knife which was tied to the bird's leg cut Satish's groin.

An injured Satish was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

In Telangana, cockfight is banned but a group of people were secretly organising it near the Yellamma temple in the village.

After the inquest, police brought the bird to the Gollapalli police station, it was looked after by the police personnel who also arranged food for it.

Gollapalli SHO B. Jeevan told IANS that the bird was neither arrested nor detained. He said the police took the responsibility of protecting the rooster and shifted it to a farm house.

"We will produce the rooster in court and follow the direction of the judge as to what to do next," the SHO told IANS.

Despite a court-imposed ban cockfights are common with some people continuing to oragnise them during the festival. In such cockfights, specially-bred roosters are made to fight against each other with small knives or blades tied to their legs. Some groups organise them illegally too.

(With inputs from IANS)
For Wolfie Sun, choosing which public bathroom to use is an intensely personal matter.

I strongly believe that transwomen are women and should have equal rights to whatever toilet they feel comfortable using, says 24-year-old Sun, who was assigned female at birth, medically transitioned in 2017, and identifies as non-binary.

Wolfie Sun, who identifies as a non-binary trans person, outside the Melbourne GPO. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

Before I medically transitioned, I still used the womens bathroom, because I didnt feel safe using the mens, they say. But you could look at me and tell I wasnt threatening  Im Asian, Im small, I didnt look like a man. Yet I still got dirty looks from other women in the bathroom.

At Melbournes Parliament Station, Sun had security called on them by an old woman for using the womens toilet. At Melbourne Central, another elderly woman told them, no boys are allowed in here. On another occasion, Sun went into the toilet on the heels of a young woman, and her boyfriend was really agitated, he even opened the door to the womens to check she was OK. I mean, I just want to use the toilet and get out.
But that window of time is nothing compared with the 13 billion years that the cluster has existed, Mamon noted, so it would be lucky, to say the least, if astronomers had happened to focus on the cluster at the exact moment that this brief action was taking place. The fact that there is not an intermediate-mass black hole there by now suggests that one may never form. The sinking of the black holes toward the center may cease as the black holes encounter too few stars to exchange energy with, and this would prevent the formation of an IMBH, he said.
James was experiencing severe depression, anxiety and loneliness exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic when he visited the Mental Health Crisis Response Centre on Bannatyne Avenue last fall.

James was experiencing severe depression, anxiety and loneliness exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic when he visited the Mental Health Crisis Response Centre on Bannatyne Avenue last fall.

As part of their response, health-care workers referred the 65-year-old retiree to Peer Connections Manitoba for one-on-one peer support.

Through this program, people experiencing mental illness or addiction issues are paired with a peer support worker with lived experience who listens, answers questions regarding accessing mental-health services and helps the person they are working with navigate the health system.

James (a pseudonym) meets with a peer support worker by phone for one hour every two weeks to discuss how he is doing.

Since joining the program last fall, the meetings have made a marked difference in his outlook.

"Its something to look forward to, which is always positive for me," says James, who lives alone. "Its helping me make some better decisions in my life as a consequence, and I didnt say that before."

Formerly known as the Manitoba Schizophrenia Society, the organization changed its name to Peer Connections Manitoba last fall. The new name reflects the organizations aim to increase the reach and effectiveness of its ongoing mission to advocate for and meet the needs of people with mental illness.

The organization is not abandoning its supports for schizophrenia and related disorders, according to executive director Sean Miller. Rather, the organization is taking a non-illness-specific approach to accommodate the increased mental-health needs of all Manitobans.

"Essentially, our message is that we are here to support you and your family on the journey to improved mental health whether or not you have a diagnosis," he said in a news release earlier this month.

"What matters most to us is creating a meaningful connection to individuals and families through shared experiences, not a classification of symptoms. Our name had to change to fulfil our new vision of mental wellness for all."

Last April, the provincial government announced a three-year, $1.5-million pilot project that sought to expand mental-health services in Manitoba, led by Peer Connections Manitoba.

In response, the organization began developing its Peer 2 Peer Connections services at the Crisis Response Centre and the Dauphin Regional Health Centre.

In addition to one-on-one and family peer support, Peer Connections Manitoba offers support groups and public education related to mental illness.

The organization also operates the Mental Health Resource Education Centre, a lending library that offers reading materials, videos, training kits, newsletters, brochures and fact sheets on mental health and related issues, free of charge.

The goal, Miller tells the Free Press, is to help people live the life they want to live, unhindered from the impact of mental illness and addictions issues.

"We dont want to be giving people goals, we want to hear their goals," he says. "We really want to help people discover that they have the answers and they have the strength already."

"Everyone has strengths and abilities, everyone has dignity and worth, and these peer-to-peer conversations are really about helping people uncover those things in a supportive relationship," he adds.

Helping people with mental illness is personal for Miller, who has experienced it. Between 1996 and 2005, he received four different diagnoses: psychosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression and schizophrenia.

Medical professionals believed that he would be medicated and hospitalized for life, but with the support of his wife, Miller sought treatment. Today, he is symptom-free and does not need to take medication.

"I have a heart and a passion to provide support for people who are living with mental-health issues, and I really believe in the power of peer support," Miller says. "I love nothing more than to see people thrive."

Peer Connections Manitoba is a registered charity that relies, in part, on donor funding. To that end, the organization has been promoting a fundraising and awareness campaign throughout February.

The Big Bangs Selfie Challenge asks participants to post a "COVID hair" selfie, showing off their wild and wacky hair, including bushy beards and grown-out layers, on social media with the hashtag #bigbangschallenge.

Participants are also asked to make a donation to Peer Connections Manitoba and then nominate a friend or family member to do the same.

"Its an opportunity to have some fun, be authentic, to get connected to our organization and to create some awareness around our new name," Miller says. "The money we raise helps us help more individuals in Manitoba."

To participate and/or to make a donation to Peer Connections Manitoba, visit peerconnectionsmb.ca/challenge.

aaron.epp@gmail.com

Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Myanmar's U.N. envoy urged the United Nations to use "any means necessary" to stop a military coup there, making a surprise appeal on behalf of the ousted government as police cracked down on anti-junta protesters.

The Southeast Asian country has been in crisis since the army seized power on Feb. 1 and detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and much of her party leadership, alleging fraud in a November election her party had won.

The coup has brought hundreds of thousands of protesters to Myanmar's streets and drawn condemnation from Western countries, with some imposing limited sanctions.

More protests were planned for Saturday, activists said, and police were out in force in parts of the main city of Yangon.

Myanmar's ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun told the U.N. General Assembly he was speaking on behalf of Suu Kyi's government and appealed to the body "to use any means necessary to take action against the Myanmar military and to provide safety and security for the people".

"We need further strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people ... and to restore the democracy," he told the 193-member U.N. General Assembly, receiving applause as he finished.

Kyaw Moe Tun appeared emotional as he read the statement on behalf of a group of elected politicians that he said represented the legitimate government.

Delivering his final words in Burmese, the career diplomat, raised the three-finger salute of pro-democracy protesters and announced "our cause will prevail".

Reuters was not immediately able to contact the army for comment.

Opponents of the coup hailed Kyaw Moe Tun as a hero and flooded social media with messages of thanks.

"The people will win and the power-obsessed junta will fall," one protest leader, Ei Thinzar Maung, wrote on Facebook.

U.N. special envoy on Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener pushed the United Nations for a collective "clear signal in support of democracy" and told the General Assembly no country should recognise or legitimise the junta.

China's envoy did not criticize the coup and said the situation was Myanmar's "internal affairs", saying it supported diplomacy by Southeast Asian countries which protesters fear could give credibility to the ruling generals.

Singapore said violence against unarmed civilians was inexcusable.

Suu Kyi's whereabouts uncertain

Uncertainty grew over Suu Kyi's whereabouts on Friday, as the independent Myanmar Now website quoted officials of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party as saying she had been moved this week from house arrest to an undisclosed location.

One lawyer acting for her, Khin Maung Zaw, told Reuters he had heard the same from NLD officials but could not confirm it. Authorities did not respond to a request for comment.

The lawyer said he had been given no access to Suu Kyi ahead of her next hearing on Monday, adding: "I'm concerned that there will be a loss of rights to access to justice and access to legal counsel".

Protesters have taken to the streets daily for over three weeks demanding the release of Suu Kyi, 75, and recognition of the result of last year's election.

In Yangon, riot police fired rubber bullets, stun grenades and shots into the air on Friday to send protesters scattering. At least one person was wounded there, a witness said.

Several people were also hurt by police in the second city of Mandalay, media said. Police also broke up protests in Naypyitaw and other towns, witnesses said.

Military chief General Min Aung Hlaing says authorities were using minimal force. Nevertheless, at least three protesters have died. The army says a policeman was also killed.

At least 771 people are under detention or have outstanding charges that have been laid against them since the coup, according to Myanmar's Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Suu Kyi, the daughter of Myanmar's independence hero, spent nearly 15 years under house arrest under previous juntas. She faces charges of illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios and of violating a natural disaster law by breaching coronavirus protocols.

The army has promised an election, but has not given a date. It has imposed a one-year state of emergency.

The question of an election is at the centre of a diplomatic effort by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Myanmar is a member. Indonesia has taken the lead, but coup opponents fear the efforts could legitimise the junta.

ASEAN foreign ministers are planning to hold a meeting on Myanmar soon, regional diplomats said.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
Bengaluru, Feb 27 : Batting for a stronger Lokayukta institution, Karnataka Lokayukta Justice P. Vishwanatha Shetty, on Saturday said that he is hopeful that the state's new dispute resolution policy should not be a step towards further weakening the Lokayukta institution.

Speaking after the launch of Karnataka dispute resolution policy and coffee table book on Karnataka Advocate Generals and their contributions here, Shetty said, "I hope that bringing this new dispute resolution system will not completely abolish the Lokayukta in the state. The duty of Lokayukta is to prevent maladministration in the state." He added that though this new ADR policy if implemented in its letter and spirit will reduce a lot of burden on Lokayukta, but the ADR itself cannot be a replacement to Lokayukta.

"The ADR's primary objective is to reduce maladministration to a large extent," he said.

Shetty's observation assumes significance as Lokayukta was once mainly responsible for bringing down elected governments through its report on illegal mining and in 2011, then Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and his cabinet colleague Gali Janradhan Reddy were arrested in cases related to corruption and mining respectively.

But by the 2015, Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Y. Bhaskar Rao himself got embroiled in a corruption case and subsequently he and his son had to face a trial.

In 2015, Karnataka High Court had also held that the Lokayukta did not have the jurisdiction to supervise criminal investigation under the PC Act through its police wing on the basis of the top court's Rangaswamaiah judgement.

As a result of this, the state government has, therefore, decided to separate the two roles by forming the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on the lines of the Central government, with this the Karnataka Lokayukta became a pale shadow of its former self.

"The entire political class wants the institution to be toothless and voiceless watchdog. They don't want it to be functional, as their misdeeds will come out," Justice Santosh Hegde, the former Lokayukta had reacted after the ACB was formed. It was Hegde's report on illegal mining that pinned corruption charges against Yeddyurappa and resulted in his resignation.
For many accused of trying to block Congress from confirming the winner of the presidential election on 6 January, an arrest was a reality check. Now they are getting another.

As defendants charged in the Capitol siege have been coming through court, some have been shifting blame onto former president Donald Trump, downplaying their actions or expressing remorse. But federal judges, particularly those who work a few blocks from the Capitol, arent buying it.

One judge called a defendants claim of civil disobedience detached from reality. Another verbally smacked down an attorney who tried to use QAnon - the sprawling set of false claims that have coalesced into an extremist ideology - to explain his client shouting Kill them all! Other judges have been giving defendants civics lessons on how democracy works.

US District Judge Beryl Howell, chief federal jurist for the District of Columbia, responded incredulously to one defence attorney who said his client believed Trump requested his unlawful conduct. She said if a president could authorise overturning an election he would be no different from a king or a dictator, and that is not how we operate here.

When the attorney added that the man, the accused leader of a Proud Boys group, had been chastened rather than emboldened by the federal charges and that his anti-government fever has broken, Howell clapped back.

Essentially, thats what your argument is, saying, Whoops, now? Ms Howell asked. Has he expressed any remorse or rejection of his membership in the Proud Boys, a gang of nationalist individuals? Does he reject the fantasy the election was stolen? Does he regret the positions that animated the mob on January sixth? Is there anything on the record about any of those things?

Whoops is, essentially, what many of the accused are now saying.

Through attorneys, at least six of the relatively small number of defendants arguing for release from jail pending trial have claimed that their disillusionment with Trump should be considered as a factor. Some, such as the horn-wearing QAnon Shaman Jacob Chansley, have cast themselves as both victims and perpetrators.

Please be patient with me and other peaceful people who, like me, are having a very difficult time piecing together all that happened to us, around us, and by us, Mr Chansley said in a public statement. We are good people who care deeply about our country.

Mr Chansley, after failing to get a pardon from the president, offered to testify against him in Trumps impeachment trial.

Some tie their delusions to involvement with militant right-wing groups and the consumption of far-right news, both of which amplified baseless claims that the election was illegitimate and that Trump would retake power by force.

Jessica Watkins, 38, a member of the Oath Keepers extremist group from Woodstock, Ohio, intended not  to overthrow the government, but to support what she believed to be the lawful government, public defender Michelle Peterson of D.C. argued in court filings. She fell prey to the false and inflammatory claims of the former president, his supporters, and the right-wing media.

Ms Watkins echoed that claim Friday afternoon in court, saying she was humbled and humiliated after 6 January and was now appalled  by my fellow Oath Keepers. She said she has disbanded her own militia and wants to focus on her struggling bar: I did it out of love for my country, but its time to let all of that go.

US District Court judge Amit Mehta said it was really hard reconciling the Ms Watkins described by the defence with the one who, according to prosecutors, discussed fighting and dying to keep Trump in power. He said he was particularly disturbed by evidence that she and others had a quick reaction force waiting with weapons on 6 January.

Why somebody who was there for a political rally would be talking to others about rapid incursion forces doesnt make a whole lot of sense, the judge said. This isnt someone who is simply expressing dissent but someone who is involved in the planning and organising of  an incursion of our national Capitol that was a real threat to the fabric of our democracy.

Dominic Pezzola, a New Yorker, says he got fall with the Proud Boys - a far-right group with a history of violence - and had honourable intentions when he used a police riot shield to break a window at the Capitol, his attorney wrote last week, saying he believed he was protecting his country. Pezzola now realizes he was duped into these mistaken beliefs and is consumed with guilt.

Prosecutors say Mr Pezzola was among the first people to charge through barricades onto the Capitol grounds, reaching the buildings walls and flooding its west plaza. Once there, they said, he confronted police and grabbed a riot shield, becoming the first to breach a window through which rioters could enter.

A judge has yet to rule on Mr Pezzolas bid for release. But Howell rejected an argument by attorneys for accused Kansas City Proud Boy William Chrestman that his conduct at the Capitol was authorised by the president.

Prosecutors obtained a fresh indictment Friday alleging Mr Chrestman led a group of four Kansas City Proud Boys who travelled to Washington and stayed together at a short-term rental property near Washington. The indictment said they coordinated with additional Proud Boys and others known and unknown in a wider conspiracy to forcibly enter the Capitol to obstruct Congress, wielding weapons, assaulting police and destroying property.

President Trump  for four years bragged that if he murdered someone on Fifth Avenue, his followers would still follow him, Howell said. So if president Trump instructed members of the Proud Boys gang to murder somebody, and they did, that would be a legal excuse and immunise them from any liability for a criminal act?

For the bulk of the more than 300 accused rioters charged federally, prosecutors have not sought detention. Many are accused only of misdemeanour trespassing, have no criminal record, and have shown work, family and community ties or public or military service. Judges have also pushed back at jailing individuals whose crimes do not involve violence. Many have been spared jail unless they have been alleged to be one of the individuals who banged down doors, sprayed pepper spray or bear spray at law enforcement officers, injured law enforcement officers, poked out eyes of police in the building, as one judge recited in releasing a commissioner of a county in New Mexico pending trial.

But in detaining about 54 individuals on grounds that they pose a risk of flight, pose a danger to the community or are charged with certain violent offences, and weighing requests to modify release conditions, courts have given urgent civics lessons, educating defendants and the public on the real-life functioning of American democracy.

American democracy didnt always exist, US magistrate Philip Lammens began a detention order for an alleged Florida Oath Keepers leader, Kelly Meggs. It started with a Declaration of Independence and a Revolutionary War, followed by the Articles of Confederation. That original founding document contained one branch of government - a Congress. It proved insufficient.

After a rebellion, founders agreed on a stronger government with three branches, an electoral college and certification of winners by both houses of Congress and the vice president, Lammens wrote. What happened on 6 January wasnt just one on an entire branch of our government (including a member of the executive branch), but it was an attack on the very foundation of our democracy.

Ms Meggs attorney David Wilson declined to comment.

US District Judge Carl Nichols agreed that Gina Bisignano, accused of inciting other rioters to violence, could be safely released on strict conditions. But he pushed back when defence attorney Charles Peruto argued that the Beverly Hills salon owner was engaging in free speech, got swept up in the moment and drank the Trump kool-aid when she shouted encouragement to rioters through a bullhorn on 6 January.

She was an active person in a riot that aimed to prevent by violent means a normally quiet but critical step in the peaceful transition of power, said Nichols, a Trump appointee and the newest member of the DC court. Her actions fly in the face of common decency and fly in the face of democracy and the rule of law.

Howell, as chief judge, has reviewed a particularly large number of Capitol cases, including appeals of detention rulings by lower courts nationwide, as well as her own assigned defendants.

A former longtime top Senate Judiciary Committee staffer whose courthouse office looks onto friends and former colleagues at the Capitol, three blocks away, Howell has noted how 6 January has turned parts of the capital city into a militarised fortress surrounded by razor-topped fencing and roadblocks, off-limits to city residents and visitors.

In the QAnon case, Howell rejected an attorneys explanation that when his client shouted Kill them all! in the Capitol - referring to lawmakers - he did not mean he would do so personally, but that he believed lawmakers would be executed by proper authorities in a Judgement Day apocalypse.

QAnon believers will confront facts and reality in court, she said. What happened January sixth is no fantasy for people inside the Capitol or for people in the country. The defendant is entitled to his beliefs. He can believe the QAnon theory. He can believe the Earth is flat. He can believe what he wants, but he is not entitled to break the law.

One of Howells predecessors as chief judge, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, similarly told attorneys for a pair of defendants that characterising their behaviour as mere trespassing or civil disobedience is both unpersuasive and detached from reality.

Mr Lamberth, a former Army captain and prosecutor appointed to the federal bench in 1987, ordered detention for Lisa Eisenhart and Eric Munchel, a mother and son who prosecutors say entered the Capitol in tactical gear and armed with a stun gun, searching for traitors.

Defence attorneys for Mr Munchel and Ms Eisenhart argued that Trump invited all Americans into the Capitol. Mr Lamberth rejected that argument.

By word and deed, [Eisenhart and Munchel] supported the violent overthrow of the United States government and pose a clear danger to our republic, Mr Lamberth wrote. Indeed, few offences are more threatening to our way of life.

Washington Post
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
English French

OTTAWA, Feb. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a full-page ad in todays Toronto Star, labour, community and civil society organizations in Canada and elsewhere expressed their support for Indias farmers. This Declaration of Solidarity comes at a time when thousands of farmers in India have been engaged for months in the largest and longest sustained non-violent resistance movement in Indian and possibly world history, surpassing Mahatma Gandhis historic 1930 Dandi March against the abhorrent British colonial Salt Law. The Declaration is part of a growing movement outside India to demonstrate that the world is watching and that we are firmly behind the farmers and their struggle to survive.



The farmers are protesting farm laws that will destroy the livelihoods of the millions employed in agriculture in India while blatantly advancing the interests of Prime Minister Modis corporate cronies. This is a struggle for survival that has brought out farmers and agricultural workers throughout the country, across class and caste lines. For almost four months now, hundreds of thousands have been protesting peacefully in the outdoors, braving the freezing winter and withstanding water cannons, tear gas, and barricades. Over 200 have died. Women from farm families are on the front lines. Even older farmers in their 80s are active participants.

Prime Minister Modi rammed the farm laws through Parliament in September, through dubious process and without debate, relying on a pliant media and pandemic conditions to muffle opposition outside Parliament. This happened without consultation with farmers representatives. When despite continued attempts at repression, the movement only grew stronger, the government launched an all-out effort to vilify and criminalize the farmers, including through arrests. The farmers movement has now also become a movement to defend the democratic rights to free speech, assembly, and peaceful dissent enshrined in the Indian Constitution, in resistance to Modis increasingly authoritarian regime.

In these last months, the world has watched tens of thousands of Indian farmers and farm workers leave their fields for the streets to protest the corporate takeover of their livelihoods, said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. Canadian unions support their fight to repeal laws that will impoverish millions of small farmers and leave more farm workers unemployed.

At this historic moment we stand with Indian farmers in their struggle for survival, for justice, for democracy, for a say in determining and protecting their futures and that of successive generations. The Government of India must repeal the unjust farm laws and meet the farmers demands.

Feroz Mehdi (Francais) 514-982-6606 ext. 2247

Dolores Chew (English) 514-885-5976

PDF is available at : http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/5e8e3422-5a22-4b79-94d0-428d3f578f0e





A relief measure will help families struggling to keep their electric and water bills paid.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities announced Friday that the moratorium on residential gas, electric and water utility shutoffs is extended to July 1, 2021.

The order prohibits investor-owned utility companies from shutting off gas, electric, and water utility service to residential customers for failure to pay a bill.

The moratorium was first announced in March 2020. It was extended most recently through April as the pandemic continued to have a significant financial impact.

The original order prohibited utility companies from sending messages to customers threatening to shut off services for failure to pay an entire or portion of a bill. Now, they can begin communicating with ratepayers regarding bills past due though companies must be clear that residents will not face shutoffs until July 1 or after, and provide information on repayment programs and debt-forgiveness options.

For customers enrolled in a payment plan, utility companies cannot assess late fees or discontinue service.
WASHINGTON  At an emergency response center in Houston on Friday, President Biden praised officials who had slept in stairwells as they worked around the clock to help people with no power or drinkable water because of the devastating storms, low temperatures and breakdown of basic utilities that had paralyzed Texas.

At a food bank, Mr. Biden hugged a little girl who was volunteering, then talked to a woman about the death of his eldest son, once again plugging into the pain of others by accessing his own.

Later, when visiting a stadium converted into a mass-vaccination site that will administer shots into the arms of some 6,000 Texans a day, Mr. Biden offered reassurance that the federal government would be working to provide clean water, blankets, food, fuel and shelter to people struggling to rebuild their lives in the state.

We will be true partners to help you recover, Mr. Biden said. Were in for the long haul.

Infrastructure and coronavirus relief may be on the official agenda in Washington, but the overwhelming nature of grief has been the unofficial theme this week for a White House confronted with a pandemic that has resulted in a catastrophic loss of life and now a disaster in the nations second largest state.

Rep. Ted Budd Attempts to Preserve Trump-Backed 1776 Commission

Former President Donald Trump announced the creation of the 1776 Commission on Sept. 17, 2020, signing an executive order to establish it on Nov. 2, to support what he called patriotic education.

On President Joe Bidens first day in office, he called off the commission.

Now, Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) has introduced legislation to codify the commission into law.

Trump was doing it as a counter to the 1619 Project, which really started two years ago, said Budd during CPAC 2021. [It] was putting slavery at the center of our national narrative. Thats part of our narrative, but its not the whole narrative. So we launched the 1776 Commission to talk about our founding principles, and what led to a nation of laws, and not have a nation of power by men.

Some media outlets and the Biden administration have claimed that the 1776 Commission is racist.

Budd disagreed with those claims, saying that the United States has always been in a march toward freedom.

He mentioned the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation and the later 1868 Civil Rights movement, stating that the medias claims in this regard are part of a narrative to distract people.

Were always on a march towards more freedom. But its regressing now, they call it progressivism, but its truly regressivism, were going backwards, he said.

The congressman said that progressives have an agenda to obtain more power.

The devil always accuses of his own sins. And thats what were seeing right now. From the left, when they say racism, its actually a power grab from them. That leads to more elitism, which is more racism.

The commission was tasked with producing a report on the core principles of the American founding and advising the president and the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission on plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. The order also called for the creation of a Presidential 1776 Award to recognize students knowledge about the founding of America.

Budd explained that the idea behind the 1776 Commission is that all people are endowed with equal value from birth, and that from 1776 onward these principles have been recognized.

This is about power of the government to tell you what you should do, who you should be. And I just think thats completely wrong, he said, referring to the alternate take on American history, the 1619 Project.

Thats why 1776 is so important, he said.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa called on law enforcement authorities to depend on conclusive material evidence while pressing charges against an individual.

It is crucial to look beyond confessions in courts while determining crimes, the minister said.

For this, the ministry has a Criminal Investigation Directorate, forensic labs, capacity building, and latest technologies. The directives came as the Interior minister reflected on the path-breaking changes outlined by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa during a press meet with the editors-in-chief of local newspapers.

The Crown Prince and Prime Minister had called for a comprehensive review of the justice system in the Kingdom based on the open prison approach, amongst other measures. Shaikh Rashid said the directives to develop the reformation and rehabilitation centres, and adopt a programme for open prisons will strengthen the principle of justice in the Kingdom.

The approach, Shaikh Rashid said, stems from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifas reform programme.

On the Open Prison system, the Interior Minister said, The approach would widen the scope of the alternative punishment system.

Bahrain, Shaikh Rashid recalled, was one of the first Arab countries to implement an alternative punishment law to promote the criminal justice system.

The ministry has been working on to develop the Kingdoms reformation and rehabilitation system to ensure the highest human rights standards.

Explaining, the Interior Minister said, The open prisons system enables the inmate, after serving a certain period of his sentence, to leave the prison for some periods to fulfil his responsibilities to his family and society.

The freedom relies on the inmate returning willingly to the reformation and rehabilitation centre after the decided period ends.

Specific segments of inmates will be part of the open prisons system, Interior Minister added.

This will be determined based on the risk level, type of committed crime, the period left for the penalty to end, and the education level of the inmate, Shaikh Rashid said.

It also depends on the inmates behaviour while serving his sentence, the minister stressed.

Shaikh Rashid said the ministry is currently studying the open prisons systems of other countries.

Based on which, amendments will be made to the reformation and rehabilitation organizations law, and it's executive regulations, the minister said.

In this regard, the minister highlighted the role of HRH Prince Salman, and HM the King, in implementing the forward-looking goals.

Shaikh Rashid also thanked HRH the Crown Prince for his continuous support to the ministry, which enables all the ministrys personnel to assume their duties with greater resolve and dedication, under the leadership of His Majesty the King.
The state executive committee of the Alabama Republican Party today passed a resolution urging the United States to withdraw from the United Nations.

The executive committee held its winter meeting in Montgomery and elected John Wahl, a butterfly farmer from Athens, as party chair. Wahl replaced Terry Lathan of Mobile, who stepped down after six years.

The resolution, one of about a dozen the party considered today, cites what it said were U.N. policies that support abortion, disarmament of citizens, and the influence of socialist countries. It says the U.N. opposes American policies in the Middle East and supports climate control policies that would wipe out jobs.

The resolution cited legislation by U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, the American Sovereignty Restoration Act.

The committee, which has more than 400 members, passed the resolution by a margin of 69% to 31%.

The vote came after a short debate. Two committee members spoke in support of the resolution, saying the U.N. was a detriment to American interests. One member said leaving the U.N. would create a power vacuum that China could exploit.

The committee approved a resolution honoring U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks of Huntsville, who supported the move to block the Electoral College vote certifying Joe Bidens win in the presidential election and spoke at the rally that came before the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, saying Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass.

Democrats said Brooks helped incite the violence. Todays resolution said Brooks was trying to stand up for election fairness and called him a rare true statesman. The committee approved the resolution 86% to 14%.

The committee approved a resolution to prohibit the operation of Confucius Institutes at Alabama college campuses. The resolution calls for support of a bill by Rep. Tommy Hanes of Scottsboro banning the institutes. Alabama A&M University and Troy University have Confucius Institutes.

The Trump administration raised concerns last year about the potential for the Chinese government using Confucius Institutes, which are based in China, for undue influence. Officials at Alabama A&M and Troy, in response to questions from Brooks last year, said thats not happening on their campuses.

Related: Alabama A&M, Troy respond to concerns about Confucius Institutes

The committee also approved a resolution to urge Alabama legislators to use their influence to remove impediments to the use of hydroxychloroquine.

Dr. Allen Meadows, a Montgomery physician, told the committee the resolution was not needed. He said he had prescribed the medication and there are no restrictions against it.

President Trump touted hydroxychloroquine as a potential game-changer in the fight against COVID-19 early in the pandemic last March.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the drug for COVID-19 on a limited basis last year but later revoked that, saying it determined that the medication was unlikely to be effective against the virus and that risks outweighed the potential benefits. Hydroxychloroquine is still approved for treatment of other ailments, including malaria, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The resolution was approved on a voice vote with some opposition.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Countdown for the launch of PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 mission commenced on Saturday from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

"Countdown for the launch of #PSLVC51/Amazonia-1 mission commenced today at 08:54 am from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. The launch is scheduled tomorrow at 10:24 am," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.

Primary satellite Amazonia-1 of Brazil and 18 co-passenger satellites onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C51) are scheduled to be launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) Sriharikota Range (SHAR) on February 28, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said here on Thursday.

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C51), which is the 53rd mission of PSLV, will launch Amazonia-1 of Brazil as primary satellite and 18 Co-passenger satellites will lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 10:24 am on Sunday.

PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 is the first dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Government of India company under the Department of Space. The NSIL is undertaking this mission under a commercial arrangement with Spaceflight Inc. USA.

Amazonia-1 is the optical earth observation satellite of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). This satellite would further strengthen the existing structure by providing remote sensing data to users for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon region and analysis of diversified agriculture across the Brazilian territory.

The 18 co-passenger satellites include four from IN-SPACe (three UNITYsats from the consortium of three Indian academic institutes and One Satish Dhawan Sat from Space Kidz India) and 14 from NSIL.

(ANI)
PHILIPSBURG:--- As of February 26th, there were (2) persons who tested positive for COVID-19; however, five (5) persons have recovered; bringing the total active cases to thirty-three (33). The total number of confirmed cases is now two thousand and fifty-three (2053).

The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) are monitoring thirty-three (33) people in home isolation. Currently, there are no patients hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center. The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 remains at twenty-seven (27).

The number of people recovered since the first case surfaced on St. Maarten has increased to one thousand nine hundred and ninety-three (1993). Eighty-four (84) people are in quarantine based on contact tracing investigations carried out by CPS.



The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) Airport Health Team in collaboration with Health Care Laboratory Sint Maarten (HCLS) have tested 2506 travelers arriving at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), while CPS tested 19, 228 people throughout the community. As the numbers continue to fluctuate, CPS will continue to actively execute its contact tracing measures.

As we continue to work toward achieving zero active cases; Minister Panneflek urges everyone to wear a mask, practice 2-meters social distancing, sanitize and wash your hands frequently and be cautious of large gatherings.
Mr Ebenezer Kojo Kum, Minister Designate for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has revealed that US$ 25 million has been advanced as seed money for the National Cathedral Project.



The nominee who maintained that the National Cathedral Project was still a government priority project however could not tell the total cost of the project.

His Excellency the President has indicated that the project is going to be constructed at very least cost to the State.



Mr Kojo Kum made the revelation when he appeared before the Appointment Committee of Parliament to be vetted on his nomination by President Akufo-Addo for a ministerial role.



The nominee who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ahanta West has been nominated for ministerial appointment in the second term of President Akufo-Addos administration to head the Ministry for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.



Mr Kojo Kum also explained that the contractor for the project was currently on site and work was ongoing.



He cited for example that Ridge Church in Accra has set aside the month July and December in each year to do a special offering to be dedicated to the National Cathedral Project.



On the issue of chieftaincy, the nominee also revealed that out of the over 350 chieftaincy disputes, which were pending his predecessor was able to resolve 270 of them.



He said currently there were about 300 chieftaincy disputes pending and that with the digitization of the entire adjudicating process, he was hopeful that this disputes would be disposed of quickly.





Source: GNA









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

Featured Video
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to work with the United States and the rest of the international community to strengthen cooperation and response to the challenges of climate change, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

China is ready to work with the international community to jointly promote the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and contribute to global green and low-carbon development, spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a press conference in Beijing.

Wang made the remarks in response to a reporter's question on the appointment of Xie Zhenhua as China's special envoy for climate change affairs.

Xie's appointment as China's special envoy for climate change affairs shows that the Chinese government attaches great importance to the work on climate change, he said.

Xie has established contact with U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and conducted dialogue and consultations, the spokesperson said.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
This item is available in full to subscribers.

Attention subscribers

We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.

If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.

If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.

Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, NASA celebrated the agency's first African American female engineer, Mary W. Jackson, with a ceremony to formally name the agency's headquarters building in Washington in her honor.

Jackson began working at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)  the forerunner of NASA  in April 1951. From her initial role as a "human computer" within the segregated West Area Computing Unit of what would become NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, to becoming an engineer, to managing Langley's Federal Women's Program and championing equal employment opportunity efforts at the center toward the end of her career, Jackson's pioneering efforts and commitment to helping others have inspired generations  both at NASA and beyond.

"With the official naming of the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters today, we ensure that she is a hidden figure no longer," said acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk. "Jackson's story is one of incredible determination. She personified NASA's spirit of persevering against all odds, providing inspiration and advancing science and exploration."

The work of Jackson and others in Langley's West Area Computing Unit caught widespread national attention in the 2016 Margot Lee Shetterly book "Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race." The book was made into a popular movie that same year, with award-winning actress Janelle Monae playing Jackson's character.

In 2019, Jackson, along with her fellow "Hidden Figures" Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Christine Darden, were posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal  the highest civilian award  for their work. On June 24, 2020, NASA announced its intent to name the building the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building.

In addition to unveiling a building sign with Jackson's name, Friday's event featured video tributes with reflections on Jackson's career and legacy from a variety of individuals, including family and friends, current and former NASA employees and astronauts, celebrities, elected officials, and others. The event also featured a video of poet Nikki Giovanni reading an excerpt from her poem "Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea," which is about space and civil rights.

"The recognition we celebrate today is appropriate because Mary Jackson remains an inspiration," said Langley Director Clayton Turner. "Her perseverance, her empathy, her desire to lift us all  she inspired others to excel and to break through barriers. That is the spirit of NASA. Mary Jackson chose to lead by example and at NASA today we strive to emulate her vision, passion, and commitment."

Jackson was born and raised in Hampton, Virginia. She initially worked as a math teacher in Calvert County, Maryland, and also held jobs as a bookkeeper and as a U.S. Army secretary before beginning her aerospace career. In 1942, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and physical science from Hampton Institute (now Hampton University).

After two years in the computing pool at Langley, Jackson received an offer to work in the 4-by-4-foot Supersonic Pressure Tunnel, a 60,000-horsepower wind tunnel capable of blasting models with winds approaching twice the speed of sound. There, she received hands-on experience conducting experiments. Her supervisor eventually suggested she enter a training program that would allow Jackson to earn a promotion from mathematician to engineer. Because the classes were held at then-segregated Hampton High School, Jackson needed special permission to join her white peers in the classroom.

Jackson completed the courses, earned the promotion, and in 1958 became NASA's first African American female engineer. For nearly two decades during her engineering career, she authored or co-authored numerous research reports, most of which focused on the behavior of the boundary layer of air around airplanes. In 1979, she joined Langley's Federal Women's Program, where she worked hard to address the hiring and promotion of the next generation of female mathematicians, engineers, and scientists. She retired from Langley in 1985 and passed away in Hampton on February 11, 2005, at the age of 83. She was preceded in death by her husband, Levi Jackson Sr., and was survived by her son, Levi Jackson Jr., and her daughter, Carolyn Marie Lewis.

The legacy of Jackson and others lives on through NASA's continuing commitment to diversity and inclusion. Jackson's commitment to excellence, diversity, inclusion, and teamwork represents not only the best of NASA's current talent, but also the future of the agency. Embracing an inclusive culture is central to all NASA does and is reflected in the recent addition of inclusion as one of the agency's core values, along with safety, integrity, teamwork, and excellence.

View photos from the event at:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmUwnzw7

Read a biography of Mary W. Jackson written by Shetterly at:

https://www.nasa.gov/content/mary-w-jackson-biography

Learn more about NASA's Hidden and Modern Figures, at:

https://www.nasa.gov/modernfigures

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

https://www.nasa.gov


Reliance Industries (RIL) has reportedly partnered with Google and Facebook Inc to set up a new payment network, in line with Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to grab a pie of India's growing digital payments market. The Mukesh Ambani-led RIL is in the advanced stage of submitting their proposal to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for setting up a pan-India umbrella entity for retail payments, the Economic Times reported.

The New Umbrella Entity (NUE) will be jointly promoted by a Reliance unit and Infibeam Avenues Ltd's subsidiary So Hum Bharat, while Google and Facebook will hold a smaller stake in the NUE license.

As per the report, former Itzcash founder and payment industry veteran Navin Surya has been appointed managing director and chief executive of the NUE.

There are various consortiums of top corporates, fintech firms and banks that are eying licence to set up an NUE. For instance, State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Bank of Baroda, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank and YES Bank are planning to participate to form a pan-India umbrella entity for retail payments. Besides, Amazon and Paytm have also shown interest for this new payment entity.

Earlier this week, Kotak Mahindra Bank and HDFC Bank informed the stock exchanges that they have picked up 9.99 per cent stake each in Tata group-promoted Ferbine Pvt. Ltd to apply for an NUE licence.

Separately, the RBI has extended the deadline to apply for NUE by over a month to March 31. In August last year, RBI had released a framework for authorisation of an umbrella entity for retail payments in the country and had invited applications from desirous entities by February 26, 2021.

The entity is to be set up as a company as a for-profit under the Companies Act, 2013 and will get authorisation under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (PSS Act).

Such entities will undertake tasks such as setting up, managing and operating new payment systems in retail space. These activities include but not limited to ATMs, White Label PoS; Aadhaar based payments and remittance services; newer payment methods, standards and technologies; monitor related issues in the country and internationally; taking care of developmental objectives like enhancement of awareness about the payment systems.

They are also expected to operate clearing and settlement systems for participating banks and non-banks, carry on any other business suitable to further strengthen the retail payments ecosystem in the country.

Such entities are also expected to interact and be interoperable, to the extent possible, with the systems operated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

The umbrella entity may be permitted to participate in Reserve Bank's payment and settlement systems, including having a current account with RBI, if required, the regulator had said in August last year.

Also read: SBI Ecowrap lowers FY21 GDP growth forecast to -8%

Also read: Maruti Suzuki vehicle exports cross 20 lakh milestone
Nashville police officers stand next to an incinerated vehicle and observe damage done to the historic buildings on Second Avenue in Nashville, Tenn. on Dec. 31, 2020. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)

Comparing New York Times Headlines Reveals Manipulative Agenda

Commentary

You may find it instructive, as I did, to look at the headlines, with their subheads, from two different and apparently unrelated stories in Thursdays New York Times.

Heres the first, in its on-line version: Behind the Nashville Bombing, a Conspiracy Theorist Stewing About the Government: Anthony Warner, who was obsessed with an outlandish tale about lizard aliens and other plots, had been planning for months.

And heres the second, also as it appears on-line: Four Subway Stabbings and a Young Mans Downward Spiral: The rampage on the A train line reflected a convergence of criseshomelessness and mental illnessin a desolate subway system.

Notice any difference?

Both involve what could be described as terrorist incidents in two widely separated cities and both consider the Timess implied attribution of motive to the two perpetrators to be important enough for placement in larger type in the headlines themselves, rather than waiting for the story to follow.

But there the similarity ends.

The Nashville man is named and described, without even waiting for the subhead, as an anti-government conspiracy theorist, thus automatically placing him in the company of the papers own basket of deplorables along with the Capitol rioters of Jan. 6, who are routinely described in such terms.

The subway stabber, on the other hand, is an anonymous young man (in the article he is named as Rigoberto Lopez) in a downward spiral of homelessness and mental illness. Even the subway systemdesolate on account of the coronavirus lockdownis treated as a part of the convergence of crises that is presumed to have driven Mr. Lopez to commit his deadly rampage.

Here, surely, we are meant to see someonea person of color as we learn from an accompanying photowho is more victim than perpetrator, even though two of his own victims died.

By the way, no one but himself died in Mr. Warners Nashville bomb blast, which went off in the citys business district in the early hours of Christmas morning after anyone in the area was warned to evacuate by Mr. Warner in a recorded message.

That bit of information, however, is reserved to the last line of the articles 2000 words.

The lizard aliens of the first sub-head have obviously been selected from among the other plots with which Mr. Warner is said to have been obsessed in order to suggest a certain derangement on his part, too, but the dignity, and the vagueness, of mental illness is denied him.

The three authors of the second article, by contrast, claim that Mr. Lopezs trajectory illustrates the citys threadbare safety net for people with mental illness.

That is, I suppose, among other, less important things that it illustrates.

There is clearly a mental health crisis playing out on the streets of New York, and it is absolutely playing out underground as well,so Sarah Feinberg, interim president of New York City Transit Authority told the authors.

Not so much in the streets of Nashville, however. There, Mr. Warners lizard aliens and other plots are described not as signs of mental illness but as false information and outlandish talesjust like those that are constantly alleged to have motivated the Capitol riot.

That articles four authors then go on to aver that this mind-set has become alarmingly familiar to law enforcement officials now reckoning with the destructive force of conspiracy theories that mutate endlessly online and played a role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

See how that works? The authors admit that Mr. Warners motive remains shrouded in mysteryand even that he was not among the angry QAnon followers who came to believe the unlikely theory that Donald J. Trump would hold on to power by defeating a satanic cabal.

Still, it is claimed, he had the same mind-set as such people.

From there it is but a small step to suggest that Mr. Warners belief in false information and outlandish tales, even of quite another sort from the QAnon kind, meant that he could, in a dim light, be made to look like just another one of those violent conspiracy theorists who were to invade the Capitol twelve days after his death.

True, readers who stick with the story until the 22nd paragraph will learn that his distrust of the government dated to roughly [2001], as he subscribed to the 9/11 conspiracy theory that it was an inside job rather than a terrorist attack by Al Qaeda.

Yet the authors feel no need to mention that this particular conspiracy theory is much more often associated with left-wing than it is with right-wing views. So, for that matter is the one which believes in lizard aliens. Insofar as the latter can be said to have any political dimension, it is directed against the British royal family and the Rothschild family of Jewish bankers, as the article acknowledges.

So far as the Times is concerned, however, this is no reason not to lump poor, mad Mr. Warner together with a generic sort of conspiracy theorists in order to support the media narrative, constantly repeated for the previous seven weeks and, now, taken up by attorney general-designate Merrick Garland in his confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill this week, of the imminent danger to the country of terrorism from right wing extremists.

He told the Senate Judiciary Committee that We are facing a more dangerous period than we faced in Oklahoma City at the time of Timothy McVeighs bombing of the Murrah Federal Building there in 1995 which killed 168 people and injured hundreds more.

In furtherance of the same narrative national guard troops continue to patrol the streets of Washington D.C., in the neighborhood of the Capitol, just as if another mob of right-wing extremists might materialize and invade it at any moment.

I wonder if there can be any connection between these events in the nations capital and what the New York Times is pleased to make of the difference between those earlier ones in Nashville and New York?

I also wonder if any of the papers readers are aware of being manipulated. Or, if they care.

James Bowman is a resident scholar at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. The author of Honor: A History, he is a movie critic for The American Spectator and the media critic for the New Criterion.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Posted Friday, February 26, 2021 4:42 pm

Centralia Colleges drama program is hosting free, public play readings via Zoom to prepare for the next production season.

The first of the play reading series is Anthony Clarvoes play The Living, which is set in London during the time of the plague in 1665. This reading will begin at 1 p.m. on Feb. 28.

Some of the other plays that will be read as a part of the series include Leaving Wimpole Street by Centralia College professor emeritus John Pratt, which will be read at 2 p.m. on March 14. Leaving Wimpole Street is about English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The final reading, taking place at 2 p.m. on April 11, will be of the award-winning play by Margaret Edson titled Wit.

The Zoom meeting ID for the play readings is 843 1220 8723. More information can be found on the Centralia College Theatre Facebook page and the Centralia College Drama website homepage.
Among the thousands of proposals Oregon lawmakers are considering this year, few have as clear-cut a mandate as capping campaign contributions.

Voters overwhelmingly signaled their desire to clamp down on Oregons no-limits political money system in November, when they passed a constitutional amendment to allow donation limits 78% to 22%. More than 1.7 million people voted for it, the most ever to support a ballot measure according to the Secretary of States office.

Yet its far from clear that lawmakers will pass a law to cap contributions during the five-month session that runs through June.

You have to deal with 90 different members who have different opinions how the system should be run, said Rep. Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, who has been working on campaign finance reform for years and is one of the lawmakers involved in the effort this year.

Rayfield said in an interview Friday that its an open question whether a campaign finance bill that would make a meaningful dent in the amount of money in Oregon politics can get enough support to pass this session, or if proponents would be better off going back to voters with a ballot initiative.

That is a constant tension we grapple with, Rayfield said. That tension was also present in 2019 when proposals to adopt limits died near the end of the session, he said.

Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, was more upbeat in his prognosis. I think this year is when were finally going to be able to accomplish what I hope is a bipartisan effort to level the playing field and take a lot of the big money and dark money out of our election system, said Knopp. The people of Oregon gave a resounding yes vote to campaign finance, he noted.

Democratic lawmakers so far have four specific proposals for political contribution caps. But much of the action right now is in private meetings on the topic that started this week among lawmakers, a representative of Secretary of State Shemia Fagan, political action committee treasurers, public employee unions and various good government, lobbying and other interest groups. Rayfield and Knopp said participants hope to come up with two proposals by the end of April and introduce them as bills to begin soliciting public feedback.

All of the bills drafted or introduced so far would spell the end of large direct contributions from wealthy individuals and some entities such as businesses. The extent to which they would curtail other political money in the state, particularly small donor committees which could see the most spending by unions, varies widely.

Just one proposal, Senate Bill 336 sponsored by Democratic Sens. Jeff Golden of Ashland and Kayse Jama of Portland, is currently scheduled for a public hearing, on March 9.

A central question is what limit, if any, legislators would place on political contributions by the states powerful public employee unions. Advocates of contribution limits frequently cite Nike co-founder Phil Knights $2.5 million in direct donations to 2018 Republican gubernatorial candidate Knute Buehler; that would be impossible under all of the proposals made public at this point, as would large donations that certain timber company owners and executives make to Republican candidates.

In Oregon, public employee unions are also a potent political force in many elections. They helped Democratic Secretary of State Shemia Fagan win a tight three-way primary in 2020, by providing roughly 80% of her fundraising in that race, and continued to help her cruise to victory in November. In all, public employee unions spent around $1 million on Fagans campaign. The states largest union, Service Employees International Union 503, raised more than $800,000 in individual contributions last year, with nearly $400,000 of that from contributions of $200 or less, according to state campaign finance records.

A spokesperson for the union declined to comment on its fundraising or proposed contribution limits.

Knopp said unions do not need clearance to spend unlimited amounts on candidates because they already have special assistance from the state and other governments to collect donations from members who agree to direct a portion of their paychecks to political work. They already have an advantage and theres no point in giving them an even bigger advantage than they currently have, Knopp said.

Sandra McDonough, president of Oregon Business & Industry, declined to be interviewed about contribution limits but said in a statement that the states largest business lobbying group appreciates that lawmakers included a broader group in discussions this year. Our primary objective is to ensure that any legislation treats all potential contributors fairly and maintains a level playing field for everyone engaged in campaigns, McDonough said. The group supported legislative candidates from both major parties last year, often with $500 or $1,000, but gave Republican Rep. Suzanne Weber $55,000 in her competitive race and contributed nearly $100,000 each to Republican caucus leaders Rep. Christine Drazan of Canby and Sen. Fred Girod of Lyons.

The range of limits proposed by various lawmakers has the potential to significantly change the cost of candidate campaigns.

At the low end, a proposal sponsored by Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Lake Oswego, would restrict individual political donors to giving $1,000 to a candidate for a statewide office such as governor and $500 to a legislative candidate during the entire primary and general election cycle. State political parties would be limited to giving $50,000 to a candidate for statewide office and $10,000 for all others and small donor committees would be restricted to $20,000 to statewide candidates and $10,000 for legislative candidates. Salinas did not make herself available for an interview about her proposal, which her staff expects to be introduced as House Bill 3343.

Senate Bill 336, sponsored in chief by Golden and signed onto by Jama, would restrict individual donors to giving $2,000 to statewide candidates and $750 to legislative candidates. The limits would apply separately to each primary and general election. State political party and legislative caucus political action committees could give up to $40,000 to a statewide candidate and $15,000 to any legislative candidate. Small donor political action committees could give up to $40,000 to statewide candidates and $15,000 to legislative candidates.

A handful of the most competitive 2020 legislative races topped $1 million under the no-limits status quo and dozens of others cost hundreds of thousands of dollars so even capping small donor or other political action committee contributions at $30,000 combined for the primary and general elections would be a major change.

Golden said he wants to lower the cost of campaigns, boost public trust in the political system and adopt rules that are easy to understand because simplicity is part of transparency.

We have to do it in a way that favors neither party or were gonna blow this opportunity to build public trust in the system, to restore some public trust in government, Golden said. Its at a low ebb and this is an opportunity to do something about it.

House Bill 2680, sponsored in chief by Rayfield and signed onto by a number of other Democrats, contains blanks to be filled in for many of the potential limits, including individual donations and small donor committee contributions to state-level political candidates.

Senate Bill 255, introduced by the Senate Rules Committee, would place a $1,000 limit per full primary and general election cycle on contributions from individuals and certain political action committees to state representative candidates. The limit for state senators would be $1,500 and it would be $2,800 for other candidates for state office. Small donor political action committees, state political parties and legislative caucuses would be allowed to make unlimited contributions.

Knopp said he wants lawmakers to address at least two issues he has not seen addressed in proposals thus far: quicker and more transparent reporting of campaign spending , and disclosure of independent expenditures by groups or individuals that want to influence an election without directly giving to a candidate.

People just need to be forthright about what theyre doing and stop trying to game the system, so the rules need to reflect that, Knopp said. Because people are gaming the system currently  and I dont think its helping the public determine whos making contributions and expenditures.

-- Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
RTHK: Covid emergency lifted in Japan, except Tokyo

The Japanese government said on Friday it would end a state of emergency in all but Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures at the end of this month, a week earlier than scheduled, as new coronavirus cases decline.

Japan had placed 11 of its 47 prefectures under a state of emergency last month as a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic swept the nation. One of those prefectures, Tochigi, has already emerged early from the restrictions.

Emergency coronavirus measures will now be removed in Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Aichi, Gifu and Fukuoka prefectures, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters after a meeting of the government's advisory panel, which approved the move.

"But the lifting comes with conditions," Nishimura said, adding that experts on the panel wanted close monitoring of the spread of new strains of the virus and a sufficient supply of hospital beds.

They also expressed concern about a potential resurgence in cases as restrictions are eased, warning against complacency, he said.

"Especially with young people, there was concern that the lifting would have a psychological impact," said Nishimura, who oversees the government's coronavirus response.

"We need to keep strict anti-infection measures in place."

Under emergency measures, Japan asks bars and restaurants to close by 8pm and companies to strive for more telecommuting. It also suspended a popular "Go To Travel" subsidised domestic tourism programme.

Coronavirus infections have fallen significantly since peaking in early January, including in the capital, Tokyo, which is due to host the Summer Olympic Games from late July.

The government is hoping to lift the state of emergency in the remaining four prefectures as planned on March 7.

Japan has recorded about 427,000 coronavirus cases and 7,720 deaths as of Thursday, according to the health ministry. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The fact that police have obtained an arrest warrant in the fatal shooting of Kevin Jiang doesnt necessarily mean theyve found something new, according to one criminal justice expert, but it does signify an intensifying case against MIT graduate student Qinxuan Pan, who has now been charged with Jiangs murder.

This is a command from the court that an arrest be made, said John DeCarlo, director of the masters program in criminal justice at the University of New Haven. He becomes a wanted person at this point.

Pan had previously been called a person of interest in Jiangs death. DeCarlo said that the murder charge means a judge agreed the evidence was strong enough to warrant an arrest.

What it means is that the court has reviewed the work and all of the facts that have been presented in the affidavit and they have found that probable cause exists for an arrest to be made in the case, he said.

New Haven police on Saturday noted they have an arrest warrant charging Pan with murder. The department said it would release additional information on the case Monday.

U.S. Marshal Matthew Duffy said Friday that the 29-year-old Pan is still at large and is believed to be in Georgia. Officials believe Pan fled to Georgia after fatally shooting Jiang.

When asked if the murder charge suggested that an arrest was imminent, Duffy said that while that is the hope, the last confirmed sighting of Pan was weeks ago.

The marshals office is offering a reward of $10,000 for information leading to Pans arrest. Duffy said the murder charge carries a $5 million bond when and if Pan is apprehended.

Jiang, a 26-year-old graduate student in Yales School of the Environment, was found dead on Lawrence Street near the intersection of Nash Street around 8:30 p.m. Feb. 6.

He was engaged to marry Zion Perry, and photos have emerged online that appear to show Perry and Pan together at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology dance in March of last year.

New Haven police said they have not ruled out the possibility of a prior relationship between Perry and Pan, hinting at a possible motive.

Police said they believe Pan stole an SUV from a dealership in Mansfield, Mass. and changed the plates before coming to Connecticut.

Pan is reportedly 6 feet tall, weighing 170 pounds with short, black hair. Police said he could possibly be staying with friends or family in the Duluth or Brookhaven areas of Georgia.

A family member of Pans told police that he had been acting strange in the days before the killing, Duffy said, and that a family member could not really describe it.

We dont know his state of mind, Duffy said of Pan.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 01:11:42|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

YANGON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's new Union Election Commission (UEC) on Friday met representatives of political parties in capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, state-run media reported.

The commission has been reviewing the electoral process of last year's election since Feb. 5.

The commission will continue updating the public on its further findings after completing the first task of roadmaps and the voter lists will be collected and will cooperate with political parties to hold free and fair new election successfully under the constitution, according to the commission.

A one-year state of emergency was declared in Myanmar after U Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi, along with other officials from the National League for Democracy (NLD), were detained by the military on Feb. 1.

Earlier this month, the State Administration Council reformed the Union Election Commission, taking steps to review the process of the general elections. Enditem

Boris Johnson asked ministers to review gambling laws after attending a party with Tory donor and lottery boss Richard Desmond, private letters have revealed.

Correspondence obtained by The Times through the Freedom of Information Act shows that the Prime Minister wrote to Mr Desmond about his campaign to raise jackpots to 1 million.

The former media mogul, 69, owns the Health Lottery  a group of 12 local society lotteries which donates 20 per cent of proceeds to health-related causes.

Society lotteries, those which are run for good causes, are limited to jackpots of 500,000. The government increased the cap from 400,000 in 2019, but Mr Desmond has been calling for it to be increased to 1 million.

In a letter in January 2020, Mr Johnson assured Mr Desmond that he had tasked ministers with holding a review of the limit, calling the Health Lottery 'hugely impressive.'

Boris Johnson and Richard Desmond hold each other at a party at the Savoy in November, 2019

The PM wrote: 'We have previously discussed your position that society lotteries should be able to offer a prize of 1 million irrespective of proceeds.

'I understand your disappointment that the planned increase to the prize limit does not go as far as you would have wished.

'However, this is not the end of the road on this issue. I have asked that the [Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport] formally reviews the changes and the case for a 1 million prize 12 months after implementation.'

Mr Johnson's letter made clear that the review would consult various different parties and there is no suggestion that his decision to order the review was improper or that it would be carried out improperly.

The correspondence followed a Downing Street party three months earlier at which Mr Desmond told The Sunday Times the Prime Minister had come 'rushing up' to him to pledge an increase to 1 million.

Last June, Mr Desmond told the paper: 'He [Johnson] agreed it. He agreed it, he came rushing up to me at Downing Street, I forget what function it was, he says, 'Right, good news for you: we're gonna do it, we're gonna raise the million pounds, and Andrew ... get on with it' - you know? And guess what. Nothing happened.'

Mr Desmond was referring to Andrew Griffith, then chief business adviser to No. 10, who has since been elected MP in the Tory stronghold of Arundel and South Downs.

In the letters today obtained by the FOI request, Mr Johnson told the lottery boss he couldn't commit to an immediate rise.

In Mr Desmond's reply, he referred to himself as having 'long been an admirer' of Mr Johnson, adding that he would 'very much appreciate' a change in the gambling law.

He said he was 'very depressed' and 'at my wits' end' because without the increase to 1 million, less prize money could go to charities backed by his lottery.

In December, the government said it would conduct a review of the gambling law in August  just months after the rise to 500,000 was announced.

A spokesman for the Health Lottery said: 'We very much look forward to the government review in August 2021. We hope that the review's outcome will allow society lotteries to increase funding for health and inequality good causes.

'To date the Health Lottery has raised over 118 million for over 3,000 local health and inequality charities, including those which work to help address isolation and loneliness.'

A government source told The Times: 'Richard Desmond did lobby for an increase but the facts bear out that he was unsuccessful.'

A government spokesman told MailOnline: 'The government consulted on society lottery reform under the premiership of Theresa May, and the policy remains as announced in July 2019.

'The government wants to allow both society lotteries and the National Lottery to thrive, whilst ensuring the funding for charitable causes is maintained.'
South Carolina has performed nearly 6 million coronavirus tests since the pandemic began, a steady increase even as new cases drop from their January peak.

The state Department of Health and Environmental Control had logged 5,916,875 tests as of Feb. 25, according to the Palmetto State's latest data.

To find a testing location near you, visit scdhec.gov/covid19/find-covid-19-testing-location.

Statewide numbers

New cases reported: 1,112 confirmed, 335 probable.

Total cases in S.C.: 442,957 confirmed, 72,115 probable.

Percent positive: 5 percent.

New deaths reported: 18 confirmed, 4 probable.

Total deaths in S.C.: 7,546 confirmed, 952 probable.

Percent of ICU beds filled: 73 percent.

How does S.C. rank in vaccines administered per 100,000 people?

42nd as of Feb. 26, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sign up for our new health newsletter The best of health, hospital and science coverage in South Carolina, delivered to your inbox weekly. Email

Sign Up!

Hardest-hit areas

In the total number of newly confirmed cases, Greenville County (136), Richland County (99), Spartanburg County (72) and York County (72) saw the highest totals.

What about the tri-county?

Charleston County had 52 new cases on Feb. 27, while Berkeley County counted 41 and Dorchester County had 31.

Deaths

One of the new confirmed deaths was a Charleston County patient age 18 to 34, while four were age 35 to 64 and the remainder were patients age 65 and older.

Hospitalizations

Of the 865 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Feb. 27, 221 were in the ICU and 109 were using ventilators.

What do experts say?

The Food and Drug Administration recommended authorization of a third COVID-19 vaccine on Feb. 26, a step that could dramatically increase distribution across the country.

Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine is the first to work with a single dose, and doesn't require special refrigeration. The FDA's vaccine advisory committee voted unanimously to recommend the vaccine for adults.
Tuscola County Sheriff Glen Skrent recently awarded Detective Sgt. Scott Jones a Professional Excellence Award for going above and beyond to give a sexual assault victim closure to move on with her life.

Our agency received a well-written and heartfelt letter from Detective Tyler Haynes of the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety, said Skrent. Jones learned the suspect may have been involved in further criminal activity in the Big Rapids area and reached out to them to obtain the police reports.
A male in his twenties was arrested today and charged with alleged offences under The Road Traffic Act and The Animal Welfare Act.

The male was detained at Kilkenny Garda Station and was questioned in connection with an incident on the Ring Road in Kilkenny City last month.

The incident involved an alleged breach of animal welfare legislation and alleged breaches of road traffic legislation.

The male was charged and is due to appear before Kilkenny District Court on March 16.
Pompeo Touts Success of Trumps America First Foreign Policy Achievements at CPAC

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke about how the previous administrations America First policy benefitted the world at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday.

He stated that the America First agenda strengthened the nations freedoms and in turn benefitted the entire world.

Pompeo spoke about the Trump administrations defense of America and Israel in the Middle East, and changes they made in certain policies that they were told were not possible.

We were told that: this is an establishment foreign policy. We were told that you cant sanction the ayatollah in Iran and you cant stop sending out pallets of cash to the leadership: thered be war. Well, we did. And there wasnt war.

We were told you cant move the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem: thered be a war. Well we did, and there was not a war, he continued.

Similar remarks about the Golan Heights were made by the former secretary of state, who then commented on the success of the Abraham Accords, which he said secured real peace in the Middle East.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida on Feb. 27, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

We were willing to go against the elites of the foreign policy establishment, both left and right, to secure American freedom and to champion your values. Its unfortunate, looks like the new team, team Biden appears to be headed back into appeasing Iran. This will be a disaster for the United States of America and a disaster for the region as well, said Pompeo.

Pompeo also criticized the Paris Climate Accord, calling it was a job-destroying joke.

We all want clear safe drinking water, but the Paris Agreement was a fantasy for elite diplomats who just wanted to virtue signal.

When President Biden re-entered this deal I can tell you that Xi Jinping was smiling every single minute. The American workers lost.

After the Biden administration re-joined the Paris Climate accord on Feb. 19, some experts warned that China will take advantage of this to undermine the United States.

Pompeo also spoke about foreign policy accomplishments in North Korea.

President Trump sent me to Pyongyang when I was a CIA director to meet with Chairman Kim to prepare for the historic summit that was ultimately held in Singapore.

You all remember this, we threatened fire and fury. We threatened fire and fury not to go to war but to deter it, and deter it we did. Since those summits, since those two summits one in Singapore one in Hanoi, the North Koreans havent tested a long-range ballistic missile and they havent tested their nuclear weapons, exactly zero tests have been conductedthats real foreign policy.
A Second World War bomb found in Exeter has been detonated in a blast that was heard 10 miles away and left a crater the size of a double-decker bus.

A 400-yard cordon was last night put in place and around 2,600 properties in the vicinity of Glenthorne Road, including 1,400 university students, evacuated so experts could carry out the controlled explosion.

But residents were left unable to return home immediately after the detonation due to safety fears.

Speaking after the blast, a spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: 'The 400-metre cordon will remain until further notice, so residents should not return home this evening.

'Devon County Council and Exeter Council have been working to support evacuated residents.'

Personnel from the Army's Royal Logistics Corps have now taken over from Royal Navy bomb disposal experts.

Residents were warned the bomb was going to be detonated yesterday evening and they should expect a 'big bang'.

Several people caught the moment of the explosion on camera and shared the footage on social media

People living up to 10 miles away from the explosion reported hearing the massive blast last night

People reported hearing the explosion as many as six miles away after its detonation at about 6.15pm.

Sharing a video of the explosion, Exeter University tweeted: 'So here's what all the fuss was about!!

'Thank you so much to @ExeterCouncil for this amazing clip and of course to @DC_Police @BritishArmy and all the other agencies involved in this huge project to keep us all safe. #exeterbomb.'

One person said on Twitter: 'It shook me over six miles away! Thought another large tree branch had fallen on my house.'

Another said: 'Something I thought I'd never see or hear.

'A #WW2 #bomb detonating in glenthorpe road, #exeter. I was in #belvederefields, about 350m and could still see the plume from the explosion. Amazing.'

And another user said: 'Well, that explosion of the #exeter UXB was loud!

'Windows still rattling. Hope everyone safe, and the @UniofExeter students & residents evacuated can get home soon.'

Devon and Cornwall Police tweeted: 'This is the moment a WW2 bomb was detonated in #Exeter.

'We would like to thank the residents of Exeter, particularly the 2,600 evacuated households and our partner agencies who have worked so hard to ensure the safety of all.'

The device, dating back to the Second World War, was detonated at about 6.15pm today

A 400 metre cordon was put up ahead of the controlled explosion in Exeter this evening

Drew Parkinson, area commander for South Devon & South-East Cornwall Coastguard, added: 'After a very long 24 hours for HM Coastguard assisting @DC_Police in Exeter, a controlled explosion has now taken place.'

It is believed people asked to leave their homes ahead of the explosion will be able to return this evening now the device has been dealt with.

The device, described as around eight feet long and 27 inches across, was found on a building site on private land to the west of the University of Exeter campus.

The Royal Navy bomb disposal team worked through the night to establish a walled mitigation structure before the examination and detonation of the device was passed to experts at the Army's Royal Logistics Corps.

Earlier a Royal Navy spokesperson said that, as of 1.30pm, 300 tonnes of sand had been delivered to the site of the bomb to assist with the safe detonation of the bomb.

It is understood that the huge amount of sand was being used to build a bunker around the device to protect it.

Devon County Council and Exeter City Council worked to help people in private residences find alternative accommodation.

The majority of residents who have been evacuated are staying with family and friends, police said.

Properties were evacuated for the examination of the device (pictured above), which was located at a site on Glenthorne Road near Exeter University on Friday morning

Earlier students and residents who live within a 400-yard cordon were evacuated by the local emergency services after the discovery of an unexploded World War Two bomb

Hundreds of people have been taken to Exeter's historic quayside to enjoy the sun while they are evacuated from their halls due to the unexploded World War Two bomb

A handout photo issued by the Ministry of Defence on Saturday of the unexploded bomb which was found near university halls in Exeter

Police, fire services, coastguards and 4X4 response teams, along with the local council, were knocking on doors and halls of residence around the city centre

Students were moved to hotels and vacant university residences.

The evacuations were at the request of the Royal Navy bomb disposal team, who worked through the night to establish a walled mitigation structure.

Around 200 students were vacated by emergency services from one of the university halls, alongside a nearby care home and residents.

Speaking about the operation, a police spokesperson said: 'Around 400-tonnes of sand was transported to the site of the device, which is at a building site on private land, and walls were erected, initially by the Royal Navy bomb disposal experts, followed by Army personnel from the Royal Logistics Corps, to mitigate the impact of the detonation.

'Trenches were also dug to prevent ground shock.

'Despite these mitigation measures, the impact of the blast has been significant and debris has been thrown at least 250-metres away. The crater is around the size of a double decker bus.

'People can be reassured that there are no concerns regarding the impact of the explosion, which caused a large plume of sand, on public health.

'Safety assessments are being conducted this evening and utility companies, including gas, electric and water, are also carrying out assessments.'

It had previously been expected that residents, the majority of whom are staying with friends and family, would be able to return home on Saturday.

Devon County Council confirmed that visiting friends and family was allowed in such circumstances, despite Covid-19 restrictions.

Exeter University asked students not to return to their residences on Saturday to allow safety assessments to be conducted.

One student, Fran Henderson, 18, was told to pack at 7pm on Friday before being taken to a hotel outside of Exeter at 1am on Saturday.

The politics, philosophy and economics student told the PA news agency that she had been informed it was 'most likely' that she would be able to return to her student residence on Sunday.

'The site is about 120 metres away from our accommodation,' Ms Henderson said.

Superintendent Antony Hart, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: 'We would like to thank all members of the public who have been affected by this incident, particularly residents who have been compliant in evacuating.

'We understand the disruption caused and appreciate everyone's patience.'
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov said that in two weeks the NSDC meeting will hear a report from the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO), the State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on the implementation of cases of treason and desertion.

"The third issue [which was considered at the meeting of the NSDC on February 26] is the issue of the state of implementation of cases of high treason, desertion and terrorist activity. We decided that in two weeks the report will be heard at the meeting by the General Prosecutor's Office, SBU, and those cases that are resonant today [...] And all those people who at one time betrayed Ukraine [...] will be punished. We, on the instructions of the President, have been given such a task so that they report at the NSDC meeting how all this is happening," Danilov said at a briefing on Friday, following the results of the NSDC meeting.
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.
A student from Ramsgrange has been awarded the Glanbia/ASA/IFJ Placement Bursary meaning she will have a blog featured in the Farmer's Journal.

The second year student is studying BSc in Agriculture at WIT. She is a daughter of Shommie and Fiona Duffin from Kilhile and is a past pupil of Ramsgrange Community School.

Kelly was one of a number of Agriculture and Agricultural Science students at WIT who impressed at an industry panel at the recent interviews for an annual placement bursary.

Each year the Agricultural Science Association (ASA) teams up with the Irish Farmers Journal, Glanbia and Seedtech to provide placement bursaries to students in the BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Science and BSc in Agriculture to support costs associated with farm/industrial placement.

'I applied for the ASA/Glanbia Farm Placement Bursary as I feel the experiences I will gain from both working on a dairy farm and writing my blog for the Farmer's Journal during my work placement will be extremely beneficial to my future career,' Kelly said.

Kelly said she is enjoying the Agriculture course at WIT because it entails both theory and practicals. 'The theory is taught through lectures which give the vital information needed to run a successful farm business and the knowledge I will need to get a job in the agricultural business sector while also getting the opportunity to put what I have learned into practice during our practical classes which are held in Kildalton College.'

Her dreams for the future are to become a college lecturer teaching agriculture to students. She is going to complete the Level 8 Land Management in Agriculture course in WIT after her level 7 BSc in Agriculture.

Kelly is looking forward to assisting farmers and students with her knowledge which she has learned from both college and her own personal experiences and research.

'I am really looking forward to gaining experience working in the dairy sector during her farm placement.'

She is keen to gain new skills in this growing industry. Kelly's father runs a beef finishing farm and Kelly's plan after placement is to buy calves and rear them on her home farm after seeing how calves are reared during her work experience.

Programme leaders Dr Michael Breen and Dr Tony Woodcock, thanked all of the interviewers for giving their time and expertise so generously. 'Placement is an integral part of the ag science/agriculture programmes here in WIT and it is great to have the continued support of our industry stakeholders in awarding the placement bursaries,' Dr Woodcock said.

Dr Breen added that the interviewers were very impressed with the broad knowledge of the agri food sector that the students displayed as well as their eagerness to learn from their forthcoming placement.'
UMC pushes back General Conference, will tackle homosexuality debate in 2022

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The United Methodist Church has again decided to postpone its next General Conference, which is expected to center on the debate over the denominations stance on homosexuality, to 2022.

Initially, the UMC General Conference was going to be held in May 2020, however, the novel coronavirus pandemic prompted the denomination to postpone it to 2021.

The UMC Commission on the General Conference released a statement Thursday announcing that the churchwide legislative meeting will be held Aug. 29  Sept. 6, 2022.

The General Conference location will be Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was the same city scheduled to originally host the legislative gathering in 2020 and then in 2021.

According to the Commissions announcement, they reached the decision to again postpone the General Conference for multiple reasons, including COVID-19, the expectation that the vaccine will not be widely available in 2021 in many countries, and ongoing travel complications stemming from lockdowns.

There were also concerns about making the 2021 General Conference at least partially virtual, with a Technology Study Team report concluding that that option was not viable.

In response, the UMC Council of Bishops released a statement calling for an online special session to take place on May 8, mainly to resolve the question of using paper ballots.

The exclusive use of paper ballots will allow for the fullest participation of delegates from across the denomination, explained COB President Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey in the statement.

Full participation on the part of all elected delegates is a justice issue that must not be ignored or sacrificed. This is why the convened session online must be confined solely to gaining permission for the mailed in paper ballots.

In late May 2020, the UMC Commission announced that the 2020 General Conference would be pushed back to Aug. 29, 2021Sept. 7, 2021.

This was due to the pandemic, as the General Conference was scheduled to bring around 900 delegates to Minnesota at a time when in-person gatherings were limited to 250 people.

Last October, it was announced that, as part of the postponed legislative meeting, the Commission was going to look into possibly making the proceedings be partially virtual.

With the proper preparation and training, I believe a General Conference could be held virtually, Bishop Harvey told UM News in an interview at the time.

There are new technological developments every day that could make traversing the globe, languages and time zones possible.

The next General Conference is expected to tackle the debate over the denomination adhering to biblical teachings on homosexuality and banning the blessing of same-sex unions.

Although every General Conference has failed to change the UMC's position over the past few decades, the ongoing debate has led many to consider schism as a solution.
Local gardai are appealing to the public to be on the lookout for fraud and deception, following an increase in various scams in the area.

Four out of five people have been targetted by some form of scam in the past year, according to new research by AIB, with fraudsters tackling people via text, calls or email.

Superintendent Seamus Boyle of Granard Garda Station has asked that the public be vigilant when it comes to protecting their personal details.

I have seen an increase in this type of crime in the Granard District and I am sure it is replicated across the other districts, said Supt Boyle.

Credit card details have been used to shop online, stolen cards have been used to tap for purchases under 30 and card not present transactions are also becoming more common.

Particular care should be taken when shopping online, Supt Boyle urged, especially with websites such as DoneDeal or Facebook where payment is lodged before receiving or viewing goods.

Investments and lodgements online to fake accounts have also become more and more common.

There are a number of phishing scams doing the rounds where emails, calls and texts from unsolicited sites seek bank details. The simple advice, according to Supt Boyle is to never respond.

Dont click on links looking for your personal data and passwords. Once details are got, they can withdraw from your account, he said.

Unsolicited calls to invest are looking for your details again and asking to lodge money, but this is a scam.

Beware of texts purporting to be from a banking institution. These dont have to be from foreign numbers. Skype numbers can be rented and will come up as an Irish number.

Banking institutions will often have a crime prevention section on their website, explaining how to keep your account safe from scams.

Every Scam is the same, with just a different story, said Supt Boyle.

There's generally an urgency to get you to act fast without thinking. (They might say you ) owe revenue, are due a refund, etc, or tell you your account is compromised and they need your PPS Number and your personal details.

They now can set up false accounts and false identities in your name, get a driving licence and travel documents or click on links to get your account details and passwords.

If you feel youre a victim of a scame or fraud, money can usually be recalled within 24 hours, Supt Boyle added, so no need to panic.

Contact the bank fraud line and explain. If you have gone a certain distance, stop and contact your bank. The bank will watch for suspicious transactions. And if you feel your card is compromised change the log in details, Supt Boyle advised.

Phishing is when a fraudster sends a text message to say theres a problem with your bank account and asks you to call a phone number or click a link. If you do so, fraudsters will try to trick you into giving away your personal and security information.

Other messages may be from fraudsters saying that personal information about you has been posted on the internet and ask you to visit a particular website.

Vishing is a type of phishing scam that happens on the phone. The word vishing is a combination of voice and phishing.

These are unsolicited phone calls from fraudsters which encourage you to give out your personal details, such as your card, PIN, Mobile Banking App activation passcodes or card reader codes.

The fraudsters can pretend to be your bank, the police, or any other official company.

Fraudsters will call mobile phones or landlines pretending to be from your bank in order to get your personal information or ask you to move money from your personal bank account.

They may have some of your personal information, such as name, address, or phone number, to make them seem genuine.

These calls will often seem urgent to get you to act as quickly as possible, giving you minimal time to think about whether the call is fraudulent.

Sometimes you may get a warm up call where no information is discussed. This is to set the scene for a later call where you may be asked for information.
A few thousand opposition supporters rallied in the capital, Yerevan, on February 27 demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian's resignation over his handling of last year's war with Azerbaijan that ended with a Russian-brokered cease-fire agreement that many see as a national humiliation. The latest demonstrations come in the wake of a letter by the countrys chief of the general staff urging Pashinian to step down. The prime minister called it a coup attempt and dismissed General Onik Gasparian. President Armen Sarkisian, however, has refused to sign off on the dismissal, considering it unconstitutional.
Its a Monday afternoon on a cold day in January last year and a steady stream of visitors wander in and out of room 43 at the National Gallery in London. They are here to see one thing: Vincent van Goghs Sunflowers.

To get here, theyve hung a left at room 44, bypassing its Manets and Monets, and shuffled up to the 1888 masterpiece and raised their phone to click a photo and collect an anecdote. Seen it. Tick, says one young woman with a flick of a finger to her bored-looking boyfriend.

Vincent Van Goghs all-yellow Sunflowers (1888), which is one of the two originals he painted in Arles. Credit:Image courtesy the National Gallery, London

The click and move on, that bugs me, sighs Christopher Riopelle, the gallerys Neil Westreich curator of post-1800 paintings. Its this weird notion that we dont have to experience anything in the now. We take a picture and then, at some point later that never arrives, we experience it then.

We are sitting in front of Thomas Gainsboroughs Conard Wood, near Sudbury, Suffolk - a moody rural scene with a couple of donkeys - thats the complete opposite of the dazzling Sunflowers, which is so crowded weve had to move away to talk.

WASHINGTON  The F.B.I. has pinpointed an assailant in its investigation into the death of Brian D. Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer who was injured while fending off the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol last month and later died, according to two law enforcement officials briefed on the inquiry.

The F.B.I. opened a homicide investigation into Officer Sicknicks death soon after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Investigators initially struggled to determine what had happened as he fought assailants. They soon began to suspect his death was related to an irritant, like mace or bear spray, that he had inhaled during the riot. Both officers and rioters were armed with such irritants during the attack.

In a significant breakthrough in the case, investigators have now pinpointed a person seen on video of the riot who attacked several officers with bear spray, including Officer Sicknick, according to the officials. And video evidence shows that the assailant discussed attacking officers with the bear spray beforehand, one of the officials said.

While investigators narrowed potential suspects seen in video footage to a single person this week, they have yet to identify the assailant by name.

Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

A war of words has erupted over the timing of Prime Minister Scott Morrisons first coronavirus vaccination, with the federal government fiercely denying claims from Labor and the Greens that the jab was brought forward at the last moment after a difficult political week.

Mr Morrison and Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly were among the first 20 Australians to receive the Pfizer jab at about 11.30am last Sunday morning in a medical clinic in Sydneys Castle Hill.

The first person in Australia to receive the first Pfizer dose was aged care resident and World War II survivor Jane Malysiak, who is pictured with Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Edwina Pickles

The Prime Ministers office said Mr Morrisons first jab was booked in on February 10 at 2.23pm - before the vaccines arrived in Australia on the 15th - and was scheduled for Sunday February 21. They also shared a partial screen shot to back this up.

But multiple Labor and Greens sources - who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to speak publicly - said they had verbal confirmation from Health Minister Greg Hunts office that the initial plan had been for Mr Morrison, Labor leader Anthony Albanese and Greens leader Adam Bandt to all receive their Pfizer jab last Tuesday February 23 at 8.30am in Canberra.
Ahmadiya Juaidi's eyes are wide as she drinks a nutrition shake from a large orange mug, her thin fingers grasping the handle. Her hair is pulled back and around her neck hangs a silver necklace with a heart and the letter A.

Three weeks ago the 13-year-old weighed just nine kilograms (20 pounds) when she was admitted to al-Sabeen hospital in Yemen's capital Sanaa with malnutrition that sickened her for at least the past four years. Now she weighs 15 kilograms.

"I am afraid when we go back to the countryside her condition will deteriorate again due to lack of nutritional food. We have no income," her older brother, Muhammad Abdo Taher Shami, told Reuters.

They are among some 16 million Yemenis - more than half the population of the Arabian Peninsula country - that the United Nations says are going hungry. Of those, five million are on the brink of famine, U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock warns.

On Monday the United Nations hopes to raise some $3.85 billion at a virtual pledging event to avert what Lowcock says would be a large-scale "man-made" famine, the worst the world will have seen for decades.

More than six years of war in Yemen - widely seen as a proxy conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran - have sent the impoverished country spiraling into what the United Nations describes as the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

Some 80% of Yemenis need help, with 400,000 children under the age of five severely malnourished, according to U.N. data. For much of its food, the country relies on imports that have been badly disrupted over the years by all warring parties.

"Before the war Yemen was a poor country with a malnutrition problem, but it was one which had a functioning economy, a government that provided services to quite a lot of its people, a national infrastructure and an export base," Lowcock told reporters. "The war has largely destroyed all of that."

"In the modern world famines are basically about people having no income and then other people blocking efforts to help them. That's basically what we've got in Yemen," he added.

HUNGER VS PANDEMIC

A Saudi Arabia-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 after the Iran-allied Houthi group ousted the country's government from Sanaa. The Houthis say they are fighting a corrupt system. The people's suffering has been worsened by an economic and currency collapse, and by the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.N. officials are trying to revive peace talks, and new U.S. President Joe Biden has said Yemen is a priority, declaring a halt to U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign and demanding the war "has to end."

Twelve aid groups, including Oxfam, Save the Children and Care International, have warned that 2.3 million children under the age of five in Yemen will go hungry this year if governments do not step up their funding on Monday.

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam's country director in Yemen, recounted a conversation with an 18-year-old woman, displaced by the conflict and living in a camp in northern Yemen.

"She said that the coronavirus pandemic gives us two cruel choices: either we stay home and we die from hunger, or we go out and then die from the disease," Siddiquey told Reuters.

Official figures vastly underestimate the spread of COVID-19 in Yemen, according to the United Nations and aid agencies.

In 2018 and 2019, the United Nations prevented famine due to a well-funded aid appeal, which included large donations from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

In 2020 the United Nations only received just over half the $3.4 billion it needed, which Lowcock said was largely due to smaller contributions from Gulf countries. He urged them to pledge generously for 2021 and pay quickly.

The United Arab Emirates said on Friday it would pledge $230 million for 2021.

Short link:


New Delhi: The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Saturday (February 27) said it has achieved the milestone of 20 lakh cumulative exports.

The auto major achieved the milestone as a batch of products comprising S-Presso, Swift and Vitara Brezza left for South Africa from the Mundra Port in Gujarat.

"The company has been exporting vehicles for the past 34 years much before India became a prominent player in the global automobile business. This early global exposure helped the company enhance its quality and attain global benchmarks," MSI MD and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said in a statement.

The automaker currently exports 14 models comprising nearly 150 variants, to over 100 countries, he noted. "Vehicles manufactured at our facilities in India have found high acceptance owing to global standards of quality, safety, design and technology," Ayukawa said.

Going forward, the company has aligned itself with the evolving needs of customers in African and Latin American nations, he noted. "With a flurry of new models in the pipeline, Maruti Suzuki will attract customers in new segments to enable the company to accomplish bigger milestones at a much faster pace," Ayukawa said.

MSI commenced export of vehicles way back in 1986-87 and the first large consignment of 500 cars was shipped to Hungary in September 1987. In 2012-13, the company achieved the milestone of one-million exports with more than 50 per cent of the shipments going to the developed markets in Europe.

The company achieved the subsequent million in over eight years with a special focus on emerging markets in Latin America, Africa and Asia regions. "With concerted efforts, the company has been able to gain sizeable share in markets like Chile, Indonesia, South Africa and Sri Lanka," the automaker said.

Models such as Alto, Baleno, Dzire and Swift have emerged as popular choices in these markets, it added. In January this year, the company started production and export of Suzuki's celebrated compact off-roader Jimny from India.

With India as a production base for Jimny, Suzuki aims to leverage MSI's global production stature, the company said.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Thunderstorms - a few could contain very heavy rain, especially overnight. Low 69F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Thunderstorms - a few could contain very heavy rain, especially overnight. Low 69F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : The Congress tried to smoothen things out after the group of dissenters chose to attack the party leadership over ignoring them and not consulting the party leaders in decision making or not building a consensus on any decision.

Senior spokesperson of the party Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at a press conference that the leaders are highly "respected" in the party but they should have done more to "strengthen" the party in the poll-bound states.

Singhvi played down the issue and said, "Each of the persons who are in Jammu are well regarded in the party. We are proud to have them in our party and I believe they are equally proud to be members of the Congress Party therefore they are part of this Congress family and therefore whatever I say is with the greatest respect to the leaders." "I respect the traditional legacy between Congress and them over these last three-four decades. The principal person in whose honour this (Jammu) rally was organised, nobody has used the word "istemal" (Use) in relation to Mr Azad, he has never complained. Those who use the word "istemal" betray certain things, lack of knowledge and ignorance about the contemporary history of the Congress and about the older history of the party. We are proud and he is proud that he has held the Congress flag for more than 7 terms in Parliament, 5 in Rajya Sabha and two in Lok Sabha, which is roughly 40 years. Congress President Sonia Gandhi nominated him as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir." "I would therefore very, very gently and respectfully say that the best contribution to the Congress cause is to be active not among ourselves but to be active in various Abhiyans (campaigns) going on everyday in five states where the Congress is fighting elections. In light of what I have said I don't intend to answer those questions which sensationalize the issue and digress from the core issue," Singhvi added.

Congress supporter Tahseen Poonawala was more critical and said, "I ask questions of Anand Sharma ji and Ghulam Nabi Azad sahab. Can they continuously win Lok Sabha elections from their home states? What did they do to strengthen the party in states like UP & TN where they were in-charge? Why did they not demand elections when they were always enjoying the 'fruits of power'? Why are they not campaigning in the state elections that are due?"

In solidarity with the former Leader of Opposition, Congress dissenters including Kapil Sibal, Raj Babbar, Manish Tewari were in Jammu and chose to attack the party.

Anand Sharma attacked those who have been critical of them. He said, "I have not given anyone the right to tell me if we are people of the Congress or not, no one has that right and we will build the party, we will strengthen it and believe in the strength and unity of Congress." He added that most of the leaders have covered a very long distance to reach where we are today. "Nobody among us has come through the window, all of us have walked through the door." Manish Tewari tweeted, "Impressive gathering in Jammu - Gandhi Global Family platform brings Progressive, pluralistic & nationalistic forces together to demand restoration of statehood of J&K & to protect and preserve the 'idea of India' pan nationally."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
PINE GROVE  Despite a lengthy study in 2018 outlining the benefits of forming a regional police department consisting of Pine Grove Borough, and Pine Grove and Tremont townships, the plan never materialized.

Meanwhile, New Castle Township and Tremont Borough leaders recently decided to get out of the law enforcement business, disbanding their police departments and opting for coverage by state police.

Pine Grove and Tremont townships, like many municipalities throughout the county, also use the state police.

Pine Grove Mayor Willard Shiffer said that township and borough officials, police officers and residents attended a meeting in December 2018 to hear pros and cons on creating a regional department.

Although some residents voiced opposition, he said officials from both townships and the borough appeared to favor the idea.

Several public meetings were held and the next step, he said, was to prepare a question to be placed on the ballot for voters in the three municipalities.

But the process ended there. He said Pine Grove Township officials elected not to move forward.

I thought we had it all worked out and had it on the ballot then they backed out, the mayor said this week.

The Pine Grove Regional Police Department would have included a chief, a sergeant and five patrol officers, along with a part-time clerk.

A new centrally located regional headquarters was also planned.

There was to be 24-hour coverage by one or two officers and the department would have been equipped with four new police vehicles, standardized uniforms, equipment and policies, and been eligibility for various state and federal grants.

The estimated cost was about 25 cents per day for each resident of the three municipalities.

For that price, you just cant go wrong, Shiffer said.

Pine Grove Borough, with a population of 2,186 people at the time, was to pay 33% of the annual cost, $198,000, or $90.57 per person. Pine Grove Township, with 4,123 people, was to pay 63% of the annual cost, $378,000 or $91.68 per person; and Tremont Township, with 280 people, was to pay 4% of the annual cost, $24,000, or $85.72 per person.

The proposed $600,000 budget would have included salaries, benefits, supplies, support services, vehicle expenses and headquarter expenses.

The department would have been under the direction of a police commission that would have included representatives from each municipality.

Shiffer was disappointed the regional force did not become a reality.

He said it would have been a tremendous benefit, more so to the townships than to Pine Grove.

We have a good department, the chief and one full-time officer and eight part-time officers; we have some good, quality people, he said.

He said Pine Grove will continue to provide full-time protection and has no intention of ever getting rid of its department.

Shiffer noted that state police are not staffed to address or enforce code complaints and often are unable to devote time to things like neighbor disputes and parking complaints.

Our state police do a tremendous job, but they just dont have the manpower, he said. There are not enough state police troopers to cover Pennsylvania; thats why local departments play such a vital role.

Should the three municipalities have come to an agreement to regionalize, Shiffer said each would have had better police coverage than the coverage state police are able to provide.

Its not a good situation not having your own police force, he said.

Whats a churro? I ask while visiting the C4 street food truck at Taurangas Village Night Market. Is it like a sausage?

The couple inside the small food caravan with the black and white striped awning grin at me. Gently, they push a hot churro towards me.

Oh, glorious heavenly sweet deliciousness! It was like the best of the best hot crumpets, camp dampers, griddle scones, doughnuts and choux pastry all covered in sugar. I think I lost my vision for a moment.

Were called C4, says Dion Stewart, while his wife Paige smiles at my dazed expression. It stands for coffee, chicken, chips and churros.

A churro is like the panda bear of food. You wonder what it is for, and then realise its whole purpose is to bring delight. I needed to know how and why the Stewarts had broken into my existence.

Churros

Last Waitangi Day I broke my knee while we were tramping, says Paige, and then Covid happened. It pushed us out of what we were doing in our daily lives and forced us to think about what we wanted to do.

Paige and Dion had been tramping in the Pinnacles, out the back of Thames. The Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter was sent in to airlift her out.

New Zealand services are amazing, says Paige.

And then Covid kicked in, says Dion. Paige got laid off, so we thought why not do this?

Paige had been working as a barista at Alimento Cafe on Taurangas First Avenue.

I loved that, says Paige. Alimento is a fantastic cafe but its so big and getting around is too much for me.

She can only stand by herself for about an hour, explains Dion.

Dion had also worked at Alimento for a little while in the kitchen, as well as being front of house manager and organising shows at Baycourt Theatre.

They had always wanted to run a food truck enterprise, and it seemed unfortunate events had presented them with an opportunity.

We thought we may as well do it all for ourselves, as weve done it long enough for everyone else, says Dion.

The stars aligned I guess, admits Paige.

Paige has had three surgeries over the last year to fix her knee. It wasnt just a broken knee, it was quite extensive, says Dion. The pair have been together 12 years and married for two.

For our honeymoon, just before Covid, we managed to get over to Europe and stayed with Paiges best friends parents in Spain. Hence the Spanish dish. Churros is our little piece from overseas.

Dion had been involved with the markets before starting their own enterprise, and they have friends who are also involved.

Weve helped them out with their markets. Once Paige lost her job, we thought lets do this.

Theyve been running their C4 food truck business since November, with a customised trailer from Christchurch.

Its called The Money Maker. It was shipped up here and we installed the coffee machines, deep fryers and rangehood.

Fergusson Park is their usual daily spot during the week, pumping out the coffees. I told them I had wandered over because Id spotted their chilli plant in a pot under an awning that made me think of France. The true warmth though was the two of them, and their care of each other.

I help Paige, but still work at Baycourt, says Dion. Our shows are just starting up. With Covid its still part-time and I do a lot of admin there during the week. Paige cant stand for too long. Until shes completely back on her feet, Im helping run this and doing the shows until they pick up. Our main mission at the moment is for Paige to recover from her surgeries. Were keeping busy.

On Thursday nights they head to Papamoas Dinner in the Domain; Sunday night they are in Matua at Dinner in the Park; and every Friday night they serve up deliciousness at the Tauranga Village Night Market at the Historic Village.

The Friday Village Night Market had its first season last summer, but was cut short because of Covid and the lockdown. This season it started on October 23, but was interrupted by festivals at the Historic Village, beginning again in the second week of November. Like any outdoor market it is weather dependent and sometimes has been called off around 2pm only for the sun to come back in the late afternoon.

The Tauranga Village Night Market held on Friday nights in the village green at Tauranga Historic Village features live music.

Rachel Small, who organises the Tauranga Village Night Market, also runs the Sunday Village market along the village street.

Now that school is back, the Friday nights at the village are picking up again, says Rachel, who hires the village green, books the live music and liaises with stall holders and food truckers.

It was while I had been sitting with a stallholder enjoying the music that Id noticed Paige and Dions trailer and sign.

Our C4 logo is also an explosive, says Dion. We have our own chicken recipe so theres a bit of spice in there.

I decide next week to return and have dinner. And a churro. Can anything beat a churro?
Several developers have proposed multi-million dollar projects for the former site of Fountain Inn's Woodside Mill that City Administrator Shawn Bell said could be "transformational" for the town astride the border of Greenville and Laurens counties.

The city began accepting bids for the project last month and received four proposals by the deadline at noon Friday. Three of those laid out separate plans that called for a more than $40 million project on the property, including expansive residential, commercial and recreational developments.

"I would say my mouth dropped when I looked at a few of those. I was kind of blown away," Bell said. "This is the type of project that I think will really propel Fountain Inn into the future."

The property, which sits near the intersection of Fairview Street and Diamond Tip Boulevard, is made up of four separate tracts, three of which are owned by the city and one which is privately owned. Bell said the city will review each proposal and work closely with the private land owner and the interested developers to determine how best to handle the transaction going forward.

City Council will likely have its first vote to select a proposal in April or May.

The addition of the homes, retail and amenities on the edge of the city's downtown could energize Fountain Inn's economy and bolster local businesses, Bell said. The inclusion of features in many of the plans that are open to the entire community and enhance the nearby Woodside Park have the potential to make the proposals more appealing to residents who may be ambivalent about such an extensive project.

"It's just really exciting for Fountain Inn," Bell said. "The timing was right for this project, and for when we put the RFP out, and there's so much interest from the development community in Fountain Inn right now that we got such great proposals."

Here's a look at the four projects proposed for the former textile mill site:

Blackstock Development

This Greenville-based development company, in partnership with PSi Design and the Boardman Group, has proposed a more than $40 million mixed use project that would combine 11,000-square-feet of commercial space with rental apartments and single family houses.

In total, the development would include 138 new homes  100 apartments and 38 houses. The apartments would be split into three buildings, each of which would be two to three stories with walkout basements.

In the proposal, Blackstock Development said the design of the larger buildings would be heavily influenced by the appearance of southern textile mills, with redbrick facades, open spaces and large windows. It pointed to the American Tobacco redevelopment in Durham, N.C., as an example of the proposed style for the project.

The commercial area would include retail space, restaurants, small office space and outdoor public patios.

A pool, bathrooms and cabana area would be included in the development, as well as the construction of sidewalks and connections to the planned Woodside Connector Trail.

Gray Cliff Capital

The roughly $43 million proposal submitted by Greenville-based Gray Cliff Capital would entail a diverse mix of residential properties with large-scale apartments, including affordable housing and market rate units, a handful of townhomes and single family houses. In all, there would be more than 260 new homes built.

There would also be 8,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space and 2,000 square feet of office space.

Sign up for our Greenville development newsletter. Get all the latest updates on the Upstate real estate market, more openings and closings, exclusive development news and more in your inbox each week. Email

Sign Up!

Gray Cliff would also fold expansive public amenities into the project, including a pocket park, a dog park, an amphitheater, a food truck court, trails and connections to Woodside Park.

The 130 market rate apartments would be split into two buildings, which would house the commercial space on the ground floor. They would emulate the "trendy mill style," that has become popular in repurposing projects, with 9-foot ceilings, exposed brick and private balconies in each apartment.

There would be 116 affordable housing units in four buildings. They would be available to individuals and families at 60 percent or less of the median area income.

The seven added town homes would act as a buffer between the new and existing communities and 13 two-story homes would be added as an expansion to the existing neighborhood grid.

While Gray Cliff would be the lead developer, Jordon Development Company, Southern Investment and Development, NHE Inc., McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, and SeamonWhiteside Civil Engineering would also contribute to the project.

M. Peters Group

With 278 proposed homes, this plan from the M. Peters Group would create the largest number of new residential units of the four submitted to Fountain Inn. It would also include a large fitness center with a competition-size outdoor swimming pool where membership would be open to the public, as well as an outdoor mountain bike park. The plan would include the construction of new trails connecting to Woodside Park.

There would be 240 apartment units in four buildings, which would be styled after traditional textile mills. According to the proposal, the construction of the apartment buildings would cost an estimated $50 million. About 20 units would be reserved for people at 80 percent of the area's average median income.

The project would include 38 free standing houses designed to fit the aesthetic of a southern mill village.

The proposal suggests a public-private partnership in building the exercise complex in which the city would fund 40 percent of its construction.

A small retail space would also be added to the corner of Fairview Street and Woodside Avenue as part of the proposed plan.

Cothran Properties

The plan submitted by Cothran Properties in Greenville  with support from Sexton Design and Development, and Goodwyn Mills Cawood  is the smallest of the four proposals and the only one that includes only residential development.

Cothran's plan would include 51 single family houses styled after traditional mill village homes on about 8.5 acres of the available 41-acre property. The houses would sell for about $200,000.

The project would also include streetscape work, sidewalks and two connections to the Woodside Park Greenway.
A Melbourne University survey released this week shows about 24 per cent of people around the country are still hesitant about being immunised against coronavirus. The good news here is the rise in vaccine hesitancy appears to have been arrested. The Australian National Universitys Centre for Social Research and Methods longitudinal study of almost 4000 people had found a substantial increase in vaccine resistance and hesitancy between August and January. The authorities are banking on hesitancy falling away more as the vaccinations gather pace, and people see the jab is both safe and effective in stopping serious illness and, as early results suggest, reducing transmission. Prime Minister Scott Morrison receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Credit:Edwina Pickles Hopefully Morrison rolling up his sleeve last week, while decked out in Aussie flag face mask and associated ScoMo branding, will cut through with waverers. As for the hard-core anti-vaxxers, I understand they wasted no time in declaring the PM wasnt actually injected with Pfizer or any vaccine, the whole spectacle was a hoax, it wasnt really Morrison behind the Aussie flag face mask but a shape-shifting lizard person controlled by Bill Gates ... and hey, Im playing Choose Your Own Adventure.

While the rest of us were sleeping these past years, anti-vaxxers evolved into a complex ecosystem encompassing QAnoners, snake-oil pedlars and gullible consumers in the wellness industry. We saw child vaccination rates fall below average in some of the wealthiest suburbs in Melbourne and Sydney. In 2015 a primary school in inner-city Melbourne had a chicken pox outbreak, and a baby in Perth died of whooping cough. Loading The ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods study found three groups were particularly important in explaining the decline in vaccine willingness during the pandemic. One of those is Australians who think too much is being made of COVID-19. This is understandable, though not excusable, given our overall success in suppressing the virus. But how to explain the steady rise in vaccine resistance during 2020 in a place such as France where the choice, youd think, is stark: try your luck with a vaccine or try your luck with a proven killer? (Surveys show COVID-19 vaccine confidence in France has increased this year with the rollout, but from a low base; in December just 40 per cent of people said theyd be willing to get vaccinated.) Anti-vaccination protesters and COVID-19 deniers gather in Melbourne. Credit:Penny Stephens

We have allowed irrationality, corrosive cynicism and contempt for truth to take root in our societies. The Coalition has become something of a safe space for the Trumpian inclined  Kelly left them, not the other way around. It was almost a year into the pandemic before Facebook announced it would remove false claims about COVID-19 vaccines. Why have governments  why have we  allowed this insidious platform to tear at the social fabric and make billions in the process? Lord only knows Im worried about employers expanding powers: to surveil their workers at home, to dictate what they do and say, and even who they sleep with, in their spare time, to dob in JobSeeker recipients who turn down job offers. But my only qualm about mandating jabs is that the strategy might backfire and stoke vaccine resistance. The only industrial right we should be concerned with is the right of employees to a workplace as COVID-immune as possible; the only human right, the right of vulnerable people to be protected from fatal disease, and their expectation that we protect them by getting vaccinated en masse.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. On Thursday, March 5, 2020, Tennessee's Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey confirmed the state's first case of the new coronavirus. (NIAID-RML via AP)
A young Cambodian woman looks at the main stupa in Choeung Ek Killing Fields, which is filled with thousands of skulls of those killed during the Pol Pot regime in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Aug. 6, 2014. (Omar Havana/Getty Images)

Cancel Culture: Its Origins and Implications for America

Commentary

As Americans, we have had it good for so long that we often take important things for granted until they are about to be taken away.

As recently as five or six years ago, who would have thought that Americas dominant social media platforms, such as Facebook, Google, YouTube, or Twitter would assault its host countrys First Amendment rights by engaging in the silencing of a huge number of its users through censorship, cancellation, and deplatforming?

Of all the impediments to Americas progress on every front, censorship and cancel culture probably rank right at the top. Many of the younger generation accept cancel culture as being part of depersonalized relationships that social media has fostered. It seems many have gotten used to cyberbullying and the flippant cancellation of people, ideas, and relationshipsall facilitated with just a few clicks.

The older generations appreciate that protection of free speech, free association, and a presumption of innocence have always been core principles in America not only because of the Constitutions First, Fifth, Sixth, and 14th Amendments, but also because of the importance of civility and the wide recognition that tolerance is a necessary virtue in a pluralistic society and that no one has a monopoly on the best ideas. From the beginning of the American constitutional republic, its been axiomatic that progress in every field and endeavor is contingent on competition of ideas, policies, and products.

Who Benefits

So why does cancel culturewhich is so demonstrably limiting, harmful, and antisocialexacerbating intolerance and hatred, continue to be on the rise in America? That is best answered by simply identifying who benefits. Clearly external enemies of the United States benefit, particularly those who want to remake the world like the Chinese Communist Party and elites associated with Klaus Schwabs World Economic Forum, famous for its annual meetings in Davos and its push to bring about the Great Reset.

These external hostile forces have domestic allies among the elites in the United States, in political parties, government bureaucracies, academia, and in the corporate world, but also with groups such as Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa. The elites use these latter groups in similar ways that Hitler used the Brownshirts. BLM and Antifa are essentially the elites footsoldiers used to foment internal fear and division, and to destroy societys connection with its past, and even precipitate civil warall of which facilitates the end game of subordinating the United States to the global elites new world order.

Much of the cancel culture may not realize that in tearing down and desecrating historical monuments and rewriting history they are unwittingly serving the elites at the top. But by destroying the current and next generations respect for the symbols and knowledge of the history and virtue of the American pastfrom its founding figures and ideals, drafting of a unique constitution based on those ideals, and its redemptive course culminating in the racial equality achieved by the civil rights movementAmerica can fall like ripe fruit into the hands of its enemies. Canceling and destroying American heritage is necessary to accomplish this end.

Cancel culture is regressive, not progressiveand we can project where it will take us by understanding the past and what has happened to other societies and nations that adopted such practices. And that is of course why the main project of the cancel culture is to disconnect present society from its past.

George Orwells depiction of a dystopian future, presented in his novel 1984, published in the year that marked the beginning of Mao Zedongs communist rule in China in 1949, has proven prescient across time, culture, and geography. Orwell didnt use the term cancel culture, but he described how it works in his dictum that he who controls the past controls the future [and] he who controls the present controls the past.

French Revolution, Russia, China

Cancel culture has its roots in intolerance dating back to the French Revolution (17891794), when Robespierres Reign of Terror resulted in some 30,000 deathsa period accompanied by a concerted effort to erase and destroy Christianity and its traditions and institutions. The culmination of that phase of the French Revolution was marked by the regimes installation of a prostitute as head of the Notre Dame Cathedral. With that affront to decency and elimination of God, Robespierre and his successors thought they could rule without moral constraints.

Marxism took the cancellation of culture to a new level. Although that ideology was formulated by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the first half of the 1800s, it wasnt implemented until Vladimir Lenins Bolshevik revolution in Russia in 1917. One of Lenins first projects was to cancel the past by tearing down the czarist symbols of Russian history in the form of statues, emblems, coats of arms, double-headed eaglesall destroyed in the name of the revolution and creation of the new manthe Soviet Man.

The vast majority of people in the Russian Empire were, at the time of the revolution, religious believers. Lenin ordered his communist vanguard lieutenants to destroy religious institutions and replace religious belief with atheism. In the first year after the revolution, the state expropriated all church property, and in the period from 1922 to 1926, 28 Russian Orthodox bishops and more than 1,200 priests were killed. Many more were persecuted.

Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky were close both ideologically and personally during the early years. As the head of the Red Army, Trotsky was instrumental in securing the communist revolution for Lenin, and for his successor, Stalin, after the former died in 1924. But by 1927, Stalin purged Trotsky from the Communist Party and Soviet politics and expelled him from the country in 1929. Stalin then put a team together to erase all photographs and references to Trotsky in every historical record. By the time the order went out to have him assassinated some years later, there was hardly an official record or photograph remaining that Trotsky ever even existed.

Even though there was a concerted effort to hide the wholesale crime committed, it came to be known by the 1960s that Bolshevik and Soviet communist totalitarian rule had resulted in death tolls of more than 20 million and likely upwards of 30 million people.

Like Lenin and Stalins communist rule in Russia, Mao Zedongs communist revolution in China was based on historical determinisma fundamental tenet of Marxism that required the cancellation of past history and the subordination of its citizens to the collective identity of the communist state.

During the Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976, Mao directed his Red Guards to mobilize the population to cancel and rid itself of the Four Olds: old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas. The result was devastating, with Chinese people turning on each other, with brainwashed youth even betraying their own siblings and parents.

In the end, Maos Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution were responsible for some 40 million to 60 million deaths, which include those for which Mao was directly responsible and deaths that resulted from disastrous policies he refused to change.

North Korea and Cambodia

In smaller communist countries such as North Korea and Cambodia, the implementation of cancel culture was both more complete and more devastating.

After its founding in 1948, North Korea became a closed society, canceled from its past and isolated from the present world around it. Quickly descending into a secretive communist totalitarian state, it would have failed at several points, were it not for aid supplied by the Soviet Union and China. Under successive Kim family dictatorships, North Koreas brutal communist policies of collectivization and repression killed some 3.5 million of its citizens, many from mass starvation.

Cambodia was even worse. Between 1975 and 1979, the communist despot Pol Pot brought almost complete destruction to his countrys cities and rural areas, turning the entire country into a prisoncanceling and eradicating public schools, universities, private property, churches, religious belief, and executing all the educated and well-to-do Cambodians.

In the end, Pol Pots genocidal policies killed nearly 3 million people, some two-fifths of the nations 7 million population.

These are but some of the examples of the results in states large and small that implemented communism. We think of the 20th century as being the century of progress. But the imposition of communist rule and its totalitarian practices also made that century the bloodiest in human history.

We have been reticent and slow to face the communist threat from China. They arent only our greatest military threat externally, but also internallythrough its ongoing multi-billion dollar industrial, academic and political espionage and subversion programs operating in the United StatesChina is also our greatest existential threat.

The starting point of protecting our freedoms and expanding opportunity in America is to refuse to accept or facilitate forces that are clearly associated with repression and tyranny. Even when our political factions and differences make it difficult to build a consensus on new directions and policies, the first rule is do no harm.

In short, an appropriate starting point to a better future is to stop the cancel culture and censorship that have been an integral part of the most destructive political systems in human history.

Scott Powell is senior fellow at the Discovery Institute in Seattle. Reach him at scottp@discovery.org.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Paul Maher is being remembered as a savvy political and community leader in the region who seemingly had connections everywhere that helped guide former U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorskis 26 years in Congress.

Maher died Feb. 19. He was 87.

In the days leading up to Thursdays funeral for Maher, those who knew the influential Democrat have been giving tributes, including his longtime boss.

Paul was a well-liked guy and a well-connected guy. There were very few places where he didnt have contacts. He was my lead man in the district in getting in touch with people. He really was my right hand man, Kanjorski said Wednesday.

After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Maher was employed in banking and finance jobs before entering politics. He started working as Wilkes-Barres coordinator of federal funds in 1971 and later was appointed Luzerne Countys first budget and personnel director in 1975.

An elected Democratic State Committeeman for decades, Maher helped Kanjorski in his successful 1984 run for Congress. He started working as a field representative for Kanjorski when he took office in 1985.

It turned into a lifetime appointment, Kanjorski said. He helped keep me there for 26 years.

Kanjorski, who remained congressman until his defeat in the 2011 election against Lou Barletta, said Maher always kept a great wall between politics and his government job.

Mahers obituary notes how Maher represented Kanjorski at countless fundraisers, groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings and community events. The obituary lists a wide variety of boards and authorities Maher served on, including the Wilkes-Barre Parking Authority for 30 years. He also was devoted to his church, St. Marys Church of the Immaculate Conception in Wilkes-Barre.

He led quite a life, said political consultant Ed Mitchell, who helped Kanjorski assemble his initial congressional staff that included Maher. He was a real good Democrat. He was a steadfast Catholic. And he was a good Irishman. He loved Notre Dame.

Mahers priest, the Rev. Duane Gavitt, said Maher was a reliable, kind and humble man.

In todays world, how many people could you trust? He was someone you could trust, Gavitt said. He was a man of his word.

Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-121, of Wilkes-Barre, said Maher had been less visible over the last year since moving into an assisted living facility.

We felt his loss since that time ... Pashinski said. Paul Maher was a dedicated man to Congressman Kanjorski, to the Democratic Party and to the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Help India!

Auqib Javeed, TwoCircles.net

Srinagar: Forty-three-year-old Saira Javid is living the life of a prisoner. Not a single day passes when she doesnt think of her family. She is cursing the day she crossed the LoC and came to Kashmir.

Support TwoCircles



Its suffocating here, she told TwoCircles.net.

Javid, who lives in the Kupwara district of North Kashmir, met a Kashmiri boy Javid Ahmad Dar in the Pakistani state of Karachi in the 1990s. The duo fell in love and decided to marry in the year 2001.

Like many other Kashmiris, Ahmad had crossed over the Line of Control (LoC) for arms training but had given up insurgent activities to live a peaceful life.

But in 2007, at the insistence of Dar, Javid and her two daughters accompanied him back to Kashmir. On their arrival, her husbands family insisted they stay for good and tore up their Pakistani passports.

I came to India through Wagah border and we came legally, she says adding, I was given a visa for one month but my passport was torn apart by my in-laws without my knowledge.

Since 2007, she is stuck in Kashmir and is desperate to go back to her family in Pakistan. Javid is not alone, there are around 350 women from Pakistan administered Kashmir, who have been living as stateless citizens of Jammu and Kashmir since the Omar Abdullah-led government of the erstwhile state announced in 2010 a policy to rehabilitate former militants, who had crossed over the Line of Control (LoC) as young men to train as militants.

The youth travelled back with families including children with the hope to be rehabilitated, but that never happened.

Sara says that she went to every minister and other officials urging them to deport her but wasnt allowed.

Then I told them that if you cant deport me, then at least give me Indian citizenship but that is not being given either, she added.

Javid, who had come to Kashmir for just one month didnt know at that time that she had to spend the rest of her life here.

Javid runs a boutique in Kupwara and employs 6 other Pakistani spouses of ex-militants.

At least two of them are divorced and you can imagine how difficult it is for them to spend a life in a place which is not yours, she added.

She says they have been meeting the officials for many years now but it has yielded no results.

We havent been accepted here. Our kids are not being accepted and are viewed differently. We want the Govt to deport us as soon as possible, she laments.

Like Javid, Bushra too got married to a Kashmiri man Altaf Ahmad Bhat of Pattan, Baramulla and came to Kashmir in the year 2012 through Nepal.

Bhat and Bushra decided to come to Kashmir after the Govt announced a rehabilitation policy for former militants.

Ye humaray saath dokha tha (the policy was a trap for us), says Bushra.

Although Bushra was living with her husband for years  in 2019, Bhat divorced her and she was forced to live a lonely life.

Bushra did not know anyone in Kashmir nor was she allowed to go back. It was then Saira Javid gave her a job at her boutique in Kupwara.

Bushra now lives along with her two kids in rented accommodationeagerly waiting for the day when she will be allowed to go back.

Most of the Pakistani brides, Bushra says, are facing financial constraints and are helpless.

For many years, the Pakistan-origin wives have been holding protest demonstrations in different parts of Kashmir demanding travel documents.

Recently, questions were also raised over the participation of such women in the electoral process in Jammu and Kashmir, though some of them have become sarpanches in the past.

The authorities stopped counting votes in two district development council seats in Jammu and Kashmir after it came to fore that two women from PoK married to Kashmiris were contesting polls.

Somiya Sadaf from Drugmulla and Shazia Aslam from Sonawari, both inhabitants of PoK, which India considers as its integral part, were contesting polls from these segments.

The authorities are yet to decide on whether their participation was legal or illegal.

A group met Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, the chief administrator of the Kashmir region, who as per them, assured them of appropriate redressal of their issues. However, such assurances have so far come to nothing and the women are now threatening to march en masse to the volatile India-Pakistan border, known as the Line of Control.

We want to go to our real homes, they say.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris speaking to the media after an anti-lockdown protest in Dublin on Saturday. Photo: Damian Eagers/PA Wire

Twins and a father and son were among 13 people charged with public order offences tonight after anti-lockdown demonstrations in Dublin turned violent this afternoon.

All 13 were charged with being in breach of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act after facing a series of charges, as 12 men and a woman appeared before Judge Michael Walsh at a special sitting of Dublin District Court earlier tonight.

All faced a range of charges, including failing to obey a garda request to leave an area, obstructing or assaulting an officer, and breaching the peace.

It followed a series of violent and distressing scenes in Dublin city centre from lunchtime today, with gardai forced to baton charge crowds at the southern end of Grafton Street near St Stephens Green that had gathered for an anti-lockdown protest.

Missiles and fireworks were launched at a security cordon manned by gardai, who carried out 23 arrests.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the arrests came after efforts to constrain an anti-lockdown left three gardai injured, with one sent to hospital for treatment.

Mr Harris said far-left and far-right groups were involved in the violence.

The scenes have been condemned by Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Justice Minister Helen McEntee, Mr Harris and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI).

Anti-lockdown protesters had planned to gather in the city before 2pm with demonstrations organised online.

Gardai prepared for the protests by closing a series of public spaces to prevent gatherings that would contravene Level 5 lockdown restrictions. This included closing St Stephens Green park, which was shut by the Office of Public Works on foot of a request from An Garda Siochana.

However, hundreds had gathered in the area and other points across the city centre, including outside the GPO on OConnell St.

Gardai from across various Dublin districts were dispatched to the scene, with about 125 uniformed personnel, plain clothed gardai, public order units, mounted mnits and the garda dog unit tasked.

Gardai said they engaged with people who had gathered to break up and leave, initially using peaceful means before scenes turned violent.

A garda spokesman said gardaI were targeted with fireworks, missiles and spit, as they were forced to introduce greater enforcement measures as a last resort because of continued and orchestrated non-compliance with Public Health Regulations.

Mobile phone footage circulating of the scenes showed how one garda narrowly avoided being caught by one of the fireworks at the bottom of Grafton St.

This led to 23 arrests, with those detained brought to several garda stations across the city.

Mr Harris earlier today suggested it was lucky so few gardai had been injured, expressing particular concern over the garda who narrowly missed being struck by a firework.

It was directed at that individual and so we are fortunate they didnt suffer a serious injury, it was only the individuals quick thinking that saved him, he added.

This was groups working in concert together, as a mob.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin called attacks on gardai thuggish and said those who gathered for the protest showed a complete lack of respect to the people who have made huge sacrifices during this pandemic.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said fixed-charge notices were issued to many of those who attended, as she condemned today's events.

This mindless thuggery showed a wilful and blatant disregard for the public health rules which are needed to help us all and keep us safe, she said.

The AGSI said its thoughts were with colleagues who were left injured.

To see missiles being deliberately fired and directed into our unarmed members is truly shocking and highlights the dangerous and intensive element of policing this part of Covid-19, a spokeswoman said.

A special sitting of Dublin District Court was arranged tonight to bring charges against some of those who had been arrested.

All were remanded in custody and consented to bail of 200, to appear at Cloverhill District Court on March 5. Bail was granted on condition they abide by Covid-19 regulations, refrain from any unlawful assembly and be of good behaviour.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
A US intelligence report expected to be declassified implicates Saudi Arabias Crown Prince in approving the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, according to a person familiar with the findings.

The report builds on classified intelligence from the CIA and other agencies after Khashoggis murder in October 2018 inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the report hasnt yet been released. It wasnt immediately clear how much detail the declassified version of the report will provide on Prince Mohammeds role.

The decision to release the report, compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, reflects the Biden administrations determination to recalibrate relations with Saudi Arabia, the worlds largest oil exporter, over its human rights record.

In advance of publication, President Joe Biden held a call Thursday with Saudi Arabias King Salman. Biden discussed regional security and the renewed U.S. and UN effort to end the war in Yemen. He also affirmed the importance the United States places on universal human rights and the rule of law, the White House said in a statement.
Young Americans Are Falling for the Lies in the Promise of Socialism: Morgan Zegers

One young American says her generation is increasingly in favor of socialism because they dont have a deep understanding of how it leads to communist revolutions and oppressive totalitarian regimes. But shes fighting to debunk the lies and change that.

Morgan Zegers is the founder of Young Americans Against Socialism, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to exposing socialisms failures by creating viral educational videos for social media.

My generation is embracing socialism at a very troubling rate, and Im going to do everything I can to fight it, Zegers told American Thought Leaders at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday. Its just a very difficult situation when words are being distorted; language is distorted. And the left is doing that to control the narrative.

Zegers said the reason young people are being duped by the positive spin on socialism is that the education system has failed American students.

When I was going through high school, I did not learn about the history of these regimes in the sense that they came with promises of progress, with promises of changing and fighting for the working class, fighting for the people, Zegers said.

She added that this was how these terrible totalitarian authoritarian regimes begin.

Zegers is working to connect the dots between progressive movements and totalitarian regimes for her generationGen Zbecause the gaps in education are resulting in students growing up to become young adults who are showing an interest in socialism.

One of Zegers favorite quotes is by Frederick Douglass, who said, Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.

This is because, she said, with proper knowledge of history, You know whats true, you know whats right, and you can stand up for yourself and stand up against your oppressors. And thats why regimes try and hide the truth; suppress the truth.

She noted that Gen Z hasnt felt the direct threat of socialism, and she links this with why 70 percent say they would vote for a socialist leader.

I have a strong feeling that they dont actually want to implement socialism, Zegers said. They have probably never heard the definition of socialism in terms of seizing the means of production or nationalizing a major industry. But they still say that they want to do it and so I am focusing on really making that clear to them.

One of the first things Zegers does is debunk the lies about socialism in Nordic Europe, which is often held up as a success story for socialism.

I always try and distinguish for my generation that socialism is not Nordic Europe, she said. Its a capitalist economy over there. They have large social welfare programs, and they have very high taxes. But at the end of the day, they have private industry and private business, and a respect for capitalism and that system.

But real socialism sees the state taking private businesses out of the hands of individuals and under the control of the government.

Zegers noted that the implementation of economic socialist policies often goes hand in glove with people embracing a radical, authoritarian style of cancel culture that we see in socialist uprisings throughout history that turned into a communist, radical, oppressive regime.

Thats when Im starting to get worried, she added.

Zegers draws a link between cancel culture on social media and Leninist and Maoist era oppression, warning that its now on the shores of America.

She gave the example of the owner of Solly Baby, which launched a fabric wrap product for carrying infants close to the chest. The company was accused of stealing an ethnic design and selling it for profit. She said most people found the first apology to be authentic, but the small minority of people who are in the angry leftist woke mob who only see identity, and are so focused on that Cultural Marxism aspect, they were not satisfied.

The business owner made three apologies before it was accepted, which Zegers likened to going into the public square to apologize and be whipped until you have satisfied the mob.

Its very concerning language, because they will continue to go after you until you have satisfied them, and made them happy and said what they want you to say, she said.

To solve this problem, Zegers has launched a project to paint a more vivid picture of what socialism is really like for her generation to gain a better understanding, by telling the stories of people who have survived and escaped socialist countries.

One of their best performing videos got 25 million views.

It tells the story of a man who windsurfed across the ocean, from Cuba to the Florida Keys to reach America. Eventually, he does the immigration process and he then joins the U.S. military, he serves over in Afghanistan, and he does it to say thank you to the country that gave him freedom. Thats a powerful story and it gives you a very great lesson of why its so good to be in America.

She added, Even though we have our problems. We are not perfect. We are so blessed to be here.

Zegers has her eyes fixed on tackling the challenge of combatting the effects of what she described as a broken education system by using peer-to-peer communication, which basically means talking to people like you would a friend, which a study from Michigan State University found to be an effective way to ensure young people deeply comprehend an issue.
Pune, India, Feb. 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Market Analysis

Market Research Future (MRFR) expects the global Smart Building Market to reach USD 25,725.0 million at a 17.44% CAGR from 2018 to 2025 (forecast period).

A smart building uses sensors, microchips, and actuators to control and regulate air conditioning, ventilation, lighting, heating, and other systems. It leverages integrated and advanced building technologies, including advanced telecommunications systems, building automation, facility management, and fire safety equipment, to enhance comfort, safety, and occupant productivity. Building systems can be operated automatically according to environmental conditions, preset & variable schedules, and emergencies. Energy efficiency remains at the forefront of trends in IoT smart building.

IoT has a major impact on the Commercial Real Estate (CRE) industry due to a growth in the efficiency of building operations, better tenant relationships, and new revenue generation opportunities. IoT-enabled BMS is installed and used to increase the efficiency of a building and use sensor-generated data to improve building user experience. It can also utilize a single infrastructure to run all building management solutions and require minimal manual intervention. In addition, IoT-enabled BMS can be used for different purposes, such as minimizing energy usage, repairing and maintaining building systems, and reducing the administrative costs of the building. For example, property owners use data obtained from various sensors, such as indoor air quality and space utilization at the building level, to control air-conditioning and lighting systems in real-time, thereby minimizing energy costs and optimizing the indoor environment for its intended purpose. IoT technology offers owners the ability to have direct conversations and relationships with building users and their tenants. Sensors in shopping centers, for example, can help owners connect directly to different customers and provide their services, establishing relationships with customers and strengthening tenant engagement. IoT-enabled BMS is therefore driving the smart buildings market.

Get Free Sample PDF Brochure:

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1860

COVID-19 Impact on the Global Smart Building Market

The outbreak of COVID-19 adversely impacted the North American economy. However, the region has begun to relax restrictions and lift lockdown measures to revive the economy. Since North America is a technologically advanced region, facility managers can optimize their jobs and create a better atmosphere for facility occupants. There has been an upsurge in demand for smart buildings to integrate new office environments as employees are working from home.

Some of Europe's leading sectors, such as automotive, chemical, electronics, and manufacturing, were seriously affected by the disruption of the supply chain during the COVID-19 lockdown. Now that European countries have begun easing restrictions on commercial premises and sectors, there is an increasing demand for smart building solutions and services. With the aid of technologies like AI, blockchain, robots, and drones, smart building vendors are trying to bring industries and businesses back to normal.

APAC's smart building market is expected to grow during COVID-19 due to the growing trend of hospitals outsourcing non-core medical services to specialist smart building organizations. IoT and other new technologies are boosting the current smart building market in healthcare. Moreover, as companies are preparing for re-opening, there is an intense focus on new services and activities in the region to enable employees return to their workplace.

Iran and Israel were among the most affected by COVID-19 in the MEA. Governments in the region have quickly taken decisive steps to slow down the effects of the pandemic. Almost all industries and companies in the region are re-opening due to the relaxation of restrictions in the region. There will also be an increased demand for smart building vendors to restructure the workplace, set up smart workflows, and manage facilities in a constructive manner.

COVID-19 has impacted the health and energy industries in Latin America. However, these industries are trying to incorporate emerging technologies such as AI and IoT to address the associated challenges of COVID-19. As countries in the region are re-opening their manufacturing operations, the demand for smart building solutions and services could grow. Technology-driven efficiency could increase commercial outcomes in the region, resulting in holistic and empowered smart building operations. In addition, current assets in the area need to be upgraded in a cost-effective manner, and IoT, AI, and ML-enabled smart buildings are ideally suited.

Browse In-depth Market Research Report (282 pages) on Smart Building Market:

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/smart-building-market-1860

Market Segmentation

The global smart building industry has been segmented into automation and application.

Based on automation, the global smart building market has been segmented into intelligent security system (access control system, video surveillance system, emergency management system), infrastructure management system (elevators and escalators management system, smart water management system, parking management system), building energy management system (energy management system, HVAC control system, lighting control system), and network management system.

By application, the global smart building market has been segmented into commercial, industrial, government & public infrastructure, and residential.

Regional Analysis

The global smart building industry, by region, has been segmented into the Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and Central & South America.

North America to dominate the global market

The North America is expected to lead the smart buildings market. North America is one of the most technologically advanced regions in the world. The market growth in North America can be attributed to the introduction of the latest smart building solutions that leverage emerging technologies such as IoT, big data, cloud computing, data analytics, deep learning and artificial intelligence, energy efficiency, reducing operating expenses, rising occupancy comfort, and meeting increasingly stringent global regulations and sustainability. In addition, the US and Canada are influential countries that contribute to technological advancement in this region; for example, US organizations are investing extensively in smart building measures, such as building controls and building systems integration, to maximize energy efficiency and energy storage, and to deliver smarter, safer, and more efficient buildings while the Canadian government is taking steps to support Canada's dedication to protecting the environment and its resources by making federal buildings more energy-efficient and lessening greenhouse gas emissions, driving the growth of smart buildings.

Ask Your Queries:

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/1860

Competitive Landscape

The key players in the global smart building market are

Control4 Corporation (US)

Panasonic Corporation (Japan)

United Technologies Corporation (US)

Sony Corporation (Japan)

HCL Technologies Limited (India)

Advantech Co. Ltd (Taiwan)

Emerson Electric Co. (US)

Johnson Controls International PLC (Ireland)

IBM Corporation (US)

Cisco Systems (US)

Honeywell International, Inc (US)

GEZE GmbH (Germany)

Overkiz (France)

Hitachi Ltd (Japan)

Schneider Electric SE (France)

ABB Group (Switzerland)

Siemens AG (Germany)

Legrand SA (France)

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, (China).

These players have implemented various growth strategies, like partnerships, business expansions, agreements, collaborations, and new product launches and product improvements to further extend their reach in the smart buildings market and broaden their customer base.

Industry News

In March 2019, Advantech Co., Ltd launched the Verizon-certified LTE Cat-M1 router, ICR-3211B. The ICR-3211B router is the first product to be released in the US from Advantech's new ICR-3200 router line. The two routers are the perfect alternative for building automation, energy management, and remote SCADA applications.

In February 2019, Control4 Corporation acquired Swiss-based NEEO, a manufacturer of the smart home remote, to boost its leadership in delivering remotes, touch panels, keypads, and other smart home devices.

Browse Related Reports

Smart Parking Market Information Report by Parking Site (On-Street and Off-Street), Technology (SmartApp, In-Ground Vehicle Detection Sensor, RFID, Ultrasonic, and Others), and region.

Smart Materials Market : By Product (Piezoelectric Materials, Shape Memory Materials, Electro strictive Materials, Magneto strictive Materials), by Application (Actuators & Motors, Transducers, Sensors, Structural Materials)  Global Forecast till 2023

Global Smart City Market , By Application (Utility (Smart Meters, Smart lighting, Smart Waste Management), Transport (Smart Parking, Smart Ticket, Smart Transportation), Residential (Smart Building), Healthcare, Education, Government) - Forecast 2022

Smart Transportation Market by Solution (Traffic Management, Smart Ticketing, Parking Management, Integrated Supervision, Passenger Information, Insurance Telematics Solution), by Service (Consulting Service, Deployment and Integration, Support and Maintenance) - Forecast to 2022

Global Smart Elevator Market Research Report, by Type (Passenger, Freight and Fire-proof), by Component (Maintenance, Control, and Communication), by Service (Installation, Modernization and Maintenance), by Speed and by Application - Forecast till 2023

Smart Doorbell Market Research Report: By Type (Wired doorbell and Wireless doorbell), Component (Hardware and Software), End-User (Residential and Commercial), Sales Channel (Store-Based and Non-Store Based) and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World) - Global Forecast till 2025

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 13:41:55|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines made by the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech is unloaded upon its arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, Feb. 27, 2021. The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines made by the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech arrived in Malaysia on Saturday, boosting the country's capability in the fight against the pandemic. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines made by the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech arrived in Malaysia on Saturday, boosting the country's capability in the fight against the pandemic.

The arrival of Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccines was greeted by Malaysia's Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong, Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin as well as the Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Ambassador Ouyang handed over the vaccines to Minister Ismail Sabri, who represented the Malaysian side in a brief ceremony following the arrival.

Foreign Minister Hishammuddin said on social media that Malaysia's acquiring of Sinovac vaccines is a "testament to strong ties" between the two countries.

In a press briefing following the arrival, Minister Khairy said the close relationship between Malaysia and China is crucial for Malaysia to acquire Sinovac's vaccines, which have been put in use in various countries including in Turkey, Indonesia and Brazil.

"I think the cooperation between the governments of China and Malaysia was extremely important in ensuring that we could also include the Chinese vaccines in our portfolio," he said.

The minister added that the vaccine is currently undergoing regulatory approval by local regulatory bodies including the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency.

Ambassador Ouyang pointed to the fact that viruses do not respect borders and only by cooperating in the spirit of solidarity can the international community overcome the pandemic.

"Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic more than a year ago, the governments and people of China and Malaysia have worked side by side in fighting the pandemic and recovering the economy, providing firm support and sincere assistance to each other, which demonstrates the deep friendship between our two countries that have supported each other through thick and thin," he said.

"The arrival of the first batch of the vaccine in bulk shows the tangible achievements of China-Malaysia vaccine cooperation, and represents the deep friendship between the Chinese and Malaysian people," he said.

Malaysia's leading pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga signed a partnership with Sinovac in January for the supply of the latter's COVID-19 vaccines to Malaysia, involving a fill and finish process of the vaccines by Pharmaniaga.

Malaysia started its national immunization program this week after receiving the first shipment of vaccines developed by U.S. pharmaceutical firm Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech SE. The Malaysian government is targeting to inoculate at least 80 percent of the country's over 31 million population.

According to the government's plan, Malaysia's vaccination program will be conducted in three phases: phase 1 for frontliners covering some half million people, phase 2 for high-risk groups and phase 3 for adults aged 18 and above with the whole exercise expected to be completed by February next year. Enditem
Wolcott said the center is about coordinating law enforcement better, as well as coordinating with other agencies, such as the Aurora Fire Department. He said Auroras Critical Incident Intelligence Center recently coordinated a call to the fire department from a family who was trying to transport their infant, who was having trouble breathing, to AMITA Mercy Center Hospital.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
A patient is evacuated from the Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Riverside, Calif., on April 8, 2020. (Chris Carlson/AP)

Updates on CCP Virus: FDA Authorizes Johnson & Johnson Single Dose Vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration on Saturday authorized Johnson & Johnsons single-dose adenovirus vector COVID-19 vaccine for adults aged 18 and older following Fridays unanimous endorsement by the agencys panel of outside experts.

In J&Js 44,000-person global trial, the vaccine was found to be 66 percent effective at preventing moderate-to-severe COVID-19 four weeks after inoculation, and 100 percent effective in preventing hospitalization and death due to the virus.

There were very few serious side effects reported in the trial, which also offered preliminary evidence that the vaccine reduced asymptomatic infections. If that proves to be the case, it would mean COVID-19 vaccines may indeed reduce virus transmission as well as illness.

Michigan Republicans Call for Investigation Into Whitmers Nursing Home Policy

Republican state legislators in Michigan are calling for an investigation over Gov. Gretchen Whitmers role in CCP virus-related deaths among nursing home residents.

Whitmer, a Democrat, issued an executive order (pdf) in April 2020 to designate 21 nursing homes as regional hubs, which were expected to provide care for both seniors recovering from the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus and those who didnt have the virus. According to the order, the hubs were chosen based on their capability to house patients who had tested both positive and negative for the virus in properly separated units or buildings.

Reconsidering US-Canada Border Limits

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) wants the Biden administration to reconsider U.S.-Canada border restrictions that were imposed a year ago because of the CCP virus pandemic.

Her letter came less than a week after the Department of Homeland Security announced the U.S., Mexico, and Canada had jointly agreed to maintain land border restrictions until March 21.

Italy Reports 280 Deaths, 18,916 New Cases

Italy reported 280 CCP virus-related deaths on Saturday against 253 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections declined to 18,916 from Fridays 20,499.

Some 323,047 tests for COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus were carried out in the past day, compared with 325,404 previously, the ministry said.

People Who Get Vaccines Can Go Back to Life as Normal: Rep. Issa

People who are vaccinated against COVID-19 shouldnt be told to continue wearing masks and social distance, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said Friday.

For 100 years almost, since weve been developing immunity capability, people have always known if you survive smallpox, you dont get it again. You get chickenpox, you dont get it again. You get a vaccine; you stop worrying about polio, etc. For the first time ever, here is a series of vaccines, safe and effective, 95 plus percent effective, and whats happening? Theyre telling us to leave our masks on, to continue social distancing. Thats absurd, Issa told The Epoch Times American Thought Leaders at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida.

Plunging Demand for Tests May Leave US Exposed

Just five weeks ago, Los Angeles County was conducting more than 350,000 weekly CCP virus tests, including at a massive drive-thru site at Dodger Stadium, as health workers raced to contain the worst hotspot in the United States.

County officials are now saying testing has nearly collapsed. More than 180 government-supported sites are operating at only a third of their capacity. After a year of struggling to boost testing, communities across the country are seeing plummeting demand, shuttering testing sites, or even trying to return supplies.

New Mexico Sees Spike in Daily Case Count

New Mexico health officials on Friday confirmed an additional 659 COVID-19 infections, the disease caused by the CCP virus, the highest daily case count in more than three weeks.

Nearly 30 percent of the new cases involved state inmates. New Mexico has reported nearly 185,000 cases in total since the pandemic began. The death toll stands at 3,685, with more than a dozen deaths reported Friday.

Iran Expects 250,000 Doses of Vaccine From China

Irans Health Ministry said the country expects to receive 250,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from China on Saturday.

Alireza Raisi, deputy health minister, said the country will receive doses of other vaccines, including from India, in the near future as the country struggles to fight the worst outbreak of the pandemic in the Middle East.

UK Public Finances Under Enormous Strains: Chancellor

The UKs public finances are under enormous strains as a result of huge government borrowing during the pandemic, the UKs Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has said.

In an interview with the Financial Times on Friday, Sunak said he will level with people about the challenge when he delivers the budget on Wednesday.

Largest City in New Zealand Back in Lockdown

New Zealands Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Saturday that the countrys biggest city, Auckland, will go into a seven-day lockdown from early morning on Sunday after a new local case of the CCP virus of unknown origin emerged.

It comes two weeks after Aucklands nearly 2 million residents were plunged into a snap three-day lockdown when a family of three was diagnosed with the more transmissible UK variant of the virus.

New Cases in Nevada Lowest Since September

The average number of new daily cases reported in Nevada over the past two weeks has fallen to its lowest level since mid-September, and dropped by nearly 90 percent since a peak of more than 2,700 a day in mid-December.

The 314 new daily cases reported on average over the previous 14 days is the lowest since an average of 312 were reported on Sept. 16, state health officials said Friday.

House Passes $1.9 Trillion Relief Bill

The House of Representatives in the early hours of Saturday passed a $1.9 trillion relief package that closely resembles President Joe Bidens American Rescue Plan. It now moves to the Senate for another vote.

The package includes $1,400 direct payments to most Americans and a $20 billion national plan to vaccinate against the CCP virus.

GQ Pan, Mimi Nguyen Ly, Alexander Zhang, Zachary Stieber, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A woman in her 80s has died following a house fire in Larne on Saturday.

The incident took place in the Ballyrickard Road area shortly before 1pm.

Both police and the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) attended the scene.

Three fire service appliances and two officers responded to the house fire.

She was taken to hospital and her condition had been described as critical on Saturday and she passed away a short time later.

On Sunday police confirmed that the pensioner had passed away.

The fire is not being treated as suspicious.

A NI Fire and Rescue spokesperson said the fire had been dealt with by around 2.30pm on Saturday.

The Ballyrickard Road was closed for a number of hours but has now reopened.
New Haven police on Saturday said that the department has obtained an arrest warrant charging Qinxuan Pan with murder in the fatal shooting of Kevin Jiang, a Yale student.

Pan remains at large, police said. Officials plan to release more information on Monday.

The New Haven Police Department has obtained an arrest warrant charging Qinxuan Pan with murder in the fatal shooting of... Posted by New Haven Police Department on Saturday, February 27, 2021

New Haven police previously called Pan, a 29-year-old graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a person of interest in the slaying of Jiang. Police said Pan should be considered armed and dangerous.

Pan was last seen at the Best Western Hotel at 201 Washington Ave. in North Haven, Connecticut, police have said, and his last known address was at 193 Clifton St. in Malden, Massachusetts.

Jiang, a second-year graduate student in the Yale School of Environment, was shot and killed on Lawrence Street in New Havens East Rock neighborhood around 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 6, according to police. A 26-year-old from Chicago, Jiang was expected to complete his masters degree in environmental science this fall.

Related Content:
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
(Newser)  An airline passenger has 30 days to explain why he shouldn't be fined $27,500 for hitting a flight attendant in the face. The Federal Aviation Administration announced its proposed penalty Friday, USA Today reports. The passenger was traveling with someone who refused to wear a mask on a Miami-to-Atlanta flight in October, fasten his seat belt, or raise the tray table, the FAA said. So the crew took the plane back to the gate and asked the passengers to get off the flight. When told by a flight attendant to leave, the passenger facing the civil penalty refused and began swearing at her, the FAA says, and then hit her under the left eye. The agency did not name the passenger.

story continues below

The FAA said last month that it had seen a "disturbing increase" in violent behavior or threats of it by passengerssometimes involving refusals to wear masks. After trouble on flights carrying passengers who had rioted at the US Capitol on Jan. 6, the agency tightened its rules and no longer requires a warning to be given to a passenger disrupting a flight. The FAA issued a reminder that it's against federal law to assault or threaten a crew member, per USA Today. Jail time is a possibilty, the agency warned. "We will no longer adjudicate certain of these unruly passenger cases with counseling or warnings," said FAA Chief Steve Dickson said at the time, per Fox News. "We're going to go straight to enforcement." (Read more airline passengers stories.)

TymeBank has big plans for its business in 2021, from launching credit cards to expanding to two more countries.

The companys strategy is aided by the R1.6 billion in funding it recently acquired from Apis and JG Summit.

MyBroadband spoke to TymeBank CEO Tauriq Keraan and co-founder Coen Jonker about the banks upcoming products and international expansion.

The bank already offers two insurance products and has begun rolling out a buy now, pay later product which can be enacted at payment points across the country.

This is only the beginning, however, as TymeBank plans to launch a credit card later this year.

Credit card plans

The credit card offering is something well be getting in the second half of this year, Keraan said.

The idea is to be discerning around who we target. I think there is immense potential in using basket data enabled in part by integration with Pick n Pay SmartShopper.

He said the applicability of this type of offering has been proven in economies like Australia extensively.

The first principle here is increasing the access to financial services and banking in this country, Keraan said.

But equally important is that we are a bank for all South Africans so we consciously target across sectors. The same is true for credit cards.

He added that credit cards have a clear draw for higher-income consumers, but said there is an opportunity to create better access to credit facilities for consumers without extensive records.

This is a way of growing the credit sector in South Africa as well, Keraan said.

It is our responsibility to close this growing gap that we have in our society.

International expansion

When asked about TymeBanks plans to expand to other countries, Jonker outlined the banks roadmap for international expansion.

The next priority will be to take the business to the Philippines in our joint venture with JG Summit, he said.

We are almost ready to submit our licence application. We will launch a bank in the Philippines.

This will be the second country that TymeBank will expand to after South Africa, but Jonker said they are already looking further ahead in terms of launching in other countries.

Country number three is likely to be Malaysia or one of the other South-East Asian countries, he said.

TymeBank currently has 2.8 million customers and is expected to reach a milestone of 3 million customers by the end of March 2021.

The bank is celebrating its second anniversary this month, having officially launched on 26 February 2019.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
New Delhi:

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement on Wednesday, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi addressed the Lok Sabha paid homage to Congress workers who participated in the freedom struggle. She also said that Congress played a crucial role in the freedom struggle of India. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru spent several years in jail, many Congress workers died in jail.



Adding further Sonia Gandhi said that few organisations were against freedom of India. A lot of atrocities were committed on the protesters, but no one stepped back. We must not forget that some organizations opposed Quit India Movement, such organisations have no role in freedom struggle.

"There is politics of divide. Freedom of expression, civil justice are taking a back seat. We can't and we won't allow sectarian forces to succeed," she said.

"Questions are being raised whether forces of darkness are again raising their head, whether attempts are being made to destroy democracy."

"Today, it looks that divisive and communal sentiments are rising across the country, and secularism and free speech are in danger. Law and order forces have also not been able to control the communal forces,".

Also Read: 75 yrs of Quit India Movement: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the freedom fighters

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.

The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Well, its happened again.

Should we be surprised? Hardly. Should we be angry? Definitely. In this case Im referring to the latest example of racist abuse to be directed towards an Irish player.

Republic of Ireland under-19 winger Tyreik Wright is highly rated at Aston Villa. Theyve loaned the lad out to Walsall to gain some first team experience and everything seems to be going rather well for him. Everything except social media, that is.

On Wednesday, Villa announced that, after he was subjected to a barrage of racist bile, they have reported the matter to the West Midlands Hate Crime division. According to his parent club: Tyreik, who is currently on loan at Walsall, received sickening and abhorrent messages via his Instagram account, messages which the club have reported to both the social media platform and West Midlands police... and will continue to do what we can to report and help root out all forms of discrimination.

But is there more that can be done about the seeming epidemic of racist and sectarian abuse currently being heaped on so many Irish players?

James McClean is obviously the most high-profile target of this invective and he has been courageous in his refusal to back down before the bullies and the bigots. But not every player is as steely and prickly as the Derry man. The source of McCleans woes stem from his long-standing refusal to wear the poppy on his jersey every November.

Is that the correct decision? Well, its not a case of him being either right or wrong  its simply his decision and he has every right to make it. With McClean, you could argue that the stick he receives is more sectarian than racist and that is why the English FA has been so clueless when it comes to dealing with the matter. Some forms of abuse are seen as more of a hot-button issue than others and it seems the powers that be only have eyes for racially motivated hatred. Thats because theyre terrified of not being seen to do something, while a gobby Irish man from Derry is a more complicated case to defend.

Shane Duffy is another Derry man who has been on the receiving end since he joined Celtic. He revealed last week that he had been subjected to a torrent of Irish venom from a Rangers supporter. At least in this instance, the culprit was quickly identified and he tried to weasel his way out of trouble by saying that he just wanted to get a reaction from the imposing centre half.

Why anyone in their right mind would want to anger a man as physically imposing as Duffy remains a mystery but the defence that he was just looking for attention was at least, I suppose, as honest as it was pathetic. Of course, its not just the Irish players plying their trade in England and Scotland who are getting hammered on social media.

Marcus Rashford may be the highest-profile black player to receive abuse but hes far from the only one.

In fact, it now appears that many, if not indeed most, of the black and ethnic-minority professionals have been the target of the idiots. Also, it should be remembered that the Irish can dish it out as well, as the recent appalling case involving the Kerry teenager and Ian Wright proved. Is there suddenly a massive rise in racism in the UK, as some campaigners have claimed?

Read More

Well, you cant argue with the evidence but I rather doubt that this is a direct result of Brexit, which is one theory. Nor do I really buy the other suggestion that this is all down to Trump. Frankly, I doubt these knuckle-draggers are really that politically engaged.

No, I reckon the real reason is far more obvious  people have been going mad during lockdown and social media is a perfect way to vent and get things off your chest. There have been several surveys in the last few months which have shown that people have become angrier and more belligerent on their social media accounts.

But when it comes social media, now is surely the time to make these vastly wealthy companies do something about it.

If Twitter is prepared to boot the previous president of the US from its platform, how on earth can it justify allowing death threats and menacing racial abuse to remain?

Fundamentally, of course, there are free speech issues at stake. But telling someone youre going to burn their house down doesnt fall under the protection of free speech. Its a direct threat and already covered under the law.

Platforms could start by insisting on proof of identity by subscribers. Anonymity has become a curse on society, as indeed has social media itself.

Also, the words of one of my early bosses often ring in my ears whenever this vexed issue arises. When I had filed a particularly scathing and, I thought, rather funny, piece about a celebrity, he asked me a simple question:

Would you say that to their face?

To be honest, I wouldnt.

So I dialled it down and walked away with a great lesson  never write something about an individual that you wouldnt be prepared be prepared to say to them in person.

Its a lesson the trolls could learn.

Ricky Gervais hits the nail on the head: woke culture is killing comedy

The reliably divisive Ricky Gervais was back in the news this week when he had another go at so-called woke culture.

In this instance, he was making the point that producers and commissioners at the likes of the BBC and Channel 4 are now terrified of causing offence  and you cant make great comedy if youre constantly looking over your shoulder.

I was reminded of that the other night while looking at some repeats of 1990s lad-classic Men Behaving Badly. Frankly, if that was to be commissioned today, the writers would probably be up on hate crime charges.

But Gervais also made a really interesting point  the vast majority of those who say theyre offended by something arent really offended, theyre just flexing their muscles and looking for attention.

Popular culture now seems to be the vice-like grip of a small bunch of keyboard warriors who have realised that they can force artists and creatives to bow down before them.

Its the tyranny of a tiny minority

of purse lipped fanatics and censors who now reckon that they have a cranks veto over anything that displeases them.

The problem is, however, they also seem to be correct to think that.

The idea that anyone can go through life without ever being offended is a desperately dangerous one and is contributing to an increasingly sterile, sclerotic and neurotic culture.

Lets put it this way, the lad culture of the 90s, with Loaded magazine and Men Behaving Badly may not be to modern tastes, but at least people were able to laugh back then.

We need to free ourselves from the modern clerics who feel they have the final say on what is acceptable.
Yesterday, February 26, 2021, the president of Azerbaijan stated: "We carried out an anti-terrorist operation and as a result, more than 60 terrorists were arrested. They are now called prisoners of war. We think this is a distortion of the issue because there can be no prisoners of war 20 days after the end of the war. We have returned all the prisoners of war. We returned them before they returned us to our captives. And these people are not prisoners of war, they are terrorists, they are saboteurs." Armenias Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman), Arman Tatoyan, wrote about this on Facebook Saturday. He added as follows:

1. The Human Rights Defender of Armenia once again resolutely states that all servicemen and civilians of the Armenian side detained in Azerbaijan are detainees by status.

All the servicemen were in Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] to fulfill their constitutional duty; they carried out military legal service in Artsakh.

2. Reliable evidence collected by the Human Rights Defender's Office confirms that the number of detainees is higher than confirmed by the Azerbaijani authorities; this also applies to the return of up to 44 detainees per group.

The Human Rights Defender has registered numerous cases when, despite the cases confirmed by videos and other evidence, the Azerbaijani authorities deny the presence of persons, or delay the approval process.

3. Initiating criminal proceedings against the detainees of the Armenian side held in Azerbaijan, arresting them and especially calling them "terrorists" or "saboteurs" are gross violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in general. They cannot be prosecuted or arrested in any way as a punishment for carrying out their legal military service.

This assertion is in line especially with the requirements of the Third Geneva Convention of 1949.

First, the Azerbaijani authorities were artificially delaying the return of the Armenian detainees, and then began to falsify and abuse the legal processes and directly stated that only "terrorists and saboteurs" were detained in Azerbaijan.

International humanitarian law prohibits such treatment. It obviously has the characteristics of a war crime.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia also considers especially emphasizing that in the post-war process, human rights or humanitarian issues, including the release and return of detainees, shall be ensured immediately after the cessation of hostilities, and they must be kept out of the political processes.

This prohibition applies in any case under international law, regardless of whether it is enshrined in specific conflict-related documents.

4. The statement of the president of Azerbaijan that there can be no prisoners of war 20 days after the end of the war, thus calling the detainees "saboteurs" or terrorists, is absolutely unacceptable.

It is inadmissible to interpret the November 9 trilateral statement as if it applies only to the situation before the signing of that statement.

First, both before and after the November 9 statement, and now we are dealing with an ongoing (unfinished) armed conflict; this rule derives directly from the requirements of international humanitarian law.

In addition, the statement of the president of Azerbaijan directly contradicts also the intentions of the parties that signed the trilateral statement on November 9, and the application practice of that statement.

In particular, based on the demand of point 8 of that statement, the Republic of Armenia has already transferred to Azerbaijan two people who committed crimes, including killing of civilians, and were convicted in Artsakh. On the same principle, Azerbaijan transferred Armenia the Armenians formally convicted in that country.

Armenia and Azerbaijan also handed over the persons detained after the November 9 trilateral statement.

So, the mentioned statement should be applied to all situations both before and after November 9as long as there is an objective need for the protection of human rights and the humanitarian process due to the consequences of hostilities.

Therefore, it is in principle inadmissible to condition the presence of detainees on the date of a tripartite statement. I emphasize once again that, regardless of the date of being detained, all servicemen and civilians of the Armenian side being held in Azerbaijan are prisoners of warwith their status.

5. The absolute urgency of the issue of the release of detainees should also be considered in the context of the anti-Armenian policy in Azerbaijan, which has been repeatedly confirmed by the reports published by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia on the basis of objective evidence.

6. Therefore, it is absolutely reprehensible that the issue of the release and return of the detainees of the Armenian side in Azerbaijan is clearly being politicized, and the legal processes are being distorted and abused.

All this grossly violates the humanitarian process and international requirements guaranteeing human rights. Therefore, they must be released without any preconditions and returned safely to Armenia.

7. I therefore call on the attention of the international community, and in particular the international organizations with a mandate to protect human rights, to the noted statement by the president of Azerbaijan in order to rule out any violation of the humanitarian process, to ensure that this process complies strictly with international human rights requirements.
Egypts Higher Education Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar made a tour on Saturday in both Ain Shams and Cairo universities to make sure precautionary measures against coronavirus are applied on the first day of the mid-year exams.

The mid-year exams at schools and universities were postponed in December due to the second wave of COVID-19. In February, the authorities extended the mid-year break by a week to end on 26 February.

The exams at universities are held amid a set of strict measures that had been announced earlier by the Supreme Council of Universities

Abdel-Ghaffar inspected exam halls at the two universities to make sure enough distances are left between each two students, urging continuous disinfection of the facilities, the higher education ministry said in a statement.

The ministers tour included the faculties of dentistry, pharmacy, science and literature at Ain Shams University, as well as the Faculty of Medicine at Cairo University.

Abdel-Ghaffar has been keen on inspecting all precautionary measures agreed upon during the last meeting of the Supreme Council of Universities on 20 February, highlighting the need to immediately punish violators.

During his tour, the minister spoke with some students about their readiness for the exams and the second semester.

Students at the first secondary year (Grade 10) also took their first mid-year exams today amid strict measures. Their exams are set to continue until 8 March, based on a plan previously announced by Education Minister Tarek Shawki.

The grade 10 students took their Arabic and biology exams in school classrooms.

#

Short link:


5 things you need to know Monday

News
The decision not to prioritise people with certain health problems or disabilities in the next wave of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout ignores the evidence, charities have warned.

The government on Friday endorsed the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations (JCVI) recommendation to adopt an age-based approach to offering the vaccine once all at-risk people in phase one of the programme have been invited to receive at least one dose.

The recommendation means those aged between 40 and 49 will be prioritised next for a coronavirus vaccine, followed by 30- to 39-year-olds and 18- to 29-year-olds.

Government scientific advisors said the plan would ensure more people are protected more quickly.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, the Covid-19 Chair for the JCVI, said: Vaccinations stop people from dying and the current strategy is to prioritise those who are more likely to have severe outcomes and die from Covid-19.

The evidence is clear that the risk of hospitalisation and death increases with age. The vaccination programme is a huge success and continuing the age-based rollout will provide the greatest benefit in the shortest time, including to those in occupations at a higher risk of exposure.

But the decision has been criticised by charities, who have called for people with certain health problems and disabilities, who are not already covered in phase one, to be prioritised.

Sarah Woolnough, the chief executive of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation, said the age-based vaccination rollout approach ignores the evidence that people with asthma are more at risk of going to hospital with Covid and more at risk from long Covid.

There are thousands of people with asthma who will rightly feel anxious, angry and ignored by government, Ms Woolnough said.

We have been urging the government to ensure everyone with asthma is prioritised in the next vaccine rollout, and more than 18,000 people with asthma have signed our petition in support of this.

The government must reconsider this decision, which is unacceptable and could put people with asthma at risk.

Nik Hartley, the chief executive of Spinal Injuries Association, also urged the government to prioritise people according to clinical need rather than age.

He said: This decision doesnt take into account that many spinal cord injured people  those with tetraplegia and high-level paraplegia  have a compromised respiratory function or a suppressed immune system. And they are significantly more likely to need acute medical care if they contract Covid-19.

We urge the government to reconsider this decision and ensure everyone is prioritised according to their clinical needs. People living with high-level spinal cord injury show how stark the issue is and how urgently it needs addressing.

There are 50,000 spinal cord-injured people in the UK who feel forgotten and ignored, and this is adding to the difficulties they face every day, especially those whove been cut off from loved ones while self-isolating.

And Sonya Chowdhury, the chief executive of Action for ME, said people with ME, who are at increased risk of facing their long-term illness being exacerbated by Covid-19, should receive the vaccine at the earliest possible stage regardless of age.

The green book on immunisations against infectious disease says those at risk of Covid exacerbating underlying diseases as well as serious illness from Covid should be considered for the vaccine earlier, she says.

The announcement today goes against that.

People with disabilities made up six in 10 deaths involving Covid-19 in England up to November 2020, data from the Office for National Statistics has shown.

More than 30,000 of the 50,888 people who died with coronavirus from January to November were disabled people.

The risk of death from Covid-19 was more than three times greater for severely disabled people than the rest of the population, the ONS found.

Dr Mary Ramsay, the head of immunisations at Public Health England, said: Delivering a vaccination programme on this scale is incredibly complex and the JCVIs advice will help us continue protecting individuals from the risk of hospitalisation at pace.

The age-based approach will ensure more people are protected more quickly. It is crucial that those at higher risk  including men and BAME communities  are encouraged to take the vaccine, and that local health systems are fully engaged and reaching out to underserved communities to ensure they can access the vaccine.

A government spokesperson said age-based rollout is the most effective way to minimise hospitalisations and deaths ... This is because age is assessed to be the strongest factor linked to mortality, morbidity and hospitalisations, and because the speed of delivery is crucial as we provide more people with protection from Covid-19.

All four parts of the UK will follow the recommended approach, subject to the final advice given by the independent expert committee. The UK government remains on course to meet its target to offer a vaccine to all those in the phase one priority groups by mid-April, and all adults by the end of July.
On Saturday, the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP cried foul over the prolonged incarceration of the party's youth wing president Waheed Para since November 25, 2020. It raised questions over the judiciary's alleged contrary stance on the involvement of Para in terror-related offences. Alleging that the charges filed against him by the NIA and the J&K Police are similar in nature, PDP expressed surprise at the fact that he was being described as a threat to India's sovereignty despite being granted bail by a Special NIA court in another case. Mufti has consistently maintained that the arrest of the PDP youth wing president is politically motivated.

Read: J&K L-G Urges PDP & NC To Help In Delimitation Exercise; Gives Assurance On Assembly Polls

Read: 'Deport Mehbooba To Pakistan': BJP Slams PDP Chief's Appeal For Talks With Imran Khan Govt

PDP leader Waheed Parra's arrest

Along with other mainstream political leaders, Para was detained on August 5, 2019, when the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked. While he was released from a sub-jail and put under house arrest in February 2020, the NIA arrested him 9 months later in suspended DSP Davinder Singh's case. Based on the alleged disclosure of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Naveed, the arrest took place three days after he filed nomination papers from Pulwama for the District Development Council election. Granting bail to the PDP youth wing president on January 9, the special NIA court highlighted loopholes in the agency's case.

However, he was arrested by the Counter Intelligence Kashmir wing of the J&K Police while he was walking out of the Jammu District Jail. He was brought to Srinagar for investigation in connection with the link of J&K politicians with Pakistan and terrorists. This FIR has been registered under various Sections 13, 17, 18, 38, 39, 40, 120B, 121, 121A and 124A of the Indian Penal Code.

As per the FIR, unnamed politicians of the Union Territory have been accused of aiding and supporting terrorism and establishing relations with different Pakistan-supported terrorist and secessionist organizations. While rejecting Para's bail plea in this case on February 23, a court observed, If personal liberty and the security of the state are pitted against each other, the latter will prevail. If enlarged on bail, the unity, integrity, security and sovereignty of the country will be endangered".

Read: Mehbooba Mufti Slams PDP Leader's Arrest, Blames J&K CID For 'terrorizing' Kashmiris
Travelling to Himachal Pradesh? Negative COVID-19 report must for passengers from these states

Coronavirus outbreak: No need for lockdown in Himachal Pradesh, says CM Jairam Thakur

Case likely against Congress MLAs for manhandling Himachal Speaker

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Shimla, Feb 27: Himachal Pradesh Speaker Vipin Parmar is examining the Assembly rules to file an FIR or police case against the five Congress MLAs suspended for the remainder of the Budget session for allegedly manhandling Governor Bandaru Dattatraya.

The Speaker told news agency Press Trust of India that this is for the first time in the history of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly that the Governor was manhandled by Opposition members.

He is examining the rules to file an FIR against the suspended Congress MLAs, the Speaker said.

Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatraya was allegedly manhandled by some Congress members in the Assembly complex on Friday after he addressed the House on the opening day of the Budget session.

Himachal Pradesh Budget Session: Governor cuts short address to Assembly amid uproar by Congress members

The Speaker suspended Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri and four other Congress MLAs Harsh Vardhan Chauhan, Satpal Raizada, Sunder Singh and Vinay Kuma for the entire Budget session till March 20 on a motion moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Bhardwaj.

Parmar said some opposition members tried to stop the Governor, who was accompanied by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, when he was going towards his cavalcade after addressing the House.

Parmar said they hit on the Governor's back with copies of his address. They also hit the bonnet of the Governor's car, he added.

Earlier, the Congress MLAs shouted in the House during the Governor's address. He then skipped to the last sentence after reading initial few pages and stated that the entire speech should be deemed as read.

Suspended Congress MLA Harsh Vardhan Chauhan told news agency PTI that they were waiting outside the Speaker's office and just wanted to ask the Governor why he cut short his address but they were not allowed to do so.

He alleged that it was Deputy Speaker Hans Raj who manhandled the MLAs, a charge denied by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, who said the Congress legislators had planned to create a scene.

Imran Khan says onus of further progress in ties on India | Oneindia News

Chauhan also said they did not have any intention of manhandling the governor.
Dr Vandana 'Vandi' Verma is the Chief Engineer for the Robotics Operation team at NASA. She has designed the Rover Collision Modeling capability and written flight software to enable the rover to deploy the robotic arm on a target itself.

She is the brains behind the planning of the Mars Perseverance Rover.

Also read: Months Before Uttarakhand Glacier Burst, Crack Formed In The Mountain Ice, NASA Image Shows

NASA

Vandi Verma Background

Verma was born and raised in Halwara, however she shifted from one city to another all her life as her father was a pilot in the Indian Air Force.

She did her schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Halwara and pursued her bachelors degree in electrical engineering at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. Later on, she did her masters in robotics from Carnegie Mellon University, followed by a Ph.D, also in robotics, from Carnegie Mellon in 2005.

Her thesis was entitled Tractable Particle Filters for Robot Fault Diagnosis. While studying, she also gained her pilots license.

She was involved in a 3-year astrobiology experimental station in the Atacama desert, South America. The desert was chosen because of the similarities between its hostile environment and the surface of Mars.

Also read: Look Up The Night Sky As If You Are Standing On Mars, With NASA Perseverance Rover

ScienceMag

At university, she also won a competition to create a robot that was capable of navigating a maze and collecting balloons. This intrigued her interest in robotics in unknown environments.

She tested robotic technologies in the Arctic and Antarctic as a student there.

Vandi is also one of the co-writers of PLEXIL - an open source programming language now used in many automation technologies of NASA. In fact, it was also used for driving Perseverance to Mars.

NASA Mars rover team

Verma joined NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 2007, with a special interest in robotics and flight software and became a part of the Mars rover team in 2008. She was the group leader of Autonomous Systems, Mobility and Robotic Systems at JPL. She worked on developing flight and flight simulation software systems used by Perseverance rover.

Vandi has worked on NASAs Mars Exploration Rover projects since 2008. Hence, she has operated the previous other Mars rovers: MER-A Spirit, MER-B Opportunity and Mars Science Laboratorys Curiosity.

In an interview in 2012, she said, I do realise that I possibly have one of the coolest jobs in the world. On working with JPL, she told WFLA, People are so passionate about space here at JPL. Youre working with people who just love what they do.

ScienceMag

Awards and recognitions

She has won a number of awards, such as six NASA Honors Awards and two MSL awards since 2008.

Vandi also appeared in and directed an episode of Nova ScienceNow called Can We Make It to Mars?

In 2020, she appeared in the sixth episode of US Air Force documentary Science in the Extremes series 3 where she explained her work on Mars surface for the 2020 mission.

Finnish director Minna Langstrom even made a documentary about her and her work with the Mars rover Curiosity titled The Other Side of Mars (original Finnish title Mars kuvien takaa) in 2018.
WASHINGTON - Joseph D. Duffey, a coal miner's son who led two large universities and two federal agencies and whose enduring luster in the Democratic Party stemmed from his unsuccessful but high-profile Senate bid in 1970, an antiwar campaign that drew support from Hollywood star Paul Newman and was staffed by a young Bill Clinton, died Feb. 25 in Washington. He was 88.

His death, at a retirement community, was confirmed by his son Michael Duffey, who did not provide a specific cause.

A former United Church of Christ minister with a PhD in the history of theology, Duffey chaired the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Jimmy Carter and led the University of Massachusetts at Amherst from 1982 to 1991. After a brief stint as president of American University, he served six years as the last director of the U.S. Information Agency.

With his second wife, Anne Wexler, who chaired his Senate campaign and became one of the first women to own a lobbying firm, Duffey was for years half of an influential Washington power couple.

But he was perhaps best known for his political activism in the 1960s and early '70s, when he helped organize Freedom Rides to the South and immersed himself in liberal politics, distressed by what he called the "carnage in Vietnam." He was a leader of Sen. Eugene McCarthy's, D-Minn., antiwar presidential campaign in Connecticut, where he was teaching at the Hartford Seminary Foundation, and succeeded economist John Kenneth Galbraith as head of Americans for Democratic Action.

In 1970, at age 38, he won the Democratic Senate primary in Connecticut, beating a wealthy Stamford businessman favored by the state's party machine. Although Dr. Duffey lost in the general election to Lowell Weicker, a Republican congressman, his campaign made him one of the nation's most prominent antiwar activists and a hero to young political idealists, including a Yale law student named Bill Clinton.

"In the fall of 1970, I missed about half of my law school classes trying to help get Joe Duffey elected to the Senate," Clinton said in a statement. "There were so many of us who were drawn to his deep commitment to peace, economic fairness, and civil rights. Joe lost the election, but he left us all proud, wiser in the ways of politics, and richer in lifelong friends, including Joe himself."

Duffey's campaign was chaired by Wexler and included a host of ambitious political operatives, including Tony Podesta, who managed the campaign; his brother John Podesta, who became Clinton's White House chief of staff; Sam Gejdenson, who represented Connecticut in the U.S. House from 1981 to 2001; Michael Medved, who became a conservative radio host; and Larry Kudlow, who became a Wall Street economist, financial commentator and director of the National Economic Council under President Donald Trump.

"It was the all-star team of that era," Tony Podesta said in a phone interview. "Everybody wanted to be there because of their respect for Joe and their admiration and willingness to follow Anne wherever she wanted to go. It didn't even feel that much like a campaign. It was a movement."

The staff was aided by actor and Connecticut resident Newman, who co-chaired the campaign and drummed up publicity, as well as by a finance committee that included writers and artists such as Alexander Calder, William Styron and Thornton Wilder.

Duffey blamed his defeat partly on the late entrance of an independent candidate, Thomas J. Dodd, the Democratic incumbent. The father of five-term senator Chris Dodd, he had been censured by his Senate colleagues in 1967 for diverting political contributions for his personal use. His campaign split the Democratic vote, helping deliver a victory to Weicker, who won nearly 42% of the vote.

"In those days, it was really a war in this country," Duffey told the Hartford Courant in 1993, shortly before Clinton's inauguration. "It was between young people in college and blue-collar working people. My campaign was an effort to identify that and try to overcome that."

The oldest of five children, Joseph Daniel Duffey was born in Huntington, W.Va., on July 1, 1932. His father lost a leg in a coal-mining accident and became a barber, and his mother died when Duffey was 13.

Raised in the Baptist church, he served as a church assistant and went to youth conventions, where he met Patricia Fortney. They married in 1952, when he was 19. After the Senate election, he and Wexler divorced their respective spouses, marrying in 1974.

Duffey received a bachelor's degree in 1954 from Marshall University in Huntington. He completed his theological studies with a bachelor of divinity from Andover Theological Seminary in 1957, a master's degree from Yale Divinity School in 1963 and a doctorate from Hartford Seminary Foundation in 1969.

After heading Carter's Washington office during the 1976 presidential campaign, he was appointed to the State Department, as assistant secretary for educational and cultural affairs. Later in 1977, he was named chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, taking charge of a federal agency that supported projects ranging from the development of new encyclopedias to the release of educational television series.

As chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, he spearheaded the rollout of a new general-education curriculum for undergraduates. Richard O'Brien, who served as provost and later succeeded him as chancellor, credited Duffey with revitalizing the university's business school and helping to bring UMass Amherst "out of the shadows."

"It became much more of an international place than when he inherited it," he said.

For about a year before Dr. Duffey left the school, in 1991, he also served as president of the statewide University of Massachusetts system. He resigned both positions to become president of American University. Clinton tapped him in 1993 to run USIA, an agency that promoted U.S. policies overseas before being abolished six years later, with most of its functions taken over by the State Department.

Duffey ended his career as a senior vice president at Laureate Education, which owns a network of for-profit colleges abroad.

His wife died in 2009, and a son from his first marriage, David Duffey, died in 2019.

Survivors include his companion, Marian Burros, a longtime food writer at the New York Times and former editor at The Washington Post; a son from his first marriage, Michael Duffey; two stepsons, Daniel and David Wexler; two sisters; and four grandchildren.

A few weeks before his death, Duffey celebrated the 50th anniversary of his Senate campaign with a virtual reunion on Zoom, held with Clinton and other former campaign staffers. When they last gathered, at Clinton's inauguration in 1993, Duffey warned against romanticizing the 1970 campaign and that period in the country's history.

"It was so divisive, with one generation pitted against another," he said, according to a Los Angeles Times report. Still, he added, "what we all sensed then was what Bill Clinton sensed last year, that politics can either divide people or bring them together."
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
The TTD has been operating two ghat roads between Tirumala and Tirupati and collecting toll fees as per rates approved by the state government in September 1996. (Photo: DC)

TIRUPATI: The toll fee collected at the Alipiri toll gate in Tirupati  the gateway to the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara  has been substantially raised by the state government on Friday, on the basis of a recommendation from the TTD trust board.

The revised rates are: All LCV/LMVs including taxis: uniform toll of Rs 50 from the existing fee of Rs 15, Rs 30, Rs 25 and Rs 60 based on classifications of vehicles and seating capacity. LCV two-axle, mini buses, lorries and goods vehicles will be charged Rs 100 as against the existing fee of Rs 50 and Rs 60, while lorries, JCBs and other heavy goods container vehicles Rs 200 as against the existing fee of Rs 100. All two-wheelers were exempted from payment of toll fee.

The TTD had, in February last year, sent a letter to the government seeking its approval for classification of vehicles at Alipiri tollgate as per National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) regulations and fix the fee accordingly. It had also proposed complete exemption of toll for two-wheelers.

The TTD has been operating two ghat roads between Tirumala and Tirupati and collecting toll fees as per rates approved by the state government in September 1996. In pre-Covid times, about 8,000-10,000 vehicles passed through this toll plaza on normal days and 12,000 vehicles on special occasions and weekends.

The TTD has been netting a revenue of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh on an average a day in the form of toll collections. Around 35.33 lakh vehicles have passed through this toll plaza in 2019 and a toll fee of Rs 7.47 crore was collected, sources said.

The temple body had proposed to enhance the toll in December 2000 through a resolution 656, but TTD could not implement the revised rates. After a gap of many years, the TTD trust board, in February last year, again proposed to enhance the toll fee through resolution 300 and sent a letter to the government seeking its nod for the new rates.

In August last year, the special chief secretary to the government, revenue, suggested to the TTD board to further enhance the tariff for four-wheelers in a bid to reduce the congestion and pollution atop Tirumala. The TTD trust board, in its second round of discussions on this subject, however, felt that its earlier decision was good enough and saw no reason to enhance tariff on four-wheelers and conveyed the same to the government.

In December last, TTD executive officer again sent a letter to the government, seeking its approval for the first proposal. In response, the principal secretary to government, Revenue, passed GO 45 on Friday, approving the TTD resolution to enhance the toll fee and give complete exemption to two-wheelers.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
A lone gray wolf crossed the Oregon border into California earlier this month, traveling further south than any lobo that wildlife officials have previously tracked.

The male wolf, known as OR-93, is known to have originated from Oregons White River pack, southeast of Mt. Hood. He was fitted with a GPS tracking collar last year by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

OR-93 passed through several counties before arriving in Mono County this week, wildlife officials announced Thursday. The sojourn puts him hundreds of miles away from the Oregon state line and his natal territory.

This is the farthest south that any wolf has come since they came back to the state in 2011, said Jordan Traverso, a spokeswoman with the state department of Fish and Wildlife.

Gray wolves disappeared from the state in the 1920s, until an individual known as OR-7 crossed into in California wilderness in 2011. His return was applauded by conservationists, but horrified many ranchers already grappling with populations of coyotes and mountain lions.

While officials do not have precise location data on OR-93s travels through remote wilderness, they do receive periodic GPS updates on his whereabouts, Traverso said, adding that no public sightings have been recorded.

Stealth is one of their features, she said.

The male wolf has likely struck out in search of a mate, never to return to his natal territory. He is now far south of the states known wolf packs, officials said. The Lassen Pack, occupying parts of Lassen and Plumas counties, has produced pups for the past three years. Biologists recently documented a pair of wolves in Siskiyou County that they believe could produce pups this spring.

While the Trump administration lifted federal protections in October, gray wolves remain a protected endangered species in California. OR-93s presence is proof that the states conservation efforts are working, Traverso said.

We have a burgeoning population, she said. Its exciting.

But not everyone is excited about the wolves moving south from Oregon, Traverso acknowledged, as many ranchers remain wary of the encroaching predator.

There are diverse constituencies with varying viewpoints  we do our best to walk that tight rope, she said.

Nora Mishanec is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NMishanec
Councillors vented their frustrations over continued delays at Gorey Town Park during last week's meeting of Gorey-Kilmuckridge Municipal District.

Sean Meyler from Special Projects gave an update on the town park and said that when work shut down due to level five restrictions, the contractor was two months away from substantial completion.

He said that he didn't know what impact the current lockdown was going to have on the efficiencies of the construction sector, but that when the contractor started back on site in May of last year, it took them a couple of weeks to find their feet again because of issues of supply and subcontractor availability. He also said that he suspects they will return to the site on Monday, March 8, but that unfortunately the bulb planting season has now been missed.

He described landscaping as an issue, with March being a key month, but that it would be next season before planting can take place.

He said that he visited the site the week before Christmas and, having visited many times previously and questioned whether we would ever get there, he has confidence that the end is near.

Mr Meyler said that the council shares the councillors' displeasure at the delays, but that it is confident that the external works would be completed and that the park itself would be open to the public in the near future.

Expand Close Concerns: Cllr Diarmuid Devereux / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Concerns: Cllr Diarmuid Devereux

The project was originally meant to be finished in January 2020 and, with approximately three months still to go, this would mean a 15-month over run. Covid had caused a lot of disruption, from lockdown to staff contracting Covid or being close contacts.

Mr Meyler said that workers were also lost to essential services or had found other work during lockdown, meaning that these factors had both direct and ongoing indirect impacts.

'We are displeased by the performance up there and the contractor is well aware of that. We have been applying all pressure that we can to implore him to finish up in a timely fashion and restore the redeveloped park of Gorey to the people that badly need to use it, particularly in the current circumstances,' he said.

Councillors heard that other facilities, such as the play, adult gym and changing equipment, will happen once this contractor has completed and that is expected to be early summer.

Councillor Diarmuid Devereux said that councillors have been raising this issue for the past 12 months but now had a frank understanding of the issues on the ground. He said he accepted the position that the Municipal District finds itself in, but described it as a 'great shame' given the need for the facility.

He said he was being optimistic that it would be open in the summer, but knew it was impossible to give that commitment, saying the matter was out of any councillor's hands.

'I would have grievous concerns about the performance on the site and the execution of the project. We handed out these contracts in good faith and it's almost soul destroying at this stage to think that we could be looking at a two-year delay,' he said.

Cllr Pip Breen said that to say he was disappointed would be an understatement.

'I'm worried about the whole situation and I'm seriously worried about whether this will be done this time next year,' he said, highlighting costs such as materials and labour that are limited.

He asked if there would be an over-run for the council as well as resources if the project continues to run over.

Both Cllr Fionntan O Suilleabhain and Cllr Donal Kenny said they were disappointed, with Cllr O Suilleabhain saying that people should have had the chance to have this during lockdown.

'Planting bulbs is hardly a dangerous pursuit and that should have been going ahead really. Hopefully the council won't be picking up the tab,' said Cllr Suilleabhain.

Cllr Kenny said that the fact the planting season was missed, it could go on for months.

Cllr Mary Farrell agreed, saying this was not the first time the council have had issues like this.

'Excuses are no good to us at this stage. We need to take a tough line with them now and say enough is enough with contractors who are disappointing us over and over again,' said Cllr Farrell. 'It's not just us - it's the people of Gorey who are waiting on this park and we're tired of listening to it. If contractors are coming in for major work, we have to ensure that the penalty clause is in place and we adhere to it'.

Cllr Anthony Donohoe was the first to ask about penalty clauses, and said that in the private sector if you have subcontractors in place, they don't leapfrog and take on other jobs.

He agreed with Cllr Joe Sullivan when he described this project and others, such as the Avenue and Courtown, as 'unmitigated disasters'.

He said that such projects had 'fallen flat on their face' and accused the council of having no governance on projects that are never delivered on time.

'It's rate payers who will have to foot the bill and we're giving them a very poor service with this type of Paddy-wackery around contracts and I don't think it's good enough from a local authority. There's huge dissatisfaction among the elected representatives'.

Amanda Byrne, acting Director of Services, rejected the comments about poor contract management and said that whatever can be done in this season at Gorey Town Park will be done, and that it will be complete as much as possible.

'Certainly there have been contracts that overran in the past but we tend to talk about those and not the ones that were successfully delivered,' said Ms Byrne. 'I want to reassure you that we will work our hardest to bring this in. On the issue of planting during Covid, we're meant to be an exemplar in the context of Covid and we can't be seen to allow our contractors on site to do things that the private sector won't allow.'

Cllr Andrew Bolger asked about whether the walking path could be opened before completion in the final months.

Replying to all concerns, Mr Meyler said that subcontractors have no contractual obligations to the council and the council have no control over what they do.

Replying to Cllr Bolger, he said that the opening of the walking track was looked at but it was found that it was a cul de sac and so the public would have to turn around and go back and this was not desirable under the current circumstances.

He said that public works contracts do not provide for penalty clauses, and only cover liquidated damages caused by late delivery of a contract.

Mr Meyler said that this needed to be justifiable, and provable without doubt that the delay is down to the contractor and not other factors.

'In the private sector you may have loss of revenue which is measurable, but it tends to be harder to demonstrate an ongoing commercial loss in the public sector. It also needs to be presented in the tender process and flagged up front,' he said.

Cllr Donohoe suggested that there would be a 15-month loss from revenue at the cafe at the Town Park, but was told that there was no provision for loss of earnings in relation to this in the contract.

Cllr Devereux said that Covid could not be used as an excuse for the fact that the contractor simply hasn't delivered.

'I pass that site on a daily basis and there's no reason why the public can't get in there to exercise. We won't look at the flowerbed, but for the sake of what's reasonable let the citizens in to stretch their legs.

'The contractor has been paid tax payers money to be there and he has not delivered. We are going out of this meeting in the same position as we were before and we have to admit as elected representatives that our best is not good enough,' he said.

Cllr Sullivan said that the bottom line was that the contractor was letting everyone down.

'All we're saying is that the contractor delivers on what they said they'd do as it's the contractor that's letting the whole show down here,' he said.

Cllr Donohoe asked if things would be different with future contracts, and was told that this could be risky.

Mr Meyler said that covering yourself too much might frighten off the market if they perceive that there's too much associated with your contract, and that this has been an issue in Wexford in the past.

He said that in future, cafe staff would be the key holder for baby changing facilities on site.
A farmer in Vinh Long Province in Vietnams Mekong Delta region has spent his lifetime savings to build an eye-catching yacht-shaped house out of pure nostalgia for his days as a sailor.

Cao Van Nam, a-71-year-old man from Hoa Tinh Commune, Mang Thit District, built the house for VND5 billion (US$217,975).

As a young man, Nam worked as a sailor for many years before immigrating to the United States with his family in 1990.

Later, his love of the high seas was rekindled after travelling aboard a luxury cruise.

Nams wife passed away in 2014, and the devoted husband felt it was his duty to repatriate her body to their hometown in Mang Thit.

During the visit, the man decided to resettle in Vietnam and attempt to make a living by farming chicken and eel.

Longing for his days travelling the ocean, Nam decided to build a yacht-shaped house.

At the end of 2018, I ordered a design team to map out a plan of the house, said Nam.

After multiple revisions to the plan, the three-story house was built on a 390 square meter plot, above 13 meter by 30 meter pond.

A total of 51 reinforced concrete pillars support the sizeable house above the pond, as if the house truly is a boat at sea.

The house has seven bedrooms, one living room, one dining room, and one reading room.

The railing, door frame and an observatory atop the house are built from stainless steel.

The house was completed earlier this year after two years of construction.

Below are photos of the yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province:

Cao Van Nam's yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, February 2021. Photo: Chi Hanh / Tuoi Tre

Cao Van Nam's yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, February 2021. Photo: Chi Hanh / Tuoi Tre

Cao Van Nam's yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, February 2021. Photo: Chi Hanh / Tuoi Tre

Cao Van Nam's yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, February 2021. Photo: Chi Hanh / Tuoi Tre

Cao Van Nam's yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, February 2021. Photo: Chi Hanh / Tuoi Tre

Cao Van Nam's yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, February 2021. Photo: Chi Hanh / Tuoi Tre

Cao Van Nam's yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, February 2021. Photo: Chi Hanh / Tuoi Tre

Cao Van Nam's yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, February 2021. Photo: Chi Hanh / Tuoi Tre

Cao Van Nam's yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, February 2021. Photo: Chi Hanh / Tuoi Tre

Cao Van Nam in front of his yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, February 2021. Photo: Chi Hanh / Tuoi Tre

Cao Van Nam's yacht-shaped house in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, February 2021. Photo: Chi Hanh / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 21:09:29|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on Saturday said the death toll in the dam disaster has risen to 72 and the search for missing people was underway.

"As of now, a total of 72 bodies and 30 human body parts have been retrieved from different places," read a statement issued by police. "Out of these 40 bodies and one body part has been identified."

Police said DNA profiling of the unidentified bodies was being carried out.

According to police, missing reports of 205 persons had been filed so far at Joshimath police station.

"So far DNA samples of 110 relatives, 58 bodies and 28 body parts have been sent for matching to forensic science laboratory (FSL) Dehradun," the statement said.

Meanwhile, the search operation in the area is underway.

On Feb. 7, a glacier was believed to have crashed into a dam in Uttarakhand, triggering a huge flood.

The floodwaters burst open a dam and a deluge of water hurtled down flooding the area in its course, damaging two hydropower projects and leading to numerous deaths, besides endangering hundreds of others.

Majority of the missing in the disaster are believed to be workers from two hydropower plants.

Immediately after the incident, rescuers rushed to carry out efforts on several sites, including a tunnel more than 200 metres long to save the trapped ones.

Apart from locals, authorities moved in disaster response force personnel, troops, paramilitaries and military helicopters to the state to help with rescue efforts. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 18:43:58|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2021 shows empty streets in Amman, Jordan. Jordan on Wednesday decided to reinstate curfew on each Friday starting from Feb. 26 in addition to extending daily curfew by two hours as part of anti-pandemic measures as infections keep rising in the kingdom. During a press conference on Wednesday, Minister of State for Media Affairs Ali Al Ayed announced that businesses are allowed to operate until 9 p.m. local time while public movement will be permitted from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. as of Thursday. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
(CNN)  A zoo worker in Spain died when an elephant hit him with her trunk, throwing him against the bars of her enclosure, local officials confirmed.

Joaquin Gutierrez Arnaiz, aged 44, was hit by a 4,000-kilogram (4.4-ton) female African elephant in Cabarceno Natural Park in Cantabria, northern Spain, on Wednesday.

Guttierez Arnaiz was rushed to the Marques de Valdecilla University Hospital, where he died from his injuries.

At the time of the accident, staff were cleaning the elephants' compound.

Local police, the Civil Guard and the zoo are investigating the incident.

Francisco Javier Lopez Marcano, Cantabria's Tourism Minister, said in a statement to Spanish media that the elephant that struck Guttierez Arnaiz had a foot infection and was probably pregnant.

The keeper was in the outdoor patio area, washing down the surfaces and monitoring how the animal's foot was healing. The elephant was with her calf at the time.

"We are talking about highly unpredictable animals," Lopez Marcano said, adding: "The force of the strike was tremendous, on a scale that none of us could survive."

He blamed the events on a lack of caution. "From the outset it's an accident that has been caused by someone who, following their daily routine, was too trusting at a fatal moment," he said.

"That is the only reason that perhaps in certain circumstances a tragedy like this can occur," Lopez Marcano added.

According to Cantabria's regional government, this is the first fatal accident in the zoo's 30-year history.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Elephant kills Spanish zoo keeper with one strike from trunk"
Is it possible that San Antonio escaped the expected surge in COVID-19 cases following thousands of Super Bowl watch parties on Feb. 7?

Its probably still too early to say, officials said Friday evening, because virtually no coronavirus testing occurred during Feb. 14 to 19, the week of ice, snow, single-digit temperatures, power outages and frozen pipes.

It looks like we may have dodged a bullet, said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff.

A downward trend of cases that held steady through late February would seem to indicate that community awareness and mask vigilance kept the city from letting its guard down during the big game, suggested Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

Most Super Bowl-related cases should have emerged by Feb. 21, with the majority showing up within one week, said epidemiologist Cherise Rohr-Allegrini, CEO of the San Antonio AIDS Foundation.

We may be out of the woods a week from today, said Rohr-Allegrini, about any freeze-related surge. But only if were testing at a good level. Weve been testing at about 65,000 to 80,000 a week, and thats good.

My concern is that we just dont have enough testing data on potential exposures from Super Bowl Sunday, said Rohr-Allegrini.

And theres certainly not enough data yet to judge whether the freeze week and its multi-family crowding into the warmest living room available also created a virus surge.

Wolff said he and Nirenberg had sent a letter this week to Gov. Greg Abbott asking him to not suspend his order that Texans wear masks in public, a move the governor has hinted is coming soon.

Wolff said when Abbott stopped the countys mask mandate last May it spawned an explosion of cases through the summer. He said he hopes Abbott will wait at least until this summer before relaxing any statewide COVID-19 guidelines.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to show a gradual and encouraging decline in San Antonio, with 501 new cases reported Friday. Hospitalizations are also trending downward, officials said.

The citys daily briefing noted six deaths within the past 14 days.

Metropolitan Health District officials said they could not provide a seven-day average on the new case count because there have not been seven normal days of testing for the virus since the icy week of freezing temperatures and power outages.

They said 47 new admissions have brought the total number of patients in San Antonio hospitals to 461, with 180 in intensive care units and 100 on ventilators to assist their breathing.

The newly-reported deaths included a white woman in her 80s, a Black man in his 60s and a white man in his 20s, all at Methodist Hospital. A Hispanic woman in her 50s died at University Hospital, and a Hispanic woman in her 60s and a white man in his 50s died at Methodist Texsan Hospital.

BSelcraig@express-news.net

Topmost institutes as well as various countries have hailed India's National Policy (NEP) 2020 as the world's "biggest reform" and shown interest in implementing it, said Union Minister "Nishank" on Saturday.

The minister, who was addressing the 97th annual convocation of Delhi University, said the new policy that has been brought into place after "much deliberation" will see India "reform, perform and transform".

He also praised the policy calling it "impactful, interactive, innovative and inclusive" built on the cornerstone of "equity, quality and access".

"Cambridge, the UAE, Australia, Mauritius, Indonesia, .. and many others have said India's NEP is the world's biggest reform and that they want to implement in their countries as well. It is both national and international, supports 'vocal for local' and also local for global. This will bring a new set of opportunities for students," said Nishank, encouraging Delhi University to be the "flag-bearer" of the policy and implement it in "mission-mode".

The NEP, approved by the Union Cabinet, replaces the 34-year-old National Policy on Education framed in 1986. It is aimed at paving the way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems to make India a global knowledge superpower.

The 61-year-old leader here also counted on the various achievements of India's education system during the pandemic year. Like how it worked tirelessly in implementing "digital education", transformed homes into schools and didn't let the year go waste for India's 33 crore students -- more than the total population of the USA.

To give an idea of how herculean the task was, the minister even shared the data on the size of Indian education system: "1,000 universities", "50,000 degree colleges", "15 lakh schools" and "1.10 crore teachers".

"We conducted the exams on time, the results were out on time, and also JEE or NEET -- world's biggest examination in the corona era -- were conducted successfully. Also, we provided online education to 33 crore students. This was huge, something that you don't even think of in your dreams, but we did it and did it successfully," he noted.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ADVERTISEMENT

Nigerian soldiers and police have rescued 13 travellers abducted by Boko Haram insurgents and held in a deserted village along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.

Security sources told PREMIUM TIMES that a joint team of soldiers and the police-led Rapid Response Squad rescued the travellers on Friday.

The sources said they were rescued at a village camp where the insurgents had held them hostage.

Our reporter got an exclusive hint from one of the security officials on Friday evening that a team of operatives of the RRS were going after the abductors with the support of some soldiers on military gun trucks.

The information was not reported to avoid jeopardising the operation.

We had a successful outing last night as we went far into the bush along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway and we found the Boko Haram guys at a deserted village where they were camping the 13 kidnapped travellers, an operative, a member of RRS, who craved anonymity, said.

When they saw us coming, they were intimidated by our number, so they had to abandon the abductees and fled.

PREMIUM TIMES called the Commander of the RRS, Abioye Babalola, who confirmed the development but declined to give the details.

All I can say is that we give glory to God that the lives of 13 Nigerians have been saved, and they are in the process of being profiled and reunited with their family.

After over five weeks break, insurgents had this week returned to abducting travellers on the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.

They carried out about two major attacks in the last three days.
The UKs new trading relationship with the EU means that businesses are able to seize new opportunities as we strike trade deals with the worlds fastest growing markets. Outside the EU customs union, there are also new processes and rules which they have been preparing for.

TRANSITION GUIDE

For one-stop-shop transition guide information, businesses should visit gov.uk/transition where company chiefs can also locate a checker tool to assist individual action points.

MOVING FORWARD: Many businesses are successfully trading with Europe and planning to expand their markets.

The UKs new relationship with the EU started on January 1, bringing updated rules on exports, imports, tariffs, qualifications, hiring and travel. Many businesses were well prepared and are successfully trading.

To keep moving forward, there are steps all businesses can take to adapt to the new changes.

They include ...

 Making customs declarations when exporting goods to the EU. You can make the declarations but most businesses use a courier, freight forwarder or customs agent.

 Ensuring you have an EORI number starting with GB. If exporting, you need to check that the EU business youre exporting to is also ready.

 Checking the need for a visa or work permit.

 Checking the rules on the UKs new points-based immigration system when hiring from outside the UK.

PUSHING FORWARD

KEVIN STEVENS

CHAIRMAN, WOODLAND GROUP, ENGLAND

OPPORTUNITY: Kevin Stevens.

Everyone needs to adjust to these changes is an Essex logistics company chiefs call to other British operations.

We gave our clients informed and honest opinions of where we thought the main issues would arise so they could plan accordingly, explained Chairman Kevin Stevens, whose firm transports up to 8,000 monthly shipments to and from Europe.

We grew a dedicated team, hosted strategy meetings as well as internal training sessions to get staff across the business up to speed on the latest regulatory changes, building transition training and information resources for our clients.

With change comes opportunity. Our forward planning has allowed us to push forward significantly and open up new opportunities for clients trading with the EU, continued the boss of the global logistic, freight forwarding and supply chain specialists.

Everyone needs to adjust to these changes and, understanding they are here to stay, put relevant processes in place.

ORDERS FLAT OUT

ANTHONY PICKERING

PRESIDENT, CONTROL TECHNIQUES, WALES

SUCCESS: Anthony Pickering.

Planning was the secret of transition success for a Powys company that designs and manufactures electric motor control technology.

We export to 77 countries, and have 26 sales offices around the world, so we had to be well prepared, confirmed Control Techniques President Anthony Pickering.

Planning has been the root cause of our success since January 1 because were reliant on our supply chain. Our factories are full. Were absolutely flat out with orders coming out of our ears.

Weve not missed a beat. Our business is continuing to evolve. He continued: Our commitment to Europe has actually strengthened because, during the pandemic, we moved our Chinese manufacturing site back to Wales.

The company uplifted the factory, put it on a train across Siberia and reinstalled it here to increase manufacturing capacity.

It means we truly are a British manufacturer now, which were very proud of.

REAPING REWARDS

ALISON WOOD

FOUNDER, LILYPADS, SCOTLAND

PREPARED: Mhairi Cochrane (left) and Alison Wood (right).

Transition didnt seem like a big jump for an Edinburgh company, now reaping rewards of advance preparations while making progress within the new EU relationship.

When 25 year-old Alison Wood and Mhairi Cochrane, 23, last year launched sustainable hygiene brand Lilypads they knew they had to prepare pretty quickly for change.

As well as taking on board professional advice, Alison said: I used the Brexit checker on the gov.uk website that was really good for pinpointing some of the things we hadnt thought about. Although there was initial additional admin to take care of, Alison wasnt daunted by it. Their reusable period pads are manufactured in Lithuania, and the business is truly international, donating 10 per cent of revenue to subsidise period products in Kenya while exporting to Spain, Holland and Denmark.

And, now Lilypads have their processes in place, operations have progressed smoothly post-transition with the business anticipating further growth.
A line snakes around the entrance to the COVID-19 vaccination clinic at W.E.B. Dubois Middle School in Great Barrington on Feb. 20, where over 1,500 people were registered to be vaccinated throughout the day.
The billionaire founder of easyJet has refused to invest any more money in the budget airline amid speculation that the FTSE250-listed company plans to tap investors for more cash.

There is speculation that the firm  in which Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou's family vehicle is the largest shareholder  will ask investors for new funds for the second time within 12 months to secure its financial position.

City sources said some investors may have already been sounded out about a potential share fundraising. In January, analysts at Citigroup said the airline could need another 300million of equity to keep its debt to earnings level at a sustainable level.

Standing firm: Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou's family vehicle is the largest shareholder in easyJet

Haji-Ioannou, who last week made millions by selling shares and reducing his family's holding in the airline to 27.7 per cent, told The Mail on Sunday: 'At the rate that the scoundrels [what he calls the management team] are destroying the equity of the company, it is inevitable that more equity will have to be raised from investors.

'They lost 1.5billion in the year to September 2020 and my guess is that they will lose a similar sum this year. For as long as the scoundrels squander the company's money on more Airbus planes, I am not going to invest any of my money with them.'

EasyJet, which is completing a 4.5billion order of 107 Airbus planes, raised 420million last summer by placing new shares with investors after its fleet was grounded.

Early in the pandemic, easyJet borrowed 600million from the Government. The unsecured loan must be paid back next month. Last week, it raised 1.2billion (1billion) by issuing a bond to be repaid in 2028.

A spokesman for easyJet said: 'We will continue to review our liquidity position and to assess further funding opportunities should the need arise.'

The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - The Guinean and Chinese governments on Thursday signed two economic and technical cooperation agreements on debt cancellation and the disbursement of a grant envelope

A federal judge in San Francisco approved a $650 million class-action settlement to be paid by Facebook, settling claims it violated privacy laws by storing biometric data, like facial scans, without getting users sign-off first.

By any measure, the $650 million settlement in this biometric privacy class action is a landmark result, District Judge James Donato wrote in approving the settlement. It is one of the largest settlements ever for a privacy violation, and it will put at least $345 into the hands of every class member interested in being compensated.

This settlement is a big win for consumer privacy, in line with global regulatory scrutiny over privacy-invasive practices and consumer sentiment in favor of privacy, Lourdes Turrecha, a professor who studies privacy technology and law at Santa Clara University School of Law, wrote in an email to The Chronicle.

Donato characterized the settlement as a win for consumers in the hotly contested area of digital privacy.

Facebook did not immediately respond to The Chronicles request for comment.

The case stems from a lawsuit filed in Illinois in 2015 that claimed the social media giant violated that states law around collecting and storage of biometric data through the use of a software it uses to tag and identify peoples faces in photos.

Facebook previously appealed the case to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and ultimately failed to have it heard by the Supreme Court.

The settlement also includes changes that Facebook must make to how it collects that kind of data. The company will automatically set its facial recognition scans on peoples profiles to off unless the users first decide to opt in. The company will also have to delete any stored face templates for the more than 1.5 million class members, who have so far claimed the payments as of December.

The company initially agreed to settle the claims for $550 million but another $100 million was added when Donato raised doubts that it was enough.

In 2019, the company was hit with a $5 billion penalty from the Federal Trade Commission over consumer privacy violations, the highest penalty paid over that kind of infraction at the time. That case accused the company of deceiving users into disclosing information through its privacy settings.

The company, with headquarters in Menlo Park, is currently embroiled in a public battle with another tech giant, Apple, over its advertising business. Facebook derives billions in revenue from targeted ads by tracking user behavior in its and other sites. Apple is planning to make that kind of data sharing optional on apps like Facebook in an upcoming software release which could threaten the social media companys revenue.

The company reported more than $28 billion in revenue during its most recent quarterly report, released last month.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice
Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 21:05:43|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers on Saturday started deliberating a draft law on stamp duty tax, which will keep the current taxation framework and tax levels generally unchanged.

The draft was submitted to the ongoing 26th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress for the reading.

At the session, Minister of Finance Liu Kun said that it would bring the current provisional regulations on stamp duty and those involved in securities trading into legal norms.

Besides appropriate simplification of tax items and tax cuts, the draft law has canceled stamp duty on, for instance, licenses.

The bill also stipulates that the current preferential stamp duty policy will remain unchanged and that certain favorable terms would be written into law. Enditem
POTTSVILLE  The Schuylkill County commissioners on Wednesday approved a three-year agreement with a Lebanon County company to keep the 911 Centers computers running.

Candoris Technologies, Annville, will receive $24,926.64, or $2,077.22 per quarter, for its work.

The contract runs through Feb. 28, 2024.

They do all the upgrades and any maintenance, County Administrator Gary R. Bender said.

The county also increased its contract with Prodesign Plus LLC by $45,000 to expand a home rehabilitation project.

Prodesign Plus is taking over Wayne Township for the housing project, Bender said. The project is part of the Community Development Block Grant program, he said.

Bender said Prodesign Plus already handles housing programs for Butler Township, Minersville and Schuylkill Haven.

He said the move is in line with what township officials want.

Wayne Township puts a lot of its money in housing rehab, Bender said. They wanted to contract it out.

Also, the commissioners approved a supplemental budget appropriation of $5,700 for the Department of Human Services.

Director of Finance Paul E. Buber said the money will allow the department to make internal accounting changes in the way a cleaning contractor is paid.

The commissioners also approved the following budget adjustments:

 Adult Probation & Parole Office, $827

 Children & Youth, $5,000

 Mental Health/Developmental Services, $3,500

 Tax Assessment, $1,750

We are not increasing overall spending with any of the budget adjustments, Buber said. We are transferring budgetary authority between line items.

Buber also said the Children & Youth adjustment is for 2020, while the others are for 2021.

Also, the commissioners approved four repository sales of property by the Tax Claim Bureau:

 Gilberton, 180 Long Row Road, $980, to Carter Barrett.

 Middleport, 4 Walnut St., $1,536.74, to RSK Flipper LLC.

 Middleport, 94 Washington St., $2,000, to Double D. Property Management LLC.

 Minersville, 101 East St., $1,249, to Jasmine Reynoso.

In another matter, the commissioners, on behalf of Children & Youth, amended the contract with Open Door International to add in-home service hourly rates of $69.22 for supervised visitation, $63.04 for casework counseling and $58.09 for in-home parenting.

They also approved an agreement with Edison House, Doylestown, authorizing various placement programs for Children & Youth through June 30. Rates range from $339.06 per hour to $420 per hour.

In a personnel matter, the commissioners appointed Karen Bevan, of Norwegian Township, to an office support/secretarial position in human resources. The board approved her hourly salary of $13.7805.
A dose of COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech is prepared at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, England. (Owen Humphreys / Associated Press )

A lot of us have engaged in some bold mixing-and-matching during the pandemic  office attire on top, pajama pants on bottom, for instance  and been none the worse for it.

Imagine doing the same with COVID-19 vaccines, perhaps pairing a first dose of the AstraZeneca product with a second dose supplied by Novavax. Will the consequences of such mixing be any graver?

Its hardly an idle question. Either by accident or design, some mismatched dosing is inevitable, experts say.

Two vaccines are currently being rolled out across the United States, with a third expected to join them next week and two more likely to come over the next several months. All but one were designed to be delivered as two-dose regimens.

An additional 69 vaccines are in clinical development across the globe, and nearly two-thirds of those were designed to generate immunity with two or more doses.

But making sure people get the right vaccine at the right time has turned out to be a greater logistical challenge than initially expected. What's more, the unexpectedly swift emergence of menacing coronavirus variants has made it imperative to get shots into arms as quickly as possible.

Health officials in Britain proposed a radical solution to both problems: Delay second doses for up to 12 weeks so that more people could get at least some protection. Later, the government acknowledged that in exceptional circumstances, mismatched doses may be given to people who arrive for their second dose and discover that the vaccine they originally had is not available.

It seemed preposterous, especially considering that neither of these protocols was evaluated in clinical trials. If they don't work, the precious vaccine will have been wasted at a time when there's none to spare.

I wouldnt make any changes unless youve got good data, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. I dont think you mix and match without results showing it's very effective and safe.

Story continues

Now British researchers are trying to do just that.

This month, a team of vaccinologists from Oxford University began recruiting 800 or so people age 50 or older for a complex study to see whether vaccine switching could actually work.

Using an eight-armed clinical trial, they'll test vaccine regimens using various combinations and intervals of the two vaccines currently being dispensed in Britain: one made by Pfizer and BioNTech, and another developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca.

A researcher works on the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. (John Cairns / University of Oxford)

In announcing the mix-and-match vaccine trial, Dr. Matthew Snape cited experiments in mice in which combinations of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines boosted immunity better than two doses of either one alone. Perhaps it would work in humans as well.

Both vaccines prime the immune system to target the coronavirus' spike protein, which plays an instrumental role in the infection process. But they home in on different parts of the spike, and they deliver their payloads by two very different means.

The AstraZeneca one uses a modified cold virus to present the spike protein to the immune system, while the Pfizer one hands over genetic instructions for making the spike protein and relies on human cells to produce it.

Additional COVID-19 vaccines made by Novavax and Johnson & Johnson also focus on the spike proteins on the virus surface, and researchers expect to add them to the trial as it proceeds. (Johnson & Johnson's vaccine candidate is designed to be administered as a single dose, but the company is testing whether a second dose, delivered 57 days after the first, would provide a higher level of immunity.)

The British trial is expected to release its findings in June.

That mouse study cited by Snape has encouraged scientists belief that combining vaccines will kick the body's immune system into a higher gear. By nudging it through different means and training it to recognize new and different pieces of the virus, these mismatched regimens could not only generate neutralizing antibodies but boost production of a specialized class of immune cells called CD8+ T-cells.

The neutralizing antibodies that are produced in response to most vaccines specialize in hunting down and killing free-floating viral particles as they circulate in the bloodstream. Fielding an army of CD8+ T-cells as well would empower the immune system to find and kill cells that have already been infected and turned into virus-copying factories. That would end an infection faster and more completely.

These T-cells also have long and specific memories of what the SARS-CoV-2 virus looks like. That means immunity might last longer when this army of immune cells is strongly recruited.

An atomic resolution 3-D model of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, surrounded by antibodies that try to bind to the spike proteins and prevent the virus from docking with a cell. (Visual Science)

Though mixing and matching vaccines awakened these T-cells in mice, the same response has not yet been demonstrated conclusively in humans. Nor have studies borne out scientists' hope that mismatched vaccines can be safely administered to millions of healthy people.

One potential benefit of mismatched vaccines is that if the two shots target different sets of proteins on the virus' surface, the immune system would be prepared to face a wider array of threats. That might preserve or improve vaccine-induced immunity as new variants of the virus arise.

The emergence of a new strain in South Africa has underscored the importance of having such a backup. After evidence surfaced that the variant was less susceptible to Astra-Zeneca's vaccine, Moderna began work on a modified shot specifically tailored to protect against it. Doses of the booster vaccine were sent to the National Institutes of Health for testing this week, and a new clinical trial will explore whether it expands the immunity of people who've already been vaccinated against COVID-19.

But there is recent precedent for combining vaccines that use different vehicles to deliver their immunological payloads.

The two doses of Russias Sputnik V COVID vaccine, for instance, use two kinds of viruses to transport the genetic instructions that tell the immune system which coronavirus surface proteins to look for. The first is a harmless cold virus. For the second shot that comes 21 days later, scientists engineered another innocuous cold virus to carry the cargo.

This way, there's no chance the immune system will inadvertently attack the harmless cold virus when it's time for the second dose. With a new ride, the vaccine's genetic payload can slip by unchallenged.

Russias Gamaleya Research Institute, which designed Sputnik V, took a similar approach to formulating the first and second doses of its Ebola vaccine. Several experimental HIV vaccines are also testing this approach.

The COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna use the same mRNA platform that prompts cells to construct harmless spike proteins that the immune system will learn to recognize. However, they encapsulate their instructions in very different packages (which may explain why the risk of a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis is more than four times higher for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine than the Moderna one, though both are extremely low).

In late January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told medical professionals they could offer a mismatched second dose of mRNA vaccine "in exceptional situations in which the first-dose vaccine product cannot be determined or is no longer available."

But theres a reason every multi-dose vaccine on the U.S. market  from the hepatitis B shots that start just after birth to the shingles vaccine series for adults in their 50s  comes with a recommendation to get all doses from the same manufacturer: Their safety and efficacy have been tested as an established pairing. Mix-and-match combos have not.

The problem with testing the safety and efficacy of mix-and-match combinations is compounded by the complexity of the immune system.

What we know to measure is only half the story, said Dr. Gregory Poland, a vaccine researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The British mix-and-match trial will measure the amount of antibodies in the bloodstream, but actual immunity is more complicated than that. Immunity brought about by neutralizing antibodies and immunity brought about, say, by CD8+ cells complement each other in mysterious ways.

If you alter one component of that, you no longer know if you have the same efficacy and safety, said Poland.

But this level of caution may be a luxury we can't afford in a public health emergency.

People wait in line to get a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the Balboa Sports Complex in Encino. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

In the midst of a pandemic, a natural experiment in mixing and matching may be unavoidable. Snarls in vaccine production and distribution are bound to happen, imperiling guaranteed on-time access to a second dose that matches ones first.

People in search of their second shot may not even remember what they got the first time around. And many may be willing to take whatever they can get.

Theres the ideal and theres the necessary borne of the practical, Poland said. Absent clinical trials, you do studies on the fly. But youd like to have studies.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Scott Morrison has talked himself into a unique place of discomfort for a prime minister. He has become the middle-aged white bloke who must decide whether to defend Australian masculinity, or place it on trial.

The idea that a question so fundamental to our sense of self as a people would arise on his watch would have been absurd a fortnight ago. But it was inevitable once we learned that a young woman who worked for Morrisons government had been allegedly raped by a colleague in Parliament House. Inevitable because the Prime Ministers first instinct was to see the story of Brittany Higgins politically. He sensed the issue would be damaging for his government, and took the short cut of denial. He wanted the public to know he wasnt told by anyone in his office or his ministry before the news broke on February 15.

Illustration: Simon Letch Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald

He has taken that argument to the strangest place of all, where he says he is aware of rumours on the Labor side, as well as his own, but not the specific allegation of a violent crime against Higgins, committed just 50 metres from his own office. Once again, the Leader of the Opposition can come to this dispatch box, seek to state these matters and seek to pointscore on them, Morrison told Parliament on Wednesday. But the issue that is here is the issue that we all must address. These matters, as we know, are not confined to any one side of politics in this building.

That need to be blameless at all times echoes the self-sabotaging stand he took during the black summer of fires, when he said he didnt hold a hose, mate. He didnt start the fires, and it was the responsibility of the states to put them out.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

As high-profile procurement spats go, the one between the city of Albuquerque and California-based BYD Motors Inc. over a fleet of allegedly faulty 60-foot electric buses the city had planned to buy for the ill-fated Albuquerque Rapid Transit project was a doozy.

So Albuquerque residents who followed that fight, waged both at the microphone and in court between Mayor Tim Kellers administration and BYD  aka Build Your Dreams  were likely taken aback last week with news BYD is one of three companies included in a price agreement made through the New Mexico General Services Department, meaning local governments around the state can choose BYD as a bus supplier without having to put the matter out to bid.

The battle between Albuquerque and BYD ended in December 2018 with lawyers agreeing the city would drop its lawsuit and 15 buses, delivered with considerable fanfare at $1.2 million each, would hit the road back to California. The city didnt pay for the buses. Neither side collected damages (the city spent $138,000 in outside legal fees) and both sides agreed not to say bad things about the other.

But prior to that, the city had a litany of complaints that would make anyone with a lick of sense think twice about getting on a BYD bus, let alone buying one. Among the safety issues claimed by the city were cracked frames, wheelchair ramps that deployed when weight was on them, doors that opened while the bus was in motion, poor brake air pressure and exposed high-voltage wires. The city also said the batteries in the buses didnt hold sufficient juice, as promised, to make their intended runs, even after overnight charging. While an oversimplification, if you take all that together you get something along the lines of it wont run right, wont stop and you might fall out.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

It wasnt just lawyers doing the talking. Keller called the buses problematic and unsafe. And, he said, we need to hold them accountable for what theyve done to our city.

BYD is a big company with what a spokesman says is 40% of the nations electric bus-building capacity. It vigorously disputed the citys allegations and said it was ready to stand behind its work. It had plans to file a counterclaim against the city.

So while it probably made sense for everyone involved in that purchasing fiasco to pack up and go home, putting on the best face possible, what about BYD ending up on a state preferred provider list for buses?

State GSD spokesman Thom Cole said the department issued an invitation to bid at the request of the New Mexico Department of Transportation. Six companies applied, and three were included in the agreement. GSD does not have the discretion to reject companies that meet the requirements and offer the lowest price.

If your product meets the specifications, and your price is the lowest, you get a price agreement, he said.

As for BYD?

We think the skys the limit coming from New Mexico and you know, we hope that  it results in lots of orders, says BYD spokesman Frank Girardot.

A lot can change in two years. And if you believed BYD at the time, the citys complaints were overwrought. Regardless of that, any New Mexico government that considers shelling out money for a BYD bus has an extra reason to exercise due diligence given the Albuquerque mess. Even if BYD is on a state-approved, no-bid list.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) decided to apply tough sanctions against 10 security officials, NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov says.

He said this at a briefing following a NSDC meeting on Friday, February 26, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

We decided to apply sanctions against those security officials who betrayed our country. The decision was made against 10 people, Danilov said.

According to him, the NSDC applies sanctions in accordance with the Law of Ukraine On Sanctions dated August 14, 2014 against persons involved in attempts to occupy Crimea, supporting the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, as well as those suspected of high treason and desertion.

The sanctions provide for depriving a number of persons of state awards of Ukraine and military ranks of Ukraine. According to Danilov, the maximum pool of sanctions was applied to these persons.

In particular, sanctions are applied against 10 senior officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Security Administration, the National Guard of Ukraine, the Ministry of Emergencies, and other law enforcement and security agencies, namely: former Rear Admiral Denys Berezovsky, former Major General Stanislav Shaportov, former Major General of Justice Serhiy Nyanchur, former Major General Yuriy Kotovsky, former Major General Oleksandr Yakymenko, former Major General Volodymyr Totsky, former Major General Serhiy Ganzhu, former Vice Admiral Serhiy Yeliseyev, former Rear Admiral Dmytro Shakuro, and former General of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Vitaliy Zakharchenko.

ish
Senator Tom Cotton spoke to the assembled multitude in free Florida at CPAC yesterday. Among other things, he recalled the chaos he sowed inside the New York Times with the publication of his column calling for federal troops to restore order in riot-torn cities last year. Times staffers protested that the column put the lives of Black @NYTimes staff in danger.

The column caused a total meltdown with the little social justice warriors at The New York Times, as he put it, all these children that have been marinated in the language of the campus seminar room. He recalled, They said things like, your words put my life at risk, as if typing on their phone, sitting on their futons, was as dangerous as being a cop trying to stop rioters in the streets. Or, your words are violence. No, Im sorry kiddo: words are words; violence is what your friends are doing out on the streets of America. The internal revolt at the paper led to the resignation of Times opinion page editor James Bennet.

Senator Cotton posted highlights of his speech on his Twitter feed. You can catch them scrolling up or down from the one below (via Zachary Evans/NR). The New York Post also covered the speech here in delightful detail.

Or you can watch the speech in its entirety in the video below.
Over the past day, February 26, the armed formations of the Russian Federation violated the ceasefire in the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) area in Donbas 14 times. Eight servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were wounded, and three more soldiers were injured in combat.

In particular, the enemy opened fire from 120mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems and small arms on Ukrainian positions near Vodiane in the Sea of Azov area. As a result of the shelling, six servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine sustained shrapnel wounds, and three more soldiers were injured in combat.

The invaders fired 120mm and 82mm mortars, heavy machine guns and small arms in the area of Pisky (11km north-west of Donetsk); and automatic easel and hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and snipers weapons  near Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk). Moreover, the enemy carried out remote mining of the territory near the Ukrainian positions outside Luhanske with POM-2 mines.

In the area of Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk) and Lebedynske (16km east of Mariupol), the Russian-occupation troops opened aimed fire from small arms. As a result of the enemy shelling, one Ukrainian defender was wounded.

In addition, the invaders fired an automatic easel grenade launcher in the area of Kamyanka (62km south of Donetsk); small arms  near Pivdenne (40km north-east of Donetsk); and tripod-mounted man-portable antitank gun  outside Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk).

Ukrainian defenders gave an adequate response to the enemy shelling.

Not far from Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk), a Joint Forces serviceman received shrapnel wounds in an unknown explosive device blast.

All soldiers who were wounded and injured over the past day have been promptly taken to a medical facility, where they are provided with the necessary medical assistance.

With the aim of an immediate ceasefire, the Ukrainian side of the Joint Control and Coordination Center (JCCC) repeatedly sent requests for a truce regime through the OSCE SMM. However, all of them were ignored by the ORDLO mercenaries.

Today, February 27, one ceasefire violation by the enemy was recorded outside Zaitseve (62km north-east of Donetsk). The OSCE representatives were informed about all ceasefire violations through the Ukrainian side of the JCCC.

ish
Auto giant Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) announced on Saturday, February 27, that the firm has achieved the milestone of 2 million (20 lakh) cumulative product exports. The country's largest automaker crossed the mark after a batch of its products comprising S-Presso, Swift and Vitara Brezza left the Mundra Port in Gujarat for South Africa.

Commenting on the company's achievement, Maruti Suzuki India MD and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said, "the company has been exporting vehicles for the past 34 years much before India became a prominent player in the global automobile business. This early global exposure helped the company enhance its quality and attain global benchmarks".

The carmaker currently exports 14 models, further divided into nearly 150 variants, to over 100 countries across the world, Ayukawa explained.

"Vehicles manufactured at our facilities in India have found high acceptance owing to global standards of quality, safety, design and technology," he further added.

Ayukawa noted that going forward the firm has positioned itself with the evolving needs of customers in Latin America and Africa.

"With a flurry of new models in the pipeline, Maruti Suzuki will attract customers in new segments to enable the company to accomplish bigger milestones at a much faster pace," said Ayukawa.

MSI commenced exports of vehicles way back in 1986-87 and the first large consignment of 500 cars was shipped to Hungary in September 1987.

In 2012-13, the company achieved the milestone of one-million exports with more than 50 per cent of the shipments going to the developed markets in Europe.

The company achieved the subsequent million in over eight years with special focus on emerging markets in Latin America, Africa and Asia regions.

"With concerted efforts, the company has been able to gain sizeable share in markets like Chile, Indonesia, South Africa and Sri Lanka," the automaker said.

Models such as Alto, Baleno, Dzire and Swift have emerged as popular choices in these markets, it added.

In January this year, the company started production and export of Suzuki's celebrated compact off-roader Jimny from India.

With India as a production base for Jimny, Suzuki aims to leverage MSI's global production stature, the company said.

(With PTI inputs)

Also read: Maruti Suzuki, IIM Bangalore team up to nurture 26 startups in mobility sector
A cyber criminal who blackmailed the NHS for 10million by threatening to blow up hospitals faces three years in jail.

Emil Apreda, 33, messaged the NHS and the National Crime Agency (NCA) threatening to bomb hospitals at the height of the first wave of coronavirus last year.

The Italian, claiming to be linked to neo-Nazi group Combat 18, sent 18 emails between April 26 and June also promising to target MPs and Black Lives Matter protests.

Italian Emil Apreda, 33, faces three years in prison for blackmailing the NHS for 10million

Later emails suggested he would strike on the anniversary of Labour MP Jo Coxs murder.

He said scores would die in bombings before or on June 16 unless he was paid 10million in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin.

The threat was known only to those at the highest level of Government, the NHS, NCA and police.

Investigators tracking him were sworn to secrecy as it was feared the threats would spark panic if made public.

Tim Court, of the NCA, said the threat was a very cynical attempt to exploit events. Apreda was traced to Germany and police raided his Berlin flat on June 15.

Emails suggested Apreda was going to strike on the anniversary of Labour MP Jo Coxs murder on June 16

They discovered he had no access to explosives and was not a member of Combat 18.

The hacker had used dark web encryption tools to disguise his identity.

He was yesterday convicted of attempted extortion at Berlins District Criminal Court and handed a three-year jail sentence.

He was released on bail until the sentence is ratified, as under German law the verdict is not immediately binding and can be appealed within a week.
Naidu has been trying his best to establish his son Nara Lokesh as the new face of the party while a section of TD leaders and party supporters feel Jr NTR can be the only saviour of the party in a sinking mode.  Twitter

TIRUPATI: Telugu Desam chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu on a three-day mission to repair the damage done to his party by YSR Congress in panchayat polls in his home turf Kuppam faced a tricky situation on Friday when he was addressing the public at Santhipuram mandal.

TD supporters who attended the roadshow raised slogans in support of Jr NTR and asked the TD chief to bring in the Tollywood hero and late NTRs grandson for a TD roadshow in Kuppam.

In a video that went viral on media, Naidu was seen nodding as TD supporters shouted Jai Jr NTR slogans. Naidu did not pay much attention to these slogans, though, and continued with his road show.

Notably, Naidu has been trying his best to establish his son Nara Lokesh as the new face of the party while a section of TD leaders and party supporters feel Jr NTR can be the only saviour of the party in a sinking mode.

Some party activists had erected flexes in Chittoor and Prakasam districts during the Sankranti festival, inviting Jr NTR into active politics to save the party. A few TD leaders have on occasions also said if Jr NTR is projected as the next CM candidate, the party would get a new lease of life in the 2024 elections.
Dr. Scott Green dialed into his virtual traffic trial from the operating room. Sacramento Superior Court/The Sacramento Bee

Dr. Scott Green dialed into a traffic trial via Zoom while performing surgery on a patient.

The California doctor can be seen in an operating room wearing scrubs in footage from the trial.

The judge postponed the trial as he did "not feel comfortable for the welfare of a patient."

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Related: A new brain surgery cured a man of his opioid addiction

A California doctor shocked attendees at his virtual traffic trial by dialing in from an operating room while in the middle of performing surgery.

Dr. Dennis Green was in an operating room when he appeared at his virtual hearing at Carol Miller Justice Center in Sacramento on Thursday afternoon, the Sacramento Bee reports.

The publication also shared footage from a live stream of the trial, showing Dr. Green wearing a face mask and scrubs with another doctor in the room, while machines could be heard beeping.

In the video, a courtroom clerk asked Dr. Green: "Are you available for trial? It kind of looks like you're in an operating room right now."

The doctor confirmed that he was in an operating room but that he was available for trial and to "go right ahead."

The clerk then advised Dr. Green that the proceedings were being livestreamed on YouTube and were open to the public, as traffic trials are required to be by law while physical access to courtrooms is being limited by the pandemic.

As Dr. Green waited for the judge to arrive on the call, he could be seen with his head down and appeared to be performing a procedure on a patient.

Once on the call, Sacramento Superior Court Commissioner Gary Link said: "Unless I'm mistaken, I'm seeing a defendant that's in the middle of an operating room appearing to be actively engaged in providing services to a patient. Is that correct, Mr. Green?" before adding: "Or should I say, Dr. Green."

After the doctor confirmed that was the case, Link responded: "I do not feel comfortable for the welfare of a patient if you're in the process of operating that I would put on a trial, notwithstanding the fact the officer is here today."

Story continues

The doctor added that there was another surgeon in the room with him "so I can stand here and allow them to do the surgery also."

However, the judge refused to continue, saying he did not think that was appropriate and that he would come up with a different date for the trial when the doctor was "not actively involved or participating in  attending to the needs of a patient."

Dr. Green apologized to the court, saying that "sometimes surgery doesn't always go as ... " before trailing off.

The trial was postponed to March 4 at 3 p.m., with Link once again noting that he was concerned for the welfare of a patient based on what he was seeing.

The Medical Board of California confirmed to the Sacramento Bee on Friday that it would look into the incident, and that it "expects physicians to follow the standard of care when treating their patients."

Representatives for Dr. Green the Medical Board of California did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2021 / XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. (CSE:XPHY)(OTCQB:XPHYF)(FSE:4XT) ("XPhyto" or the "Company") at the request of IIROC and the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") is providing additional comments to its news release and list of third-party providers dated January 22, 2021 with regards to recent promotional and investor relations activity ("Promotional Activity") provided by said third-parties, in particular a newsletter published by WallStreetAlerts, on behalf of the Company.

The Company reminds investors that the best source for full disclosure about the company is the company itself, SEDAR or CSE profile pages for regulatory filings and news releases. The Company acknowledges that prior to the date of this news release, XPhyto did not comply with the CSE requirements to complete and post Form 10 Notices of Proposed Significant Transactions disclosing its contracts with the third-party providers. The Company has now completed and posted the required forms to the CSE and will continue to do so in the future.

The Company will adopt a public disclosure policy to establish and formalize processes for approval of any communications that could be considered Promotional Activity conducted on behalf of the Company in order to ensure that such communications are not false, inaccurate, overly promotional, or misleading and include adequate and accurate information for investors to assess risk and make informed investment decisions. Under the public disclosure policy, all communications to be circulated by a person engaged in Promotional Activities will require approval by a committee of the Company's board of directors and legal advisors prior to publication.

The Company has attached to this news release (Schedule A) a list of the third parties who provided Promotional Activities on behalf of the Company over the past twelve months. Over such time period, the Company has provided compensation in the amount of $4,936,892 to such service providers. For further information related to each contract, please refer to the Form 10 filings under the Company's profile on the CSE website, www.thecse.com.

The Company does not make any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, its COVID-19 related test products are not yet approved and are still subject to risks associated with the regulatory approval process.

About XPhyto Therapeutics Corp.

XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. is a bioscience accelerator focused on next-generation drug delivery, diagnostic, and new active pharmaceutical ingredient investment opportunities, including: precision transdermal and oral dissolvable drug formulations; rapid, low-cost infectious disease and oral health screening tests; and standardization of emerging active pharmaceutical ingredients for neurological applications, including psychedelic compounds and cannabinoids. The Company has research and development operations in North America and Europe, with an operational focus in Germany, and is currently focused on regulatory approval and commercialization of medical products for European markets.

XPhyto Therapeutics Corp.

"Hugh Rogers"

Hugh Rogers, CEO and Director

Investor Inquiries

Knox Henderson

T: 604-551-2360

E: info@xphyto.com

Media Inquiries

MC Services AG

Julia Hofmann, Andreas Jungfer

T: +49 89 210 228 0

E: xphyto@mc-services.eu

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SCHEDULE A

Third Party Provider within last 12 months Date First engaged Currently Active Accesswire Canada Ltd. Sept-19 Y Agora Internet Relations Corp. Dec-20 Y BullVestor Medien GmbH Mar-20 N Buyins.com Oct-20 N Cayo Ventures GmbH Jul-19 Y Digitonic Ltd. Mar-20 N Emerging Markets LLC Feb-21 Y Equity Guru Media Inc. Jun-20 Y ex-cubed GmbH May-19 Y Inside International Media GmbH Mar-20 N InvestorIntel Corp. Aug-20 N InvestorBrandNetwork Jan-21 N Investing Channel, Inc. Jan-21 Y IR-World.com Finanzkommuikation GmbH Apr-19 Y JG Business Management LLC Sep-20 Y Knox Communications Inc. Jul-20 Y Link Media Feb-21 N Loud Media & Awareness GmbH Mar-20 N M. Davis & Associates Capital Inc. Apr-19 Y MC Services AG Aug-20 Y Newsfile Corp. Aug-19 N Octagon Media Inc. Aug-20 N Pan European Networks Ltd. Sep-19 Y Proactive Investors North America Inc. Apr-20 Y Think Ink Marketing and Data Email Services LLC May-20 N Winning Media Inc. Sep-19 N Xolutis GmbH Jan-20 N Zacks Investment Research, Inc. Jan-21 N

SOURCE: XPhyto Therapeutics Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/632480/XPhyto-Provides-Updated-Comments-on-Promotional-and-Marketing-Activity
The announced closing of Sacred Heart High School represents a crisis for the Waterbury community. I would like to offer some ideas as to how we can possibly avoid such a shocking development from a once vibrant institution. Where there is a will, there is a way.

Education is vital. But there is another major reason why the community and politicians, especially Gov. Ned Lamont should investigate ways to help avoid this detrimental event from occurring. Economics.

Whenever people are considering a move to a community, one of the first considerations would be the quality and variety of educational opportunities the new location would offer. It was not long ago when Waterbury had public schools and four or five private schools (Waterbury Catholic High, St. Margaret McTernan-Chase, Holy Cross, Notre Dame, and Sacred Heart). If things stay on its current path, we would be down to one.

We all know that having educational options can be a reason for companies to relocate to certain areas. It was a key factor when Apple was seeking options for their expansion. We would be making Waterbury less attractive to new business and new potential residents.

This is not a knock on our fine public schools. But the reality is that people want options. Even those politicians that argue against any form of school choice can often be found with their children in private schools.

For starters and for discussion purposes, I would like to offer a short-term and long- term solution.

The reported rapid decline in the school population must be at least partially attributed to the downturn in the economy due to the year long COVID-19 pandemic. There is assistance that the federal government has approved that could be helpful in the short term to get through the 2021-2022 school year.

As reported in the National Catholic Register Congressional COVID-19 Relief Bill Brings Urgent Aid for Catholic Schools in New York story on Dec. 23, 2020, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced that Congress approved $82 billion for public and private K-12 schools with $22.7 billion going to public and private higher education. The governors control the funds. It is called the Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER).

There must be a long-term solution as well. The COVID Relief Funds should allow more time to develop a workable plan. My suggestion to increase the number of students would be to arrange for the cost of tuition to be lowered significantly via privately funded School Choice Scholarships that can be administered through a foundation  perhaps the Friends of the Hearts Foundation. It would be established like an endowment drawing down on the interests to help defray the cost of tuition for those students that would qualify. Over time, this would increase the number of students at SHHS, changing the current enrollment trajectory dramatically. These funds would not be subject to the control of the archdiocese.

This is a crisis for the greater Waterbury community. But as an alumnus of Sacred Heart, it is a little personal for me. I know what going to SHHS has meant and done for me, but I am not alone. I am most thankful. And I would want other young men and women to have the same opportunity and benefit. The Catholic high school community in Waterbury has produced congressmen, mayors, a governor, Hollywood actors, all-state athletes, professional athletes, doctors, lawyers, engineers, business leaders, an ambassador to France, teachers, nurses, police officers, and firemen. They have all been integral parts of the greatness of Waterbury, the State of Connecticut, and the nation.

For example, the Waterbury Brass City Mall was an idea of a Sacred Heart man, Mayor Edward Bergin, and first received federal funding from another Sacred Heart man, me. For Eastern Connecticut, the Seawolf Submarine was destined for Virginia but instead has been providing tens of thousands of jobs for Connecticuts Electric Boat company for decades due to my efforts. Debit cards for the indigent was also due to my legislation. A Sacred Heart graduate can make a difference.

Yale Universitys high-water mark for Black student enrollment in 1964 was 14. Thanks to Father Blanchfield, John Gilmore, and the teachers and administrators of SHHS, I had the opportunity to be admitted. When I walked into Congress in 1991, I was the first Black from an Ivy League undergraduate college to become a Member of Congress.

I seriously doubt if any of the events would have happened had it not been for Sacred Heart High School. Waterbury Proud.

Gary A. Franks, who was class president at Sacred Heart High School in 1971, served three terms as U.S. representative for Connecticuts 5th District. He was the first Black Republican elected to the House in nearly 60 years and New Englands first Black Member of the House. He is host of the podcast We Speak Frankly. @GaryFranks
Public health officials in Connecticut are expecting a mad dash as more than 600,000 people become eligible Monday to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

I think theres going to be a run on the bank, said Ohm Deshpande, Yale New Haven Healths vice president for population health and a physician leader for the providers vaccination efforts. We are not going to have enough vaccine to meet that need next week.

But, if expectations of both demand and supply bear out, there should be enough vaccine doses to inoculate everyone eligible who wants to be vaccinated.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced an age-based series of phases, each lasting about three weeks. Up first are patients ages between 55 and 64, who are eligible to sign up Monday.

That group consists of about 515,000 people in Connecticut, but teachers and other school-based workers  who will be eligible on that day  add another 160,000 possible patients.

Take away the approximately 63,000 people in those groups who have already been vaccinated and youre left with 610,000 Connecticut residents eligible to be vaccinated starting this week.

But Josh Geballe, Connecticuts chief operating officer, said he expects 60 percent of those eligible to take advantage of the vaccine in the first weeks. That means the state expects to set approximately 360,000 vaccine appointments over the following three weeks.

Deshpande said though the scale is higher, Yale New Haven Health is prepared to handle the press of appointments, and will open up schedules where we can through March.

Its a juggling act but well do the best we can, he said. There will be a mad dash but this is something that weve seen with other phases.

The state does expect to be able to meet demand, assuming demand remains at expected levels and that supply steadily increases over the ensuing months.

We are expecting just north of 131,000 first doses for next week and at least that weekly amount, in the coming weeks, said Department of Public Health spokesperson Maura Fitzgerald. The supply being sent to us has been steadily rising in the past few weeks, and we anticipate that to continue.

The 131,020 doses expected for this week 1 includes 42,120 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, 35,800 of the Moderna vaccine and 30,200 doses of the vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson, which was recommended for approval by a panel advising the Federal Drug Administration. The FDA granted emergency use authorization Saturday evening.

An anticipated 22,900 doses are going directly to pharmacies in Connecticut under the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.

State officials warn the allocation from Johnson & Johnson may not be repeated until after the company ramps up production.

Those numbers are for first doses only, and do not include second doses which are counted separately. The state expects another 76,390 second doses from Pfizer and Moderna, bringing Connecticuts total expected vaccine allocation for the week to 207,410. Johnson & Johnsons vaccine requires only one dose.

To date, the state has received 581,100 first doses and 370,300 second doses, for a total of 951,400 vaccine doses received between Dec. 14 and Feb. 28.

The 131,000 doses expected each week in March should be enough, assuming it holds out or increases over the three weeks before residents ages 45 and up become eligible to make vaccine appointments on March 22. But Fitzgerald acknowledged demand is outstripping supply at the moment.

At the moment, we have more demand than supply, so we havent reached the point where were figuring out how many doses we need to order, she said. Right now, well take whatever the federal government will give us and will gladly accept more. Whatever the federal government gives us, we can handle and get into arms.

Deshpande said he expects the demand to ease off after March. There will be a segment of every cohort that will wait to sign up, including the 610,000 eligible teachers and residents ages 55 and over.

There are 480,600 people between 45 and 54 years old in Connecticut according to Census data. They become eligible to sign up for vaccines on March 22. The 427,000 Connecticut residents between 35 and 44 years old become eligible on April 12.

The largest group, 875,000 people between the ages of 16 and 34, can make appointments starting May 3.

Expected first doses the week of March 1 State allocation: 108,120 Pfizer: 42,120 Moderna: 35,800 Johnson & Johnson: 30,200 Federal Retail Pharmacy Program: 22,900 Total expected doses: 131,020 See More Collapse

But an increasing level of supply will ease that burden as time goes on.

March is going to be the last month with real constraints, Deshpande said.
Updated plans to reduce emissions, submitted so far by about 75 nations ahead of November's COP26 summit, barely make a dent in the huge cuts needed to meet global climate goals.

A U.N. report summarizing the revised climate action plans - covering about 40 percent of countries in the 2015 Paris Agreement and 30 percent of planet-heating emissions - said they would deliver a combined emissions reduction of only 0.5 percent from 2010 levels by 2030.

"That simply is not good enough," said Patricia Espinosa, urging governments - including those that have already updated their plans - to come up with larger promised cuts before COP26.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said global emissions must fall by about 45 percent by 2030 from 2010 levels to give the world a good chance of limiting the rise in average temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times.

Under the Paris accord, nearly 200 countries pledged to keep warming to "well below" 2C, and strive for a ceiling of 1.5C.

So far, the planet has heated up by about 1.2C, bringing worsening extreme weather and rising seas.

Espinosa said the synthesis report made clear "current levels of climate ambition are very far from putting nations on a pathway" to meet the 1.5C goal.

"It is incredible to think that just when nations are facing a (climate) emergency that could eventually end human life on this planet ... many are sticking to their business-as-usual approach," she told journalists.

But if governments invest trillions of dollars in planned spending to revive their economies from Covid-19 on green, climate-resilient measures, "we stand a chance of changing the trajectory," she added.

Espinosa emphasized that the report released on Friday was just a "snapshot" of climate action plans to date and another more complete assessment would be compiled before COP26.

Many countries missed a 2020 deadline to submit stronger climate action plans because of disruption caused by the pandemic, with the COP26 summit in Glasgow postponed for a year.

The 75 countries that did submit revised plans on time include COP26 host Britain and the 27 member states of the European Union, which are covered by one EU-wide plan.

Pressure growing

Chile's Environment Minister Carolina Schmidt, who presided over the COP25 summit in Madrid in 2019, said the report "clearly indicated that significant work must be done, in particular by major emitters."

Only two of the 18 largest emitters - Britain and the European Union - had so far presented an updated "nationally determined contribution" (NDC) containing a "strong increase" in their emissions reduction targets, she noted.

"Other major emitters either submitted NDCs presenting a very low increase in their ambition level or have not presented NDCs yet," she added in a statement.

Niklas Hohne, who set up a tracker for national climate policies as a founding partner of the NewClimate Institute, said countries that had not boosted ambition in their new plans could be described as "violating the spirit of the Paris Agreement.".\

The accord calls on governments to voluntarily deliver more ambitious climate plans every five years, starting in 2020.

But the updated NDCs of Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and Vietnam fail that test, according to Climate Action Tracker, which is separate from the U.N. research report.

"It is a very, very small change that has happened so far, in comparison to the huge gap there is," Hohne said.

The United States is due to announce its much-anticipated new 2030 emissions reduction target before a world leaders' climate summit hosted by President Joe Biden on April 22.

Experts say China and India could announce new goals there too, and Japan plans to increase its 2030 target before COP26.

Helen Mountford, vice president of climate and economics at the World Resources Institute, noted that more than half of G20 nations had now made commitments for net-zero emissions by mid-century but few had set 2030 interim targets in line with that.

Those that did set bold targets last year - including Colombia, Argentina, Britain and the European Union - were now being overshadowed by those falling behind, she said.

"These laggards must stop fiddling while the world burns. It is in the interest of their own people and their economies to address the climate crisis, which knows no boundaries," she said.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Friday's report "a red alert for our planet" and urged major climate-polluting countries to offer "much more ambitious" 2030 emissions reduction targets well before COP26.

"Long-term commitments must be matched by immediate actions to launch the decade of transformation that people and planet so desperately need," he said in a statement.
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region
WILLOWS, Calif.  A Willows man is behind bars after an investigation by Glenn County Sheriffs deputies connected him to a string of commercial and vehicle burglaries in the city of Willows over the previous several weeks.

Early Thursday morning, deputies responded to a report of a burglar alarm at Casa Ramos Restaurant in Willows.

Authorities responded to two separate calls of a burglar alarm at the Casa Ramos Restaurant. On the first call, deputies said they found an unlocked door to the restaurant and determined there was no sign of theft. Deputies returned to the restaurant when a second alarm sounded, two hours later and found the restaurant burglarized.

After reviewing surveillance footage, a Glenn County Deputy located a man matching the description of the burglar walking in a nearby apartment complex. He was identified as 25-year-old Andres Ortega of Willows and confirmed he was the person who broke into the restaurant.

Glenn Investigations and Narcotics Task Force said they wrote a search warrant for the suspects apartment and found not only the items taken from Casa Ramos, but also items taken from several other reported Willows area burglaries.

The stolen items included electronic devices, such as web cameras and laptops stolen from Murdock Elementary during a burglary that occurred on January 29, 2021. Investigators also recovered a stolen firearm and hunting equipment taken from a vehicle burglary that occurred in Willows on February 25, 2021.

Ortega was determined to be the primary suspect in a burglary that occurred at the Glenn County Mosquito Vector Control Office in Willows on January 29, 2021, where two vehicles and other miscellaneous items were stolen, according to the sheriffs office.

Deputies said Ortega confessed to his involvement in several of the Willows burglaries and is currently in custody at the Glenn County Jail, for committing several counts of Felony Burglary, Possession of Stolen Property and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Ortega is being held on $25,000 bail.
New Delhi: An Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Delhi Police allegedly shot himself dead with his service pistol in a PCR van while he was on duty at Zakhira flyover in west Delhi on Saturday morning, officials said.

The ASI, Tej Pal (55), was attached with the Police Control Room (PCR) unit. He was residing in Rajnagar in Ghaziabad, they said.

Shot dead

Police were informed about the incident at around 7 am, they said, adding no suicide note was recovered from the spot.

The ASI allegedly shot himself in the chest, a senior police officer said.

Suicide

He was rushed to ABG hospital by the PCR van driver where he was declared brought dead, he said.

The PCR van was examined by the crime team, police said, adding further investigation is going on.
Posted Friday, February 26, 2021 4:30 pm

The 3rd Congressional District of Southwest Washington has been a swing district of sorts for years before current U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, was elected back in 2010.

Before Herrera Beutler, Democrat Brian Baird held the seat from 1999 until 2010, when he decided not to run for reelection, despite winning his congressional races with 60%-plus during his last four races.

When Baird quit, the 3rd District was considered a highly competitive post that could be won by a Democrat or Republican  a swing district. The 3rd District voted 53% in favor of Barack Obama. Before that, it voted 50% for George Bush in 2004. In the last two presidential elections, the 3rd District voted 49% for Donald Trump and 43% for Hillary Clinton. It was much closer in 2020 with Trump getting 50% in the 3rd, with President Biden coming in at 47%.

Baird often bucked his own party, which makes sense as his district was not overly left or right. Baird voted, for example, against health care legislation against his own partys wishes. Upon returning from a trip to Iraq back in 2007, Baird was the rare Democrat who strongly supported Bushs surge strategy. Such positions going against his own party had Baird vulnerable in the 2010 race, which is thought to have added to his reasons for not running for reelection.

Which brings us back to Herrera Beutler. She is vulnerable as can be after voting for the impeachment of Trump. She is up for reelection in November of 2022, and like Baird is considered a moderate. She is known to break with the Grand Old Party from time to time.

This latest break on the impeachment vote has her base rattled. She was one of only 10 House Republicans to vote for impeachment. She said it disturbed her that Trump hesitated to bring in the National Guard during the Jan. 6 insurrection of the U.S. Capitol. Herrera Beutler said she talked to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. She said McCarthy told her he spoke via phone to Trump during the conflict and asked him to publicly and forcefully call off the riot. McCarthy allegedly told Herrera Beutler that Trump said the rioters were part of Antifa and not Trump supporters. McCarthy disagreed. In a statement, Herrera Beutler wrote, Thats when, according to to McCarthy, the president said: Well Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election then you are.

Herrera Beutler said she had no option but to vote for impeachment of Trump. She is quoted as saying, A president who sees an attack happening like this has an oath by his office to do what he can to stop it, and he didnt.

She stated Trump incited a riot intended to halt the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next. That riot led to five deaths. The presidents offenses, in my reading of the Constitution, were impeachable based on the indisputable evidence we already have.

Her vote certainly has consequences. Already three Republicans announced their challenge for her post in 2022. Protesters marched on her office just last weekend. The Clark County Republicans have vilified her, stating she is in lonely political waters. The countys Republican partys central committee voted to censure her on Tuesday. Of note is that, according to an article in The Columbian, Tusitala Tiny Toese was the sergeant of arms at the Clark County GOP meeting. Toese is a prominent local member of the Proud Boys as stated in the article.

The vultures are circling.

Herrera Beutler was fully aware of the consequences of her vote. She knew her own party would go after her. Yet she voted for impeachment anyway. If you dont agree with her vote, you have to at the least admire her for sticking to her guns. Would you rather your representative vote on issues with only an upcoming political campaign as the deciding factor?

I believe Herrera Beutler to be courageous for her vote, and appropriate given the swing-district nature of the 3rd. She did what she believed to be correct, damn the GOP and the collateral damage. She voted her conscience.



Michael Wagar is a former president, publisher and editor of The Chronicle. He can be reached at michaelbwagar@gmail.com.
Trouble flared at an anti-lockdown protest in Dublin's city centre this afternoon with Gardai forced to baton charge crowds who had gathered at St Stephens Green.

There was a tense atmosphere as Gardai formed ranks at the top of Grafton Street to stop protesters from gaining entry to St Stephen's Green park, which the Office of Public Works had closed on instructions from An Garda Siochana.

Hundreds of people gathered for today's protest.

Some protestors gathered in front of Garda lines taunting them and shouting You should be ashamed of yourselves and Why don't you do the Jerusalema dance?"

Some other men shouted abuse at the Gardai and warned them to be careful.

What are you going to do?", they shouted at the Gardai.

Gardai remained in position until bottles, fireworks, cans and bottles and other items began to be thrown at them.

At a signal from senior Gardai, officers rushed forward with batons raised while shouting, get back, get back as the crowd was forced back down Grafton Street.

Dogs from the Garda dog unit accompanied officers as they charged down Dublins main shopping street.

One man appeared to have been arrested as he was dragged from the crowd by Gardai and back towards the Garda vehicles parked at the top of Grafton street.

One man who did not want to give his name, said he had attended the protest as the lockdown had affected him personally.

Expand Close Anti-Lockdown protesters and gardai outside St. Stephens Green / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Anti-Lockdown protesters and gardai outside St. Stephens Green

My mental health has suffered (because of lockdown), he said. I wanted to join in but Im disappointed with the bangers and that. I wanted the protest to be more peaceful.

The Garda helicopter hovered above the scene as the crowd reassembled further down Grafton Street,

There, on Chatham Street, a massive crowd gathered again and cheered as one young man scrambled up on top of a tree and waved a tricolour to cheers.

Garda said today that a number of traffic diversions and other policing measures are currently in place in Dublin this afternoon in response to a demonstration in the city centre area.

A policing plan has been implemented and An Garda Siochana will provide a full update when this operation has concluded, Gardai said.

Read More

Dublin TD Neale Richmond slammed the protestors who took to the streets of Dublin today in an action that led to violent scenes.

He tweeted: Absolutely shocking scenes from the so-called patriots in our capital today. How is the below a constitutional right? #COVID19."

The deputy added: From the outset, this protest was ill-advised, fuelled by conspiracy theories and championed by individuals seeking to manipulate the genuine fears of many vulnerable individuals.

It was disgraceful to see this protest descend into violent scenes with brave members of An Garda Siochana subjected to intolerable physical and verbal abuse.

Some of the eye witness footage circulating is extremely disturbing and every public representative should condemn these awful scenes.

The footage appears to show a lit firework being thrown at members of the gardai by one protestor, which is truly shameful.

These brave men and women risk their lives every day in the service of the people of our State and what they were subjected to today is utterly appalling.

Those who organised this protest need to be held account for their actions.

At a time of a global pandemic with so many people working tirelessly to suppress this awful and deadly disease, these antics were reprehensible."
The Biden administration is planning to open another facility in Del Rio, Texas, to expand processing capacity for children and families arriving at the US-Mexico border, a Department of Homeland Security official confirmed to CNN.

It's the latest move by the administration to address the growing number of migrant families and unaccompanied children at the US southern border. Earlier this month, US Customs and Border Protection also announced the opening of a "soft-sided" structure in Donna, Texas, to help with intake.

In January, more than 5,800 unaccompanied children and nearly 7,500 families were taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection at the US-Mexico border, according to the agency's most recent monthly data. And numbers are expected to continue to rise.

On Thursday, Brian Hastings, the Border Patrol sector chief in Rio Grande Valley, tweeted about the volume of migrants approaching the border. "In less than a 24 hour period, this area alone saw more than 500 illegal entries," he said in a tweet, adding that the majority were families and accompanied children.

Border officials are taking more than 300 unaccompanied children into custody daily at the border on average, according to another Homeland Security official.

The expected facility in Del Rio, first reported by The Washington Post, is separate from the shelters intended for children who arrive alone at the border. Those shelters are operated by the Health and Human Services Department and designed to care for migrant children until they're placed with sponsors, like parents or relatives, in the US.

CNN has reached out to Customs and Border Protection for comment.

Last year, as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the US, the Trump administration invoked a public health law allowing border officials to turn away migrants apprehended at the border, including children, resulting in a low number of unaccompanied children and families being admitted to the US.

A federal judge eventually blocked the administration from subjecting unaccompanied children to the policy, but that ruling was later reversed by a federal appeals court. The Biden administration, however, has said it will not expel children, though the policy still applies to single adults and some families.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

New Delhi, Feb 27 : Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has participated virtually in the First G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting under the Italian Presidency to discuss policy actions for transformative and equitable recovery.

The other issues on the agenda on Friday included global economic outlook, financial sector issues, financial inclusion and sustainable finance.

Sitharaman spoke about India's policy response to the pandemic. She said that India's domestic policies have been based broadly on supporting citizens through measures such as credit guarantees, direct transfers, food guarantees, economic stimulus packages and accelerating structural reform.

She also spoke about India's vaccination programme, which is the world's largest and the most ambitious vaccination drive. She mentioned that India has extended vaccine support to several countries.

During this meeting, G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors also discussed the implications of climate change on global growth and financial stability.

Speaking on the Presidency's proposal to undertake systematic policy dialogue on climate risk and environment taxation, Sitharaman suggested that these conversations should remain within the ambit of Paris Agreement and should be based on the principles of common but differentiated responsibility, respective capability, and the voluntary nature of the commitments.

The Finance Minister also stressed upon the importance of transfer of green technologies and scaling up of climate finance.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
As the pandemic set in, more and more people turned away from their phones and TV screens, setting their sights on newly hung bird feeders and long walks in the woods.

In terms of happiness research, this natural pull toward nature during tough times makes perfect sense. Mounting evidence suggests that green spaces, being outdoors and watching birds (whether you know how to ID them or not) provide measurable increases in well-being. One recent study found that a 10% increase in bird species in your vicinity boosts life satisfaction on par with getting a pay raise or bonus at work.

Birds pay us back in so many ways, and for many of us, theyve been a saving grace during a period of unprecedented isolation and political, economic and health uncertainty.

Perfect timing

For those new to birdwatching in the area, you couldnt have started at a more exciting time. Bird researchers dubbed 2020 a superflight year, with huge numbers of boreal finch species in Canada heading south in search of winter food.

This resulted in species like evening grosbeaks, pine siskins, white-winged and red crossbills and common redpolls flooding to Pennsylvania to fill their hungry bellies.

It has been very exciting for local birders here and across the state to see these larger finches  the evening grosbeaks, said birder Dave Kruel, of Pottsville, a member of the Schuylkill County Conservancys Education Committee.

In fact, according to official North Lookout bird count numbers, Hawk Mountain recorded the highest number of evening grosbeaks in more than 20 years.

The southern movement is likely the combination of two things. One, successful spring breeding, thanks to a surge in spruce budworms that serve as food for the young. And two, crop failures in conifer and other boreal trees that supply winter food for these birds; something that appears to happen in cycles.

This sends birds heading south  way south in some cases  in search of food.

Pennsylvania Master Naturalist Barb Ritzheimer, of Pine Grove, is still seeing a few pine siskins hanging out at her feeder, while Shirley Shrio Geist, of Hegins, was lucky enough to catch some beautiful photos of evening grosbeaks this winter.

If you werent privy to the winter irruption (birds flooding southward in search of food), keep an eye out. Kruel said our area could expect another wave of evening grosbeaks to pass through our area in the coming weeks as the birds return north to their Canadian breeding grounds from more southern points.

Want to create an inviting pitstop for them? Try putting sunflower seed out in tray-style feeders, as opposed to tube feeders, Kruel said.

For more information, check out the Finch Research Network at finchnetwork.org.

(Zerbe can be reached at

leah.zerbe@gmail.com)
A localised complete lockdown of Paris has been suggested by the city's mayor in an effort to curb coronavirus infections (Reuters)

Officials in Paris have suggested that a three-week complete lockdown of the city could see them able to reopen everything afterwards.

Paris's deputy mayor, Emmanuel Gregoire, told French broadcaster Franceinfo that the city hall was considering proposing an independent local lockdown to stem the worrying rise of new coronavirus infections, with the prospect of reopening everything after, including theatres, cinemas and restaurants.

Across France a night curfew from 6pm to 6am has been in place since December 15, but bars, restaurants and cultural venues have been closed even longer.

Gregoire called the curfew a half-measure and a semi-prison that never ends and suggested a full lockdown would be more effective.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex has said that the government is opposed to a new national lockdown and instead would consider imposing movement restrictions including weekend lockdowns in Paris and 19 other regions from the start of March if signs of the coronavirus accelerating persist.

Read more: COVID cases now rising in 1 in 5 areas as Jonathan Van-Tam warns: This is sobering

France currently has more new daily cases of coronavirus than its European neighbours (Our World In Data)

Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo and her deputy Emmanuel Gregoire have suggested a three week lockdown for Paris could see the city able to 'fully reopen' by the end of March (Getty Images)

Read more: Will we still be wearing face masks this time next year?

The areas have been put under "reinforced surveillance" after a leap in infection numbers.

However, Gregoire told reporters at a news conference on Friday that local government is opposed to any weekend lockdowns.

He said he hoped any new restrictions for Paris could curb the spread of the virus and result in "some form of return to normal" life in spring.

The head of the emergencies unit at a hospital in Paris said on Friday that a national lockdown was needed to bring infection rates under control.

Watch: 20 French departments under "reinforced surveillance"

"I do not understand what we are waiting for," Philippe Juvin from the Georges Pompidou European Hospital told BFM TV, adding that the situation at hospitals in the Paris area was very tense.

Story continues

"As we get closer to an epidemic peak, each day spent without taking a decision comes with a heavy price," he said.

Juvin cited a study showing that 13,000 lives would have been saved if France's March-May lockdown last year had come in a week earlier. The study also showed that if the lockdown had been delayed a week, the death told would have risen by 53,000.

"We will not avoid a new lockdown. And the longer we wait to take such a decision, the longer it will last," Juvin said.

French health authorities reported 25,403 new cases on Thursday, up from 22,501 a week ago, confirming the recent upward trend of the disease, mainly due to new variants.

The more contagious British variant "now accounts for about half of people infected with Covid-19 in France", PM Castex said on Thursday. The same variant had represented fewer than 40 percent of cases according to numbers released a week ago.

The seven-day moving average of daily new cases stands at 21,452, the highest in more than three months. With 3.687 million cases reported in total, France has the six-highest tally globally and its 85,582 death toll is the seventh highest.

The UK's seven-day rolling average of daily cases has dipped below 10,000 a day for the first time since early October.

The UK has been in full lockdown since early January and the government's of the four nations are hoping it will be the last one of the pandemic.

Watch: What is long COVID?
Advertisement

Before-and-after satellite images have revealed the devastation caused to a Syrian militia compound by the first military action of President Biden's administration.

The US dropped seven 500lbs bombs on the site - which was used by two Iranian-backed Shia militia groups - killing an estimated 22 fighters.

Images taken before the blast shows the large compound - located around 370 yards from the Iraqi border - with around a dozen buildings inside it.

But after Thursday's attack all the buildings have been obliterated and there is a sea of blackened dirt and debris spreading into the surrounding desert.

Despite the devastating scene, Pentagon sources told CCN the attack was 'the more restrained option' which they took to 'draw a line' with the Iranians after smuggled weapons injured American troops and killed a contractor.

 Slide me  The US dropped seven 500lbs bombs on the site - which was used by two Iranian-backed Shia militia groups - killing an estimated 22 fighters. Pictured are before-and-after images of the compound

Despite the devastating scene, Pentagon sources told CCN the attack was 'the more restrained option' which they took to 'draw a line' with the Iranians. Pictured is damage on the ground

The airstrike was the first military action undertaken by the Biden administration, after repeated tensions between Iran and the Trump White House over the previous four years which reached a peak following Qassem Soleimani's killing in early 2020

'Guardians of Blood Brigade' behind Iraq rocket attack The Pentagon said Thursday's strikes targeted the Shi'a militants who carried out a February 15 rocket attack in Iraq that killed a civilian contractor and wounded a US service member. A Shi'a group called Saraya Awliya al-Dam, meaning 'Guardians of Blood Brigade', had claimed responsibility for the attack. The group also declared that US troops would remain targets until they leave Iraq, according to extremism expert Rita Katz. Little is known about the group, but some regional experts fear it may be a front for one of Iraqs larger Shi'a militias. Iran this week said it has no links to the Guardians of Blood Brigade. Katz has warned that the number of Shi'a factions in Iraq is 'multiplying'. The February 15 attack came after NATO announced it would scale up its mission in Iraq from 500 personnel to 4,000 to fight the remnants of ISIS. Advertisement

The compound at Al Bukamal had been used by the groups to ferry weapons across the border, according to the Pentagon.

The airstrike was the first military action undertaken by the Biden administration, after repeated tensions between Iran and the Trump White House over the previous four years which reached a peak following Qassem Soleimani's killing in early 2020.

While the strike could be the first retaliatory move by the United States following last week's attacks, it was said to be limited in scope, potentially lowering the risk of escalation.

Also a decision to strike only in Syria and not in Iraq would give the Iraqi government some breathing room as it carries out its own investigation of a February 15 attack that wounded Americans.

The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the strike was directly approved by President Biden.

In announcing the strikes, John Kirby, the Pentagon's chief spokesman, said: 'This proportionate military response was conducted together with diplomatic measures, including consultation with coalition partners.'

'The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel. At the same time, we have acted in a deliberate manner that aims to deescalate the overall situation in eastern Syria and Iraq.'

Pentagon officials said they offered up several larger groups of targets but Biden approved the smallest option.

Retaliatory US military strikes have occurred a number of times in the past few years.

The rocket attacks against US positions in Iraq were carried out as Washington and Tehran are looking for a way to return to the 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by former president Donald Trump.

President Joe Biden (left) personally authorized the strike. Pictured is a map showing the location of the compound on the Syria-Iraq border

The US dropped seven 500-pound JDAMs (file image) on seven targets on a crossing used by the militia groups to move weapons across the border

Biden administration officials condemned the February 15 rocket attack near the city of Irbil in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish-run region, but as recently as this week officials indicated they had not determined for certain who carried it out.

Officials have noted that in the past, Iranian-backed Shiite militia groups have been responsible for numerous rocket attacks that targeted US personnel or facilities in Iraq.

Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman, had said Tuesday that Iraq is in charge of investigating the February 15 attack.

'Right now, we're not able to give you a certain attribution as to who was behind these attacks, what groups, and I'm not going to get into the tactical details of every bit of weaponry used here,' Kirby said.

'Let's let the investigations complete and conclude, and then when we have more to say, we will.'

A little-known Shiite militant group calling itself Saraya Awliya al-Dam, Arabic for Guardians of Blood Brigade, claimed responsibility for the February 15 attack.

Video shows red hot shrapnel and smoke filling the air after a rocket landed in the middle of a street in Erbil on February 15. As well as the US contractors wounded and the foreign contractor killed, five Iraqi civilians were wounded in the attack

A view of the scene after a rocket attack outside the international airport in Erbil, the capital of northern Iraq's Kurdish region on February 16

A view of the Erbil International Airport after flights restarted, following a rocket attack outside the international airport, in Erbil, Iraq on February 16

A view of the scene after a rocket attack outside the international airport in Erbil, the capital of northern Iraq's Kurdish region on February 16. The group, calling itself the Guardian of Blood Brigades, said in a statement that it had fired 24 rockets at the airport and they hit their target

Pro-Iran attacks against the US in Iraq Western military and diplomatic sites in Iraq have been targeted by dozens of rockets and roadside bombs since late 2019, with both foreign and Iraqi personnel killed. In December 2019, a US contractor was killed in a rocket attack on a base in Kirkuk province, prompting the US to respond with air strikes against Kataeb Hezbollah. Furious pro-Iranian militia men stormed the US embassy in Baghdad following the strikes on Kataeb Hezbollah. Kataeb Hezbollah is an Iran-sponsored Shia Muslim faction which is part of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The PMF was assembled by Iraq to help combat Islamic State but, since defeating the radicals, the PMF has been unwilling to bend to the government in Baghdad. Just days after the storming of the US embassy, top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US rocket strike on January 3. His motorcade was obliterated by a US Reaper drone after he arrived from either Syria or Iraq. Several PMF commanders were also killed in the strike. Soleimani was the architect of Iran's foreign policy and Washington said his travel throughout the Middle East, especially into Iraq and Syria, was inextricably linked to Tehran's anti-American designs. Following the strike, rocket attacks were carried out by pro-Iranian militia on al-Asad, a coalition airbase in the west of Iraq. In March 2020, another rocket attack killed two Americans - a soldier and a contractor - and a British soldier. In October, the US threatened to close its embassy in Baghdad unless the attacks stopped. The Iraqi government facilitated an indefinite truce with hardline groups and the fire had come to a near halt. But there have been violations, the most recent of which had been a spray of rockets targeting the US embassy on December 20. Advertisement

A week later, a rocket attack in Baghdad's Green Zone appeared to target the US Embassy compound, but no one was hurt.

Iran this week said it has no links to the Guardians of Blood Brigade.

'I'm confident in the target that we went after, we know what we hit,' Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters flying with him from California to Washington.

Speaking shortly after the airstrikes, he added: 'We're confident that that target was being used by the same Shia militants that conducted the strikes,' he said referring to the February 15 rocket attack in northern Iraq that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a US service member and other coalition personnel.

Austin said he recommended the action to Biden.

'We said a number of times that we will respond on our timeline,' Austin said. 'We wanted to be sure of the connectivity and we wanted to be sure that we had the right targets.'

The frequency of attacks by Shiite militia groups against US targets in Iraq diminished late last year ahead of Biden's inauguration, though now Iran is pressing America to return to Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal.

The US under the previous Trump administration blamed Iran-backed groups for carrying out the attacks.

Tensions soared after a Washington-directed drone strike that killed top Iranian Gen Qassem Soleimani and powerful Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis last year.

Trump had said the death of a US contractor would be a red line and provoke US escalation in Iraq.

The December 2019 killing of a US civilian contractor in a rocket attack in Kirkuk sparked a tit-for-tat fight on Iraqi soil that brought the country to the brink of a proxy war.

US forces have been significantly reduced in Iraq to 2,500 personnel and no longer partake in combat missions with Iraqi forces in ongoing operations against the Islamic State group.
WASHINGTON  The Food and Drug Administration on Saturday authorized Johnson & Johnsons single-shot Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, beginning the rollout of millions of doses of a third effective vaccine that could reach Americans by early next week.

The announcement arrived at a critical moment, as the steep decline in coronavirus cases seems to have plateaued and millions of Americans are on waiting lists for shots.

Johnson & Johnson has pledged to provide the United States with 100 million doses by the end of June. When combined with the 600 million doses from the two-shot vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna slated to arrive by the end of July, there will be more than enough shots to cover any American adult who wants one.

But federal and state health officials are concerned that even with strong data to support it, some people may perceive Johnson & Johnsons shot as an inferior option.
Join the Socialist Equality Party

For information on joining the SEP or building a section of the ICFI in your country, fill out the form below. Someone from the SEP will contact you.
Thomas Webster, a 20-year veteran of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), now retired, was denied bail on Tuesday at a hearing in US district court in White Plains, New York on charges related to the January 6 storming of the US Capitol by a fascist mob.

Webster, a former US Marine, was once a member of the security detail at New Yorks City Hall. He is charged with violently assaulting a D.C. police officer during the storming of the Capitol.

The 54-year-old retired from the NYPD in 2011 and is now residing in Orange County, New York, about 65 miles from the city. He was wanted by the FBI for participating in the assault.

Webster is seen in a video attacking a Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officer and storming barricades surrounding the Capitol building. He is one of the many members of the police and military, both veterans and active duty, who played a major part in the attempted coup aimed at nullifying the results of the 2020 election and installing Donald Trump as a presidential dictator.

In the video, Webster is shown screaming at the police guarding the Capitol to turn around, i.e., abandon their posts.

The prosecution accuses him of assaulting the D.C. officer, first with a dangerous weaponan aluminum pole to which a Marine Corps flag had earlier been attachedand then with his bare hands, pinning him to the ground, straddling him and attempting to pull off his face shield and gas mask and choke him with his chin strap.

Webster claims that his actions were in self-defense and the officer had punched him. There is no video evidence to corroborate that claim.

He is described by the prosecution as having a look of pure rage and acting like a junkyard dog. Multiple videos introduced at the hearing show him calling the police officer a commie piece of shit and urging the mob to press forward with its attack and be ready for more action.

The charge of assault on a police officer with a dangerous weapon carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

At the hearing, the defense, which did not dispute Websters participation in the assault, sought to portray him as an upstanding citizen and family man, with an exemplary record of service in both the military and the police. They emphasized as well that his actions were undertaken at Trumps urging.

Webster is the owner of the Semper Fi Landscape and Design business. (Semper Fi is the Marine Corps motto). He exemplifies the largely middle-class social layerssmall business people, professionals, copsthat comprised the bulk of the insurrectionists.

It has become clear, as stated by Assistant US Attorney Benjamin Gianforte during the hearing, that most of the violent ringleaders of the riot were people with military experience. The military and police, in the US as elsewhere, are riddled with ultra-right and fascistic elements.

The judge at the bail hearing expressed his ambivalence in coming to a decision, referencing the middle-class credentials of the defendant. He has been a productive and valuable member of society, he said, pointing to Websters police and military service and his role as a businessman. My determination in favor of detention is based solely on the issue of danger to the community, the judge stated.

He did not attempt to explain why such a model citizen chose to attack Congress in an attempt to overthrow the results of the election. The judge merely said that his ruling against letting Webster out on bail pending trial was based on the fear that unidentified undercurrents of political hostility might lead him to further attacks on police.
State health officials confirmed another 1,734 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, which is based on 102,584 new molecular tests, according to the Department of Public Health.

Officials also announced another 46 COVID-related fatalities, bringing the death toll from the pandemic to 15,703.

As of Friday, there are roughly 30,983 active infections statewide. Since the pandemic began, officials have confirmed 547,358 total COVID-19 cases across the state.

There are now 807 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Massachusetts, including 211 in intensive care. Another 137 are currently intubated.

The seven-day average of positive tests is currently 1.90%.

New cases continue to be highest among the 0-19 age group, with 5,515 cases reported over the last two weeks, according to the Department of Public Health. Twenty-somethings makeup the second largest age bracket, with 5,018 reported over those two weeks.

The mean age of COVID-positive cases, deaths and hospitalizations for the last two-week period all changed this week. The mean age of deaths went from 79 to 78 years old. In August it was 86. The mean age of hospitalizations went from 70 to 69. In August it was 59. And the mean age of new cases went from 38 to 37. Of the three, this demographic has changed the least last August when it was 39.

The number of cities and towns flagged as high risk for COVID spread by health officials fell from 66 to 28 on Thursday, as cases and hospitalizations continue to decline statewide.

And citing the positive trends, Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Thursday that the state will be moving into Step 2 of Phase 3 of its reopening plan beginning on Monday, easing capacity restrictions on certain businesses and letting others reopen. Most notably, officials are doing away with capacity limits on restaurants, provided they continue to enforce 6 feet of social distancing, a six-person table limit and a 90-minute dining limit, officials said.

Phase 4, which permits larger sporting venues to reopen with a strict 12% capacity limit, will begin on March 22. On Friday, Boston officials said theyd move into a modified version of Step 2 Phase 3, delaying the reopening of indoor performance venues and indoor recreational activities with greater potential for contact until March 22.

Additionally, Boston will not allow live musical performances in restaurants until March 22. Elsewhere, live music will be allowed inside restaurants beginning on Monday.

Here are the cities and towns currently at high risk:

Bristol County: Acushnet, Fall River, Freetown, New Bedford, Taunton

Essex County: Haverhill, Lawrence, Lynn, Methuen, Peabody

Hampden County: Chicopee, Springfield

Hampshire County: Southampton

Middlesex County: Lowell

Norfolk County: Cohasset, Weymouth

Plymouth County: Brockton, Lakeville, Middleborough, Plymouth, West Bridgewater

Suffolk County: Revere

Worcester County: Ashburnham, Blackstone, Rutland, Southbridge, Templeton, Westminster

Total COVID cases by county:

Barnstable County: 10,011

Berkshire County: 4,850

Bristol County: 55,481

Dukes County: 858

Essex County: 83,447

Franklin County: 1,969

Hampden County: 41,472

Hampshire County: 7,299

Middlesex County: 111,231

Nantucket County: 1,156

Norfolk County: 45,176

Plymouth County: 40,067

Suffolk County: 77,831

Worcester County: 65,023

Related Content:


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Real Time With Bill Maher is a show that can bring together guests from across the political spectrum the way few others can. At its best, this can lead to genuinely interesting policy discussions along with the opportunity to see politicians and journalists interact in unexpected ways. When an episode doesnt click, though, it can be especially frustrating  and last nights episode offered a number of missed opportunities.



Mahers opening monologue covered the topics youd expect after a week off  the death of Rush Limbaugh, Andrew Cuomos multiple scandals and Ted Cruzs ill-conceived trip to Cancun  though it felt a little perfunctory. Maher picked up some steam as he began to discuss the Conservative Political Action Conference happening this weekend, imagining a massive banner reading WELCOME REALITY DENIERS on Main Street.

At one point, Maher spoke beside an image of the gold-plated statue of Donald Trump thats been on display at CPAC. It made for a surreal visual, but it also illustrated a familiar trouble with political satire right now: sometimes reality is far stranger than any attempts to comment upon it.



Mahers first guest for the night was journalist and podcast host Megyn Kelly. After a short and strange exchange about The Munsters, the conversation proper began with a question from Maher on Kellys time at Fox News. Maher asked Kelly if she could work there today, given the networks rightward drift. Kelly agreed that some of the networks personalities had become more conservative in recent years, but felt that others  Lou Dobbs was specifically named  had been more consistent.

The conversation shifted directions to Kellys decision, late last year, to pull her children out of the private schools that they attended over political concerns. Both Maher and Kelly argued that schools are doing more harm than good in the way theyre addressing institutional racism and other subjects  but the fact that both agreed on nearly everything they discussed made for a conversation that had little in the way of dynamics or momentum. And the way that the segment featured two wealthy white people discussing the best way to address race and racism in America felt more than a little tone-deaf.



For the evenings panel, Maher was joined by Senator Jon Tester, author of Grounded: A Senators Lessons on Winning Back Rural America and Ezra Klein, author of Why Were Polarized. (For those keeping track at home, Mahers Days Waiting for Solar sign made an appearance; its now at 1,103.) States came up for discussion first: Tester hails from Montana, while Klein recently wrote about the difficulties California has had implementing progressive policies.

Is California over-regulated? That was the argument Maher made, which included him citing James Van Der Beeks explanation for his familys recent move to Texas. Maher repeatedly invoked the idea of Californians relocating to Texas, while also acknowledging that Texass government had not responded well to their own crisis earlier this month. I dont know what my question is, Maher said. Where would you rather live? Which is worse?



From there, the conversation turned more broadly to Texass politics  including the question of whether or not Ted Cruzs Cancun trip would adversely affect his political career. Tester shared his thoughts on the way the Democratic Party engages in messaging, and the lack of a sizable infrastructure bill in recent years.



Klein ran with that line of discussion, pointing out that the existence of the filibuster in the Senate has prevented the passage of certain legislation that has wide public support. It isnt enough to want government to do good things, Klein said. You have to rebuild government so it can do good things. Unsurprisingly, the panel featured the nights most compelling television, as both Klein and Maher got to raise their frustrations with the Senate with an actual member of the Senate.

The second half of the panel began with discussion of the pandemic, and a question about it thats grown in prominence lately: is it okay to start to feeling some ? Klein stated that the country could be in a much better place in 60 to 100 days, though both he and Tester also cited the need for caution moving forward.



Mahers comments on air travel during the pandemic led the panelists back around to another facet of infrastructure spending  as well as to questions of defense spending and cybersecurity. The current state of the Republican Party, and Donald Trumps upcoming CPAC appearance, rounded out the panel  which concluded with Klein invoking the Leopards Eating Peoples Faces Party.

The nights New Rules opened with a mixed bag of jokes, the highlight of which was probably Mahers suggestion that the blue-furred dogs found in Russia become the new it designer dog breed. The bulk of the segment focused on Maher inveighing against cancel culture  touching on subjects from The Bachelor to Abraham Lincoln along the way. Here, the argument sounded similar to ones Maher has made in other episodes lately. The episode did have some genuinely interesting moments  Tester, Klein and Maher debating defense spending and American militarism comes to mind  but stretches of this one felt flat. Will the return of Trump to a public event spark a more engaged tone next episode? For that, youll have to tune in next week.

Subscribe here for our free daily newsletter.

The post Ezra Klein and Megyn Kelly Joined Bill Maher for This Weeks Real Time appeared first on InsideHook.
The US airstrikes in Syria, ordered by President Joe Biden, were in retaliation for the rocket attacks on United States targets in Iraq. Biden ordered the US airstrikes on Thursday on Syrian buildings that, according to the Pentagon, were used by Iranian-backed militias.

According to several experts and lawmakers, the US airstrikes are not merely Biden's initial military action. It is a test of his broad vow to pursue a foreign policy that is more cooperative and mindful of international partners than his predecessors. But it still renounced the US's role as the world's police to focus on providing a better life for Americans.

US Airstrikes: A Retaliation Against Syria

The US airstrikes dropped seven 500-pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions at a crossing used by Iranian-backed militia groups. Back in former President Trump's regime, he launched tit-for-tat airstrikes on Iranian-backed proxies, as did former President Barack Obama before him.

According to Pentagon officials on Friday, the retaliation was a message from the president that such attacks would not be left unpunished. The meaning Tehran took from the retaliation on its proxies is still unclear.

The US initiated what is being touted as "precision strikes" against Iranian-backed militia groups in Syria. According to Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, "This strike was authorized in response to recent attacks against America and coalition personnel in Iraq and to ongoing threats to those personnel," reported 13 News Now.

Biden noted Iran should view his decision to enable US airstrikes in Syria as a warning that it could expect consequences for its support of militia groups that threaten the interests or personnel of the United States. According to Biden, "You can't act with impunity. Be careful." He said so when a reporter asked what message he had intended to convey with the airstrikes. The Pentagon remarked it destroyed several buildings in eastern Syria but were not intended to eradicate the militia groups that used them to initiate attacks within Iraq, reported AP.

Also Read: ISIS Leader Killed In U.S.-Led Airstrikes

In bombing the war-torn nation in the initial weeks of his presidency, the president followed in his predecessor's footsteps, who launched a missile strike 77 days into his tenure. The airstrikes hit a Syrian airbase in a counterattack for a suspected chemical weapons attack. The strikes both have in common in terms of being designated to be interpreted as a message and not as an act of war.

McConnell Voices Support for Biden's Order

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell crossed the partisan line. He offered support for Biden's decision to launch airstrikes targeting Iran-backed militias in Syria. The Kentucky Republican said he supports Biden's decision to authorize strikes against facilities associated with Iranian-backed terrorist groups accountable for attacks against American interests in Iraq. "We will need more information to judge the efficacy of the strikes and the signal they send to Tehran and its proxies, but I believe the President acted well within the authorities of his office," reported Washington Examiner.

According to Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, the bombing in eastern Syria was carefully calibrated. He called it "defensive" and "proportionate." Kirby said the bombing resulted in casualties. However, he said it was too early to determine precisely the number of militia fighters who could have been killed or wounded.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Friday reported that the strikes recorded 22 fatalities. They cited unconfirmed local reports.

Related Article: U.S.-Led Airstrikes In Iraq, Syria Have Killed More Than 450 Civilians, But U.S. Says Only 2 Civilians Killed, Report Says

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Syrian President Bashar Assad has been supported by Iran-backed militias such as Kataeb Hezbollah. Photo: SANA via AP

A US airstrike targeting facilities used by Iran-backed militias in Syria looks like a message to Tehran from President Joe Biden's administration as he assesses his policies in the Middle East.

It appeared to be a response to rocket attacks by groups based in Iraq that have targeted American bases. It comes even as Washington and Tehran consider a return to the 2015 accord designed to rein in Irans nuclear

programme.

The US looks to have carefully chosen the target, just across the border in Syria rather than in Iraq. Its a way for Mr Biden to signal he will be tough on Iran while avoiding a response that could offset the delicate balance in Iraq itself or trigger a wider

confrontation.

And its yet another example of how Syria, mired in civil war for the past decade, has often served as a proxy battlefield for world powers.

The airstrike targeted one of the most powerful Iran-backed militias in the region  Kataeb Hezbollah, or the Hezbollah Brigades. The group is part of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, which includes an array of Iraqi militias.

The group was founded after the 2003 invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein. It is separate from Lebanons Hezbollah, but the two groups are strong allies. In recent years, Kataeb Hezbollah has played a major role in the fight against Isil as well as helping President Bashar Assads forces in Syrias conflict.

It was founded by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a veteran Iraqi militant who was closely allied with Iran and killed in a US drone attack in Baghdad in January 2020 along with General Qassem Soleimani, who was commander of Irans elite Quds Force.

The US has hit the group before. In December 2019, an American strike along the Syria-Iraq border killed 25 of its fighters and wounded dozens. Washington called it retaliation for the death of a US contractor in a rocket attack that it blamed on Kataeb Hezbollah.

The attack is likely aimed at sending a message to Tehran that the US will not tolerate attacks against American interests in the region, while leaving the door open for talks.

It comes as the Biden administration attempts to resurrect the 2015 Iran nuclear deal which gave Tehran billions of dollars in sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. The Trump administration had pulled out of the deal.

In the meantime, relations with Iran have been further strained as the countrys proxies become more assertive, with militias increasingly targeting American interests and allies. Worries that the standoff between the US and Iran could end up being fought out in Iraq have been rekindled.

There are signs that Iraq is being used to fight a proxy war. Explosive-laden drones that targeted Saudi Arabias royal palace in the kingdoms capital last month were launched from inside Iraq, a senior Iran-backed militia official in Baghdad and a US official said this week.

However, Mr Bidens decision to attack in Syria does not appear to signal an intention to widen military involvement in the region.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the operation sent an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel.

"At the same time, we have acted in a deliberate manner that aims to de-escalate the overall situation in eastern Syria and Iraq.
New Delhi: Yog Guru Baba Ramdev has made an appeal to the government to resolve the situation of the farmers protests by suspending the farm laws for a duration of three years. He said he only wishes for peace between the farmers and the Centre.

Baba Ramdev was attending the wedding of a businessman in Samalkha, Haryana, when he decided to talk about the ongoing farmers protests. He said that he does not intend to be a spokesperson for the government or a contract farmer, but he wants to see improvement in this case.

Ramdev has appealed to the central government that the new farm laws should be postponed for three years and the farmers should sit with the government and discuss the policies of interest of the farmers and the country.

He pointed out that neither the government is ready to settle nor the farmers, but this deadlock must end. There is a middle ground in every problem, he said.

Ramdev also said that the government had already spoken about not enforcing these laws for a year and a half. If farmers feel it is not enough time, then the Centre should increase it to three years. During this time, the farmers and the government should sit together and discuss the interest of agriculture and the country and make laws on what is right.

Farmers have been protesting 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.

Live TV
When foams collapse (and when they don't)

Tokyo, Japan - Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have revealed how liquid foams collapse by observing individual collapse "events" with high-speed video microscopy. They found that cracks in films led to a receding liquid front which sweeps up the original film border, inverts its shape, and releases a droplet which hits and breaks other films. Their observations and physical model provide key insights into how to make foams more or less resistant to collapse.

Understanding how foams collapse is serious business. Whether it's ensuring fire extinguishing foams stay long enough to put out flames, cleaning up toxic foams in seas and rivers, or simply getting the perfect rise on a cake, getting to grips with how foam materials collapse is vital to tailoring their properties, both to keep foams around longer or help them disappear quicker.

That's why a team led by Prof. Rei Kurita of Tokyo Metropolitan University have been carrying out high-speed video microscopy experiments on liquid foams. By generating foams sandwiched between two thin, transparent plates, they have direct access to the whole range of complex phenomena that occur when they begin to collapse. In previous work, they showed that a key way in which foams collapse is via the generation of droplets when individual films rupture. These droplets fly off at high speeds and break other surrounding films, leading to a cascade of breakages that cause the foam to break down. Yet, it was not yet known how exactly the droplets were formed. Importantly, it was not clear when droplets were formed, and when they weren't.

Now, the team has begun to unravel the complex mechanism behind how these droplets are made. When an initial crack forms in a film, the film recedes and leaves a wobbling line of liquid where the original film border was, named as the Released Vertical Plateau Border (RVPB). While it wobbles, there is an accumulation of liquid in the center of the RVPB. When a further crack is created in the remaining film, a receding line of liquid is created which sweeps up the RVPB (see Figure). Interestingly, videos showed that this front has a tendency to invert in shape as it travels. The team found that this is largely due to an inertial effect, as the heavier central part moves less under a constant force. Importantly, it is this inversion that ultimately causes a droplet to be released, initiating a cascade of film breakage events. Their work stands in contrast to previous investigations that looked at standing individual films; the accumulation of liquid in the middle of RVPBs is only possible inside foams, where liquid can be supplied by surrounding films and borders. The physical model they developed to describe the dynamics was shown to give reliable predictions of front velocity and relevant time scales.

Finally, the team replaced lab reagents with a household detergent and repeated the experiment, creating a much more long-lasting foam. When a bubble is burst at the side, they found a similar accumulation of liquid in the center of RVPBs, though significantly less than before. The enhanced elasticity of the film also meant it was extremely unlikely for two cracks to form in the same film; that meant no droplets were formed i.e. no collective bubble collapse: in light of the mechanism found above, this shows conclusively that both less transport within RVPBs and fewer cracks contributed directly to foam stability. Insights like these are vital for guiding the design of new foam materials with enhanced properties; the team hopes that their work may inspire state-of-the-art insulation materials, detergents, food products and cosmetics.

###

This work was supported by a JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (20J11840), and JSPS KAKENHI Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (17H02945, 20H01874, 20K14431).

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
New Delhi, Feb 28 : The ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival (JFF) hosted a session on Shekhar Pathak's new book 'Chipko - A People's History' that maps the journey of the people of Uttarakhand and a century of peaceful agitations to fight for the survival of their habitat and existence.

Ramchandra Guha, historian, and author of the book, Shekhar Pathak and Manisha Chaudhry were in conversation with writer and journalist Mukul Sharma.

The session focused on recent natural disasters in Uttarakhand, including the floods in Nanda Devi Sanctuary in February 2021, tying it back to issues like deforestation and urbanisation that have been rampant over the last few years.

Shekhar Pathak, spoke about the continued indifference from state and industry towards the clear and present danger. The panelists talked about the difficulties faced by villagers and local residents whose livelihood and homes are in the areas that are frequently in the front line of rapacious deforestation, damming of rivers and cutting into mountains for roads.

Guha, praising Pathak's work, said, "Pathak focuses on the ordinary, often unlettered, men, women and children who shaped the forest rights struggle." Calling the century-long history of andolans in Uttarakhand "a panoply of agitations", Guha talked of the 1940's Salt Satyagraha in the hills to support the national Salt Satyagraha led by Gandhi, the Statehood movement for Uttarakhand and many more.

"In India, the modern environmental movement was inaugurated by a grassroots struggle, the Chipko Andolan, in 1973. Chipko attracted worldwide attention because of its innovatively non-violent techniques led by Gandhians, because many of the participants were women, and because it took place in the Himalaya, a place of deep symbolic and spiritual significance," Guha said.

Manisha Chaudhry, spoke about her translating this work, and how it helped her reconnect to Uttarakhand where she had spent her growing years. She spoke particularly about Pathak's foregrounding the contribution of women which was so important, especially with her own engagement with feminism.

(Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in)
Seven has a serious track record of UK crime dramas, mostly through its ITV pipeline: Manhunt, Liar, Bodyguard, The Bay, Gold Digger, Cheat and somewhat lighter fare on 7TWO.

The latest is The Pembrokeshire Murders, a true crime drama which has drawn bumper ratings in Britain. And its not hard to see why. With just three episodes and a magnetic lead in Luke Evans, this is a compact viewing commitment which is time well spent.

Evans plays Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins who, in 2006, re-opens two unsolved 1980s murder cases.

In the wintry, windswept coastal county of Pembrokeshire the Coastal Path Murders involved the deaths of a husband and wife, but the area also was home to the murder of siblings in a remote farmhouse, Scoveston Manor. As Wilkins investigates, he finds evidence that links to a further case, involving sexual assaults at Nolton Hill Estate.

Wilkins is convinced the man responsible for all 3 is John Cooper (Keith Allen), about to be released from prison for a long list of burglaries. Its a race against time to convince authorities to prosecute him again, before a possible serial killer is let loose.

Men like him, they always kill again, he warns.

On his side is DNA which was not available at the time of original investigations.

Luke Evans, who is in almost every scene in the three hour series, is on a heros journey here, to right a monumental injustice. Unlike some crime dramas, he does this almost single-handedly (his team are pretty non-descript by comparison), save for plucky journalist Jonathan Hill (David Fynn) who agrees to hold off a story in exchange for an exclusive (I know the feeling).

Evans never upstages the material, with due deference to the victims and the serious matters at hand.

Also featuring are Oliver Ryan as Coopers damaged adult son Andrew, and Steffan Cennydd as Wilkins own son Jack who offers an emotional sub-plot for our leading man.

But its the crime-busting we are here for and despite the bleak setting, Evans shines with a determined, razor-sharp performance.

The script by Nick Stevens never drags and the breakthrough moment is so unique, Im sparing you the spoiler (theres a lot online). Seven will also screen a separate documentary around this aspect following the final episode next week.

The Pembrokeshire Murders isnt necessarily the most ripping of crime yarns but it is consistently executed with a dynamic leading man.

The Pembrokeshire Murders double episode screens 8:30pm Wednesday on Seven.

Related
Parineeti Chopra is back on the screen after a long gap in the remake of Paula Hawkins book The Girl on the Train. She chose to shed her bubbly girl image for director Ribhu Dasguptas psychological thriller. The movie is the story of Meera Kapoor (played by Chopra), a lawyer with a dark past and a broken marriage who begins to fixate on the perfect life of a couple she sees in their home while on her daily commute in a train.

Heres the trailer:

In an interview with News18, she spoke about how happy she was that the makers thought she could play something bold. I am glad that the makers thought I could do something different than what they have seen of me on screen. This doesnt usually happen with actors because they have been seen in different roles. I wanted people to see a new side of me. I wanted to shock them, said Parineeti.

She added, The reaction to the trailer is very encouraging. Now when people have started to call and tell us about their anticipation, it has started seeming very real. Its almost scary in a good way. It feels like I am delivering a baby. I am that much invested in the character.

The movie is streaming on Netflix and the audience has started to share their reviews on social media. While some people loved Parineetis strong performance, some are confused about her performance.

Bollywood se thodi hatke film..



Best acting by #ParineetiChopra

out of five.#TheGirlOnTheTrain     (@team_biggboss) February 27, 2021

Loved it ..  and u looked very bold and beautiful @ParineetiChopra forever favourite #TheGirlOnTheTrain  Srishti Chaubey (@ChaubeySrishti) February 27, 2021

Loving all these positive reviews! This is why Im so glad #TheGirlOnTheTrain released on #Netflix! Everyone got to witness @ParineetiChopras skills! There will always be some audience members and actors who dont wanna acknowledge her. Oh well. You keep doing you Pari!  TGOTT Out on Netflix (@jxnnix10) February 27, 2021

Do yourself a favor... pass on Parineeti Chopras #TheGirlOnTheTrain



The director had one job... copy the original!   133na (@WeAreAll0kay) February 27, 2021

Apart from Parineeti Chopra, the film also stars Aditi Rao Hydari and Avinash Tiwary in the lead roles.
Imagine mingling with some of your favourite authors while enjoying wonderful food and drink, and beautiful landscapes along the way!

Now you can, with the UKs most popular literary festival setting sail in what is sure to be an unmissable experience with the cream of British writing talent.

The Henley Literary Festival featuring talks, interviews and more from a host of top writers, will take place on board an Emerald Waterways Star-Ship during an eight-day journey along the mighty Danube.

Ruined beauty: The spectacular 12th Century Aggstein Castle in the Wachau Valley, overlooking the mighty Danube

River views: A stylish Emerald Waterways Star-Ship suite with balcony

SPECIAL GUESTS Award-winning journalist, author and broadcaster JEREMY PAXMAN was the BBCs Newsnight anchor for 25 years and has hosted University Challenge since 1994. His books include his insightful memoir, A Life In Questions. You will be joined by Jeremy Paxman LOUIS DE BERNIERES best-known work is Captain Corellis Mandolin, which won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Novel in 1994. It was later adapted into a major Hollywood film starring Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz. JOANNA TROLLOPE is the author of 17 highly acclaimed bestselling novels such as A Village Affair, The Choir and The Rectors Wife. Trollope has written a number of historical novels, many under the pseudonym Caroline Harvey. You will also be joined by Joanna Trollope DAME JENNI MURRAY presented Radio 4s Womans Hour for more than 30 years and is the author of a number of popular books, including A History Of Britain In 21 Women. Advertisement

The river is one of the greatest in Europe, flowing through ten countries and four capital cities  Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Belgrade.

This unique itinerary in October starts in Passau, an ancient town on the edge of the Black Forest in Germany.

Your stylish Star-Ship will also stop at Linz, the towns of Melk and Durnstein in Austrias beautiful Unesco-listed Wachau Valley, Bratislava and Vienna, before ending up at the stunning Hungarian capital, Budapest.

With an incredible line-up of best-selling authors set to attend, including Joanna Trollope, Louis de Bernieres, Jeremy Paxman and Dame Jenni Murray (with more to be confirmed in the coming weeks), this promises to be an epic voyage through central Europe that book-lovers will not want to miss.

For added peace of mind, Emerald Waterways offers a free Deposit Protection Plan and Flexible Booking Policy, which allows you to defer your travel plans and transfer to an alternative departure date or itinerary up to 60 days before departure.

REASONS TO BOOK

An incredible line-up

Meet some of your favourite personalities from the world of books hand-picked by Henley Literary Festival, now one of the UKs most popular festivals of its kind.

Theyll attend exclusive question-and-answer sessions on board  and more big-name speakers are to be announced.

Discover the Danube

Youll sail through stunning scenery and visit two of Europes great capitals  Vienna, famous for art and culture, and Budapest, Hungarys capital.

Your deluxe Star-Ship

The Emerald Waterways fleet offers spacious and stylishly designed staterooms and suites, an indoor heated pool with retractable roof, fitness centre, large open-air sun deck with putting green and an evening cinema.

Flexible booking policy

Emerald Waterways Deposit Protection Plan and Flexible Booking Policy allows guests to change travel dates or itinerary up to 60 days before departure at no cost.

YOUR ITINERARY: DAY 1 Fly to Munich and board in Passau DAY 2 Passau and author talks on board DAY 3 Linz to Cesky Krumlov DAY 4 Melk and Durnstein and author talks on board DAY 5 Vienna and author talks on board DAY 6 Bratislava and author talks on board DAY 7 Budapest and author talks on board DAY 8 Disembark and fly home.


Refinery 29 UK

I felt like my body had betrayed me, the doctors had lied to me and I just felt hopeless. Kenny Ethan Jones, 27, is a London-based model, activist and entrepreneur. As a trans man, his relationship with his period has always been fraught. Long before he started hormone blockers at 17, hed felt a strong disconnect when he had his period  It was automatically like a red alert was going off in my body, he says  but hed believed that as he got further along in his transition, his menstrual cycle would eventually stop. And it did at first, when he started hormone blockers. But once he started testosterone, the bleeding came back. When I started taking testosterone, theres a period in which your body is basically adjusting, Kenny tells R29. So I started to have a regular but temporary bleed. It probably lasted around six months, which I adjusted [to], but I think that was when I was hopeful and I was feeling happy about where I was in my transition. For me, that was the end of periods as far as I was concerned, and I was always looking forward to that. Five years later, however, he started having full-on periods again. Doctors dont really have an explanation why, he says, because theres never been enough research into trans bodies. The doctors checked his testosterone levels to make sure everything was alright on that front, which it was; beyond that, they couldnt offer an answer as to why this was happening. So now I still have on and off periods but theyre not as predictable  I wouldnt say its a regular monthly cycle. Im just coming to terms [with the fact] that as long as I have my womb, thats going to be a part of my journey and my existence. Periods are a part of life for many (but not all) people who were assigned female at birth (AFAB), a group that includes cis women, trans men, trans masc people and non-binary and genderqueer people. Yet what we are taught in school and what we can infer from the culture around us severely limits how we see menstruation and who we think experiences it. Our understanding of the menstrual cycle is limited to a monthly bleed and how it functions in the reproductive system, often eliding the messy reality and firmly establishing it as a womens problem. Meanwhile understanding and education about gender beyond a strict gender binary is still reserved for the margins of society. This all compounds to further exacerbate the shame that already surrounds periods for everyone who experiences them. And for AFAB people who arent women, that shame exacerbates their complicated feelings around periods. Jamie Raines, 27, is a trans activist and content creator from Essex. Like Kenny, he says that his experiences of bleeding before transition felt completely wrong without fully understanding why. On the one hand, people had told me that [my period] was going to happen so of course, thats whats happened, he explains. But on the other hand, it just felt so at odds with how I felt inside. Its such an abstract concept to describe, but it just made me feel like my body was doing something wrong. While he acknowledges that no one who experiences periods likes them particularly, he found them incredibly triggering for his gender dysphoria. [Periods] were something that I struggled with, he adds, and I didnt realise why until I found out I was trans, and there was this extra layer of internal difficulty I was having with accepting that this is what my body was doing. Once he was out, the difficulty shifted. I still had all these internal things but there were all these outward messages [conflicting with my experience]. There were no [sanitary] bins in mens public toilets, all the pads smelled really flowery and theyre all aimed towards women. So it felt like this extra [barrier]. Not only am I telling myself that this shouldnt be happening but Im being told by the outside world [that] it shouldnt be happening as well. There were no [sanitary] bins in mens public toilets, all the pads smelled really flowery and theyre all aimed towards women. So it felt like this extra [barrier]. Not only am I telling myself that this shouldnt be happening but Im being told by the outside world [that] it shouldnt be happening as well.Jamie Raines Jamie doesnt experience bleeding anymore but he does still experience other symptoms associated with a menstrual cycle as he hasnt had a hysterectomy. Ive been on testosterone for over nine years now and I still feel like I go through some kind of cycle (though not as regularly). I still experience some of the things I used to experience when I had a period in terms of cramping and things like that, and I notice with my partner we sometimes match up a little bit on our moods. Likewise, Kenny has what he calls internal periods as well as minimal bleeding. The emotional swings, bloating, fatigue: all of those things that I was having when I had a regular period pre-medication is still whats happening now. The struggle comes not just with navigating the symptoms but the fact that there is no medical understanding as to why this is happening to him, or any accessible support. Even when Im explaining it to my doctor and going to trans specific clinics, they cant give you the answers because they dont know. They want to support you in the best way and theyve tried putting me on [a version of] the pill that doesnt contain oestrogen which has slowed down the bleeding, but Im still having leakage here and there. Kenny says that this is a fact of life for trans people. There is no research into trans bodies, very limited access to medical support  the ongoing scandal of the waiting lists for access to Gender Identity Clinics in the UK, with the NHS currently booking appointments for people who were referred to the service in October 2017, affects trans people for life, not just when they start to transition  and sparse representation of what you should expect your life to be. All you are told, says Jamie, is that taking testosterone should stop your period and if you dont have a hysterectomy after five years, you should get a scan every two years to check for ovarian cysts. This can coalesce into an expectation that transitioning will put a stop to your period and your menstrual cycle. I think a lot of people go into starting testosterone thinking that theyre never going to have another period again once they take their first shot of T or get their first prescription, says Jamie, not realising that even if it does stop quite quickly for you, its probably not going to happen within the first few months. And as in Kennys case, theres no guarantee that it wont come back in some form. It just feels like an area in which I thought there would be more support, because this would never be acceptable for cis bodies but it is for trans bodies, Kenny adds. And no one wants to put the money in to actually do the research to find out. DashDividers_1_500x100 When it comes to menstruation, we are a long way from breaking the taboos or alleviating period poverty on a societal level. In some ways, its no surprise that discussions around periods are so lacking for people who arent cis women  the discussions are fundamentally lacking for cis women, too. But when we position periods as something integral to womanhood and something that only women experience, it does nothing to support women. It just makes life harder for everyone. If we were to take trans people out of the conversation and just talk about cis women experiencing periods, no cisgender woman is always going to experience a period, says Kenny. He points to pregnancy, menopause, endometriosis and eating disorders as examples of things that change or stop a persons periods  and by the period = woman logic, that would stop them being a woman. But it doesnt. This is not to dismiss people who feel that menstruation ties them intimately to their womanhood; as Kenny puts it: If thats what feels comfortable for you and you want to align yourself with that narrative in terms of saying that a period makes you a woman, who am I to take that away from you? It only serves to point out that trying to define womanhood as tied to periods and therefore suggest that periods can only happen to women is far too narrow a definition. Clearly, there needs to be a change in how we talk and think about menstruation for the sake of everyone who experiences periods. That change doesnt come by erasing the idea that periods are experienced by cis women  it comes from broadening the conversation and showing the range of experiences. I think its about creating different narratives and allowing people to choose what narrative fits well for them, says Kenny. For me, I dont see periods as a womans thing, I just see it as a bodily function that I happen to experience because of my gender. But I think the more stories, the more narratives that are out there, the more that people can align with the version that feels right for them, and that makes them more comfortable and that just leads to better mental health. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Freda (@myfreda) Part of broadening those narratives is to remove explicitly gendered language, particularly when it comes to menstrual health products. A big first step that we can take is neutralising the language used in conversations around periods, says Jamie. He points to product lines like Cycle by Freda, which has completely neutralised packaging, as a great example. I think by stripping it back, sending out something thats neutral and not specifically for a certain group of people, sends out the implicit message that periods are experienced by a broader range of people than we initially thought. Including all people who experience periods in products and advertising is part of a subtle shift in how periods are viewed. And that can positively impact everyone who feels alienated by the more delicate, floral, explicitly feminine branding of period products  from butch women to genderqueer people to trans men. These kinds of changes are not antithetical to fighting for period justice but a part of it  by destigmatising periods for all, we can push for better access to products and help to alleviate the shame that still clouds menstruation. Whats more, it will add to the pressure to put more money into researching and supporting trans bodies when on a basic level more people recognise that periods dont just affect women. As for those who think broadening the conversation is taking up womens space? The kind of argument I always hear is when you go neutral, it becomes about men, Kenny says. But men are never going to be the centre in a conversation about periods, its never going to happen, statistically. Trans people are only 1% of the population. He continues: Opening a door to gender and accepting people for who they are I dont know what they think is gonna happen. I just think that people will be happier. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?The Phrase 'Coming Out' Doesn't Work AnymoreThe Women Who Don't Have Periods (NSFW)Gender Critics Used Us To Attack Trans People
The U.S. space agency NASA has released the first video, pictures and sound captured by its Mars explorer Perseverance.

The video shows the explorer, or rover, at different points during its landing on the Red Planet last week.

Some members of the Perseverance team said the video and images were even better than they had expected. It gives me goose bumps every time I see it, just amazing, said Dave Gruel. He is head of the spacecrafts landing camera team.

Al Chen heads the Perseverance landing team. He called the pictures and video the stuff of our dreams.

Six color cameras were positioned to capture all stages of the landing. NASA said the cameras started when the rover was about 11 kilometers above the surface of Mars.

Flight controllers were also pleased with the thousands of images that Perseverance sent back to Earth. They said the rover was in very good condition after the landing.

Perseverance landed in an area of Mars called Jezero Crater, just north of the planets equator. The area contains a large ancient lakebed. The six-wheeled explorers main mission is to collect Martian soil and rocks to help scientists search for signs of ancient life.

NASA added 25 cameras to the Perseverance mission -- the most ever sent to Mars. The space agencys last rover, 2012s Curiosity, is only able to produce lower-quality images of the planets surface.

NASA said it also received sound from Perseverance. A microphone attached to the rover was not able to collect usable data during the actual landing. But it did record sounds from Jerezo Crater after it touched down.

NASA said that about 10 seconds into a 60-second recording, Martian wind can be heard for a few seconds. Equipment sounds were also captured as the rover operated on the surface.

The video and images provided NASA with the possibility to see the effectiveness of spacecraft systems  some of which could not be tested on Earth. So this is the first time weve had a chance as engineers to actually see what we designed, said Matt Wallace, a project official with NASAs Mars 2020 program.

Thomas Zurbuchen is NASAs science mission chief. He said the video and panoramic pictures that Perseverance captured are the closest you can get to landing on Mars without putting on a pressure suit.

NASA engineers say the images will help the agency prepare for astronaut flights to Mars in the future. But, imaging scientist Justin Maki noted that the pictures and videos can offer more immediate help, as well.

I know its been a tough year for everybody, Maki said. And were hoping that maybe these images will help brighten peoples days.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story based on reports from NASA, The Associated Press and Reuters. Ashley Thompson 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

goose bumps  v. a roughness on the skin produced by a sudden feeling of cold, fear or excitement

mission  n. the flight of a spacecraft to perform a task or job

panoramic  adj. a very wide view of something

tough  adj. difficult
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 08:19:09|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS -- The United Nations on Friday called for the immediate release of several hundred schoolgirls kidnapped from a secondary school in northwest Nigeria.

Peter Hawkins, representative of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in the country, urged the assailants to let the teenagers go immediately. (UN-Nigeria-Schoolgirls)

- - - -

WASHINGTON -- Democrats-held House is expected to approve U.S. President Joe Biden's 1.9-trillion-U.S.-dollar COVID-19 relief package Friday night, despite Republican opposition to the massive aid plan.

"If every single thing in Democrats' $1.9 trillion dollar blowout is important to 'COVID relief,' (House) Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi should allow an up-or-down vote on each item separately," Kevin McCarthy, the top Republican in the lower chamber, said in a tweet Friday afternoon. (US-House-Relief Package)

- - - -

WASHINGTON -- A declassified U.S. intelligence report released on Friday assessed that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud approved an operation to "capture or kill" Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

"We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," read the executive summary of the 4-page report released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). (US-Saudi Arabia- Khashoggi)

- - - -

RIGA -- While Latvia is still struggling to cope with persistently high COVID-19 incidence and a slowdown in its vaccine rollout, epidemiologists and officials are warning about a looming third wave of coronavirus infections.

Jurijs Perevoscikovs, a senior epidemiologist at the Latvian Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), informed on Friday that after several weeks of gradual improvement, in the past seven days the number of COVID-19 cases have been on the rise again. (Latvia-COVID-19) Enditem

A suspect in the death of New Jersey-born Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick has been identified by the FBI, according to a report by the New York Times which was based on information from two law enforcement sources.

The 12-year officer and South River native was injured protecting the Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrectionist attack, and died the next day.

Investigators said they suspected his death was related to an irritant, like mace or bear spray, that he had inhaled during the riot, the report stated. They said they have pinpointed a person caught on video during the riot that attacked officers, including Sicknick, with bear spray.

The potential assailant was not named in the report and an FBI spokesperson declined to comment.

Five people, including Sicnick, died as a result of the riots at the U.S. Capitol when supporters of now former President Donald Trump attempted to stop Congress from certifying the results of the November election.

Congress returned to session that evening and finished what is normally a routine process. No evidence of widespread election fraud had been found.

Before he served Congress as an officer, Sicknick served in the military, as a member of the New Jersey Air National Guards 108th Security Forces Squadron. He was deployed twice overseas.

Sicknick was laid to rest after being honored in the Capitol rotunda Feb. 3 during a solemn ceremony in which his fellow officers and members of Congress paid their respects and passed by his remains, next to an American flag.

Eleven New Jersey residents have been charged in connection with the attempted insurrection.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
Jama is a driver who, before the pandemic, ferried people but he now delivers parcels. He is a Somali man in his 60s with diabetes, so at a high risk of dying if he catches Covid-19. Yet he has not taken the jab that could save his life.

A lot of people think this vaccination kills them after one year, he told me. No one is saying if it is really OK or if it is killing people. Theres a lot of confusion and misunderstanding.

The idea that millions of people are being injected with something that will cause them to die next year sounds like the plot of a horror film.

But Jama is among frightening numbers of citizens who fall for this sort of rubbish.

Hibo Yusuf, 39, a carer and mother of four. Despite her frontline job working with elderly people, Hibo refused the vaccine  spooked by conspiracy theory videos shared among her friends and family on social media and messaging apps. I saw an African-American nurse who had the vaccination and had a stroke three days later. There was another nurse who passed away. So I was confused and thought this was no good

Bradford Central Mosque, pictured, is being used as a Covid-19 vaccination centre

He told me his concerns were strengthened after talking to an official at a London vaccination centre and discovering the jabs do not guarantee total immunity. My wife has not done it, my friends have not done it  people want to know it is safe, he said.

Some believe the authorities are inserting tracking microchips in our bodies or they have more rational fears over fertility and the speed of vaccine development. Others still do not think the virus is a serious threat  despite 2.5 million deaths worldwide.

Yet these crazy conspiracy theories, a deep suspicion of authorities and the selfish refusal of some to see the collective need to protect society threaten all of our hopes of escaping the pandemic.

Despite 19 million Britons receiving their first doses, a sufficient proportion of the population must be jabbed and protected against the disease  perhaps 80 per cent  to stymie the viruss spread.

Experts fear that if one in five adults  or one in ten of the vulnerable people  reject vaccination, social distancing might have to be retained. So it is a simple equation: no return to normal humanity unless enough of us have jabs.

Even at 85 per cent efficacy and 85 per cent penetration, that is only 72 per cent of people protected. Add to those all the children not being given injections and that leaves a lot of humans for the virus to survive in and infect, said one official source.

Health officials are battling against increasingly bizarre conspiracy theories - many of them spread on social media - urging people to ignore social distancing rules

Amid this issue lies a conundrum: ethnic minorities, who have been hit disproportionately hard by the disease, seem to have the highest levels of hesitancy or scepticism about the vaccines. Before the pandemic, black Britons were generally much less likely to be vaccinated against diseases. Now polls find they are the most likely citizens to be hesitant over Covid jabs, followed by people of Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage.

London has the lowest vaccination rates along with other areas containing higher proportions of ethnic minorities. These tend to be younger and more deprived, a significant factor slowing take-up.

Sadly, there is a lot of dangerous misinformation making some Londoners hesitant and there are concerns among some communities, said London Mayor Sadiq Khan, an asthmatic who received the jab earlier this month.

We have to acknowledge that many of these communities are not anti-vaxxers, theyre not Covid deniers, theyre not people who advocate conspiracy theories. But for legitimate reasons they lack confidence in people in power and influence.

To discover the truth behind these complex issues, I went to Harrow, a highly diverse borough in North-West London which is home to 200,000 adults.

It has some of the highest vaccination rates in the capital with 60,000 jabbed residents, including more than nine in ten of those in their 70s and three-quarters of the 23,000 people deemed vulnerable.

Much of the disinformation being shared online is being targeted at ethnic minorities who are at the greatest risk of developing the disease

The biggest ethnic minority group is Indian, often well-established after several decades with thriving third and fourth generations.

Its vaccination rates are slightly higher than for white residents, according to figures  yet almost twice those of black Harrow residents. The biggest such community  with about 10,000 people  is Somali. It includes people such as Jama and Hibo Yusuf, 39, a carer and mother of four.

Despite her frontline job working with elderly people, Hibo refused the vaccine  spooked by conspiracy theory videos shared among her friends and family on social media and messaging apps.

I saw an African-American nurse who had the vaccination and had a stroke three days later. There was another nurse who passed away. So I was confused and thought this was no good, she said.

She has since changed her mind, wanting to travel in the summer and having seen many receive the jab. Also, the people I work with are vulnerable, so I realised I should think of them and not just myself, she added.

Hibo is infuriated by social media giants permitting promotion of falsehoods: It should be stopped. It is so dangerous when we have a virus that is risky to have all these things being seen by people.

Her anger is shared by Hinda Ahmed, who has been sent crank videos claiming the disease is a con with footage of empty wards. Yet the 36-year-old hospital nurse has seen the terrible impact of Covid in her workplace.

If you dont believe its much of a problem, you wont feel you need a vaccine, she said.

I get exhausted trying to persuade people in the community.

She has persuaded dozens of fellow Somalis to overcome their fears  although sceptics still include her aunt, who is in her 80s. She does not speak English and thinks she is safe.

Ahmed believes many older Somalis live in a similar bubble, informed by Somali media  filled with images from Africa of life carrying on as normal  along with alarmist videos and taped messages shared on WhatsApp.

If people claim the Government is trying to wipe out ethnic minorities by giving them the vaccine, I tell them that they must be very stupid to start with doctors and nurses, said Ahmed.

She responded to one elderly woman who believes that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is using the pandemic to implant trackable microchips by asking why the billionaire would want to watch her sitting in front of her telly all day.

Yet however daft such concerns, they demonstrate profound issues in a pandemic.

A survey by the Harrow Association of Somali Voluntary Organisations suggested only half of Somalis plan to take the vaccine  even though more than three-quarters knew someone who had died from the disease and barely any doubted its dangers. The organisers admit being shocked by the findings. We thought it might be 20 per cent not wanting the vaccine, said Yusuf Yusuf, the groups co-ordinator.

Now the association is fighting to counter such fears along with local mosques, which have invited doctors to speak at prayer meetings and promoted views from imams endorsing vaccines.

Focus groups have discovered unexpected issues  such as the legacy of prominent local figures who were admitted unaccompanied to hospital after falling sick with the virus and then never seen alive again.

Normally we take it for granted that people trust the NHS but some Somalis dont because they think people going into hospitals are being euthanised, said Carole Furlong, director of public health at Harrow Council.

Many religious groups have opened up their buildings to allow them to be used for delivering vaccinations such as Bradford Central Mosque, pictured, nurse Hannah Currie, 25, preparing to inoculate someone with the AstraZeneca vaccine

Yet even allowing for the corrosive influence of social media, and perhaps weak integration of some first-generation migrants, why do such fears and conspiracy theories take strongest root in some communities?

One issue I heard repeatedly was the lack of trust: in an NHS that has so many ethnic minority staff in low-paid jobs but so few in senior posts, and in politicians and public services felt to have failed the black community.

Furlong said the Windrush scandal, which saw scores of elderly citizens originally from the Caribbean accused of illegal entry and wrongly deported, came up frequently in their focus groups. They say why should we trust the Government? she said.

Other issues raised with me ranged from the dreadful history of medical experimentation on Africans and slaves, through to Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of a US police killing, which sparked wide debate over equality and human rights.

Even the well-meaning suggestion that ethnic minorities might be prioritised for vaccines, given their high fatality rates, was subject to misinterpretation in some quarters: that they were being used as guinea pigs to test new drugs

Even the well-meaning suggestion that ethnic minorities might be prioritised for vaccines, given their high fatality rates, was subject to misinterpretation in some quarters: that they were being used as guinea pigs to test new drugs.

The vaccine is a proxy for many other issues of how people are being treated in society, said Patrick Vernon, a prominent social justice campaigner and former NHS trust director.

Like others trying to promote vaccination, Dr Vernon posted pictures of himself receiving his injection on his social media accounts, getting more than 50,000 views.

Such figures are dwarfed, however, by the numbers following some major music stars who spout anti-vaccination nonsense.

When they say the way were going to fix Covid is with a vaccine, Im extremely cautious, said Kanye West. Thats the mark of the beast. They want to put chips inside of us.

To counter fears, Whitehall is using new software that can monitor uptake rates by postcode. We have noticed a tsunami of misinformation on social media about fertility that is targeting younger ethnic minority women, said one source.

Last year, the Center for Countering Digital Hate reported 649 social media posts spreading pandemic misinformation in little more than one month  yet fewer than one in ten were removed by the firms.

These people have arrived for their appointment to receive the vaccination, however, many are reluctant because of false information being spread maliciously

The US and UK-based campaign group has highlighted how a few key figures in the toxic campaign against childhood vaccinations  all with big social media followings  have used Covid to extend influence and boost earnings, which come from advertising on YouTube and sales of alternative health products.

The pandemic has given them the chance to reach a much wider group of concerned people looking for health advice, said Imran Ahmed, the chief executive.

His groups research even discovered anti-vaccination activists on Facebook sharing a nine-point document containing arguments and historical anecdotes designed to fuel concerns among black families about the safety of jabs. The desire to challenge such destructive messages is plain in Bradford Central Mosque, which was being used as a vaccination centre as a way to encourage take-up in ethnic minority communities.

We have fought fake news, challenged conspiracy theories and worked hard to raise awareness of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. But misinformation has made people apprehensive, scared and disillusioned, said Zulfiqar Karim, president of the Bradford Council for Mosques.

Having been hit hard by the pandemic, he said: The vaccine is our lifeline and everyone should protect themselves, their loved ones and the community.
The government has announced its intention to make Ukraine part of a new "European Green Deal" aimed at significantly improving the continent's environmental status. UNIAN understood how this strategic area of development will affect the economy and lives of ordinary Ukrainians.

More than a year has passed since the European Commission announced a new "European Green Deal" aimed at making our continent climate-neutral in the next 30 years. Late last year, the Ukrainian government filed with the EU its position paper on our country's participation in the Deal.

For Ukraine, as a large industrial state, this is a very ambitious goal, because for more than a century, the country has only been increasing its negative impact on the environment, turning part of once green and prosperous lands into landfills and industrial deserts.

Many Ukrainians are not yet aware of how much the new challenges in the state's economy will change, as well as their personal lives. After all, the new deal will require a drastically new attitude to the environment in the part of the population.

"The implementation of the European Green Deal has broad prospects for the efficient operation of many economy sectors, including energy, transport, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, real estate construction and renovation, energy efficiency in central heating supplies, and other economic activities," said Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

At the heart of the Green Deal for Ukraine will stand, first of all, energy industry, the engine of national economic development.

Acting Minister of Energy Yuriy Vitrenko noted that the EU Green Deal is not just an energy issue but a new economic paradigm for the country's economic recovery.

In the United States, the New Deal was launched during the Great Depression, when President Roosevelt said that a new economic course was needed for the U.S. economy to tackle Depression. Similarly, Europe, of which Ukraine is a part, now says "The pandemic situation requires a new deal. The new deal must be green," he said.

According to Yuriy Vitrenko, Ukraine also needs its own Green Deal to improve people's lives toward better sustainability.

"We should not take anything away from future generations, we should not develop through significant damage to the environment. That is the meaning of the Green Deal," he added.

Key aspects of new strategy

In December 2019, the European Commission at a meeting of its Council adopted a "Green Deal" - a package of measures aimed at modernizing national economies and the social sphere in order to transform Europe into a climate-neutral continent by 2050.

The key areas are: clean energy, climate action, building and renovating, sustainable industry, eliminating pollution, biodiversity, and sustainable agriculture, "from farm to work", and sustainable mobility.

Under the new course, the national economies of the parties to the agreement shall become circular, the production process shall not generate residues or waste.

Over time, the economies will experience a decline in demand for industrial products due to the extension of the goods' life. Given this and encouraging the use of recycled raw materials, it is possible to predict a decrease in demand for raw materials. It is clear that Ukraine, which is a major supplier of raw materials to the world and European markets, must now brace for radical shifts.

Agricultural initiatives and the transition to a sustainable EU food system will also increase requirements for agricultural and food products. And this can become an additional trade barrier and affect Ukrainian exports. On the other hand, promotion of organic products across the EU will create new opportunities for our producers.

Climate change and the emphasis on organic products will lead to some reduction in crop yields and higher food prices.

The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will also be a major challenge for international trade and Ukraine in particular.

Currently in Ukraine, environmental legislation is being adapted to EU norms and standards.

It should also be emphasized that the national governments in the EU are now in the process of developing clear objectives for the chosen strategy, and it takes time to reflect on and agree them.

Ukraine's main tasks

Deputy Minister of Economy, Ukraine's Trade Representative Taras Kachka said the government's main economic priority in 2021 would be climate policy.

"The biggest economic priority this year, after all, is climate policy. The success of our cooperation with the EU for decades will depend on how it is formed," Kachka said.

According to DTEK Executive Director Dmytro Sakharuk, carbon neutrality is a global trend and that there's no way it will bypass businesses operating in Ukraine. Enterprises and the state must prepare for significant investments in making production greener.

According to him, studies have shown that by 2030, Ukraine needs to invest EUR 350 billion to ensure a carbon transition. And by 2050 Ukraine needs to have invested EUR 1.5 trillion.

It's not yet clear how a country with such a meager budget could find such huge money.

The European Union is currently developing a methodology on how to set up fund raising to this end. It is expected that these will be investments on the part of governments, international banks, private capital, strategic investors, as well as fundraising through amending tax systems.

Of course, for the wealthier economies  like Germany or France  finding sources for funding the Green Deal will be easier than for our Ukraine, which is still knocking on the EU door. Borrowing significant funds from Western poweres to modernize Ukraine is also not an option. Ukraine needs to find an opportunity to earn these funds.

It seems that now there's not a single Ukrainian politician or official who would understand where to find the money needed for these ambitious purposes.

Reconciliation with nature

The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Roman Abramovsky, referring to the UN conclusions on climate change, said that so far none of the global goals to stop degradation of land and marine areas has been fully achieved.

Deforestation and biodiversity loss remain on the list of major issues. More than a million species of plants and animals are deemed endangered on planet Earth at the moment.

In addition, about a quarter of the world's diseases are related to environmental threats. Polluted air is a cause of 7 million premature death annually.

Meanwhile, Ukrainians are witnessing the deterioration of environment and the negative effects of climate change.

"Improving relations with nature and avoiding the worst-case scenarios is still possible. UN experts call it the last decade, when it's still possible to influence environmental emergencies. But given the interconnection between climate change and biodiversity loss, air and water pollution, these problems can be solved only by joint efforts, coordinating action," said the head of the ministry.

To address climate change and achieve carbon reduction goals, Ukraine, like other European countries, needs to shape up an ambitious national contribution. That is, to make specific commitments on the volume of emission reductions.

Important decisions to start implementing "green" transformation should be reflected in Ukraine's State Budget and community development strategies across regions.

The government must adopt clear programs for waste management, reduction of water and air pollution, and extension of green areas. It is necessary to actually implement the already existing programs to reduce emissions by large polluting enterprises.

It is also important to create and develop the latest technologies in the field of renewable energy, including hydrogen generation. Ukraine has been identified as Europe's strategic partner in hydrogen production, so this area could become a locomotive that will lead Ukraine into a European environmentally friendly life.

There are powerful scientific and educational facilities in Ukraine, while Ukrainian youths have repeatedly surprised the world with their inventions. Obviously, Ukraine needs to implement grant programs that would allow the scientific community to develop and come up with better environmental solutions.

Anna Bredikhina

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Saudi Arabia said Saturday it intercepted a missile attack over its capital and bomb-laden drones targeting a southern province, the latest in a series of airborne assaults it has blamed on Yemens rebel Houthis.

The Saudi-led military coalition fighting in Yemens yearslong war said the Iran-allied Houthis had launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh and three booby-trapped drones toward the province of Jizan. No casualties or damages were initially reported. There was no immediate comment from the Houthis.

The attack comes amid sharply rising tensions in the Middle East, and just a day after a mysterious explosion struck an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman. That blast renewed concerns about ship security in the strategic waterways, where several suspected Iranian attacks on oil tankers were reported in 2019.

State-owned Al-Ekhbariya TV broadcast footage of what appeared to be explosions in the air over Riyadh. Social media users also posted videos, with some showing residents shrieking as they watched the fiery blast pierce the night sky, which appeared to be the kingdoms U.S. Patriot missile batteries intercepting the ballistic missile.
A U.N. investigation into the attack on a humanitarian convoy in Congo that killed the Italian ambassador, his bodyguard and driver will look into whether the long-planned mission's security protocols were followed and whether information might have leaked to the unknown gunmen involved in the ambush.

The deputy communications director of the World Food Program, Greg Barrow, told an online briefing Friday that the Feb. 22 mission to bring Ambassador Luca Attanasio to a WFP school feeding program in eastern Congo had been in the works since 2020.

Advance planning and security meetings as well as security briefings took place up to the moment the seven-member team took off from Goma, in Congos east, in a two-car convoy bound for the program in Rutshuru, he said.

Very careful planning went on ahead of this visit, he said.

Attanasio, his security escort, Carabiniere paramilitary officer Vittorio Iacovacci, and the WFPs Congolese driver Moustapha Milambo were killed Monday when an armed group stopped them and ordered them out of their cars. Milambo was killed instantly, and Attanasio and Iacovacci were fatally shot in an ensuing shootout after a nearby ranger patrol arrived on the scene.

There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack. Several armed groups are active in the region.

Italy has formally asked the United Nations for an inquiry into what happened amid questions about whether the U.N. security arrangements were sufficient for the mission. The U.N. has said the road had been declared green by the U.N. and cleared for travel without security escorts or armored vehicles.

The WFP says it is cooperating in the Italian, Congolese and U.N. investigations.

Barrow said the U.N. probe would scrutinize the preparatory meetings leading up to the mission itself as well as whether security protocols were followed.

The main focus of the fact-finding mission will be on what security protocols were undertaken, how they were followed and what steps were taken to minimize any sort of risk to any of those who were on this mission, he said. And that would include any access to any advance information or contemporary information about the trips.

He said that while the attack had prompted an automatic security review, the WFP had no plans to alter its humanitarian efforts in Congo. It wasn't immediately clear why Attanasio was inspecting the food program since Italy wasn't funding it.

One of the survivors of the ambush, WFPs deputy country director Rocco Leone, said it was incumbent on the surviving four members of the mission to establish the truth of what transpired.

I am sure that I speak for everyone in saying that I look forward to the facts behind this tragic incident being soon established, and so that the perpetrators of this heinous attack can be brought to justice, Leone said in a statement read by Barrow. It is important that humanitarian operations can continue unhampered to save and change the lives of the many needy people whom we are here to serve.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Ticked off that your kids can't go to school even though the CDC has officially said it is safe for both teachers and kids to be back in the classroom? Wondering how you can influence things? Here is an easy way: pick up the phone. Call every school board member in your district. Call the teachers' union steward for your school, and chew his ear off. Give him hell while you point out that teachers are harming the kids by not teaching.

Angry about the increase in crime? Wondering what to do about it? Pick up the phone. Call your local city councilor, call the mayor's office, call your county commissioner. Demand  not ask, not beg, not hint  but demand effective police protection. Demand the end of "catch and release," in which repeat offenders are released by SJW district attorneys almost as soon as they are booked. Give them all hell, and as soon as you hang up, ask a friend, neighbor, or family member to make the same calls.

Politicians are social meteorologists, always checking the direction of the wind. They watch network news and read the national papers. What the politicians don't see are the little people who are losing their businesses and jobs. They don't see or care about the little Thai restaurant, the small boutique clothing shop, the corner Somalli convenience store going out of business because of COVID or because there is no money to rebuild after their businesses were destroyed during the riots.

Politicians love applause. They love the feeling of being important. What politicians don't love is criticism. It implies they have done something wrong, and, most importantly, it feels like a possible threat to their re-election.

If there is only one angry phone call the politician and staff will find it amusing. They will get a good laugh over the deplorable who actually thought his opinion was important. Ten angry phone calls are a different story. The officeholder will conscript an intern to draft a vague, conciliatory email that sort of promises, but doesn't really, to address the complaint. One hundred angry phone calls, angry letters, protests outside the office, will wake up most politicians unless they are in a very secure district. Senator Bigbritches will soon make a speech declaring that he understands your feelings perfectly, is on your side, was traumatized as a child by the very thing you are complaining about, and will work hard to make things better.

Most of us have trusted politicians to represent us and our interests well. We pay some attention during an election, but after the election, we go back to our daily business. Most of us don't follow politics closely, and that enables politicians to cater to the loudest complainers and the biggest donors. The politicians' calculus is that they can get the vote, and donations, of the complainers while hoping the rest of us don't notice.

In Minneapolis, large swathes of major, high-volume motor vehicle streets have been given over to bike lanes because of effective lobbying by bicyclists. The volume of motor vehicle traffic carried by these streets has been cut by at least a third. Here is a thought question. How many people ride their bikes in Minneapolis in January? Or February? Or, for that matter, in December, November, October, and let's not forget March and rainy April?

You may have guessed "close to zero" as an answer. You are right. For six or seven months per year, the bike lanes are not utilized at all and even on perfect summer days the bike lanes are sparsely used.

Even though the bike lanes have been a huge inconvenience for drivers, they have not been removed. Imagine if every driver late for work because of these constricted streets picked up their phone and called their city councilor and gave that council person an earful. The bike lanes would be gone in a month.

So...angry that narcissistic, self-important politicians have pushed their way to the head of the line for COVID shots? It's time for all of us to go to work. Pick up the phone, and give them hell.

Image: Pxhere.
Tucker Trafficking Case Continued to March

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - A Paducah man facing drug trafficking charges had a court date this week.Court records show 34-year-old Phil Tucker had a preliminary hearing on Thursday, but the judge continued it until March 4.The McCracken County Sheriff's office and Deputy US Marshals arrested Tucker February 18 after officers spotted him while performing surveillance at a home on Linden Street. There was a warrant for his arrest for absconding from parole in October, after he was indicted on methamphetamine trafficking charges. Tucker was on parole for eight prior drug trafficking convictions.After the February arrest, the home was searched. Tucker faces additional charges of trafficking in meth, heroin, cocaine, fentanyl and synthetic drugs, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and possession of drug paraphernalia.Tucker remains lodged in McCracken County Jail.On the Net:
Interior designer lives with her two teenage children at Elveden Hall in Suffolk

Clare Hazell, 46, has filed for divorce from the Earl of Iveagh, Edward Guinness

The Countess of Iveagh has split from the head of the Guinness family after 20 years of marriage in what could be one of Britain's biggest ever divorces.

Reading-born interior designer Clare Hazell, 46, has filed for divorce from Edward Guinness, 51, who has a reputed fortune of more than 900million.

She lives with her two teenage children at the Elveden Hall estate in Suffolk, which constitutes the biggest farm in the country and has played host to dramas including Netflix hit The Crown and the movie Eyes Wide Shut.

A friend close to the Countess and Earl of Iveagh said: 'Clare and Ned were a great couple but she has been unhappy for several years and doesn't feel their marriage has been a priority for him for a long time.'

Reading-born interior designer Clare Hazell (pictured left and right, with Edward Guinness), 46, has filed for divorce from the Earl, 51, who has a reputed fortune of more than 900million

A friend close to the Countess and Earl of Iveagh (above, in 2009 at the Guinness Store House) said: 'Clare and Ned were a great couple but she has been unhappy for several years'

A person familiar with the running of the 22,500-acre Elveden Estate claimed: 'His lordship is is often seen in the company of women.

'Word in the village is that he hosted one of them in the local pub.'

The farmland on the Elveden Estate was around 7,000 acres before it was cultivated by Irish philanthropist Edward Cecil Guinness, who was created as the Earl of Iveagh and Viscount of Elveden in 1919.

Rupert Guinness, the 2nd Earl of Iveagh, then remodelled the lands for agricultural use nearly a decade later, in 1927.

The estate puts its large acreage down to crops, including kidney vetch and buckwheat.

In a statement on the estate's website, Lord Iveagh says: 'Elveden is a world-class producer and purveyor of local and regional food excellence.

The Countess lives with her two teenage children at the Elveden Hall estate (pictured above) in Suffolk, which constitutes the biggest farm in the country

The couple pictured in 2001. A person familiar with the running of the 22,500-acre Elveden Estate claimed: 'His lordship is is often seen in the company of women'

'Our reputation for wildlife conservation, in harmony with our farming practices, make Elveden an obvious choice for food with a unique story.'

The Benjamin Iveagh library was separately donated to the state in return for a tax break of 3million in 2008.

Experts call it the world's best collection of old Irish bindings, and it includes first editions of Ulysses by James Joyce, Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift and works by Samuel Beckett.

In Ireland, the Guinnesses are the closest thing to royalty and Ned grew up at the family mansion, Farmleigh, in Dublin's Phoenix Park, which was sold to the Irish state for 18.9million in 1999.

The Earl and Countess of Iveagh at a ball in London in June 2003. The couple's split could be one of Britain's biggest ever divorces

The Reading-born interior designer pictured at the Jimmy Choo New Concept Party in September 2002

His direct ancestor, Arthur Guinness, started brewing ales in 1759 at the St James's Gate Brewery, Dublin, and started selling the dark beer porter in 1778.

Guinness stout is made from water, barley, roast malt extract, hops, and brewer's yeast. A portion of the barley is roasted to give Guinness its dark colour and characteristic taste. It is pasteurised and filtered.

It is available in a number of variants and strengths, ranging from 4.1 per cent alcohol volume up to 7.5 per cent (Guinness Foreign Extra Stout).

Guinness is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide - brewed in almost 60 countries and available in over 120. Annual sales total 850million litres.

The couple declined to comment.
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.
Patty Trejo, left, visits her husband, Joseph Trejo, a 53-year-old locksmith with the Anaheim Union High School District and a COVID-19 patient on a ventilator, in the ICU at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton on Feb. 15. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Federal officials are expressing worry that the decline in daily new coronavirus cases nationwide is starting to flatten as one of the variants, from the U.K., is on the rise.

They warned states against relaxing COVID-19 restrictions, saying the nation remains at a precarious point that could tip into a fourth surge before more people get vaccinated.

"We are at that very precarious position that we were right before the fall surge  where anything that could perturb that could give us another surge," Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden's chief medical advisor on the pandemic, told reporters at a briefing Friday. "We don't want to be people always looking at the dark side of things, but you want to be realistic. So we have to carefully look at what happens over the next week or so with those numbers before you start making the understandable need to relax on certain restrictions."

Andy Slavitt, senior advisor to the White House COVID-19 Response Team, said, "We couldn't say it in stronger terms: We think it is a mistake to take our foot off the gas too early, especially when we are accelerating our vaccination efforts right now."

Since early January, daily new coronavirus cases and COVID-19 hospitalizations have been dropping, but "the latest data suggests that these declines may be stalling, potentially leveling off at still a very high number," said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We at CDC consider this a very concerning shift in the trajectory."

The troubling numbers came a day before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Saturday issued emergency use authorization for a third COVID-19 vaccine, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson.

The nation had an average of about 66,350 new daily coronavirus cases a day over the last week, Walensky said Friday. That's higher than the figure released Wednesday, which was 64,000 new cases a day.

Story continues

The number of average daily COVID-19 deaths  about 2,000 a day  is slightly higher than it was a few days ago.

"We are watching these concerning data very closely to see where they will go over the next few days. But it's important to remember where we are in the pandemic: Things are tenuous. Now is not the time to relax restrictions," Walensky said. "Cases, hospital admissions and deaths all remain very high, and the recent shift in the pandemic must be taken extremely seriously."

The recent increase in cases comes as federal officials have voiced alarm about the continued rise in variants nationwide. The increase in cases may be a result of the widening transmission of a variant first identified in Britain, B.1.1.7, that is believed to be 50% more transmissible than the conventional strain of the virus, Walensky said.

The U.K. variant now represents an estimated 10% of coronavirus cases nationwide, Walensky said, up from between 1% to 4% a few weeks ago. Walensky also expressed concern about an emerging variant in New York, B.1.526, and the California variant, B.1.427/B.1.429, which "also appear to spread more easily and are contributing to a large fraction of current infections in those areas, adding urgency to the situation."

"The virus is not done with us. We cannot get comfortable or give into a false sense of security that the worst of the pandemic is behind us. Not now, not when mass vaccination is so very close," Walensky said. "I know people are tired. They want to get back to life to normal, but we're not there yet. Give us time. We need to get more vaccines into our communities and to get more people vaccinated."

Walensky and other federal officials have repeatedly warned state and local governments against relaxing COVID-19 restrictions too quickly. Walensky has previously said it was too soon for states like Iowa and Montana to lift statewide mask-wearing orders. New York City began to permit indoor restaurant dining at 25% of capacity Feb. 12, and Massachusetts on Monday will lift its capacity limits on restaurants and allow indoor concert halls and theaters to reopen at 50% capacity, with no more than 500 people inside.

"Given the trends that we've seen in just the last couple of days, I would say we can't be in a place where we're lifting restrictions right now," Walensky said.

In California, five counties  San Mateo and Marin counties, in the Bay Area; Yolo County, west of Sacramento; and Shasta and Humboldt counties farther north  were allowed by state officials to reopen indoor restaurant dining and indoor gyms to limited capacity this week. Seven counties may be eligible to do so next week: Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, El Dorado, Napa, Lassen and Modoc.

One of the variants that concerns scientists the most is the strain first identified in South Africa, B.1.351, in which the effect of vaccination is significantly diminished but not obliterated. Fauci said that the pharmaceutical company Moderna this week began a clinical trial to test a booster shot specifically designed to be effective against the South Africa variant.

Another way to deal with other versions, such as the New York and California variants, Fauci said, might be to simply give a second booster shot of the existing vaccines, which would generate an even more robust immune response that would help deal with the problems created by the variants.

Fauci said the rise of the variants is all the more reason to get vaccinated with the currently available shots as quickly as possible when you're eligible. Even among the more concerning variants, the vaccines still offer decent protection.

"Get vaccinated. The vaccine that's available to you, get that vaccine. It is important to get as many people vaccinated as quickly and as expeditiously as possible," Fauci said.

Officials in Los Angeles County have started to detect a slowing in the decline of daily coronavirus cases, said Dr. Paul Simon, chief science officer for the Department of Public Health.

L.A. County was averaging about 1,871 coronavirus cases a day over the last seven-day period, a 16% drop from the comparable figure a week earlier, which was 2,236 cases a day. That was a smaller decline than the previous week-over-week drop, in which average daily cases fell by 35%, according to a Times analysis.

A rate of 1,500 to 2,000 new coronavirus cases a day still "indicates a pretty significant level of ongoing community spread of the virus," Simon said.

L.A. County on Monday will open up vaccinations to education and child-care workers, food and agricultural workers, and law enforcement and other emergency services workers who hadn't been eligible earlier. Together, those groups comprise more than 1 million adults in L.A. County.

The county is expecting 269,000 doses to be distributed across vaccination sites in L.A. County next week, up from 211,000 doses that were distributed this week. Of the 269,000 doses, 103,000 will be set aside for first doses.

"Therefore it will take considerable time to vaccinate these groups, unless vaccine supply significantly increases," Simon said. "We urge the public's patience as we work through this process as swiftly as possible."

People seeking vaccines in these sectors will need to supply proof that they live or work in L.A. County and proof that they work in an eligible sector and some kind of photo ID  it does not need to be government issued, officials said.

L.A. County officials released a new map Friday showing the disparities in vaccination rates by city and community among seniors 65 and older. Seniors living in South L.A., southeast L.A. County and the Antelope Valley had among the lowest vaccination rates, while the wealthiest areas had the highest inoculation rates.

For instance, Simon said, more than 70% of seniors in Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach and Calabasas had received at least one dose of vaccine as of Feb. 20, while less than 35% of seniors in Compton, Cudahy, Lancaster and Palmdale had been vaccinated.

South L.A. and the Antelope Valley had the lowest rates of vaccination among seniors, while the wealthiest areas of L.A. County had the highest inoculation rates. (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)

"We are implementing a number of measures to increase access to vaccination services among seniors and others in underserved communities," Simon said.

California has administered 8.2 million doses of vaccines, Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a press briefing in Fresno on Friday, with the state averaging about 1.4 million doses a week. Soon, the goal will be to administer 2.7 million doses a week and eventually 4 million doses a week.

This week, California received 1.46 million doses; next week, 1.58 million doses are expected, and the week after that, 1.63 million doses, Newsom said. The governor offered an optimistic outlook for the coming weeks, considering how dire the situation in California was two months ago, when the state was ordering thousands of body bags. He also thanked Californians for adhering to rules to wear masks, practice physical distancing and cancel social gatherings.

Newsom on Friday sought to place more attention on state efforts to increase vaccinations in the Central Valley, including sending an additional 34,000 doses to inoculate food and agricultural workers. Low-income workers in the Central Valley have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.

"Every day, we are doing better  a little bit better  on the issue of equity, and recognize we have a long way to go, so much more work to do to truly be held to account to a higher level of performance, particularly for our Latino community and our African American community," Newsom said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The ship with 81 refugees was rescued by the New Delhi coast guard which refuses to allow it dock and wants it to return to Bangladesh. The Dhaka Foreign Minister: "We are under no obligation". Already eight dead on board.

New Delhi (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The fate of a group of Rohingya refugees who have been left adrift aboard a damaged fishing boat in the Andaman Sea for two weeks is at the center of a diplomatic spat between India and Bangladesh.

After repeated appeals yesterday the Indian coast guard intervened to rescue the boat which is located about 140 kilometers from the Indian coast. The vessel left on 11 February from Cox's Bazar, the area of southern Bangladesh where the Rohingya camps are located, the fishing boat had 56 women, 8 girls, 21 men and 5 boys on board: they were headed for Malaysia where the traffickers promised to be able to find them a job. After four days, however, the engines failed and the ship ended up adrift: eight people on board have already died.

The Indian coast guard has supplied the ship with water and food and is gearing up to repair the breakdown, but does not intend to dock the refugees on its shores. Instead, the officers are demanding the vessel return to Bangladesh.

India has never signed the 1951 UN Refugee Convention which establishes the obligation of relief and protection, even though it currently hosts over 200,000 refugees, including some Rohingya.

The New Delhi request was stoutly rejected by Dakha Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen. They are not Bangladesh nationals and in fact, they are Myanmar nationals. They were found 1,700 km (1,100 miles) away from the Bangladesh maritime territory and therefore, we have no obligation to take them, said Momen to Reuters. Has Bangladesh been given the global contract and responsibility to take and rehabilitate all the Rohingya or boat people of the world? Momen said. No, not at all. More than a million Rohingya refugees are living in camps in Bangladesh, including the tens of thousands who fled Myanmar after the 2017 military crackdown.

The new crisis comes a few days after Malaysia's choice to send a group of 1,086 refugees, mostly belonging to ethnic minorities, back to Myanmar, despite the UN request to verify the presence of political refugees and asylum seekers.
ALBANY  Over 200 eviction proceedings were scheduled Friday in City Court, marking the end of the 60-day stay on all evictions in New York.

By far, the capital city had the most hearings scheduled for the day, according to court records, with none scheduled in the nearby cities of Troy and Saratoga Springs; Schenectady had six eviction hearings scheduled.

New York lawmakers late last year extended a statewide eviction moratorium that placed a 60-day stay on eviction proceedings until Friday, and provided a hardship form that tenants can submit to the courts to halt any eviction proceedings until May 1.

Matters concerning "holdover tenants"  who were in the process of eviction when the pandemic descended  and other issues not related to the health crisis are now expected to proceed, though tenants' rights advocates say its likely that some of the cases heard Friday and in the coming weeks are COVID-related and will be halted once a tenant provides the hardship form.

At a moment when studies have proven that evictions lead to COVID infections and death, it is unconscionable that the city of Albany is making the choice to move evictions forward at this speed and scope, said Rebecca Garrard, campaigns manager for housing justice at Citizen Action of New York. It is imperative that every tenant is offered the opportunity to sign the hardship declaration during these proceedings so that tenants are kept safe and housed.

Housing advocates have warned for months of a looming housing crisis if nothing is done to address the staggering figure for unpaid rent, which in New York City alone is $1.1 billion for those living in rent-regulated housing. While there is a hodgepodge of rent relief programs from the federal to local levels, much of the aid has been difficult to get into the hands of those who need it most, whether because of strict guidelines on eligibility or lack of knowledge on where to look for aid.

Since an initial moratorium was enacted in New York, landlords have argued that tenants owing thousands of dollars in unpaid rent are gainfully employed and are simply not paying. Those tenants who complete the hardship form will be able to prove otherwise, and ultimately prevent an eviction until May 1.

Conversely, not all landlords have been flexible and understanding with tenants unable to pay rent due to COVID-related financial losses, with some taking matters into their own hands out of frustration over the inability to evict.

An Albany landlord was recently accused of kidnapping two of his tenants, allegedly tying them up, placing pillowcases over their heads and driving them at gunpoint to a rural cemetery in Columbia County, according to police records. Another landlord in Nassau was charged with harassing a tenant  under the states tenants' law passed in 2019  after allegedly shutting off power to an occupied apartment on Thanksgiving.

Issues also arose early this year over enforcement of the updated eviction moratorium, with some courts quietly proceeding with eviction cases, prompting state lawmakers to call on the state Office of Court Administration to issue additional guidance on the eviction moratorium for local courts.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.

Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie MC (55) is a retired Army captain

Q You suffered such deep trauma as a teenager that it has impacted your long-term memory. Tell me about the murder of your uncle Samuel.

A My father, William but known as Bob, was in the Ulster Rifles. When I was 10, he left the military and we moved back from England to Edgarstown, a working class area of Portadown. I'm the youngest of three brothers and three sisters. I'd no idea what the Troubles were about but shortly after we came back to Northern Ireland my brother and uncle came to the door and told my mother that her brother Samuel had been murdered. I remember watching my mother wailing and falling to her knees and not understanding what was going on but realising my mother had been touched by this awful crime.

Q What were the circumstances of his murder?

A Lost Lives says Uncle Samuel (Johnston) might have been a member of the UDA. The Cain archive has him down as a civilian murdered by Irish republicans. I'm not inclined to chase it down. I just remember it having an imprint on my family. It's not something I want to carry forward with any form of bitterness.

Expand Close Doug Beattie MC UUP MLA for Upper Bann - Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Doug Beattie MC UUP MLA for Upper Bann - Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX

Q Worse followed with the death of your mother, Eve, at 42 from lung cancer. You were just 14.

A The two years leading up to that were awful... watching the pillar of the family slowly degrade as the cancer took hold. My routine changed completely. I'd walk to Portadown Tech, then rush back home to sit with my mother again. By this stage she was hallucinating. I remember the day she passed very clearly. I arrived home and went straight up to say hello to mum. She was lying there, her eyes only half-open and her breathing very laboured. Twenty minutes later dad came home, went straight up the stairs, then shouted someone get a doctor. He sat down beside her, took her hand and she passed away. My father William (known as Bob) was now in the UDR, he'd seen a lot in his life, but I can still picture his ashen face. I now have an issue with my long term memory. I think some of the traumatic things that happened in my younger life prevent me from remembering other things. That memory of my dad's face is really strong but I really don't have a single memory of having dinner with my mother or of Christmas dinner with my family. I've lost them all.

Q How did your father cope as a single parent?

A When mum died, he was lost. He turned to alcohol and he turned to his memories of his wife, the music they'd listened to, the movies they'd watched. By that stage I was the only child left in the house and dad wanted to share his memories so I became the person he did that with. I'd do a full day's schooling, come home and make dinner for dad coming in from work. Then dad would drink and at 2am he'd wake me up to listen to the music that he'd listened to with mum. It had an incredibly detrimental effect on me and my schooling. I'm not blaming my father. He really struggled to cope. And I was just trying to survive.

Q Shockingly, you shot a friend in the head with your father's gun.

A It's a harrowing story and difficult to speak about. It may also be causing the memory loss. It was a case of a young teenage boy messing about. I remember it vividly, in very slow motion, but can't remember what happened before or after. I thought 'have I killed Raymond?' The gun went off in my hand, the bullet went through the back of his mouth, blood started to come out immediately. I'd never been around guns before. I was looking at pure horror. There's embarrassment too which hasn't gone away. Raymond was hospitalised. He's still a friend and we talk about it. He hasn't any huge physical scarring but that's not to say he's not mentally scarred and that's my fault.

Expand Close Doug Beattie / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Doug Beattie

Q But it proved something of an epiphany for you.

A I'd injured someone badly. I'd let down my family. My life kind of collapsed. I had to make my father proud of me again, to get life back on track. My father had been proud when my brothers joined the Army. I didn't want to join the military but if I did I'd make my father proud. I'm talking to you as an MLA but I've no educational qualifications, not a single O or A level.

Q What was it like being a 16-year old recruit?

A I was a Paddy. Me and another lad were terribly abused because we were the only young men from Northern Ireland. There were horrific beatings. Some instructors had been in the Troubles in the Seventies; there was bitterness from being in the conflict. I tried to explain that my father was an Army veteran, my two brothers were in the Army but it didn't matter. There was a lot of anger. As Irishmen, we were the Muslims of our time in many ways.

Q A year later, you're guarding Hitler's deputy, Rudolf Hess, at Spandau Prison in Berlin.

A You weren't allowed to talk to him and you weren't allowed to look at him. You stood in your tower and were told your job was to look outwards not inwards. I never got a sense (of him) other than desolation and loneliness. He was the only person in the prison.

Q You served in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq and then three tours of Afghanistan from 2006-11. It was in Afghanistan where you first killed a person in 2006, in face-to-face combat. What was that like?

A You do something and everything floods your mind but it's the blink of an eye because you have to keep on doing what you're doing. It's later when you think about what you have done, the huge steps that you've taken, that Everest you've just climbed. I can still see his face. He was firing at me and undoubtedly he would have killed me, if he'd had the chance, and I'm not sure if he'd have reflected on that. It's important to retain your humanity, to think this was an awful thing that I had to do but I did have to do it.

Q Do you still think about it or do you compartmentalise it?

A When I'm standing fighting in Afghanistan I can't imagine myself walking about Tesco's and when I'm walking about Tesco's I can't imagine myself fighting in Afghanistan. They're two different worlds. You have to understand the circumstances and context behind what you did. Many people get away by saying I'm a soldier, that's what I do and maybe there's a degree of bravado about that. But I was older, already a father, so looked at things differently. For my own sanity it was better I dissected them. I don't think of it every waking moment, but there are things that invade my consciousness, when I least expect it.

Q Being awarded the Military Cross must have been a great honour.

A I feel immensely proud but a degree of shame comes with it too. It's a huge privilege to have been recommended and to have been presented with it by Her Majesty the Queen. But the shame comes in being treated as some kind of hero, a term I'd never use. I'm very conscious of all those who never came home, who were injured, who are still suffering. Nobody is saying to them here's your shiny medal. I wear the medal for lots of people I fought alongside including Major Shahrukh, an Afghan who became a great friend and was killed on the last day of the battle in Helmand Province for which I was awarded the Military Cross. He was the bravest, noblest man I've known. I regret taking lives but that's what wars are about. But I also have the Queen's Commendation for Bravery, for saving the lives of enemy soldiers. I'm kind of more proud of that in many ways than I am of the Military Cross. They don't compare in stature but it shows that I was doing the right thing.

Expand Close Doug Beattie / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Doug Beattie

Q What toll did your Army career have on family life?

A I was away when my daughter Leigh and son Luke were born. I missed the deaths of both of my wife's parents. I wasn't there to support her and that has a detrimental effect on relationships. I spent so much time away from home during crises, birthdays, illnesses. I came back on R&R in 2008 and was dropped off outside my house. It was pitch black and I walked up to the window and looked inside. Everyone was calm, warm, watching TV. I knew as soon as I knocked the door that life would suddenly change again for them. Briefly I considered walking away, that it wasn't fair of me to disrupt this family again.

Q They must have worried constantly.

A I knew I wasn't in danger all the time but your family is waiting for that knock at the door the whole time. In 2011 in Checkpoint SABAT I was talking to my wife on the satellite telephone, telling her not to worry, when three rocket propelled grenades were fired at me. When I met the Queen to receive the Military Cross, she knew my wife had thought that I was sitting behind a desk in Kandahar, and believed that the damage to my face and hand was because I'd tripped over a computer lead as opposed to fighting a 15-day battle. She wanted to know what my wife said when she found out the truth. Meeting Her Majesty was wonderful but daunting. Just before it, I started thinking about that Mr Bean sketch where he headbutts the Queen and kept telling myself for goodness sake, don't do that!

Expand Close Doug Beattie / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Doug Beattie

Q Have you post traumatic stress disorder?

A I can go from sadness to deep sadness to feeling depressed and directionless to very tearful. Some of that relates to what I did in the military and some to what I did in the early years of my life. I don't want to be labelled as a person with PTSD disorder although I've no doubt a doctor would diagnose me with it. I just don't want to be in that space. My coping mechanism is to fight it on my terms.

Q Your grandson, Cameron, died suddenly aged 15 months. What would have been his sixth birthday this week was clearly a difficult day.

A We've never had an answer why he died and that's difficult. For my daughter, her husband and their other two boys, I think how even with all of the experience I've got in life, I couldn't protect them against this awful loss. They have to deal with that. I have to deal with the fact that I let them down. I also think of another little girl, Shabia, who was six years old. I held her in my arms in Afghanistan as her life ebbed away. I see her face every single day. (Shabia was fatally injured by a coalition mortar bomb).

Expand Close Doug Beattie / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Doug Beattie





Q Are you religious?

A Two elections ago a rumour went round that I was an atheist but that couldn't be further from the truth. I'm not a fan of organised religion. I don't stand on a platform of being a Protestant or a Catholic. That I'm Church of Ireland is neither here nor there. My religion is borne out of incidents like sleeping in a half dug grave in an Afghan graveyard, thinking I have to leave here and praying to God that I would get away safely and then that happening. My faith is very personal, very deep.

Q What's your greatest failing?

A I've many. There's that feeling you never have enough, of always striving to do something else, and not realising the aftermath you leave behind. I joined the military to make my father proud but then it became something about me and I didn't realise my home life was suffering because of it. I don't suffer fools gladly. And instead of trying to articulate myself better, I'm quick to lose my temper  people on Twitter realise that.

Q And strength?

A I'm extremely loyal to my family, friends, political party, to the ideals that I think are right and to the people of Northern Ireland.

Expand Close Doug Beattie / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Doug Beattie

Q What are you afraid of?

A We all struggle sometimes... I find it easy to talk to a room of 2,000 people but difficult to be understood in a room of five people.

Q Talking of which, unionism is facing challenges. What should it do?

A It's an incredibly difficult time. Because of shortism  short-term thinking  we're in a worse place than we should be. Not many in unionism understand what strategic thinking is, everything is a tactical battle. Unionism needs to reach out to people, to bring people with us from the LGBT, BAME and nationalist communities but the parties inadvertently push Catholics away. It's not deliberate but we give off a sense that we're not open. I now have Stephen McCarthy, who was a councillor and had a Falls Road, Catholic background, working in my office. When he didn't get selected as a councillor again I went out looking for him and he's doing a fantastic job alongside Kate Evans.

Q Sum up your identity.

A I'm an Irishman, and some will say Doug, you need to put the 'northern' in front of that. Of course I'm British as well, and a Unionist. My identity of being Irish is made up of many different things  the shamrock, Guinness, Gaelic games, St Patrick's Day but also God Save the Queen, the Sash, the Orange Order, Ulster rugby. All of these things are part of me.

Q What do you think of Prince Harry

APrince Harry served his country with distinction and should be commended. He has also done a great deal to support injured veterans. He has decided to take a different route away from royal duties and he should not be vilified for doing so but neither should he retain the privileges associated with someone in royal service.

Expand Close Doug Beattie / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Doug Beattie

Q Do you still miss your mum?

A When she was ill, mum would bang a blackthorn stick on her bedroom floor when she wanted something. At her wake, back in the house, suddenly we heard the thump, thump, thump of her stick. Dad started up the stairs before he caught himself on. I can't explain it, but it brought a sense of ease, the sense that we had lost someone but they weren't gone.

Q Did you won your dad's approval?

A Dad lived into his 70s, moved house, worked as a school caretaker. I'd come back with my young family to visit him and we would have a Chinese takeaway and a pint of Guinness. He was a man of his generation, he never hugged me. Two days before he died from throat cancer when he could no longer speak, he handed me a little black book. In it he'd written I'm really proud of you. He was never able to say it but I have no doubt he was.
6K Shares Share

In a February 2021 Facebook Live presentation sponsored by Seattle Childrens Hospital, Jill Escher, the president of the National Council on Severe Autism (NCSA), called for splitting the autism spectrum.

In some individuals, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents as a serious developmental disability affecting communication, learning, motivation, and all aspects of daily living. These individuals require 24/7 level care. Others on the spectrum have mild differences in social skills and sensory perception. This latter group may contain some who possess high IQs and hold advanced degrees. They are independent and can follow health care advice.

Health care professionals cannot get a proper understanding of a population that varies so greatly in its presentation from person to person. Health care policymakers and lawmakers cannot retrieve clear data and make informed decisions on such a broad population.

Retrieving and analyzing data about a specific population helps us understand health care disparities and assists us with quality and costs of care. Population health carries the promise that evidence-based practices for a particular condition will reach patients faster and in a more organized fashion. When the population is so haphazardly defined, this may be difficult to accomplish.

If the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and others split the spectrum into well-defined categories, big data could help us retrieve meaningful information about those on all parts of the spectrum. Analysts could compare the information for those diagnosed with various types of autism versus that of the general population.

Families in the severe autism community know that there is an enormous problem with health care disparities for their significantly disabled loved ones. Individuals who live in group homes, shared living, or intermediate care facilities may not receive colonoscopies every five years after age 50. Staff/caregivers may not have the resources to do the preparation and make the procedure happen. Individuals with severe autism may not have access to healthy foods and exercise. Obesity can be an issue. These problems may not exist for those at the mildest end of the spectrum.

Some individuals diagnosed with autism need specialized instruction to cooperate with hearing, vision, and other medical tests. Many never receive this specialized instruction. There may not be accommodations for behavioral health screens for the severe autism population. Costs of care are higher for those on the autism spectrum. But are costs higher for the entire spectrum? Most likely, the higher costs are for severe end of the spectrum. If the individual cannot express himself, we dont know where to look when a health care problem arises. This may increase the cost of care.

Legislative advocacy has become difficult for the severe autism population since the DSM-5 lumped Aspergers syndrome with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Further complicating the matter, a new population recently emerged who identify as autistic without having a diagnosis from a qualified health care professional.

Without a clear distinction for various parts of the spectrum, we are comparing apples and oranges. We will not render meaningful information, and we make it difficult for the entire spectrum, but especially for those most affected.

Health care professionals can help the autism community:

Contact the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and ask them to consider splitting the spectrum into clearly defined diagnostic categories in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM).

Help the National Council on Severe Autism (NCSA). Urge family members of those on the severe end of the spectrum to consider becoming involved with the NCSA.

Advocate for a wide range of service delivery settings to fit the diverse needs of individuals on the spectrum.

Support research on intervention and services specifically geared towards the more severe end of the spectrum.

Irene Tanzman is a patient advocate and author of Abie and Arlenes Autism War.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Afghanistan's first all-female flight on Kam Air. Josh Cahill

Afghanistan's Kam Air says it performed the first all-female crewed flight in the country's history.

The Boeing 737-500 flew from Kabul to Herat with two female pilots and four female cabin crew.

YouTuber Josh Cahill was onboard to capture the flight as part of an International Women's Day documentary.

Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.

A routine 90-minute flight in Afghanistan just made history.

The country's only private airline, Kam Air, is celebrating its first flight with an all-female crew, which it says is the first in the South Asian country's history.

Kam Air's first female Afghan pilot, 22-year-old Mohadese Mirzaee, joined Captain Veronica Borysova in piloting the Boeing 737 from the capital city of Kabul to Herat in western Afghanistan on Wednesday. And while they were at work in the cockpit, four female cabin crew serviced passengers for the routine 350-nautical mile flight while it journeyed across the country.

Josh Cahill, a leading airline reviewer and travel YouTuber, was invited onboard the flight to document the endeavor during a recent trip to the Middle East and South Asia. Aside from the flight's historic nature, Cahill said the flight was as smooth running as any that he's in his extensive global journeys, telling Insider that the flight crew consisted of "highly trained pilots."

Kam Air pilots preparing for the flight from Kabul to Herat. Josh Cahill

"The crew has been very professional, just as you would expect from any other airline around the world," Cahill told Insider. "I have joined a few crews at the flight deck around the globe and I couldn't notice any difference."

The historic flight was kept largely under wraps, besides inviting Cahill, as is the norm in the country. Airlines typically do not miss the opportunity to spread the word about their accomplishments but Afghanistan's heightened security discourages high-profile events.

"For security and safety purposes, gatherings or celebrations aren't very common in Afghanistan," Cahill said.

Story continues

South Asian and Middle Eastern countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran are a constant source of fascination for aviation enthusiasts like Cahill as their airlines boast some of the most unique and oldest aircraft still flying.

The 23-year-old Boeing 737-500 performing the flight was originally delivered to Continental Airlines in 1998, according to Planespotters.net, and delivered to Kam Air in April. It isn't the oldest aircraft in Afghanistan but the type has long been retired by US airlines.

Cahill is no stranger to the country and has witnessed Kam Air's development first-hand over the years.

"I have been frequently visiting Afghanistan for the past 6 years and it is nice to see how Kam Air is developing given the difficult circumstances," Cahill said. The airline had recently lost nine staff members in a 2018 Taliban attack at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul.

Kam Air is currently banned from European Union airspace but plans to start flights to Frankfurt, Germany soon, citing its certification under the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit as a step towards being taken off of the Union's blacklist.

YouTuber Josh Cahill with Kam Air's first all-female flight crew. Josh Cahill

Cahill frequently travels the globe as part of his job to review the latest airline products but doesn't encounter female pilots all that often, let alone all-female flight crews, something he hopes will change as the industry progresses.

"Unfortunately, it is still rather rare to see female pilots around the world, especially in male-dominated societies such as the Middle East, but I really hope that my documentary on Kam Air will change this and inspire more women to join our industry," Cahill said, having flown on the world's best and worst airlines during his travels in the furthest reaches of the world from America to Afghanistan.

Cahill's documentary on the flight will air on International Women's Day on March 8.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A State Department official for several years has been publicly calling for the establishment of Christian nation-states, warning that white people face elimination and railing against Jews as well as Black Lives Matter and other social movements.

Fritz Berggren, a mid-ranking Foreign Service officer, openly uses his name and image as he espouses these and other controversial views, according to a review of his online postings. Current and former State Department officials noted the connection to POLITICO in recent days.

Jesus Christ came to save the whole world from the Jews  the founders of the original Anti-Christ religion, they who are the seed of the Serpent, that brood of vipers, states an Oct. 4 blog post signed Fritz Berggren, PhD and titled Jews are Not Gods Chosen People. Judeo-Christian is Anti-Christ.

They murdered Jesus Christ, the 5,300-word post continues, How then can they be Gods chosen?

Berggrens voluminous output dates back to at least September 2017, according to the archives of his website, Bloodandfaith.com. An about page for the site, also signed Fritz Berggren, PhD, offers what appears to be a manifesto of sorts. Like several of his other posts, it includes a video of Berggren expanding on his views.

The goal of the Left is to destroy blood and faith so that (Marxist) religion alone becomes master and enslaver of all, Berggren writes. Europeans must reclaim their blood and faith, just as Blacks are proud and hispanics have very strong blood identity organizations.

Two days after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, another post signed by Berggren declared: Notes on the events of January 6. The illusion of a participatory democracy has been burst. You already live in a cult/theocracy  I offer you Christian liberty in a Christian nation.

President Joe Biden has made diversity a priority for his administration and has sharply criticized anything that smacks of white supremacy and anti-Semitism. The Pentagon already has launched a campaign to root out white nationalists and other extremists in the military. While theres no similar effort underway in Foggy Bottom, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced he is creating a new position, chief diversity and inclusion officer, to promote that ideal.

Story continues

According to a directory viewed by POLITICO, Berggren is currently assigned to a State Department unit that handles special immigrant visas for Afghans. His previous positions have included serving as a financial management officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain, according to an older directory.

Asked about Berggren, a spokesperson for the State Department declined to say whether his remarks had led to internal disciplinary measures of any kind. We will not comment on internal personnel matters beyond saying that these are personal views and do not represent those of the State Department, the spokesperson said. As a department, we embrace and champion diversity, equity and inclusion as a source of strength.

Exactly when Berggren entered U.S. diplomatic ranks wasnt clear, but he is listed as a Foreign Service employee on congressional documents at least as far back as 2009. His sparse LinkedIn account describes him as an FSO  a Foreign Service officer.

Berggren did not reply to messages sent to his work and personal email addresses nor to ones sent through LinkedIn and his Blood and Faith website. Phone numbers listed for him did not work.

Free speech vs. a diplomatic problem

The State Departments options for addressing Berggrens online postings may be limited.

There are rules that govern diplomats on- and off-duty behavior that could be grounds for punishment or dismissal in similar instances  rules that can differ based on whether a person is serving overseas or in the United States. But the federal government, for First Amendment reasons, is not supposed to dictate its employees religious views.

According to a former State Department attorney, if Berggren can show that he never used work time or U.S. government equipment to craft his writings and recordings, he might fall in a gray area in terms of whether or how the department could discipline him. The former attorney did not have direct knowledge of the case and requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. POLITICO found no examples of Berggren identifying himself as a State Department official in his online commentary.

The Blood and Faith site was updated just this week with posts that take shots at Jewish people, the United Nations and the LBGTQ community, among others.

The blogs archives date to Sept. 16, 2017, and they include around 300 posts that tackle topics ranging from theories about Christian violence to the importance of bloodlines. Many of the posts link to videos as well as podcasts in which Berggren discusses his beliefs.

Berggren often rails against the Left along with movements like Black Lives Matter and Antifa and organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League.

Anti-Fa/BLM is not the resistance  they are the establishment, he writes in bullet points on a Sept. 12, 2020, post that includes a video segment. The resistance could be White men and Christians if we man up to it.

A major theme across Berggrens online output is the necessity of creating explicitly Christian countries. He refers to Jesus Christ as a revolutionary icon, dubbing him Rebel Leader One in some posts. The revival of Christian nation-states is required for the advancement of Truth, he writes in one section of his Blood and Faith site. There is no substitute for the public acclamation of Jesus Christ as the King and Lord of a nation.

A significant chunk of Berggrens commentary appears focused on the fate of white people, especially those of European and Christian descent.

In a Oct. 24 post titled The Demon-God of Diversity, he states: The world gasps in horror with each new endangered sub-species, but cheers the elimination of White culture from whole regions of the earth. This will not stop until White people stop it  we have been handmaidens to our own demise.

At least one video of Berggren found online is less controversial.

He appears in a brief Department of Defense clip urging people to track Santa through a popular project of the North American Aerospace Defense Command.


In one respect, the Duke of Edinburgh was the first millennial. Back in 1947, when he and Her Majesty tied the Windsor knot, men were very much in the ascendency.

Women were expected to know their place, which was generally assumed to be always in shadow of the keeper of the family testosterone.

The challenge facing Philip was that, while men ruled the roost, his wife was destined to rule the country.

The Netflix series The Crown has catalogued, in its own fanciful way, Philip's early struggles to deal with living in his wife's shadow. In the end, he did.

Like your average millennial male, he got over himself and got on with doing his own thing - while, at the same time, supporting his partner.

It would be fair to say that, in the Duke's case, this stemmed not so much from a passionate belief in gender equality as in a sense of duty.

That old thing.

Actually, I'm not sure that the concept of honour and duty is really as outdated as it's sometimes made out to be.

There are plenty of examples around us of people who embody service to the public. To quote Meghan (as I am always loathe to) service is universal.

The national anthem's hope that the Queen would live long has been fulfilled. But the likelihood is that, when that very much older generation of the royals - particularly Elizabeth herself - finally passes on, the relationship between the monarchy and the people will change utterly.

Charles can only ever be a stepping-stone monarch; too late to stamp his mark upon an era. And it's fair to say that he and Camilla are lacking somewhat in the stardust department.

Part of the mystique and indeed popularity of royalty is anchored in its glamour and dazzle and the fairytale fascination of it all.

Not that that always works out. Two words: Harry, Meghan.

While that pair have been riding high on the seesaw of transatlantic celebrity success, posing artfully beneath a "tree of life", plucking from its branches lucrative deals with various streaming services, William and Kate have been forced to go the other way. They've had to ground their end of the seesaw in restraint and an ever-increasing attempt at "relatability", which, in Kate's case, seems to involve an awful lot of bargain buys from H&M.

Charles used to argue that the threat to the monarchy lay in it being treated as a soap opera. Now it's facing soft-soap Oprah amid warnings that Meghan and Harry's upcoming tell-all interview will be a shocker. But if Harry's bus outing on James Corden's Late Late Show is anything to go by, it will just be more of the usual "how inspirational, caring, important and unfairly treated by the media we are".

Besides, an institution which has endured hundreds of years of wars, regicide, decapitations, in-house fighting and tabloid intrusion should be able to weather an hour-and-a-half of Californian cattiness.

So, I doubt that this alone will be the straw that breaks the corgi's back.

A bigger challenge to the institution is how our world is changing. Pandemic has upended old ways, old attitudes, old complacencies.

The Royal Family is transitioning at the same time as people are questioning everything about the way we were.

If anything, Megxit caused many people to feel outraged on behalf of, and protective towards, the elderly Queen and her consort.

The monarchy can't take it for granted that, in the years ahead, that same affection will be passed like a baton to her heirs.

EU's rollover when it comes to lotto

At the time of writing, this week's 180m Euromillions Lottery rollover draw hasn't yet taken place.

It would be lovely if somebody local won it (even lovelier if that somebody was me).

But how, I wonder, are we even allowed to do it here? How come EU bosses haven't clamped down on our access to Euromillions?

Maybe it's a trap. Maybe Ursula Von der Leyen is just waiting for the moment she can tell a UK winner they may have scooped the pot, but the bank withdrawal process is in breach of the Protocol.

Animal magic at political meetings

By perfect coincidence, a Mr Colin Pidgeon, briefing an online Stormont committee meeting this week, was interrupted when his cat deposited a live (we hope) pigeon at his feet.

Mr Pidgeon has been rightly applauded for his cool, calm rescue and release of the bird.

Could this sort of animal intrusion start a trend?

Can you imagine, for example, Nicola Sturgeon having to take time out from a meeting of the Scottish Assembly to deal with the unexpected intervention of a salmon?

DUP dogged by run of own goals

Expand Close Sammy Wilson / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Sammy Wilson

You know that thing where football teams just suddenly seem to lose it? Not just the odd game, but one game after another, gradually building to the point where the fans have had it? The DUP's a bit like that right now. Big mistakes, wee mistakes, endless gaffes. And insensitive timing, such as Sammy Wilson describing Robin Swann as a poodle. Mr Swann is much respected for his calm handling of a hellish job. Yet, how can Arlene call Sammy to heel? She once called Mr Swann's party leader a chihuahua.
Faced with a struggling economy and few financial lifelines, Kyrgyzstan is feeling the weight of its swelling state debt -- a significant proportion of which is owed to China -- and considering some drastic measures to meet its obligations.

Kyrgyzstans foreign debt is reportedly as much as $5 billion and more than 40 percent of that ($1.8 billion) is owed to the Export-Import Bank of China for a series of infrastructure projects over the last decade under the guise of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese leader Xi Jinping's signature foreign-policy project.

Bishkek, however, is grappling with a contracting economy whose gross domestic product dropped 8.6 percent in 2020, prompting fears the country will be unable to pay off its loans or even meet interest payments, especially on the Central Asian countrys commitments owed to Beijing.

With deadlines approaching, there has been discussion by Kyrgyz officials of potentially forfeiting assets as a form of repayment.

"If we do not pay some of [the debt] on time we will lose many of our properties," new Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov told the state Kabar news agency during an interview on February 13. "Agreements with such conditions were signed by [President Almazbek] Atambaev. But, God willing, we will get rid of all debts in time. There are plans."

What exactly those plans are remains to be seen.

While Japarov's comments refrained from mentioning China directly, the national conversation has since shifted to how the country of 6.4 million people can repay its loans to Beijing, its largest creditor and a major political force in Central Asia.

This debt impasse highlights the difficult bind that many countries -- including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan -- have with Chinese-owed debts from large BRI infrastructure projects as they deal with the economic crunch caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beijing has so far shown a willingness to defer some loans, but not offer outright relief, pointing toward a difficult negotiating environment for countries like Kyrgyzstan that are under such difficult financial strain.

"China has shown many times in Latin America and Africa that it is not a charity and that it is a very pragmatic partner in terms of getting back its debts," Temur Umarov, an expert on China-Central Asia relations at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. "For Kyrgyzstan, it's a challenging situation with no clear way out."

Kyrgyzstan has been considering options for the development of its Jetim-Too iron-ore mine in recent months, and some government critics have raised the prospect that the authorities might sell off or surrender mining rights to the lucrative deposit to pay off its loans to Beijing.

As a presidential candidate, Japarov himself floated the idea of using Jetim-Too to pay down state debt owed to China, although Kyrgyzstan's National Bank has said the government planned to retain ownership.

Beyond mineral and mining concessions, some lawmakers have also mentioned the possibility of the government surrendering partial management of the countrys energy sector.

This outcome to resolve the country's debts was raised by parliament deputy Akyl Japarov (no relation to the president) on February 22, if Kyrgyzstan could not meet its interest payments on the controversial, Chinese-financed reconstruction of Bishkek's main power plant, the cost of which was grossly inflated before breaking down and continues to have shortfalls in production.

"Kyrgyzstan has no leverage and few ways to manage this crisis," Niva Yau, a researcher at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. "A lot will depend if Japarov is able to follow through on his reforms for the economy and bring in anti-corruption measures."

In Search Of Goodwill

Japarov and Xi had their first phone call on February 22, during which the Kyrgyz president voiced support for more Chinese projects in the country and praised Xi's handling of a range of international issues.

The phone call comes after strained relations between Bishkek and Beijing around the events that brought Japarov to power and plunged Kyrgyzstan into a political crisis in October.

The nationalist Japarov rode into power on protests triggered over parliamentary elections that toppled the government and saw the resignation of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov.

But in the wake of those events, Chinese businesses and citizens in Kyrgyzstan reportedly faced attacks and shakedowns, which led to Kyrgyz Ambassador to China Kanayym Baktygulova being summoned in Beijing as Chinese officials expressed their displeasure and concern for the safety of its citizens.

WATCH: Countries On China's 'New Silk Road' Face Coronavirus Fears

"Beijing has lots of concerns over a populist leader like Japarov," Yau said. "China has been waiting for the domestic political situation to stabilize and there is still lots of hesitancy."

Anti-China protests have grown across Central Asia in recent years, with many such demonstrations taking place in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Concerns about land ownership, state debt, Chinese labor practices, and the internment camps in the neighboring Chinese province of Xinjiang -- which have also held ethnic Kyrgyz and Kazakhs in addition to Uyghurs -- have been rallying calls in the country. Vandalism and several attacks on Chinese workers have also occurred in recent years in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Japarov -- whose parents lived for many years in China -- must now persuade Beijing that he can be a reliable partner without alienating himself from the nationalist, anti-corruption rhetoric that helped bring him to power.

On both fronts, the Kyrgyz leader faces tremendous obstacles.

Popular anger over corruption remains high in Kyrgyzstan and many details over past loan contracts signed with Chinese entities are unknown, sparking further speculation among the public about how the government will settle its debt with Beijing.

Moreover, Japarov is also dealing with the fallout of revelations around Raimbek Matraimov, the former deputy customs chief and influential power broker who was arrested for a second time on February 18 over suspicion of money-laundering following public backlash over a lenient fine. The allegations against Matraimov were first revealed by a joint RFE/RL investigation.

With limited international experience, Japarov is also looking to shore up Russian support to help navigate his problems, with a visit to Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin and other top officials taking place on February 24-25.

Playing The Long Game

Even before the political upheaval that brought Japarov into office, Bishkek had been asking China for debt forgiveness.

Prior to the pandemic, Kyrgyzstan was making progress in paying down its outstanding loans, but the financial problems caused by COVID-19 broke down the country's economy, which remains reliant on cross-border shuttle trade with China, and derailed Bishkek's schedule.

In November 2020, some relief did come from Beijing in the form of debt deferment, allowing $35 million owed for that year to be delayed until 2022-24, at 2 percent interest.

Kyrgyzstan also secured help from international creditors through a Paris Club agreement in June, suspending $11 million worth of debt until the end of the year. Bishkek collectively owes more than $300 million to Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, and South Korea.

But those deals only offer temporary relief and do not address wider structural issues over Kyrgyzstan's inability to service its debt obligations. With Bishkek exploring various drastic options to repay its Chinese loans, what sort of concessions Beijing is willing to offer could be the deciding factor.

"The pattern is that China is willing to defer debt, but only in a handful of cases has it actually written it down," Jonathan Hillman, the director of the Reconnecting Asia Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. "Examples of asset seizures have been extremely rare."

China holds many of the cards in debt talks, with contracts signed with Kyrgyzstan stipulating that any disputes over repayment are to be settled in Chinese arbitration courts, rather than international ones, and could contain other clauses to Beijing's advantage.

"A lot of the issues facing Kyrgyzstan stem from a lack of due diligence and mismanagement from Kyrgyz officials over the years," Hillman said. "But I think this is a lesson on the risks of doing business with China. This is what happens when you have a lack of transparency around lending."

Still, China remains concerned about its reputation in Kyrgyzstan, and the wider region as a whole, and will likely be mindful of the optics and sensitivities in taking control of any assets in the Central Asian country.

"Taking an asset is not a good political move," Hillman said. "It will confirm everyone's worst fears about China and Belt and Road."
When Kristen Radtke started writing about loneliness in 2016, she had no idea of what was to come. Writers are famously prescient, but who could have imagined the global pandemic of Covid-19 and the isolation it would generate? Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness (Pantheon, July), Radtkes latest graphic nonfiction book, is a marvelous deep dive into that universal emotion, blending science, memoir, journalism, research, philosophy, and pop culture to explore isolation and our desire to be close to one another.

I was walking around New York City, Radtke says, looking at people on cell phones, people alone in public settings. It was the time of the presidential election, and loneliness spikes during political seasons; people separate because of differing views and ideas. She became fascinated reading about the science of loneliness. Lonely people die sooner, and I wondered at cause and effect. What comes first? Illness or loneliness? The research took me down the rabbit hole.

While the text is mesmerizing, Radtkes drawings are singularly moving. This book was not done in panels, she says. Its more like illustrated essays, not so much a narrative but a collage. I was thinking, how do I represent something? It morphed over time.

Seek You explores ways that loneliness is assuaged, even without our knowledge, like through the laugh track of sitcoms, created to make the viewer feel that others are there. Radtke considers her father, a man she describes as severe, and his amateur radio hobby that connected him to people thousands of miles away. She also examines the myth of the American cowboy, the quintessential outsider. She cites brain studies and animal behavior, and provides a window into the way we experience loneliness, something in the forefront of our lives in the pandemic.

Jin Auh at the Wylie Agency, who has represented Radtke since early 2015, notes that to read Seek You now is even more heartrending and heart enlarging, as Kristen gives us stories about longing and connection. The two met in 2014, when Radtke was marketing and publicity director at Sarabande Books. I admired her jacket designs for Sarabande, Auh says, and it turned out she was working on her own books.

Radtke, currently the art director and deputy publisher of the literary magazine The Believer, published her first book, Imagine Wanting Only This, a graphic memoir about loss and abandoned places around the world, with Pantheon in 2017.

Auh submitted Seek You as well as a graphic novel, Terrible Men, to Tim OConnell, senior editor at Knopf, as partial manuscripts in March 2018. The two-book deal for North American and audio rights was made on May 1, and the manuscript for Seek You was finished in July 2019.

OConnell calls Radtke a guide, adding, She stays with something and filters it for the public. He remembers seeing Radtke give a reading about 10 years ago at AWP in Chicago: She had projections and these images were unfurling behind her and I was so impressed. Afterward we traveled to other readings in Kristens car, a hatchback crammed with I think every Iowa [Writers Workshop] nonfiction fellow.

OConnell was also involved with the production of Imagine and says, That book was looking inward; this book looks outward. Its real journalism with Kristens natural sense of empathy. She has such dedication and range. And her drawings are incredible: where her eye decides to land and linger makes the images so special; she has such patience. He adds that Seek You is the perfect alignment of author, subject and time. Its a unique reading experience that I think only Pantheon and Kristen could do and I feel lucky to be along for the ride.

Radtke, who grew up in rural Wisconsin, started drawing in her last semester at the Iowa Writers Workshop. She always drew but had no formal art training and didnt read comics. Its an arduous form, she says. You create a narrative and draw people on every page who have to look the same. I taught myself over time while doing the first book.

In Seek You, Radtke observes that loneliness has nothing to do with having a partner or a best friend or an active social life. Loneliness, she writes, is a variance that rests in the space between the relationships you have and the relationships you want. Loneliness lives in the gap.

Radtke tells me, Im excited about this book. Its my heart. I put my whole self into it. This year was devastating and I felt really alone. You have to learn to admit your loneliness. Our bodies are trying to tell us to reach out.
A dentist receives the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on January 8. mark Rightmire/Getty Images

Two new studies suggest that people who had COVID-19 mount a stronger immune response to their first shot than those who were never infected.

Other preliminary studies found that people who already had the coronavirus respond to their first shot the way other people do to their second.

So it's possible some people might need only one shot to sufficiently protect them.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Both Pfizer's and Moderna's coronavirus vaccines require two shots: a prime dose, followed by a booster.

The initial shot should trigger the production of antibodies to the virus for the first time. By the time we get a booster, our bodies should mount an even stronger immune response. That explains why some people have reported more side effects after their second shot.

But for people who've already had COVID-19, the process seems to progress differently. An emerging body of research suggests that people who already got a coronavirus infection mount a stronger immune response to their first shot than those who never had the disease. That could mean that people with a history of infection don't need a second shot to sufficiently protect them from getting sick again.

A new study from UK researchers found that antibody levels were roughly the same among uninfected people who received the first dose of Pfizer's vaccine and people who'd had COVID-19 but weren't vaccinated yet. Then after people who'd COVID-19 got their first shot, their antibody levels were 140-fold higher than their peak antibody levels before the vaccine.

In other words, the prime dose acted more like a booster.

Another new study found that people who previously had COVID-19 mounted a stronger T-cell response to one shot of Pfizer's vaccine than vaccinated people who'd never gotten sick did. Like antibodies, T cells have powers of recollection that can help the immune system recognize and re-attack the coronavirus.

Story continues

But the two studies examined only a small group of vaccinated healthcare workers - 123 in total. For this reason, many scientists are wary of prescribing anything other than the standard two-dose regimens.

"I'm a big proponent of the right dosing and right schedule, because that's how the studies were performed," Maria Elena Bottazzi, an immunologist at Baylor College of Medicine, told The New York Times.

People who had COVID-19 may develop 10 times as many antibodies after a single dose

Healthcare worker Elizabeth Cameros, right, administers a coronavirus test to traveler Wade Hopkins at LAX on November 23, 2020. Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Even before the two new studies came out, preliminary research had started to show that two shots might not be necessary for people who'd already had COVID-19.

In one study, which is still awaiting peer review, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai discovered that people who'd had COVID-19 developed at least 10 times as many antibodies after their first dose as the average uninfected person who received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Those with a history of infection also developed stronger side effects after their first injection - including fatigue, headache, chills, fever, and muscle and joint pain.

The researchers wrote that "changing the policy to give these individuals only one dose of vaccine" could "spare them from unnecessary pain and free up many urgently needed vaccine doses."

Another preliminary study supports those findings - it showed that healthcare workers who'd had COVID-19 had higher antibody levels after their first vaccine dose than vaccinated healthcare workers who had never been infected.

"It was a very large difference. It was something that we could easily see," Dr. Mohammad Sajadi, an associate professor at the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, told Insider.

Typically, Sajadi said, COVID-19 patients develop antibodies about two to three weeks after their initial infection. But it didn't take nearly as long for the people who'd already been sick to develop antibodies in response to a vaccine: These people showed high antibody levels a week after their first shot, peaking about 10 to 14 days after vaccination.

How long does a 'memory response' to COVID-19 last?

Diana Carolina, a pharmacist at Memorial Healthcare System, receives the Pfizer vaccine in Miramar, Florida on December 14, 2020. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Pfizer's and Moderna's trials suggested both vaccines are safe for people with a history of coronavirus infection. But there are some exceptions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people with an active infection wait until their symptoms have resolved and the standard 10-day isolation period has passed before getting vaccinated. That includes people who've already received their first dose.

"The recommendations for receiving any dose of the vaccine are not to get it if you're frankly ill at the time," Dr. Sandra Sulsky, an epidemiologist and principal at Ramboll, a global health-sciences consulting firm, previously told Insider.

But scientists still aren't sure when vaccines are actually necessary for previously infected people. Coronavirus antibodies could last anywhere from several months to several years - but even then, antibody levels don't always translate to immunity.

All the participants in Sajadi's study, for instance, tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in July and August. By the time they got their shot, he said, some of them had "very, very low levels" of antibodies, but they still seemed to respond strongly to the vaccine.

"What that shows you is that individuals who had a prior COVID infection have what we call a recall response or a memory response," Sajadi said. "For most infections, the second time you see that microorganism, you should get a faster response."

He cautioned, however, that the findings apply only to people with a "run-of-the-mill COVID infection" - people who developed antibodies and have recovered from their illness.

An interim solution to limited doses

People waiting in line in a Disneyland parking lot to receive COVID-19 vaccines. Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images

Sajadi said that giving just one dose to people who've already had COVID-19 could help address vaccine shortages. So far, just 47 million Americans vaccinated, with the majority of adults still waiting.

"In times of vaccine shortage, where every vaccine dose counts, we think the data shows if you had previous COVID infection, you may only need one dose for the booster," Sajadi said. That "may even be the ideal scenario" for previously infected people, he added.

The CDC has said vaccination sites can delay administering a second dose for up to six weeks - instead of the recommended three to four weeks - in "exceptional circumstances."

It is not yet known how antibody levels among people who've had COVID-19 will change in response to to Johnson & Johnson's shot. That vaccine expected to get authorized for emergency use in the US within days.

"There's no reason to think it would act differently," Sajadi said. "But you just never know until you test."

This story has been updated with new information. It was originally published on February 2, 2021.

Read the original article on Business Insider

COLUMBIA  Richland Countys two school districts are preparing for five-day classroom returns with one starting next month, as administrators say decreasing COVID-19 transmission rates in their facilities and new public health advisories are allowing for the transition.

The timeline also coincides with when teachers may be eligible to start receiving their vaccines.

Beginning March 8, Richland School District One elementary students will move to a five-day schedule, with middle school pupils following suit on March 15 and ninth through twelfth graders to follow on March 29, Superintendent Craig Witherspoon announced.

Since early November, Richland One elementary school students have been in class four days a week, with middle and high school pupils getting two days of in-person learning.

Meanwhile, Richland Two is readying a pathway to five-day learning over a two-week period once disease activity in the county falls to low, though officials did not provide a clearer time table than that. Currently, the district is on a hybrid model for middle and high school students that sends them to school two days a week.

Elementary school students were given the option to attend classes full-time starting Nov. 4, when district officials moved to the second phase of their reopening plan.

Parents have been given a March 7 deadline to opt all students into a full-time, face-to-face classroom setting.

Combined, the Richland districts educate 52,000 students in South Carolinas capital county. Lexington-Richland 5 moved to a five-day, face-to-face model on Feb. 1. As of Feb. 26, just one of the state's 79 traditional school districts was operating online-only.

Both Gov. Henry McMaster and state Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman support full-time reopening of schools.

"Hundreds of thousands of people are going to to work every day across the state safely. Our classrooms may be the safest place from the virus," McMaster said during a Feb. 4 press conference. "We know that we have lost significant learning progress due to simply being out of the classroom. So we must fix this. This must change, it must change now."

Teachers and other essential workers could become eligible for COVID-19 vaccines in mid-March, state Department of Health and Environmental Control director Edward Simmer told lawmakers on Feb. 23. His agency plans to move to the second eligibility phase once residents 65 and older no longer fill available appointments.

The 1.3 million South Carolinians currently eligible for a shot as part of the initial Phase 1A include anyone 65 and older, health care workers, and medical first responders. Nearly 560,000 residents had gotten at least their first shot by Feb. 23.

During the next phase, called 1B, an estimated 573,000 people will be eligible for a COVID-19 shot, including teachers, day care workers, bus drivers, grocery store clerks and manufacturing employees.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Feb. 12 released new guidelines calling for a phased approach in re-opening K-12 schools nationwide, defining four color-coded categories:

 Schools in areas with low transmission rates fall into the blue zone; those in areas with moderate transmission rates are in the yellow zone. Both categories qualify for in-person learning, according to the CDC.

 Schools fall into the orange zone if they are part of communities with significant transmission rates and are encouraged to operate on a hybrid or reduced attendance basis.

 The red category means area transmission rates are high. Elementary schools that conduct regular testing of students and staff, including those who are asymptomatic, can operate hybrid or reduced-attendance classrooms. Middle and high schools should operate virtually. Schools that do not conduct regular testing should stick with remote learning only.

 Low transmission means nine or less new cases per 100,000 are recorded over the previous seven days, and less than 5 percent test positive, according to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. She noted that just 5 percent of the nations counties are experiencing low transmission levels while more than 90 percent have high levels.

Richland leaders said in statements the updates helped inform their decisions to restart schools full-time.

As of Feb. 25, Richland One had 24 active COVID-19 cases among students and staff, and since the start of the school year have recorded 503 positive cases, while Richland Two logged 18 positive cases between Feb. 23 and Feb. 25.

In all, 13,306 coronavirus cases have been associated with South Carolina schools since the start of the academic year, according to Feb. 25 data kept by DHEC.

Both Richland County districts will continue their yearlong virtual learning options.

On a related note, Richland One is working closely with Prisma Health on the vaccination process with a goal of supporting district staff vaccinations as quickly as possible when the state moves to Phase 1B. We look forward to collaborating with Prisma Health to provide this opportunity for all educators and staff, Witherspoon said in a statement.

Lexington One high school students remain on a hybrid model that has them behind desks four days a week, while five-day learning resumed across Lexington Two on Jan. 19.
China's Foreign Ministry confirmed the long-signaled return of veteran climate negotiator Xie Zhenhua as special envoy for climate change, indicating Beijing's willingness to prioritize climate issues in post-pandemic diplomacy, particularly with the United States.

Xie's appointment "demonstrates the high importance China has attached to coping with climate change," Wang Wenbing, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Friday during a press conference.

Xie has already been in contact with John Kerry, U.S. President Joe Biden's climate envoy, to begin "dialogue and consultation," the spokesman said in response to a question. Xie, 71, led China's delegation in U.N. climate negotiations from 2007 to 2018 and has a decades-long working relationship with Kerry. The two helped broker the Paris Agreement, the global accord signed in 2016 to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

"China stands ready to work with the United States and the international community to strengthen cooperation on addressing the challenge of climate change, jointly advance the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and boost global green and low-carbon development," Wang said.

U.S. State Department also confirmed Friday that Kerry opened conversations with Xie and that discussions between the two teams will continue, according to U.S. media reports. Biden returned the U.S. to the Paris Agreement last month, four years after his predecessor withdrew from the accord.

The news of Xie's return first came in early February when Kerry told Reuters he learned Feb. 3 that Beijing tapped Xie again to be the nation's lead climate negotiator. Kerry called Xie a leader and a capable advocate for his country on the issue of global warming, Reuters reported.

"I know him very well because Ive worked with him for 20 years or so, Kerry said. Hes been a long time leader and a believer.

As the special climate envoy, Xie attended a high-level virtual debate Tuesday on climate and security held by the U.N. Security Council, according to a statement released Thursday by the Foreign Ministry.

Xie said global climate governance has entered a crucial phase of fully implementing the Paris Agreement.

"China hopes that the international community will enhance solidarity and steer in the right direction of joint response to climate change," Xie said.

China, the worlds biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, promised in September last year to top out carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Beijing further pledged in December to cut emissions per unit of GDP by 65% from 2005 levels and to increase the share of nonfossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 25% by 2030.

Xie's appointment came 10 months ahead of this year's U.N. climate conference, known as COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland. Alok Sharma, president of COP26 and as U.K. cabinet member, congratulated Xie Feb. 5 on Twitter after the two met online in a "constructive discussion on driving ambition for COP26."

China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment set up a special office for climate change affairs to support Xie, according to Liu Binjiang, director of the Atmospheric Environment Department at the ministry.

"This appointment reflects that China attaches great importance to addressing climate change and is committed to strengthening communication and cooperation with international parties to address climate change challenges and jointly build a win-win cooperation and fair and reasonable climate governance system," Liu said Thursday at a press conference.

Originally from China's eastern city of Tianjin, Xie graduated from Tsinghua University with an engineering physics degree.

Xie was appointed head of the State Environmental Protection Administration in 1998 but was forced to resign after the 2005 chemical plant explosions in the northeastern Jilin province. The explosions severely polluted the Songhua River, with an estimated 100 tons of pollutants containing benzene and nitrobenzene entering the river. Exposure to benzene could reduce red blood cell count and is linked to leukemia.

About a year after his resignation, Xie became a vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's powerful national planning agency. From 2006 to 2015 he was in charge of climate change and energy efficiency.

He was assigned to lead China's delegations in multiple U.N. climate negotiations including the 2009 Copenhagen Summit, which collapsed and failed to reach a legally binding climate agreement.

Todd Stern, former U.S. special climate envoy from 2009 to 2016, described Xie as colorful and interesting, and said the Chinese official has a sense of humor and loves to laugh. I kind of liked him right away, according to a report by China Dialogue, a London-based nonprofit environmental organization.

He really understands the issues, Stern said, according to the report. He is very protective of what he sees as Chinas interests.

Contact reporter Lu Zhenhua (zhenhualu@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bobsimison@caixin.com).

Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go.

Follow the Chinese markets in real time with Caixin Globals new stock database.
The cases against New Jersey residents implicated in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol are proceeding with varying speeds through federal court in Washington, D.C.

Five of the 11 suspects have been indicted, each on multiple federal crimes, for their alleged participation in the riot that killed five people, one a U.S. Capitol police officer, Brian Sicknick, who grew up in New Jersey.

The latest indictments were received against Scott Fairlamb, of Stockholm in Hardyston Township, and James Douglas Rahm, of Atlantic City.

Rahm, who was arrested Feb. 5, and also has a residence in Philadelphia, was indicted recently on five crimes accusing him of disruptive conduct inside the Capitol, recently unsealed documents in his case show.

Like several of the suspects charged with committing crimes at the Capitol, Rahm allegedly posted on social media about being at the Capitol, including photos. In one, Rahm says he pissed in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the documents allege.

In one post, a person wrote to Rahm, Get back inside. Give Pelosi a kiss. Rham then responded, Pissed in her office. When someone asked Rahm if he was OK, he replied, Shields and pepper spray never hurt anyone, did they? Home alive. History made. I walked right through Pelosis office. I should have (defecated) on her chair.

No lawyer is listed for Rahm in the court records of the case, and the public defender who represented him in court after his arrest told NJ Advance Media it was a five-minute appearance and they never spoke.

Rahm is registered as a builder in Philadelphia and uses the first name Doug, online records show. Messages on telephone numbers for Rahm were not immediately returned.

James Douglas Rahm, of Atlantic City, faces four charges in the deadly Capitol riots of Jan. 6, 2021. Federal authorities say he boasted to friends on Facebook about breaching the Capitol and claimed to have "pissed" in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.U.S. Attorney's Office

Earlier in February, a federal grand jury indicted Fairlamb on 12 charges for numerous alleged acts that day, including assaulting an officer. Authorities have said the former professional fighter shoved and punched an officer.

Fairlamb was seen in several images from the Capitol, including on top of a scaffolding erected for President Joe Bidens inauguration.

Also indicted are Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, Thomas Baranyi and Rasha Abual-Ragheb, who also goes by Rasha Abu.

The FBI says this is Scott Fairlamb of New Jersey participating in the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.

Top federal authorities in Washington have vowed to bring sedition and conspiracy cases in the Capitol investigations. Theyve done so too, recently charging members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, both right wing militia extremist groups, with conspiring to obstruct congress.

Federal authorities in Washington also say the Capitol investigations will be daunting and unprecedented in scale. As of Feb. 26, over 300 suspects have been charged with Jan. 6 crimes.

So far, none of those from New Jersey fit the conspiracy bill, notes New Jersey defense lawyer Jerome Ballarotto.

So, each New Jerseyans case will be investigated for the persons own alleged actions, and investigators will examine their backgrounds and motivations, Ballarotto said. And that could take a while because there are going to so many of them, he said.

Ballarotto is not representing any of the Capitol suspects, although a few called seeking representation. He declined. I have scruples, he said.

But hes familiar with the federal process from both sides of the courtroom. Hes defended politicians in corruption cases, and is a former chief federal prosecutor and also a former U.S. Secret Service special agent.

Ballarotto said the Justice Department in Washington put out requests to all the U.S. attorneys offices around the country for volunteers to prosecute the cases in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com
DanHenson1/iStockBy MEREDITH DELISO, ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- A self-described neo-Nazi and white supremacist was sentenced to over 19 years behind bars for plotting to blow up a historic Colorado synagogue in 2019, authorities said.



Richard Holzer, 28, pleaded guilty in October to federal hate crime and explosives charges for planning to destroy the Temple Emanuel Synagogue in Pueblo, Colorado. He faced up to 20 years in prison for each charge and a fine of up to $250,000.



On Friday, Holzer was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Colorado announced. He is serving time for the two charges concurrently.



Court records show Holzer did not wish to address the court, and he was not imposed a fine because he "has no ability" to pay one.



Details of Holzer's plea deal met the federal definition of domestic terrorism, prosecutors said, "as they involved criminal acts dangerous to human life that were intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population."



"Today's sentence is another step forward in our on-going fight against extremism," U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Jason Dunn said in a statement. "About two-and-a-half years ago, my first day as U.S. Attorney took me to a vigil for victims from the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue attack. Today, my last day in the office, we have sentenced the extremist responsible for the attempted bombing of the Temple Emanuel Synagogue in Pueblo. We must remain ever vigilant in this battle and I am confident the Department will continue to lead this fight."



Holzer admitted to prosecutors last year that he intentionally targeted the congregants of the synagogue and wanted to "get that place off the map," Dunn's office said.



FBI agents foiled the plan and arrested Holzer in November 2019, before he could carry out his plot against the synagogue, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.



Months earlier, undercover agents made contact with Holzer through a Facebook account after he was observed using social media to promote white supremacy ideology and acts of violence, authorities said.



Prosecutors said Holzer sent an undercover agent a picture of himself holding automatic weapons and declared that he wanted to start a racial holy war.



He also told undercover agents that he wanted the bombing to send a message to Jewish people that they must leave his town, "otherwise people will die," prosecutors said.



Holzer coordinated with the undercover agents to obtain explosives. During a meeting on Nov. 1, 2019, the agents provided him with inert pipe bombs and other explosives, which Holzer said he intended to set off hours later, according to prosecutors.



"Mr. Holzer targeted a place of worship for violence and destruction to drive people of the Jewish faith from our community," FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said in a statement. "Today's sentence demonstrates the commitment by the FBI and our law enforcement partners to ensure that if a crime is motivated by bias against a religion or any other federally protected status, it will be aggressively investigated, and the perpetrators held responsible for their actions."



Copyright  2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
The November 9 trilateral statement is aimed at a ceasefire and ending hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)] conflict zone, as well as the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh. Armenias Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian stated this in an interview with RIA Novosti.

"This statement, in fact, outlines the current situation at the time of its adoptionwith the understanding that the issue of the final political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has not been resolved. We assume that only through negotiations can a solution be reached that takes into account the rights of all and will bring peace and stability to the South Caucasus. And such a settlement must be based first of all on the determination of the status of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

The essence of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the issue of the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination. That right cannot be suppressed or frozen by force. Armenia has stood and will continue to stand for the recognition of the people of Artsakhs right to self-determination and security. Artsakh cannot be under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan under any status and under any circumstances. The recent aggression once again confirmed that Artsakh within Azerbaijan will mean Artsakh without Armenians. We all remember the ethnic cleansing organized in the late [19]80s and early [19]90s in major Azerbaijani cities that had no direct connection to Nagorno-Karabakh.

February 27 marks the 33rd anniversary of the pogrom of the Armenian population in Sumgaitwith the participation of the Azerbaijani authorities. The events in Sumgait and the subsequent pogroms in Baku under the slogan Glory to the Heroes of Sumgait, as well as the war crimes and atrocities committed by the Azerbaijani army during the [recent] 44-day war in the occupied territories of Artsakh, particularly in the Hadrut region, are apparent evidence of the fact that only the exercising of the right to self-determination can ensure the life and security of the Armenian population in its own historical homeland.

Regarding the [Karabakh conflict] settlement format, we [the Armenian party to the conflict] have repeatedly stated that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship is the only format with an international mandate, within the framework of which a final political solution to the conflict must be reached. Our position in this regard is unchanged. The key issues of a peaceful settlement are not resolved as of now. This fully coincides with the view of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, which was clearly stated in the December 3, 2020 statement, too.

The [Azerbaijani] aggression against Artsakh, the use of force as a method of resolving the conflict is a challenge to the entire international community, which also undermines the mediation efforts and prestige of the [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chair countries, which are permanent members of the UN Security Council. We really hope that the co-chairs will practically confirm their mandate and effectively lead the peace process.

As for Armenia's recognition of Artsakh as an independent state, Yerevan remains committed to the negotiation process. The very issue of resumption of the peace process is on our agenda today, as a result of which it will be possible to ensure long-term security and stability in our region," the Armenian FM added.
Gov. John Hickenlooper had two points he wanted to get across as he questioned New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland on her nomination for interior secretary Tuesday: protect public lands and keep the Bureau of Land Management headquarters in Colorado.
A former news editor of The Sunday Times who secretly wrote for Sinn Fein newspaper An Phoblacht during the Troubles has explained why he supported the IRA's campaign.

British journalist Roy Greenslade, who now resides in Donegal and is a member of Sinn Fein, used the pseudonym George King when writing for the republican publication.

He stood surety for convicted IRA member John Downey following the Hyde Park bombing in 1982, which saw the deaths of four soldiers of the Blues and Royals and seven horses.

Writing in the British Journalism Review, Mr Greenslade said he decided to address the matter of his "covert political beliefs" because critics continued to make much of his "supposed 'exposure'" as George King.

He outlined that his political journey began in 1968 when he was a sub-editor on the Daily Mail in Manchester, coinciding with the outbreak of the Troubles.

"For a young man from London with zero knowledge of Ireland, including the fact that the country had been partitioned, events in the six northern counties made no sense," wrote Mr Greenslade. "I was not alone." During a tour of Belfast and Londonderry, Mr Greenslade said he was quickly convinced of the civil rights argument after seeing the Bogside and learning of the system of gerrymandering.

He later developed a close friendship with former Sinn Fein vice president and West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty, before his "turning point" - Bloody Sunday.

Mr Greenslade went on to share his "outrage" over the way Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher handled the hunger strike.

"Above my desk, I put up a photo of the first of the 10 to die, Bobby Sands, and it has remained there ever since. I regard him as a hero, as I do all of them."

Despite being convinced by republicanism, he added: "That is not to say, however, that I was not appalled by the carnage."

On writing for An Phoblacht, Mr Greenslade said his contributions were irregular but shared his belief that Britain was "dragging its heels over the IRA's clear wish to make peace". "I do not regard it as dishonest to have written covertly in opposition to the editorial stance of the papers for which I have worked. It was sensible and pragmatic," he added.

Mr Greenslade declined to comment on his article.
1,250 HMRC operatives will be responsible for detecting and investigating those who have fraudulently claimed taxpayers money through schemes such as furlough and the Self Employment Income Support Scheme. Photo: Jack Hill - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to announce a 100m ($139m) major fraud taskforce at next weeks Budget to crack down on criminals exploiting UK government support schemes.

The Taxpayer Protection Taskforce will be staffed by more than 1,250 HMRC operatives. They will be responsible for detecting and investigating those who have fraudulently claimed taxpayers money through schemes such as furlough and the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

The finance minister will unveil the UK-wide taskforce as part of a package of measures to tackle fraud and abuse that will also include raising awareness of enforcement action in order to deter criminal activity.

HMRC currently has a system in place to counteract fraud, in which it works through payment data, PAYE records, other information, and reports from the public to identify potential wrongdoing.

HMRC have opened around 10,000 inquiries into suspected fraudulent activity and have in some instances begun criminal investigations.

However, Sunak has previously come under scrutiny for leaving the furlough and business loans schemes open to exploitation. Criminals are believed to have stolen billions of pounds by posing as legitimate businesses.

Experts have estimated that up to half of the 45bn lent under the Bounce Back Loans scheme may be lost to defaults and fraud.

READ MORE: First-time buyers in UK to get help with new mortgage loans

Our coronavirus support schemes have helped millions of honest, hard-working people  but a small minority have seen this pandemic as an opportunity to defraud the taxpayer, Sunak said.

This will not be tolerated  which is why the new taskforce will crack down on this criminal activity.

During the crisis, fraudulent activity has included businesses furloughing for more people than they employ, and claiming furlough for employees who have continued to work. Other examples include making substantial Eat Out to Help Out claims despite furloughing all workers.

Story continues

Arrests secured by HMRC so far include the arrest of a West Midlands man on suspicion of 495,000 furlough fraud.

WATCH: UK economy to face 'enormous strains' following lockdown

The plans will be revealed on 3 March, when Sunak will deliver his second budget.

He is expected to extend the current COVID-19 support schemes until summer and to unveil a 126m investment to bolster training programmes across England as part of the government's Plan for Jobs. The move will see 40,000 new traineeships created.

A new "flexi-job" apprenticeship programme will also be launched, which will allow apprentices to work with more than one employer across a sector. This will see individuals linked with an agency as opposed to a single employer.

The government has also said that from July, employers will be able to bid for money from a 7m fund to create new agencies. The first flexi-job apprenticeships are expected to commence in January 2022.

WATCH: What UK government COVID-19 support is available?
Mumbai, Feb 27 : Actress Kangana Ranaut on Saturday accused the microblogging platform Twitter of shadow banning her account. Kangana says the Twitter management is scared of her but can't suspend her and hence the shadow ban.

"I am shadow banned cos chacha @jack and his promoters of free speech @Twitter team is scared of me, they can't suspend me but they can't even let me keep exposing them every day, I am not here to catch followers or promote myself I am here for the nation and that hurts them," Kangana tweeted on Saturday.

Earlier on Friday, Kangana took a jibe at her rumoured ex-boyfriend Hrithik Roshan. The actress reacted to a news piece on Twitter that says: "#HrithikRoshan to Appear Before Mumbai's #CrimeBranch on February 27 to Record Statement in Case Against #KanganaRanaut." Reacting to this, Kangana tweeted: "Duniya kahan se kahan pahunch gayi magar mera silly ex abhi bhi waheen hai usi modh pe jahan yeh waqt dobara laut ke nahi jane wala (No matter where the world has moved on but my silly ex is still standing there where time will never return).

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With the House approving a $1.9 trillion coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic relief bill early Saturday, many people have one question on their minds: When will I get my third stimulus check?

The stimulus package, dubbed the American Rescue Plan, still needs to be voted on in the Senate. And President Joe Biden has urged the Senate to move quickly on the legislation that would send direct payments of $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 Senate is likely to vote on the package in the first week of March. But theres one sticking point that is expected to add some debate to the negotiations. Although the bill includes an increase in the federal minimum wage from the current $7.25 per hour to $15, its not likely to pass in the Senate. On Thursday, the Senate said the minimum wage hike would not be in line with budget rules needed to pass bills under the reconciliation process.

If this is the situation, it means the House will vote on a version of the relief bill that includes the minimum wage hike, while the Senates bill will have that omitted. Because of this, the House will need to vote on the bill again after the Senate passes it, Heights Security analyst Hunter Hammond told CBS News.

The Senate could vote on the package as early as late next week. The House would then call a final vote over the weekend of March 6 or during the week of March 8, Hammond told CBS.

But lawmakers are hoping to pass the bill before March 14, which is when the expanded unemployment benefit of $300 per week expires, the report says. The bill increases the extra weekly unemployment benefit from $300 to $400 per week until August 29.

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.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK***

FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER
At the height of the AIDS epidemic, as fear and misinformation about the disease swept across the country, state legislators passed a flurry of laws that criminalized attempts to knowingly expose people to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Many of these laws are still on the books, even as medical advancements have made it possible for people with HIV to live full lives and prevent transmission. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person taking HIV medicine and maintaining an undetectable viral load effectively has no risk of transmitting HIV to an HIV-negative partner through sex. Health officials, including at the CDC, say these laws are causing more harm than good, fueling stigma by singling out people living with HIV and discouraging them from getting tested for the virus.

Now, Virginia is joining a small but growing number of states seeking to modernize these laws. State legislators are expected to pass a bill in the coming days that would, among other things, repeal an existing criminal ban on people living with HIV donating or selling their blood, organs and tissues, as well as a requirement that people convicted of certain crimes be tested for HIV.

But lawmakers are divided over a key component of the legislation - the prosecution of a crime known as "infected sexual battery." Under a 1997 Virginia statute, a person with HIV, syphilis or hepatitis B can be charged with a Class 6 felony, punishable by up to five years of prison, for having sex "with the intent to transmit the infection to another person." The law does not require actual transmission. And given the difficulty in proving intent, critics say the law makes it easy to prosecute people simply for not disclosing their HIV status.

Earlier this month, the Virginia Senate passed a bill that would reduce the criminal penalty from a felony to a misdemeanor. But after resistance from some legislators, a House version of the same bill bumped the penalty back up to a felony. The Senate and the House of Delegates are now in conference to reconcile the differences before a final vote on the bill.

Sen. Jennifer L. McClellan (D-Richmond), one of the state senators who introduced the bill, said the debate is centered on a "myth of this infector out there" intentionally trying to transmit the virus.

"There just is no evidence of a large number of people trying to infect somebody else with HIV," McClellan said. "It plays into the stereotypes around HIV and the stigma around HIV, and I think it shows that there's still not a lot of people who fully understand or talk about HIV."

McClellan and other supporters point to the fact that the law is rarely enforced. Between 2019 and 2020, three people were convicted of felony infected sexual battery and misdemeanor sexual battery, according to the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission, the Roanoke Times reported. While the felony carries up to five years of possible jail time, the misdemeanor offense carries up to 12 months.

McClellan argued that other statutes, including those criminalizing "malicious wounding," can also be used to prosecute rare instances of intentional infection.

Vee Lamneck, executive director of Equality Virginia, said the organization would support only a version of the bill that lowers the penalty to a misdemeanor.

"The threat of a felony penalty is actually enough to deter people from getting tested and knowing their status," Lamneck said. "We see this as a huge public health issue."

As of 2020, 37 states had laws that criminalize HIV exposure, and 21 states had laws requiring people with HIV who are aware of their status to disclose their status to sex partners, according to the CDC. But since 2014, at least six states - California, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina and Washington state - have taken steps to change their HIV criminal laws.

"After over 30 years of HIV research and significant biomedical advancements to treat and prevent HIV transmission, many state laws are now outdated and do not reflect our current understanding of HIV," the CDC said. "In many cases, this same standard is not applied to other treatable diseases. Further, these laws have been shown to discourage HIV testing, increase stigma, and exacerbate disparities."

A report recently released by a racial-equity commission established by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, D, found that Black, non-Hispanic Virginians were almost seven times as likely to be living with HIV at the end of 2015 than White, non-Hispanic people. Hispanic or Latino people were about twice as likely to be living with HIV as White, non-Latino people.

"This disproportionate health representation leads to increased risk in terms of Virginia's criminal HIV laws," the report found.

Among other things, Virginia's bill would remove language from the criminal law specifically referring to HIV, AIDS, hepatitis B and syphilis and instead broaden it to "sexually transmitted infection." The bill would require the person charged to actually have transmitted the infection, rather than having merely intended to transmit it. While the Red Cross says people living with HIV should not donate blood, the bill would decriminalize such donations.

But the provision to lower the criminal penalty from a felony to a misdemeanor has sparked criticism from legislators who said they feared it would put people at risk of intentional infection. State Sen. Mark D. Obenshain, R-Rockingham, said that he agreed with the bill's goal to eliminate stigma around HIV but that "the actual legislation goes way beyond attacking the stigma."

"I find it stunning that we would want to eliminate the felony for what is potentially fatal, deadly conduct," he said. "Presumably the purpose of criminal statutes like this is to prevent it, to discourage it, to stop it. If it is not being used, if it is not happening, I would argue the statute has been very successful and no harm would come from keeping it."

Sen. Siobhan S. Dunnavant, R-Henrico, a practicing OB/GYN, said her opposition to the provision was informed by her experiences telling patients they tested positive for sexually transmitted infections.

"It's emotionally and psychologically devastating," she said. "It's a betrayal of trust, because they generally got it from someone they cared about."

The issue is deeply personal for Deirdre Johnson, a Virginia resident who has been living with HIV for two decades. She first tested positive in 2000, while pregnant. (Her child ultimately tested negative for HIV.) Soon after she moved to Virginia, while six months pregnant, she learned that the state's laws criminalized various sexual behavior that could expose others to HIV.

"It puts a target on our back," she said. "Right now, it's just a matter of a he-said-she-said type of situation. It puts a fear in even wanting to engage in relationships, because even if you disclose that, they can still go back and say that you didn't."

In 2018, Johnson co-founded the group Ending Criminalization of HIV and Overincarceration in Virginia, or ECHO VA. And in recent years, she said, she has heard the stories of many people who felt they were unfairly affected by the state's criminal law, including a clinical social worker who she said lost his license.

"It penalizes those of us who know our status," she said. "We shouldn't have to be penalized for living with HIV."
Mr Francis Asenso Boakye, the Minister-designate for Works and Housing, has commended the Saglemi Housing Project, describing it as a laudable initiative to decongest the capital city, Accra.



He has thus hinted of engaging stakeholders on best financing options to complete the project which has been abandoned since the NPP government assumed power in 2017.



The Bantama MP said he has received briefing on the project and was determined to ensure its completion for the benefit of Ghanaians.



Mr Boakye who made this pledge when he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament in Accra on Wednesday said whatever issues may surround the project, the taxpayers money should not be allowed to go waste.



His assurance comes despite claims by his predecessor, Samuel Atta Akyea, that the contractual agreement for the provision of the 1,500 housing units was fraught with corruption.





Even though whatever flaws in the project needed to be investigated and those found culpable brought to book, he said it had become expedient to complete the project for citizens, especially residents of Accra.



According to him, the 40,000 housing units Ghana produces annually over the years has not been adequate considering the fact that the countrys housing deficits stands at approximately two million units.



This means if we intend to close the gap we have to be producing 200,000 housing units each year.



This is a very huge gap that requires different strategies from what we have been pursuing over the past years, he stated.



This, he said needed governments active intervention, for which the governing New Patriotic Partys 2020 electioneering manifesto pledge would be implemented.



For some time now we have not had a clear institutional framework that will guide the implementation of housing policies in the country.



There is, therefore, the need to establish a national housing authority for the planning and management of housing delivery.



With this, the authority, he said, would be tasked with creating land banks and providing infrastructure and utilities to be called serviced sites.



Under such an arrangement, he said government would absorb the cost of the land, infrastructure and utilities, which comprise about 50 per cent of the cost of building a house.



By this, the cost of building a house would have reduced by 50 per cent.



A New Rent Act



He hinted that government would amend the Rent Act to allow home owners take as much as a years advance payment from their tenants.



This is because provisions in the existing Act, Act 1963, which limits home owners to a maximum of six months advance, has been unrealistic as a result of demand and supply in the housing space.



He said the intended amended Act would have considered all prevailing economic conditions in the country and interest of the tenant and the home owner and that it would be enforced vigorously.







Source: The Ghanaian Times









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

An Arklow councillor has expressed concern that a lack of sufficient water depth at Arklow Harbour and Wicklow Port may make the county less competitive for some work associated with the development of offshore wind farms.

Councillor Peir Leonard said that 'historically Arklow and Wicklow ports had a dredging regime that kept the river basin at a sufficient depth to enable a variety of marine related businesses to operate.'

She has now called for the potential for additional dredging to be explored to help the county benefit from the opportunities offered by the burgeoning offshore wind industry.

'There are growing concerns from experienced maritime sector voices across the two ports that Wicklow needs to up its game and immediately secure the relevant licenses together with adequate funding to ensure both Arklow and Wicklow ports are ready and open and for offshore business,' said Cllr Leonard.

'Arklow has much secondary businesses like engineering companies who will all be negatively affected.'

Cllr Leonard suggested the plans for the Arklow Flood Relief Scheme could be reviewed to consider lowering the river basin to sufficient depths to facilitate business. This would also reduce the need for the installation of a concrete wall, which could obscure the Avoca River and respond to concerns from the community, Cllr Leonard added.

Expand Close Cllr Peir Leonard / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Cllr Peir Leonard

The independent councillor raised the issue of dredging of Arklow Harbour and Wicklow Port during the February meeting of Arklow Municipal District, where Councillors also received an update on the proposed new harbour rates and called for consultation with harbour users on the new tariffs.

Separately, the vacant Harbour Master Assistant position at Arklow Harbour has been filled and additional staff allocated.

Cllr Leonard welcomed the development, pointing out she had consistently raised this issue with the local authority. She said the development by SSE Renewables of the onshore hub at Arklow Harbour and the potential for funding for the regeneration of the area means Arklow Harbour is 'transitioning in the right way now at long last'.

'We have an amazing bunch of aquaculture and marine businesses leading the way in their sectors but they need a home,' she added, stating her hope 'that at long last the tide is turning for Arklow Harbour'.
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In .

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In.
The minimum investment required is Rs 5,000. The expense ratio of the underlying fund as well as the feeder fund combined is capped at 2.25 per cent per annum under SEBI rules

SBI Mutual Fund has launched its first international fund offering that will invest in US stocks

SBI Mutual Fund has launched its first international fund offering that will invest in US stocks. Although some of the domestic schemes of the SBI MF, such as SBI Focused Equity already invest some part of their portfolio in international stocks, this new scheme will feed into the Amundi Funds - US Pioneer Fund.

The Amundi Funds, which is based in Luxembourg, has delivered returns of 16.27 per cent (CAGR) in euro terms, beating its benchmark S&P 500 Index return of 16.16% (as of 31st January 2021), Livemint reported. The underlying fund has a size of $2.5 billion.

The fund is targeted at high-net-worth investors, seasoned investors, young investors, and hedge funds, said DP Singh, Chief Business Officer, SBI Mutual Fund.

The minimum investment required is Rs 5,000. The expense ratio of the underlying fund as well as the feeder fund combined is capped at 2.25 per cent per annum under SEBI rules.

It must be noted that Rupee depreciation against the US dollar enhances the returns of international mutual funds. The SBI highlighted that Indian Rupee depreciated by 3.29 per cent against the US dollar on average annually (a rolling 3-year CAGR basis).

Further, the country's largest lender added that the IT sector holds the majority proportion of the underlying fund at a weight of 37.3 per cent, followed by consumer discretionary stocks at 15 per cent. Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, and Visa are the five largest holdings in the underlying fund (as of January 31).

Also read: Mukesh Ambani is Asia's richest person again, overtakes Chinese billionaire Zhong Shanshan

Also read: Petrol nears Rs 100 in Mumbai, Jaipur, above Rs 91 in Delhi; check latest fuel rates
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In .

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-28 03:30:01|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

RABAT, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 483,410 on Saturday as 416 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Health, the death toll mounted to 8,615 as 7 COVID-19 patients died in the last 24 hours.

The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 468,807 after 420 new ones were added, while 433 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 97 percent.

Meanwhile, 3,435,997 people have been vaccinated so far against COVID-19 in the country.

The North African country launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Jan. 28 after the arrival of the first shipment of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines. Enditem
Opposition demonstrators during a rally to pressure Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign (Hrant Khachatryan/PAN Photo via AP)

Around 15,000 protesters calling for the resignation of Armenias prime minister have marched through the capital.

Pressure is increasing on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan after the countrys president rejected his order to dismiss the chief of the military general staff.

Protests against Mr Pashinyan arose in November after he signed a ceasefire ending a six-week war with Azerbaijan over the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The agreement saw Armenia lose control of territories in Azerbaijan it had held for more than 25 years.

Top military officers this week joined in demanding Mr Pashinyans resignation, a move that he called an attempted coup. He ordered the dismissal of the chief of the general staff, but the order was subject to approval by Armenias largely ceremonial president.

Expand Close Protesters in Yerevan, Armenia (Hrant Khachatryan/PAN Photo via AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Protesters in Yerevan, Armenia (Hrant Khachatryan/PAN Photo via AP)

President Armen Sarkissian sent the order back to Mr Pashinyan on Saturday, saying he could not give approval because he considered parts of the decree to be in violation of the constitution.

At the protest rally, opposition politician Naira Zograbyan, who was once a journalist at a newspaper owned by Mr Pashinyan, denounced the prime minister.

This is not a military coup. This is a revolution of thought, reason, love, which will win, she said.

The political crisis is being watched closely, particularly in Russia and Turkey, which compete for influence in the South Caucasus region.

The South Caucasus has strategic importance as a bridge between Europe and Asia and major pipelines transporting Azerbaijani oil to the West pass through the region.
Big Tech Aiding Beijing in Its Push for Global Dominance, Sen. Blackburn Says

Big tech companies are aiding the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in achieving its goal of being a global superpower, said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) during day two of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)the largest annual conservative conference.

Blackburn was speaking Friday afternoon about freedom of speech in the United States and abroad, when she started bringing up the relationship between Big Tech companies in the United States and the CCP.

China is trying to cancel the United States of America, Blackburn added. China and Big Tech, they have a cozy relationship. They have been allowing the Chinese Communist Party to spew all of their information.

Conform or they will cancel you, sounds a lot like communist China doesnt it, she said. This why we have to keep blocking Huawei, which is the spy network for Big Tech, theyre trying to build a virtual you online.

While Chinese citizens are blocked from accessing Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms, CCP officials and state media accounts have access to Twitter, Facebook, and more. Twitter only started labelling accounts as affiliated with state-media as of August 2020.

In June last year, Twitter announced that they had removed more than 170,000 accounts tied to a Beijing-backed influence operation that deceptively spread messages favorable to the Chinese regime, including some about the CCP virus, commonly known the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19.

The company suspended a core network of 23,750 highly active accounts, as well as a larger network of about 150,000 amplifier accounts used to boost the core accounts content, according to Reuters.

Big Tech is aiding and abetting the Chinese Communist Party in their push for global dominance, Blackburn said. And we are going to have to stand against it.

At one point during her remarks, Blackburn started speaking out broadly against human rights abuses and other abuses committed by the regime in China.

China is carrying out human rights violations against the Hong Kong freedom fighters, Tibet, Taiwan, she said.

Theyve got the Uyghurs enslaved in encampments, internment centers, Blackburn added. Look at what they do to the economy, to American innovators,they rob, replicate, replace.

The Trump administration determined that the Chinese regime has committed genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghur Muslims in the region of Xinjiang, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Jan. 19.

The move, made on the eve of President Joe Bidens inauguration, marked one of the Trump administrations toughest measures to condemn the CCPs severe human rights abuses domestically.

They are trying to steal the minds of our children and our college students with Confucius institutes, Blackburn added.

Confucius Institutes, overseen with heavy involvement from the United Front Work Department, have generated controversy for more than a decade for their effects on academic freedom and influence on universities, according to a Strategic Policy Institute report. The United Front unit coordinates with thousands of groups to carry out foreign political influence operations, suppress dissident movements, gather intelligence, and facilitate the transfer of other countries technology to China, according to the report.

China has claimed that the aim of the institutes is purely to strengthen Chinese language learning and culture.
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 process technology developed by the Council Of Scientific and Industrial ResearchIndian Institute Of Chemical Technology for the agonist molecule is playing an important role in the production of adjuvant for Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, the CSIR said on Friday.

"The vaccine is formulated with Algel-IMDG, which contains chemisorbed TLR7/8 agonist onto aluminium hydroxide gel to generate the requisite type of immune responses," the CSIR said in a statement.

Owing to the significant role played by TLR7/8 agonist molecule in the performance of a vaccine, CSIR constituent lab, IICT based in Hyderabad, was approached by to develop the synthetic route for the agonist molecule with indigenous chemicals at an affordable price and with highest purity. This agonist molecule has aided in scaling up the production of the adjuvant, the statement added.

The project, which was spearheaded by Chandrasekhar, the director, and Raji Reddy, senior scientist from IICT, has been completed in four months, the CSIR said.

Also, a CSIR-IICT team lead by Mohana Krishna Mudiam, the senior principal scientist and professor (AcCSIR), played a key role in the development of analytical method for testing TLR7/8 agonist molecule and its method validation procedures through NABL accredited lab, it added.

"The process technology developed by CSIR-IICT for the agonist molecule is playing an important role in the production of adjuvant for COVAXIN," the statement quoting Krishna Ella, the chairman and managing director of 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.)
Mohammed Bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, approved the murder and dismembering of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to a declassified US intelligence report released last night, but was spared from a new round of sanctions.

The report asserts that the prince, known as MBS, directed the assassination in which Mr Khashoggi, a writer for the Washington Post and a US resident, was lured to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018, then killed and cut into pieces.

The US treasury department announced sanctions against more than a dozen Saudis implicated in the murder after the long-awaited report was released yesterday, but the Biden administration did not go so far as to directly punish the de facto ruler of the kingdom himself.

We assess that Saudi Arabias crown prince... approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the four-page report, released by the Office for the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), found.

The report said the crown prince had absolute control of the kingdoms security and intelligence organisations, making it highly unlikely that Saudi officials would have carried out an operation of this nature without the his authorisation.

The killing also fit a pattern of the crown princes support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, the report added.

Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, yesterday declared a new Khashoggi ban, which would see the US bar entry to foreigners who threaten dissidents, beginning with 76 Saudi individuals implicated in the journalists death.

We have made absolutely clear that extraterritorial threats and assaults by Saudi Arabia against activists, dissidents and journalists must end, Mr Blinken said in a statement.

They will not be tolerated by the United States, he added.

Mr Khashoggi, who had written pieces critical of the Saudi regime in his weekly column and was living in self-exile, was suffocated by a 15-man team of Saudis who had travelled to Istanbul in the days before the killing. The 59-year-olds body has never been discovered. The crown prince viewed Khashoggi as a threat to the kingdom and broadly supported using violent measures if necessary to silence him, the US report stated.

Although Saudi officials had pre-planned an unspecified operation against Khashoggi we do not know how far in advance Saudi officials decided to harm him, the ODNI added, claiming that it was not aware of the plot ahead of time.

The report also confirmed the involvement of a number of Saudi officials in the crown princes inner circle, including Saud al-Qahtani, the royal courts media adviser, and Ahmad al-Assiri, the deputy intelligence chief, who were both exonerated in a closed-door trial.

Last night, Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, urged the US to impose sanctions against the Crown Prince as it has done for the other perpetrators.

Just one month after the murder of Mr Khashoggi, the CIA concluded with high confidence that Prince Mohammed had ordered the killing, but the declassification of their report was blocked by Donald Trump, who was president at the time. The 35-year-old prince has accepted Saudi Arabias responsibility in the killing, but has always denied a personal link. However, determined to maintain strong relations with Riyadh, Mr Trump refused to publicly hold the Saudi strongman responsible, even as the US government demanded the perpetrators be punished.

Ron Wyden, the Democratic senator for Oregon, yesterday praised the administration for releasing the report but said evidence of their findings should be released. Theres no question in my mind there is considerably more to declassify here, he said.

The decision marks a reassessment of relations between Washington and the oil-rich kingdom, which has been its closest Arab ally in the Middle East for decades.

Joe Biden must now navigate a complicated relationship with the US ally that remains a key geostrategic partner and the largest purchaser of American-made weapons in the world.

Mr Biden has already ordered a review of US arms sales to Saudi Arabia and is reportedly considering a ban on all non-defensive purchases.

This will be a different relationship with the Saudi government, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, told reporters yesterday.

The move is in line with campaign pledges made by Mr Biden, who has sought to ensure that US weapons are not used to further the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen, where its conflict with the Iranian-aligned Houthis has resulted in thousands of deaths.

It came a day after the Biden administration ordered its first airstrikes on Iran-backed militias in Syria, which it said was in response to attacks against US and coalition personnel in Iraq.

The president has been exploring ways of reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. However, the strikes send a clear message to Tehran that it is not willing to ignore aggression by its proxies in the region.



Read More

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.

Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. High 83F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 59F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
We spoke to William Castillo, vice minister of anti-blockade policies, about the passage of an anti-blockade law in September 2020.

by Vijay Prashad and Manolo De Los Santos

On February 21, 2021, Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro made a statement in honor of the 173rd anniversary of the publication of The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. The statement was made as part of the international Red Books Day, an initiative of leftist publishers to uphold the ideas of the left against a barrage of attacks by the extreme right. Humanity, Maduro said, needs to advance toward a social system that puts people before profit and peace before war. I say this, he said, as a worker, as a bus driver, as a trade unionist and as a member of the Venezuelan working class. His statement further indicated that what is needed to confront the blockade of Venezuela by the U.S.-driven hybrid war and to advance society toward socialism is unity, an all-encompassing, inclusive, broad spirit, bringing together all the progressive, revolutionary forces that fight for socialism and humanity.

The next day, Maduro drove his staff by busa bus driver againto celebrate his 30 years in politics. I am still the same man, he said, with the same feelings of love and loyalty to the people. But the context of Venezuelan politics has been greatly altered over these 30 years. In the 1990s, Maduro was part of the working-class struggle that gathered around the leadership of Hugo Chavez and that would ultimately prevail in an election in 1998 and would open up the process known as the Bolivarian Revolution. Attacks against this process began immediately, with a failed U.S.-inspired coup attempt in 2002. There has not been a day when Venezuelas revolution has been able to rest easy; although the United States government put sanctions against Venezuela since 2005, it was not until 2015 that this illegal sanctions regime effectively became a blockade of the country. Falling oil prices, a lack of access to finance, the inability to trade with the outside world, and the constant threat of political destabilization and invasion have trapped Venezuela in cycles of crises.

Not Justified Under International Law

In early February 2021, Venezuela received a visit from Alena Douhan, the United Nations special rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights. Douhan, who is from Belarus, met with government officials, opposition leaders and human rights organizations and visited hospitals, schools and factories. Before Douhan left Caracas, she released her preliminary findings at a press conference on February 12: this report is preliminary because a fuller version will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2021.

Douhans preliminary report provides the facts of the harsh impact of the sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union on Venezuela, which exacerbate the crisis produced by the collapse of oil prices in 2014. The Governments revenue, she writes, was reported to shrink by 99 percent with the country currently living on 1 percent of its pre-sanctions income. As a result of this demise of Venezuelas finances, the country faces a lack of necessary machinery, spare parts, electricity, water, fuel, gas, food and medicine. Venezuelan assets frozen in United States, United Kingdom and Portuguese banks amount to $6 billion, she says.

The social impact of this strangulation is stark, and Douhan does not shy away from the implications. The report states that in the past six years, 2.5 million Venezuelans have slipped into food insecurity, while electricity generation levels have fallen to 20 percent. Douhan writes: Coping mechanisms include a decrease of the number of meals per day (1 or 2 instead of 3); reduced quantity and quality of food; de-capitalization/selling of household assets to eat; and reduced health, clothing and education expenses; with correlated increases in family crises, tensions, violence and separations; child labor; involvement in the gray economy; criminal activity, including drug and human trafficking; forced labor; and migration. Government measures to fight against hunger have been constrained by a lack of resources.

Douhans report clearly points to the sanctions as the main instrument for this social crisis in Venezuela. These policies, she writes, are against all the axioms of international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. On December 10, 2020, Douhan had released guidance on sanctions and COVID-19, in which she suggested that humanitarian exemptions remain ineffective, inefficient and inadequate. In her preliminary report on Venezuela, Douhan repeats the point that the humanitarian exemptions are ineffective and insufficient, but adds that they are subject to lengthy and costly procedures, and do not cover the delivery of spare parts, equipment and machinery necessary for maintenance and restoration of the economy and public services.

Essentially, the UN special rapporteur calls for the lifting of all sanctions against Venezuela. The European Union did not blink but, instead, added 19 Venezuelan officials to its sanctions list (Venezuela consequently expelled the EU ambassador). U.S. President Joe Bidens team has said that his administration would retain Donald Trumps sanctions and no contact policy against Venezuela. Biden might, however, allow Venezuela to conduct crude-for-diesel swaps with oil firms, although there is no formal move in this direction.

Anti-Blockade Law

It is impossible for a government to be cavalier about such a deep social crisis. On a regular basis, the various social forces in Venezuela take to the streets to protest the blockade and to strengthen the political will through this period of protracted crisis. Even during the pandemic, there has been a heightened political awareness through online and offline manifestations and events. But such political mobilization by itself does not feed a population that has cut between one and two meals a day.

We spoke to William Castillo, vice minister of anti-blockade policies, about the passage of an anti-blockade law in September 2020. The sanctions policy, Castillo told us while Douhan was in Caracas, is increasing the suffocation of the people. The United States and EU sanctions policy has two faces: direct sanctions against firms and people who trade with the Venezuelan government, and indirect sanctions that penalize those who do business with those who violate the direct sanctions. This latter has produced what is known as overcompliance, and it is a kind of blackmail, Castillo told us.

The anti-blockade law, Castillo said, is temporary, and it seeks to shield those who do business with Venezuela from the United States and EU sanctions. The anti-blockade law essentially aims to activate all the productive forces in the countryboth public and privateto revive the economy. It is nonsense and demagogic to say that we have turned toward a privatization policy, Castillo said, when we are giving all sectors the capacity to break the blockade.

Experimental policies of all sorts are on the table: digital payments for public transport, a new tax system on foreign currency transactions, increased taxes on Venezuelas wealthy residents, and stimulation of agriculture.

Venezuela will continue to rely upon its oil industry until it is able to reorient its entire economy, a process that began in the 2000s. Without resources for the country, Castillo told us, there can be no redistributive social policies. Even with the blockade, the Venezuelan state continues to devote 70 percent of its income to social policy. Part of this money went toward building more than 3 million homes for the people, keeping more than 10 million children in the public school system, and providing subsidized food to 6 million families. How much more we would be able to do, Castillo said, if we could recover our income that has been stolen and blocked!

This article was produced by Globetrotter.

Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter. He is the chief editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is a senior non-resident fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. He has written more than 20 books, including The Darker Nations and The Poorer Nations. His latest book is Washington Bullets, with an introduction by Evo Morales Ayma.

Manolo De Los Santos is a researcher and a political activist. For 10 years, he worked in the organization of solidarity and education programs to challenge the United States regime of illegal sanctions and blockades. Based out of Cuba for many years, Manolo has worked toward building international networks of peoples movements and organizations. In 2018, he became the founding director of the Peoples Forum in New York City, a movement incubator for working-class communities to build unity across historic lines of division at home and abroad. He also collaborates as a researcher with Tricontinental: Institute of Social Research and is a Globetrotter/Peoples Dispatch fellow.


Saturday Night Takeaway fans were up in arms when a contestant lost out on a cash prize due to an unfortunate time delay.

Viewers demanded justice after hosts Ant and Dec told the player she had sung the lyrics of Dolly Parton's hit 9 to 5 incorrectly during the show's Sing-a-long live segment.

However, after later reviewing the footage, the presenters, both 45, did a U-turn and awarded her the prize of 500.

Oh dear! Saturday Night Takeaway fans were up in arms when a contestant lost out on a cash prize due to an unfortunate time delay

The error came as the duo welcomed the cast of 9 to 5: The Musical into the studio, with contestants at home tasked with correctly singing the lyrics to the song 9 to 5 in order to win a cash prize.

One lady called Dionne was up first and looked aghast as they informed her that she had messed up the line after failing to sing the word 'giving'.

However, viewers at home strongly disagreed, taking to Twitter to complain that there was a time delay as they demanded Dionne be given her money.

Support: Viewers demanded justice after hosts Ant and Dec told the player she had sung the lyrics of Dolly Parton's hit 9 to 5 incorrectly during the show's Sing-a-long live segment

'@antanddec there was clearly a delay with the first ladys sound, she definitely knew the word!' fumed one person.

While another said: 'Give the first lady some money too..... there was a delay in the sound, she did say GIVING.'

'The first lady definitely got the lyrics right and said giving. Give her the money! She won!' demanded a third watcher.

Rectified: However, after later reviewing the footage, the presenters, both 45, did a U-turn and awarded her the prize of 500

A fourth tweeted: '@antanddec she got it right. There was a sound delay. So devastated for her!!!!!'

'Am I the only person who thinks the first contestant said the right word giving? There was obviously a delay, but she got right. Hand over the money ITV!...' questioned another.

With a further person writing: 'come on that First Lady was correct she said #giving I even rewound the tv and she clearly said it just because she was tv lag as most people are doesnt mean she shouldnt have the prize she deserves #unfair gaming.'

Sing-a-long: The error came as the duo welcomed the cast of 9 to 5: The Musical into the studio, with contestants at home tasked with correctly singing the lyrics to the song 9 to 5 in order to win a cash prize

Incorrect? One lady called Dionne was up first and looked aghast as they informed her that she had messed up the line after failing to sing the word 'giving'

However, just half an hour later, Ant and Dec realised the mistake after having 'reviewed the footage'.

The pair did a U-turn and rectified the issue, awarding Dionne the 500 prize.

The ecstatic contestant was seen cheering along with her family on the sofa after realising she was a winner after all.

Up in arms: However, viewers at home strongly disagreed, taking to Twitter to complain that there was a time delay as they demanded Dionne be given her money

The move certainly impressed fans at home, who were quick to praise Ant and Dec for giving the player her money.

'Yesssss thank you @antanddec and @itvtakeaway for giving her the money for sing a long live, my faith in you has been restored' shared one person.

Another said: 'Ant and Dec giving her the money she deserves.'

Mistake: Just half an hour later, Ant and Dec realised the mistake after having 'reviewed the footage'. The pair did a U-turn and rectified the issue, awarding Dionne the 500 prize

'Well done for giving the First Lady the 500' tweeted a third watcher,

With another agreeing: 'Well done for giving Dionne the money, she did get the line right, not her fault the music was out of sync.'

Saturday Night Takeaway continues Saturday at 7pm on ITV.
Robert Hoey has resigned from his seat on the Lowell School Committee days after saying an anti-Semitic slur on Lowell public access television, the school districts superintendent said.

Superintendent Joel Boyd said in a statement that he had received the resignation Friday and forwarded it to the citys mayor with a recommendation that it be accepted immediately.

Words and actions have consequences, and public officials must be held to the highest of standards, Boyd said. As painful as this incident was, its essential that we learn and grow from this experience to emerge even stronger. Our students and families are counting on us and I am confident that we can deliver on our commitment, together, as one district, one community, one Lowell.

A video clip of a live episode of City Life, a show that airs on Lowell public access television shows Hoey using the slur in describing the person who used to handle the budget.

The incident led Lowell Mayor John Leahy to call for a special joint meeting of the Lowell School Committee and City Council to consider his motion for the immediate resignation of Hoey.

Thank you to every member of our community who spoke out against this hateful act - there is no place in Lowell, or in any community, for bigotry in any form, Boyd wrote in his statement Saturday. Though former Committee Member Hoey no longer holds public office, moving forward, we must remain a united front because the work is not done.

Several minutes after using the slur, Hoey offered an explanation, saying, I said a bad name, and I shouldnt say those nasty names about people, according to the Boston Globe.

Hoey described himself on the television show as an Archie Bunker, a reference to the bigoted conservative character on the 1970s sitcom All in the Family, according to the newspaper.

A dehumanizing antisemitic slur like this is not only deeply offensive to members of the Jewish community, it is damaging to members of all communities, particularly those who have been similarly targeted. And as a community we must acknowledge that this is not an isolated incident, Boyd said.

Boyd wrote that though Hoeys resignation is a first step, the resignation does not solve issues of bigotry and systematic racism in the community.

In the days ahead, we must collectively commit to the ongoing work of engaging in courageous conversations - and truly bind together as a community to eradicate all forms of antisemitism, racism, anti-immigrant sentiment and bias-based conduct, Boyd said.

Related Content:
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  I thought we were all in this coronavirus fight together.

You wouldnt know it by how Staten Island is being more and more left behind when it comes to COVID-19 testing and vaccination resources doled out by the state and the city.

Were again back to forgotten borough status. And it all lands squarely on the desks of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Staten Island no longer has a city-run virus testing site on the South Shore.

Catholic Charities had been giving the city space for testing facilities at Mount Loretto, but the organization now needs that space back.

There are city-run mobile testing vans at Conference House Park in Tottenville and at Wolfes Pond Park in Huguenot, but that setup is no substitute for the commitment that a stand-alone facility represents to a community.

And Conference House doesnt offer rapid testing, which is the gold standard as society begins to re-open and rapid tests are being required before people can go weddings, sporting events and concerts.

There have been vague mentions of Tottenville High School becoming a vaccination site, but nothings definite yet. Well keep our fingers crossed, just the way we waited week after week for the city mass vaccination site at Empire Outlets to finally open.

There is also no city-run vaccination hub on the South Shore. And no state-run vaccination centers on Staten Island. Theres no 24/7 vaccination site here.

So much for the Recovery for All of Us that de Blasio brags about every day at his press conferences. A nice tagline. If only it applied to all five boroughs.

For months, Cuomo and de Blasio have said that neighborhoods that suffered the most harm during the coronavirus pandemic would be targeted for COVID resources.

Staten Island certainly qualifies. Remember how Cuomo scolded us day after day during the holiday surge when the Island had one of the top infection rates in the state?

Remember those days when a number of ZIP codes on Staten Island were in the citys top 10 of neighborhoods with the highest test positivity rates? Remember how Tottenvilles numbers particularly bad back in November?

TOTTENVILLE COVID SURGE: NYC day of action to battle coronavirus on Staten Island as cases rise borough-wide; DOJ to investigate Trumps claims of voter fraud, and S.I. Yankees are no more. (Hot Zone) Posted by Staten Island Advance on Tuesday, November 10, 2020

We got hit hard. But instead of being treated like a community that needs extra help, it feels more like were being blamed for our high infection rates.

It wasnt hard to read between the lines as Cuomo harangued us day after day: Staten Islanders arent doing the right thing. Theyre not taking precautions. The Trump-voting South Shore made its bed, now it has to lie in it. Thats the message.

We got treated like Florida or other red states that Cuomo thundered against last summer.

Remember too that all this occurred as Cuomo increasingly became a protest pinata outside of Macs Public House and other spots on the Island where there were rallies against COVID lockdowns.

Cuomo and de Blasio have been focused on minority neighborhoods that were also hit hard by the virus. Fair enough. They deserve resources. But so does Staten Island. Theres vaccine disparity going on here.

Its particularly puzzling to see this from Cuomo after the governor was so quick to give Staten Island a drive-through testing site in Ocean Breeze last year. Cuomo also helped spearhead increased COVID hospital capacity through Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze.

The governor was there for Staten Island in the early days of COVID, when de Blasio wasnt. Where did our love go?

Heres one suggestion: Make room for drive-through vaccinations at the vast Ocean Breeze testing site. Or is that too obvious?

Vaccine makers have pledged that hundreds of millions of doses will be available in coming months. Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca are headed for approval for their vaccines.

Supply isnt going to be a problem. Cuomo and de Blasio have to make sure that all Staten Islanders have access to the vaccine. We need a widespread effort that covers all Staten Islanders.

We deserve nothing less.
America First Doctrine Here to Stay Says Richard Grenell

Even though one of the biggest champions of America First policies, former President Donald Trump, has left office, the doctrine itself is here to stay, according to Richard Grenell, former Acting Director of U.S. National Intelligence.

Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 27, Grenell credited Trump for successfully realigning U.S. foreign policy with the interests of the American people and argued that this realignment was so well-received by the public that it is bound to live on through the actions of the current administration.

The doctrine of America First is here to stay, Grenell said. Even in the first month of a new administration, America First electoral popularity and strategic accomplishments ensure that it no longer belongs to a single party or politician, he added, presumably referring to some of the America First-flavored actions taken by the Biden administration.

Just days after taking office, President Joe Biden signed a Made in America executive order seeking to increase purchases of products made in the United States, chiefly by tightening rules around federal procurement and giving the government a bigger role in supporting U.S. businesses. The action makes it harder for federal agencies to buy imported products by raising local-content requirements, cracking down on waivers that allow exemptions to current Buy American Act rules, and tightening implementation of the new efforts.

Trump ran in 2016 on an explicitly America First agenda, with a landmark foreign policy speech in April of that year widely interpreted as harkening a pullback from the interventionist policies of his predecessors. After he was elected, the practical elements of Trumps doctrine became clearer. On an economic front, he pursued policies that sought to prioritize the interests of American workers by trying to force transnational corporations to reshore their supply chains, and by seeking to protect them from unfair foreign competition both from low-wage centers like China and from illegal immigration that drove down wages.

Once unleashed, this doctrine has shown it wont easily be tossed aside, Grenell said. The American people demanded a part in the democratic process of formulating foreign policy. Once they got it, they wont ever let it go. Ever.

Trumps America First doctrine also sought to limit engagement in what he often referred to as endless wars, and renegotiate international trade and defense pacts to get a better deal for the United States.

Previous administrations have tried to limit the American peoples participation in deciding what kind of foreign policy this country should pursue. They delegated it to unelected technocrats and career bureaucrats with the help of lobbyists and others with financial interests overseas, Grenell said.

There is still a group of foreign policy professionals who want to restore this old way of doing things. They tell us we cant understand the complicated issues, he said. They tell us other countries will fail and fall if we dont send more U.S. troops. They tell us they can solve our problems by creating more government programs.

But they lie to us, and they think we dont see it, he said.

Grenell argued that a creative, outsider approach allowed for successful renegotiation of trade agreements under Trump that made our relationship[s] fairer and better and led to breakthroughs in areas long stuck in a diplomatic standstill, like the Abraham Accord normalization deals between Israel and Arab states that were negotiated with the help of the White House.

The lesson here is that the outsiders always have something to say, always something to contribute, Grenell said.

In his speech, Grenell also hinted at a possible run for California governor, saying has never seen a better case for a recall than the bid to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.

And of course, if a public official is still failing to deliver on their promises, and if you cant limit their term or recall them in time, theres always one other option: you can run against them yourself, Grenell said at the end of his speech.

Epoch Times contributor Roger L. Simon, in an op-ed, hailed the prospect that Grenell may be mulling a gubernatorial challenge to Newsom.

Grenell has had an amazing career, starting at the United Nations, going through his ambassadorship to Germany where he was virtually the only person to face down Angela Merkel and restrain her on Iran and then his important stint as acting Director of National Intelligence, Simon wrote.

But could a Republican actually win the governorship in Wokeland in this day and age? Beats me, but if anyone could, it would be Ric, he wrote.

People are fleeing for Red States (Please dont bring your politics with you), he wrote, adding, Someones got to fix it.
New system suggested to clamp down on dog fouling

Louth County Council has undertaken to investigate a radical suggestion on how to identify owners of dogs who foul the streets.

Cllr Pio Smith said the local authority should consider setting up a DNA database of dogs as part of the licencing process.

A DNA test could be done on dog dirt and this dirt then returned to the dog owners.

'What we are doing simply isn't working. I expect this would solve the problem quickly. The cost of DNA testing could be built into the fine.'

Cllr Smith added this has been done in London, France and Spain and resulted in a 70-90% reduction in the problem. The costs involved were minimal.

Director of Services Catherine Duff replied she would discuss DNA testing with the Veterinary Officer and come back with his thoughts.

Cllr Emma Coffey said there had been an increase in dog fouling on all walking trails.

She also highlighted a rise in attacks by dogs on livestock and said farmers' livelihoods were on the line.

The Fianna Fail representative continued that some owners were not taking responsibility for their dogs which should be under control at all times.

For tackling dog fouling Cllr Michelle Hall said the council should look at 'negative and positive enforcement'.

She suggested that when an owner got a dog licence, they also receive bags as a little more incentive to pick up after their animals.

Cllr Liam Reilly described dog fouling as a scourge in urban and rural areas.

He referenced the clean-up work carried out in this regard by Tidy Towns groups and spoke of previous initiatives undertaken by the council which he would be happy to assist with.

Ms Duff responded that unless getting witness statements it was very difficult to impose fines which was a nationwide issue.

She said she would look at raising awareness when dog licences were being issued.
When the day arrives for restaurant operations to return to normal,  whatever that will look like  one thing is almost certain. Those dining out will find themselves facing higher menu prices.

The many food production and distribution bottlenecks the pandemic has created have already driven up wholesale and retail food prices, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture reporting that food prices increase 3.5% last, almost double the 20-year average rate.

Minimum wage legislation working its way through the U.S. Congress will likely have a substantial impact on restaurant labor costs, especially for those operations that rely on tip credit provisions to set wage rates for tipped employees.

Now another cost increase is on the horizon as credit card companies and processors are preparing to increase swipe costs, the charges they levy on restaurants and retailers when customers pay with debit or credit cards.

More formally known as interchange fees, these fees are set by the major credit card networks and typically run about 2% of the total purchase charged.

Though neither Visa nor MasterCard have provided many specifics about the changes in their fees they plan to make, restaurants and retailers will have to recover the cost of the increases that do occur. To do so those merchants will inevitably need to increase the prices we all pay, whether we use plastic or cash when doing so.

Side dishes

Leones Restaurant in Springfield is now offering a cauliflower crust pizza special. Its made with a gluten-free, low carb cauliflower crust and is topped with mozzarella and grilled chicken, then garnished with arugula, red onion, sliced cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and a drizzle of olive oil.

The cauliflower crust pizza is available for dine in, pickup, or local delivery. Contact Leones at (413) 783-4363 for more details.

Paul & Elizabeths Restaurant in Northampton has teamed up with Berkshore, a Northampton-based seafood wholesaler, to make available a menu of Lenten seafood meals.

Berkshore is supplying the kitchen at Paul & Elizabeths with Faroe Island salmon, sea scallops, cod, flounder, swordfish and more. For its part, that kitchen transforms what Berkshore supplies with skilled preparation techniques and a host of flavorings.

The restaurant has a dedicated menu for curbside pickup and delivery at their web site, paulandelizabeths.com. The restaurant answers at (413) 584-4832.

Taco Bell is about to make an exploratory foray into the chicken sandwich wars as it tests a Fried Chicken Sandwich Taco in selected markets.

The sandwich item as currently constituted features chicken strips marinated in jalapeno buttermilk, seasoned with a special spice blend, and coated with tortilla chips crumbs. The bun is a puffy bread shaped like a taco shell; a creamy chipotle sauce finishes the item.

A spicy version of the Fried Chicken Sandwich Taco comes garnished with slices of jalapeno.

No timetable for a chain-wide rollout of the Fried Chicken Sandwich Taco has been announced.

Hanna Devines Restaurant in Ware has brought back a popular menu of Fried Fish Favorites, making them available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during Lent.

Selections include whole belly clams, fried scallops, and fried shrimp. A SCAM plate brings together clam strips and dry-pack scallops along with the customary sides of French fries and coleslaw.

A fish & chips option is available, and Hannas Fishermens Platter delivers a bit of every sort of seafood in stock.

Hanna Devines is open Wednesday through Sunday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and also serves breakfast on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. on. The telephone number is (413) 277-0707.

Another of the regions independently owned restaurants has elected to take the winter off.

The Lone Wolf in Amherst, a popular breakfast-and-lunch operation run by Chef Rob Watson, plans to reopen on or about April 1, when the weather is likely to be more outdoor-dining friendly.

The restaurants web address is lonewolfamherst.com.

For those households where beef is king, Sturbridge Porterhouse in Sturbridge has created a menu of curbside carryout that is sure to satisfy.

Its takeout-only Family Meals include options such as steak tips prepared in three different formats as well as a Family Prime Rib package and a Bone Marrow Porterhouse for two.

Supplementing those beefy inspirations are two additional options - chicken bacon mac & cheese and rigatoni with vodka sauce.

Family meals at Sturbridge Porterhouse include either a salad or a quart of soup. For starters the menu suggests extra-cost orders of classic shrimp cocktail, chicken wings, fried Brussels sprouts, or crab cakes.

The Family Meal menu is available Monday through Thursday evenings from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. More details can be had by going to sturbridge-porterhouse.com or by dialing (508) 347-2700.

An Israeli biotech company, Aleph Farms, has produced the first bio-printed beef rib eye.

To make the steak the firm grows bovine muscle cells in a lab setting, then uses 3-D printing technology to assemble those cells into the shape and structure of beef rib muscle.

The companys founder, Didier Toubia, says the process can be tweaked to vary the products cooking and eating characteristics. Aleph Farms hopes to have FDA approval to sell the product in the U.S. sometime next year.

Several chains with local outlets have announced limited-time rollouts of seafood items for Lent. One of those brands is Boston Market, which is adding a Baked Cod Individual Meal and a Cod Sandwich to its menu every Friday through April 2.

Participating Arbys locations are offering a Crispy Fish Sandwich through March 29. The sandwich is available in two forms - one garnished with shredded lettuce and served on a toasted sesame seed bun and a second, the Kings Hawaiian Fish Deluxe, which is additionally garnished with sliced tomato and cheddar cheese and served on a Kings Hawaiian bun.

Some good news on the pandemic front is always welcome, and a statement posted last week on the Food and Drug Administrations website offers restaurant operators and customers alike assurance that COVID-19 does not appear to be transmitted through food or food packaging.

As reported in various food service industry media outlets, the Food and Drug Administration, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has based this conclusion on a review of the best available scientific data worldwide. Their analysis does not reveal any credible epidemiological evidence of COVID-19 being transmitted through food handling or packaging.

The conclusion that the FDA has reached is that the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 from consuming food or handling food packaging is extremely low.

Known for the way they leap from the water when startled, the invasive Asian carp species that plague the Mississippi River basin may soon end up on restaurant and fast food menus.

Originally introduced to control algae blooms in catfish farms, the carp escaped into the wild and have come to dominate many river ecosystems in the Midwest.

Concerns about Asian carp moving into the Great Lakes, where they could do massive damage to commercial fisheries, is leading the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to turn to a new control strategy - promoting Asian carp as a trendy new menu item.

Already used as bait, fertilizer, and a component in dog food, the fish is about to be rebranded for human consumption. A marketing campaign with the tagline The Perfect Catch will promote Asian carp as a healthy and sustainable protein source. This July, at the Boston Seafood Show, the fish will be introduced to wholesalers and retailers with an entirely new name and identity.

Reputedly tasty and rich with omega-3 fatty acids, the carp has one significant problem that may limit its attractiveness to restaurant chefs  its difficult to properly de-bone.

Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Community Colleges hospitality and culinary arts program and has nearly 45 years of restaurant and educational experience. Robert can be reached on-line at OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com.
Grillo takes the gloves off in all-action Boss Level

Frank Grillo! Remember the name because you are going to be hearing it quite a lot over the next decade or so.



By David Griffiths

Saturday 27 February 2021, 01:00PM

Frank Grillo in Boss Level. Image: IMDB

For a while now actor Frank Grillo has been on the verge of becoming a breakout star. Hes done it the hard way  starring in B-Grade action flicks that go straight to streaming, having a fairly major part in a minor franchise like The Purge and of course playing a villain in the Marvel universe. Now though with new sci-fi action flick Boss Level Grillo finally manages to take that well-earned step of being a films leading man.

Directed by Joe Carnahan (The Grey), Boss Level sees Grillo play retired Special Forces Officer Roy Pulver who has found himself trapped in a time loop that sees him wake up every day next to a mystery blonde before being attacked in his apartment by a machete-wielding man and then a helicopter opens fire at him.

Should he make it through them he then finds himself being hunted down by a group of elite assassins, including the sword-expert Guan Yin (Selina Lo  The Debt Collector). When one of them eventually kills him he finds himself waking back up and living the same day all over again.

Each day Roy tries to put together the pieces of the puzzle to work out what is happening, and that intensifies when the cruel Colonel Clive Ventor (Mel Gibson  Braveheart) informs him that the woman he loves, scientist Jemma Wells (Naomi Watts  The Impossible), is dead  and strongly alludes that he did it.

Boss Level is a fun ride from start to finish. The screenplay which sees the Borey Brothers (Open Grave) team up with Carnahan is inventive and creative despite using the same time loop theme that has worked so well over the years for films like Groundhog Day and Happy Death Day. The video game vibe that Carnahan and his team manage to bring to the film also takes the story to the next level as the intriguing mystery element of the film intertwines with brilliant stunt work and some amazing fight sequences.

So many action movies these days think that over-the-top stunts can overcome a weaker-than-average script, but that certainly isnt the case here. The screenplay here is top notch and the mystery element comes to the fore as Roy crosses paths with the likes of Dai Feng (Michelle Yeoh  Tomorrow Never Dies) and Chef Jake (Ken Jeong  Community), who help put together the jigsaw pieces to solve what is exactly going on. Even the sci-fi element of the film goes to the extreme and works if you dont think too much about it.

Grillo really embraces the opportunity to shine and he becomes a true action hero, the type of action hero that many of us grew up watching in the 1980s and 1990s. Whether it means him jumping off a building, being thrown from a moving car and hanging off a helicopter, Grillo does it with complete ease  and unlike some action heroes he also has the acting ability to back it up.

The fact that he can also pull off dramatic and touching scenes alongside Naomi Watts and Rio Grillo (who plays his son Joe in the film) shows that Grillo has what it takes to move to the forefront of action stars in modern-day cinema.

Added to Grillos performance are the performances of the main ensemble around him: Mel Gibson shines as the unrelenting villain, Ken Jeong again shows his comic genius while Michelle Yeoh and Selina Los fight sequences are out of this world. Then there is of course Naomi Watts, who doesnt let the fact that she is in an action film keep her from performing at her A-Game.

As a general rule Joe Carnhahans movies can be hit or miss. For every movie he makes that is as brilliant as The Grey, he makes a dud like The A-Team, but here Carnahahn is onto a winner. Here he has delivered a creative action sci-fi that is destined to become a cult classic.

Boss Level opens in Phuket cinemas on Mar 4 and is for an adult audience.

4/5 Stars

David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus
Toward the end of 2020, the prevailing national mood prompted Atria to explore a reissue of Andrew Bernsteins 2010 self-help book, The Myth of Stress. A book could have been published 50 years ago, says Suzanne Donahue, v-p, director of backlist, academic and special projects at Atria, but if its the first time youre reading it, its new to you.

Donahue asked S&S colleagues to research keywords related to the books topic, which led to a new, more actionable title for the June releaseBreaking the Stress Cycleand a subtitle that emphasizes the concept of resilience, a key idea in the book thats gained traction since it first published.

A bit of updating, whether new cover art, a new title, or new content, can amp up a backlist books contemporary resonance. The July reissue of 2014s Defending Beef by Nicolette Hahn Niman, an environmental lawyer turned cattle rancher, is timely for several reasons, says Chelsea Green senior editor Ben Watson, including the increased interest in grass-fed beef seen during the pandemic. The revised and expanded second edition will sport a punchier subtitleThe Ecological and Nutritional Case for Meatand incorporate recent research on the climate effects of livestock, among other new sections.

There are any number of reasons a backlist title might be ripe for a return to the frontlist. PW spoke with publishers about refreshing and repromoting anniversary editions, books on zeitgesty subjects, and generous swaths of a single authors back catalog.

Group efforts

Alexa Pugh, publishing manager at Norton Trade Paperbacks, says the publisher noticed something unexpected after its 2019 online marketing campaign for the 50th anniversary of Patrick OBrians AubreyMaturin naval historical series, which began with 1969s Master and Commander: plenty of interest from women, who hadnt been considered the books core readership. Actor Mindy Kaling and crime novelist Donna Leon, for instance, mentioned the series in their respective New York Times By the Book interviews.

To promote the forthcoming reissues, which begin in May and eventually will encompass all 20 titles, Norton will reach out to womens magazines using Kaling and Leons quotes, along with blurbs from A.S. Byatt, Louise Erdrich, Ursula K. LeGuin, Eudora Welty, and others. Artist Matthew Benedict was commissioned to do cover art that ties the installments together. Each cover moves through the epic, like stills from a film, Pugh says, so it pulls together the entire series and gives the sense of motion.

Ahead of the July release of Esther Freuds new novel, I Couldnt Love You More, Ecco decided to give the authors backlist, which includes 1992s Hideous Kinky, a more cohesive look. While searching contemporary portraiture on Pinterest, senior art director Allison Saltzman found Israel artist Tali Yalonetzkis work.

I was looking to find art by one person; they needed to have a range of locations and time periods, Saltzman says. Did the women I saw in the paintings remind me of the characters in the books? With minor modifications, she was able to use Yalonetzkis existing work on Freuds forthcoming novel and a few backlist titles. Ecco commissioned a new painting for Hideous Kinky, a rare expenditure for backlist.

Revamping an authors backlist gets complicated if more than one publisher shares the catalog. When Harper Perennial made plans to repackage titles by fiction and culinary writer Laurie Colwin, who died in 1992, the publisher met with Amy Berkower of Writers House, whod recently begun representing the estate, and RF Jurjevics, Colwins child. It turned out that Vintage, which holds some of Colwins catalog, was also planning reissues.

The imprints took the opportunity to work together and have staggered eight Colwin releases throughout 2021, starting with the recently released Happy All The Time (Vintage) and Goodbye Without Leaving (Harper Perennial).

Harper assistant designer Olivia McGiff created covers with compatible artwork for both imprints, drawing on photos and memorabilia Jurjevics provided. I used a lot of the body language from those photos as reference for the illustrations, McGiff says. The woman on Goodbye Without Leavings cover is based on a photo of a friend of Colwins taken at a dinner party; the authors actual kitchen tools inspired the illustrations on October editions of Home Cooking (Vintage) and More Home Cooking (Harper Perennial). One difference between the imprints releases: Vintage commissioned new forewords, including Katherine Heinys for the novel Happy All the Time and Ruth Reichls for Home Cooking, a work of nonfiction.

A new foreword can help provide context to an older work, says Bob Ratcliff, editor-in-chief at Westminster John Knox. This year, the press is releasing four titles, with unified cover art, in the new Reinhold Niebuhr Library series, whose release coincides with the 50th anniversary of the theologians death.

The forewords, some of which were included in previous editions, do not necessarily offer pure praise. Ratcliff says his team asked Mercer University theology professor David Gushee to contribute a new foreword to the fall release An Interpretation of Christian Ethics because we knew he would bring an appreciative and critical eye to Niehburs work. The foreword writers are informed but theyre not necessarily Niehbur specialists, because then they would have been talking to themselves but not to people beyond that small group, Ratcliff notes. We wanted to help broadcast him more widely. Many in the general public may be familiar with Niehbur and not know it; he wrote the Serenity Prayer.

Similarly, even those who havent read street-lit pioneer Donald Goines may have heard him name-checked by 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Nas, and others. Kensington began reissuing its library of six Goines titles in the fall with Black Gangster, and it continues in 2021 with four more titles, all with new, 1970s-inspired covers.

Goiness work is very deserving of respect, says Vida Engstrand, director of communications at Kensington, and the books former mass market format wasnt doing them justice. Its much easier for people to dismiss a mass market paperback. The books are being reissued in trade paperback to increase their chances of getting on bookstore and library shelvesand, ultimately, into readers hands, the goal of any backlist reissue.

Rachel Kramer Bussel is a freelance writer specializing in books, publishing, and culture.

Corrections: A previous version of this article was inconsistent in its references to the imprint releasing the AubreyMaturin reissues; it's Norton. Vida Engstrand's name was also misstated and has been corrected.

Below, more on backlist books.

Looking Back, Moving Forward: Backlist Backbones 2021

Books written in years past speak to contemporary concerns.

Her Stories: Backlist Backbones 2021

Forthcoming reissues from several publishers convey a variety of female experiences.

Baby Got Backlist: Backlist Backbones 2021

Booksellers say older titles are key to nurturing young readers.

Fresh-Faced: Backlist Backbones 2021

Outdated references and current events are some of the considerations childrens publishers take into account when revamping older titles for modern kids.
Dortmund back in top five with second win in a row Bundesliga - Borussia Dortmund v Arminia Bielefeld

DORTMUND, Germany (Reuters) - Borussia Dortmund scored three second-half goals to ease past struggling Arminia Bielefeld 3-0 on Saturday, claiming their second straight win in the Bundesliga and climbing back into fifth place.

Mo Dahoud broke the deadlock two minutes after the restart with a low shot from 18 metres, after the hosts had dominated the first 45 minutes with more than 70% possession in some stretches of play.

Jadon Sancho made it 2-0 with a well-taken 58th minute penalty, confirming his fine form with his sixth league goal.

Brazilian teenager Reinier notched his first ever Bundesliga goal to help lift Dortmund to fifth place on 39 points, three behind Eintracht Frankfurt. The top four teams qualify for the Champions League next season.

The Ruhr valley club have now won their last three games in all competitions, including a 3-2 win at Sevilla in their Champions League Round of 16 first leg.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Nepali Education Minister Krishna Gopal Shrestha (2nd L) and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi (3rd L) attend the handover ceremony of stationery and sporting items along with masks and sanitizers as gifts to Nepali students in the schools located in the reconstructed building of Durbar High School, Nepal, Feb. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Sulav Shrestha)

KATHMANDU, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Nepal has handed out stationery and sporting items along with masks and sanitizers as gifts to Nepali students in the schools located in the reconstructed building of Durbar High School.

Education Minister Krishna Gopal Shrestha and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi together handed out the items to hundreds of students in different schools housed in the Durbar High School building.

"Chinese people exchange greetings with families and friends in Spring Festival. I have brought some New Year's gifts to all of you, including books, stationery and sporting goods," Hou said.

"I have brought masks and hand sanitizers to all students today, hoping that all of you could keep healthy and study well," said the ambassador.

The Chinese people mark the Lantern Festival on Friday as the end of this year's Spring Festival beginning Feb. 12.

Speaking during the event, Shrestha thanked the support from the Chinese government and expressed hope cooperation will continue in the future.

"We are thankful for the regular support from the Chinese government and the Chinese Embassy," he said.

Ambassador Hou also announced that Shanghai Construction Group will donate school uniforms for some of the students.

"China and Nepal will always be good friends and stand together with each other, rain or shine. China is willing to continue to support Nepal's economic and social development within its capacity," she said.

The Durbar High School building built in 1891 was devastated in the 2015 earthquakes and was reconstructed by the Chinese government with a cost of about 7.24 million U.S. dollars.

Akhilesh Azad, a school's head teacher, said, "We have got a well-equipped infrastructure with the Chinese support."

"Now we are getting other supports that will assist in the teaching-learning process," the teacher added.

Educational activities in the reconstructed building started from Jan. 31 this year. Enditem
New Jersey health officials announced 3,641 confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday and 49 additional deaths as hospitalizations fell below 2,000 and to the lowest level in more than three months.

Continuing on a steady decrease, the number of people hospitalized with coronavirus as of Friday night dropped to 1,919  the first time it has dipped below 2,000 since Nov. 12, according to state data.

The day after the statewide COVID-19 activity level dropped to moderate levels for the first time since November, Gov. Phil Murphy announced the latest numbers on Twitter while noting there have been 1,960,629 coronavirus vaccine doses administered in New Jersey as of Saturday afternoon, including 1,295,891 first doses and 663,855 second doses.

Thats out of more than 2.47 million doses the state has received, according to a running tally by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The states goal is to vaccinate 70% of its adult population  about 4.7 million people  within the next few months.

Previously, Murphy said New Jersey could get an initial shipment of 70,000 doses of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week if it is approved as expected.

The positivity rate for tests conducted on Monday, the most recent day available, was 6.53% based on 55,350 tests. The statewide rate of transmission increased stayed at 0.89 for the second day in a row. Any rate below 1 means the outbreak is slowing.

New Jersey has now reported 699,564 confirmed coronavirus cases out of more than 10.56 million PCR tests in the nearly 12 months since the state reported its first case March 4, 2020. There have also been 87,403 positive antigen tests. Those cases are considered probable, and health officials have warned that positive antigen tests could overlap with the confirmed PCR tests because they are sometimes given in tandem.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

The state of 9 million people has also reported 23,238 residents have died from complications related to COVID-19 including 2,331 fatalities considered probable. That includes 1,574 confirmed coronavirus deaths reported in February.

New Jersey has identified 63 cases of the COVID-19 variant first identified in the U.K. with eight new cases reported Friday.

VACCINES BY COUNTY

ATLANTIC COUNTY - 59,983 doses administered

BERGEN COUNTY - 223,170 doses administered

BURLINGTON COUNTY - 100,094 doses administered

CAMDEN COUNTY - 111,622 doses administered

CAPE MAY COUNTY - 28,118 doses administered

CUMBERLAND COUNTY - 26,231 doses administered

ESSEX COUNTY - 156,101 doses administered

GLOUCESTER COUNTY - 67,869 doses administered

HUDSON COUNTY - 91,200 doses administered

HUNTERDON COUNTY - 24,180 doses administered

MERCER COUNTY - 56,013 doses administered

MIDDLESEX COUNTY - 150,213 doses administered

MONMOUTH COUNTY - 143,805 doses administered

MORRIS COUNTY - 144,748 doses administered

OCEAN COUNTY - 119,072 doses administered

PASSAIC COUNTY - 88,570 doses administered

SALEM COUNTY - 12,438 doses administered

SOMERSET COUNTY - 74,233 doses administered

SUSSEX COUNTY - 29,418 doses administered

UNION COUNTY - 94,493 doses administered

WARREN COUNTY - 17,917 doses administered

UNKNOWN COUNTY - 84,776 doses administered

OUT OF STATE - 56,365 doses administered

HOSPITALIZATIONS

There were 1,919 patients hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases across New Jerseys 71 hospitals as of Friday night  89 fewer than the previous night and the lowest since Nov. 12, according to the states dashboard.

That included 404 in critical or intensive care (35 fewer than the previous night), with 248 on ventilators (22 fewer).

There were also 270 COVID-19 patients discharged Friday.

Hospitalizations peaked at more than 8,000 patients during the first wave of the pandemic in April.

SCHOOL CASES

New Jersey on Tuesday reported eight new in-school coronavirus outbreaks, bringing the total to 152 cases, which have resulted in 737 cases among students, teachers and school staff this academic year, according to the states dashboard.

New Jersey defines school outbreaks as cases where contact tracers determined two or more students or school staff caught or transmitted COVID-19 in the classroom or during academic activities at school.

School outbreaks have been reported in all 21 counties, according to the state.

Those numbers do not include students or staff believed to have been infected outside school or cases that cant be confirmed as in-school outbreaks. Though the numbers keep rising every week, Murphy has said the school outbreak statistics remain below what state officials were expecting when schools reopened for in-person classes.

There are about 1.4 million students and teachers across the state, though teaching methods amid the outbreak have varied, with some schools teaching in-person, some using a hybrid format, and others remaining all-remote.

AGE BREAKDOWN

Broken down by age, those 30 to 49 years old make up the largest percentage of New Jersey residents who have caught the virus (31%), followed by those 50-64 (23.3%), 18-29 (19.5%), 65-79 (10.9%), 5-17 (8.4%), 80 and older (5%), and 0-4 (1.7%).

On average, the virus has been more deadly for older residents, especially those with preexisting conditions. Nearly half the states COVID-19 deaths have been among residents 80 and older (46.7%), followed by those 65-79 (33.3%), 50-64 (15.6%), 30-49 (3.9%), 18-29 (0.4%), 5-17 (0%), and 0-4 (0%).

At least 7,906 of the states COVID-19 deaths have been among residents and staff members at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

There are currently active outbreaks at 342 facilities, resulting in 6,413 active cases among residents and 6,538 among staffers.

GLOBAL NUMBERS

As of early Saturday, there have been more than 113.59 million positive COVID-19 tests across the world, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University. More than 2.52 million people have died from coronavirus-related complications.

The U.S. has reported the most cases, at more than 28.5 million, and the most deaths, at more than 510,900.

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.


It was with great sadness the Clonmany community learned about the death of Catherine McWilliams (nee McDaid), Mesphil Road, Dublin and late of Ballyliffin and Coleraine, County Derry.

Catherine, who taught English at Thornhill College in Derry in the mid-1960s, passed away on Friday, February 5 and her Funeral Mass took place in St Mary's Church, Clonmany on Monday.

The beloved wife of James and treasured mother to her nine daughters, Antoinette, Catherine, Margaret, Lisa, Marthena, Carmel, Francesca, Olivia and Marion, she will be deeply missed by her 32 grandchildren and her much loved son-in-law, nephews and nieces, relatives and wide circle of friends.

Paying a beautiful tribute to Catherine, Jennifer Doherty of Clonmany Genealogy described her as the most wonderful lady.

In her epitaph for Catherine, Jennifer said: Once upon a time back in 2008, I rushed into the back of a genealogy class being run by a warm and friendly lady, who I learned later was called Catherine McWilliams. I had hesitated about joining the class in the first place since I had young children and was extremely busy at the time. I really wasnt sure if I could commit to the ten-week course as advertised. However, a last-minute decision saw me dash to the Clonmany Community Centre, just in time to hear the start of Catherines first genealogy session. Little did I realise however, that it was the evening to change my life forever.

I had been interested in all things genealogy since I was a child, with the guiding influence of my Urris grandmother. My strong interest in where I came from originated from her and I had been researching both sides of my family properly from the 1980s and still only in my early teens.

While living in Dublin in the 1990s, I remember visiting both the National Library and the National Archives daily, doing family history research the old-fashioned way, before most databases were posted online.

In Catherines first class, she talked of her own Clonmany grandmother and how she had influenced Catherines personal love of genealogy. Stories of PRONI (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland) and Belfasts Linen Hall where she too had done research were so similar to my own, that I sat enthralled. Here was my genealogy kindred spirit and from that moment I knew she would become a massive part of my life.

I remember helping her carry her books and folders to the car later that night, just so I could grab a few more minutes with her, earnestly discussing what I soon realised was her favourite topic too. Each evening I attended her course, followed a similar pattern. Her wonderful husband James (who also accompanied her all the way from Moira, County Down each night) also became a great friend. They both regaled me with stories of their respective lives, their own love story, their shared devotion to their family of nine daughters and their experience in business.

Catherine became an extremely close friend, confidant and mentor from those early days hosting her family history course. Such was her influence too on our class, that it was decided to formalise our group and so Clonmany Genealogy was born  the name chosen by Catherine herself.

This Facebook page was set up in her honour twelve years ago and has gone from strength to strength throughout Inishowen and of course worldwide. It is a true testament to Catherine and her impact on the history and heritage, her support for the group and for me as an individual that the page has managed to reach out to so many.

My decision to quit my career in accountancy and to set up a genealogy business was due to the guidance that Catherine offered me in those early days. Her creativity, excellent business acumen and sound advice were invaluable.

Her manta Network, Network, Network always stood me in good stead and I will never forget her introductions to the various people she suggested would assist me along the way. She was always the listening ear for the many teething problems in the initial stages and we shared numerous laughs over the years at the mistakes I made and learned from.

My many trips to Dublin over the recent years have been made so much more enriching since Catherine and James moved to Mesphil Road, Dublin. The McWilliams Family have always been so welcoming, and it was a joy to meet up with them.

Catherine and I would sit up to the wee small hours discussing this brick wall and that one, all the while planning our next days to be spent in the National Archives, the Valuation Office or the National Library. We dashed all over the city, fitting in as much as we could and all the while James would be preparing our meals for when we would return, excited by the days findings.

Oh, to turn back the clock and enjoy those days once more. I have the very best memories of this most special lady and I will never, ever forget her influence on my life. I really do think of her every day. She is ever present in everything I do in my working life and will be ever more.

It was with the greatest sadness that I learned from her daughter Francesca recently that her vibrant light of life was slowly ebbing away. I was devastated to hear early this morning that she had slipped away to eternal peace and that my dear, dear friend Catherine had taken her wings in heaven.

Forever to be missed, her shining example in her beloved Clonmany will never dim and she will always be synonymous with excellent research, love of family history, making connections and sharing of knowledge. My tears today have been mixed with the joy of having known such an extraordinary woman. Her legacy will live on. Her final wish was to be laid to rest in Clonmany.

Sympathies to my friend James who I know will miss her with all his heart. A man who was never more devoted to the love of his life. Hugs to her wonderful daughters, Antoinette, Catherine, Margaret, Lisa, Marthena, Carmel, Francesca, Olivia and Marion. Your Mum was so proud of each of you and the families you created. She thrilled in showing me the latest photos of you all and which new babies had been born since last we spoke! Im sure your memories of her will help ease your pain at her loss.

Rest in peace Catherine. I love you. Jennifer xxx.

Catherine McWilliams: Ta si ais I mbaclainn a mathar. Suaimhneas siorai da h-Anam uasal.
Fighting in war-torn Yemen's Marib province between government forces and Houthi rebels killed around 50 combatants, including a special forces commander, a government source said Saturday.

Earlier this month, the Houthis resumed a push to capture Marib city, 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of the rebel-held capital Sanaa.

The city lies close to some of Yemen's richest oil fields and its capture would be major prize for the rebels.

"Twenty-two members of the government forces and more than 28 rebels have died in the last 24 hours in the fighting that continues unabated on the fronts in Marib province," a government source said.

A Saudi-led coalition launched more than 12 air strikes in support of government forces on the ground, according to rebel channel Al Massirah.

On Friday, more than 60 fighters were killed in fighting in Marib, the bloodiest day since the start of the offensive on February 8.

Since then, clashes have resulted in hundreds of deaths among fighters on both sides, according to government sources, and displaced hundreds of families. The Houthis generally do not disclose their losses.

Yemen has been embroiled in a bloody power struggle since 2014 between its government, supported by the Saudi-led military coalition, and Houthi rebels, who control most of the north.

The grinding conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions, according to international organisations, sparking what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Short link:


If regulators give the go-ahead as expected in the next few days, there will be three vaccines available in the United States to prevent COVID-19.

A fourth is in widespread use in 50 countries around the world.

So, which shot should you get?

Get the first vaccine you can, said Kathleen Neuzil, director of the University of Maryland Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health. Thats what I tell my family. Theyre all good.

The numbers vary somewhat on how well they all work, and new variants of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 to complicate the picture.

But for what matters most  keeping people from dying or going to the hospital  experts say they all do the trick.

Newcomer

Advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will meet Friday to discuss the vaccine from health care giant Johnson & Johnson. The FDA is not required to follow their recommendation, but nearly always does.

Two other vaccines are already in widespread use in the U.S. from drug companies Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. A shot from AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford is in use in Britain, Europe, South Asia, Brazil, Mexico and elsewhere.

Johnson & Johnsons clinical trial data does not look quite as impressive on paper as the others available in the United States. It was about 66 per cent effective against infections caused by moderate to severe illness.

The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines both reported about 95 per cent overall efficacy. But experts caution that the studies are not measuring quite the same thing and should not be directly compared.

The most important thing, Neuzil said, is how well all of the shots work against the most serious cases and death.

That is whats keeping us in lockdown. Thats whats filling up our hospitals, she said. If we can prevent severe disease, or change severe disease to mild disease, we will be much closer to normalcy.

On that score, all of the vaccines excel. No one who received any of the four vaccines in any of the clinical trials died of COVID-19. There were no severe cases in the Moderna or AstraZeneca trials and just one in the Pfizer study.

Variants

There were a handful of severe cases in the Johnson & Johnson trial. The shot was 85 per cent effective against them.

However, unlike the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines that came out in December, the Johnson & Johnson shot had to contend with a more contagious variant that first appeared in South Africa.

It is not clear how well the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines work against the new variant. They do not work as well in test tube studies, but scientists are not sure whether that translates into lower protection for people.

More spreadable variants have also popped up in Brazil, Britain, the United States and elsewhere, worrying scientists worldwide. But experts do not think the mutations have rendered the vaccines useless.

One small study in South Africa raised concerns. It found that the AstraZeneca shot failed to prevent most infections with the new strain. The South African government scaled back plans to roll out the vaccine as a result.

ADVERTISEMENT

But the study did not look at severe illness or death. Many scientists say the vaccine probably does still prevent the worst forms of the disease. Researchers are studying that now.

The World Health Organisation still backs the AstraZeneca shot. It makes up the vast majority of doses delivered through COVAX, the WHO-backed program, to distribute vaccines equitably.

Real world

Elsewhere, real-world results are starting to come in from countries that have been using the vaccines for several weeks, and they all look promising.

A study in Israel found that protection from the Pfizer-BioNTech shot started to kick in about two weeks after the first shot. The vaccine was already 62 per cent effective in preventing severe illness. After the second shot, it rose to 92% effective.

Hospitalisations fell by half among patients in a four-state study in the United States who received either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna shot. But those figures probably understate how well the vaccine works, because most of the vaccinated patients who were hospitalised had only received their first shot. The study has not yet been reviewed by other experts.

Its a pleasant surprise how well the vaccines are working, said study co-author Venky Soundararajan, co-founder and chief scientific officer of the data analysis firm.

The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, which struggled in South Africa, excelled in Scotland. It was 94 per cent effective at keeping people out of the hospital after just one dose in a study that has not yet been reviewed by outside experts.

The bottom line?

Get the vaccine you can, Neuzil said, and not just to protect yourself. The more people that are vaccinated, the more we are all protected, because were protected by each other, as well.

VOA is Premium Times syndication partner. We have permission to republish>
The enforcement section of Sligo County Council will carry out an inspection on two houses in Tubbercurry to ascertain their current condition.

Last week's meeting of the Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District heard significant concerns from councillors surrounding the state of two houses in the Connolly Park estate.

Director of Services Dorothy Clarke told Cllr Martin Connolly that the council did not own the properties and that they were privately owned.

The council had previously identified the owners, Ms Clarke said.

Cllr Connolly expressed serious concern at the condition of the two houses, numbers 15 and 18, which he said were in 'very bad condition' and were attracting a lot of dumping, with rodents now evident in the area.

He said this was particularly problematic for other residents living close to the houses in question, and was unfair on them to have to contend with these issues.

Cllr Paul Taylor said some residents were 'out of their mind' with worry about the condition of the houses and the adverse impact their presence was having on the estate. He said if the council could gain access to number 15 it would be 'very important' to solving the problem.

Cllr Dara Mulvey also supported the motion, saying it was the person living in between the houses that was having the difficulties.

Cllr Michael Clarke queried whether the Compulsory Purchase Order could be used by the council to acquire the houses, do whatever repair works were needed and add them to the council's housing stock.

Director of Services Dorothy Clarke said that possibility was discussed with the enforcement section, but it could be a more complex issue with the houses in question.

English French

TORONTO, Feb. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the worlds 20th largest economy and a gateway to Asia, Taiwan is uniquely positioned to facilitate growth and expansion both domestically and within the surrounding region and represents a progressive and dynamic destination for Canadian women looking to expand their businesses into the Asia Pacific.



The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada), with support from the Government of Canada through its Women Entrepreneurship Strategy Ecosystem Fund, will lead the First Canadian Women-only Virtual Business Mission to Taiwan on March 1-2, 2021.

The two-day virtual conference follows the success of APF Canadas first women-only business missions to Japan (April 2019) and South Korea (November 2020). It will feature Taiwan and Canadian women leaders from business, government, and technology, as well as company pitch sessions by delegates to showcase women-led Canadian innovation. This Mission presents a unique opportunity to promote Canadian innovations in traditional and emerging sectors like cleantech and life sciences, particularly in the context of enhanced digitalization in the post-pandemic world.

Register Here

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canadas First Women-only Virtual Trade Mission to Taiwan will give Canadian entrepreneurs the opportunity to promote their innovations, forge new business connections, and gain exposure to Taiwans dynamic economy, said The Hon. Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, who will participate in the APF Canada Mission to support women entrepreneurs seeking to expand their businesses into the Taiwanese market. The Government of Canada remains committed to womens economic empowerment, an inclusive national economy, and to ensuring that women entrepreneurs at the forefront of our economic recovery are supported in growing their businesses globally with important Asia Pacific markets. Given the successes of the Foundations previous missions to Asia, I know that the Taiwan mission will generate real growth opportunities for the Canadian delegates.

The Missions focus is on improving the health of people and the environment by showcasing innovative industry solutions in sectors where both Canada and Taiwan have priorities, including biotechnology, clean technology, agricultural technology, advanced manufacturing, smart cities, and digital health technology. The Missions two-day public conference will be held in the global lead-up to the celebration of International Womens Day on March 8, 2021.

The First Canadian Women-only Business Mission series is a progressive initiative, proudly led by APF Canada, to help Canadian women-led enterprises access, expand into, and grow into Asian markets, said Mission lead and APF Canada Vice-President, Toronto Office, Christine Nakamura. Taiwans dynamic economy and record of support for womens economic advancement combine to make the island an ideal target market for this missions delegates  talented women entrepreneurs from across Canada. The virtual mission to Taiwan is an important opportunity to showcase women-led Canadian innovations in science and technology.

I am delighted to Chair APF Canadas delegation of inspiring women who represent some of Canadas best and brightest entrepreneurs, said Mission Chair Sandra Pupatello. This delegation highlights the cultural and gender diversity of our business community as well as the dynamism of Canadian businesses. Their innovative technologies, products, and services promote the health of people and the planet and our hope for this mission is to secure partnerships and outcomes with Taiwan partners, which not only benefit Canadian and Taiwanese businesses, but the global community at large.

Taiwans economy presents abundant business opportunities for Canadian women entrepreneurs, said Janice Fukakusa, Mission Vice-chair and Chancellor, Ryerson University. With Taiwans emphasis on innovation and technology, and its leadership on womens empowerment, Taiwan is an ideal partner for innovative Canadian women-led businesses expanding into Asia. The mission promises to connect Canadian businesswomen with potential partners in Taiwan and, in so doing, will support Canadas efforts toward a women-led, post-pandemic economic recovery.

APF Canadas Women-only Business Mission series (2019-2023) supports the Government of Canadas dual efforts to promote international trade diversification and advance womens economic empowerment by encouraging Canadian women in business to consider expansion into Asias dynamic economies.

Key Links:

Contacts:



Media:

Michael Roberts, Communications Manager,

Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

michael.roberts@asiapacific.ca
LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MI -- A former Livingston County judge who spent nearly six months in jail last year following a judicial scandal has now been disbarred.

The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board, in a Feb. 24 order, disbarred Theresa Brennan effective March 18. The order comes after she was suspending in December 2019 from practicing law.

Related: Ousted Judge Theresa Brennan gets 6 months in jail on perjury charge

She had served as a judge for about 14 years before being removed from the bench in June 2019 by the Michigan Supreme Court. Brennan served as a 53rd District Court judge.

Investigators with the Judicial Tenure Commission said Brennan lied about a relationship with a State Police trooper, the lead detective in a double-murder case over which she presided.

She also was accused of failing to immediately recuse herself from hearing her own divorce case, tampering with evidence in her own divorce case and lying under oath, according to a state Supreme Court summary of her case.

Related: Ousted judge Theresa Brennan to be released from jail early

In January 2020, Brennan was ordered to serve six months in jail after pleading guilty to felony perjury. She also was placed on 18 months of probation and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.

In the Feb. 24 order, Brennan consented that disbarment was an applicable penalty because of the guilty plea and her earlier removal from the bench. She also was ordered to pay $825 in costs.

More from MLive

Livingston County officials call on state to stop using social factors to determine COVID vaccine distribution

Michigan fines state prison, hospital, 19 others for COVID-19 violations

FDA advisory panel endorses third COVID-19 vaccine

Indian EAM S.Jaishankar spoke with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi discussing roadmap to peace between the two nations. In his 75-minute phone call with Chinas Wang Yi, the External Affairs Ministry underlined the requirement to increase disengagement along the border areas.

Indian EAM S.Jaishankar spoke with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi discussing roadmap to peace between the two nations. In his 75-minute with Chinas Wang Yi phone call on Thursday, the External Affairs Ministry underlined the requirement to increase the disengagement of the armies close to Pangong Tso to alternative friction points within the East Ladakh sector, implying that prolonging the friction along the border doesnt serve either Asian nation or China.

The two Foreign Ministers discussed the situation along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh and issues related to overall India-China relations. Indo-China ties have remain sour following the Galwan Valley Clash along the borders. The bilateral relations have been impacted severely over the last year.

The EAM asserted that boundary question might take time to resolve however the disturbance of peace and tranquillity, as well as by violence, can inevitably have a harmful impact on the relations between the two neighbouring countries. Jaishankars straight message asserted to Wang Yi during their conversation was that disengagement and de-escalation was the only solution out.

Both the sides had agreed that the situation in the border areas was not in the interest of either side and decided that the Indo-China border troops should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage and ease tensions.
She only recently released a brand new single that Kylie Jenner featured on her Instagram.

But new music is not the only thing on Victoria Monets plate, as she announced on Friday the birth of her first child, a baby girl named Hazel.

Both Victoria, 27, and her partner, fitness model John Gaines, posted identical shots of the little one clutching her moms well-manicured hand.

She's a mom now: Victoria Monet announced on Friday the birth of her first child, a baby girl named Hazel

'Hazel Monet Gaines 2/21/21,' Victoria wrote in the caption.

'Mommy and Daddy love you so much!!! Welcome to the world,' she added, along with twinkle emojis.

John, who turns 30 next week, shared appreciation for Victoria in his caption.

'I love you @Victoriamonet,' he penned. 'Thank you for the best birthday gift I could ever ask for.'

Seen in 2019: Both Victoria, 27, and her partner, fitness model John Gaines, posted identical shots of the little one clutching her moms well-manicured hand

He added the hashtag #GirlDad at the end of his missive.

Earlier this year, Monday released the first single off of her upcoming album, titled F. *. *. K.

The single of the same name, which stands for 'Friend U Can Keep,' was recently featured on the Instagram story of none other than Kylie Jenner.

John, who turns 30 next week, shared appreciation for Victoria in his caption: 'I love you @Victoriamonet,' he penned. 'Thank you for the best birthday gift I could ever ask for'

Seen here on Jimmy Kimmel Live in March 2020: Earlier this year, Monday released the first single off of her upcoming NSFW-titled album

And while she gave birth at the end of February, Monet only recently revealed she was pregnant in the first place.

The Jaguar songbird first announced the lovely baby news with a post on December 5th.

'Two hearts beat inside of me nowThats more love. Two brains and two soulsthats so much power. Really been feelin like the ultra super Victoria cause my body is doing such miraculous work. This is absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to me and I cant wait to meet my tiny soul mate earth side!!!' she wrote in the caption.

Monet followed this up with a professionally done video post the following day.

The clip saw Victoria and John embracing and beautiful natural surroundings, with the music star in a lovely duster jacket and bra and panties with her big baby belly already showing.

John kissed his love's baby bump.

'My best collaboration yet Due to trap Valentines Day 2021' Victoria wrote at the start of the caption.
Sligo based author Alice Lyons has been shortlisted for the Kate O'Brien award at the upcoming Limerick Literary Festival for her novel Oona.

The award-winning poet's first novel gives voice to a female character on her fraught journey into adulthood and charts her evolution as an artist. Her adolescent numbness is thawed through contact with the physical world, the materials of painting and her engagement with Irish community, culture and landscape.

From 1970s East Coast America to rural Ireland amidst the transformative awkwardness of the Celtic Tiger, Oona is a resonant story conveyed in the innovative form of a Lipogram. Aside from the title, the novel is composed without use of the letter 'O', the tone of the book reflects Oona's inner damage and the destruction caused by hiding, omitting and obliterating parts of ourselves

Lyons is a writer whose work embraces the visual arts. She is recipient of the Patrick Kavanagh Award for Poetry and the inaugural Ireland Chair of Poetry Bursary awarded by Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill. Her poetry film, The Polish Language, co-directed with Orla Mc Hardy, was nominated for an Irish Film and Television Award (IFTA, 2010). Originally from the USA, where she was Radcliffe Fellow in Poetry and New Media at Harvard University 2015/16, she has lived in the west of Ireland for over twenty years. She is a lecturer in the popular Writing and Literature programme at the Yeats Academy of Arts, Design & Architecture, IT Sligo.

The Limerick festival is in its 37th year and features a typically strong shortlist of competitors. It showcases a diverse and eclectic programme featuring the best in Irish and international contemporary literature. The event continues to honour the life and works of the Limerick author, Kate O'Brien, while attracting prominent participants from all over the world.

For more information see limerickliteraryfestival.com.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, has sacked his media adviser, Salihu Tanko-Yakasai, a day after criticising President Muhammadu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governor said Mr Tanko-Yakassai was relieved of his appointment for unguarded comments and utterances.

The state commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, confirmed the governors directive to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday, saying his sack is with immediate effect.

Mr Garba said the aide had failed to differentiate between personal opinion and official stand on matters of public concern and therefore could not be allowed to continue to serve in a government he does not believe in.

The governor also warned political appointees and public servants to guard against making statements capable of drawing superfluous controversy.

The statement reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Ganduje to the policies and programmes of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the commissioner said.

Mr Yakasai is currently being detained at the State Security Service (SSS) headquarters in Abuja after his arrest in Kano Friday evening.

His arrest came hours after calling on President Buhari to check Nigerias worsening insecurity or resign.

Clearly, we as APC government, at all levels, have failed Nigerians in the number 1 duty we were elected to do which is to secure lives & properties.

Not a single day goes by without some sort of insecurity in this land. This is a shame! Deal with terrorists decisively or resign, Mr Yakasai wrote in a tweet, reacting to the abduction of schoolgirls in Zamfara State.

My Tanko-Yakassai was last year suspended for two weeks for expressing solidarity with the #EndSARS protest across Nigeria against police brutality.
President Joe Biden declared that he would hold Saudi Arabia 'accountable' for Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman's green lighting of the 'outrageous' operation to murder journalist Jamal Khashoggi, adding that he had spoken with King Salman about the decision.

Biden was speaking with Univision when he issued the scathing rebuke, slamming the Trump administration for refusing to release the damning report that showed that the Saudi royal ordered the killing of the exiled journalist.

'I spoke yesterday with the king ... Made it clear to him that the rules are changing and we're going to be announcing significant changes today and on Monday. We are going to hold them accountable for human rights abuses,' Biden said in an interview with Univision.

Biden was speaking with Univision when he issued the scathing rebuke, slamming the Trump administration for refusing to release the damning report

'I spoke yesterday with the king ... Made it clear to him that the rules are changing and we're going to be announcing significant changes today and on Monday,' Biden said in reference to his talk with King Salman (right)

'If they want to deal with us, they will have to deal with it in a way that the human rights abuses are dealt with,' he continued.

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, approved an operation to capture or kill murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, according to U.S. intelligence released on Friday.

Biden said that once he got his hands on the report, he worked to 'immediately' read and release it.

'It is outrageous what happened,' he asserted.

'It is outrageous what happened,' the president said of the operation to kill Jamal Khashoggi (pictured)

The Biden administration released a declassified report by U.S. intelligence Friday that concludes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman 'approved' the operation that killed Jamal Khashoggi  but it took no action against the crown prince himself.

Despite the unequivocal conclusions of the assessment, the administration stopped short of imposing any diplomatic or economic sanctions on the heir to the throne of the influential ally.

In a policy announcement that followed the release of the intelligence assessment, the Treasury Department said it would sanction Saudi individuals and the crown prince's Rapid Intervention Force, but not the crown prince.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken released a statement stating the world was 'horrified' by Khashoggi's killing, and announcing a new 'Khashoggi ban' visa restriction on people linked to 'counter-dissident activities.'

He said the government has taken action against 76 individuals, but did not identify Khashoggi.

The assessment, which is dated February 11 and says it was declassified Thursday, cites the 'control' MBS holds over the security apparatus in the kingdom, where he is considered the most powerful figure.

A declassified intelligence report from the Biden administration names Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the man who approved the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi

Although fellow Democrats welcomed Biden's release of the summary findings, some called for his administration to do more against the 35-year old crown prince.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said after the release of the assessment: 'I'm not happy with the lack of accountability for MBS.'

'He ordered it and President Trump knew it,' Kaine told CNN.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who authored the law requiring the report be released, said: 'There should be personal consequences for MBS  he should suffer sanctions, including financial, travel and legal  and the Saudi government should suffer grave consequences as long as he remains in the government,' Politico reported. 'There is considerably more to declassify here.'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called out MBS by name in a statement, but stopped short of criticizing the Biden administration.

'The chilling report from the Intelligence Community confirms what the world has long known: that Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered at the direction of top Saudi officials, including Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. This heinous event is an affront to the rule of law and to the most basic understanding of human rights,' she said.

'The United States government must re-evaluate and recalibrate the relationship with Saudi Arabia, given the findings of this report, which are part of a disturbing pattern of human rights abuses from the Kingdom,' she continued.

She said the Congress 'stands with President Biden in promoting transparency relating to human rights abuses' and backed visa denials for 'human rights abusers.'

Tweeted House Intelligence chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.): 'The highest levels of the Saudi government, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, are responsible for the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi. There must be accountability, and we will continue to press for it.'

He told CNN Friday: 'It's discordant to say the least that you go after those that follow the orders to kill someone, but not the person who gave the orders.' He called for 'shunning the crown prince and going after assets of the crown prince that may have been used in this operation.'

Pentagon spokesman Admiral John Kirby indicated that direct consultation with MBS would continue at a lower level, following a contact between MBS and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

'I believe that will, yes,' he told the network. 'It's not uncommon that top leadership of nations are not themselves personally under sanction for actions like this,' he explained.

According to the report by the Director of National Intelligence: 'We assess that Saudi Arabia's crown prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.'

'We base this assessment on the Crown Prince's control of decision making in the Kingdom, the direct involvement of a key adviser and members of Muhammad bin Slaman's protective detail in the operation, and the Crown Prince's support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, including Khashoggi,' it reads.

The report points to the crown prince's 'absolute control of the Kindom's security and intelligence organizations,' in a kingdom where his authority is already well established.

The failure to penalize the crown prince drew criticism from some senior Democrats.

Biden's security team spent weeks hashing out the issue and settling on a response.

Advisors told the New York Times a 'consensus' emerged that the risk of a rupture in the relationship, which is required on counterterrorism and other matters, was too high.

The U.S. has worked with the Saudis and other Sunni majority nations in an effort to contain Iran  whose proxy forces were the target of the U.S. military strike launched in Syria Thursday. Fifteen of the Sept. 11th hijackers including Osama bin Laden were from Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. counts on the Saudis to keep pressure on anti-American forces in their own homeland. The Kingdom is second to the U.S. in oil production.

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the administration actions 'only a first step,' and mentioned additional actions on arms sales to the Saudis and Magnitsky Act sanctions.

The release of the report does not provide any information on looming political decisions  including whether to impose U.S. sanctions on a critical powerbroker of a strategic ally.

Although the four-page assessment provide no new facts to the crime, elements of which were captured on video and recordings that brought public attention to the sensational killing, it contains several statements about where power lies and the direct connections to the crown prince.

Khashoggi was a dissident and Washington Post columnist who was murdered in 2018

This video grab made on October 10, 2018 from CCTV footage obtained from Turkish news agency DHA shows Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (R) arriving at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018 - Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor, vanished on October 2 after entering the consulate to obtain official documents ahead of his marriage to his Turkish fiancee

President Donald Trump, flanked by White House senior advisor Jared Kushner, meets with Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman maintains 'absolute control of the Kindom's security and intelligence organizations,' according to the assessment

It says the crown prince has 'absolute control of the Kingdom's security and intelligence organizations, making it highly unlikely that Saudi officials would have carried out an operation of this nature without the Crown Prince's authorization.

It cites 'the crown prince's control of decision-making in the kingdom.'

It says the 15-member hit squad that traveled to Istanbul 'included officials who worked for, or were associated with, the Saudi Center for Studies and Media Affairs (CSMARC) at the Royal Court. It says the group is led by Saud al-Qahtani, a 'close advisor' to MBS, who claimed publicly in mid 2018 that he did not make decisions without his approval.

It also included members of his elite personal detail  the Rapid Intervention Force. It exists 'to defend the Crown Prince, answers only to him, and had directly participated in earlier dissident suppression operations in the Kingdom and abroad and the Crown Prince's direction.

The assessment lists 21 people who it said U.S. intelligence had 'high confidence' participated in, 'ordered,' or were 'otherwise complicit in or responsible' for Khashoggi's death.

It states that 'we do not know' whether they knew in advance it would result in his death.

The office of the Director of National Intelligence released a declassified report on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi that identified the crown prince approved the killing

Its release ads another chapter to the horrific killing of Khashoggi in 2018, and poses a challenge to U.S. relations with a strategic ally, major arms purchaser, and oil power.

It was declassified by Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines.

The Treasury Department announced it was slapping sanctions on Ahmad Hassan Mohammed al Asiri, the former Deputy Head of Saudi Arabia's General Intelligence Presidency.

A Treasury release, which does not mention MBS, said Asiri 'was assigned to murder journalist Khashogg' and that 'Asiri himself was the ringleader of the operation and coordinated with Saud al-Qahtani to organize and dispatch the 15-man team to murder and dismember Khashoggi on October 2, 2018 inside the Saudi Consulate in Turkey.'

President Joe Biden this week spoke with Saudi Arabia's King Salman, 85, who the White House noted was his counterpart. The Trump administration had extensive contacts with MBS.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who is traveling with Biden, declined to say whether Biden brought up the killing, which was not mentioned in an official readout of their conversation.

'I don't have more to read out from the call' she said. She said that 'broadly' the president and officials 'at every level' have raised human rights concerns.

'Let me first say that we've been clear at every level that our intention is to recalibrate the relationship and this will be a different relationship with the Saudi government,' she said.

Congress ordered the report to be released, although the Trump administration did not do so. She declined to say if any further actions would occur, saying only to 'stay tuned.'

Asked if Biden had any concerns about MBS being in the succession, she responded: 'This is for the, the government of Saudi Arabia to determine the path forward on their future leadership. I will say that the President has been clear, and we've been clear by our actions that we're going to recalibrate the relationship, including ensuring that engagement happens counterpart to counterpart.'

The crown prince has denied involvement in the October 2018 murder of Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident who wrote columns critical of MBS. MBS did accept responsibility for the assassination as the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. And Riyadh eventually admitted that Khashoggi was killed in an 'rogue' extradition operation gone wrong.

Five men were given the death penalty for the journalist's murder but had their sentences commuted to 20 years in prison after being forgiven by Khashoggi's family.

Khashoggi fled Saudi Arabia in September 2017 to live in self-imposed exile. He was writing columns critical of the Saudi government - including of both King Salman and MBS - for The Washington Post when he was killed.

In October 2018, Khashoggi visited the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, to pick up the paperwork required for his marriage to a Turkish citizen. He was never seen leaving.

Inside Saudi Arabia following the release of the assessment, the top trending tweet was 'We are all Mohammed bin Salman.'
The French Quarter will again see a beefed-up police presence now that funding for supplemental patrols in the area has been secured for the next three months.

The police details, provided by the French Quarter Task Force, had been discontinued last week after money ran out, with New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the group that runs the details blaming each other for the funding gap.

But the force, well known for its smartphone app technology and smart cars, will return beginning Sunday, thanks to about $108,000 pulled from the French Quarter Economic Development District Trust Fund, officials with Cantrell's administration said Friday. The program allows residents to summon off-duty police through an app.

City officials earlier this week blamed the French Quarter Management District for running out of cash to manage the patrols, known colloquially as the "blue light patrols."

"We're here today because on Monday we told you that there was a mess," said Joshua Cox, Cantrell's director of strategic initiatives, at a news conference outside the New Orleans Police Department's 8th District station in the French Quarter. "And we told you we were doing everything in our power to fix that. Today, I'm happy to say that we've done that."

Christian Pendleton, chairman of the French Quarter Management District, shot back in an interview that he's "happy to hear that the city fixed a mess that the city created," and that he looked forward to April, when a more permanent funding solution to support the patrols will be brought to voters.

Pendleton's group had accused the city of withholding reserve funding that could have kept the patrols on the street uninterrupted.

The French Quarter Task Force is one of the supplemental police patrols enacted in the neighborhood after crime rose there in 2015.

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

It is the brainchild of, and was originally funded by, developer and sanitation businessman Sidney Torres IV. The Management District eventually took it over with the help of tourism tax revenue.

Another initiative, a quarter-cent sales tax, the so-called "Quarter for the Quarter" funded State Police patrols and expired in January.

Cantrell had sought to get the tax renewed in December and use it to fund patrols that would focus on low-level offenses. But she couldn't reach an agreement with the Management District on how to spend the money, and the district wouldn't back the tax. Voters shot the measure down.

The district agreed then to cover funding for the police patrols until a new tax was passed. And Pendleton said it fully intended to do so, but had to spend extra cash to pay NOPD to run the program after a volunteer that had done so, Robert Simms, bowed out.

It had money to cover the patrols until Feb. 21, a few days earlier than the early March timeline it gave the city.

Cox chided the district for failing to follow through with its agreement. "This is pretty troubling, especially as in April, they are going to ask not for private dollars, they are going to ask for control of public dollars," he said, referencing the quarter-cent sales tax proposition the City Council has moved to put on the ballot in April.

"The reason citizens should vote for 'Quarter for the Quarter' this year, is because the citizens will clearly understand how their money is being spent, and the citizens will clearly understand who is responsible for the spending," Pendleton said. "We also have the track record for success, having managed this program for six years successfully."
Mumbai, Feb 27 : A highlight of Tahir Raj Bhasin's filming of the upcoming Looop Lapeta, co-starring Taapsee Pannu was the most romantic stunt he has ever shot for in his career yet.

"A lot of the romantic portions of the film were shot in Goa, including a scene where we kissed while being suspended 10 feet up in the air using cables! It was a romantic stunt. Our off days were spent on the beach close to our locations in old Goa, exploring the amazing sea food and bonding with the crew," he said.

"The Goa schedule was incredible, just being away from the city where we had all been under lockdown through most of last year was a massive relief.

He found it effortless to work with Taapsee.

"Taapsee is very committed to the script and since carving out the romance of (their characters) Satya and Savi is such a central part of Looop Lapeta, we were both geared to breaking the ice as soon as possible. She has an incredible charming energy and a very contagious smile. Right from our first look test together, I found it effortless to make a connection and work with her," Tahir said.

Tahir says the rawness and "crazy unpredictability" is the USP of his pairing with Taapsee.

"I'd say rawness and a crazy unpredictability. A romantic lead pair is like a dance duet and having Taapsee to playoff is an electrifying feeling on set. I anxiously await to see audience reactions to this soon. Satya and Savi's romance shuttles between this mad attraction and visceral implosions; precisely what makes the pairing so magnetic, comic and yet relatable," he said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community.

Submit here
Busted. Dancing With the Stars pro Keo Motsepe wasnt truthful with Chrishell Stause ahead of their split, multiple sources tell Us Weekly.

Read article

Keo was caught in a web of lies before the breakup, which took place earlier this week, an insider told Us. The South Africa native, 31, is owning his wrongs, however, the source said.

Hes not denying the fact that he lied to her and is truly ashamed about something he did.  He genuinely loved her but made a big mistake, the source revealed. I dont see them getting back together.

ABC/Kelsey McNeal; MEGA

The Selling Sunset star, 39, announced via her Instagram Story on Saturday, February 27, that she was ready to stop talking about the drama between her and her ex-boyfriend.

Was I messy? Yes. But I appreciate this truthful, non manipulative change of tone, she wrote, sharing Us story from earlier on Saturday, where an insider revealed that Motsepe knows he wronged her. I appreciate all of your supportive messages btw) Let my mess be a lesson to CALL OUT BULL [ST], she wrote. Ok dropping this. Back to peace love and rainbows.

Read article

Stause added one more note about the split, telling fans she will not be sharing further details about what the professional dancer did. This was the peace my bitter ass needed, she wrote.

Her comments come after she called out her former beau via social media on Friday, February 25, for lying about the split. The Kentucky native posted a portion of an article suggesting she and Motsepe broke up but were on good terms, writing that its how it started.

She captioned the Instagram Story post, Ok I TRULY wanted to keep this drama free, but playing the victim and bringing your mom into it is a step too far for me. Taking the high road is overrated sometimes!! I was also 100% in it as well, until revelations told [to] me recently have made me question if you could even order a coffee without lying.

Stause also posted an article titled, How to Break Free from Habitual Lying.

News of the split broke hours before the realtor laid into her DWTS season 29 costar. Us confirmed on Friday that they called it quits after three months of dating. An insider confirmed that the All My Children alum initiated the breakup, adding that it had been hard on Motsepe.

She broke up with him earlier this week, the source said. There were multiple things that led to the breakup. Keos super upset over this and still trying to process it.

One day before their split became public, Motsepe posted a snap of himself and his mother, who died in January, writing, Damn I miss you today. Miss our prayers together and u telling me, its going to be fine!

Stause met Motsepe on the set of Dancing With the Stars when she was partnered with Gleb Savchenko during season 29 of the ABC competition series. Rumors swirled that she and the Russia native were a couple, gaining more traction when Savchenko, 37, announced that he and wife Elena Samodanova were ending their marriage.

Both he and the Netflix personality denied dating rumors, with Stause calling them annoying. Savchenko released a statement on the matter in November 2020, chalking it up to timing.

Our friendship during our season on DWTS was not the reason for our split, he said at the time.

Read article

One week later, Stause and Motsepe made their relationship Instagram official. They joined Savchenko and then-girlfriend Cassie Scerbo on vacation in Mexico in December 2020, sharing several cozy pics together from the trip. The pair spent Christmas together with her family upon returning to the United States, even sporting matching pajamas as they posed for photos.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Morning clouds will give way to sunshine for the afternoon. High 74F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 53F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Protesters clashing with Gardai during an anti-lockdown protest in Dublin city centre (Damian Eagers/PA)

Irelands premier has slammed the thuggish behaviour and attacks on Irish police as anti-lockdown protesters stormed the capitals city centre.

Some 23 people were arrested as hundreds of protesters took part in an anti-lockdown demonstration in Dublin.

Three officers were injured during protest, with one requiring hospital treatment for their injuries.

3 @gardarep injured in todayas scenes in Dublin with one hospitalised ...I think of them & their families all of whom will be affected by the disgusting behaviour of these protesters...the pressure, stress & danger placed on my @AGSI_Ireland colleagues today is unacceptable  antoinette (@antoabs) February 27, 2021

Protesters clashed with gardai as demonstrators marched through the city centre and attempted to make their way to St Stephens Green park.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he utterly condemns the protests.

Mr Martin said demonstrators posed an unacceptable risk to both the public and gardai.

In a statement, Mr Martin said: The large gathering, in the face of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, showed a complete lack of respect to the people who have made huge sacrifices during this pandemic.

Nor can we tolerate the thuggish behaviour or attacks on gardai, who have the publics utmost respect as they continue to protect and serve our society in difficult circumstances.

There can be no justification for the march or the violence that unfolded, and I pay tribute to members of An Garda Siochana who moved quickly to make arrests and restore order.

The protest in Dublin is reckless and is a slap in the face to the people of this city and beyond who have made huge sacrifices over the last year. Shocking and disgraceful scenes. #graftonstreet  Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) February 27, 2021

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said that up to 23 people were arrested following todays protests in Dublin.

He said that he expects more arrests to be made.

Very regrettably, people arrived intent on violence. They engaged in attacks on members of An Garda Siochana including the throwing of a firework type device. There will be a full investigation into this, Mr Harris said.

There were some 23 arrests that we have made already and those arrests are continuing. This operation is not over as we pursue individuals who engage in protest and illegal activity today.

They had no reasonable grounds for being there in the first place so we will pursue particularly those who formed a very hard core to deal with.

You dont carry a firework to a protest with any other purpose than to engage in violent conduct. We will follow through with an investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Mr Harris said they were aware that momentum had been gathering on social media in the lead-up to Saturdays protest.

Mr Harris also said that garda officers were very lucky they were not seriously injured when a firework was fired directly at them.

It was directed at that individual and so we are fortunate they didnt suffer a serious injury, it was only the individuals quick thinking that saved him, Mr Harris said.

We will follow through with a serious crime investigation into that incident.

Mr Harris said the demonstrators was a collaboration of groups made up of anti-lockdown protesters, anti-vaccine and anti-facemasks.

This was groups working in concert together, as a mob, he added.

There can be no justification for the march or the violence that unfolded. Micheal Martin

Deputy premier Leo Varadkar said he was horrified to see protesters clash with police.

Mr Varadkar tweeted: Irish people have spent last year fighting Covid.

There is no excuse for violence to gardai or anyone.

This behaviour on Grafton St by a selfish few undermines sacrifices that millions have made in the last 12 months.

The policing operation involved approximately 125 members of An Garda Siochana including uniformed personnel, plain clothes, public order units, garda mounted unit and garda dog unit.

A number of people who were arrested is to appear before Dublin District Court this evening.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee described the clashes as completely unacceptable.

In a statement, Ms McEntee said: I have spoken to the Garda Commissioner this evening and he has told me the disturbance in Dublin is being brought under control.

Closure Notice: St. Stephen's Green, Dublin

St Stephens Green is closed today, Saturday 27th February 2021, on instructions from An Garda SAochAna . #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/8xsfedZezb  Office of Public Works (@opwireland) February 27, 2021

I know there have been a number of arrests already today and a special court sitting is being arranged to make sure these law-breakers are prosecuted speedily. I understand fixed charge notices have also been issued to a number of people.

I want to commend the courage and professionalism of the Gardai on duty today in Dublin who responded with great control and discipline in an extremely challenging situation.

This situation was completely unacceptable and was an insult to so many who have worked so hard in the fight against Covid-19 and to those who have died.

This mindless thuggery showed a wilful and blatant disregard for the public health rules which are needed to help us all and keep us safe.

Pure thuggery on the streets of Dublin today. Itas not a aprotesta. Itas an attack on our national effort. The abuse directed at the Gardai is sickening & shameful. Disgraceful. Thoughts with the Gardai and their families  Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) February 27, 2021

There was a heavy garda presence in the city centre ahead of the protest, which started at around 2pm.

Hundreds of people, who were not wearing face masks, took part in the demonstration.

Gardai used batons to push protesters away from the park.

Videos of the protest shows a demonstrator point a firework at gardai before it went off, while other missiles and items were thrown at gardai.

Protesters were prevented from gathering in the park after the Office of Public Works closed the gates to the public.
Eric Skye was jolted awake at 5:45 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 15, by the sound of an exploding electric transformer reverberating through his Northeast Portland home.

The block went dark immediately. Inside Skyes home, smoke trailed from a blackened electrical outlet. Next door, the lightbulb above his neighbors kitchen sink burst. The cover of one nearby homeowners utility meter blew off and sailed into his neighbors yard, leaving the charred remnants of the meter exposed.

Another transformer exploded moments later, lighting up the sky on Northeast 42nd Avenue. Another explosion followed, then another, and another.

Pacific Power began restoring power two days later, but it was a rude awakening for many neighbors. Damaged or destroyed were furnaces, washers, dryers, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, sound systems, coffee makers, computers and electrical outlets. Approximately 80 residents in the neighborhood were impacted, according to the utility company.

For many, the losses could run in the thousands of dollars. And its not yet clear that insurance companies or Pacific Power will offer any help.

Meanwhile, appliance orders were already backlogged because sales spiked during the pandemic. That means many residents will be without refrigerators and washers for weeks.

Skyes insurance company already denied his claim, saying damage from a power surge was excluded if the cause occurred outside the property. He plans to file a claim with Pacific Power, but isnt optimistic. Hes already doled out several thousand dollars for a new washer, dryer, printer and audio system and thinks he will be out more than $3,500 in total if his dishwasher cant be repaired.

Im seeing appliance trucks on my street every day, Skye said. We immediately bought a new washer and dryer. In a family of five, that becomes an emergency pretty quickly.

Drew Hanson, a spokesperson for PacifiCorp, Pacific Powers corporate parent, said that more than 18 transformers were damaged or destroyed and about 50,000 feet of wire came down in Northeast Portland during the ice storm that hit the city this month.

The Grant Park area experienced some of the worst damage, Hanson said. At the peak of the storm, about 80,000 Pacific Power customers were without electricity, about half of them in Northeast Portland. The last 300 customers to have power restored in Northeast Portland were in the Grant Park area.

Hanson said the power surge occurred on Feb. 15 when residents in the Grant Park area reported losing electricity, but he wouldnt comment on what exactly caused the power surge except that it was storm-related and that power surges can happen when one energized power line falls on another.

He also declined to answer multiple questions about Pacific Powers liability and whether the utility company would pay out money to customers who sustained damage to appliances during the surge. He said claims will be handled on a case-by-case basis and encouraged customers with questions to call directly.

Most homeowners insurance policies should address the homeowner claims and will guide the homeowner through the process of submitting a claim, Hanson said. If the customer wants to make a claim against Pacific Power, they can contact the call center and request a claim form to be sent to them.

Residents who spoke with The Oregonian/OregonLive said they either hadnt heard back from Pacific Power about their claims or had yet to file claims because they were still assessing the damage.

Many reported that their homeowners insurance will cover damage, but some said their deductibles were high enough that it wasnt worthwhile to file a claim. After the surge, Tom Martin realized that his deductible is $2,500, around the same amount it will likely cost him to replace a destroyed oven, refrigerator and dishwasher.

He said he plans to file a claim with Pacific Power, but isnt hopeful he will receive help because of a force majeure clause in the utility companys contracts which frees the company of liability for events out of their control.

Martin is purchasing new appliances with the expectation that he wont be reimbursed. It will take weeks for the new appliances to be delivered and his family is currently using an old fishing cooler to keep their food cold. He said the experience has been trying, but he feels blessed that things werent worse.

Im frustrated, just like everybody else, Martin said. Well have to dip into the savings account to replace things.

Bryan Snodgrass is one of the few people in the neighborhood who hasnt had to replace appliances this week. Thats because he had a whole-house surge protector.

While that saved his appliances, it didnt save his utility meter, which exploded during the power surge, destroying both the meter and its base. He had to pay to replace the base before Pacific Power came out to replace the meter and restore power, after he had gone six days without electricity.

Hanson said that the utility company had about 100 crew members and contractors working in Northeast Portland starting Feb. 15 replacing meters and other damaged equipment in the neighborhood, although Snodgrass meter appears to have suffered some of the worst damage.

Snodgrass said he expects his insurance company will reimburse him for the $4,400 he spent to replace the base of the meter, fix interior wiring and replace his interior surge protector, but he said he wants to recoup the cost of his deductible from Pacific Power.

I would hope I would be able to recover the deductible cost since the thing that exploded was the meter and thats their property, Snodgrass said.

Kandi Young, a spokesperson for Oregons Public Utility Commission, which handles utility-related disputes, said the commissions authority is generally limited to disputes involving rate charges and that it lacks the jurisdiction to award monetary damages.

The PUCs Consumer Services Team will investigate informal complaints received from customers, Young said, and may order a utility to take corrective action or make changes to policies on matters within our jurisdiction.

Mark Nielsen has spent the last week trying to replace nearly every appliance in the kitchen of his Grant Park home.

The power surge fried his refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, toaster oven, range hood, ceiling fan and electrical outlets, which he expects will cost nearly $5,000 in total to replace. He plans to reach out to his insurance company and Pacific Power to see if they can offer any relief.

In the meantime, he has already purchased a whole-house surge protector, which he installed himself. He said the modest $120 cost will be well worth it if it protects his home in the future.

Thats probably the biggest lesson from this, Nielsen said.

Ted Sickinger of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report.

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com | @jamiebgoldberg
The son of the former speaker of the US House of Representatives, 'Tip' O'Neill, who throughout his life made no secret of the pride he took in his Mallow roots, has joined the race to become the next ambassador to Ireland.

Thomas P O'Neill III, a former Massachusetts State Representative, who served also as the Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is understood to be one of a number of people seeking the role.

According to IrishCentral.com, friends of O'Neill say he has been lobbying leading figures within the Irish community in the US to gain their support for his push to secure the prestigious and sought-after position.

The previous holder of the position, Edward Crawford, who was appointed to the role by former US President Donald Trump in 2019, stood down last month.

Mr Crawford also had strong north Cork links, with his mother, Kate (Kay) Crawford (nee Healy), who was born in 1911 and passed away in the US in 1986, hailing from Gneeves in Boherbue.

Mr Crawford's grandfather, Jeremiah Healy, was born in Glashakinleen and was the son of John Healy and Ellen Donohue. Many locals in Boherbue will also remember Ambassador Crawford's aunt, the late Cecilia Healy from Gneeves, who passed away in 1996.

Boherbue rolled out the red carpet for Mr Crawford when he paid a visit to the town in July of 2019 during a trip to Cork.

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Thomas P O'Neill (74) is the eldest son of the late Thomas 'Tip' O'Neill, who held the position as House Speaker from 1977 to 1987.

Having earned his Bachelor's Degree from Boston College (where he now sits on the board of trustees) he earned a Masters in Public Administration from the Harvard John F Kennedy School of Government before following his father into politics.

Having served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1973 to 1974, he took up the role of Lieutenant Governor in 1975, remaining in the position until 1983.

During his time in office, he served on the US State Department Ambassadorial Screening Committee and is known for his work on the 'Big Dig' in Boston.

In 1991, he founded O'Neill and Associates, a public-relations and government-affairs consulting firm and still holds the position of its CEO overseeing all aspects of the firm's operations.

He is actively involved in numerous community and philanthropic organisations around the Boston area; is a member of the Irish American Fund and sits on the board of the Catholic Democrats.

According to distant cousin Michael O'Neill, a member of the Mallow Heritage Group, Thomas O'Neill inherited his late father's passion for Ireland and in particular Mallow, the ancestral home of his paternal great-grandparents, Patrick O'Neill and Julia (nee Fox).

"I have been in communication with Thomas over recent days, and he confirmed to me that he is very interested in the role of US ambassador to Ireland," said Michael.

"He is a great friend and close supporter of President Joe Biden, so I would be confident that he would stand a very good chance of getting the nomination, particularly given his Irish roots and keen interest in Irish affairs," he added.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
In this episode of Facing Forward, Margaret Brennan talks with Sal Khan, founder of the Khan Academy -- a digital learning non-profit known for its online education tools worldwide. Brennan and Khan take a closer look at the race to get America's kids caught up after a lost year and what the future looks like for remote learning.

HighlightsOn remote learning replacing in-person lessons: "I'll be the first to say that if I had to pick for myself or my own children or anyone else's children between an in-person amazing teacher- if I had to pick between that and the fanciest distance learning online artificial intelligence, I would pick the in-person human amazing teacher every time. So I'll be the first to say that pure online or distance learning is- cannot be a substitute for an amazing in-person teacher."On post-COVID "disaster recovery": "I think we have to make the best of the constraints that we have now, but as we start to get out of this COVID period, it really does have to be viewed as a disaster recovery project because these gaps that these kids are accumulating and this lack of self-esteem and what's hitting them socially and emotionally, this will have long lasting repercussions for- for decades if we don't- if we don't try to fix it."On bridging the digital divide in the wake of COVID-19: "If there is a silver lining on this front because of COVID is that there's never been more energy behind this. And I'm feeling optimistic that in the next three to five years, this- we- we won't completely solve this, but it will be mitigated to a large degree."

Download, rate and subscribe here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher

"Facing Forward": Khan Academy's Sal Khan transcript

Producers: Richard Escobedo, Anne Hsu, Kelsey Micklas

Research Producer: Kimani Hayes

/ Credit: Tom Williams

MARGARET BRENNAN: Thanks for joining us from California today.

CEO AND FOUNDER OF KHAN ACADEMY SAL KHAN: Great to be here.

Story continues

MARGARET BRENNAN: So I read you were raised by a single mom who worked as a 7-Eleven cashier in Louisiana, and you were rocking math competitions as a high schooler. So you went on, as smart kids often do, to some pretty prestigious universities. You went on and worked as a hedge fund analyst. So how did you go from that to this nonprofit business of online school tutorials?

KHAN: Yeah, that's, I guess, a reasonable synopsis of the first 30 or so years of my life. You- you know--

MARGARET BRENNAN: In two sentences, your life.

KHAN: Two sentences, that' s pretty good. The- you know, my original background out of undergrad was in technology and software. And then after business school, as you mentioned, I ended up working in finance. But I've always had this interest in education. In 2004, I was a year out of business school. I was working at a hedge fund in Boston. I had just gotten married and my family from New Orleans was visiting for the wedding. And it just came out of conversation that my 12 year old cousin Nadia was having trouble with math. And so I was convinced that I- I might be able to help her. And so she agreed to take my tutoring. So she goes back to New Orleans. I started remote tutoring her, and it was unit conversion that she was having trouble with and, you know, first had to overcome her lack of confidence. But once we got past that, she got unit conversion. She got caught up with her class. She got a little ahead of her class. And that same Nadia, who was put into a remedial math track, was then put into an advanced math track. So I was hooked. I started tutoring her younger brothers, word spreads in my family that free tutoring is going on. And before I know it, 10, 15 cousins, family, friends from around the country every day after work, I was- I was getting on the phone trying to communicate online with them. You know that- I called it Khan Academy almost as a joke because it was like me and my cousins. And then about a year later, now 2006, a friend said, Well, how are you scaling your lessons? And his name is Zuli Rumsen. I have to give him full credit. And I said, Zuli, you're right. It's much harder to do with 15 cousins what I was doing just with Nadia. And he said, well why don't you record some of your lessons to complement your software. Record them as videos on YouTube and then your cousins can access them whenever they want. And I initially thought it was a horrible idea. I said, Zuli, YouTube is for cats playing piano. It is not for mathematics. But I gave it a shot and you know, I told my cousins, I'm going to make these videos on things that you- you know, I feel like I have to answer a lot, review a lot. But then when we get on the phone, we can dig deeper. And after about a month, I asked for feedback. They famously told me they like me better on YouTube than in person. And it soon became clear that people who are not my cousins were watching. And so between the software and the videos, it started taking on a life of its own. And by 2009 there was about 100,000 folks using it every month. And then that's when, frankly, I had trouble focusing on my day job and I- I- I set kind of Khan Academy as a not for profit pretty convinced that, look, the social return on investment here is off the charts. Surely some philanthropists will recognize that. And so that kind of delusional optimism I- I took the leap and quit my day job. And, you know, 2009 was a tough year because the world doesn't always conspire the way you think it will. So we were living off of--

MARGARET BRENNAN: That was the financial crisis.

KHAN: We were living off of savings and our first child had just been born. But by mid-2010, we got our first real philanthropic funding and Khan academy was able to become an organization.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So fast forward, you've now kind of become like the poster child for remote learning, which is interesting because now we're in the midst of as a country figuring out how to educate kids at home. And for people who aren't parents and don't have kids and might think this is all, you know, not important to them, I think, one of the big challenges for our country right now has been laid bare that- that you can't get the US economy chugging along until you can get parents fully back into the economy. And that's in large part dependent on getting their kids back into school. But it's also going to mean getting their kids back up to speed. So that's why I want to dig into kind of like the bigger picture here. Why do you think when people are at home and listening to what's going wrong with our education systems right now, that the impression is remote learning does not work?

KHAN: Well, as you mentioned, as someone who is, I guess, sometimes viewed as a poster child for online learning, which sometimes gets combined with remote learning, I'll be the first to say that if I had to pick for myself or my own children or anyone else's children between an in-person amazing teacher- if I had to pick between that and the fanciest distance learning online artificial intelligence, I would pick the in-person human amazing teacher every time. So I'll be the first to say that pure online or distance learning is- cannot be a substitute for an amazing in-person teacher. Now, with that said, even before COVID, we know that there's large parts of the planet, including a lot in the US where you don't have access to certain courses. You might not have access to a teacher that you're really resonating with. And that's where it is important to be able to raise the floor for students. And so that's where online learning, that's where Khan Academy, other resources, things like "MOOCs" can be valuable. But the ideal circumstance is where you're able to leverage tools to liberate or unlock what that amazing teacher can do. Now, what's happened with COVID is we've had a- a strange set of constraints applied to us where you're not able to get the best of both worlds. And it's- and it's all happened super fast. So people didn't have a lot of time to plan. And so you had a kind of wholesale migration and literally in a matter of days or weeks from in-person instruction to essentially video conference instruction. And, you know, the reality is- is in-person instruction. There's ways to do it really well and there's ways to do it not so well. And the not so well has always been kids fingers on lips, you know, passive, just listening to a lecture, that's usually not so engaging in person. And then when you transplant that onto video conference, it becomes that much less engaging--

KHAN: --because obviously kids can look at other windows, they don't have to show up. So, yeah, it's- it's very suboptimal on so many levels, but it doesn't mean that online learning or distance learning is bad. It just means that these constraints that we're having are unfortunate. If we had COVID without the online learning or distance learning, then things would have been that much worse.

MARGARET BRENNAN: What do you think is the hardest thing to teach via remote?

KHAN: Well, I think there's all of these intangibles that happen, and we all remember it from school, you know, all the things you learned from your peers. Some hard- hard lessons in the hallway, collaborating with people sometimes, you know, just a certain look that the teacher gets you. And you might get a little bit of that on a video conference. But it's all of those implicit social, emotional learning things. You know, what's especially been hard right now is this- this lifeline on video conference isn't just about academic learning because kids are also not able to socialize in the ways that they were before. And so that's leading to, I think, tough issues for a lot of kids. You know, I see with my kids on- if two or three days go by where they're not able to, at least, you know, see one friend in a playdate in a COVID safe way at a park. And if they're inside for that day--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right.

KHAN: --they just kind of get a little, you know, batty. And we're lucky. You know, I have a backyard. I live in a neighborhood and we live in Northern California. It's like 75 degrees outside right now. So we can do this. But- you know, I can't imagine so many kids if you're living- frankly, if you grew up the way I grew up, you're growing up in an apartment complex where there's pretty much a lot of concrete outside. You're not in a place where that's easy to go outside. That's really really tough when you have to do everything online. And for a lot of these families, they don't have a great Internet connection, if- if any at all.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Or what about parents who have to become teachers on the fly and turn their kitchen table into a classroom and they don't speak English? How do they teach their kids?

KHAN: Exactly, I mean, and, you know, on top of that, what if they have to work like my mom did at the convenience store and who's watching the kids?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right.

KHAN: You know, I remember when I grew up, you know, me and my sister we were, in the '80s, they called the latchkey kids. You know, we would come home at 2:00 or 3:00 and, you know, kind of watch TV. And my mom would come home at 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. and then we'd all have dinner together. But it's incredibly difficult because in my circumstances, there's myself, my wife's a physician, but she's able- been able to see some of her patients remotely during the pandemic. My mother-in-law lives with us. So between all of us, we have a lot of support. And they go to a school that was really supporting them through this situation and it was still hard. And so if you take all of that away, that's- that's what all of us are afraid of. You know, I talked to- I have a school teacher who lives two doors down from us, and she was saying, and this is in a upper middle class neighborhood, she's saying that here she's lost 10% of her kids, like they just disengaged. They're not showing up for online learning. When they do, she sees that their- their vocabulary has degraded because they just haven't been engaged in school. And this- and the problem is a lot worse if you go to some rural areas or some urban areas where it's 20, 30% of kids really haven't been able to engage. So I think we have to make the best of the constraints that we have now, but as we start to get out of this COVID period, it really does have to be viewed as a disaster recovery project because these gaps that these kids are accumulating and this lack of self-esteem and what's hitting them socially and emotionally, this will have long lasting repercussions for- for decades if we don't- if we don't try to fix it.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Now, the- I saw one figure that put it at an economic cost of between 14 to 28 trillion dollars to the US economy, if schools remain closed for in-person learning. That was according to the OECD. I mean, that's pretty staggering about the long term cost. But I want to talk to you about how to find some solutions because we've been admiring this horrible problem. Let's talk about how to fix it in a moment. So stay with us. We're going to take a quick break.

*COMMERCIAL*

MARGARET BRENNAN: So I live in Washington, D.C., and they gave out hotspots to kids and tech equipment to students so they can remotely learn, but in a lot of places in the country, you can't even uplink to the Internet. According to the FCC, nearly 30 million Americans can't really benefit from the- from the digital age. And it really hits in rural areas in particular. So it seems to me that's not just an education problem, what you're talking about, in ways to try to fix the education system, it requires infrastructure overhaul in this country too, right?

KHAN: Absolutely, and what you just pointed to- exactly, it's not just an education issue just to engage in the economy, to look for a job, to stay in touch with friends and family, you need some form of Internet access now. In urban areas it's more of an affordability issue, in rural areas, it's just that the infrastructure oftentimes is not there. Now, the silver lining is I have never seen more energy behind this issue of the digital divide than we are seeing right now. So it's the last eight, nine months have been horrible for these families, these communities, that it's- it's been hard for them to engage. But people are taking this problem seriously. You know, I've talked to groups like SpaceX who have obviously the Starlink where they're going to put a bunch of low earth orbiting satellites and hopefully be able to get Internet access to not just rural America, but rural everywhere. And I'm feeling optimistic that in the next three to five years, this- we- we won't completely solve this, but it will be mitigated to a large degree.

MARGARET BRENNNAN: So your- Khan Academy, you can access these tutorials for free. Some school districts do contract with you I saw, but a lot of your benefactors here include, like the Walton family, they are behind Wal-Mart, Bank of America, Gates Foundation, Google. Do those benefactors influence the content that you post?

KHAN: No, not at all. You know, these- all of these foundations have always just been- I mean, you know, the Gates Foundation, for example, if we go back to that story in 2010 when I was trying to get funding, actually I was applying for a grant with the Gates Foundation for- for I think it was like $30,000. And then it just came out of the woodwork that- that Bill himself was using Khan Academy with his children and he himself was using it to learn some topics and finance and other things.--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Really? What was he trying to learn?

KHAN: So my understanding- well his kids were using it for math and science. And then I believe he- he really enjoyed it back in 2008 and 2009 actually made a whole explanation of the financial crisis and what was happening. And I did that actually, because my day job, I want- I kept reading the Federal Reserve Act to understand all of the levers. I was like, wow, even the people in the news don't really understand this well.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.

KHAN: And so I started making explanations. It actually turned out back in 2009, even some of the news anchors I later found out were watching the Khan Academy videos on credit default swaps and mortgage backed securities before reporting on it. But, you know, that was an example of, you know, once Bill became a fan and they kind of flew me up to Seattle and said, what's the vision here? And I said, look, the vision is let's make all of the core academic content available to anyone in the world, including in all the world's major languages. Let's make it as personalized and engaging as possible. And one day let's see if we can figure out ways that we can connect that to opportunity and completely in line with what they believed. And Bank of America, they cared about financial literacy, frankly, especially coming out of the financial crisis. And, you know, none of them have any editorial say.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So you have this argument in Washington over funding that as part of an upcoming bill, President Biden is trying to push through Congress and some of the money in it, about $130 billion is going to go for schools. There's some money in it that's supposed to, or could be used to play catch up over the summer with some kind of perhaps voluntary catch up program. I know the teachers union had- we spoke with recently, Randi Weingarten said that should be voluntary, to go to summer school. What do you see on the horizon that can help fix the problems that you see right now?

KHAN: Yeah, as you mentioned, I believe roughly 20% of that- of those funds are targeted at learning loss, which is a very broad term for and it could be learning loss that happened well before COVID. But the theory is and there's data to back that up, that there's that the learning loss or the unfinished learning has accelerated during COVID. And this is something that Khan Academy has always been focused on. When COVID hit we saw our traffic increased by a factor of three. You know, we normally see about 30 million learning minutes per day. That went to about 85 million learning minutes per day, and we've accelerated a whole series of content and resources to specifically address learning loss. So we've created a new courses called "Get Ready for Grade Level" courses, which cover all of the prerequisites you need to master in order to fully engage at the grade level courses. There's another not for profit that I started in response to COVID that we think could play a huge role in this recovery effort, for lack of a better word, called Schoolhouse dot World, which is about giving free tutoring to people. We have high quality vetted volunteers. Some of these are retired professors, teachers. Some of these are software engineers and lawyers and doctors. And some of them are just really good high school students and college students who are willing to tutor other folks. And that's picking up a lot of steam. We have the state of New Hampshire, state of Rhode Island, states- and state of Mississippi that have already signed on to use it for all the tutoring in their state. So between the software content, personalized learning aspects on Khan Academy and then what we- what we think we're creating is a national free tutoring platform on Schoolhouse.World, which could be used- and both of these things could be used outside of a classroom or as part of a formal school day. We hope to be part of that- that solution to help fill in students' gaps.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And who is that up to you, though? I mean, does that ultimately just come down to a parent saying, my kids gotta play catch up? Or do you think these things need to actually be required by school districts?

KHAN: So I think it's going to be a combination. In the ideal circumstance, I do- I would love both. In the ideal circumstance, every teacher knows about these resources. Every parent knows about these resources and gets their students on it. You know, we see efficacy studies, if kids are even able to put in 40 minutes a week, it can dramatically accelerate them. But the ideal is if kids are able to put in 15, 20 minutes a day above and beyond what they would have normally done in schoo and especially in topics like math, we have a lot of evidence that not only will they fill in the gaps, but they will probably accelerate well ahead of their peers. So every parent should know that because these resources are free and- and- and available to everyone. You know, my understanding of how the money will flow is primarily going to most of that money is going to go to the states and then the state, kind of commissioners of education will distribute most of that money to the districts and then the districts are going to have a lot of leeway in how they use it. My- my hope is that they use that to create in-person settings so that there is that mentorship, that human connection that can then leverage some of these online tools, including online tutoring.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, I mean, remote- remote learning is going to stay with us. And in fact, if you look at the CDC guidelines for reopening schools, the majority of schools are in areas with really high COVID rates. So that means under the guidelines that like middle school and high schools, have to stay virtual only unless they can really strictly implement all the mitigation strategies. So for high school and middle grade students, is- is that sort of the area that you think is the greatest focus for you right now since they seem to be kind of stuck online for the near future?

KHAN: I- I think it's all of the above, and I think we're- we're talking about two phases, we're talking about between now and hopefully things normalize by the fall, what we're going to do. And our focus is on everyone from pre-K, we have Khan Academy kids, which is reading, writing, math and social and emotional learning all the way through elementary, middle, high school and early college. You know, we go into some of those, all of those early general ed, especially all of the STEM courses. And I think now it's a lot of what--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Science, technology, math.

KHAN: Right. And right now it's going to be- you're going to have to leverage the technology while the pandemic is going. But once we get back to school, so to speak, there's going to be all of this gap filling. And that's where the extra tutoring from places like Schoolhouse dot World, you know, leveraging Khan Academy, ideally in a classroom, so that kids can fill in the gaps while the class starts to move ahead to the appropriate grade level. I think that's going to be essential.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sal Khan, it's been good to talk to you today. Founder and CEO of Khan Academy, thank you for your time. We'll be right back.

SAL KHAN: Great. Thanks for having me.

Virginia Senator Mark Warner on Biden's supply chain executive order

U.S. carries out airstrikes in Syria on Iranian-backed targets

"A Shot of Hope: Vaccine Questions Answered"
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Friday called for "strong and determined action" from Group of 20 (G20) policymakers to counter "dangerous divergence" between and within economies.

Noting that the world economy is on the path of recovery, Georgieva, however, note that "uncertainties remain very high," as vaccinations still have a long way to go against new waves and variants of the virus.

At the virtual meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors under the Italian Presidency, the IMF chief highlighted the "dangerous divergence" between and within economies.

"In emerging and developing countries, excluding China, we project by 2022 cumulative per capita income losses as high as 22 percent, versus 13 percent in advanced economies," Georgieva said.

"And we forecast that only half of the countries that were narrowing their income gaps relative to advanced economies will continue to do so over 2020-22," she continued.

Within countries, she noted, the young, the low-skilled, and women have been "disproportionately affected" by job losses.

The IMF chief called for strong and determined action from G20 policymakers, noting that international collaboration is needed to accelerate production and make vaccines available everywhere "as fast as possible."

She urged governments to resolve to provide lifelines to business and households, tailored to countries' circumstances, "until there is a durable exit from the health crisis," adding that policymakers should "prepare for risks and unintended consequences" once policy support is gradually withdrawn.

The IMF chief also highlighted the urgency to step up support to vulnerable countries. "We must deploy all tools at our disposal."

"I am very encouraged by the growing support for a new Special Drawing Right (SDR) allocation, to boost reserves of all members in a transparent and accountable manner," Georgieva said.

Georgieva added that the IMF strongly supports the Presidency's proposal on global climate risks and environmental taxation.

"We will play our part in the areas of our comparative strength, such as integrating climate in public revenues and spending policies, climate-related financial stability risks and data," she said.
More than 850 cattle that spent the last two months on a ship adrift in the Mediterranean should now be killed, vets have said.

The cattle have been kept on the Karim Allah, which docked on the south-eastern Spanish port of Cartagena on Thursday, in what animal rights activists described as 'hellish' conditions.

A confidential report by Spanish government veterinarians suggested the animals should now be euthanized and video from the port appeared to show preparations are being made to unload the cattle, the Guardian reported.

'In the video you see the closed containers, they are not for living livestock,' said Miquel Masramon, lawyer for the cattle ships management company, on Saturday.

The cattle (pictured) have been kept on the Karim Allah, which docked on the south-eastern Spanish port of Cartagena on Thursday

Pictured, the Karim Allah, which is where the cattle have been kept in 'hellish' conditions, according to animal rights activists

He told the newspaper: 'We have no official information, but we think they will discharge the animals and then kill them with electrical guns.'

The video showed a metal ramp leading down from a ship toward a number of metal containers that lined a dock wall.

The report, compiled after Spanish officials were able to board the ship, revealed there had been 22 deaths out of the 895 calves on-board.

Those that died at sea were chopped up and thrown into the water, the captain revealed.

Another nine animals were unaccounted for, the report claimed, and two carcasses remain on board. The calves, all bulls, are now around seven to eight months old.

The ship left from Cartagena on December 18 with a load of calves destined for Turkey.

A confidential report by Spanish government veterinarians suggested the animals should now be euthanized and video from the port appeared to show preparations are being made to unload the cattle, the Guardian reported

The report, compiled after Spanish officials were able to board the ship, revealed there had been 22 deaths out of the 895 calves on-board

Livestock ship Karim Allah is seen at sea near Cartagena, in Spain on February 25

But when the ship got to Turkey the cattle were rejected, according to the Spanish ministry responsible. It said: 'The Turkish authorities rejected the export certificate issued by the Spanish authorities and prevented the landing of the calves in the port of destination.'

The ship then travelled to Libya, where it was again rejected.

The report concluded euthanasia would be the best solution because the animals had suffered from the journey and were in a poor state.

They had been rejected from a number of countries over fears they had insect-born bovine bluetongue virus - which is not a threat to humans, but causes lameness and haemorrhaging in cattle.

The report said the cattle were not fit for transport outside the EU and could not be allowed into the EU. But Mr Masramon said the animals could recover and any illness was to be expected after so many weeks at sea.

The loss of the animals will mark a 1m loss for the cattle's owners, and the shipping company is responsible for culling the animals - which could cost up to 1m.

The report It concluded euthanasia would be the best solution because the animals had suffered from the journey and were in a poor state

Veterinarians examine cattle on board of livestock ship Karim Allah where they have been stranded for months for suspected bluetongue disease

While the report did not confirm whether the animals had the virus, it did note other symptoms, including: Alopecia, flaking, scabs and joint inflammation compatible with septic arthritis.

The ship is owned by Lebanese Khalifeh Livestock Trading and managed by Talia Shipping Line. Bosses are resisting attempts to unload the animals.

Blood samples were taken on Wednesday night by Talia Shipping Line, according to Mr Masramon, but they were blocked at the port by Spanish authorities so did not get to a lab to be analysed.

A spokesman for Spain's agricultural ministry told MailOnline: 'The veterinary inspection carried out on February 25 and 26 aboard the vessel has verified that the condition of the calves, after two months of travel, prevents them from undertaking a new voyage for their export to a third country.

'The veterinary inspection was accompanied by agents of the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) of the Civil Guard and customs services.

'The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has proceeded to communicate to the company responsible for transporting the cattle, the contents of the inspection report.

'They are told to proceed to the isolation and sacrifice of the animals, in accordance with the applicable regulations and, if not, it will be the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Food who does it in a subsidiary way.'

A source close to a second cattle ship, the Elbeik, said the health problems could 'easily heal' and did not warrant euthanasia. The Elbeik has also been at sea for two months since leaving the Spanish port of Tarragona with nearly 1,800 cows.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
COLUMBIA  Former U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond was among 16 names proposed for possible removal from University of South Carolina buildings by a special panel examining historical figures' racially insensitive records.

The names were listed in an interim report given Feb. 26 by the Presidential Commission on University History, co-chaired by former USC President Harris Pastides.

The buildings were singled out for possible renaming from more than 70 named buildings, rooms, monuments and grounds at the university identified by the commission. They were prioritized based on "student, faculty and community input," the interim report read.

Other buildings on the list have namesakes who were slave owners, Confederate Civil War figures and segregationists.

The buildings listed include: Barnwell College, Blatt PE Center, Gressette Room in Harper College, Hollings Library, Longstreet Theater, Maxcy College, McMaster College, Preston Residential College, Robert E. Lee Tree and Woodrow College.

Gov. Henry McMaster's office did not have an answer immediately Feb. 26 if he was related to Confederate Col. F.W. McMaster, namesake for the home of USC's School of Visual Art and Design.

Other notable buildings under consideration included USC's admissions office, library and student apartments named after slave owners  Francis Lieber, Thomas Cooper and James Henley Thornwell  as well as two dorms  one named for J. Marion Sims, who performed surgery on enslaved women, and another for Confederate general and Ku Klux Klan sympathizer Wade Hampton.

Each of the names will be reviewed by a subcommittee of the Presidential Commission on University History before going to the full commission. The commission will send any recommended name changes to President Bob Caslen and the Board of Trustees. Names approved for proposed removal by trustees go to the state Legislature, which has the final say.

The wellness and recreation center known around campus as "The Strom" has garnered much of the attention to date.

USC's board has been hesitant when it comes to Thurmond, a 20th century politician who started his career as a segregationist.

USC Board Chairman Dorn Smith, who is not on the commission, said Feb. 26 the board will wait to see what names are brought to trustees.

He told The Post and Courier previously he does not know how trustees will vote if the Thurmond fitness center is included in the committee's list for a new name. But the Williamsburg County heart surgeon said everyone has sinned, and there should be room for reconciliation and forgiveness.

Thurmond's longtime fellow senator, Ernest Hollings, is included among the names under review. Hollings was governor as the state's fight for segregation escalated in the early 1960s. Hollings' name was included "based on community feedback the commission has received," USC spokesman Jeff Stensland said.

The special history commission was established soon after Caslen started at USC in 2019 "to study and better understand the histories of the people whose names adorn our buildings, and  more broadly  to capture the voices and contributions of forgotten, excluded, or marginalized groups and individuals who positively contributed to the establishment, maintenance, and growth of our university.

Even if the USC board approves any recommendations from the history panel, building names cannot be changed without approval from the General Assembly under state law. South Carolina's Heritage Act requires a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate to rename historical monuments, streets and buildings.

If the board approves a name change, the building can only get a new name if approved by the Legislature. Trustees asked lawmakers in 2020 to remove Sims' from the dorm, but no action has been taken in the General Assembly.

"I don't mean to diminish the value of the commission or diminish the amount of work weve done but frankly it is advisory," Pastides told The Post and Courier on Feb 26. "The real work begins after the commissions work and recommendations are given."

Lawmakers last had to overcome the requirements of the Heritage Act to remove the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds after the racially motivated 2015 Emanuel AME Church massacre in Charleston.

Clemson University and Winthrop University joined USC in agreeing to ask the Legislature to change the name of a building on campus in 2020, but the efforts have gone nowhere because no bills have been introduced in the General Assembly. Clemson and Winthrop trustees voted to remove the name of Ben Tillman from campus buildings. Tillman, a former governor and senator, was an avowed post-Civil War white supremacist.

In addition to the renaming of buildings, USC's special commission also reported on its efforts to highlight the accomplishments of minority figures on campus, from developing walking tours highlighting aspects of Black History to consideration of a plaza commemorating the contribution of Black sororities and fraternities to the school.

While the commission has drawn criticism, including from some of its own student members, for drawing out the process, Pastides said he is hopeful this interim report will highlight the amount of work going into the effort  including four community forums to garner feedback and conversations with other universities that have gone through a similar movement.

Andy Shain contributed from Columbia.

Editors note: Information was added to this story related to former Sen. Ernest Hollings.


How housing discrimination affects environmental inequality

URBANA, Ill. - Economists and urban planners generally agree that local pollution sources disproportionally impact racial minorities in the U.S. The reasons for this are largely unclear, but a University of Illinois study provides new insights into the issue.

"Our work finds experimental evidence that racial discrimination in the home-renting process actively sorts minority renters into neighborhoods with higher levels of pollution," says Peter Christensen, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACE) and an affiliate in Center for the Economics of Sustainability at University of Illinois.

Christensen and co-authors Ignacio Sarmiento-Barbieri, U of I, and Christopher Timmins of Duke University conducted an empirical study to investigate racial bias in residential sorting.

A range of social and economic factors influence the rental search process, Christensen explains. A combination of differences in information about pollution exposure, neighborhood preference, and the relationship between race and income disparity can make it difficult to isolate a specific reason why a renter ends up with a certain property.

Therefore, the researchers used a correspondence experiment to isolate the effect of racial bias from property managers on the search process in housing markets with major polluting facilities.

Even in a particular ZIP code, neighborhoods can differ drastically in environmental quality, so the researchers categorized the 2,900 properties included in the study as lying within a low, medium, or high exposure area using an Environmental Protection Agency measure of pollution concentration.

Christensen's team at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) designed a "discrimination bot" that could identify properties in those markets and make large numbers of inquiries from fictitious renters on a major online housing platform. The bot would randomly vary the racial/ethnic identities of the prospective renters using a set of first/last names shown to elicit perceptions of Black, White, or Latin-X identities in the U.S.

The researchers tested for group differences in responses from the same property manager to the different identities.

"The results confirmed a troublingly high degree of racial bias in the online housing market," Christensen says. "In neighborhoods with a low pollution concentration, we measured a 59% relative response rate to inquiries from renters with Black and Latin-X sounding names. In other words, these renters were 41% less likely than those with white-sounding names to receive a response."

The results were even more striking for male renters with Black-sounding names in low-pollution neighborhoods - this group received just a 28% relative response rate to their inquiries.

Overall, the disparities were smaller in medium-exposure neighborhoods, with the relative response rate for minority-sounding names rising to 71%.

In high-exposure neighborhoods, the study found no evidence of racial discrimination, except those with Latin-X sounding names were actually slightly more likely to receive a response.

These results imply serious effects of racial disparities in pollution exposures and the broader welfare of minority communities, Christensen notes.

Overall, minority renters are more likely to be sorted into neighborhoods with high pollution concentrations. Those who actively seek out low-pollution housing are constrained to a smaller offering of properties, thus spending more time, money, and energy to search for a safe place to live.

Christensen and his co-authors emphasize their experimental data have limitations. The study only encompassed interactions taking place on a single online rental platform, raising questions about whether or not the results hold in other housing markets. Renter names in correspondence experiments are designed to elicit racial identification and may not be representative of the U.S. population. More work is needed to examine effects on the U.S. population as a whole or to identify differences across regions.

While the study does provide strong evidence discrimination continues to limit housing opportunities in minority communities, it does not examine whether pollution concentration specifically influences a landlord's decision to reply. Other factors affect these decisions and it isn't clear if landlords are generally aware of pollution in the area.

Regardless of the motives of rental property managers, the findings demonstrate that discriminatory practices limit housing options for minorities in neighborhoods with clean air, while providing no such search barriers in neighborhoods with higher levels of pollution. This likely exacerbates disparities in residential pollution exposures and contributes to respiratory illnesses, heart disease, hypertension and stress, as well as other health conditions.

"Our work makes a strong case for spending more resources on enforcing and investigating fair housing policy, for which funding has declined in recent years, and the need to consider implicit racial bias in the creation of future policies," Christensen concludes.

###

The Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACE) and Center for the Economics of Sustainability are in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at University of Illinois.

The paper, "Housing discrimination and the toxics exposure gap in the United States: Evidence from the rental market," is published in Review of Economics and Statistics.

[https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1162/ rest_a_00992 ]

Authors include Peter Christensen, Ignacio Sarmiento-Barbieri, and Christopher Timmins.

Support for this research was provided by the Russell Sage Foundation, National Science Foundation, and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
HarbourVest Partners has beaten the $600m target for its Credit Opportunities Fund II by reaching an $833m final close. The oversubscribed fund is double the size of the firm's debut in the strategy, which it closed on $375m in 2017.

Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Donald Trump is reportedly considering lashing out at House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in anger over GOP defections in his second impeachment.

Trump, who will address CPAC in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, is still stewing over McCarthy's decision to keep Rep. Liz Cheney in the number two House GOP role after she voted to impeach, three sources told Politico.

Last month, McCarthy flew to Mar-a-Lago in a bid to patch things up with Trump after saying that the former president 'bears responsibility' for the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

His effort to appease Trump continued this week, when McCarthy took a swipe at Cheney on Fox News, suggesting that she supports cancel culture.

Last month, McCarthy (right) flew to Mar-a-Lago in a bid to patch things up with Trump after saying that the former president 'bears responsibility' for the January 6 riot

McCarthy used a CPAC panel on Saturday to lavish praise on Trump, crediting the former president for securing GOP gains in the House in the 2020 elections

Former President Donald Trump (left) is photographed on his West Palm Beach golf course Saturday alongside Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (right) a day before he's expected to appear at CPAC

But McCarthy suffered an awkward moment at a press conference on Wednesday, when a reporter asked Cheney if Trump should be speaking at CPAC.

'I don't believe that he should be playing a role in the future of the party or the country,' she replied, as McCarthy stood by awkwardly.

'On that high note, thank you all very much,' McCarthy added, swiftly concluding the press conference.

At a CPAC panel on Saturday, McCarthy overflowed with praise for Trump, crediting the former president for significant GOP gains in the House in November elections.

'You know why we won that? President Trump worked on all these races,' McCarthy said. 'Even when President Trump was sick with COVID, he called me one night from the hospital and said "Kevin we've got to keep doing this."'

'He couldn't do the rallies, so he would do these rallies over the phone for each district, and he would have the candidate on and he would talk, and it turned out the votes.'

The minority leader's top priority is returning a GOP majority to the House in the midterm elections, which would seize the gavel from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Following his January 28 meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, McCarthy issued a statement saying that Trump had 'committed to helping elect Republicans in the House and Senate in 2022.'

But Trump has already shown his willingness to tangle in McCarthy's conference, on Friday endorsing his own former aide Max Miller in a primary contest against Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, an Ohio Republican who voted to impeach.

McCarthy suffered an awkward moment at a press conference on Wednesday, when Cheney said of Trump: 'I don't believe that he should be playing a role in the future of the party or the country'

As the Republican Party grapples with deep divisions over the extent to which it should embrace Trump after losing the White House and both chambers of Congress, those gathered at the annual CPAC made clear they are not ready to move on from the former president.

'Donald J. Trump aint going anywhere,' said Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, one of several potential 2024 presidential contenders who spoke at the event, being held this year in Orlando to bypass COVID-19 restrictions.

Trump on Sunday will be making his first post-presidential appearance at the conference, and aides say he will use the speech to reassert his power.

The program underscored the split raging within the GOP, as many establishment voices argue the party must move on from Trump to win back the suburban voters who abandoned them in November, putting President Joe Biden in the White House.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and others worry Trump will undermine the partys political future if he and his conspiracy theories continue to dominate Republican politics.

Indeed, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., another potential 2024 hopeful, drew among the loudest applause and a standing ovation when he bragged about challenging the election certification on Jan. 6 despite the storming of the Capitol building by Trump supporters trying to halt the process.

'I thought it was an important stand to take,' he said.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) greets people as she attends the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida on Saturday

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) addresses the CPAC on Saturday. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and leaders to discuss issues important to them

A statue of former president Donald Trump on display at the merchandise show at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday

Others argued the party would lose if it turned its back on Trump and alienated the working-class voters drawn to his populist message.

'We cannot - we will not - go back to the days of the failed Republican establishment of yesteryear,' said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who outlined a new Trumpian GOP agenda focused on restrictive immigration policies, opposition to China and limiting military engagement.

'We will not win the future by trying to go back to where the Republican Party used to be,' echoed Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who chairs the fundraising committee tasked with electing Republicans to the Senate.

'If we do, we will lose the working base that President Trump so animated. Were going to lose elections across the country, and ultimately were going to lose our nation.'

Scott is dismissing pressure on him to 'mediate between warring factions on the right' or 'mediate the war of words between the party leaders.' He has refused to take sides in the bitter ongoing fight between Trump and McConnell, who blamed Trump for inciting the deadly Capitol riot but ultimately voted to acquit him at his impeachment trial earlier this month.

'I'm not going to mediate anything,' he said, criticizing those who 'prefer to fan the flames of a civil war on our side' as 'foolish' and 'ridiculous.'

'Allah rest his soul': Mike Pompeo taunts Iranian General Soleimani during his CPAC speech

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has taunted dead Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, saying 'Allah rest his soul' during a barnstorming speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

'So how many of you remember Qasem Soleimani? Allah rest his soul,' Pompeo asked the audience, referring to the general killed in a U.S. missile strike in January of last year.

Donald Trump's brazen move to assassinate the head of Iran's clandestine military unit, said to be a top financier of terror, drew venomous fury from Tehran and brought the two countries to the brink of war.

'I'm not a diplomat,' Pompeo reminded the crowd as he took stage in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, offering a defense of Donald Trump's foreign policy while criticizing President Joe Biden's early moves.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday that he was 'going to let it rip'

Pompeo taunted dead Iranian General Qasem Soleimani (above), saying 'Allah rest his soul' during a barnstorming speech

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised that he would 'let it rip' during his CPAC speech, which he used to tout former President Donald Trump's foreign policy achievements

'I sent messages repeatedly to bad guys around the world that if you touch an American, you'll pay dearly,' he told the crowd. 'America First secures our freedom and the entire world benefits when America is fearless, bold and strong.'

He said Trump's decision to leave the Paris climate agreement was the right move and slammed Biden for rejoining the pact.

'When President Biden reentered this deal I can tell you that [Chinese leader] Xi Jinping was smiling every single minute, and the American worker lost,' he said.

Pompeo also lashed out at Biden's domestic decisions, such as canceling the KeystoneXL pipeline, which the ex-secretary of state said 'killed 10,000 jobs.'

The former top diplomat bragged that the mostly symbolic sanctions that China and Iran had levied against him were evidence that his aggressive approach toward adversaries worked.

Pompeo, seen with Trump last year, , offered a defense of Trump's foreign policy while criticizing President Joe Biden's early moves

'Never forget that China depends more on us than we do on them,' he said. 'President Trump understood that, our foreign policy understood that, and we protected the American worker from the Chinese Communist Party's predation.'

Pompeo also touted the relocation of the U.S. embassy in Israel and the Abraham Accords as huge foreign policy successes.

He also pointed to Trump's dealings with the North Koreans, including two meetings with leader Kim Jong Un.

'Exactly zero tests have been conducted,' Pompeo said of the North Korean nuclear program, in the aftermath of two summits. 'That's real foreign policy.'

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at CPAC on Saturday

Rep. Lauren Boebert will also speak at CPAC Saturday afternoon

Pompeo also mocked Biden for saying 'America is back.'

'Back to what?' he asked.

He then suggested that Biden would go too easy on Iran.

The keynote speech offered Pompeo to chance to carve out his own lane for a potential political future, and he used it to signal he intends to appeal to Trump's base.

Saturday's CPAC will also feature an appearance by pro-Second Amendment firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert.

Trump is due to make his first speech as a private citizen at the prominent conservative conference on Sunday.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who opened his remarks with a joke about his much-criticized trip to a Cancun resort, cast conservatives as Jedi rebels against the rigid conformity of the socialist left  a call to arms at an event steeped in complaints of cultural victimhood. This years conference is titled America Uncanceled.

But Mr. Cruz also had a message for members of his own party.

Theres a whole lot of voices in Washington that want to just erase the past four years, want to go back to the world before, he said. Let me tell ya right now: Donald J. Trump aint goin anywhere.

Josh Hawley, a junior senator from Missouri, after defending his efforts to contest the election results as taking a stand, proclaimed a new nationalism that included breaking up technology companies, standing up to China and tightening borders. The oligarchs and corporate media, he said, want to divide Americans with lies like systemic racism. Hours before his speech, Mr. Hawley announced legislation requiring a $15 minimum wage for corporations with revenues over $1 billion.

None of the men, its worth noting, made any reference to Mr. Biden, a sign that the party continues to lack any cohesive line of attack against the new administration.

But what was equally striking is how far the speeches differed from traditional Republican ideology. A party that has defined itself as defenders of the free market now believes big technology companies wield too much power and the government needs to put more restrictions in place. Concerns about interventionism abroad have replaced hawkish doctrine as the driving foreign policy force. Nativism has gone mainstream and the politics of cultural grievance, focused heavily around race, dominate among conservatives that once delighted in mocking sensitive liberal snowflakes.

Of course, some of this rhetoric isnt quite accurate. Although pandemic rules vary across the country, stay-at-home orders are lifted in all states and businesses are largely open in most. Even as Republicans fret about being canceled by liberals, local parties in recent weeks have censured members of Congress who strayed from overwhelming support of Mr. Trump.

But Mr. Cruz is correct that there are some Republicans who hope that the party will revert to its pre-Trump policies and rhetoric. After watching the speeches at CPAC, its hard to imagine how the party could have once rallied around a fiscally conservative, hawkish on foreign policy Republican like Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, their 2012 nominee.

I think Trump is more powerful outside of office than he was inside of office, said New Jerseyan Elizabeth Nader. And were going to see him do a lot to lead the party. And hes going to make us focused again on 2022. So will he run again? We dont know. ... In no way will we ever leave that movement because its the true American movement, and DeSantis understands that.
Pakistan India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy welcomes DGMOs Ceasefire Agreement

Joint Statement released on 27th February 2021, New Delhi and Islamabad

Pakistan India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD), from India and Pakistan welcomes the agreement between the DGMOs (Director General of Military Operations) of India and Pakistan to observe ceasefire on the Line of Control and International border from the midnight of 24 February 2021.

The escalating tensions and hostilities on the borders since 2014 have resulted in colossal loss of civilian lives and caused immense sufferings to the people living on both sides of the borders. There has been a spike in cross-border firing and mortar attack on villages and settlements in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack and the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir. Mr. Rajnath Singh, the Union Defense Minister recently reported in the Parliament that in 2020 itself there were over 5000 incidents of cease fire violations.

We urge both the governments of India and Pakistan to take measures to ensure sustainable peace in the region with the resumption of the dialogue process and meaningful confidence-building measures, including steps for lifting the restrictions on trade and travel, easing visa regimes and encouraging people-to-people contact.

We expect that this historic moment of understanding will open up prospects for resumption of dialogue on all matters including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which is key to long-term peace in the region. It needs to be emphasised that no amount of unilateral actions by the two countries will bring permanent peace to the region without addressing the wishes and aspirations of the peoples of Jammu and Kashmir from all regions.

Syeda Hameed, Tapan Bose and Vijayan MJ (on behalf of PIPFPD, India)

Mohammad Tahseen, I.A Rehman (on behalf of PIPFPD, Pakistan)

Contact details:

+91 9868165471/+91 9867220678, pipfpd.india[at]gmail.com

+92 3008480821, tahseenstu[at]gmail.com
A pastor arrived just in time to save a Dallas woman from possible hypothermia who fell asleep in her freezing home.

Carol Uberbacher, a business owner at Beaux Bangles, gathered piles of blankets and bundled up in three layers of clothes as the temperature in her Dallas home dropped.

She created a temporary bed in her living room and burned pieces of cardboard in her fireplace as a substitute for firewood to hopefully get her through the freezing cold.

But by Tuesday morning, the temperature dropped even more, making the cold unbearable, Dallas News wrote.

Uberbacher was one of the 4 million Texans who lost power this week as the state's electrical grid failed due to the sudden snowstorms.

People are taking refuge in their cars, buses, hotels, and churches as the winter storm continues to devastate homes in Texas, cutting off electricity and water.

"It was terrifying," Uberbacher, 76, said Friday morning. "But I know I was one of the fortunate ones."

When her friends were not able to contact her by phone Tuesday morning, they discussed their options so they could check up on her.

"It felt like this was happening on another planet, rather than a few miles away," said MarySue Foster, a longtime friend of Uberbacker who lives in Plano. "We felt helpless."

Driving up to Uberbacher's home would be too difficult because a lot of roads are still unpassable, so they decided to work the phones.

Thankfully, Pastor Bobbyray Williams was working on his Sunday sermon at Living Word Missionary Baptist Church, just a tenth of a mile from Uberbacher's home on Shelburne drive in Riverway Estates/Bruton Terrace, near the border of Mesquite.

Pastor Williams was supposed to stay home Tuesday. His typical 30-minute commute from his home in Waxahachie to the church took more than an hour as he inched forward on snow and ice.

Instead, he was at his desk before 10 in the morning to answer a frantic call from Foster, who at that time, was trying to find someone to check on her friend before the police arrived.

"I was so happy I practically screamed in his ear," Foster said.

Pastor Williams quickly grabbed his winter coat and headed down to Uberbacher's home.

When he arrived at Uberbacher's, he knocked and rang the bell several times, but no one answered. He then heard two dogs barking, so he didn't give up.

After a few minutes of knocking, a confused and disoriented Uberbacher answered the door.

"I'm quite surprised I woke up," she said. "He was truly my guardian angel."

Uberbacher has been in and out of sleep all night, which she thinks shows the early stages of hypothermia. The power has been out for about 24 hours that time, although she does not recall the temperature inside her house.

"I was very much in my head and in my spirit, thinking about my life and all of the things left undone," Uberbacher said. "It was very scary, but it was also a time to take a reckoning for myself."

"This is what I do," Pastor Williams said. "Our church is here to serve the community."

Williams then took Uberbacher's phone to charge it at his church, where police soon arrived to take her to their cruiser to warm up.

"Oh, this is warmth," Uberbacher remembered thinking. "This is what heat feels like."

Uberbacher and her dogs stayed with a friend who lives in Oak Cliff for a few days before returning home Thursday evening. A few hours after her power returned.

"It's good to be home," Uberbacher said. "I've watched the news, and I know this could have very well ended differently for me."

She said she plans to volunteer at Williams' church as soon as possible.
The showdown between Godzilla and King Kong has been popularly known for a long time. But apart from their battles, people do not know anything about them anymore - not even the time the two first met.

"Godzilla vs. Kong" Spoiler: Where Did the Two Really Meet? Trailer Reveals

During the IGN fan fest, new footage of "Godzilla vs. Kong" has been served on the table. The promotional video seemingly hints that one of the titans will soon fall.

The 39-second clip, which was also uploaded on IGN's official YouTube channel, shows where everything began.

The video highlights Godzilla's new and more violent nature. The titan then destroys ships and planes as it makes its way toward the chained-up King Kong.

As seen in the full scene, Godzilla surely seeks the other monster out. However, the reason why it badly wants to remove the giant ape from his home on Skull Island has not been explained yet.

The new battle echoes what Director Adam Wingard repeatedly aimed for. Previously, he said that he wanted to create a definitive duel to hail which monster would win in a fight.

Before the new trailer came out, the official Twitter account of Kaiju News Outlet uploaded the official Chinese poster for the film.

The same material shows the two monsters fighting underwater. How the scene became possible remains unknown, but it is worth noting that the recent IGN video shows the two monsters in the middle of the sea.

It will be Godzilla and King Kong's first battle since 1962, and the film will serve as a sequel to "Kong: Skull Island" and "Godzilla: King of the Monsters."

"Godzilla vs. Kong" Cast, Release Date

The ensemble of cast members surely added more action and drama scenes to the upcoming film.

"King of the Monsters" cast Millie Bobby Brown and Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood, Big Little Lies) led the team. Meanwhile, Kyle Chandler, Zhang Ziyi, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza Gonzalez, Julian Dennison, and Demian Bichir, joined them in the long journey.

The official synopsis offers an exciting glimpse of the film, saying, "Legends collide in 'Godzilla vs. Kong' as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance."

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
Due to the pandemic, the American Booksellers Associations annual Winter Institute went virtual this year. It attracted 1,971 participants, up from the 1,500 attendees at last years live meeting in Baltimore. The event, held February 1820, offered panels focused on pragmatic bookselling issues such as finances, labor laws, neurodiversity in the workplace, and strategies for better engaging with e-commerce. There were inspirational talks from celebrities, including former president Barack Obama and bestselling author Brene Brown, as well as keynotes and appearances by poet Amanda Gorman, futurist Brian David Johnson, and novelists Lauren Groff, Colson Whitehead, and Viet Thanh Nguyen.

As usual, promoting new books was at the heart of the conference. Publishers sales representatives offered their traditional rep picks sessions, and dozens of authors gathered in chat rooms to talk about their new books. The galley room, typically piled high with thousands of physical books, was also virtual this year and offered booksellers the opportunity to request digital and physical galleys.

Attendance was likely bolstered by the fact that travel wasnt required and more booksellers were able to register for the modest $35 fee. Publishers too saved money on travel expenses, though several remarked that the fees for services, such as hosting virtual booths, were much the same as for the analogous services at last years in-person event.

Most attendees said they were satisfied with the event. I had no idea what to expect, noted Wendy Sheanin, v-p of independent retail sales for Simon & Schuster. I was skeptical. But we had some great conversations that, just like at the real-life events, are the essence of Winter Institute. People showed up of their own accord, some people stayed for 40 minutes talking. She felt that the people she interacted with were very engaged and that, overall, attending the conference was absolutely worth it in terms of money, time, resources, and people hours.

Mona Bismuth, international publishing coordinator for Other Press, who attended virtually from Paris, was particularly pleased with the Hopin platform used by the ABA. It was my first time using Hopin, and I liked the multitask aspect of it and how well it fit with the ABA programming. I loved the poetry interludes, for exampleand it allowed us to all be together. Despite some chaotic chat moments, which could get pretty overwhelming, it was easy to catch up and get meetings going within the first hours of the show. She added that Other Press did not have a booth but maintained an open Zoom window throughout the show, which allowed her and her colleagues to catch up with people on an ad-hoc basis.

Winter Institute 16 was a bittersweet reminder of what we lost this year, said Michael Reynolds, publisher of Europa Editions, who felt the virtual event was a compromise. As a promotional opportunity for Europas lead titles and authors, it was not nearly as effective as meeting in person. But it was a welcome opportunity to reconnect as a community, and a vivid reminder of how important it is for us to meet in person throughout the year to talk about books, reading, and our businesses. The ABA made the best of the impossible situation they were handed.

Several people appreciated how the ABA used poetry interludes to transition between events in the program. From a publishers perspective, we often privilege prose over poetry when making financial decisions about our Winter Institute participationwhat galleys to supply for the galley room, which authors to fly in and book for Winter Institute events, said Joanna R. Demkiewicz, marketing director of Milkweed Editions. This year, I got to watch the chat light up as folks watched torrin a. greathouse read from her collection of poems Wound from the Mouth of a Wound during a poetry interlude. Showing publishers and booksellers that poetry is a meaningful and significant genre in our industry was very cool of the ABA; I hope they incorporate more poetry in future conferences.

Booksellers, too, were appreciative of the conference. I commend the ABA for reinventing Winter Institute and capturing some of the magic of being there in person, said Alana Harvey, the marketing coordinator at Schuler Books of Grand Rapids, Mich. There were so many memorable moments. The poetry interludes were magic! Dropping into the expo booths and author rooms to have virtual conversations brought some much needed face time.

Mary Webber OMalley, a bookseller with Skylark Bookshop in Columbia, Mo., concurred. I was thrilled with WI16, she said. I thought the ABA did an outstanding job of putting programming together, and the poetry interludes were completely superb. Every rep pick and author room gave me the book for spring; I lost track of the books I cant wait for.

A few of the titles promoted by authors at Winter Institute that booksellers were excited about included Fox & I by Catherine Raven (Spiegel & Grau, July); Graceland, At Last by Margaret Renkl (Milkweed, Sept.); Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday, Sept.); and Radiant Fugitives by Nawaaz Ahmed (Counterpoint, Aug.).

The ABA was thrilled with the response from booksellers, publishers, and authors. People benefited and had a great time, and we felt like we met our goals of celebrating books, creating community, and helping bookstores prepare for the future, said ABA CEO Allison Hill. It speaks again to the resilience, creativity, and adaptability of booksellers, that they pivoted along with us to a virtual format and made the most of it. We are so grateful to Ingram, the publishers, sponsors, panelists, and authors who made Winter Institute possible.
By Stephen Nellis

(Reuters) - When President Joe Biden on Wednesday stood at a lectern holding a microchip and pledged to support $37 billion in federal subsidies for American semiconductor manufacturing, it marked a political breakthrough that happened much more quickly than industry insiders had expected.

For years, chip industry executives and U.S. government officials have been concerned about the slow drift of costly chip factories to Taiwan and Korea. While major American companies such as Qualcomm Inc and Nvidia Corp dominate their fields, they depend on factories abroad to build the chips they design.

As tensions with China heated up last year, U.S. lawmakers authorized manufacturing subsidies as part of an annual military spending bill due to concerns that depending on foreign factories for advanced chips posed national security risks. Yet funding for the subsidies was not guaranteed.

Then came the auto-chip crunch. Ford Motor Co said a lack of chips could slash a fifth of its first-quarter production and General Motors Co cut output across North America.

"It brings home very clearly the message that the semiconductor is really a critical component in a lot of the end products we take for granted," said Mike Rosa, head of strategic and technical marketing for a group within semiconductor manufacturing toolmaker Applied Materials Inc that sells tools to automotive chip factories.

Within weeks, automakers joined chip companies calling for chip factory subsidies, and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Biden both pledged to fight for funding.

Industry backers now aim to be part of a package of legislation to counter China that Schumer hopes to bring to the Senate floor this spring. Still, all agree it will do little to solve the immediate auto-chip problem.

Headlines about idled car plants resonated with the public that had shrugged off abstract warnings in the past, said Jim Lewis, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Lawmakers, already worried that a promised infrastructure bill will not materialize this year, decided to push for quick solution.

"Nobody wants to be seen as soft on China. No one wants to tell the Ford workers in their district, 'Sorry, can't help,'" Lewis said. "It was one of those moments where everything aligned."

The package includes matching funds for state and local chip-plant subsidies, a provision likely to heat up competition among states including Texas and Arizona to host big new chip plants that can cost as much as $20 billion.

The subsidies could benefit a factory in Arizona proposed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and one in Texas eyed by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, even though those factories would be geared toward high-end chips for smartphones and laptops, rather than simpler auto chips. And those factories would not come on line until 2023 or 2024, according to plans disclosed by the companies, the world's two largest chip manufacturers.

In the longer term, a raft of U.S. companies are also poised to benefit. Any chipmakers that build factories will source many tools from American companies such as Applied, Lam Research Corp and KLA Corp.

Intel Corp, Micron Technology Inc and GlobalFoundries - which already have U.S. factory networks - will also likely benefit.

Smaller, specialty chip factories also could benefit.

"The recent chip shortage in the automotive industry has highlighted the need to strengthen the microelectronics supply chain in the U.S.," said Thomas Sonderman, chief executive of SkyWater Technology, a Minnesota-based chipmaker that makes automotive and defense chips. "We believe that SkyWater is uniquely positioned due to our differentiated business model and status as a U.S.- owned and U.S.- operated pure play semiconductor contract manufacturer."

Even with subsidies, the U.S. companies still must compete with low-cost Asian vendors over the long run, and the immediate auto chip troubles will probably persist.

Surya Iyer, a vice president at Minnesota-based Polar Semiconductor, which makes chips for automakers, said his factory is booked beyond capacity and has started to speed some orders up while slowing others down, to meet automakers' needs as best it can.

"We are expecting this level of demand to continue at least for the next 12 months, maybe even longer," he said.

(This story has been refiled to add attribution to quote in paragraph 9, add dropped words in paragraphs 10 and 17)

(Reporting by Stephen Nellis and Hyunjoo Jin in San Francisco and Alexandra Alper in Washington. Editing by Jonathan Weber and David Gregorio)

(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.)
Johnson & Johnsons Covid-19 vaccine was endorsed on Friday by a panel of experts advising the Food and Drug Administration, clearing the last hurdle before a formal authorization expected on Saturday, according to two people familiar with the agencys plans. The nations first shipments will go out in the days after that.

It will be the third shot made available to the United States in the year since the first surge of coronavirus cases began washing over the country, and it will be the first vaccine to require just one dose instead of two.

Johnson & Johnsons formulation worked well in clinical trials, particularly against severe disease and hospitalizations, even though it did not match the sky-high efficacy rates of the first two vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

The panel, made up of independent infectious disease experts, statisticians and epidemiologists, voted unanimously in favor of authorizing the vaccine.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
New voices are published all year long. If these dont strike your fancy, another debut novel this year is sure to strike a chord. Dont forget to ask Kanawha County Public Library staff for great new reads. Or visit us online at www.kanawhalibrary.org.
Public health officials in Connecticut are expecting a mad dash as more than 600,000 people become eligible Monday to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

I think theres going to be a run on the bank, said Ohm Deshpande, Yale New Haven Healths vice president for population health and a physician leader for the providers vaccination efforts. We are not going to have enough vaccine to meet that need next week.

But, if expectations of both demand and supply bear out, there should be enough vaccine doses to inoculate everyone eligible who wants to be vaccinated.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced an age-based series of phases, each lasting about three weeks. Up first are patients ages between 55 and 64, who are eligible to sign up Monday.

That group consists of about 515,000 people in Connecticut, but teachers and other school-based workers  who will be eligible on that day  add another 160,000 possible patients.

Take away the approximately 63,000 people in those groups who have already been vaccinated and youre left with 610,000 Connecticut residents eligible to be vaccinated starting this week.

But Josh Geballe, Connecticuts chief operating officer, said he expects 60 percent of those eligible to take advantage of the vaccine in the first weeks. That means the state expects to set approximately 360,000 vaccine appointments over the following three weeks.

Expected first doses the week of March 1 State allocation: 108,120 Pfizer: 42,120 Moderna: 35,800 Johnson & Johnson: 30,200 Federal Retail Pharmacy Program: 22,900 Total expected doses: 131,020 See More Collapse

Deshpande said though the scale is higher, Yale New Haven Health is prepared to handle the press of appointments, and will open up schedules where we can through March.

Its a juggling act but well do the best we can, he said. There will be a mad dash but this is something that weve seen with other phases.

The state does expect to be able to meet demand, assuming demand remains at expected levels and that supply steadily increases over the ensuing months.

We are expecting just north of 131,000 first doses for next week and at least that weekly amount, in the coming weeks, said Department of Public Health spokesperson Maura Fitzgerald. The supply being sent to us has been steadily rising in the past few weeks, and we anticipate that to continue.

The 131,020 doses expected for this week 1 includes 42,120 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, 35,800 of the Moderna vaccine and 30,200 doses of the vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson, which was recommended for approval by a panel advising the Federal Drug Administration. The FDA granted emergency use authorization Saturday evening.

An anticipated 22,900 doses are going directly to pharmacies in Connecticut under the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.

State officials warn the allocation from Johnson & Johnson may not be repeated until after the company ramps up production.

Those numbers are for first doses only, and do not include second doses which are counted separately. The state expects another 76,390 second doses from Pfizer and Moderna, bringing Connecticuts total expected vaccine allocation for the week to 207,410. Johnson & Johnsons vaccine requires only one dose.

To date, the state has received 581,100 first doses and 370,300 second doses, for a total of 951,400 vaccine doses received between Dec. 14 and Feb. 28.

The 131,000 doses expected each week in March should be enough, assuming it holds out or increases over the three weeks before residents ages 45 and up become eligible to make vaccine appointments on March 22. But Fitzgerald acknowledged demand is outstripping supply at the moment.

At the moment, we have more demand than supply, so we havent reached the point where were figuring out how many doses we need to order, she said. Right now, well take whatever the federal government will give us and will gladly accept more. Whatever the federal government gives us, we can handle and get into arms.

Deshpande said he expects the demand to ease off after March. There will be a segment of every cohort that will wait to sign up, including the 610,000 eligible teachers and residents ages 55 and over.

There are 480,600 people between 45 and 54 years old in Connecticut according to Census data. They become eligible to sign up for vaccines on March 22. The 427,000 Connecticut residents between 35 and 44 years old become eligible on April 12.

The largest group, 875,000 people between the ages of 16 and 34, can make appointments starting May 3.

But an increasing level of supply will ease that burden as time goes on.

March is going to be the last month with real constraints, Deshpande said.
More than 20 anti-lockdown protestors have been arrested after hundreds took part in a march in Dublin.

Irelands premier Micheal Martin condemned thuggish behaviour and an unacceptable risk to both the public and gardai after demonstrators clashed with police in the citys centre.

A firework was lobbed at officers as protesters attempted to make their way to St Stephen's Green park.

There was a heavy Garda presence around the city centre ahead of the protest, which started at around 2pm.

Hundreds of people who were not wearing face masks took part in the demonstration, while gardai used batons to push protesters away from the park.

Videos of the protest showed a demonstrator point a firework at police before it went off, while other missiles and items were thrown.

Protesters were prevented from gathering in the park after the Office of Public Works closed the gates to the public.

Garda commissioner Drew Harris said 20 people had been taken into custody and other arrests would follow.

We were aware of this protest and what was intended. We put plans in place and obviously intended to constrain that, he said.

Very regrettably, people arrived intent on violence. They engaged in attacks on members of An Garda Siochana including the throwing of a firework type device. There will be a full investigation into this.

There were some 20 arrests that we have made already and those arrests are continuing. This operation is not over as we pursue individuals who engage in protest and illegal activity today.

They had no reasonable grounds for being there in the first place so we will pursue particularly those who formed a very hard core to deal with.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he utterly condemns the protest, which posed an unacceptable risk to both the public and gardai.

He added: said: The large gathering, in the face of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, showed a complete lack of respect to the people who have made huge sacrifices during this pandemic.

Nor can we tolerate the thuggish behaviour or attacks on gardai, who have the publics utmost respect as they continue to protect and serve our society in difficult circumstances.

Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond also criticised the violent scenes, saying: From the outset, this protest was ill-advised, fuelled by conspiracy theories and championed by individuals seeking to manipulate the genuine fears of many vulnerable individuals.

It was disgraceful to see this protest descend into violent scenes with brave members of An Garda Siochana subjected to intolerable physical and verbal abuse.

Some of the eye witness footage circulating is extremely disturbing and every public representative should condemn these awful scenes.

The footage appears to show a lit firework being thrown at members of the gardai by one protester, which is truly shameful.

A spokesperson for An Garda Siochana said: A number of traffic diversions and other policing measures are currently in place in Dublin this afternoon, Saturday 27th February 2021 in response to a demonstration in the city centre area.

A policing plan has been implemented and An Garda Siochana will provide a full update when this operation has concluded.
Courtesy Metro Video Services LLC

Six men were shot by a convenience store in the 8700 block of Beechnut Street, said Houston Police Department Lieutenant Ronnie Wilkens.

Officers got the call for a shooting at around 10 p.m. Friday evening. They arrived and found one man on the scene with a graze wound on his head and several rounds in his torso. He was transported to a hospital and is expected to live.
has categorically rejected the United States' report implicating Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman for approving the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, calling the assessment negative, false and unacceptable.

In a statement on Friday, the foreign ministry said the report contained inaccurate information and conclusions, Saudi Gazette reported.

The report 'Assessing the Saudi Government Role in the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi', which was declassified on Friday, said Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in 2018,

The report was released by the US' Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

Khashoggi, who was a vocal critic of the Saudi regime, was killed on October 2, 2018 in Turkey where he had gone to obtain paperwork certifying his divorce from his former wife Alaa Nassif in order to be able to marry his Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz.

His killing had brought outrage and battered the reputation of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Salman.

The Saudi foreign ministry reiterated that the crime was committed by a group of individuals that have transgressed all pertinent regulations and authorities of the agencies where they were employed.

"The ministry reiterates what was previously announced by the relevant authorities in the Kingdom, that this was an abhorrent crime and a flagrant violation of the Kingdom's laws and values," the statement read.

"The relevant authorities in the Kingdom took all possible measures within our legal system to ensure that these individuals were properly investigated, and to ensure that justice was served. The concerned individuals were convicted and sentenced by the courts in the Kingdom, and these sentences were welcomed by the family of Jamal Khashoggi." the statement added.

The ministry said that It is truly unfortunate that this report, with its unjustified and inaccurate conclusions, is issued while the Kingdom had clearly denounced this heinous crime,

"It is truly unfortunate that this report, with its unjustified and inaccurate conclusions, is issued while the Kingdom had clearly denounced this heinous crime, and the Kingdom's leadership took the necessary steps to ensure that such a tragedy never takes place again. The Kingdom rejects any measure that infringes upon its leadership, sovereignty, and the independence of its judicial system," the statement read.

The report was released a day after President Joe Biden had a telephonic conversation with Saudi King Salman, though a White House summary of the conversation made no mention of the killing.

The Saudi prince said in 2019 he took "full responsibility" for the killing since it happened on his watch, but denied ordering it.

Saudi officials have said Khashoggi's killing was the work of rogue Saudi security and intelligence officials.

Saudi Arabian courts last year announced they had sentenced eight Saudi nationals to prison in Khashoggi's killing. They were not identified.

(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.)
Gorey jewellery accessory designer Blaithin Ennis showcased her pieces with Irish design legend Paul Costelloe on the catwalk at London Fashion Week.

Mr Costelloe celebrated 35 years at London Fashion Week this year, which was a virtual event, and it was last October when Blaithin met Paul and his son William in Brown Thomas in Dublin.

At the time she was selling her 'Freyja' collection as part of the CREATE project and within a few weeks, Paul's team contacted her requesting some of her jewellery for his catwalk show.

Blaithin, who has spent much of her time during lockdown working from her Wexford studio, said that every handmade piece she made for this collection was inspired by the Wexford landscape.

'It was a lovely surprise when Paul's team contacted me and it was a huge privilege to participate in his show. London Fashion Week has been one of my ambitions for many years, so who better to work with than Paul Costellloe. He is one of the most renowned and respected designers in the British and Irish fashion industry and has designed for countless celebrities and members of the royal family, including Diana, Princess of Wales, when he was appointed as her personal designer in 1983.

'Paul's design ethos from high-end catwalk shows to beautifully accessible pieces, such as his home-wares collection in Dunnes Stores, have continued to inspire me as I grow my brand as a relatively new designer,' she said.

Expand Close Paul Costelloe with models on the catwalk / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Paul Costelloe with models on the catwalk

She said that it was red evening sunsets and dark inky waves that inspired the colour story of her collection alongside lovely afternoons sailing out of Courtown Harbour on the beautiful boat, 'Freyja'.

The deep burgundy, navy and sparkling gold finishes of the Freyja collection were the perfect addition to Paul's magnificent finale scene encompassing midnight blue, pie-crust collars and amplified pagoda sleeves.

For more, visit www.blaithinennis.com.
Denton, TX (76205)

Today

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Seizing on an advisory ruling Thursday by Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party have effectively abandoned any effort to raise the federal minimum wage.

A worker stocks produce at a market in San Francisco [Credit: Ben Margot AP]

MacDonough ruled that incorporating the proposal to raise the minimum wage to $15 as part of the Democratic COVID-19 relief bill would violate the so-called Byrd rule, which limits the type of provisions that can be included in bills passed under the budget reconciliation process. Biden and the Democratic leadership are seeking to move their $1.9 trillion bill through Congress by means of the reconciliation process so that it can be passed by a simple majority in the Senate.

A budget reconciliation measure requires only a majority vote in the 100-member Senate, as opposed to a regular bill, which, as a practical matter, requires 60 votes in order to overcome a filibuster. With the Senate evenly split between the two parties, Vice President Kamala Harris would cast the deciding vote in the upper legislative chamber.

The Biden administration has seized on the parliamentarians ruling as an excuse to drop the minimum wage hike from the relief bill. On Friday, the White House announced that Harris would not exercise her power to overrule the parliamentarian, making clear that the abandonment of one of Bidens major election campaign pledges is a matter of choice, not necessity.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders meekly accepted the White House climbdown, and his fellow so-called progressive, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, announced that she would vote in favor of a relief bill stripped of the minimum wage increase.

The dropping of the $15 per hour minimum wage, which would still leave millions of workers in poverty, is the latest demonstration that the Biden administration will be one of reaction, not reform. The brutal, bipartisan ruling class offensive against the working class is indicated by the failure to raise the federal minimum wage, presently at the near-starvation level of $7.25 per hour, for 14 years.

As Biden and the Democratic Party are well aware, there is no way the Republican Party would supply the necessary votes to overcome a filibuster and pass a significant minimum wage increase under the regular procedure.

The exclusion of the proposal will affect some 27 million US workers making less than $15 per hour, according to a report from the Congressional Budget Office. This is under conditions where millions of workers remain out of work, with some 10 million jobs yet to return since the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic last March.

Of the jobs that have returned, many are low-paying and temporary, leaving millions of workers and their families struggling to survive on poverty wages and forced to rely on charity, while facing eviction, utility shut-offs and crushing credit card debt in the midst of a pandemic that has claimed over 520,000 lives in the US.

The relief bill, including the $15 minimum wage provision, is expected to be passed by the House on a party-line vote early Saturday. Any version passed by the Senate will exclude the minimum wage provision, setting the stage for a reconciliation process and a final bill that will leave out the minimum wage increase.

The Biden administration and the Democrats see passage of the relief bill largely as a means of providing political cover for their intensified drive to reopen the schools and businesses, a policy, demanded by big business and the banks, that will lead to untold thousands of additional infections and deaths.

The bill includes a pitiful $170 billion earmarked for schools, far short of what would be required to provide the level of ventilation and sanitation, as well as expansion of staff, needed to make the schools safe for in-person instruction.

There is nothing preventing Harris from ignoring the parliamentarian and moving forward with the bill, $15 minimum wage included. Alternatively, the Democrats could replace the parliamentarian, as the Republicans did in 2001 when the official ruled against then-President George W. Bushs proposed tax cuts.

On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden was disappointed in this outcome, but that he respects the parliamentarians decision and the Senates process, and will work with leaders in Congress to determine the best path forward

The same day, Biden said he was willing to compromise on a separate measure that would be lower than $15 an hour. Democratic Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema has announced her opposition to increasing the minimum wage to $15, while Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has touted his support for an $11 an hour minimum wage.

On Friday, White House National Economic Council Director Brian Deese told the Washington Post that the vice president is not going to weigh in.

In fact, Biden already signaled his intention of dropping the minimum wage increase weeks ago. In a February 7 interview on "CBS Evening News," Biden said the wage increase as part of the relief package was not going to occur.

CNN reported that an anonymous Biden administration official viewed the parliamentarians ruling not as a negative, but as a positive development, which cleared the way for the bills passage in the Senate.

Workers disgusted by the latest capitulation by the Democrats registered their anger on social media. Twitter user @lockfoward4 wondered, What was the point of all the effort in Georgia if the Dems are not going to take advantage of it?

Another user with the ironic handle @russianbot3004 dryly remarked, Respect the process more than the tens of millions [of] workers who would get a raise. Noted.

Harris continues her long run of protecting the corrupt and rich and hurting the poor, @sistercrow remarked, while @ckroberts71 asked, Its just so principled to keep people in poverty, isnt it @VP?

Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
California state Sen. Melissa Melendez speaks during a news conference outside the Roybal Federal Building in Los Angeles, on Feb. 24, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

California Lawmaker Melendez Takes Aim at Cancel Culture

As the national conversation about cancel culture continues to heat up, one Southern California lawmaker is tackling the issue through policy.

State Sen. Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) said her constituents have told her they experience cancel culture shaming for their political affiliations. They worry theyll be discriminated against in various ways for their affiliations.

In response, Melendez recently introduced anti-discrimination measures that seek to add political affiliation as a protected class under state law. If passed, the legislation will protect California residents from discrimination when seeking housing or employment.

I hear about it all the time from constituents, and its very worrisome, Melendez told The Epoch Times. And I dont know what to tell them, because, in their minds, they think that the law protects thembut when we looked further into it, it really doesnt.

Currently, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Education Code prohibit discrimination based on gender, nationality, race, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, among other characteristics.

But theres little protection beyond that. Because of where we are today, as far as politics in this state and in this country, I want to make sure that people are protected for their political viewpoints, said Melendez.

Senate Bill 238 (SB 238), also called the Diversity of Thought Act, would amend FEHA by adding political affiliation as a protected class, while Senate Bill 249 (SB 249) would amend the Education Code to prohibit discrimination and harassment in schools based on political affiliation. Both were introduced in January and referred to Assembly committees in February.

An Opponent: Worry, Fear, Tribalism

Liam OMara, a history professor at Chapman University and California State UniversityDominguez Hills, is one of Melendezs constituents. He opposes the bills.

He said the new bills were not serious, just a ploy to say Democrats dont back free speech. OMara, who is a former and future Democratic congressional candidate in the 42nd District, told The Epoch Times he studies rhetoric and free speech issues.

This is a part of my area of expertise, he said. In his view, the anti-discrimination bill package is essentially political theater that serves to cultivate tribalism and grievance culture.

I would say that people being pushed out for their views is actually a very real thing, but its a bipartisan problem, OMara said. What we can call cancel culture has been a significant part of the conservative tool kit for decades. The perception of it is stronger these days, largely because of the insane levels of tribalism in our politics.

Melendez agreed that it is a bipartisan issue.

Right now, its Republicans who appear to be the only ones who are targeted  but 10 years from now, it could be Democrats or the Green Party.  I hope that everybody sees this. Its for their protection, too. Its not just Republicans.

Melendez gave the example of a college student in her district who had a TrumpPence logo next to his name in an online class. The instructor told him the logo was too much of a distraction, and if he didnt remove it, the student would be expelled from class.

What is going on in this state, where it is okay to just discriminate against someone because they differ with you politically? Melendez asked. That student ended up being allowed back into the class, but he had the backbone to fight back. What about the students who dont?

OMara drew a distinction between the First Amendment and the fear of losing free speech.

Theres no actual threat to free speech in the U.S.I mean, there just isnt, he said. However, the worry is real, the fear is real, he acknowledged.

You can see these things developing culturally, and they do have a lot of real emotional resonance for people. The problem lies more in the feelings and perception than in the events. Im sympathetic to the feelings for sure, but legislating against it is itself an assault on free speech and freedom of association.

Attorney Gloria Allred, who specializes in discrimination cases, told The Epoch Times that she opposes SB 238 because she thinks its unnecessary.

Employees in California already enjoy protection under California law and cannot be discriminated against because of their political affiliations unless their job performance is impacted by it. (California Labor Code Sections 1101 and 1102.), Allred said via email. I wonder if this bill (SB 238) is politically motivated, and if it is just another way to advance a Republican political agenda by portraying MAGA [Make America Great Again] supporters as victims.

Melendez, however, points to attempts by California lawmakers to limit conservative views in the media.

State-Run Media



She cited recent letters by Reps. Anna Eshoo and Jerry McNerneyboth Democrats from Californiaasking AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, Amazon, Apple, and other channel distributors why they plan to continue carrying right-wing media outlets like Fox News, One America News Network (OANN), and Newsmax.

The lawmakers accused the cable, satellite, and internet communications companies of playing a major role in the spread of dangerous misinformation that enabled the insurrection of January 6th and hinders our public health response to the current pandemic.

In response, Newsmax issued a statement saying, The House Democrats attack on free speech and basic First Amendment rights should send chills down the spines of all Americans.

Melendez said: Thats where we are today. Weve got a real problem, because then what you end up with is state-run media.  You dont get the facts, you dont get to discern for yourself what is true and what is false. The state tells you what to think. And thats it. Thats all you get.

Melendez also pointed out what she calls an attempt to target those with different beliefs by Assembly member Marc Levine (D-Marin County). He introduced a measure calling for the 147 members of Congress who voted to overturn the results of the November presidential election to be permanently banned from the chamber of the California State Assembly for undermining democracy.

Your Choice to Hate

Melendez seemed to receive swift backlash from one colleague, Assembly member Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), who issued a response via Twitter that didnt mention her by name.

I dont know who needs to hear this today, but: Your racist, pro-domestic terrorism, xenophobic, misogynistic views do not warrant protection from discrimination, Gonzalez said in a Feb. 16 tweet. Your choice to hate & actively pursue hate does not make you part of a protected class.

The California Globe called the message a scorched-earth screed clearly directed at Melendezs bills, while Melendez said Gonzalezs response reinforces the need for the Diversity of Thought Act shes proposing.

If you differ with someone politically, and then you decide youre going to attach all these monikers to them like racist and misogynist  then youre kind of making my point for me: This type of speech and this type of affiliation does need to be protected, Melendez said. Because that sends a message [that] its okay to attack, harass, target, [and] discriminate against people with whom you disagree.

Gonzalezs office didnt immediately respond to an interview request from The Epoch Times.

Melendezs primary concern is that the attitudes and behaviors of lawmakers will empower similar actions among private citizens.

If members of Congress [and] leaders in our state and our country are sending that message and doing it themselves, you can bet that the average person is going to engage in that type of behavior also.

Getting the Bill Right

Melendez said her primary concern is the average Joe in his or her workplace whos being targetedbut shes also aware of the broader problems that could result from cancel culture continuing unabated.

I think the democracy that we are all familiar with really fades into the past. There are people in other countries who wish they had the types of freedoms we do, she said.

For the people who think this is greatOh, yeah, lets go out there and get the pitchforks and attack those with whom we disagreethey might want to look back in history to see how this has gone for others. Because I dont think its a world that they want to live in.

Right now, shes consulting legal experts to ensure her legislation doesnt cause any unintended consequences.

I want to make sure that its narrow enough that we can make a good case for everybody to support it, she said. [We want] to make sure we get this right.
Feb. 27School resource officer Rebecca Carrado of the Frederick Police Department views the students she serves as a family.

"I tell everybody I have 618 kids," Sgt. Carrado said, laughing. "We're there solely to ensure the child's success."

Carrado is assigned to Lincoln Elementary School and the SUCCESS Program at Frederick County Public Schools. She leads the SROs within FPD's outreach unit, which includes six officers for FCPS.

Carrado and her colleagues see their roles as mentors and educators.

"We want to teach our kids, if they need help and they see the uniform, to go to the uniform," she said.

But not everyone sees it that way. Some Frederick community activists and school board members have pointed out that some students of color feel uncomfortable by the presence of police officers due to the high-profile instances of racial injustice across the country, most notably the killing of George Floyd.

"If you are a student of color whose parents have been detained by ICE, if you are a student of color whose parents have been pulled over while driving for being Black, you have a completely different perspective on what an armed uniformed officer means," said Jackie Brinkman, one of the head organizers of End Racism FCPS, a group of FCPS students and alumni that supports racial equity in the school system.

Members of the group say they want the SRO program to be disbanded.

"It's just a different definition. It's a different lens of existence, and it's a different reality," Brinkman said of students of colors' view of SROs.

Her organization says students of color have been negatively impacted by the SRO program, something with which Frederick County Board of Education President Jay Mason agrees.

Mason said one of the top priorities of the current board is to make sure all students feel comfortable and empowered in schools. Mason doesn't support disbanding the SRO program in its entirety, but he does back some reforms that he believes would make students of color feel more at ease.

Story continues

In December, the local SRO program came under fire at a school board meeting, eliciting a strong rebuttal from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.

In Annapolis, legislators have put forward bills in the House and Senate that, if passed, would drastically change SRO programs across the state. House Bill 496 seeks to eliminate SROs in favor of more counselors, psychologists and social workers, while Senate Bill 245 includes proposals that would limit SRO access to school buildings and require them to wear plain clothes instead of a uniform.

Both bills had hearings in their respective committees weeks ago, but neither have come to a final vote.

While some want to see officers in plain clothes, Carrado sees the uniform as a way to connect with students. She said she shows them her equipment and even lets them try on gear.

"This uniform obviously symbolizes law enforcement, and we want them to be comfortable with law enforcement, and if I'm not in a uniform then that doesn't happen," she said.

Carrado believes students benefit from seeing a consistent face in police garb. She suspects students would be less likely to trust random officers who stopped by to check on school buildings.

Each school has its own "language," Carrado said. At her school, staff may ask a student what "level" they are at. The number they reply with tells Carrado whether that student needs a minute to decompress and calm down.

School resource officers who spoke with the News-Post recognize there is a place for mental health resources in schools. A few said they aren't opposed to those added resources, but officers don't want to be kicked out of buildings either.

"We're all for more mental health services," said Lt. Jason Deater, who leads the SRO program for Frederick County Sheriff's Office, which has 14 SROs.

"I think there's a misconception the police officer is being proactive looking for the criminal element, looking for the trouble," he said. "We're not targeting or going after students."

Deater said he's not at odds with more school counselors, psychologists or social workers, but it's not as if deputies aren't trained to handle mental health situations. They often respond to such calls outside of the school system.

Similarly, Officer First Class Darrick Scott of the Brunswick Police Department described mental health professionals as allies in their shared mission to protect children.

"I think we can work together as a team," he said.

Scott, who is Brunswick's sole SRO, is leery of legislation that would make it so officers would only respond to schools when called. He thinks of the shootings that have plagued schools across America over the years.

"I think it's very important for SROs to be inside [the schools]," he said, adding if he's inside, he can protect students.

Scott is not opposed to SROs wearing a "softer" looking uniform, but he doesn't think the uniform is a major issue. How an officer interacts with students is what matters, he said.

"We are more than SROs," Scott said. "We are the coach. We are, sometimes, the father figure."

The school board's Mason thinks there are ways in which schools can still be kept safe while also putting some students at ease. He specifically cited having SROs in plain clothes or having them stationed outside the school building  similar to what is laid out in Senate Bill 245.

"I think we have many societal problems that contribute to this SRO conversation  one of them being that, historically, police have over-policed our Black and brown communities," he said.

But, more than reforms to the current program, Mason wants to see a bigger focus on mental health. SROs are reactionary, he said, and the underlying causes of students' issues need to be addressed first.

"I think we have to get to the root cause of the problems [students] have, and I'm not sure an SRO is able to do that, but our mental health providers can do that," Mason said. "We have to understand ... what causes them harm to want to come to school to cause harm."

Deater, the sheriff's office SRO, acknowledged trust is key.

"For us to be effective, we have to have the trust of the community," he said, "And they can be confident that we provide that level of service."

Staff writer Steve Bohnel contributed to this report.

Follow Mary Grace Keller on Twitter: @MaryGraceKeller
LEBANON, Ore.  Lebanon police are releasing the name of the man who was killed in a Lebanon homeless camp on Wednesday.

Police say Clayton Keith Reed III died in the camp located on Burdell Boulevard in Lebanon.

Ronald Andrew Mowdy, 27, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with Reeds death. He was arraigned Thursday in Linn County Circuit Court.

Lebanon police responded to a disturbance call at 3199 Burdell Blvd., in Lebanon at 10:35 a.m. on Wednesday. The person reporting the disturbance said two men were yelling inside a homeless camp in the area.

When police arrived, they found Reeds body.

Police said Mowdy has an extensive criminal history with the Lebanon Police Department that includes thefts, trespassing, narcotics and disturbances, as well as outstanding warrants for his arrest.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Detective James Glover at 541-258-4326 or Detective Sergeant Ryan Padua at 541-258-4325.
A grassroots political effort in North Augusta, born from frustrations over city government, garnered a lot of interest and around 44% of the vote during a City Council election two years ago. The outcome of the North Augusta Constitution Party, which challenged the status quo in the city, was a state investigation of six members and their votes.

An investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division into the 2019 municipal election in North Augusta is complete, with only one charge being filed in the case that centered on six members of the Constitution Party who participated in both a nominating convention for their party and the Republican primary.

Documents provided by SLED following a Freedom of Information Act request by The Star show the case largely focused on the question of the South Carolina voters oath.

According to the report provided by SLED, the agency began its investigation following a written request from North Augusta Department of Public Safety Chief John Thomas.

Ten people were interviewed in the course of the investigation.

The conclusion of the investigative report states this: Six members of the Aiken County/North Augusta Constitution Party participated in the partys nominating convention and voted in the Republican primary for the same race. Those members are Steven Bryant, Kenneth Powell, Allen LaFavor III, Jan Leverett, David Leverett and Stetson Corbitt. David Leverett and Corbitt were each Constitution Party candidates for City Council. A third candidate, Elizabeth Jones, did not vote in the Republican primary.

The tenures of Powell and Bryant, as the partys president and chairman, respectively, have lapsed, Powell said. They have not pursued reinstituting the party in Aiken County.

The party, according to Powell in an interview with The Star, was formed when its members were concerned about the direction the city was headed. He mentioned financial transparency around Riverside Village and issues with the Development Code and the Neighborhood Preservation Overlay District as examples.

All the members of the party were Republicans but wanted to separate themselves from the Republican Party in North Augusta, he said.

We looked at many different parties and we decided that the Constitution Party most aligned with our principles, primarily on fiscal responsibility, and so we decided that we would go that route, Powell said. We established it, we did everything required by state law and had the party established and had a convention and started the process.

The party held a convention on Feb. 6, 2019, at the Society Building. The event filled quickly and was standing room only by the time it began. The three candidates were nominated by the partys official members.

Fast forward a few days and, on Feb. 12, the Republican primary was held when those six people voted unlawfully.

At our convention, we voted to nominate three candidates at that time. And thats fine, we could do that. The problem came in when the GOP primary was  we also voted in that, several of us did, and that was a mistake, Powell said.

All six also stated that one of their members had checked to be sure they could vote before they headed to the polls.

Bryant checked with the Aiken County and SC Election Commissions and checked to see if they could vote in the Primary and he was told yes because they had Nominating Convention and not a Primary, the memo of Bryants interview states. There was no willful intent to commit a crime, the memo says.

Powell reiterated that point, saying the party consulted the election commission in Aiken and in Columbia and were told they could vote.

They did vote, which Powell said was a mistake.

Honestly, at the end of the day that was a mistake we did not realize and so we accepted responsibility for it, he said.

There were four Republican candidates on the primary ballot in 2019: Bob Brooks (the only incumbent), Eric Presnell, Kevin Toole and Michael Pace. Pace was knocked out of the race in the primary, with almost 300 primary votes separating him from the next highest vote-getter.

The citys general election took place on April 30, 2019, with Brooks, Presnell and Toole on the ballot for the Republican Party and Corbitt, Jones and Leverett on the ballot for the Constitution Party. The three Republicans were successful that day and are now all sitting City Council members.

Just over a week later on May 7, 2019, the written request was made to SLED by Thomas.

Ten people were interviewed during the investigation between July 30, 2019, and Dec. 11, 2019.

The six people who voted were interviewed, as well as Jones, who was a Constitution Party candidate but didnt vote in the primary. Also interviewed were City Council member David McGhee, resident Richard Fletcher and William K. Ashe, a North Augusta poll manager.

The investigative report provided as part of the FOIA request states that McGhee saw the Constitution Party members names on the voting data from the Republican primary, knew they had violated the law and made a complaint to the Election Commission.

McGhee disputes that, saying he did not request an investigation nor did he file a complaint.

I called the election commission to get a copy of the results, I never made a complaint to the election commission, McGhee said. I really believe the report misunderstood my statement. I never filed an official complaint with the election commission or with SLED.

Fletcher, who was interviewed by SLED but was not a member of the Constitution Party, said in a statement to The Star that the officers and candidates associated with the party are good people.

It is sad and pathetic that anyone, much less sitting city officials, would enlist the power of SLED and the SCAG to cause personal harm to those who dared run for office or mistakenly vote in a primary election, Fletcher said. The lesson learned and precedent set is that going forward all political parties should be certain to follow the letter of the law or be prepared to face the consequences.

Jones, interviewed first, said she was contacted by SLED and set up an interview at her home.

SLED wanted to know if I had witnessed any conversations by party members of planning to dual vote. I responded that I had not. Questions were asked about whether the oath was pointed out by election officials when I voted. My response was no, Jones said in an email to The Star.

I truly felt sorry for my friends who were being investigated. They had been told by an election official that they could vote in the primary, she said.

Interview memos provided to The Star focus on the voters oath, which state law requires be read by voters at primary elections.

By reading the oath, voters vow they are qualified to vote in the primary and have not voted before at this primary election or in any other partys primary election or officially participated in the nominating convention for any vacancy for which this primary is being held.

The conclusion of the report cites the voters oath then states all six members denied knowing about the Voters Oath when they voted at the City of North Augusta Republican Primary. They stated they had never been instructed to read the oath when they voted at any time since they started voting.

All six members, and two others interviewed, told SLED investigators they had never been instructed to read the oath.

When we voted at the Republican Primary, we paid absolutely no attention to the Voters Oath at the top of the sign-in sheet, says a statement from the Leveretts in the file. We have voted countless times and until we became aware of this investigation, we did not even know the Voters Oath existed.

The six all stated that if they had known about the oath at the time they voted, they likely would have not voted or would have sought more information.

Powell said hes been voting for 40 years, and has never been told to read the oath. He said he has only heard one person say they had.

The way that oath reads is that youre qualified to vote, and then the part that got us was you have not participated in any other primary  we didnt  or participated in a nominating convention for this election and we did, we did participate in a nominating convention, Powell said.

Ashe, the poll manager, told investigators he thought people probably took the oath for granted after voting for years. Normally, most of the time when he went to vote nobody instructed him to read the oath, the report says.

One charge was filed in the case in August 2020. Powell was issued a citation for violation of a North Augusta city ordinance regarding false swearing. Powell forfeited his bond amount of $257.50, pled guilty, and the case has been closed.

It was just one of these life lessons learned that we learned, and I was glad to see that SLED and others said there was no malice, no ill intent, anything on anybodys part, that it was all above board, Powell said.

We met with SLED, they interviewed each of us individually and I think they walked away with the true impression that this was an honest mistake. This was just an honest mistake, and there was never any ill will or voter issues that we were trying to circumvent.

The Constitution Party candidates were unsuccessful in 2019. Each ran as a Republican for a seat in the 2021 election, as well, and were defeated in the Republican primary.

Powell said the Constitution Party effort opened a lot of eyes in the city and pointed out that the three candidates together received 44% of the vote in 2019.

When we started the process back probably about three months prior to the election, we had a very rigorous process where we went into homes, we met people at different places and brought the message forward and what that told us was that there was a lot of people in North Augusta that did not like the way the city was headed by us getting 44% of the vote, Powell said.

He said the party members knew it was going to be a monumental task to try to change the mindset of a lot of North Augustans.

We did change, we did show people what was really happening, we werent as successful as I had hoped we would be but by getting that large of a vote for a grassroots party, first time out of the block, that told us that people were dissatisfied with their local government, a large percentage of them were dissatisfied, Powell said.

Jones said her positive takeaway from running for election has been the awareness shes been able to bring to her key issue of bringing a senior center to North Augusta.

And I met a lot of fine people along the way, some who I now consider my friends. Additionally, in this election, candidates started talking about transparency, one of our top platform issues, she said.
The Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (GESCOM), under Govt. of Karnataka, has called for applications in a prescribed format from qualified and -interested candidates for filling Two Hundred-Five (205) vacancies to the post of Apprentices in GESCOM through direct selection to be posted in Hyderabad-Karnataka and Non-Hyderabad-Karnataka Regions across Karnataka in India on a fulltime basis. The offline application process towards the same started on February 26, 2021 and closes on March 18, 2021.

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Apprentices posts in GESCOM Organisation Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (GESCOM) Educational Qualification Passed Class 10/Matriculation and possess an ITI Certificate Experience Freshers can apply Job Responsibilities null Skills Required null Job Location Hyderabad-Karnataka and Non Hyderabad-Karnataka Regions across Karnataka Salary Scale Monthly stipend of Rs. 7,000 Industry Govt. of Karnataka Application Start Date February 26, 2021 Application End Date March 18, 2021

GESCOM Recruitment 2021: Age And Fees

Candidates interested in applying for GESCOM Jobs 2021 through GESCOM Recruitment 2021 must have completed 16 years of age as on February 26, 2021 and not have exceeded 25 years of age (Gen/OBC) and 30 years of age (SC/ST) respectively as on March 18, 021 as specified in the GESCOM Notification 2021.

For details regarding the application fee for GESCOM Jobs 2021 through GESCOM Recruitment 2021, refer to the official GESCOM Notification 2021 given at the end of the article.

Also Read: Goa Home Guard Recruitment 2021 For 296 Home Guard Volunteers Posts, Apply Offline Before March 31

GESCOM Recruitment 2021: GESCOM Vacancy 2021

Region No. Of Vacancies Hyderabad-Karnataka Region 164 Non-Hyderabad-Karnataka Region 41 Total 205

GESCOM Recruitment 2021: Education And Eligibility

Desirous candidates applying for GESCOM Jobs 2021 through GESCOM Recruitment 2021 must have passed Class 10/Matriculation and possess an ITI Certificate from a recognised NCVT/SCVT Board/Institution as detailed in the GESCOM Notification 2021.

GESCOM Recruitment 2021: Selection And Pay

The selection of candidates for GESCOM Apprentice Jobs 2021 through GESCOM Recruitment 2021 will be done through Shortlisting, Merit and as per the Apprenticeship norms as notified in the GESCOM Notification 2021.

Candidates selected for GESCOM Apprentice Jobs 2021 through GESCOM Recruitment 2021 will be paid a monthly stipend of Rs. 7,000

Also Read: Indian Army TGC Recruitment 2021: Apply Online For Technical Graduate Course Before March 26

GESCOM Recruitment 2021: How To Apply

Candidates applying for GESCOM Apprentice Jobs 2021 through GESCOM Recruitment 2021 must fill the application form in a prescribed format attached with the GESCOM Notification 2021 and submit the same to the "Chief Manager, GESCOM, Corporation Office, Station Road, Kalaburagi - 585102, Karnataka" on or before March 18, 2021 through a proper channel.

Download GESCOM Recruitment 2021 PDF Notification for Apprentice posts here
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
While some farm groups and industry saw this weeks Canada Agriculture Day as an opportunity to celebrate the industrys economic successes, others used the event to issue an urgent appeal for governments to invest in more climate-friendly farming practices.

Opinion

While some farm groups and industry saw this weeks Canada Agriculture Day as an opportunity to celebrate the industrys economic successes, others used the event to issue an urgent appeal for governments to invest in more climate-friendly farming practices.

There was a dramatic difference in the two approaches and how they played to non-farming audiences.

Farmers for Climate Solutions (FCS), a coalition of organizations focused on organic and regenerative agriculture, gained plenty of traction in the mainstream media by releasing a report that showed how investing in helping farmers to adopt better practices now would lead to a more resilient food system tomorrow.

The report, strategically planted with reporters on an embargoed basis for release on Canadas Agriculture Day, picked up coverage from major news outlets across the country.

Meanwhile, there was nary a mention of an industry-sponsored fireside chat on export opportunities between Farm Credit Canada president Michael Hoffort and Dominic Barton, Canadas ambassador to China.

Granted, media coverage naturally gravitates to so-called hard news and the FCS statement fit the bill. Fireside chats have their place too, but they risk falling into the trap of reassuring the believers rather than encouraging different perspectives.

In fact, while Canadas Agriculture Day was widely promoted in advance as an opportunity for Canadians to celebrate their food system, the fireside chat event was billed as an insider event for "people involved in Canadian agriculture, food and agribusiness."

How farmers and the agriculture sector talk about what they do is a touchy topic within the industry. Theres a lot of angst over the issue of public trust, and a plethora of influencers looking to win the credibility title. It routinely makes the social media space a chippy battleground that throws a bad light on everyone.

Suffice to say, its becoming increasingly difficult, yet never more important, for farmers voices to be heard, especially on hot-button topics such as climate change. They are not only on the front lines of living the impacts of a changing climate, they are both part of the problem and part of the solution.

The FCS proposition struck a chord consistent with what the federal governments own pre-budget consultations determined, as well as the direction of Canadas competitors in global markets. Namely, policies to support agriculture must to be coupled with meeting the climate change imperative.

"The EU spends over 73 times more than Canada on agri-environmental programs on a per-acre basis. The U.S. spends 13 times more," the report says. "Federal spending on climate change mitigation and adaptation in agriculture is also much lower than spending in other sectors, such as transportation and energy, even though farmers are on the front lines of worsening climate impacts and also need support to learn and implement new techniques and technologies."

FCS is asking for $300 million in the 2021 federal budget, which is a pittance in the grand scheme of government spending. However, the positioning of this ask was a nuanced departure from the usual messaging around farmers requests for taxpayer support.

Rather than simply spelling out why farmers need or deserve the help, this proposal spells out how helping farmers adjust their practices will benefit Canadians overall.

The report says the return on that $300-million investment is a reduction of 10 million tonnes of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. It spells out six ways this "down payment on a resilient future" would be spent, including better nitrogen management, incentives to use cover crops, promoting more rotational grazing, protecting forests and wetlands, renewable on-farm energy, and awards and awareness programs.

"A strategic $300-million investment in Budget 2021 will jump-start greenhouse gas reduction efforts by Canadian farmers, fuelling increased awareness, acceptance and adoption of climate-friendly best management practices, and gathering the information necessary to advance a strong Agriculture Policy Framework in 2023," the group says.

These strategies arent exclusive to any particular farming system. Better nutrient management is top of mind for conventional growers as well as organic, regenerative and ranchers.

If Canadian agriculture can unite behind some common themes, and learn from these different approaches to outreach, the sector as a whole will be much more effective at influencing public opinions and policies.

Laura Rance is vice-president of Content for Glacier FarmMedia. She can be reached at lrance@farmmedia.com
Advertisement

A breathtaking Snow Moon glowed burning orange over the UK tonight as Britain welcomed its second full moon of 2021.

Tonight's supermoon is not as bright as 2020's Snow Moon - but it still made for an illuminating sight across the UK when it shone at its brightest this evening.

Fascinating pictures show the huge moon sitting above the skyline in St Albans, Kent, Wakefield and Tynemouth.

The name Snow Moon derives from Native American tribes and was given because February is the month for snowfall and colder temperatures.

To see as many of the surface details of the moon as possible while out stargazing, viewers have been recommended to give their eyes time to adjust to lower lights and turn off artificial lights sources.

A breathtaking Snow Moon (pictured over Dover Castle in Kent) glowed burning orange over the UK tonight as Britain welcomed its second full moon of 2021

Tonight's supermoon (pictured in Tynemouth) is not as bright as 2020's Snow Moon - but it still made for an illuminating sight across the UK when it shone at its brightest this evening

Fascinating pictures show the huge moon sitting above the skyline in St Albans, Kent, Wakefield (pictured) and Tynemouth

The name 'Snow Moon' derives from Native American tribes and was given because February is the month for snowfall and colder temperatures. Pictured: The Snow Moon over St Albans cathedral

The February full moon - known as the Snow Moon - is seen as it rises over Verulamium Park, in St Albans

February's full moon is also known as the 'Hunger moon' due to the brutal weather conditions that made it harder for tribes to go out and hunt for food.

The names have been compiled by the Farmer's Almanac, which first published a list of names for full moons inspired by Native American tribes in the 1930s.

It reached its full size at 8.17pm - but will appear to be full through to early Sunday morning.

Astronomers earlier advised photographers to download apps and maps to track the progress of the moon across the sky in order to make sightings easier.

It should be possible to also view the planet Mars during the Snow Moon, depending on cloud cover. It appears on the west-southwestern horizon appearing as a bright dot in the sky near Orion's Belt.

To see as many of the surface details of the moon (pictured in Wakefield) as possible while out stargazing, viewers have been recommended to give their eyes time to adjust to lower lights and turn off artificial lights sources

February's full moon (pictured in Wakefield) is also known as the 'Hunger moon' due to the brutal weather conditions that made it harder for tribes to go out and hunt for food

The names have been compiled by the Farmer's Almanac, which first published a list of names for full moons inspired by Native American tribes in the 1930s. It reached its full size at 8.17pm - but will appear to be full through to early Sunday morning. Pictured: The moon behind a ship off Tynemouth, in Tyne and Wear

According to NASA no other planets will be visible to the naked eye until March, when Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn should be visible.

The bright star Regulus will also be visible close to the moon this evening as it reaches its brightest and fullest point, astronomy website EarthSky said.

Regulus is the brightest object in the constellation Leo and one of the brightest stars in the night sky. It is about 79 light years away and is a quadruple star system split into two pairs of stars.

'To the eye, the moon can look full for a few nights in succession. To astronomers, though, the full moon occurs in a single instant, when the moon is 180 degrees opposite the sun in ecliptic longitude,' the website read.

The Old Farmer's Almanac says names for the full moons don't always come from Native American tribes, they also come from colonial America, European sources and other traditions, which is why there are often more than one name for them.

Other names for the February full moon include the Bear or the Black Bear Moon as it is when bear cubs tend to be born, or the Goose Moon.

Other names for the February full moon (pictured in St Albans) include the Bear or the Black Bear Moon as it is when bear cubs tend to be born, or the Goose Moon

The first full moon of the year is known as the Wolf Moon, as that is the time of year when villagers in ancient America would have heard the wolf howl. Pictured: The Snow Moon rises over St Albans cathedral tonight

The snow moon rises behind Sandal Castle in Wakefield. It should be possible to also view the planet Mars during the Snow Moon, depending on cloud cover. It appears on the west-southwestern horizon appearing as a bright dot in the sky near Orion's Belt

The bright star Regulus will also be visible close to the moon (pictured over Dover Castle in Kent) this evening as it reaches its brightest and fullest point, astronomy website EarthSky said

Scarcity is another name for the moon, due to hunting becoming harder. Some tribes called it the Month of the Bony Moon or Hungry Moon to highlight how hard food is to come by amid freezing temperatures.

The first full moon of the year is known as the Wolf Moon, as that is the time of year when villagers in ancient America would have heard the wolf howl.

The full moon in March is known as the Worm Moon as it is when Earthworms begin to appear due to rising temperatures.

A supermoon appears brighter and larger than the Moon on any other night and occurs as a regular part of the Moon's orbit of the Earth.

The orbit isn't an exact circle, so there are points where the the Moon is slightly closer to the Earth than at other times - when this occurs it is known as a supermoon.

It appears up to 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than normal when viewed from Earth.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.

On this weeks episode of Segue, Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilles weekly radio program exploring the lives and work of the people on campus and beyond, Chancellor Randy Pembrook interviews members of the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center.

This episode of Segue airs at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28. Listeners can tune into WSIE 88.7 FM The Sound or siue.edu/wsie.

Throughout the month of February, SIUE has celebrated Black Heritage Month by hosting various virtual events for the community. This weeks show is dedicated to highlighting the TRHTs initiatives that will continue to promote racial healing and systemic change within the University and surrounding region.

This weeks guests include Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Jessica Harris, PhD, associate professor of historical studies; Director of the Successful Communities Collaborative Connie Frey Spurlock, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Sociology; Brian Jack, PhD, associate professor in the Department of History; and Antwoinette Ayers, IAmEStL communications director and CEO of Visual Movements.

Jessica, can you share with our listeners what TRHT embodies and the importance of this organization on college campuses? asks Pembrook.

The TRHT effort was developed in 2016 by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support communities with acknowledging the historic and present-day effects of racism, and moving towards a path to address racial inequities, answers Harris.

In 2017, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU) partnered with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Newmans Own Foundation to develop TRHT Campus Centers on college and university campuses as part of a multi-year initiative to educate, prepare, and inspire the next generation of leaders to advance justice and build equitable communities.

SIUE was officially named a TRHT Campus Center in January 2020 as part of the AACUs second cohort. Currently, there are 29 TRHT Campus Centers nationwide.

Im particularly interested in the E-stories Project, notes Pembrook. Connie and Antwoinette, can you share some details with us?

The E-stories initiative provides an infrastructure for sharing and documenting experiences of community members through digital storytelling, explains Frey Spurlock. Its modeled after the Humans of St. Louis project, which is a social media campaign that shares first person stories and photographs of people and places in St. Louis.

The TRHT E-stories Project will involve the help of theater and visual arts students to highlight the day-to-day experiences of East St. Louisans and SIUE students, staff and faculty who call East St. Louis home. Through online storytelling, the team hopes to present a positive image of the city and raise awareness about the effects of structural racism on the city.

The E-stories Project is dear and personal to me, because East St. Louis is my hometown, adds Ayers. This will be an outlet to honor the people of East St. Louis and will let people know the significance of why we call ourselves the City of Champions. Many people are excited to share the good news about East St. Louis.

Brian, you spearheaded the initiative for SIUE to become the first university in Illinois to be part of the Universities Studying Slavery (USS) consortium, notes Pembrook. Can you explain this initiative to our listeners?

We have joined a consortium of over 77 universities worldwide that are committed to collaborating and sharing best practices focused on truth-telling projects addressing slavery and racism in institutional histories and communities, explains Jack. We see this as an opportunity to address the legacies of racism and slavery not just in our institution, but also in our community and entire region.

What advice would you give to someone considering pursuing a career in higher education, history or community engagement? inquires Pembrook.

Whatever your decision is, make sure it aligns with whats in your heart, what youre passionate about and your values, answers Harris. If all of this aligns, it will all fall into place.

Equity, diversity and inclusion are vital to SIUE, and you are all working to bring awareness and change to our University and beyond, ends Pembrook. Thank you for your passion and dedication to these initiatives.

Those wishing to get involved in TRHT initiatives can visit siue.edu/provost/trht.

Tune in at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28 to WSIE 88.7 The Sound to hear the entire conversation.
Samso believes Thor Minings ISR copper project in South Australia is going to re-rate the company and the market is going to be taken by surprise.

(ASX:THR) has a multi-commodity portfolio of exploration and development projects with exposure to copper, gold, tungsten, molybdenum, uranium and vanadium.

Recently there has been a lot of talk about the coming of a new resource revolution with uranium, copper, nickel, and lately REE, tungsten and the development of HPA.

Over the last three decades that I have been involved in the resource industry, the boom-bust cycles are spoken and accepted easily. When a rising sentiment comes along, you can be sure that participants are also preparing for its end.

To an extent, I get a sense that this is lesser now as most people that I have spoken to commented that this one feels different somehow. Personally, I am in the same camp and I would even go further to say that this one has a totally different vibe.

There has never been a time when all levels of commodities have risen while the rich cousin, the oil and gas industry, is seriously looking like a sunset industry.

In those three decades that I have been involved in this industry, I have never seen the oil and gas industry being almost totally ignored. There are activities happening but the average retail investor is too distracted with other plays in the market.

When I was researching Thor Mining Plc, I was surprised at what it had in its portfolio. Their tungsten is Tier-1 in terms of grade and being in the US is going to be good. Uranium is also in the US and this has got to be a good position when the industry turns.

What makes Thor stand out for me is their attitude towards ISR mining. If the ISR works, Thor will be a green producer and the world of ESG will be upon them with funding.

I wrote the article "What is In-Situ Recovery (ISR)? Mining in a National Park with no Environmental Footprint" almost two years ago and this is the first time I have come across a real example.

In the scheme of mining cost, ISR is going to allow Thor Mining to start mining at a significantly lower capex. With the world of green mining, this method ticks all the boxes.

In-Situ Recovery, In-Situ Mining or In-Situ Leaching, according to Wikipedia, is a mining process used to recover minerals such as copper and uranium through boreholes drilled into a deposit, in situ. In-situ leach works by artificially dissolving minerals occurring naturally in a solid state.

The ISR copper project in South Australia is going to re-rate this company and the market is going to be totally taken by surprise. I think this project has the most upside and it also has its challenges to show that it is environmentally sound. The good news is that this is not new technology and as Mick Billing tells us, there are "green" examples of ISR already in place.

Mick shares with us how the ISR works and that there are already processes in place to use green techniques to make the whole process free from environmental issues.

Take your time and watch the video as this has some "hidden" value that can quickly turn the fortune of this company. We are looking at great gold prospects in the Pilbara, world-class tungsten projects, exposure to Uranium and a potential copper and gold producer.

PODCAST

About Michael Robert Billing  CPA, B Bus, MAICD

Executive Chairman and CEO, Thor Mining Plc

Mick Billing has over 40 years of mining and agri-business experience and a background in finance, specialising in recent years in assisting in the establishment and management of junior companies. His career includes experience in company secretarial, senior commercial, and CFO roles including lengthy periods with Ltd and WMC Resources Ltd. He has worked extensively with junior resource companies over the past 15 years. He was appointed to the Board in April 2008.

About Nicole Galloway Warland

Exploration Manager, Thor Mining Plc

Geologist Nicole Galloway Warland has worked in the mining and exploration industry for more than a quarter of a century in Australia, Eastern Europe and South America since graduating from Sydneys University of Technology.

Nicole's experience spans grassroots exploration through to project evaluation, encompassing both open cut and underground mining, with a focus predominantly on gold, copper-gold, base metals, nickel, uranium, and lithium.

About Thor Mining Plc ( and ASX:THR)

Thor Mining PLC is an exploration and development company with an advanced tungsten/molybdenum project poised for development, and exciting copper and gold projects, both advanced and early stage, with the potential to generate significant investor value. Thor also holds an advanced tungsten/molybdenum project ready for development.

Thor has projects in Australia in the Northern Territory, Western Australia, and South Australia. Thor also owns the Pilot Mountain tungsten project in Nevada USA, and uranium and vanadium exploration claims in Colorado and Utah.

Please let us know your thoughts and send us any comment to info@ .com.au. Remember to Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Samso Media and our mail list to stay informed and make comments where appropriate. Other than that, you can also give us a Review on Google.

For further information about Coffee with Samso and Rooster Talks visit: www.samso.com.au

Samso is primarily a consulting company that delivers digital information to the market in terms of creating organic content.

Samso simplifies your story to customers or investors. Samso creates organic content for you to engage your audience and BRAND yourself to them.

Samso provides bespoke research and presentation for clients to engage their customers or investors.

Organic content allows audiences to feel a real sense of sincerity when you share your business strategy, allowing your business to stand out among the sea of social media traffic.

Working with allows exposing our Insights to over 1.2 million monthly unique views internationally.

Samso has nearly 30 years of experience in developing business ideas and concepts in the Australasian region.

Samso has worked primarily in the mineral resources industry, capital markets and corporate finance. Noel Ong is the founder of SAMSO.

Disclaimer

Samso and affiliated companies accept no responsibility for any claim, loss or damage as a result of information provided or its accuracy. The information provided is general in nature, not financial product advice, see a financial expert before making any investment decision. Your personal objectives, financial situation or needs have not been taken into consideration. There may be a conflict of interest present with commercial arrangements with companies and/or stock held. Samso or an associate may receive a commission for funds raised.
Myanmar's junta fired its United Nations ambassador Saturday for breaking ranks to denounce the military's ouster of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as police stepped up a crackdown on protesters across the country.

The country has been shaken by a wave of demonstrations since a coup toppled civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1.

Authorities have ramped up the use of force to suppress dissent, deploying tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse some protests. Live rounds have been used in isolated cases.

In justifying its seizure of power, the military has alleged widespread fraud in the November elections, which Suu Kyi's party won in a landslide, and promised fresh polls in a year.

But its ambassador to the United Nations on Friday broke ranks and made an emotional appeal to the international community for "the strongest possible action... to restore democracy".

Kyaw Moe Tun also pleaded with his "brothers and sisters" in Burmese to keep fighting.

"This revolution must win," he said, flashing the three-finger salute that has become a symbol of resistance against the junta.

By Saturday night, state-run TV announced that Kyaw Moe Tun was no longer Myanmar's UN ambassador.

"(He) didn't follow the order and direction by the state and betrayed the country," according to a MRTV broadcast.

"That is why he is revoked from his position starting from today."

- 'We want to fight until we win' -

News of Kyaw Moe Tun's removal follows a day of crackdowns and mass arrests by Myanmar's security forces as the country enters its fourth week of daily protests against the generals' grip on power.

Chaos unfolded across commercial hub Yangon, with police closing in early on peaceful demonstrators and deploying rubber bullets to disperse them from Myaynigone junction.

Protesters scattered into residential streets and started building makeshift barricades out of stacked tables and trash cans to stop the police.

Story continues

Many wore hard hats and gas masks, wielding homemade shields for protection.

"What are the police doing? They are protecting a crazy dictator," the protesters chanted angrily.

Local reporters broadcast the chaotic scenes live on Facebook, including the moments when the shots rang out, which AFP reporters on the ground also witnessed.

"We want to fight until we win," said protester Moe Moe, 23, who used a pseudonym.

At nearby Hledan junction several rounds of stun grenades were fired, according to AFP reporters.

At least three media workers were detained, including an Associated Press photographer, a video journalist from Myanmar Now, and a photographer from the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency.

Another protest near a shopping centre in nearby Tamwe Township was broken up by police.

Aye Myint Kyi, a distraught mother of one shopper, said she reached her daughter briefly on the phone, who said she was being taken.

"I don't know where she was taken," she told AFP, crying. "She was unjustly arrested."

- Mass arrests -

In the central city of Monywa, a rally had barely started before police and soldiers moved in on demonstrators, said a medic with a local emergency rescue team.

Htwe Aung Zin said his team had been "sent a man who was severely injured in his leg from the police crackdown", adding that they treated 10 others with minor injuries.

He declined to say what kind of bullets caused the man's injury.

Another medic -- who did not give their name -- told AFP that a woman with severe injuries had been sent to the intensive care unit.

Meanwhile, two local media outlets saw their journalists arrested as they attempted to broadcast live video of protests on Facebook.

Monywa Gazette's Kyaw Kyaw Win was beaten and arrested by plainclothes police, while Hakha Times' Pu Lalawmpuia was nabbed as he was filming authorities fanning out around him.

More than 770 people have been arrested, charged and sentenced since the putsch, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group, with some 680 still behind bars.

But Saturday is expected to push the number up, said AAPP's Bo Gyi.

"More than 400 were arrested (today)," he said, adding that only a fraction will make it into the group's daily updated list as they were not able to confirm the names of everyone.

- 'Protection concerns' -

Earlier in the day, MRTV also broadcast the arrival of more than 1,000 Myanmar nationals deported from Malaysia despite a court order halting the repatriation.

The migrants -- whom activists say include vulnerable asylum seekers -- received a hero's welcome at Yangon's navy port, attended by military families and officials.

Some of the returnees include ethnic minorities from Rakhine and Kachin state who may have "protection concerns", said John Quinley of Fortify Rights.

"The military has been on an all-out campaign to crack down on protesters, journalists, activists, and anyone calling for democracy," he said.

Since the coup, at least five people have been killed -- four of them from injuries sustained at anti-coup demonstrations that saw security forces open fire on protesters.

The military has said one police officer has died while attempting to quell a protest.

bur-dhc/oho
GREENWICH  The town of Greenwich is working to procure 1,800 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to distribute to teachers and in-person school staff as the state prepares to expand its vaccination program next week, officials said Friday.

The doses will be available to staff at Greenwich Public School as well as private school personnel and staff at local child-care facilities, according to district and town officials.

Vaccine distribution to educators will likely begin on Wednesday, March 3, at the Brunswick School Field House, which is already functioning as a vaccination facility for Yale New Haven Health System.

We are so fortunate to have been moved to the head of the line of essential workers, said Carol Sutton, head of the Greenwich Education Association (GEA), the union representing Greenwich Public School teachers. Theres no way to emphasize enough how grateful we are for that.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday his plans to change the states vaccine roll-out plan. Whereas people with comorbidities and underlying conditions thought they would be the next group eligible for the vaccine, which has already been made available to people age 65 and up, health care workers and first responders, Lamont surprised the state by announcing an age-based plan.

As of March 1, people 55 and up are eligible to sign up to receive the coronavirus vaccine. Teachers and other school personnel were also made eligible starting Monday.

The new wave of vaccinations come as federal supplies are expected to increase. The federal government sends them to the states, and Connecticut sends them to its municipalities. More vaccines are expected to be sent this coming week.

As of Friday afternoon, teachers and staff had not yet received final details for the vaccination plan. But Superintendent of schools Toni Jones did send short updates to employees of the Greenwich Public Schools, notifying them of the tentative plans beginning mid-week.

One note, sent early Friday, said the clinic would likely be able to administer 500 to 750 vaccines per day. A subsequent note from Jones, sent Friday evening, said the district was still awaiting the number of people the district can schedule per day.

According to Sutton, there are about 1,300 Greenwich Public School employees. Sasha Houlihan, the districts director of communications, said all staff working in-school with children qualify for the vaccine as of Monday. Some Central Office staff, on the other hand, must meet the states age requirement to qualify, Houlihan said.

Given the amount of vaccines that have been ordered and the announcement of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines arriving in CT next week, we remain hopeful for a swift and well-expedited process for all of GPS, Jones wrote Friday.

Greenwich Hospital, which is part of the Yale New Haven Health network, is partnering with the town and its public and private schools to organize the vaccine clinics. Dana Marnane, the hospitals vice president of public relations, said on Friday that discussions were ongoing about the clinics.

We are working with the town to support Greenwich educators, but the plans are still in process, Marnane said

The town is responsible for getting the vaccine doses also to the teachers at the private schools in town, which include Brunswick, Greenwich Academy, Greenwich Country Day, Greenwich Catholic and Sacred Heart Greenwich as well as others.

Town Director of Health Caroline Baisley said on Friday that the work was underway.

We have submitted a plan to obtain supplemental vaccine to vaccinate all public and private school teachers and their support staff along with vaccine for child-care professionals in Greenwich, Baisley said.

justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586


Former slave Joseph Hayne Rainey entered the Capitol building as the first African American member of the U.S House of Representatives in December 1870.

His great-granddaughter can only wonder what that was like for him. He was the only one, the only Black man, Lorna Rainey told VOA.

She was just three years old when family members began sharing stories about Joseph Raineys place in history. You know, there was something inside of him that said, Im not going to quit, and once I get to Washington, just watch what Im going to do, she said.



In February, America celebrates Black History Month. It is a time to examine the lives of African Americans like Joseph Rainey. His service to his country is now receiving more attention.



Bobby Donaldson said: Joseph Rainey is someone who can be described as the founding father of our nation. Donaldson is a history professor at the University of South Carolina. Hehelped to envision a nation following emancipation during thisera called Reconstruction, Donaldson told VOA.

The Reconstruction Era is the ten year period after the American Civil War. The United States struggled to reunite the North and the South and to establish the legal rights of African Americans during that time.

Early life

Joseph Rainey began his political career in 1866, after returning to the United States from Bermuda. He had fled to Bermuda during the Civil War.



He was a member of the Republican Party, the party of Abraham Lincoln. He was elected to the South Carolina state legislature and helped write a new state constitution that defended the equality of citizens.



One of the things that was a direct result of the 1868 constitution was the notion of free public education for all citizens. Joseph Rainey helped to shape that, Donaldson said.

He supported civil rights, education and economic development. He served nine years in Congress and influenced the political careers of some 15 African Americans who served in Congress during the Reconstruction Era.

Rainey was an early supporter of two important civil rights protections to the United States Constitution, the 14th and 15th Amendments. They guarantee full citizenship and the right to vote to former slaves.



Changing times



Raineys political career ended after he was not reelected in 1878. Reconstruction was ending, and the Southern States began to pass laws that enforced racial separation and took away the political gains of African Americans.



His Black supporters were prevented from voting for him, Donaldson told VOA. During that time, many Black voters were threatened with violence.



In his final speech to lawmakers in 1879, Rainey warned of trouble. African Americans across the South lost their positions, lost their land and lost their power to vote, Donaldson said.



Keeping the legacy alive



Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives named a Capitol building room after Rainey and placed his portrait in the halls of Congress.

Now, hes getting the type of attention he rightly deserves, said Donaldson.

He laid the foundation for generations of Black lawmakers to serve in Congress, said South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn. He is the current House majority whip, or number two in the leadership, and the most powerful African American in the House of Representatives.

Im Susan Shand.

VOAs Chris Simpkins reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

________________________________________________

Words in This Story

emancipation  n. the state of being freed from the control of someone or something else

founding  n. the time when something important is created or established

envision v. to think of something that might happen in the future

portrait  n. a painting or picture of a person

deserve v. used to say that someone should or should not be given something

foundation  n. a base or starting point How a Formerly Enslaved Man

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page.

NEW MILFORD  Wayne Winsley was living as an orphaned Black boy in Cleveland when hed chosen to give up on school. Then one day, he overheard a friends father say three words that forever changed his life: strive for excellence.

Today, Winsley is dedicated to inspiring young people and faced with a different challenge, keeping his New Milford nonprofit viable amid the pandemics looming uncertainty.

Brave Enough to Fail, Winsleys educational organization started in 2015, gives motivational presentations and awards scholarships to high school students in the area and beyond.

The program consists of motivational speeches and the Boss Academy, a 12-week course designed to help students cultivate life skills, goal setting, time management, public speaking and more.

Wayne Winsley, the organizations founder, said the groups goal lies in assisting students to move forward and achieve those dreams we encourage them to pursue.

The nonprofit, known as BETF, has reached about 15,000 students and awarded about $50,000 in scholarship money across numerous districts, including Danbury, New Milford and Bridgeport, with intentions to expand, Winsley said.

Bridgeport principals requested Winsley work with their students in early 2020, but the pandemic disrupted their plans. Winsley adopted a virtual platform to continue engaging youngsters, but their lack of funding posed an obstacle.

Just like every other nonprofit, weve been struggling in the face of COVID unable to fundraise, Winsley said. We werent sure if we were even going to be able to stay in business.

BETF launched an online fundraiser and received a $15,000 donation from an anonymous donor.

Its going to help inspire a lot more students, Winsley said. That $15,000 is going to translate to us being able to reach another couple thousand students.

Mikayla Hill, a current Western Connecticut State University junior said Winsleys foundation shaped her perspective.

The scholarship has helped me financially and is a reminder that I can pursue and overcome my failures, Hill said. If you can be brave enough to fail, then you can overcome anything.

Hills impression is similar to the outlook Winsley developed when he was 14. Winsley said he was raised by his great-grandmother until she could no longer support him and he wound up in the welfare system. Faced with different challenges, Winsley withdrew from school and failed the eighth grade.

Second time around in eighth grade, Im now in the system and I gave up on school, he said. If you took the days I went to school that second time around, stayed all day without skipping any classes, realistically it would add up to about two weeks.

I was this 14-year-old Black kid wandering around the streets of Cleveland, no direction, he added. Statistically, I was going to wind up in one of two places, prison or the cemetery.

However, Winsley vividly recalled the moment he decided to change his situation. His buddy was being scolded over his report card and he overheard his friends father tell his son to strive for excellence.

Excellence will overcome poverty, prejudice and adversity every time, the man said.

Winsley chose to return to school and work toward his own excellence. Although he didnt automatically become a straight-A student, his lifes direction changed. He still walks around thinking of those exact words.

He went on to graduate high school, serve in the U.S. Navy, made a career in radio broadcasting and eventually ran for Congress in Connecticut.

Im living proof that a message can change the trajectory of a childs life. Im dedicating the rest of my life to bringing that message to as many young people as possible, Winsley said.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Projects such as Bunges agribusiness are expected to increase in number through stronger US ties. Photo: Le Toan

In his first few days in office five years ago, President Donald Trump withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which was a pillar of the Barack Obama administrations pivot towards Asia. The remaining 11 member states have since reframed the agreement as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and President Joe Bidens commitment to rebuilding relations with allies has sparked speculation about the US returning to the fold.

Fitch Solutions under global ratings firm Fitch Group told VIR in a statement that Vietnamese trade would receive a surefire boost should new Biden decide to rejoin the CPTPP.

Biden stated in 2019 that the US should renegotiate parts of the CPTPP and re-assemble a coalition to counterbalance Chinas perceived expansionist policies. The Trump administration withdrew from the original deal in 2017 under the pretext that it would harm US workers. A scenario where the US rejoins the CPTPP would deliver substantial tailwinds to Vietnamese exports to the US from lower tariffs in major export categories, Fitch said.

In fact, the CPTPP may offer great windfalls to the US. Statistics from law firm Duane Morris Vietnam LLC showed that the population of the CPTPP countries exceeded 513 million people as of October 2020. The CPTPP countries account for nearly 45 per cent of US total exports and 37.6 per cent of US general imports in 2014. By cutting over 18,000 taxes in regards to CPTPP, there would be a great benefit for American importers and exporters by enabling them to enter new markets.

As the United States International Trade Commission estimates, the US exports of goods and services to the world would expand by $27.2 billion by 2032 thanks to the CPTPP, while US imports would expand by $48.9 billion.

Oliver Massmann, general director of Duane Morris Vietnam LLC, pointed out various benefits for the US if it rejoins the CPTPP. He took public procurement as an example. Dropping the CPTPP means that the US has lost access to government procurement of other CPTPP countries, which amounts to $1.47 trillion, he said in a letter recently sent to President Biden.

Massmann cited the International Monetary Funds World Economic Outlook database in October 2019 as stating that in Vietnam, government procurements percentage of GDP in 2019 was 12 per cent or $40.87 billion.

The great advance of the CPTPP will be that even Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei, which have not agreed to coverage of their government procurement before and are currently not covered by an existing US free trade agreement or government procurement agreement of the World Trade Organization, have undertaken to do so.

This is a key export opportunity for US goods producers and services companies. Currently Chinese companies profit the most. About 90 per cent of power, mining, manufacturing, ferrous, and chemical projects of state-owned companies in Vietnam are awarded to Chinese contractors, Massmann noted.

Furthering ties

Early this month, Vietnams Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh held phone talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Both sides agreed bilateral ties have advanced across fields over the past 25 years, and pledged to cooperate in deepening ties in a more comprehensive manner, with a focus on economy-trade-investment, overcoming war consequences, enhancing maritime capacity, fighting COVID-19, and adapting to climate change.

It is expected that in 2021, there will be more connections and talks between both nations high-level leaders, investors, and enterprises.

Adam Sitkoff, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hanoi (AmCham) told VIR that he expected US-Vietnam trade and investment cooperation to further flourish thanks to several reasons including the US new administrations positive stance towards both nations bilateral ties.

As major investors here, American companies have an interest in Vietnams continued success. It is a new year and we welcome the incoming leaders in both countries, Sitkoff said. American investors are optimistic about business prospects in Vietnam and we support efforts to create a modern economy that will attract future investment and high-paying jobs for Vietnamese people. We will continue to work on lowering barriers to trade, to help the Vietnamese government make it easier to do business, and to create a high-standard, transparent, and stable business environment to ensure that all investors have fair access to that opportunity.

Statistics from Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment showed that as of January 20, US investors registered over $9.51 billion in Vietnam for more than 1,000 valid projects, making the US the 11th-largest foreign investor in the Southeast Asian nation. In January alone, the US ranked fourth in investment in Vietnam, with total newly-registered capital of $122.2 million.

Currently many US firms are exploring opportunities in Vietnam, such as Morgan Stanley, ACORN International, General Dynamics, Nue Capital LLC, BlackRocks Asian Credit, Lockheed Martin International, Smart City Works, Google, Columbia University, and USTelecom.

Positive impacts

Fitch Solutions believed that the incoming Biden administration will have largely positive implications for Vietnam.

The impact on Vietnams trade growth should be positive, given that Biden will take a more pragmatic approach towards Vietnams growing trade surplus with the US, which means a lower risk of punitive trade tariffs than under Trumps currency policies, the Fitch Solutions statement read.

Trump-era trade tariffs on Chinese exports and rising geopolitical tensions between China and the West have also set in motion a relocation of manufacturing to Vietnam, which is likely to continue. Should the US decide to join the CPTPP in the coming years, Vietnam would also benefit from accelerated trade expansion with the US.

Fitch Solutions further explained that Biden is likely to take a more pragmatic view towards trade developments with its economic partners.

In particular, we believe that the Biden administration will come to understand that Vietnams trade surplus with the US will grow as more manufacturers relocate to the Southeast Asian nation due to the ongoing US-China trade war. Furthermore, while there is bipartisan support in the US for a hardline stance on trade with China, we believe that a desire by the Biden administration to rebuild its relations with its allies would see an easing of the trade tensions with allied countries generated by the Trump administration. Therefore, we believe that the Biden administration will entail lower risk of further US tariffs on Vietnamese exports.

In 2020, total export-import turnover between Vietnam and the US was $90.1 billion, up from $76 billion in 2019.

Hurdles need removing

Sitkoff from AmCham in Hanoi told VIR that though Vietnam and the US have many common foundations to further cement their trade and investment ties, he hoped Vietnams government will take more drastic action to remove obstacles currently facing investors.

It is critical that US companies and investors here in Vietnam encounter an equal, level, and predictable playing field as a solid foundation, not only to attract new investment, but also to maintain and grow the investment that is already here, Sitkoff said.

In addition, we recommend that foreign investment limitations, an overly restrictive legal framework, and burdensome administrative procedures should be carefully reviewed and selectively relaxed to encourage increased US investment, he suggested. In our view, by opening its market to more US goods and services, Vietnam can help to rectify the growing trade imbalance between the two countries in a manner that benefits both countries.

According to AmCham, one of the biggest hurdles for foreign firms including US ones in Vietnam is the tax system.

While Vietnams corporate income tax rate of 20 per cent is competitive, data shows that filing and paying taxes in the country is still too high a burden compared to neighbouring countries. Too many companies are also suffering from what seems to be unfair and non-transparent reassessments with penalties and interest, said an AmCham statement recently sent to the government. We hope to see real progress on advanced pricing agreements which create the stability and predictability necessary for integrating into global supply chains.
The Drogheda MMM community is delighted that Medical Missionary of Mary, Sister Doctor Marian Scena, is to receive the Distinguished Graduate Award from the University College Dublin (UCD) Medical Graduates Association (MGA) on 25 February.

With the reality of COVID-19 this will be a virtual event.

A member of the UCD School of Medicine Class of 1975, after qualification Sister Marian spent several years training in Ireland before assignment to Tanzania, where she has spent the past 37 years.

She is now the programme doctor and coordinator of the Faraja Hospice and Palliative Care Programme in Singida. Begun in August 2012 as part of Faraja Centre Community-Based Health Care, Sister Marian and her team provide palliative care, especially end-of-life care, for all who need it in Singida Municipality.

Along with two other graduates, Sister Marian was originally to be given the award in 2020 at her 45th class reunion.

She had planned to visit Ireland during her home leave from Tanzania.

The presentations were postponed because of COVID-19 restrictions and Marian also postponed her home visit. Just before Christmas 2020 the MGA came up with the idea of having a virtual webinar series to make the awards in lieu of the usual Gala celebration.

Traditionally, award recipients are chosen:

In recognition of their lifelong achievements to medical education, research and/or clinical practice:

In appreciation of their drive, leadership, commitment and desire to make a difference in society at home and abroad:

To celebrate the success and contribution of our most distinguished alumni worldwide.
SPRINGFIELD  An idea first proposed 14 years ago is finally coming to fruition for the citys police and fire departments in a combined dispatch center that will handle all 911 calls from the public.

The two departments, which historically have had separate dispatch centers in separate locations  most likely dating back to the invention of radio  will now rely on one combined operation for emergency communications.

City officials on Friday showed off the new facility, located in the Fire Alarm Headquarters Building on Roosevelt Avenue. They said the combined operation will improve communications between police and firefighters, and lessen the amount of time it takes to send help when someone calls 911.

This is a very impressive combined dispatch, said Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno during the media tour of the facility.

State of the art. Its been talked about for years but to have a combined dispatch center is truly outstanding, he said, calling dispatchers unsung heroes who offer the first line of defense, help and offense.

In 2006, the city completed its first major reshaping of dispatch operations by hiring civilians to work 911, police and fire dispatch.

Up until that point, police dispatch was staffed by police officers, and fire dispatch by firefighters.

The recommendation at the time was to hire civilians  and to redeploy the police and firefighters taking 911 calls to respond to them.

In 2008, a consultant recommended the city combine the two dispatch centers as a way of increasing efficiency. The recommendation was never acted upon until now.

Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi said since the idea was first proposed 14 years ago, the city spent 13 years trying to figure out the best location for it.

This summer he proposed repurposing the Fire Departments alarm center on Roosevelt Avenue.

We started in June with a big push to get the project done, he said. We finished up on time and on budget so Im very happy about that.

T.J. Plante, the citys finance director, said the facility cost around $900,000. The city cobbled together surplus grant money from construction projects at the Brookings, Dryden, Kennedy and Kensington that came in under budget.

Once the system is up and fully operational and the dispatch at police headquarters is phased out, the operational costs will not be much different than the cost of running two dispatch centers, he said. There will be an added cost for hiring two new supervisors, but otherwise the budget will not change.

Police Commissioner Cheryl C. Clapprood said she supports the combined operation.

She said the public often did not understand that there were two different dispatch centers. That would come into play when someone called 911 to report a fire.

Calls to 911 automatically went to the police dispatch at the departments headquarters on Pearl Street. People reporting a fire would be put on hold and transferred to the fire dispatch on Roosevelt Avenue.

Clapprood said having police and fire dispatchers in the same room, five feet apart instead of two miles, will increase efficiency.

With everyone in the same room, it cuts down on any miscommunications or delays in service, she said.

Calvi said a combined dispatch will allow for quicker transmission of information between departments.

The bottom line is public safety. It improves public safety all the way around, he said.

Youre processing the information quicker and getting it to the people in the street  the police and fire  quicker, he added. Decreasing call handling time decreases response time.

Clapprood said another advantage will be for communication between police and firefighters at emergency scenes. The police and fire departments use different radio channels and cannot communicate with each other by radio at emergencies. They are dependent on the dispatchers to relay information between them, she said.

This addresses a communication problem I was always fearful of at a major event between police and fire, she said. To have one dispatch center which can put us all together in a matter of seconds is very welcome.

Related content:
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi at the second day of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. The Saudi crown prince 'approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi,' according to a report by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence. EPA-Yonhap



Saudi Arabia's crown prince likely approved the killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, according to a newly declassified U.S. intelligence report released Friday that instantly ratcheted up pressure on the Biden administration to hold the kingdom accountable for a murder that drew worldwide outrage.



The intelligence findings were long known to many U.S. officials and, even as they remained classified, had been reported with varying degrees of precision. But the public rebuke of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is still a touchstone in U.S.-Saudi relations. It leaves no doubt that as the prince continues in his powerful role and likely ascends to the throne, America will forever associate him with the brutal killing of a journalist who promoted democracy and human rights.



Yet even as the Biden administration released the findings, it appeared determined to preserve the Saudi relationship by avoiding direct punishment of the prince himself despite demands from some congressional Democrats and Khashoggi allies for significant and targeted sanctions.



Questioned by reporters, Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended the approach.



''What we've done by the actions we've taken is not to rupture the relationship but to recalibrate it to be more in line with our interests and our values,'' he said. ''I think that we have to understand as well that this is bigger than any one person.''



The conclusion that the prince approved an operation to kill or capture Khashoggi was based on his decision-making role inside the kingdom, the involvement of a key adviser and members of his protective detail and his past support for violently silencing dissidents abroad, according to the report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.



Though intelligence officials stopped short of saying the prince ordered the October 2018 murder, the four-page document described him as having ''absolute control'' over the kingdom's intelligence organizations, and said it would have been highly unlikely for an operation like the killing to have been carried out without his approval.



Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry responded by saying the kingdom ''categorically rejects the offensive and incorrect assessment in the report pertaining to the kingdom's leadership.''



Shortly after the findings were released, the State Department announced a new policy, called the ''Khashoggi Ban,'' that will allow the U.S. to deny visas to people who harm, threaten or spy on journalists on behalf of a foreign government. It also said it would impose visa restrictions on 76 Saudi individuals who have engaged or threatened dissidents overseas.



The State Department declined to comment on who would be affected, citing the confidentiality of visa records. But a person familiar with the matter said the prince was not targeted. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.



The Treasury Department also announced sanctions against a former Saudi intelligence official, Ahmad Hassan Mohammed al Asiri, who U.S. officials say was the operation's ringleader.



Democrats in Congress praised the administration for releasing the report  the Trump administration had refused to do so  but urged it to take more aggressive actions, including against the prince.



Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, urged the Biden administration to consider punishing the prince, who he says has the blood of an American journalist on his hands.



''The president should not meet with the crown prince, or talk with him, and the administration should consider sanctions on assets in the Saudi Public Investment Fund he controls that have any link to the crime,'' Schiff said in a statement.



Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, called for consequences for the prince  such as sanctions  as well as for the Saudi kingdom as a whole.



Rights activists said the lack of any punitive measures would signal impunity for the prince and other autocrats.



Without sanctions, ''it's a joke,'' said Tawwakol Karman, a Nobel Peace Prize winner from neighboring Yemen and a friend of Khashoggi's.



While Biden had pledged as a candidate to make Saudi Arabia a ''pariah'' over the killing, he appeared to take a milder tone during a call Thursday with Saudi King Salman.



A White House summary of the conversation made no mention of the killing and said instead that the men had discussed the countries' long-standing partnership. The kingdom's state-run Saudi Press Agency similarly did not mention Khashoggi's killing in its report about the call, focusing on regional issues such as Iran and the war in Yemen.



White House press secretary Jen Psaki has told reporters that the administration intends to ''recalibrate'' the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia. Biden previously ordered an end to U.S. support for the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen and said he would stop the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia but has given few details of his plans.



Though the Biden administration's relationship with Riyadh is likely to be more adversarial than that of Donald Trump's, the reality is that Riyadh's oil reserves and status as a counterbalance to Iran in the Middle East have long made it a strategic  if difficult  ally.



The broad outlines of the killing have long been known. The document released Friday says a 15-member Saudi team, including seven members of the prince's elite personal protective team, arrived in Istanbul, though it says it's unclear how far in advance Saudi officials had decided to harm him.



Khashoggi had gone to the Saudi consulate to pick up documents needed for his wedding. Once inside, he died at the hands of more than a dozen Saudi security and intelligence officials and others who had assembled ahead of his arrival. Surveillance cameras had tracked his route and those of his alleged killers in Istanbul in the hours before his killing.



A Turkish bug planted at the consulate reportedly captured the sound of a forensic saw, operated by a Saudi colonel who was also a forensics expert, dismembering Khashoggi's body within an hour of his entering the building. The whereabouts of his remains remain unknown.



The prince, an ambitious 35-year-old who has rapidly consolidated power since his father became king in 2015, said in 2019 that he took ''full responsibility'' for the killing since it happened on his watch, but denied ordering it. Saudi officials have said Khashoggi's killing was the work of rogue Saudi security and intelligence officials. Saudi Arabian courts last year announced they had sentenced eight Saudi nationals to prison in Khashoggi's killing. They were not identified. (AP)


Alabama gave out more than 137,000 doses of vaccine last week, despite snow and ice that forced some clinics to close, especially in north Alabama. That total was the states second highest yet in Alabama, and the trend is clearly increasing.

More than 600,000 Alabamians have received at least one dose of the vaccine, about 12.5% of the states population. More than 268,000 have received both doses, about 5.5% of the population.

Were very, very pleased about how were doing, Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said Thursday.

The week before last, Alabama set a new record by hosting large-scale drive-thru clinics and giving out more than 157,000 doses.

The latest figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control show Alabama has administered 864,757 vaccine doses as of Friday, almost 74 percent of the 1.1 million doses that have been delivered to the state.

Harris said the state will continue to receive about 90,000 to 100,000 first doses per week of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

If the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is approved by federal regulators in the coming days, as expected, that could give Alabamians a third option and further increase the supply of vaccine coming into the state.

We are working very hard to get people on a very predictable cadence of allocations so that they know exactly how much theyre going to get each week or each month, Harris said. Thatll make it a lot easier for people to plan and schedule.

No hints when people with health conditions may be added

Currently, numerous groups are officially invited to sign up at the hundreds of distribution points around the state. Those include medical workers, first responders, teachers, manufacturing employees, people over 65, public transit workers, grocery store workers and more.

Harris did not offer an estimate as to when the state will shift its vaccine focus to the next group of people in the states vaccine plan: people with health conditions that put them at higher risk of death or severe illness if they do get COVID.

Thats a huge number of people in Alabama. ADPHs list of health conditions include common conditions like obesity, diabetes, smoking, as well as cancer, lung ailments and heart disease.

People with chronic health problems absolutely deserve to be vaccinated as soon as possible, Harris said. We are making every effort to get there as quickly as possible. The barrier has been that in Alabama, were an unhealthy state, you know, at baseline before COVID, and when you add that group of people that have diabetes and heart disease and obesity and chronic lung disease, those things that put them at high risk, you have more people than were trying to vaccinate now.

Youre more than doubling the size of the group of people. And so, its just not fair to tell that group of people Okay, now youre at the front of the line, when theres no additional vaccine coming into the state.

Harris message to Alabamians is simple: keep trying.

Please persevere, he said. Everyone who wants a shot is going to get a shot. Were going to have enough for everyone who wants it, and theres just not enough yet to go around. But continue to check with those providers that have shots.

Harris said people can check the ADPH web site for a list and map of providers that offer the vaccine, including retail pharmacies like Walmart and CVS, as well as traditional clinics and urgent care facilities.

Talk to doctors and clinics and pharmacies and urgent cares in your community that have the vaccine, Harris said.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, 1 Hamilton Health Place, Hamilton, now is offering a post-COVID-19 recovery program through its rehabilitative therapy services.

The three-phase program will be customized to each patient to help them regain strength and functional abilities following COVID-19. Telehealth and in-person treatments are available for physical, occupational and speech therapy.

The physical therapy will aim to reduce weakness, improve breathing, gait and balance, and build endurance. Occupational therapy will help patients to become more able to independently complete activities of daily living and cognitive rehabilitation and speech therapy will focus on swallowing and speech difficulties.

The post-COVID-19 physical therapy rehab program is offered at RWJUH Hamiltons Columbus, Ewing, Hamilton, Howell, Lawrenceville and Windsor rehab services locations; speech and occupational therapy for the COVID-19 rehab program is offered at select offices.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 877-342-2795 or visit rwjrehab.com.

Send community news to community@njtimes.com
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
EASTHAMPTON  A home on Church Street appeared to sustain heavy damage in a noontime fire Friday.

Little information on the fire or the amount of damage was available at 3 p.m. as firefighters were still at the scene.

Police say no one was injured and all occupants were out of the home when the fire was reported.

Photos from the scene show the rear of the 2 story wood-frame home engulfed in flames. Fire can also be seen coming out the the windows on the first floor.

Police say Church Street is blocked off to traffic while emergency vehicles are on the scene.

Church Street is a dead-end street off Admiral Street.
ARISS contact is scheduled with students at Newcastle High School, Newcastle, Wyoming, USA

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact with astronauts. ARISS is the group that puts together special amateur radio contacts between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses on the International Space Station (ISS).

This will be a Multipoint Telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio between the ISS and students from Newcastle High School. Students will take turns asking their questions of ISS astronaut Mike Hopkins, amateur radio call sign KF5LJG, during the ARISS radio contact. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHz. Since the first ARISS contact on December 21, 2000, this will be the first ARISS-sponsored contact to a Wyoming school.

ARISS team member David Payne, using call sign NA7V in Portland, OR will serve as the relay amateur radio station. Each student asking a question will be conferenced in from home or social-distanced at school.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for March 1, 2021 at 9:20 am MST (Newcastle, WY) (16:20 UTC, 11:20 pm EST, 10:20 am CST, 8:20 am PST).

Newcastle High School (grades 9  12) is a rural, public school, and part of the Weston County Public School District, which serves students (grades K-12, ages 5-18) in communities in the county in northeastern Wyoming. Newcastle HS offers college preparatory courses, a concurrent/dual enrollment college class program as well as a vocational-technical training program. Newcastle HSs amateur radio club includes activities that allow students to learn how to operate ham radios and build antennas with curriculum tie-in to the schools mathematics and science classes. Student activities (involving students in grades K-12) prior to the ARISS contact were designed to increase awareness and interest in amateur radio, and STEM education, and to foster an appreciation for STEM in a students future career choices. The school has partnered with members of the North East Wyoming Amateur Radio Association (NE7WY) who will provide technical support during this contact.

ARISS invites the public to view the live stream of the upcoming ARISS radio contact at https://youtu.be/qdQlKQK5mT4 .

As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. How long did it take you to fully adjust to being on the ISS?

2. What effects have you experienced from zero gravity?

3. What do you folks do for fun? Boardgames? Play catch in space?

4. What is the most interesting thing you have seen on a spacewalk?

5. What happens when you fly into the South Atlantic Anomaly?

6. What is the most important lesson youve learned from your time in space?

7. What types of organisms do you grow or use in space?

8. I am asking a question for our 2nd grade class. How big is the International Space Station and what is inside? Are there bedrooms, gym, kitchen?

9. Is it weird not being able to experience night and day the same as you would on earth?

10. What research is currently being conducted? Is it biological?

11. Have you ever lost something on a spacewalk?

12. Since Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome can affect mission success, does the research currently being conducted on the retina of mice take priority over other experiments?

13. What is the weirdest solution to a problem that you have tried that actually worked?

14. What is the most dangerous aspect about living and working in space?

15. What is the most exciting thing you have experienced so far?

ARISS  Celebrating 20 Years of Amateur Radio Continuous Operations on the ISS

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, and NASAs Space Communications and Navigation program.

The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org

Media Contact:

Dave Jordan, AA4KN

ARISS PR

Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Search on Amateur Radio on the ISS and @ARISS_status
The study also shows that when trying to be healthier, consumers are most likely to alter aspects of their life if they perceive it to be relatively easy to do

Across the world, people have faced exceptional circumstances and have been forced to adapt to a new way of life. In the study, 27,000 people from 27 markets were asked about attitudes, opinions, and behaviours linked to enabling healthier and more sustainable lifestyles.

The study finds that consumers in Vietnam are more likely to support socially responsible companies. 47 per cent of those surveyed in Vietnam said they had supported a socially responsible company in the past year, against a global average of 33 per cent.

People in Vietnam are much more likely to seek out information about healthy lifestyles. 82 per cent of respondents said they had sought out information related to healthier lifestyles in the past year, well above the global average of 56 per cent.

When asked what companies could do to help them live healthily and sustainably, people in Vietnam list a desire for new products that are better for both people and the environment as a top priority.

Those in Vietnam display a significantly higher interest in environmentally friendly lifestyle choices as 81 per cent said they had sought out information about environmentally friendly lifestyles in the past year, versus a global average of 47 per cent.

According to the survey, people in Vietnam are already taking proactive steps towards healthier and more sustainable lifestyles, with 90 per cent saying that they had made changes to their lifestyles to be more environmentally friendly in the past year, along with 87 per cent who made changes to be healthier and 84 per cent who stated they were trying to become more helpful to others.

Globally, the top behaviours that people are most interested in doing more of this year are: taking care of financial health and wellbeing (80 per cent), saving energy at home (80 per cent), reducing food waste (78 per cent), taking care of mental health (78 per cent), spending time with family and friends (78 per cent), and eating healthy and nutritious food (78 per cent).

It is encouraging to see that consumers in Vietnam are already taking concrete steps to lead more healthy and sustainable lifestyles, said Dang Tuyet Dung, Visa country manager for Vietnam and Laos. At Visa, we are proud of our commitment to offering innovative products that not only improve peoples lives but also protect our environment. Despite the challenging conditions brought forth by COVID-19, we look forward to working with our partners to cultivate affordable and easy-to-use solutions to the social and environmental problems we face.

When asked what companies could do to help them live healthily and sustainably, people in Vietnam list a desire for new products that are better for both people and the environment as a top priority while affordable products and services ranked second.

With the importance of saving money, consumers rank reducing energy consumption and taking care of financial health and wellbeing as first and third in the list of top actions they would like to do more of in the year. With changes to income and financial stability in the wake of the pandemic, it is likely that the priority placed on affordability will intensify.

Findings from the study also show that when trying to be healthier and more sustainable, consumers are most likely to alter aspects of their life if they perceive it to be relatively easy to do so. Typically, these behaviours link to improving personal wellbeing, ethical purchasing, and actions within the household (such as saving water at home, eating healthy food, choosing products with less packaging, and buying from responsible brands). When encouraging behaviour change, evidence from this study identifies the importance of removing barriers and providing clear information.
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.
Russian diplomats and family members use a hand-pushed rail trolley to leave North Korea amid the coronavirus restrictions while crossing the demarcation line between North Korea and Russia. Photo:. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via Reuters

Eight employees at the Russian embassy in Pyongyang found themselves facing a hellish journey back home this week, eventually spending more than 34 hours in transit and finishing on a hand-operated rail cart a kilometre across the border.

The legitimate trip is especially difficult at present due to Covid-19 measures, which have seen North Korea close its borders and cut off almost all travel in and out of the country.

The Russian foreign ministry posted two photos of the group crossing a wintery landscape and a video of the final stretch of the journey in the rail cart.

The trolley is piled with luggage and the passengers whoop with delight as they cross the rail bridge over the Tumen River, which divides the two countries. The video said the main engine of the cart was Vladislav Sorokin, the third secretary of the embassy, and the youngest traveller was his three-year-old daughter, Varya. The diplomats had to push the vehicle for more than a kilometre, it added.

The diplomats passage involved a 32-hour train ride, followed by a two-hour bus journey to reach the border crossing, which they then had to cross on foot using the trolley to transport their luggage and children.

The journey was the only way the Russians could leave the reclusive nation, which sealed its borders last year to keep Covid-19 at bay and stop the virus from causing the collapse of its crumbling health system.

Flights operated from Vladivostok in eastern Russia by Air Koryo, North Koreas state-owned airline, have been suspended for some time.

Ministry officials greeted them at a border station on the Russian side, where they then travelled by bus to the Vladivostok airport. State-run media in Moscow said that the diplomats were now flying to the Russian capital.

Meanwhile, there are reports of food shortages and deteriorating living conditions inside North Korea as its economy edges closer to collapse than it has for decades.

Diplomats and aid workers have also faced even heavier restrictions on their freedom of movement, at times confined to their embassies and having to negotiate for weeks to allow them to leave the country. In May, the UK temporarily closed its embassy because restrictions on entry to the country have made it impossible to rotate our staff and sustain the operation of the embassy, the UK Foreign Office said.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
This is America, full of exciting business ideas even in difficult times. Travel writer and YouTuber Seth Kugel brainstormed with four other entrepreneurs as the coronavirus pandemic hit hard last April. They thought: Why not start one-on-one college tours conducted by uninhibited undergraduates via Zoom?

"Current in-person college tours are boring and there's very little serious engagement between high school kids and walking-backwards tour guides," Kugel said. Online tours are usually done under college control without the irrepressible approach the group envisaged. "Most people don't have access to current college students who can speak freely and honestly about life on campus," Kugel said.

"We began realizing the potential social good in evening the playing field for first-generation low-income students, or students who live too far away to visit campus," he said.

The little group dubbed itself LiveCampusTours by Nylie (an acronym for "Narrowing your list is easy"). They received encouragement from college admission staffers, counselors, high school students, parents and even lawyers. Nearly 4,000 undergraduates flooded their tour guide application page in December after word spread they were paying $20 an hour. Now they have about 400 guides at about 175 schools, and some rave reviews.

As I said, this is America, so they also have two dozen unfriendly letters from lawyers telling them to butt out of what some colleges consider their exclusive right to manage all tours. Two universities have threatened to discipline students who have already signed up to be guides for LiveCampusTours.

I can see why this enterprise might bother otherwise kind and friendly educators when there is so much administrative chaos on campus during the pandemic. But some perspective is in order. The students working as guides like putting a personal spin on their campuses. The high school students who take the tour pay just $39 for a unique personal perspective and spare themselves a long car drive with their parents.

Are complaining institutions as solid as Yale, Stanford, Pepperdine and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill likely to topple as a result of this useful service? Don't they realize each guide is bragging on a school she or he personally chose?

The good news is at least 165 colleges and universities on the LiveCampusTours website have not denounced the effort. Those schools apparently understand the yearning of American youths to try new stuff. It's interesting that Stanford, a genuine fount of innovation, gave its cautionary letter a softness suggesting unspoken sympathy. Lisa Wu of the university's general counsel's office said, "We would like to gently remind you" of rules on filming and commercial activity.

The other founders are Kugel's education administrator brother Jeremy, Jeremy's son Leo, who is in high school, entrepreneur Andrew O'Mara and recent college graduate Emily Mayfield. They have received supportive notes from some colleges. They welcome suggestions. They happily complied with a University of Texas request that their two guides for the Austin campus not wear UT shirts or give the "Hook 'em Horns" sign in their profile pictures.

One high school student said he signed up for the one-on-one Zoom tour of the University of Michigan only because his parents made him. He said he found the experience "awesome." His guide "was so enthusiastic about the school and showed me the Big House, his favorite sandwich shop, and a real passion for Michigan's academics." After the tour, he put Michigan at the top of his list.

The LiveCampusTours founders composed a genial open letter to campus general counsels. They noted that their homepage disclaimed in big purple letters any association with any college. They promised to take down anything that violated university trademarks or copyrights. They likened their service to countless online reviews that feature colleges without formal permission.

Their business serves a need while the pandemic makes campus visits difficult, especially for low-income students, who get their tour discounted to whatever they can afford. "We acknowledge that you may have the power and money to crush our small company," they told the universities. "We hope that you will not exercise it." They said they don't expect to make much money but like the idea of doing good.

Elizabeth Irvin, a 20-year-old student of anthropology and film at Wesleyan University, got so deep into her touring duties that the founders put her on the leadership team and made her a shareholder. "I understand that colleges want to protect their image/brand," she told me in an email, "but if they are so worried about their students potentially bad-mouthing them (which they very, very rarely do on our platform), maybe they should spend more time addressing their students' issues."

This will probably be the most strenuous and discouraging college admissions season in U.S. history, with applications hitting record numbers and reopening times uncertain. Why stand in the way of a little company using free-speaking and fun-loving undergraduates to get everyone back into a good mood?
About 18,500 people received a COVID-19 vaccination here on the first day of the country's inoculation program against the coronavirus pandemic, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said Saturday. Courtesy of Gangnam District Office



About 18,500 people received a COVID-19 vaccination here on the first day of the country's inoculation program against the coronavirus pandemic, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) said Saturday.



According to the government agency, 18,489 people across the country got their first shots of the two-dose AstraZeneca vaccine.






Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
DALLAS, Feb. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Joe Hughes, the owner and founder of Ultimate Plumbing & Repair, is pleased to announce that he is sending 3-4 of his work vans filled with experienced plumbers to Dallas, Texas to help residents who were impacted by Winter Storm Uri.

To learn more about how the company became licensed to be a Dallas plumber in order to help out during this emergency, please check out https://ultimateplumbinginc.com/plumbing-repair-blog/dallas-plumber-ultimate-plumbing-repair-offering-emergency-plumbing-services-to-the-dallas-texas-area/.

Some useful Google Searches to Find Ultimate Plumbing And Repair Inc. In Dallas could include:

Dallas Plumber

Dallas Plumbing Company

Emergency Plumber In Dallas

Plumber Dallas

Plumbing Services Dallas

Ultimate Plumbing & Repair In Dallas

As Hughes noted, he often gets requests for plumbing services from customers in other states. Typically, he will contact local plumbers with whom he has a good working relationship to see if they can help.

When Winter Storm Uri hit the Lone Star State, leaving thousands of homes damaged by water, wind and frozen and bursting pipes, Hughes received numerous pleas for help from residents looking for a Dallas Plumber.

Hughes quickly realized that Dallas plumbing companies were booked for weeks and could not take on new requests for assistance. This inspired Hughes to ask for emergency licensure from the State of Texas and assemble 3-4 vans of plumbing crews. Once the license was approved, the vans hit the road and are expected to be in Dallas on Saturday, February 27 to assist those looking for a Dallas Plumber.

"Ultimate Plumbing & Repair is proud to answer Dallas's plumbing call for help, serving the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area with a little additional manpower to help get life back to normal for as many Texans as fast as possible!"

About Ultimate Plumbing & Repair:

At Ultimate Plumbing & Repair in Dallas, Texas, they take immense pride in the plumbing work that they provide. For more information, please visit https://ultimateplumbinginc.com/.

Ultimate Plumbing & Repair Inc.

4022 Parkside Center Blvd #212

Farmers Branch, TX 75244

469-551-5221

SOURCE Ultimate Plumbing & Repair
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
CALIFORNIA - The drive to recall Governor Newsom is picking up steam as the petition needs 1.5 million verified signatures in just the next few weeks.

Right now over 1.8 million people have signed, but the signatures still need to be verified.

Action News Now spoke to Keaton Denlay who is the Manager for Butte County Elections.

He said each county has to verify its own signatures.

"Our office here is checking all the signatures for Butte County voters. If a voter signs a petition in Butte County but maybe they live somewhere else, that signature will be sent to the county they are registered in and it will be verified there," explained Denlay. "By comparing them to the address and signature on file for the voters' voter registration."

The counties validate their signatures by March 17.

Counties then have until April 29 to certify the results of their verification of signatures.

"I understand why people are unhappy with him, especially people who have shut their businesses down or lost their jobs. I also don't think it will change anything he will just get re-elected so it is a waste of time and money," said Randy Harmon who is from Redding.

"It feels like you know there is nothing positive coming from anything the governor has done before, he is double backing everything he wants to push. Especially recently with the mask-wearing and all this stuff, but he can go to his big cocktail parties and there is no backlash, he just says sorry and brush it under the rug and move on," said Michael Eppstein who is also from Redding.

"I think we could spend money better elsewhere. I feel like for a special election it is a lot of money to spend," said Deborah Calo.

"It sounds like they gathered enough signatures state-wide to consider it. So I can agree with that, I am concerned I have not spent enough time researching, but a completely mail-in election sounds a little questionable to me, especially if it is Gavin Newsom himself deciding it is a mail-in election," said Whiteney Cox.

Denlay said if there are enough signatures, people interested in running for governor have a period in which they can announce their candidacy.

Sendy Perez from Glenn County explained they are not sure when the special election would be if there is one, but she said it looks like it would be in the fall.
Two counties are at war after a business started selling bottled 'Cornish air' for 75 that's actually from Devon.

Coast Capture Air sells bottles of fresh breezes from Hartland Point, among other locations across the UK, which the firm has claimed is on the Cornish coast.

Hartland Point is close to Bideford, Devon, and is around ten miles away from the border.

Coast Capture Air sells bottles of fresh breezes from locations across the UK

The blunder has sparked a war of words between the counties, with Devon locals saying that stealing their air is 'typically Cornish', while Cornwall natives say that the firm 'knows good air when they see it and that's why they are trying to market it as Cornish.'

The company states that their glass bottles hold 'fresh coastal air in its purest form, direct from the natural and unspoiled coast lines of Great Britain.'

'Our select Air capturing locations are typically rural, unpolluted by man or machinery and often remote and hard to reach', it adds.

It goes onto state that the air is 'bottled at source' on 'Hartland Point, Cornish Coast, Great Britain.'

Coast Capture Air is just one of the companies travelling around the UK to capture the sea air

500ml bottles of the air sell for 60, while 700ml are 75.

People living in Devon claim its air shouldn't be marketed as coming from across the Tamar.

Jo Taison from Plymouth, Devon, said: 'I can't believe that they're doing it, but also that people can't tell the difference? The air on the opposite side of the Tamar is riddled with disappointment and regret.

Where to get the best air around the world According to their website, Coast Capture Air travel up and down the country to find and bottle the very best sea breezes the UK has to offer. But, you can also purchase clean air from other countries across the world. Vitality Air sell bottled air from the Rocky Mountains in Canada

Swiss Air Deluxe boast pure mountain air from the Alps

Airbreath bottles air directly from island of Losinj, which it claims has provided a haven for health tourism for centuries

My Baggage is also offering clean bottled British air to offer Brits living overseas their own piece of home My Baggage sells bottled air collected across Britain to Britons living abroad Advertisement

'Trying to steal our air is typical of the Cornish. They have history of this. Stealing the pasty, which everyone knows was really invented in Devon, and trying to inflict their ridiculous way of serving a cream tea to the world.'

But Mark Sandwell, of Liskeard, Cornwall, said the firm has been wise to market the air as Cornish.

'They know good air when they see it and that's why they are trying to market it as Cornish,' he said.

'What a load of rubbish though. I'd only open that bottle and sniff the Devon air if I'd ran out of smelling salts and needed snapping out of a stupor.'

Others took to social media to ridicule the whole idea.

Linda Trevethan said: 'I've never heard so much rubbish.'

Adam Harris added: 'Just goes to prove that nothing is rarer than common sense.'

And Peter Care said: 'What a load of tripe if people are that stupid then they deserve to be classified as idiots.'

Coast Capture Air claims that the concept of breathing in freshly bottled UK coastal air has sparked interest from polluted areas across the world.

A spokesperson added: 'Some people continued to purchase our bottles as souvenirs. Others inhale the fresh coastal air at home on a daily basis.

'They told us that it helped counter the harmful effects of air pollution. Many customers live in in smog-filled cities across the world where the pollution levels are very high.'

The website boasts positive testimonials from those who have purchased the product, claiming it can help with mindfulness.

Erica S, from Palo Alto in California, wrote: 'I breathe my Coast Capture Air during my daily mindfulness meditation. I know it makes a real difference to my breathing and I love that is clean air from Great Britain.'

'I bought my Coast Capture air as a souvenir of my travels around Great Britain,' Alex H, from Germany wrote. 'Every time I look at it, it reminds me of happy times.'
Janhvi Kapoor: "People Are Not Obligated To Love You, You've To Give Them Reasons"

Actor Janhvi Kapoor says she has made peace with scrutiny that comes with her job as her aim is to win the love of her audience. Kapoor, who made her debut with 2018 film "Dhadak", became popular even before the release of the film for being the daugher of late Sridevi and producer Boney Kapoor but she also faced criticism for her privileged background.

The actor said she will keep working hard to "win everyone". "Scrutiny is part of the job, there's little that can be done about it. I have signed up for it. You're giving yourself to the people, asking for their love. But they're not obligated to love you, you've to give them reasons to. There's no self pity or shame in that. I need to keep working to win everyone over. Sure, it's seldom that people win over everyone but I have aspirations to reach that level. I am working hard and I hope I do get there," she told PTI in an interview.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Janhvi Kapoor (@janhvikapoor)

In the last three years, all her projects-- from "Dhadak", Zoya Akhtar's short in "Ghost Stories" and last year's "Gunjan Saxena" have seen Kapoor balancing between praise and skepticism. The 23-year-old actor is now up for another challenge, attempting comedy for the first time with Dinesh Vijan's "Roohi", scheduled to release in theatres on March 11.

"Roohi", co-starring Rajkummar Rao and Varun Sharma, is helmed by Hardik Mehta from a script penned by "Fukrey" director Mrigdeep Singh Lamba, who also serves as a co-producer on the movie. Kapoor features as a woman apparently possessed by a spirit in the horror-comedy. The actor said when producer Vijan narrated a couple of scenes to her from the film, she felt it would be foolish to say no to the project.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Janhvi Kapoor (@janhvikapoor)

"Roohi" required Kapoor to let go of vanity, which only evolved her as an artist, she said. "It's an extremely cool, interesting role. The duality of the character gave me the opportunity to showcase and explore a lot. Playing this role opened me up as an actor. I had to push myself physically and vocally. Some scenes required me to push myself emotionally. My character Afza is a witch, so obviously you can't be conscious of your vanity. The worst you look, the better it is for the character."

While Kapoor was aware that comedy is a genre where missing even a single beat spoils the scene, she let spontaneity guide her rather than over-preparing.

"The humour in the film is situational and fantastical. In the film, I had two comedic experts as company, in Rajkummar and Varun, who were aiding Hardik's take on comedy. What I realised while working was that you don't have to do anything extra to be comic."

"Roohi" was earlier supposed to open theatrically last year but was pushed due to the coronavirus pandemic. As an actor who was gearing up for two film releases "Gunjan" and "Roohi" and the completion of another in 2020, Kapoor said the lockdown left her feeling restless. But the long period of being switched off from work also helped her focus on her mental health.

The actor's initial response to the professional uncertainty owing to the lockdown was anxiety, but gradually she realised that it would be better for her mental health if she did not worry about things that were beyond her control.

"That period was confusing. I was restless, anxious. There were so many plans, like the release of 'Gunjan Saxena', 'Roohi', I would've finished 'Dostana 2'. The year taught me that you can't rely on anything and things not always go according to the plan. I realised these things are transitory, what really matters is your family, your head space because if you're in the right head space with nothing going on, you can be extremely happy. But with a wrong head space, you can feel the worst despite everything going for you."

"Roohi" is one of the first Bollywood projects to arrive in theatres after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting allowed cinema halls across the country to operate at full capacity from February 1.
The $1.9 trillion coronavirus package passed by the House of Representatives contains a wide range of proposals to help Americans still struggling with the economic fallout of the pandemic.

The legislation, which largely mirrors the relief proposal outlined in January by President Joe Biden, provides another round of direct payments, as well as additional assistance for the unemployed, hungry, uninsured and at risk of losing their homes. It also would provide a bigger tax break for parents.

Biden and congressional Democrats argue that another massive bill is necessary to assist both people in need and the nation at large.

Now the bill moves to the Senate, which may add, change or eliminate some provisions -- including the proposed $15 minimum wage, which the Senate parliamentarian has determined can't be included under the rules Democrats plan to use for the bill.

Here's how Americans could benefit:

If your family makes less than $200,000 a year

The House bill would provide direct payments worth up to $1,400 per person to families earning less than $200,000 a year and individuals earning less than $100,000 a year.

Because the payments phase out faster than previous rounds, not everyone who was eligible for a check earlier will receive one now -- but for those who are eligible, the new payments will top up the $600 checks approved in December, bringing recipients to a total of $2,000 apiece.

Individuals earning less than $75,000 would receive the full $1,400 and the amount would phase out for those earning more, up to $100,000.

Couples earning less than $150,000 a year would receive $2,800 -- and families with children would be eligible for an additional $1,400 per dependent.

The payments will be calculated based on either 2019 or 2020 income. Unlike the previous two rounds, adult dependents -- including college students -- would be eligible for the payments.

If you are unemployed

Out-of-work Americans would get a federal weekly boost of $400 through August 29. Those enrolled in two key pandemic unemployment programs could also continue receiving benefits until that date.

Freelancers, gig workers, independent contractors and certain people affected by the coronavirus could remain in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program for up to 74 weeks and those whose traditional state benefits run out could receive Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation for 48 weeks.

The jobless in these pandemic programs will start running out of benefits in mid-March, when provisions in December's $900 billion relief package begin to phase out along with the current $300 federal weekly enhancement.

If you are hungry

Food stamp recipients would see a 15% increase in benefits continue through September, instead of having it expire at the end of June.

And families whose children's schools are closed may be able to receive Pandemic-EBT benefits through the summer, if their state opts to continue it. The program provides funds to replace free- and reduced-price meals that kids would have been given in school.

If you're behind on your rent or mortgage

The legislation would send roughly $19.1 billion to state and local governments to help low-income households cover back rent, rent assistance and utility bills.

About $10 billion would be authorized to help struggling homeowners pay their mortgages, utilities and property taxes.

It would provide another $5 billion to help states and localities assist those at risk of experiencing homelessness.

If you have children

Along with receiving the stimulus payments described above, most families with minor children could claim a larger child tax credit for 2021. Low-income parents, in particular, would benefit.

Qualifying families could receive the child tax credit of $3,600 for each child under 6 and $3,000 for each one under age 18, up from the current credit of up to $2,000 per child under age 17.

The credit would also become fully refundable so more low-income parents could take advantage of it. Plus, households could receive payments monthly, rather than a lump sum once a year, which would make it easier for them to pay the bills.

Families paying for child care services could receive some additional aid. The bill would provide $39 billion to child care providers, some of which must be used to help families struggling to pay the cost.

If you're sick

If you're sick, quarantining or caring for an ill loved one or a child whose school is closed, the bill may provide your employer an incentive to offer paid sick and family leave.

Unlike Biden's original proposal, the House bill would not require employers to offer the benefit. But it does continue to provide tax credits to employers who voluntarily choose to offer the benefit through October 1.

Last year, Congress guaranteed many workers two weeks pay if they contracted Covid or were quarantining. It also provided an additional 10 weeks of paid family leave to those who were staying home with kids whose schools were closed. Those benefits expired in December.

If you need health insurance

More Americans could qualify for heftier federal premium subsidies for Affordable Care Act policies for two years.

Enrollees would pay no more than 8.5% of their income towards coverage, down from nearly 10% now. Also, those earning more than the current cap of 400% of the federal poverty level -- about $51,000 for an individual and $104,800 for a family of four in 2021 -- would become eligible for help.

Lower-income enrollees could have their premiums eliminated completely, and those collecting unemployment benefits could sign up for coverage with no premiums in 2021.

Those who want to remain on their employer health insurance plans through COBRA could also get federal help. These laid-off workers would pay only 15% of the premium through the end of September, though that could still prove costly.

If you own a small business

The bill would provide $15 billion to the Emergency Injury Disaster Loan program, which provides long-term, low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration. Severely impacted small businesses with fewer than 10 workers will be given priority for some of the money.

It also provides $25 billion for a new grant program specifically for bars and restaurants. Eligible businesses may receive up to $10 million and can use the money for a variety of expenses, including payroll, mortgage and rent, utilities and food and beverages.

The Paycheck Protection Program, which is currently taking applications for second-round loans, would get an additional $7 billion and the bill would make more non-profit organizations eligible.

Another $175 million would be used for outreach and promotion, creating a Community Navigator Program to help target eligible businesses.

Who is out of luck?

Workers being paid at or just above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour will not see a boost in pay.

The Senate parliamentarian on Thursday ruled that increasing the hourly threshold to $15 does not meet a strict set of guidelines needed to move forward in the reconciliation process, which would allow Senate Democrats to pass the relief bill with a simple majority and no Republican votes.

This story has been updated to reflect House passage of the bill.
The attractions of the town of Macroom as well as the beauty spots of mid Cork are to be put in the frame by a newly formed camera club in the heart of the Lee Valley.

Macroom Camera Club founder member Joan Murphy has issued a clarion call to gather new recruits for the group.

"Spending more time in the locality has made us all appreciate how lucky we are to be surrounded by the beauty of nature, creative individuals and powerful community strength," she said.

"Macroom Camera Club aims to celebrate all these attributes of the local area by creating a space where people can learn from each other, form friendships, contribute to club themed photography collections and lots more to suit the members' preferences." "If you would like to get involved in this club please feel free to contact us on macroomcameraclub@gmail.com or join our Facebook Group Macroom Camera Club for the latest updates."
Denton, TX (76205)

Today

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
International investors, mining industry experts and commentators turned their attention to Zambia this January, as the countrys government took a strategic stake in the copper industry in a $1.5 billion deal. For thirty years, Zambia has been celebrated as an investment proposition for those looking for quality assets in the extractive industry, but for those without local knowledge, accessing the market has been challenging.

Zuneid Yousuf is one man changing all that. The founder and CEO of Zumran Mining and Exploration, Yousuf presents himself as international capitals natural resources partner in Zambia and beyond. A seasoned global entrepreneur with a strong track record in natural resources, Yousuf is one of Africas leading businessmen. Based in the UAE with strong roots in Zambia, he has led Zumran to become the most exciting producer in Zambias famed copper belt.

Yousuf started his business career in the textiles industry, honing his entrepreneurial skills through the import and export of clothes from a base in the United Kingdom. After his family returned to Zambia in the mid-1990s, Yousuf spearheaded the development of the extractive industry in the country through his family business, eventually reaching the position Zumran holds today in the extractive sector. Zumran is constantly unveiling new projects in copper, gold, manganese and associated metals, with the potential to become the regions leading producer.

Yousufs business interests are varied, and have encompassed everything from fast moving consumer goods to farming and agricultural services. African Green Resources, Yousufs agri-tech venture, is meeting the twin challenges of food security and economic development with a bottom-up approach. His entrepreneurial spirit is evident in each venture, placing the highest value on upholding integrity and a core belief that African businesses can shine brightly in an international context.

Business has always been Yousufs first priority, but as a global leader he is also highly respected for his philanthropy and his thought leadership. In 2020, he was among the first to recognise that the next head of the WTO must be an African, in an article for the Africa Report. An expert on the geopolitics of international trade, in his message of congratulations to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, appointed WTO Director General in February 2021, Yousuf wrote of the need for the trade to deliver on the promise of growth and prosperity for Africa.

Yousufs vision is for African business, working hand in hand with international partners, to fuel global growth. He has spent the past 30 years building the relationships, knowledge and experience, both local and global, to deliver on that goal. Today, Yousuf and Zumran Mining and Exploration offer unrivalled opportunities for international partners to access Zambias rich natural resources.

It is in Zambias copper belt that Yousufs international network has been so important. Investors in the mining sector look to Zambia for its political stability, supportive business environment, and abundance of mineral deposits. Zambia has a vast endowment of metals, gemstones, industrial minerals and potential energy sources. Coal, hydrocarbons and even uranium are produced by the countrys extractive sector.

Zambia is the worlds seventh largest producer of copper, which accounts for 70% of the countrys export earnings. But international investors have struggled to find local partners with investable propositions in the sector. Until January, Glencore was the major international player in the copper belt. With the Zambian Government purchasing Glencores Zambian assets in a mutually beneficial deal, investors have been searching for companies to bridge the gap between local knowledge and an international approach.

Zumran, under the leadership of Zuneid Yousuf, provides exactly that combination of global outlook and local expertise. From his base in the UAE, Yousuf brings together business leaders, financiers and private capital, creating partnerships to address the worlds most pressing challenges. Despite his globetrotting lifestyle, he has never turned his back on his African roots. Zumrans success has been built on its understanding of the African model and its local relationships in Zambia and beyond.

Partnership is the second ingredient in Zumrans recipe for success. From Zumrans highly prized copper and cobalt licences to its ventures in gold, manganese, tin and titanium, the companys projects have been built on bringing together entrepreneurial partners with a shared vision of prosperity and potential. As the company looks to the next stage in its evolution, with acquisition targets focused on some of Zambias most iconic licences, Yousuf is assembling partners for a set of deals that commentators suggest could have a transformational impact on global natural resources sector.

Yousuf himself, however, remains humble, saying that success and prosperity is savoured best when it is shared  with partners, through philanthropic projects, and with the people of Zambia.
The announcement that Ulster Bank is pulling out of Ireland has been described as a hammer blow for staff and customers in Laois and Offaly.

The bank has had long term branches in both Tullamore and Portlaoise, employing many local people.

Their terms and conditions must be protected in any ultimate sale or merger, says Labour party member Eoin Barry from Laois.

He also says that a merger of parts of the Bank with Permanent TSB must be actively explored, while the impact of the loss of banking services by communities must be assessed.

Eoin Barry has backed the Labour Party call for the government to intervene to ensure that jobs are saved, and that the local branch network is protected through the creation of a third banking force.

This devastating news is a hammer blow for the 2,800 Ulster Bank staff, for their customers and for businesses across Ireland, but especially for Tullamore and Portlaoise where the bank is a central part of our community.

My immediate thoughts and concerns are with the banks dedicated staff whose future is uncertain. Any sale or potential merger must respect the right of staff to have their existing terms and conditions transferred with them and compulsory redundancies should be off the table.

The Minister for Finance has repeatedly said that any decision by NatWest on the future of Ulster Bank is for them to make. Now that decision has been made there is an onus on the Minister to take on the responsibility to chart a way forward in the interests of staff, customers and competition.

"What we need to avoid is the piecemeal dismantling of the bank and its operations by vulture funds and other Irish banks which will damage any effort to create a real third force. It is incumbent on the government and the Minister for Finance to drive such an outcome rather than acting as commentators.

The bank and its assets are now vulnerable and any fire sale of assets to vulture funds must be categorically ruled out. This challenge for the banking sector represents an opportunity if the Minister for Finance is willing to grasp it.

The State is the majority shareholder in Permanent TSB and has behaved like a sleeping partner and not a majority owner. With some imagination from government the long hoped for third banking force could be formed out of the ashes of this crisis for Irish banking.

The Labour Party and other stakeholders are prepared to be constructive and engage with government to secure as many jobs as possible and to help reframe the Irish banking

sector in a way that will provide choice for consumers and support our economic recovery.

I am urging the Minister to ensure the retail banking network isnt lost because it will have a huge impact on our community, Eoin Barry said.

PTSB is understood to be in talks to acquire much of Ulster Banks mortgage book and small business loans. A potential deal may also involve the bank amalgamating their combined branch networks.
Max Beever (pictured above) has been charged with the murder of his wife Robyn Beever

Three children of the man accused of killing their mother with an axe and belt have offered 'unwavering support' to their father.

Max Beever, 82, was charged by police on the Gold Coast following the alleged murder-suicide attempt on Thursday.

He is currently under assessment in hospital, but once he finishes his medical treatment Mr Beever is expected to be transferred to a remand prison.

Speaking via a statement on behalf of the family lawyer, the children revealed their parents were 'devoted to each other' having met more than 60 years ago in their early 20s.

Robyn Beever, also 82, was found dead on Thursday in the garage of the couple's Varsity Lakes residence.

Emergency services were alerted to the scene about 1.30pm after the couple's daughter went to the family home to check on the welfare of her parents.

'Robyn and Max met when they were just 20 years old, and they have been together as a loving couple ever since,' the family said through Mr Beever's lawyer Jonathan Nyst, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin.

'They were devoted to each other and, in their later years, the primary concern of each of them very obviously was the welfare of the other.'

Police were quickly on the scene (pictured above) after the body of Robyn Beever was discovered by her daughter on Thursday

It is understood Mr Beever suffers from Parkinson's disease and Mrs Beever was recently diagnosed with dementia.

The couple met in their 20s and were 'devoted to each other' with their primary concern the welfare of the other

The family are said to be devastated by the tragedy, especially the brutal circumstances linked to the loss of their mother.

'Their greatest concern now is for their aged father, who is not in good health, and has not been for a number of years,' the statement from Mr Nyst read.

'He has their unwavering love and support, and they are fully committed to his welfare.'

Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn confirmed an axe and belt were found at the scene and were the subject of an ongoing examination.

It remains unclear exactly when Ms Beever died, with a post mortem to fill in the forensic holes.

Beever has so far not co-operated with police, refusing to be interviewed.

His case was mentioned briefly in Southport Magistrates Court on Friday and adjourned until March 5.
The Communist Party of China (CPC), the ruling party of the world's most populous nation and the second largest economy, is turning 100 this year. What has been motivating the CPC to fight against one challenge after another over the past century?

"The original aspiration and the mission of Chinese Communists is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation," General Secretary Xi Jinping of the CPC Central Committee said in his report to the 19th CPC National Congress in October 2017.

"This founding aspiration, this mission, is what inspires the Chinese Communists to advance," Xi said.

Self-discipline, selflessness

In March 2018, Xi, also the Chinese president, further explained the cause pursued by the CPC with a quote from an ancient poem: "A virtuous person is as sharp-sighted as a clear mirror hanging high, a selfless person is just like a lit candle giving all of its light to others."

A virtuous person is as sharp-sighted as a clear mirror hanging high, a selfless person is just like a lit candle giving all of its light to others. - "To Your Excellency Daxi" by Meng Jiao of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) He made the quotation at a symposium to commemorate the 120th birthday of late Premier Zhou Enlai (1898-1976), who joined the CPC in 1921, the year when the Party was founded.

"The lofty character of comrade Zhou Enlai, who selflessly pursued a just cause for the common good throughout his life, vividly reflects the traditional virtue of the Chinese nation and good moral qualities of the Chinese Communists, and will forever earn the respect of future generations," said Xi.

The comments "not only aimed to remember the noble character of Zhou who was self-disciplined, upright, honest and selfless, but also to encourage today's Communists to stay true to their original aspirations of the Party and shoulder their responsibilities," said Meng Man, a history professor at Minzu University of China.

New challenges, same aspiration

The number of the CPC members has exceeded 90 million, and China has become a much stronger nation than 100 years ago and the early decades of the People's Republic of China, but the aspiration of the Chinese Communists remains unchanged.

Chinese President Xi Jinping talks to villagers who are participating in festive activities and extends his New Year's greetings to people of all ethnic groups across the country during an inspection tour in Bijie, southwest China's Guizhou Province, February 3, 2021. /Xinhua

"To meet the people's desire for a happy life is our mission," Xi said when meeting the press after being elected as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in November 2012.

Three years later, the communique of the fifth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee underscored a people-centered development philosophy, stressing that China's development must be for the people and by the people, and its fruits shared among the people.

The notion was highlighted again in the CPC Central Committee's proposals for formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, which called for efforts to promote common prosperity for everyone.

China, in recent years, has been striving to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects and pursuing more balanced development. The CPC members have played leading roles in a nationwide poverty alleviation campaign to make sure nobody is left behind.

Over the past eight years, more than three million public sector officials were sent from cities and towns to villages to fight against poverty on the front lines and over 1,800 people died during the fight, Xi said on Thursday after announcing the country's "complete victory" in eradicating absolute poverty.

Renowned Chinese respiratory specialist Zhong Nanshan (C) attends an oath-taking ceremony via video link for two new probationary Party members in Wuhan to take the oath of joining the CPC, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, March 2, 2020. /Xinhua

Putting people's life and health first, China has taken strict measures to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and effectively contained the virus, thanks to people from all walks of life for their efforts and sacrifices, particularly the CPC members.

More than 39 million CPC members fought the virus at the front line, and more than 13 million volunteered their services. Nearly 400 CPC members have defended others' lives and safety at the cost of their own.

When many parts of the country grappled with severe floods last summer, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee issued a circular to call on primary-level CPC organizations and members to fully play their role in flood control and relief work, urging them to ensure the safety of people's lives and property.

As China embarks on a new journey to fully build a modern socialist country, today's Chinese Communists  putting the people's and the nation's interests above those of themselves  are gearing up to take on their responsibilities as the older generations did.
"We are proud to be able to help our friends and neighbors, as well as many others around the country, that have been put in tough place after these devastating storms," said Justin Robinson, director of marketing at Sadler's Smokehouse. "To have the kind of ice and winter mix in our area and around Texas is so unusual, and it added to the already challenging times people struggling with hunger are facing. By partnering with hunger-relief organizations across the U.S. , we are able to get these protein-rich products to people who need it here and in other parts of the country."

The donation is in addition to the many philanthropic cash and product donations the company makes every year.

Sadler's Smokehouse is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corporation, a global branded food company (NYSE: HRL), and a leading name in premium, pit-smoked meats for the foodservice industry and in select retail outlets across the country. As a leading corporate citizen, over the last five years, Hormel Foods has donated more than $50 million in cash and product donations to help others.



*Using the Feeding America estimation that 1.2 pounds of food donated equals one meal.

ABOUT SADLER'S SMOKEHOUSE

Founded in 1948 by the Sadler family, Sadler's Smokehouse creates premium, pit-smoked meats in the foodservice industry. The company's mission is to continue to offer the finest quality products while maintaining its tradition and heritage to bring authentic-tasting barbecue to the shelves of stores across the country. The company was purchased by Hormel Foods Corporation in 2020.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS  Inspired People. Inspired Food.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly, Hormel Black Label, Columbus and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by Forbes magazine for three straight years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for the 12th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement  Inspired People. Inspired Food.  to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

SOURCE Sadlers Smokehouse
The Government is backing a new project to use drone technology to transform our understanding and protection of the Maui dolphin, New Zealands most endangered dolphin.

The project is just one part of the Governments plan to save the Maui dolphin. We are committed to protecting this treasure, says Oceans and Fisheries Minister David Parker.

The drone project is working with MAUI63, a non-profit organisation developing an unmanned aerial vehicle  UAV - capable of finding and tracking Maui dolphins using artificial intelligence.

David Parker says the drone could provide unparalleled access to information about Maui dolphins, at a fraction of the cost of other data collection methods.

This technology has the potential to compile detailed data on the habitats, population size and distribution and behaviour of the dolphins, along with many other types of marine species such as other dolphins, seabirds, and whales.

By advancing our understanding of how Maui dolphins behave during the day and throughout the year this project will help us ensure the measures our Government has already put in place to protect our Maui dolphins are robust and appropriate.

Maui dolphins live in a small stretch of ocean off the west coast of the North Island. The Maui Drone Project will develop a model and methodology for drone-based aerial surveys of Maui dolphins, looking at aspects such as population abundance and spatial distribution. It will also develop drone capability to predict dolphin movements, and track dolphins  enabling more accurate habitat models; and explore how the technology and science developed in this project can be used by Moana and Sanford to help ensure their fishing operations are not overlapping with Maui dolphin habitat.

The Maui Drone Project is a one-year collaboration between the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), which is contributing $545,762 through its Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures - SFF Futures - fund, non-profit wildlife technology organisation MAUI63 and WWF-New Zealand. Fishing companies Moana New Zealand and Sanford Limited are also supporting the project.

Current estimates suggest that only 63 Maui dolphins aged over one year remain, so its critical that we work together to help save them from extinction, says Parker.

The new Government measures under the Threat Management Plan significantly reduces risks to Maui dolphins. This new project will test and develop tools to provide new information and intelligence about Maui dolphins such as the condition of their habitat, their movements and reproduction, and feeding habits  all of which can be used to build on and improve protection.

Initial testing of the drone shows the AI technology can distinguish Maui and Hectors dolphins, which look identical, from other species with over 90 per cent accuracy. Flying high overhead with a 50x optical zoom camera, the UAV can find, follow, and film for up to six hours. This technology ensures dolphins remain undisturbed because the UAV flies at a high altitude of 120 metres or higher.

Fisheries New Zealand has committed 800 hours of technical expertise to help the project to analyse data, and develop models to track and predict the dolphins movements.

Data from the project will be publicly available. Fishing companies Moana New Zealand and Sanford are exploring how to use the information from the drone technology to reduce the risk to Maui and Hectors dolphins.
What are Irelands Covid-19 experts, who have become household names over the past year, missing most during the pandemic?

What difference do they think vaccines will make?

Do they believe we can ever return to normal?

Its too early to loosen the shackles of lockdown but for the first time, people can dream of some liberty, even if the light is still in the distance.

It turns out that its the simple things that our experts miss. Professor Jack Lambert, of UCD, who works in infectious diseases said: The way I alleviate the stress of my job is I disappear twice a year to a warm sunny place and read a novel and sit by the pool. I miss that opportunity.

Read More

He added: Its hard for me to watch children lose an education and miss out on all the opportunities that face-to-face education provides.

Professor Kingston Mills of the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, in Trinity College, said he has not seen his daughter who is in Boston since the Christmas before last due to the pandemic.

Professor Anthony Staines of Dublin City University, a leading advocate of zero-Covid, said he misses going out for a nice meal with his wife Una, or to the cinema or live theatre.

I miss not being able to plan a holiday, even in Ireland and I miss not seeing my mother and my brothers.

Professor Sam McConkey, infectious diseases consultant in Beaumont Hospital, misses seeing his family and socialising but he also longs for trips out in the sea on dinghies and small keel boats.

I am sustained by the memory of a lovely run down the length of Lough Derg to Holy Island, he said.

Belfast-born Professor Martin McKee, a professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, would like to be able to visit museums or restaurants.

He used to attend conferences abroad very frequently but now I spend 12-14 hours a day in front of a screen, every day.

Mr McKee said Covid-19 vaccines are a really important part of a comprehensive strategy to end the pandemic.

But it is only one part. While everyone who has received it can now be reassured that they are very unlikely to become severely ill or die, and while we have encouraging signs from Israel that it will reduce transmission, we will really only see the benefits for society once almost everyone has been vaccinated, he said.

There is an enormous difference in risks indoors and outdoors and I would not be happy to be indoors with a large number of other people until I was confident that the vast majority had been vaccinated and the pandemic was under control.

Mr Mills said if you stop infection with the vaccine, you stop transmission.

There are reports of vaccines preventing infection which is great.

Mr Lambert said we are going to have fewer new infections as a function of the vaccine.

Vaccines are a way of achieving herd immunity and the sooner they are rolled out, there will be less spread of the virus and less mutations.

Mr Mills said how soon we can travel abroad again depends on the availability of vaccines and whether there are problems with new variants of the virus.

Mr McKee said: We need to drive cases down to very low levels and keep them there. Then, it is entirely possible for people to travel between those countries that have achieved this.

This already happens with New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Mr Lambert pointed out travel is not the major source of transmission in Ireland at the present time.

As we get the numbers down, there needs to be a plan with proper testing and Covid prevention both for those within Ireland and for those travelling into the country.

We need to get Irish people behind a detailed and transparent plan to live with Covid-19 safely and engage them to the part of the solution while vaccines are rolled out.

Getting back to some form of normal?

Mr Mills said that the big variable is the mutated strains of the virus, which may be more infectious and potentially impact the efficacy of vaccines.

If we did not have the variants I would be much more optimistic about it later this year. That is the big unknown.

Mr McKee said: I think it would be a mistake if we felt that we could or should go back to the situation we were in before the pandemic.

Mr McConkey cautioned in the future it will be a new normal and there is no going back to 2019 for the foreseeable future.

He said how much social distancing rules can be dropped depends on the more infectious UK variant now predominant here.

Mr Lambert said the virus is all over the world. The EU and USA will be in a much better place due to vaccines but they must be available to the Third World.

That is my worry. There may be big pockets of coronavirus in poorer countries and it may take years to get them under control.

This virus in poorer countries can be imported into the EU. Also vaccines are the answer, but in the meantime we are the answer.

.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

After weeks or months of waiting, checking for emails or texts, fearing youve been forgotten, there it is: an invitation from the state Department of Health for a potentially lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine available at a location near you.

Thousands of New Mexicans a day are landing vaccines by registering with the states centralized registration system, which advises that sign-ups for appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis.

But, for more than a few people who received notices from the DOH about vaccine availability this week, relief quickly dissolved into disappointment.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Sometimes within minutes of a DOH notification arriving, they discovered that all available slots were taken. Vaccine events were already full.

Apparently, said the woman in her 60s who contacted the Journal, the vaccine is a race in the state of New Mexico, as well as being a lottery.

Think (of) trying to get a good seat on a Southwest flight was the reaction from another disappointed woman, who is among the 650,000 who have registered so far for a vaccine through the states website at vaccinenm.org.

State health officials say that instead of having to hunt down a vaccine at a medical provider, the DOH system does the matching of those eligible with a place and time to be vaccinated, depending on availability.

The randomized system is aimed at providing a more convenient and fair way to dole out the limited, but coveted, doses of Moderna and Pfizer shots.

Those who miss out on their initial invitations are informed they will get another notice when another vaccine appointment is available. But that doesnt mean there isnt frustration.

One woman told the Journal she woke up at 4 a.m. Wednesday to find out the DOH had sent an email notice at 7 p.m. the night before, telling her of the availability of an appointment.

Such notices advise the person to go to the DOH registration website, enter a confirmation code and type in a special event code to proceed.

By then, she had missed her chance. As of Friday, she hadnt received a new invitation, despite phoning the DOH COVID-19 helpline.

On Thursday, state Department of Health Cabinet secretary Tracie Collins seemed to recognize that, at least for seniors, the appointment-making process is a challenge.

We want to give  and we are giving  seniors extra time to respond to appointment invitations, Collins said at a COVID-19 press briefing.

DOH officials didnt have an immediate response when asked how long the department keeps appointment slots open after sending a notice. And there were no further details on Friday as to how much more time would be allowed under the change Collins announced.

In the massive statewide vaccination effort that involves more than 280 providers, some 359,716 primary doses had been administered as of Friday, according to the DOH vaccine dashboard.

The state expects to order 77,720 doses for next week, a 7% increase over this week, state health officials said.

Collins also announced this week that, for those who need additional accommodation, transportation, wheelchair, we will work with you to ensure that that happens. She said those who need help with registration can call the DOH helpline at 1-855-600-3453.

First dose appointments are opened up weekly to those eligible, said David Morgan of the DOH in an email.

Currently, the state is allowing vaccinations of those in Phase 1A, which includes medical workers and first responders, along with those 75 and older, and 16 and older with chronic health conditions in Phase 1B.

Appointments are set about 7 to 10 days in advance to allow people time to accommodate their schedule, Morgan said.

Because of limited vaccine supply, appointments are limited at each location to within our capacity to vaccinate, he told the Journal.

That said, in our effort to vaccinate seniors, we are considering potential barriers, which may include not having enough time to respond to appointment invitations, he said. He said the DOH is working with its system to give seniors extra time to respond.

The DOH doesnt overbook appointments to ensure that no vaccine goes to waste, he said.

If a registrant misses their appointment, we have the ability to go back to the registration site to contact people to come get vaccinated. There is no shortage of people willing and available to do so.
Vinh Tan 3 Thermal Power Plant is located in Vinh Tan Power Center on the coast of Binh Thuan

The move marks the first time Mitsubishi pulls out of a thermal power project. The Japanese company plans to invest in energy projects that have a low-environmental impact, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) and renewable energy such as solar power.

Vung An 3 thermal plant, a separate project from Vung An 2, is a joint project between the governments of Vietnam and Japan.

Some of the large bank investors of this project are Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), Standard Chartered. HSBC have already pulled out.

Vinh Tan 3 thermal power plant is scheduled to come into operation in 2024. It is the largest project in Vietnam with over $2 billion of investment capital.

Its investors involve Vietnam Electricity (29 per cent), Pacific Group and OneEnergy Asia Ltd. (49 per cent), a partnership of Hong Kongs CLP Holdings and Japans Mitsubishi Group.

Phan Xuan Duong, deputy general director of Vinh Tan 3 Energy JSC said that under the pressure of environmental organisations worldwide, almost all investors and equipment manufacturers are under pressure to not invest in coal-fired power projects.

He said that the company is working with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and the government to find other investors. The new build-operate-transfer (BOT) contracts were signed at the end of December 2020 and await the government's approval.

As for the draft Power Development Plan VIII of the MoIT, Vinh Tan 3 is involved in the group of 116 power generation projects which are behind schedule. The project is held off due to the long time of investment preparation and BOT contracts.

Currently, thermal power plants that have been built and put into operation in Vinh Tan Power Center are Vinh Tan 1, Vinh Tan 2, Vinh Tan 4, and the expanded Vinh Tan 4 thermal power plant.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us

We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.
The phonecalls and emails are beginning to flow in to Carlingford's tourism providers as the Irish public prepare for another summer of holidaying at home.

While Finance Minister Pascal O'Donoghue said last week that it was too early to say whether summer staycations would be possible, An Tanaiste Leo Varadkar had said previously that holidays at home 'would be possible this summer.'

Although the roadmap for coming out of lockdown has yet to be finalised, the Irish public are busy getting out their own maps and making plans for some domestic travelling once the restrictions are lifted.

Carlingford is ideally placed to benefit from the pent up demand for a change of scenery, with an experienced cohort of tourism providers keen to make up for lost business.

Failte Ireland is set to undertake a major promotion of the area as part of Ireland's Ancient East with Carlingford as its gateway in the north east, says Tom McArdle junior of Carlingford Adventure Centre.

The village is also set to turn its focus on the domestic market, with a major emphasis on providing facilities for families. This move from being 'the stag and hen capital of Ireland' will be welcomed by locals and will hopefully lead to a more sustainable form of tourism which will benefit the whole community.

With foreign travel looking very likely for the coming year and maybe longer, tourism providers in Carlingford are investing in their businesses to make them more attractive for families, whether they are enjoying a staycation in the village or visiting it as day trippers.

Its easy access off the motorway looks like being a major asset as many people may still be reluctant to spent a night away from home, making it ideal for day trips.

In fact, the only thing which may hinder Carlingford on fully capitalizing on the domestic market is a lack of self-catering accommodation.

John Byrne's Carlingford Accommodation ceased operating when the first lockdown was imposed last March and since then many properties which were previously rented through Air B'n B have gone onto the residential market or have been sold after Louth County Council began enforcing planning regulations regarding short term lets.
HARRISBURG  During a federal confirmation hearing Thursday, former Health Secretary Rachel Levine was questioned about the ongoing data discrepancies in Pennsylvanias public reports on nursing home coronavirus deaths and cases.

Levine, who was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as assistant health secretary, oversaw the Pennsylvania Department of Health through the first year of the pandemic, which has killed thousands of people in long-term care facilities.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Levine had assured her that Pennsylvania had accurately reported deaths in these homes, unlike New York, where the attorney general found that the Cuomo administration had undercounted fatalities by the thousands.

But Collins questioned that claim, citing Spotlight PA reporting from September 2020 that found weekly reports released by the state health department were consistently missing death and case data for more than 100 of the states 693 nursing homes.

In her response, Levine pointed to lags in the states electronic death reporting system, or EDRS, and said slow uploads to that system explained why data outlining cases and deaths in nursing homes appeared incomplete.

That is not what reporting by Spotlight PA has revealed.

The state first started releasing weekly reports with cumulative data on resident deaths, resident cases, and staff cases for each nursing facility in May. That disclosure came after weeks of pressure from advocacy groups representing nursing home residents and families.

Officials initially resisted releasing facility-by-facility data, citing a decades-old law that prohibits the release of disease records by state or local authorities.

The first facility-level reports released by the state in May were filled with errors that took several days to correct. Those early reports were supplemented with data from PA-NEDSS, the states disease reporting system, which collects data from health-care systems and labs.

More recent versions of the reports contain data that is self-reported by nursing homes directly to the state health department using other software portals  not the electronic death reporting system as stated by Levine during the confirmation hearing.

By September, more than six months since the first COVID-19 case in Pennsylvania, problems with the data had not been corrected. With many facilities still closed to visitors, advocates for nursing home residents and families said that there were few ways for families to know what was going on inside facilities and to monitor outbreaks.

Data related to a deadly outbreak at one Lehigh County facility was not included in the reports until August  after 80 residents had died, one of the highest death tolls in a nursing home in the state.

In a June 18 letter, the health department said nursing home administrators could face daily fines or prison time if they did not comply with reporting requirements. But in September, the health department did not respond to questions about whether any state penalties had been issued.

Facilities contacted by Spotlight PA in the fall said that they were in fact meeting reporting requirements but could not explain why their data was not included in the states weekly reports. Others were frustrated that they reported their data correctly, but it still showed up with errors in the public-facing reports.

These problems do not appear to have been corrected in the most recent reports, which are posted to the state department of health website.

A Feb. 17 report lists 139 facilities that are reporting no data. Data is missing for 145 facilities in the Feb. 23 report.

If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.
Huawei has been suffering a lot from the US government's various bans, and as a consequence we've seen the company diversify its product portfolio quite a bit, with a lot more focus placed on wearables and audio accessories in recent months, for example.

Now a new report claims Huawei is actually planning on making electric cars under its own brand, and some models may even launch before the end of this year. Apparently, the company has already started internally designing the EVs and approaching suppliers.

Richard Yu, head of Huawei's consumer business group, who was in charge of the company's amazing rise in the smartphone world, is said to shift his focus to EVs, which will target the mass-market segment, which implies they will be reasonably priced.

Huawei is reportedly in talks with Changan Automobile, a state-owned entity in China, as well as BAIC Group's BluePark New Energy Technology and other automakers, to use their car plants to make its EVs.

That said, a Huawei spokesman denied plans to design EVs or produce Huawei branded vehicles, saying that "Huawei is not a car manufacturer. However through ICT (information and communications technology), we aim to be a digital car-oriented and new-added components provider, enabling car OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to build better vehicles".

Source
Posted Saturday, February 27, 2021 9:01 am

Two of three men charged in connection with an August armed burglary in Grand Mound have been sentenced by a Thurston County Superior Court judge.

The burglary occurred Aug. 19 at a home in the 6300 block of 198th Trail Southwest, prompting a mother and son to flee through a window. Two of the men involved in the burglary pleaded guilty to their charges on Feb. 3 and Feb. 10 respectively, about five and half months after the incident, court documents show.

Judge Erik Price sentenced Matthew Brock Frasier, 31, on Feb. 8 to 116 months in prison and fined $500 for two counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and one count of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.

On Feb. 10, Price also sentenced Eldon John Mackintosh, 38, to 84 months in prison and fined him $500 for two counts of second-degree assault and 60 months for one count of second-degree unlawful possession of firearm.

The third person charged in connection to the burglary has maintained a not guilty plea. James Dement, 36, is still being held in Thurston County jail in lieu of $250,000 bail. He is charged with first-degree burglary and two counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon.

Judge John Skinder previously set bail at $500,000 for Mackintosh and Judge Carol Murphy set bail at the same amount for Frasier six days later, court documents show.

A probable cause statement described law enforcement's investigation into the burglary as follows:

Thurston County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to reports of an active burglary at home on Aug. 19. Upon their arrival, a neighbor told deputies he saw the woman and her son running from their home and screaming for help, the statement reads.

The neighbor told deputies he chased after two men he witnessed running east, away from the residence, according to the statement. As he got closer, one of the men reportedly spun around and pointed a pistol at the neighbor but fell backwards on a curb. The armed man got up and continued on his way, the statement reads.

The woman who fled the home told deputies she witnessed two men with black masks outside the home. One of the men reportedly pointed a firearm at her and told her to get down.

The woman alerted her son to the two men as they entered the home, according to the statement. In response, the woman and her son ran into a nearby room and escaped through a window. They reported hearing a single shot as they fled the home.

Another neighbor who was returning home from work reportedly witnessed the first neighbor chase after the two men and decided to follow them in his vehicle, the statement reads.

This neighbor told deputies he saw the men flee toward the Talking Cedars Brewery and witnessed a gold Infiniti sedan pass him in the brewery parking lot, the statement reads. Within the sedan, he reportedly saw one passenger remove a black mask from his face.

Deputies then shared the sedan's description to all law enforcement, which allowed a Washington State Patrol trooper to identify the vehicle. The trooper stopped the vehicle and found Dement in the driving seat with Mackintosh and Frasier as passengers, according to the statement.

Witnessed later identified Frasier and Mackintosh and deputies arrested all three men.

___

(c)2021 The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.)

Visit The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) at www.theolympian.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, has reacted to the incessant abduction of students in various boarding schools across Nigeria.

Mr Soyinka said the repeated attack on schools by terrorists is fast making the country close to the stage of accepting the unacceptable culture.

The Professor of Comparative Literature made this comment during an award lecture and public presentation of his latest book, Chronicles of the Happiest People on Earth, in Abeokuta, Ogun state on Saturday.

The event was organised by the Ogun state chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), in collaboration with the Abeokuta Club.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the timeline of Nigerias alarming trend of mass abduction of school children

The activities are carried out by different bands of outlaws in the North-west, North-central and North-east.

No end in sight

Reacting to the menace, Mr Soyinka said states may need to shut down some of their activities in solidarity with affected states where kidnapping of children are rampant.

The abductions of our children, when will it end; how will it end? I dont think any one of us can tell. But it is important that we continue to stress and to remind ourselves that, not only are these abnormal times, but it seems to be, to me anyway, times of the shirking of responsibility in very key areas, Mr Soyinka was quoted by TheCable.

He repeated his position that those at the helm of affairs of the nation have failed the populace.

The important thing is that we are very close to accepting a culture of the unacceptable, Mr Soyinka said.

I think we are reaching the point where, in any state where any child is kidnapped, that state should shut down completely. And other states, in solidarity, should at least shut down some of their activities.

We shouldnt wait for an enemy, faceless, airborne, unpredictable enemy like COVID, to make us shut down. In protest and as a statement of the unacceptable, we are shutting ourselves down until this situation is resolved.

The laureate said it appears we dont know what else one can propose at this particular time. Yes, life must go on, but even those activities will generate and enhance our very existence.

Speaking on the over 300 schoolgirls recently kidnapped from a school in Jangebe, Zamfara State, he said: well get those children back; I know that. It is a price we pay and the consequence, the permanence of those scars on our collective psyche  that is what worries me.

A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
GOVERNMENT received a total of $7.37 billion from oil, gas and quarrying/mining companies in fiscal 2018, with the largest payment of $2 billion coming from majority State-owned National Gas Company (NGC).

However, for the period 2019 to 2020, unaudited figures indicate a declining trend in revenue.
The Canadian Press

As COVID-19 vaccine supplies ramp up across the country, most provinces and territories have begun planning to give second doses in the coming weeks. More than 23 million people across Canada have now had at least one dose of a vaccine. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says by the summer, Canada will have enough vaccines so that every eligible resident will have gotten their first dose, and by September, it will have enough doses for everyone to be fully vaccinated. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended that Canada turn toward the ultimate goal of fully immunizing the population, now that supplies of COVID-19 shots are increasing. The advisory panel said those at highest risk of dying or becoming severely ill should be prioritized for second shots, either after or alongside first doses for anyone else who is eligible for a vaccine. Since the novel coronavirus is still circulating in Canada, NACI is still recommending that the second dose be received up to four months after the first dose, in order to maximize the number of people who get at least one shot. Here's a list of the inoculation plans throughout Canada: Newfoundland and Labrador All people in the province aged 12 and older can now book an appointment for a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. So far 2.19 per cent (11,446) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Nova Scotia Appointments for an initial COVID-19 vaccine shot are now open to people 12 years of age and older. Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for use in children aged 12 and up. The Moderna vaccine is only available for those 18 and older. Under the province's accelerated vaccine plan, someone who received their first dose of vaccine on March 22 and is due for a second dose on July 5 will now be able to reschedule their second appointment for as early as the week of June 20. The province has stopped the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine as a first dose. The Health Department says the decision was based on "an abundance of caution'' due to an observed increase in the rare blood-clotting condition linked to this vaccine. The department also says it will reschedule anyone who was to receive AstraZeneca to instead be inoculated with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna "in a timely manner." --- Prince Edward Island In Prince Edward Island, residents as young as 16 can book a COVID-19 vaccine. People 16 years and older who have certain underlying medical conditions, pregnant woman and eligible members of their household can also get a vaccine. So far 8.11 per cent (12,868) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- New Brunswick Residents in New Brunswick aged 12 to 17 are now eligible to book an appointment for a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Officials also say residents 55 and older who received an Astra-Zenaca vaccine for the first dose at least eight weeks ago can now get a second dose of the vaccine with informed consent. So far 5.08 per cent (39,633) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Quebec In Quebec, all residents 12 and older can book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. The province's health minister says Quebecers 12 to 17 years old will be fully vaccinated by the time they return to school in September. Quebec also says it will shorten the delay between first and second doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to eight weeks from 16 weeks. The province says more than 5.8 million doses of vaccine have now been administered, with more than 58.1 per cent of the population having received at least one dose. --- Ontario All adults in Ontario can now book COVID-19 vaccine appointments. People turning 18 in 2021 can book Pfizer-BioNTech shots. Youth aged 12 and older can also book appointments across Ontario. They can book through the provincial online portal, call centre and through pharmacies offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the only shot authorized by Health Canada for use in youth aged 12 and older. Ontarians, meanwhile, are getting the option to shorten the interval between COVID-19 vaccine doses. Most people are being scheduled for doses four months apart, but officials say the new interval could be as short as 28 days. The plan will start with seniors aged 80 and older this week and the province will later offer second shots based on when people received their first. People will keep their original appointments if they dont re-book. The province aims to see all eligible Ontarians fully vaccinated by the end of September. Ontario is also resuming use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine but only as a second dose. Those who received the first dose of AstraZeneca between March 10 and March 19 during a pilot project at pharmacies and some doctor's offices in several Ontario communities will be first in line to receive their second dose. Ontario says more than 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered across the province. So far 4.68 per cent (687,894) of the population has been fully vaccinated --- Manitoba Manitoba is using the Pfizer vaccine for everyone aged 12 and up, and the Moderna vaccines for people aged 18 and up. These are available through a few channels including so-called supersites in larger communities. The province is also allowing anyone 40 and over to get an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine through pharmacies and medical clinics, subject to availability. People 30-39 can get a shot if they have certain underlying health conditions such as chronic liver failure or severe obesity. The province has opened up second-dose appointments to all Indigenous people aged 12 and up, to people with certain medical conditions such as severe heart failure and Down syndrome, and anyone who received their first dose on or before March 29. Provincial health officials say they now expect 70 per cent of Manitobans aged 12 and older to get a dose by the end of June. So far 7.75 per cent (106,678) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Saskatchewan Saskatchewan says it reached the step two threshold of its reopening roadmap released last week, with over 70 per cent of residents age 30 and older having received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That means restrictions will begin to be relaxed June 20, which includes easing capacity limits on retail, personal care services, restaurants and bars, although they must still maintain physical distancing among occupants or have barriers in place. The rules also raise caps on private indoor gatherings to 15, while capacity limits jump to 150 for both public indoor gatherings and all outdoor assemblies, whether public or private. Premier Scott Moe says once 70 per cent of the entire adult population is vaccinated, Saskatchewan can move to the third step of its plan and remove almost all of the remaining public health orders. Saskatchewan residents aged 12 and older are now eligible to book their first COVID-19 vaccine appointment. A school immunization program for those aged 12 to 18 will be introduced in June, but eligible residents of that age can also be immunized at clinics offering the Pfizer vaccine. Anyone 85 and older or anyone who received their first vaccine dose before February 15 can now book their second dose. Anyone diagnosed with cancer and solid organ transplant recipients will be receiving a letter of eligibility in the mail which will allow them priority access to a second dose. There are drive-thru and walk-in vaccination clinics in communities across the province. The province says 6.60 per cent (77,767) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- Alberta Every Albertan aged 12 and older is now eligible for a vaccine. As of May 27, 60.3 per cent of Albertans over the age of 12 had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The milestone means the province's second stage of easing restrictions can begin on June 10. It is subject to hospitalizations being below 500 and trending downwards. Some of the restrictions that would be lifted include allowing outdoor gatherings  including weddings and funerals  with up to 20 people. Restaurants would be allowed to seat tables with up to six people, indoors or outdoors. Retail capacity would also increase, and gyms could open for solo or drop-in activities with three metres of distancing. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, has said people who are immunocompromised can book a second dose three or four weeks after their first shot. All other Albertans are eligible to get their second dose three to four months after the first. For the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the province lowered the minimum age to 30. They are, however, reserving the remaining supply for second doses when people are eligible. More than 250 pharmacies are offering immunizations. So far 8.82 per cent (388,200) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- British Columbia British Columbia is setting an end-of-summer target for everyone in the province to receive their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has also announced a decrease in the time between the first and second dose of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, cutting the interval to eight weeks from 16 weeks. But the interval for people who received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as a first dose and are waiting for their second AstraZeneca shot may take longer. Henry said the province is waiting for results from international data on AstraZeneca, including the effectiveness of mixing vaccine shots and ongoing concerns about rare blood clots. Henry said the rollout of second doses will be similar to the first dose, with those at the greatest risk at the top of the list. Seniors, Indigenous people and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable were to start getting their invitations to book a second shot by the end of May. The province will try to ensure that everyone gets the same vaccine they were first administered, but a shortage of the Moderna vaccine may mean people will have to substitute it for a Pfizer shot. Henry said the National Advisory Committee on Immunization has reviewed the evidence on using different vaccines and has updated the guidance, confirming that while it is preferable to have the same product, it's not always possible. Pfizer and Moderna are the same type of vaccines. Families can get vaccinated together in B.C. as the government allows youth between the ages of 12 and 17 to get their COVID-19 shot. The shots will be administered at community clinics instead of in schools based on feedback from families, with 310,000 children in B.C. eligible to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has been approved for that age group. As of Friday, about 3.1 million doses of Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines had been administered in B.C., which means about 63 per cent of those eligible have got their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. So far 3.14 per cent (160,885) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Nunavut Chief public health officer Dr. Michael Patterson says Nunavut has placed an order for doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with the federal government to vaccinate people ages 12 to 17 in the territory. The Moderna vaccine is currently the only one available in Nunavut. Nunavut has opened vaccinations to anyone 18 and older. It is also offering shots to rotational workers coming from Southern Canada. In the territory, 36.44 per cent (14,113) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is now offering vaccinations against COVID-19 to young people between 12 and 17. The territory, which has only been using the Moderna vaccine, recently exchanged some of that for doses of the Pfizer product, which Health Canada has now approved for anyone as young as 12. So far 51.74 per cent (23,344) of the territory's population has been fully vaccinated. --- Yukon The territory is now vaccinating children aged 12 to 17. The government says clinics in most communities will be held in schools, while those in Whitehorse can get their shot at the Coast High Country Inn Convention Centre. The children will be getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The territory says because of limited supply and stricter handling requirements, the vaccine will only be available for a short time. It says second doses for those 12 to 17 will start on June 23 and medical travel will be supported for youth who aren't able to make the clinic date in their community. The Moderna vaccine is available to adults 18 years of age and older. The government says 59.34 per cent (24,763) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2021. The Canadian Press
The minimum wage increase is a value, this is a priority, and we will get it done, but lets not be distracted from what is happening in this legislation, Ms. Pelosi said. This is a spectacular piece of legislation. While the Senate has prevented us temporarily from passing one aspect of it, let us not be distracted from what is in here, because it is a great bill.

In the Senate, Democrats sought to salvage their bid to push through the large increase in the federal minimum wage without scuttling the urgently needed pandemic aid package. But the effort faces long odds in the evenly divided chamber, where Republicans and some centrist Democrats are opposed to the idea of more than doubling the minimum wage as part of the stimulus plan.

After the Senate officials ruling, Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, and other top Democrats were considering a plan on Friday that would penalize corporations that pay workers less than $15 per hour, a senior Democratic aide said.

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the chairman of the Finance Committee, said the still-evolving proposal would impose an escalating tax on the payrolls of large corporations, starting at 5 percent, if any of the companies workers earned less than a certain hourly wage. It would include what Mr. Wyden called safeguards to prevent companies from laying off workers and replacing them with contract employees to avoid the tax.

While conversations are continuing, I believe this Plan B provides us a path to move forward and get this done through the reconciliation process, Mr. Wyden said in a statement.

Democrats are using the reconciliation process in order to speed Mr. Bidens stimulus plan to enactment and steer clear of Republican obstruction. But on Thursday, Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian, advised senators that their legislation to gradually increase the minimum wage to $15 by 2025 violated the stringent rules that limit what can be included in a reconciliation measure. The ruling opened the door for Republicans to demand that the proposal be jettisoned from the stimulus bill when it comes before the Senate.

It has prompted outrage among progressive activists, calls for Democratic leaders to fire or overrule Ms. MacDonough, and demands for the elimination of the filibuster to allow Democrats to enact the wage increase and other priorities over Republican objections.
In a joint televised address on Thursday evening, French Prime Minister Jean Castex and Health Minister Olivier Veran admitted that more recent and more contagious variants now make up the majority of cases in France. Nonetheless, Castex rejected calls by scientists for a nationwide lockdown, declaring that we have to push it back as far as we can.

Citing Wednesdays figures of over 32,500 new infections, Castex admitted that this was a figure we havent seen since November. The virus has been gaining ground again in the last week, he stated.

Emmanuel Macron [Sebastien Nogier, Pool via AP]

The recent spike in infections has been primarily driven by the spread of the more infectious and more deadly variants. Health Minister Olivier Veran revealed that in the last week, the UK variant accounted for nearly half of the cases throughout the country. He added that a further five to six percent of new infections were cases of the Brazilian and South African variants.

The spread of these variants will worsen an already catastrophic situation in France. Early this week France surpassed 85,000 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, including over 20,000 since January 1. The seven-day average for daily deaths is 313 and more than 20,000 for new cases. Frances positive test percentage is nearly seven percent, suggesting that the true number of cases is much larger.

Directly contradicting scientists and the majority of the French population who support new lockdown measures, Castex went on to claim, Some people are calling for strict containment, to get rid of COVID-19 once and for all. This is not possible, given the nature of the variants.

Such statements do not reflect scientific reality but the interests of the superrich. The virus can be controlled and eventually eliminated internationally on the basis of careful scientific management. A lockdown would dramatically bring down the number of cases and prevent tens of thousands of deaths while vaccines are distributed throughout the population. An effective test and trace system would be able to prevent mass outbreaks.

In reality, the Macron government neglects these measures because they cut into the flow of corporate profits into the pockets of the superrich. This is why all schools and all non-essential workplaces must remain open, despite being massive vectors for the spread of the disease. As far as Castex, Veran and Macron are concerned, if thousands of individuals lives are cut short as a result of this policy, then so be it.

In response to the increased spread of the variants, Castex only announced the reinforced surveillance of 20 departments, including the capital region of Ile-de-France. Each day of this wait-and-see approach will result in hundreds if not thousands of preventable deaths. He hinted that a new partial lockdown may be ordered, which would involve the maintenance of open schools and non-essential workplaces, as was the case in November.

This is only the latest in a set of ineffectual measures implemented by the government since the new year. This includes the nationwide 6:00 p.m. curfew and non-EU travel ban introduced after the variants were already well established in the country. Dunkirk and Nice have been placed under weekend lockdowns that will start March 6.

Crucially, however, schools and non-essential workplaces have been left open throughout the week.

Since the end of the pseudo-lockdown in November, the Macron government has steadily shed any pretense of fighting the virus. In October, he insisted that the population needed to learn to live with the virus. Following comments from Jean-Francois Delfraissy, the head of the governments scientific council, calling for a new lockdown in January, Macron denounced the interventions of scientists and incessant tracking of errors in the governments handling of COVID-19.

While refusing to take the steps necessary to combat the virus, Veran used the public address to promote further illusions in the governments faltering vaccination campaign. He stated, We will see the end of this epidemic. The progress of the vaccination campaign allows us to set a course for the end of spring.

In fact, Frances vaccination campaign has been a debacle. So far only five percent of adults have received their first dose. Earlier on Thursday, UK-based vaccine producer AstraZeneca confirmed it would only be able to provide 50 percent of its second-quarter dose quota to the EU, threatening to reignite nationalist tensions with the Johnson government over vaccine access.

Workers must reject this murderous policy and demand an immediate full lockdown! Schools and non-essential workplaces must be closed. A comfortable living income must be provided to everyone in the population throughout a lockdown, including access to housing, food and other essential services. Full compensation must be provided to small businesses.

The strict March lockdown was only implemented by governments across Europe following a wave of wildcat strikes beginning in Italy and Spain. This experience underlines the fact that the only way that thousands of lives can be saved is through the mobilization of the working class in a general strike against the herd immunity policy of capitalist governments. The answer to the capitalist elites policy of mass death is the expropriation of the financial elite and the reorganization of societys wealth in order to meet social need.
Risk Perception: Vamps and Gender Fluidity in Fragrance History

1001 Past Tales

How much does history and the change of morals shape the perceptions and stereotypes we carry about perfumes? Until the end of the 19th century, perfumes had no sex. It was worn independently, and in fact in the boutonniere, not on the skin, so there was not even an excuse for "personal chemistry"! Men often wore floral scents. For example Oscar Wilde's favorite scent was the carnation blossom - he always wore a carnation on his lapel - and although Wilde, as we all know, was gay, this detail was not only not considered a drawback, but went completely unremarked by his contemporaries. That is, as something completely normal. Men wore flowers on their lapels, simple as that.

Neither do many people know that in Victorian times, boys wore pink, while girls wore blue, the latter viewed as a more "fragile" color. As a derivative of red, pink was considered more dynamic. Let us remember the red military uniforms of the British and their hunting jackets ... from which, after all, Guerlain Habit Rouge Eau de Toilette derives its name! And who can forget the Victorian "language of flowers"? Apparently each flower stands for something.

The perfumes of the late 19th century were therefore light and discreet, built on delicate concepts and romantic visions of blossoms as carriers of symbolism.

Except for what prostitutes wore as rule: patchouli brought from the East, animal musk, civet to recall the Old Regime, and heavy hitter florals such as tuberose and intense jasmine. In Emile Zola's Nana, for example, the entire building smells of the courtesan's violet scent. The choice of violet for Nana is in fact an exception, since it is supposed to be a relatively discreet smell (hence the expression "shy violet" for shy people). In other parts of the novel, other smells are described, such as "cuir de Russie" (Russian leather), emanating from places of workmanship, and vanillic scents out of the patisseries.

The aristocracy, as a privileged class, always showed a greater freedom in what concerned societal morals. As far as the men's part was concerned, to be exact, and that extended to their toilette and scent choice. The female role on the other hand was extremely limited, in contrast to the liberating 18th century of libertarianism, with the exception of the demi monde, that is, the courtesans' circle. Men could more or less do whatever they wanted and not answer to anyone but their superiors. The heritage of the "dandy" and the bon viveur Beau Brummel is part of this era, and the importance in the detail of the style comes from there.

The separation of women's and men's perfumes began for commercial reasons at the beginning of the 20th century, when perfumes were addressed to the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie, then, had a more petty-bourgeois mentality since it is exactly the eruption of the 19th century Industrial Revolution which "made" the affluent, who were not landed gentry to begin with, what they became. As such, this bourgeoisie were more attached to values of social inclusion. Gendered roles became a rule to live by, rather than natural flow.

A greater emphasis was placed on the role of design, on the occasion of the creations of Jean Patou first, and secondly those of Coco Chanel, who made the first designer perfumes. Some of them dared to have references that went against the grain, even though they did not advertise it explicitly.

For instance, for Chanel Cuir de Russie, Coco Chanel demanded of her perfumer a fragrance to remind her of her lover, Count Dimitri, of Russian descent. The fragrance is supposedly inspired by the waterproofing with birch tar which horsemen employed on their Cossack boots. So it's an initially masculine idea, but the perfumer was actually inspired by Coco's jewelry pouches, aimed at women.

There are also historical examples of perfumes that started feminine and transformed into masculine products afterwards. Just a claim? No. The famous cologne Shulton Company Old Spice Original is one of many masculine fragrances based on "oeillet", i.e. carnation, which remained popular for decades. When women did not get too enthusiastic on the original offer, the company offered it to men instead. The later iconography was designed to match the later ideal, that of the wayfaring masculinity.

Many of the legendary feminine perfumes of the early and mid 20th century are now considered "masculine", "non-feminine" and "unsexy" by young girls, although when they were first launched they were addressed to the daringly sexual vamp women of their time. Vamp was the name given to women who followed the 1920s fashion inspired by the cinematic heroines of the times. It is indeed an abbreviation of vampire and the word is on the one hand stylistic and on the other of metaphorical and archetypal texture. The "vamp" women were therefore the femmes fatales who ate men for breakfast. They acted like erotic vampires, sucking the energy out of their prey. The 1920s and the Charleston era were les annees folles (the crazy years) after all, anything bold and daring was embraced as a reaction to the vagaries of the Great War.

After World War I, people wanted to have fun and let their hair down. Women had just won the right to vote, although only in a few countries, thanks to the suffragettes, and many were working; war always makes women independent because of the lack of men, resulting in greater freedom in self-expression. With this, sexual loosening of the mores went hand in hand. After the Victorian oppression, at least on what concerns the public life of ladies, women now claimed their sexuality. They took off their restrictive corsets, which were a means of sexual "control" by their spouses. And they cut their hair short, in a bob, as a sign of their unconformity and modernity. Let us recall Fitzerald's short story from 1919 Berenice Bobs Her Hair.

They wore Charleston dresses ending on the knee, often with a deep neckline, and a low plunge on the back. They made themselves up with dark, thin lips and dark eyes on a pale face, with thin eyebrows like a stroke of calligraphy. In short they looked like a vampire, a harbinger of the goth trend. The desired result was the exact opposite of the rose-faced, well-behaved, compromised and traditional bourgeois. They also smoked, which was considered revolutionary at that time. They danced the tango, a dance imported from the darker cityscapes of Argentina, which signified "ownership" of the woman by her procurer. They were spending the night out!

Historical cinematic vamps like Theda Bara, from whom the trend mainly derived, and Louise Brooks immortalised as Loulou in Pandora's Box, made the look fashionable.

The Brooks bob is a modernization of the "Cleopatra look". Historical figures like Mata Hari turned the look into a legend. If you notice, it is more than a look, but also an attitude, which was recycled by stars and performers, and later, as a tribute. For instance Valentina, Guido Crepax's famous comic book, has exactly the Brooks style from which she is inspired; there is also a feuilleton with Valentina with plot taken directly from Pandora's Box, the Pabst movie.

Siouxsie from Siouxsie and the Banshees had exactly that look, along with punk and bdsm influences. In fact, because the "vamp look" coincided with the madness for Les Ballets Russes of Eastern origin, who had taken over Europe and made Poiret design salwar kameez pants for the ladies (i.e. "harem pants"), the pre-eminent vamp perfumes were those in the "Oriental" family. Be careful though. By saying "oriental scents" we imply the fragrance family envisioned by French houses who only imagined the mystical scents of the East, and not those really worn in the Far East or India. These so called "oriental scents" had nothing to do with soft edible vanilla for "good girls" today, which smell like cupcakes ready to eat. They were coarse and wild fragrances with aggressive tendencies. With animalistic elements and notes of leather and bitterish tones to evoke a bronzy sheik rather than a rom com. The seduction only seemed enjoyable, but in the end it was medicinal... And so Guerlain Shalimar was born. The pre-eminent vamp scent! Hence comes the rule about ladies not doing 3 things: "pouring the wine, dancing the tango, and wearing Shalimar..."

Hence came Coty Emeraude, Molinard Habanita, Caron Tabac Blond (technically a leathery fragrance, something daring for the time), Weil Zibeline, and Myrurgia Maja. Nowadays we'd call them badass, or even better BAMF (you should Google this one).

Contemporary fragrances share their style in what concerns their style in concept and aim. Let's consider Christian Dior Poison and almost all its subsequent flankers, or Paloma Picasso Paloma Picasso, which is quite animalistic. Much closer to our era, there's Tom Ford Black Orchid, and Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur too.

Gender segregation of perfumes is a marketing practice that came at a time when America (USA) was taking over the reins of influence in world culture from Britain. The British had all this tradition behind them, with the fresh lavenders nowadays sold as a niche concept, while the USA, acting as a melting pot of cultures, was better equipped for a connecting web. This was famously incarnated in the concept of the American Dream. The concept is democratic, offering same opportunities for all, at least on paper, and at the same time emphasizing said opportunities on the WASP population (i.e. white anglosaxon protestants).

Perfumes inevitably followed this model with the concept crystallizing in the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s. Like the Technicolor images of films of that period, men are cut in a certain way, often defined as "clean cut". Dressed in a specific way. Wearing specific fragrances. Smoking specific brands. Drinking specific drinks while reading specific magazines. And they wear specialized accessories, all different from those aimed at women. It's tempting to blurt out that it was a cunning way to sell double products. It was a commercial necessity to sell after World War II.

Interestingly, although powder is referred to as a "feminine scent", in old barbershops, and in hipsterish ones now, there is a post-haircut/shaving powder routinely used to remove cut hairs from the skin with the brush. This powder is also scented, usually with lavender-iris notes or moss-coumarin. Let's consider what associations it makes with "powdery" perfumes.

Today's young men reportedly do not go crazy for feminine powdered women's perfumes, in several questionnaires, because allegedly it reminds them of their grandmother, or maybe because it reminds them of their... grandfather? Who knows.

Then of course the social revolution of the 1960s came and the world changed drastically: "make love, not war", unisex fashions for all, hippies with flowers in their hair, aromatic oils based on patchouli and musk, gender revolution, feminism, minority rights, and an evolution of how societies view individual people.

And so we came to the views that we have inherited from our parents and grandparents today and what we add to the mix ourselves. Some resist. Some are fighting. And each of us chooses what to hold on to and what to throw away. And mainly we question WHY we choose as we choose. Ultimately historical and economical reasons are hidden behind issues we do not always connect them with, such as fragrance. It's fun to start questioning.

Read the author's collected historical articles on 1001 Past Tales HERE.
A former crack and heroin addict has revealed how she broke free from drugs and underwent an incredible transformation after overdosing 19 times.

Madison McManus, 28, from New Jersey was first introduced to hard drugs at just 15 years old by her then-boyfriend and went through years of arrests and life on the streets before she made the decision to get clean.

The mother-of-one told DailyMail.com she is now battling to win back custody of her nine-year-old daughter after falling pregnant at 18 and having to give the young girl up because of her addiction.

With the help of Alcoholics Anonymous, she says that her family is back in her life after living homeless since the age of 20, and she urges others that there is a solution to this disease.

When I was just 15 years old I started using crack and heroin,' McManus says.

2017: Former crack and heroin addict Madison McManus has revealed how she broke free from drugs and underwent an incredible transformation after taking an overdose nineteen times

2021: Madison is pictured this year after getting clean. She spoke to DailyMail.com about her battle with drugs

2021: The mother-of-one told DailyMail.com she is now battling to win back custody of her nine-year-old daughter after falling pregnant at 18 and having to give the young girl up because of her addiction

I was in my first rehab at the age of 15, dragging my family through my addiction and hurting them and others left and right, she told DailyMail.com.

Until the age of 18, I would go to programs and get out and pick up again. My disease had me. When I was 18, I had nine months sober while I was pregnant with my daughter, who is now nine. Until now, that was my longest time not using.

Spending six years on the streets, Madison say she escaped situations I still dont have words for.

She adds that when she hit rock bottom with her addiction it was a deep one as she dropped out of school and couldnt stop using.

McManus describes how her addiction held her captive until an arrest shook her into taking control back.

I dropped out of school, I signed away temporary custody of my daughter, I just couldnt stop using. I had no family in my life at this point, no friends, no soul, I was alone, McManus says.

I pushed everyone and everything away, and it began a six-year run homeless in a rough and dark city. The things that I dealt with and accepted in my active addiction could write a book. The disease had me in its grips for six years, holding me captive. I held so much shame and regret for losing my daughter, losing my family, and losing myself.

My lowest point was on July 18, 2018, the last time I ever used a drug, she adds.

I sat on some rocks, and I cried in my hands God please get me out of here, get me out of Paterson. I had warrants I never got taken care of; and I was in handcuffs twohours later. And I have never been back since.

Madison McManus is pictured during her addiction as she spent six years on the streets

McManus, pictured during her addiction, said her family was the first thing she won back

McManus, who shared her story on the Facebook page The Addict's Diary, claims that drug court saved my life as she made the decision in jail that she was done using drugs and chose to go to rehabilitation. She had previously been arrested multiple times for drug possession and shoplifting.

I had no idea at this point how, I just knew I didnt want to use anymore. I went to a 30-day program in south Jersey, then wanted to continue treatment and went to a halfway house for four months, McManus explains.

The real work came when I got my own apartment in South Jersey after all of my programs. I found Alcoholics Anonymous, and thats when the real growth started, and now I know never stops.

McManus says that her family was the first part of her former life to come back after she hit the road to recovery and that she now has the full support of her parents, sister, and friends as she tries to win back her daughter.

I have women whom I show my path of recovery, she says. I have a doctor to work on my trauma with, I have self-love, and most of all I have a solution that words cant describe how grateful I am for.

She admits that her recovery has been an everyday process and that she finds it like a maintenance job where I better myself and grow spiritually.

McManus is pictured this year as she battle to win back custody of her daughter

McManus says that her arrest at 25 was the moment she turned her life around

I wouldnt ask for anything else in my life besides keeping the positivity that I have and the hope I have to keep growing every day, and continuing to give it away to others, she says of the recovery.

It was such an enlightening feeling to see that I was the problem, and nothing would change until I changed me. I have an inner peace and tranquility today that cannot be put in words.

McManus also encourages others dealing with addiction to realize that there is a way to find a new way of living'.

To anyone who is struggling, there is an answer, there is a solution to this disease, she states.

I lived a life full of misery and prayed every time that I slept to please not wake up. I thought for a long time that I would never get out of there. When I had enough, I found a new way of living. It is possible, there is help.

Grab on and dont let go, she urges.

This life is short, its meant to live, not to exist stuck in a disease that has you feeling empty. Just keep fighting, this new way of life is beautiful. And always remember to be grateful, humble, and open and accepting to everything that comes your way.

Theres a bigger plan, you can do it!

The ones nobody thought would make it. Look at us now. Never count out an addict.
As one of the worst-affected nations in the world by climate change, Australia is determined to tackle the issue bearing the persepective of integral ecology in mind and taking the lead in adaptation, new "green" technology and renewable energy. In this interview the Australian ambassador to the Holy See looks ahead to COP-26 and reflects on the impact of Pope Francis' teachings on "Care for our Common Home."

By Linda Bordoni

Unprecedented weather conditions driven by climate change continue to impact countries and communities highlighting the need for a new approach to natural resource management and conservation.

As the driest continent on the globe, Australia has been severely impacted by devastating bushfires that have wreaked death, destruction and economic loss.

But as Chiara Porro, the Australian Ambassador to the Holy See explained in an interview with Vatican Radio, Australia is also determined to take the lead in implementing new green technology infrastructure and techniques while making good use of the knowledge and techniques developed by its indigenous peoples in the course of centuries.

Whats more, Ms Porro explained, the Australian government is on track to beat its 2030 Climate Change Goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions while investing hugely in renewable energy.

Listen to the interview with Ambassador Chiara Porro

A year ago Australia was just coming to terms with the devastating effects of the worst bushfires, we've ever had in our history. Lives were lost, buildings were damaged, communities were severely affected and our wildlife was really badly damaged. As the driest continent in the world, Australia has always had to deal with extreme weather events and our indigenous population has, over the thousands of years, developed techniques to manage natural resources. However, the intensity and the frequency of what are experiencing at the moment is such that we have never seen before. I think climate change is the single greatest threat to our region at the moment. It's clear that we need to invest in practical urgent action right now.



Observers have been quite critical regarding some of the decisions taken by the government. They say that your prime minister is walking a bit of a delicate tightrope between trying to achieve the goals set by the Paris Climate Agreement and the nations powerful coal industry.

Regarding the question of emissions, I think that reducing emissions is of course important for the longer term. But also what is really needed now, is a strong focus and investment in adaptation.

Keeping with the question of emissions, Australia is on track to beat our 2030 target. Weve reduced emissions by almost 17% since 2005 which is faster than many other advanced economies.

We are also investing hugely in renewable technology and renewable energy and were building capacity in wind and solar energy that is 10 times the global average. This means that we have the highest uptake in the world: one in four Australian homes now have solar power.



And regarding renewable energy, it will contribute to at least 50% of our electricity by 2030. That is to say, we realise the economy needs to change and this change is happening. We are also investing very heavily in hydrogen and in other renewable technologies that could potentially one day be exported to Southeast Asia, replacing more polluting energy exports.



Australia will participate in the next COP 26 due to take place in Glasgow in November. What do you think it will bring to the table?



Thats still being debated. But I think you know we're working very closely with the UK as the Cop26 President, and we've already made several announcements and commitments, including adaptation. We have also increased our climate financing already by 50% to 1.5 billion dollars at least over the next period, and we are taking leadership on climate change in our region in the Pacific.

We've been working on disaster relief for two decades, and we have a number of initiatives, such as our infrastructure financing facility for the Pacific, which is 2 billion dollars focused on building climate-resilient infrastructure projects.

We are also supporting meteorological services in the Pacific for data gathering and early warning systems. There is a whole range of measures in place to ensure that we know what's happening and what's going on.

Meanwhile, the need to get to net-zero emissions for us is not in dispute and we are very committed to that; but we are trying to push the global community to focus on how important that is for us given the urgent need for our region to adapt and become more climate-resilient.

As Australian ambassador to the Holy See do you manage to get a voice in with your government regarding the Vaticans stance on climate change?

I do. I think Pope Francis has been very forward-leaning and vocal and I think his recent participation at the virtual Climate Summit in December 2020 really demonstrated how even such a small state like the Vatican can lead, also by committing to promote education on integral ecology. I think that's critical and fundamental and will have a real impact all around the world, given the Catholic education system that's present in countries like Australia. I think it really will have an impact on pushing more of that bottom-up demand for a more climate-neutral economy and other policies.



How influent is Catholic education in your part of the world?

A recent census shows that one in five children in Australia are educated in a Catholic institution at some point during their schooling, so its very prevalent. This year we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Catholic education in Australia, and it is very well regarded and has a key role in educating our youth. It extends from childcare up to higher education, and witnesses how powerful Catholic social teaching can be in terms of its outreach to youth.

The daughter of a police officer who allegedly wrote a letter saying NYPD and the FBI were behind the assassination of Malcolm X has insisted the document is a fake and had been circulated by a publicity-hungry relative.

The note, said to be a deathbed confession by undercover cop Ray Wood, claimed he was pressured by his supervisors to lure two members of the civil rights leader's security detail into committing crimes that led to their arrest just days before he was shot dead.

But Wood's daughter Kelly Wood said Friday that it was a forgery and her father's cousin, Reggie Wood, had released it to the media last weekend in a bid to attract attention to himself.

She told NY1: 'I know that my father did not write this letter. I know that is not his signature and I know the envelope they're using to somehow justify that the letter was mailed is also a fake.'

A letter purportedly from a retired NYPD officer accused the FBI and NYPD of being involved in Malcolm X's death. But Kelly Wood, the officer's daughter, told NY1 it's a fake, and that he didn't write it.



Watch her interview with @DeanMeminger on NY1 at 4 pm. pic.twitter.com/8ejSjikjoU  Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) February 26, 2021

Wood's daughter Kelly Wood said Friday that it was a forgery and her father's cousin, Reggie Wood, (pictured last Saturday) had released it to the media in a bid to gain publicity. Pictured right: Malcolm X

She also disputed the idea that her father would only want the letter to be released after his death in November 2020 to avoid facing its consequences.

'My father is not a coward,' she said. 'He would have never, ever asked anyone to speak on his behalf after his passing. If he had something to say, he would have said it when he was alive.'

The letter was released at an event organized by Reggie Wood and members of Malcolm X's family last Saturday at Harlem's Audubon Ballroom, where he was shot dead exactly 56 years ago on February 21, 1965.

Those arrests kept the two men from managing door security at the ballroom on the night Malcolm was killed, according to the letter.

'My job was to infiltrate civil rights organizations throughout New York City, to find evidence of criminal activity, so the FBI could discredit and arrest its leaders,' Wood allegedly said in the letter.

'Under the direction of my handlers I was told to encourage leaders and members of civil rights groups to commit felonious acts.'

In the letter, dated January 25, 2011, the former officer is said to have claimed that his actions were done under duress and fear of retaliation.

'After witnessing repeated brutality at the hands of my colleagues (police), I tried to resign. Instead, I was threatened with arrest by pinning marijuana and alcohol trafficking charges on me if I did not follow through with the assignments.'

The letter says that on February 16, 1965 Wood coerced members of Malcolm X's security detail into plan a bombing at the Statue of Liberty.

The plan was then foiled by police and the two men were 'arrested just days before the assassination of Malcolm. At the time I was not aware that Malcolm X was the target,' Wood supposedly wrote.

The letter, said to be a deathbed confession, claimed he was pressured by his supervisors to lure two members of the civil rights leader's security detail into committing crimes that led to their arrest just days before he was shot dead

In his later, dated January 25, 2011, the former officer supposedly claimed his actions were done under duress and fear of retaliations

Wood is said to have the letter and instructed his cousin to hold the information until after his passing.

'It is my hope that this information is received with the understanding that I have carried these secrets with a heavy heart and remorsefully regret my participation in this matter.'

During last Saturday's conference, Reggie Wood, claimed that his cousin confessed to his involvement in 2011 when he believed a worsening cancer would take his life. He ultimately went into remission and lived until November 2020.

'For 10 years, I have carried this confession secretly in fear of what could happen to my family and myself if the government found out what I knew,' Reggie Wood said.

Malcolm X's three daughters - Qubiliah, Ilyasah, and Gamilah Shabazz - joined civil rights attorney Ben Crump demanding for the murder investigation to be re-opened in light of the 'new evidence' shared last Saturday.

'Any evidence that provides greater insight into the truth behind that terrible tragedy should be thoroughly investigated,' said Ilyasah Shabazz.

Attorney Ray Hamlin added: 'So, what we're trying to do is talk about restorative justice is as lawyers - try to pursue relentless justice.

'On behalf of the legacy of Malcolm X, Dr. Betty Shabazz, on behalf of his family his lineage who is here.'

Malcolm X was shot seconds after stepping to a lectern to speak inside the Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965

Two policemen carry stretcher bearing Malcolm X after he was downed by an assassin's bullets at a rally

Three Nation of Islam members, Mujahid Abdul Halim (also known as Talmadge Hayer and Thomas Hagan), Muhammad Abdul Aziz (also known as Norman 3X Butler) and Khalil Islam (also known as Thomas 15X Johnson), were convicted of Malcolm X's murder in 1966 and sentenced to life in prison.

While Halim admitted to taking part in the assassination, he insisted that Aziz and Islam were not involved. And the two maintained their innocence throughout the years.

Islam died in 2009 and Halim and Aziz have since been paroled.

Last year the Manhattan DA began a review of their Islam and Aziz's convictions after meeting with representatives of the Innocence Project.

Now, with the new evidence, the DA's office says 'the review of this matter is active and ongoing.'

An autopsy later revealed that he had suffered a total of 21 gunshot wounds to his chest, arms and legs

Three Nation of Islam members (left to right), Mujahid Abdul Halim (also known as Talmadge Hayer and Thomas Hagan), Muhammad Abdul Aziz (also known as Norman 3X Butler) and Khalil Islam (also known as Thomas 15X Johnson), were convicted of Malcolm X's murder in 1966 and sentenced to life in prison

The NYPD said in a separate statement it has 'provided all available records relevant to that case to the District Attorney' and 'remains committed to assist with that review in any way.'

The FBI declined to comment on the matter.

Malcolm X was a powerful orator who rose to prominence as the national spokesman of the Nation of Islam, an African-American Muslim group that espoused Black separatism.

He spent more than a decade with the group before becoming disillusioned and publicly breaking with it in 1964. He moderated some of his earlier views on the benefits of racial separation.

Malcolm X was shot seconds after stepping to a lectern to speak inside the Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965.

Seconds before, a man had stood up and yelled, 'N***** get your hand out of my pocket!'

As Malcolm X and his entourage attempted to quell the disturbance, a man rushed forward towards the stage and shot him once in the chest with a sawed-off shotgun, and two other men then opened fire with semi-automatic handguns.

'For 10 years, I have carried this confession secretly in fear of what could happen to my family and myself if the government found out what I knew,' Reggie Wood claimed last Saturday

The civil rights activist was rushed to Columbia Presbyterian where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, at 3:30pm.

An autopsy later revealed that he had suffered a total of 21 gunshot wounds to his chest, arms and legs.

Days earlier, Malcolm X had ominously told a reporter that he believed members of the Nation of Islam were seeking to kill him.

He was being surveilled by the FBI at the time. His home in Queens was firebombed the week before his death.

Almost immediately after his death, conspiracies of police involvement in the assassination began to circulate.

Many of the theories centered on the ease in which the assassins were able to enter the ballroom, and the police's perceived failure to preserve the crime scene.

One of the officers involved, Tony Bouza, would later write in his 2011 book 'Manny Marable's Malcolm X' that the 'investigation was botched'.

Thomas Hagan, 22, struggles with police who take him from the scene outside the ballroom where Malcolm X was shot and killed
So when the Senates parliamentarian ruled yesterday that a $15 increase did not belong in a bill passed through the budgetary reconciliation process  a decision meaning that it would require at least 60 votes to pass and would therefore be dead on arrival in the Senate  the White House was reported to have breathed a quiet sigh of relief. The Covid-19 relief bill is now set to move ahead without a blanket minimum-wage increase. (Democrats are exploring other partial solutions, including tax incentives for corporations to get them to raise their own wage floors to $15.)

But without a blanket wage increase, observers in and around the Democratic Party say, this issue is not likely to go away. It remains a top priority both for progressives and for Democratic leaders like Schumer and Biden, both of whom objected  at least publicly  to the parliamentarians announcement.

The minimum wage is very popular, McElwee said. I do think that if I was Joe Biden, I would like to be able to run for re-election on the fact that the average worker is making much more because I was president than they were before.

McElwee pointed to the fact that in various swing states, minimum-wage ballot referendums tend to be popular  far more so, in fact, than Democratic candidates on the same ballots. In Sinemas home state of Arizona, in 2016, voters increased the state minimum wage to $12 an hour by a 58 percent majority, even as the state supported Trump over Hillary Clinton. In 2020, Florida voted even more resoundingly to raise its state minimum wage to $15, with 61 percent supporting it.

What we saw in Florida is that a $15 minimum wage is over 10 points more popular than Democratic electeds, McElwee said. Its an open-and-shut case.

The strategist Simon Rosenberg  whose moderate-leaning New Democrat Network often finds itself at odds with Data for Progresss vision for the Democratic Party  said that he saw a minimum-wage increase as a winning issue with voters including those toward the center. Rosenberg called Republican lawmakers seemingly unanimous opposition to it a political mistake. But he also noted that Republican-led messaging campaigns have been building opposition to the idea of minimum-wage increases for decades.

The investment of right-wing business interests in demonizing the minimum wage has been one of the most consistent projects of the right in the last generation, Rosenberg said, referring to major donors such as Charles Koch. Its a touchstone issue.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in 2018, according to a declassified report.

Khashoggi, who was a vocal critic of the Saudi regime, was killed on October 2, 2018 in Turkey where he had gone to obtain paperwork certifying his divorce from his former wife Alaa Nassif in order to be able to marry his Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz.

His killing had brought outrage and battered the reputation of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Salman.

The report 'Assessing the Saudi Government Role in the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi' was released on Friday (local time) by the US' Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

"We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," the report read.

The ODNI said that they based the assessment on the Crown Prince's control of decisionmaking in the Kingdom, the direct involvement of a key adviser and members of Muhammad bin Salman's protective detail in the operation.

"We base this assessment on the Crown Prince's control of decisionmaking in the Kingdom, the direct involvement of a key adviser and members of Muhammad bin Salman's protective detail in the operation, and the Crown Prince's support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, including Khashoggi," it added.

The report was released a day after President Joe Biden had a telephonic conversation with Saudi King Salman, though a White House summary of the conversation made no mention of the killing.

The Saudi prince said in 2019 he took "full responsibility" for the killing since it happened on his watch, but denied ordering it.

Saudi officials have said Khashoggi's killing was the work of rogue Saudi security and intelligence officials.

Saudi Arabian courts last year announced they had sentenced eight Saudi nationals to prison in Khashoggi's killing. They were not identified.

The Biden administration released a report on the killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a sign the new president will try to isolate Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, The New York Times 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.)
Susan McCoy issued a video apology to students admitting her ignorance after she received push back for her comments

Susan McCoy, a Georgia high school teacher, is under fire for comments she made during a virtual class about the death of Breonna Taylor.

On Friday, she stated Taylor was responsible for her own demise during the class, which was recorded on video and posted to social media.

McCoy, who teaches forensics science at Pebblebrook High School in Mableton, is seen on a Zoom call discussing Taylors death. She then made statements suggesting that Taylors death was her own fault, saying: if you hang out with people with guns that shoot at cops, youre likely to get caught in the crossfire.

READ MORE: Breonna Taylor grand jurors call for Daniel Camerons impeachment in new petition

In the Zoom call, McCoy said Taylors associations with dangerous people led to her death.

Susan McCoy (via screenshot)

She was hanging out with the guy who was wanted on charges, McCoy said. [The police] knocked and he fired at them and they fired back. You know if you hang out with people who are criminals, and they shoot at a cop, youre likely to get caught in the crossfire.

While expressing remorse for her death, she stood firm in her assessment.

Im sorry she died; its sad, but she put herself in that position by hanging out with somebody she shouldnt have been with, the teacher said.

READ MORE: Police major in Breonna Taylor case demoted, reassigned

Taylor was killed last March in Louisville, Kentucky after police confronted her and her boyfriend while in her home. According to the New York Times, police had served a no-knock warrant and broke the door down. Taylors boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, thought someone was breaking in and fired his weapon in self-defense. This prompted the officers to fire back, leading to Taylor being fatally struck by an officers bullets.

The warrant was served over Taylors ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, who was being investigated on drug charges. However, as previously reported by theGrio, Glover says that Taylor was never involved with any illegal activity, nor were there any drugs in her home.

Story continues

There was nothing never there or anything ever there, and at the end of the day, they went about it the wrong way and lied on that search warrant and shot that girl out there, Glover said.

The Zoom call went viral and McCoy received push back from both students in class and backlash on social media. This prompted McCoy to post a video apology, asking to be forgiven for her ignorance.

I want to apologize sincerely publicly for things I said today in my class that had to do with something that I was very ignorant about. Im just heartbroken that I said something so rude and disrespectful, said McCoy, who expressed her desire to regain the trust of her students after causing hurt.

All I can do is say Im so sorry. I should never have talked about something that I didnt understand and I truly, truly apologize and ask for forgiveness and hope that someday i can have that trust back with my students that i know that i lost, she added.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now!

TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!

The post Georgia teacher faces backlash after blaming Breonna Taylor for her own death in virtual class appeared first on TheGrio.
IN the space of one month, the families of 326 people were left in shock and heartbreak after losing their loved ones to the Covid-19 virus.

May 2021 was the deadliest month of the pandemic in Trinidad and Tobago and the month with the highest number of Covid-19 cases.
Washington, Feb 27 (UNI) The elimination of foreign fighters in Afghanistan is a prerequisite for the withdrawal of US troops from the country, Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar said.

"The longtime desire of the Afghan people is the following. Number one  a sustainable peace. Number two  the preservation of the Islamic republic. Number three  the withdrawal of all foreign troops, and [number four] the elimination of all foreign fighters in Afghanistan," Atmar told Sputnik in an interview.

Stressing that these four elements are linked and mutually inclusive, the minister said that "if you are talking about the withdrawal of foreign troops you must also be talking about the withdrawal or elimination of foreign fighters."

"The Americans said, yes, we will withdraw from Afghanistan but if you ensure that foreign fighters, of which over 10,000 at least are operating in Afghanistan, should be also either eliminated or withdrawn from Afghanistan," Atmar said.

The minister described the US-brokered peace deal as "complex" and containing multiple items which need to be taken as a package.

Last February, the Taliban and the Afghan government reached a landmark agreement, mediated by the United States, paving the way for peace talks, which began in the Qatari capital of Doha on September 12. The intra-Afghan reconciliation ultimately pursues a withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.

UNI XC-RHK1252
A cross section of Residents within the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis have described the current conversation on Gay, lesbian and transgender as "absurdity" that must not be entertained.



Most people the GNA interviewed therefore called on the government to make the laws on unnatural carnal knowledge more stringent to nib the practice in the bud.



Madam Josephine Amoh, the Executive Director of the Concern Mother's Movement said though it was an age-long practice, it should not be allowed to fester.



She entreated parents to therefore educate their children on the social, moral and spiritual implications of the act.



"Have we forgetton about Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible and what God did to them for similar offenses", she added.



The discourses around Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and others with non-biologically defined sexuality' (LGBTQ ) rights have gained national attention with the establishment of an office in Ghana and open discussion on the airwaves by founders of such movement.



Meanwhile, successive governments over the years have done well by not bowing to international pressure to legitimize the "ill act" which had the tendency to stop procreation and promote depopulation.



Mrs Araba Dennis, of the African Women International, NGO centred on women's welfare said, "This is satanic and the beginning of the anti-Christ, lets be careful as a people".



Culturally, the African tradition and for that matter the norm, believe systems and structure in Ghana strongly rupudiate same sex relationship aside the legality of "unnatural" carnal knowledge by any individual or grouping.



Mr Festus Armah, "It is surprising that men who behaved like women in those days were laughing stock, but now would want to be recognized".



He believed that such groupings needed emotional, psychological support to reorient their feelings and beliefs, "These people need help to discover their God-given image and mandate of procreation".



Nana Kwesi Opoku, a trader, stressed the fact that "wrong is always wrong no matter the justification, the fact that they exist however does not mean their activities should be legalized because it is not morally right to practise that in Ghana".



Madam Araba Aidoo said the whole LGBTQ issue seemed to be getting out of control, "a sign of the endtime."



She explained that there were many activities of the LGBTQ that went on behind the scenes, but that did not give the leeway for it to be legalized.



She called on the government to create open counselling centres, where people could walk in for psychological and spiritual guidance.

Source: GNA









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

Featured Video
Robert Thomas "Tom" Wolfe passed away on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, at the age of 87.

He was born on July 6, 1933, and was raised in Chattanooga. Tom attended Sunnyside School, where years later as an educator, he would serve as principal! After studying at Brainerd Junior High and Chattanooga High School, he received a bachelors degree from the University of Chattanooga and a masters degree from George Peabody Teachers College in Nashville.

Tom served in the U.S. Army in Iceland and Nebraska.

Back in Chattanooga, he taught at Hemlock School and Barger School, as well as one year teaching at the American School in Augsburg, Germany. Tom served as the first music resource teacher for the Chattanooga public schools and then became the principal of Sunnyside School. Shortly after that schools eventual closure, he embarked on a career at St. Nicholas School in the Early Learning Center.

He taught hundreds of students to read for the first time and the reading continued well beyond the one hour class period. Students would willingly come to school early or return to his class after school to further hone their skills. Countless graduates credit Mr. Wolfe with introducing them to the joy of reading, positioning them well ahead of their peers as they pursued higher learning. Outside of the classroom, he often played the organ in chapel and was always a smiling, comforting presence at the school.

The Dedication page in a St. Nicholas yearbook reads:

My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Ecclesiastes 2:10

To Mr. Wolfe, our teacher, accompanist and friend, who entered Level 2 with us and now graduates with us. We join in a chorus with all the old friends you introduced to us  Curious George, Danny the Dinosaur, Clifford, Babar and Dr. Seuss to sing your farewell aria and thank you for all you have given us at Saint Nicholas. You taught us to read, laugh, and be happy in learning.

Working with the youngest members, Tom was an instructor with the Chattanooga Boys Choir. A lifelong musician, Tom often sang with the Chattanooga Bach Choir, the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra chorus, and the Scenic City Chorale. He was a patron of several musical organizations and was an active member of the Ascension Lutheran Church.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Ruby Crabb Wolfe, and his brother, Jim Wolfe. His survivors include his beloved dog, Curly, his closest friend, Bonnie Bryant, several cousins, many friends, and a host of admiring students and colleagues.

In the interest of public health and Toms wishes, no public ceremony or visitation will be held at this time. A private graveside service will precede his burial. Additionally, a memorial concert will be announced by the Chattanooga Bach Choir at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Ascension Lutheran Church, 720 South Germantown Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37412, or to the Chattanooga Bach Choir, P.O. Box 80576, Chattanooga, Tn. 37414.

Please visit www.heritagechattanooga.com to share your thoughts and memories.

Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, TN, 37421.
Man Wanted For Assault Arrested in Mayfield

By West Kentucky Star Staff





MAYFIELD - A Mayfield man wanted for assault was arrested Friday during a traffic stop by the Mayfield Police Department.Thirty-five-year-old Brian Boykin was placed under arrest on an active warrant for an assault that had occurred earlier in the week.An officer observed Boykin traveling on North 5th Street and conducted the traffic stop.Boykin was charged with the warrant for fourth degree domestic assault, fourth degree non-domestic assault, third degree terroristic threatening, and violation of conditions of release.He was also charged with operating a vehicle with expired operator's license, possession of open alcohol beverage container in a motor vehicle, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.He was taken to the Graves County Jail.
It has been a lasting practice of some white supremacist politicians to wage propaganda wars against their political, ideological and economic opponents. The world is highly aware of their propaganda strategy, as the politicians often employ it against many of their adversaries.

Their favorite tools of propaganda are human rights violations, lack of democracy, state persecutions, forced labor, autocracy, arbitrary detentions, and genocide. The politicians first come up with allegations against their rivals of committing the aforesaid offences. Their poodle media outlets later start running smear campaigns based on the baseless allegations. The media continues the campaigns until they make a spurious cause and create favorable conditions for punishing their competitors.

A woman works at a factory in Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)

Western forces led by the United States have destroyed several Islamic countries and killed millions of Muslims who they saw as potential threats to their supremacy around the world. As a result, there is no one challenging Western dominance. Against such a backdrop, poisonous eyes fall on the development of China. As the socialist country becomes the second-largest economy in the world, the only superpower has begun suffering from the pending anxiety of losing its dominance to China, which has never shown any interest in replacing the US.

The imperium has since seen China as a potential threat to its illegitimate hegemony all over the world. As a result, they have become determined and committed to preventing the rise of China at any cost, starting an all-out propaganda war against the East Asian nation.

After much deliberation, they have made Xinjiang and its Uygur Muslims targets of their propaganda war. They have long been fabricating cock and bull stories of so-called Muslim persecution in Xinjiang. Many Western politicians and media are spreading fake news of so-called concentration camps, mass detention, forced labor and birth control, and lastly, of genocide in the northwestern region of China.

Upon closer examination of these propaganda pieces, it can easily be understood how they are deceiving the world into believing their concocted stories over Xinjiang. If we look at the fake stories in the order in which they were published in the media, we can see that the stories of human rights violations were followed by reports of concentration camps and detention of a million Uygurs.

The stories of camps and detentions were published based on a research paper by German anthropologist Adrian Zenz, a so-called Xinjiang expert who has never been to the region. Much to my surprise, the so-called expert came up with the number of detainees into his paper from a report broadcast by Istiqlal TV, an online television station run by Xinjiang separatists based abroad.

I think this information is sufficient to understand the veracity of the reports of the so-called camps and detentions. But many Western media have long given uncritical coverage of the fake and fabricated stories to serve their political purposes of isolating China from the rest of the world. However, some media outlets have also proven the reports false through the practice of objective and investigative journalism.

The crooked media later came up with fake stories of forced labor and birth control in Xinjiang. Again, they turned to another study paper by so-called expert Adrian Zenz to spin their groundless stories. But many analysts and experts have raised many questions regarding the authenticity of information included in the paper.

Some of them have rejected the paper, pointing out that only four women were interviewed in the study, and they all live in the US. They are of the view that on the basis of the statements of four self-exiled women, a conclusion cannot be drawn for the entire region of Xinjiang, which has a population of 25 million. Unfortunately, some Western media are spreading the news as being true without verifying and asking any question of its validity.

For these media, the final task was carried out by the previous US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. On the very last day of his tenure, Pompeo, who had already risen to prominence for making false statements about China, accused the country of carrying out genocide in Xinjiang. Ever since them, the so-called mainstream media has been accusing China of genocide.

The media has not even found the time to cross-check the authenticity of his allegations by going to the the region. Based on the propaganda, Canada has also endorsed the statement, which proves that the propaganda stories were deliberately made to smear China and thus hamstring its overall advancement in the global arena.

Moreover, if we take a closer look at the population of the Uygur community in Xinjiang, we can find that the accusation of genocide is the biggest lie in history. If there has been any kind of genocide in the region, the size of the Uygur population would have decreased over the years.

But the facts show that in the four decades between 1978 and 2018, the Uygur population in Xinjiang increased from 5.55 million to 11.68 million, accounting for 46.8 percent of the total population of the region.

Many delegations of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), UN Human Rights Commission, journalists, diplomats, religious leaders, and politicians of Muslim and non-Muslim countries have already debunked the propaganda by visiting Xinjiang and observing the situation on the ground for themselves.

The delegates have also praised China for its vast development and poverty eradication in the region. As a result, the anti-China forces have failed to deceive the world into believing the propaganda stories.

The Chinese government has ensured the regions tremendous development by improving the livelihoods, lifestyles, and socioeconomic situations of the Uygurs, resulting in the eradication of poverty in Xinjiang.

In my eyes, the allegation of genocide in Xinjiang is a totally baseless one, derived for the narrow political interests of the global superpower. It is a direct interference in the domestic affairs of China. The Western propagandists must work on improving human rights conditions in their own territories instead of using it as an excuse to maintain their supremacy on Earth.

The author is a Bangladeshi journalist and columnist now based in Beijing, China.
She is a proud mother of one.

And Helena Christensen shared a heartwarming selfie with her 21-year-old son Mingus to her Instagram this week.

The 52-year-old shares her only child with her ex Norman Reedus of The Walking Dead fame whom she dated from 1998 to 2003.

She is a proud mother of one: And Helena Christensen shared a heartwarming selfie with her 21-year-old son Mingus to her Instagram this week

Helena and Mingus had a striking family resemblance in the picture which showed them posing up with photographer Cass Bird.

'Not sure i can call it bring your kid to work day anymore ...,' wrote Helena, who was a beauty queen in her native Denmark before making her bones as a Paris model.

Helena and Norman, who named their son after jazz icon Charles Mingus, posed up together with him on Instagram in 2018 for his high school graduation.

Norman has been involved with Inglourious Basterds actress Diane Kruger since 2016 and they are now the proud parents of a two-year-old daughter.

The way they were: The 52-year-old shares her only child with her ex Norman Reedus of The Walking Dead fame whom she dated from 1998 to 2003; pictured in 2003

Meanwhile Helena has an Australian shepherd called Kuma and a couple of years ago told the Guardian she and Mingus are 'so in love' with the dog.

'Getting our dog was absolutely the best thing I have done in my life besides having my son,' spilled the fashionista.

'Mentally, she makes me feel so much better. She sleeps in the bed with me. When Im on trips I listen to recordings of her snoring.'

Helena revealed to the newspaper: 'If I am feeling anxious, like at an airport, I listen to it over and over. Its like meditation.'

Throwback: Helena and Norman are pictured in 2002 at the New York premiere of his movie Deuces Wild which starred Stephen Dorff

Back in 2019 she dished to the Daily Mail about some of the fitness secrets that have helped her maintain her bombshell figure.

'I think it's important to shake it up and do as many different forms of workout as possible, but also to incorporate nature into them,' she said.

'Swim in the ocean, swim in rivers, swim in lakes. Hiking, trekking, chopping wood  it's the best way of working out, because it doesn't really feel like a workout. It feels like you're alive,' Helena explained.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
on Friday said that restoring democratic order should be the priority of all stakeholders in and called on the community to lend its "constructive support" to the people of Southeast Asian nation at the critical juncture.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly's informal meeting on Myanmar, the Permanent Representative of to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti, said that the recent development in is "being closely" monitored by

He said New Delhi is deeply concerned that the gains made by over the last decades on the path towards democracy should not get undermined.

The Myanmar Army early this month seized power after alleging fraud in November 8 election. Several political leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi were detained.

Pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar have taken to the streets, demanding the release of their leader Aung San Suu Kyi. At least three protesters and one policeman have been killed at the protests.

As a "close friend and neighbour" of Myanmar and its people, the envoy said, India will continue to closely monitor the situation and will remain in discussion with like-minded countries so that the "hopes and aspirations of the people are respected".

"We believe that the rule of law and democratic process must be upheld, those detained be released and that calm prevails. We call on the Myanmar leadership to work together to resolve their differences in a peaceful and constructive manner," he said.

"Restoring democratic order should be the priority of all stakeholders in Myanmar. The community must lend its constructive support to the people of Myanmar at this critical juncture," he added.

During the UN meeting, New Delhi called for the "early resolution" of displaced persons from the Rakhine state of Myanmar. India commends Bangladesh for hosting a million displaced persons in its territory, the envoy said.

"It is important for the community to recognize and understand the humanitarian burden that Bangladesh continues to face and the efforts it has undertaken to ensure the well-being of the displaced persons," he suggested.

"The international community must further support, financially and otherwise, efforts of the Government of Bangladesh and also assist in ensuring that issues relating to radicalization in the camps and other security challenges are addressed in an expeditious manner. This should include making provisions for skill development, providing education and ensuring adequate medical support," he added.

As of January 2021, the UN considered more than 300,000 civilians to be internally displaced in the country, including 129,000 Rohingya forcibly confined to camps in Rakhine State since 2012 and more than 100,000 ethnic Kachin and Shan who fled conflict in Myanmar's north beginning in 2011, according to Al Jazeera.

India will continue to work with both the Bangladesh government and Myanmar to enable the earliest return of displaced persons to their homes in the Rakhine State in a manner that is safe, speedy and sustainable, the envoy declared.

"A collaborative and consensus-based approach is key to arrive at a meaningful and practical outcome. We must work to address the challenges that the concerned stakeholders continue to face so that this humanitarian problem is resolved in a timely manner," 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.)
A white supremacist has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for plotting to bomb a historic Colorado synagogue last year as a judge described the case as 'dripping with Nazism.'

Richard Holzer, 28, was sentenced to 235 months in jail with an additional 14-year term of supervised release by Judge Raymond P. Moore.

Throughout the sentencing trial, Moore expressed harsh criticism of Holzers previous statements to undercover FBI agents and social media accounts - describing Holzer's life as filled with violent and hateful imagery.

'It is one of the most vulgar, aggressive, evil crimes that can be committed against an entire group of persons,' Moore said.

Richard Holzer, now 28, was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison on Friday for plotting to bomb the Colorado synagogue last year

Holzers defense team argued that his suffering of fetal alcohol syndrome influenced his development into adulthood and contributed to his 'unmet and overwhelming need to seem more important than he is.'

The defense asked the judge for a shorter sentence for Holzer to benefit from post-prison rehabilitation for his radical ideas and to have an incentive to prepare for life after incarceration.

They also said that Holzer no longer held the supremacist-like beliefs that led him to plan the bombing at Temple Emanuel Synagogue in Pueblo.

The Temple Emanuel plot was one of 61 anti-Semitic harassment and vandalism cases that the Anti-Defamation League Mountain States Region tracked in 2019.

'The notion that hes turned some corner is fantasy,' Moore said before listing the swastikas found in his jail cell and supremacist symbolism in his signed letters from jail.

Holzer refused the opportunity to make a statement at his trial.

'About two-and-a-half years ago, my first day as U.S. Attorney took me to a vigil for victims from the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue attack,' said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn in a statement.

'Today, my last day in the office, we have sentenced the extremist responsible for the attempted bombing of the Temple Emanuel Synagogue in Pueblo.'

Holzer was an avowed white supremacist and a neo-Nazi. He is pictured wearing clothes bearing white supremacist imagery

Signs, flowers and candles expressing love for the Jewish community stand outside the Temple Emanuel in Pueblo shortly after news of the plot emerged

In October, Holzer pleaded guilty to attempting to stop people from exercising their religion with an explosive or fire and attempting to destroy a building used in interstate commerce in a plea deal with prosecutors.

Holzer was arrested November 1, 2019, after receiving two phony pipe bombs and 14 sticks of dynamite from undercover FBI agents that he planned to use at the Temple Emanuel.

One agent posed as a white supremacist and reached out to Holzer online after seeing his social media posts promoting white supremacy and violence, according to the facts agreed to by both sides as part of the plea deal.

After his arrest, Holzer said the 'event planned for tonight would define me as a person who would die for his people,' according to a statement from the Colorado U.S. Attorney's office.

Temple Emanuel is the second oldest synagogue in Colorado. It was built in 1900 largely by descendants of immigrants from central and eastern Europe.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Saudi Arabias crown prince likely approved the killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, according to a newly declassified U.S. intelligence report released Friday that instantly ratcheted up pressure on the Biden administration to hold the kingdom accountable for a murder that drew worldwide outrage.

AFP

The intelligence findings were long known to many U.S. officials and, even as they remained classified, had been reported with varying degrees of precision.

Four Arrested After UP Student Found Lying With Burns Along Highway

Four people were arrested on Friday on the basis of a statement by a college student, who was found severely burnt and lying naked along a national highway here, police said.

Representational Image

The woman, who is a BA second-year student of a college run by the Mumukshu Ashram of former Union minister Swami Chinmayanand, said in a statement before a magistrate that three people tried to rape her in a field near Rai Kheda village on Monday.

Owner Of SUV Found With Explosive Outside Ambani's Home Traced, Police Dont Rule Out Terror Angle

The crime branch, which is probing the case of an explosives-laden vehicle found near industrialist Mukesh Ambanis residence, has not ruled out a terror angle.

BCCL

Mumbai joint CP (crime) Milind Bharambe said police are probing all aspects, including the possibility of a terror plot.

Coast Guard Find 81 Rohingya Adrift At Sea, Asks Bangladesh To Take Them

Coast Guard found 81 survivors and eight dead on a boat crammed with Muslim Rohingya refugees adrift in the Andaman Sea, and were repairing the vessel so that it can return safely to Bangladesh, Indian officials said on Friday.

AFP

The Indian government was in discussions with Bangladesh to facilitate the safe return of the vessel, which was found drifting in international waters having left southern Bangladesh about two weeks ago with hopes of reaching Malaysia.

UK Teen Who Joined ISIS, Not Allowed to Return Home to Fight for Citizenship, Rules Court

The UK Supreme Court ruled Friday that ISIS bride Shamima Begum cannot return to the United Kingdom to appeal the revocation of her UK citizenship.

AFP

The President of the Supreme Court, Lord Robert Reed, said that the UK Court of Appeal made four errors last year when it ruled that Begum should be allowed to return to the UK to carry out her appeal.

Maharashtra Records More Than 8,000 New Covid Cases Again, 1,035 In Mumbai

Maharashtra reported more than 8,000 new cases of Covid-19 for the third day in a row on Friday besides 48 fatalities, a health department official said.

bccl

The caseload in the state thus rose to 21,38,154, while the death toll reached 52,041, he said.








Two contrasting public statements in the past few days tell you everything you need to know about the vaccination crisis engulfing the European Union.

In Britain, the Queen took a clear lead by declaring that anyone hesitant to take the jab should think of others and not themselves.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, meanwhile, told 83 million Germans that she would not be taking the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine  so adding to the fuel to the fire  and caused further concerns by raising the prospect of a compulsory EU vaccination passport in the spring.

I think you can guess which nation has so far vaccinated 20 million people and has set out a road map for normal life by June 21.

It is small wonder German newspaper Bild last week printed a Union Flag on its front page with the headline 'Dear British, We Envy You'

And which, on the other hand, has vaccinated just four million people amid huge public resistance to the AstraZeneca vaccine and an ominous warning of a third wave of infection.

Small wonder that the popular German newspaper Bild last week printed a Union Flag on its front page with the headline 'Dear British, We Envy You'.

Suspicion of the AstraZeneca jab is not restricted to Germany, of course. It is shared across the EU.

So deep is the distrust, that 80 per cent of the 6.1 million doses delivered to the bloc so far lie unused in hospital refrigerators.

In Berlin, the vaccination centre at the former Tegel Airport which only offers the AstraZeneca jab  reports that only 200 people have been turning up for the 3,800 daily appointments.

80 per cent of the 6.1 million doses delivered to the bloc so far lie unused in hospital refrigerators

In France, Le Quotidien du Medecin, the GP's daily newspaper writes about a Paris surgery where half the patients with serious underlying health issues  those most at risk  have turned down the Oxford jab.

In an empty Belgian vaccination centre, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was said to have been dismissed as a 'low-budget Aldi' alternative.

This state of affairs has nothing to do with the actual merit of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab  or even the virtues of the vaccination programme itself as a treatment for coronavirus - and everything to do with the political posturing of the EU elite as it tries to cover up its failures by pointing the finger of blame elsewhere.

While Britain used its Brexit freedoms to obtain a range of different vaccines and organise a national roll-out, the EU went into its default mode of mutual back scratching, bickering and failure.

It is small wonder German newspaper Bild last week printed a Union Flag on its front page with the headline 'Dear British, We Envy You'

The roots of the problem go back to early last summer when it was slow to secure vaccine supplies, particularly in comparison with Britain.

By July 20 last year, the UK was able to announce it had signed a deal with AstraZeneca for 90 million doses of its vaccine. This was a calculated gamble, but one which the British government hedged by buying small numbers of additional doses from other suppliers.

It seems to have paid off  and in spades.

The EU approach was haphazard. Worse, it acted as if it were sharing out the potential spoils of a war among its member states.

In theory, the European Commission could use its buying power to ensure the rapid delivery of hundreds of millions of doses at rock bottom prices. But that ignored the dead hand of the EU bureaucracy, which is the last thing you need in a crisis.

Valuable weeks and months were lost amid furious horse-trading in Brussels. Many orders were not made until September which, despite its financial clout, put Europe at the back of the queue.

And those orders were badly flawed. In particular, they included an agreement to buy 300 million vaccine doses from the French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi  the same quantity as from Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca  even though Sanofi was trailing in development. The arrival of its vaccine has now been put back to the end of this year at the earliest.

In Berlin there are reports that only 200 people have been turning up for the 3,800 daily appointments.

The truth, of course, is that the EU had simply prioritised EU manufacturers.

Then came the blame game as leaders including Chancellor Merkel and President Macron started a furious row with AstraZeneca over vaccine allocation.

The last thing the EU needed was growing public opposition to the Oxford jab. Yet this is precisely what its leaders have brought about to deflect attention from their own failings and incompetence.

The damage seemed to start with erroneous reports in the German press that the AstraZeneca vaccine was only eight per cent effective for those aged over 65. The claim was immediately refuted by both Oxford University and the German Health Ministry.

But the EU gave the impression that it is more than happy for these negative reports to circulate  an attitude which is petty, protectionist and vindictive.

Leaders including Chancellor Merkel (pictured) and President Macron started a furious row with AstraZeneca over vaccine allocation

Doubts grew when the German authorities announced they would not allow the AstraZeneca jab to be used in people over 65 because there was insufficient data in the trials.

Results from Scotland have shown that the Oxford jab cuts the risk of hospitalisation by as much as 94 per cent.

And evidence from Public Health England revealed in today's Mail on Sunday suggests it might be even more effective than the Pfizer-Biontech rival.

The real hammer blow, however came from Macron, who claimed  without scientific justification  that the early results were not encouraging for 60 to 65 year old people. Later, he even said the vaccine was quasi-ineffective for people over 65.

True, the European Medical Agency has approved the vaccine, but that has made little difference to the public mood.

Last month, the British government made a second calculated gamble, which again drew sneers from across the English Channel.

By delaying second doses, the UK allowed many more people to receive the initial jab.

So we are now in the situation where a third of the British population has been vaccinated, with infection and mortality rates in decline.

Germany meanwhile has vaccinated just five per cent of its population. France has vaccinated only four per cent.

Faced with this, the EU leaders have finally started to make the right noises.

Macron has claimed that he would take the Oxford jab if he were offered it  a radical change of stance.

Just a few days ago, Angela Merkel's spokesman pleaded with Germans to take 'the safe and highly effective' Oxford vaccine  although the message was clouded when 66-year-old Merkel then announced to the world that she would not be taking it because it is not appropriate for people her age!

Germans have also been concerned to hear her talk about the prospects of a vaccine passport in the spring, amid widespread fears that jabs will become compulsory.

Now, the political point scoring has left many people so confused that they're turning down appointments.

I'm not a medical doctor or an expert. I'm not even qualified to take a view on whether or not a vaccine programme is the right way forward or not. But I am certain of this: the vaccine chaos has crystallised the true nature the EU. It is in crisis or, rather, it is in state of perpetual crisis.

It is quite clear that Germany could have done so much better on its own, without the dead hand of the EU.

The Brussels true believers are hell-bent on sticking to their project, the construction of a centralised super-state. And in doing so, they manipulate the democratic and legal process left, right and centre  even if that means spreading damaging rumours about a life-saving vaccine in the middle of a public health crisis with catastrophic economic consequences. Germany's political elite is so convinced the EU can do no wrong that last year it criminalised the vilification of the EU flag, now punishable with up to three years in prison.

It is a perfect illustration of why all-too-often, harmonisation means levelling down to the lowest common denominator.

And why Britain, now freed of its chains, can finally take decisions in its own national interest.
Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - As a new Ebola outbreak threatens Guinea, six neighboring countries are urgently scaling up preparation and response efforts to prevent the further spread of the deadly virus, the Africa Regional Office of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

So far, nine cases have been reported in Guinea, leading to five deaths, it said in a statement.

While there have been no confirmed cases beyond Guinea so far, the outbreaks epicentre, Gouecke, NZerekore prefecture, is close to the borders of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire.

The statement said despite limited border controls, all six neighboring countries -- Cote dIvoire, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone -- are urgently updating national response plans using the WHO readiness assessment tool, to detect, isolate and manage potential cross-border cases.

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare but severe and often fatal illness. The average death rate is around 50 per cent, with rates having varied from 25 per cent to 90 per cent in past outbreaks.

The virus spreads through contact with the body fluids, such as vomit, faeces or blood, of an infected person, or through contaminated surfaces and materials, such as bedding and clothing.

Weve learned the hard lessons of history and we knowpreparedness works, said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, stressing that systematic surveillance, comprehensive preparations and strong, cross-border coordination are crucial to detecting any cases and ensuring that they are quickly isolated, treated and that vaccination of high-risk contacts begin quickly".

The statement said in addition to surveillance and screening at border crossing points, and in high-risk communities, rapid response teams are being deployed to border areas.

West African countries are also committed to stepping up testing and treatment facilities. So far 20 suspected cases have been reported across three countries bordering Guinea, but all tested negative for Ebola.

Soon after the first case was reported, Guinea began an Ebola vaccine drive focusing on high-risk communities, especially in the epicentre Gouecke. To date, around 225 people have been vaccinated, including 66 high-risk contacts, according to WHO.

Meanwhile, the UN health agency has disbursed $1.25 million to support Guinea and to reinforce Ebola readiness in all six neighbouring nations.

Around 65 WHO experts are on the ground and the government has provided a charter flight to deliver the rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine, ultra-cold chain containers, personal protective equipment and other medical supplies from the capital Conakry to NZerekore.

Moreover, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has also released $15 million to help Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) tackle the resurgence of Ebola, as well as preparedness in countries neighbouring DRC.

So far eight cases and four deaths have been reported in DRCs North Kivu province, following the fresh Ebola outbreak declared there on 7 February.

The recent tragic death of Italian Ambassador Luca Attanasio in DRC, who was travelling in a UN World Food Programme (WFP) convoy, has highlighted the difficulties of dealing with outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic in areas of Africa where armed groups holds sway, hampering surveillance and treatment efforts.

-0- PANA MA 26Feb2021
Pou expressed the gratitude during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Uruguay Wang Gang, according to Secretary of the Presidency Alvaro Delgado.

Montevideo, Feb 27 (IANS) Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou has expressed appreciation to China for sending coronavirus vaccine to this South American country.

According to the authorities, Uruguay will launch a vaccination campaign on March 1 to combat the virus following the arrival of vaccines made by the Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac, Xinhua reported.

The first stage of the vaccination plan is aimed at inoculating teachers, military personnel, firefighters and police officers, among other essential workers.

On late Thursday, social networks such as Twitter were lit up with messages celebrating the first batch of vaccines to arrive at Carrasco International Airport, the main hub for international flights to and from Uruguay, aboard a flight from Beijing.

--IANS

int/
Vaccines have brought the United States tantalizingly close to crushing the coronavirus within its borders. After months of hiccups, some 1.4 million people are now being vaccinated every day, and many more shots are coming through the pipeline. The Food and Drug Administration has just authorized a third vaccine  a single-dose shot made by Johnson & Johnson  while Pfizer and Moderna are promising to greatly expand the supply of their shots, to roughly 100 million total doses per month, by early spring.

If those vaccines make their way into arms quickly, the nation could be on its way to a relatively pleasant summer and something approaching normal by autumn. Imagine schools running at full capacity in September and families gathering for Thanksgiving.

But turning that if into a when will require clearing additional hurdles so that everyone who needs to be vaccinated gets vaccinated. This is especially true for racial minorities, who are being disproportionately missed by the vaccination effort.

Theres plenty of disagreement among experts as to why America is still having problems with vaccine uptake. Some officials have suggested that the main cause is that too many people are hesitant to get the vaccine. Others point the finger at overcautious public health officials who they say have undersold the promise of the vaccines. Still others point to long lines at clinics as proof that far more people want the vaccine than can actually get it.
Community Microgrids From All Angles

NREL To Play a Major Part in Microgrid Innovation for American Communities

Feb. 26, 2021

A modest description of microgrids would mention their role in energy resilience. A National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) description might go further and describe microgrids as the cornerstone of future energy operations. In either case, integration comes first, which is why the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) announced in 2020 that it would award $34 million to energy systems integration projects, with a portion committed to developing community microgrids.

With a share of SETO funding, NREL will lead and contribute to multiple projects that emphasize microgrid controls and stability for community-scale systems. NREL will be joined by industry and academic collaborators to build and demonstrate the new microgrid designs in a variety of real-system scenarios.

Self-Organizing Microgrids in Aspen

NRELs greatest involvement will be as project lead for an effort to create autonomous and distributed microgrid controls, named Reorg: Resilience and Stability Oriented Cellular Grid Formation and Optimization for Communities with Solar PVs and Mobile Energy Storages.

Reorg will apply concepts of the Autonomous Energy Systems research portfolio, including cell-based power grids and distributed control for self-organizing microgrids. Reorg will also build on a previous partnership with Colorado utility Holy Cross Energy to once again demonstrate advanced grid controls in a community that is familiar with extreme weather and the value of resilience.

The Reorg demonstration will take place near Aspen, Colorado, and will apply newly developed controls for multiple assets including rooftop solar, energy storage, electric school buses, and Holy Cross Energys new 5-MW photovoltaic (PV) plant, among other devices.

This project is about how we can use distributed control methods to handle a massive number of distributed energy resources, like solar and energy storage, on the grid, said Fei Ding, a senior research engineer at NREL and the project lead. We will create new grid operation approaches that enable self-evolving and resilient grid configurations, and that use grid-edge intelligence.

Project partners include Mississippi State University, Minsait ACS, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and project results will be scalable and adaptable to other microgrid systems and communities.

Operational Resilience for Microgrids

Another of the projects will team NREL with University of North Carolina-Charlotte and others to integrate resilient operations into microgrid management, including pre-disturbance strategies and post-disturbance restoration. The projects name is Resilient Community Microgrids with Dynamic Reconfiguration to Serve Critical Loads in the Aftermath of Severe Events.

NREL will contribute metrics to quantify the resilience of microgrids, which will establish a measure for moment-to-moment operational resilience. NREL will also create new protection methods, which include dynamic fault detection and adaptive relay settings, said project principal investigator Rishabh Jain.

These improvements to microgrid operations will address the uncertainty associated with PV and distributed energy resources, and the impact of that uncertainty on protection settings.

This project will be unique for its use of a real-time connection of experimental resourcesa digital-twin system will link real microgrid data from North Carolina to NREL and partner laboratories. The North Carolina demonstration will take place at Duke Energys Hot Springs microgrid.

Breaking Through Business Barriers to Microgrids

A final project that NREL will participate in will be led by the Electric Power Research Institute and is named SECURESolar Energy CommUnity Resiliency.

The aim of this project is to overcome business and technical challenges that impede resilient community microgridsspecifically with communication and control architectures for system-wide microgrid coordination, said Jing Wang, an NREL researcher and project lead.

For this project, NREL will help develop a decentralized autonomous control architecture that maximizes community benefit during normal conditions by interfacing upstream with central systems and, during emergency events, isolates and coordinates with peer systems to provide power to local communities. This architecture will then be demonstrated at the Energy Systems Integration Facility on NREL hardware, along with a separate demonstration of adaptive, islandable communication systems that maintain community microgrids when communications such as cellular and internet are unavailable.

Additionally, to benefit all projects, NREL will contribute to advanced inverter controls that enhance grid-forming capabilities for solar PV inverters. The new inverter design will also be evaluated on real grid hardware. Overall, NREL will validate and demonstrate three important technical aspects to tackle the key challenges of achieving resilient community microgrids, which paves ways for successful field demonstrations in multiple utility sites.
A quadriplegic cancer survivor was left without power as the town's first selectwoman tried in vain to get the Eversource power company to prioritize the resident's case.

In another town, 200 roads were blocked for a week, putting scores of residents in danger of being closed off from emergency medical and law enforcement personnel.

The personal struggles of the more than weeklong power outages after last years Tropical Storm Isaias is spelled out in hundreds of complaints submitted to state regulators, an examination of the documents by Hearst Connecticut Media shows.

Connecticut regulators are wrapping up a months-long investigation into statewide power outages following Isaias.

The state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority received hundreds of complaints from customers and local and state officials about the storm, which at its peak left up to 800,000 customers in the dark, some for nine days or more.

PURA was told of roads blocked by downed wires for days  leaving vulnerable residents unreachable by emergency vehicles  the loss of tens of thousands of dollars in food and medicine and an inability to report outages or learn when power would be restored.

South Windsor readied plans to dump raw sewage into the Connecticut River because its wastewater treatment plant was left without power for a week. Town officials said they received help only after telling Eversource that Gov. Ned Lamont was coming to town.

PURA is scheduled to issue a draft decision March 19, followed by possible deliberations in May over violations. Eversource and United Illuminating face fines, a possible restructuring of how they operate and new performance standards.

The Aug. 4, 2020 storm was reminiscent of similar storms in 2011 and 2012  a triple hit that prompted reforms and punitive action against the utilities.

PURA should find that Eversource was imprudent in its storm preparation and response  most notably for its failure to protect public safety and communicate effectively, said Attorney General William Tong.

Much of Texas earlier this month lost power for up to 10 days after a massive snow storm blew through the state, freezing electrical systems that had not been weatherized to withstand cold temperatures. The process of determining what happened and why  and who is to blame  is just beginning in the Lone Star State.

Connecticuts utilities acknowledge communication with town officials and residents could have been better during Isaias and web pages designed to inform the public and collect outage reports did not work as intended.

But, for the most part, they praised their restoration efforts.

Our response was faster than any other historic storm, despite the unique challenges that we encountered, said Mitch Gross, an Eversource spokesman.

We recognize that a multi-day power outage is challenging for customers regardless of the intensity of our efforts to mobilize resources and restore power as quickly as possible. We continue to work with PURA, other state agencies and elected officials to evaluate opportunities to develop our storm response capabilities.

United Illuminating, an Avangrid subsidary, offered a similar assessment.

UIs overall execution in Tropical Storm Isaias was effective, efficient, and fully consistent with the (Emergency Response Plan), said Anthony Marone, UIs president.

While no event is ever perfect, the UI team worked well to complete all Make Safe work, address municipal priorities, and restore customers as quickly as possible following a most devastating event.

Eversource provides electricity to 149 towns and 1.2 million customers. UI serves just under 340,000 customers clustered in the New Haven and Bridgeport region.

Unfathomable

Testimony submitted to PURA by residents and state and town officials paints a vastly different picture of UI and Eversources performance during Isaias.

There were trees down and some property damage but nothing warranting 7-8 days to restore power, Lyn Chatham of Newtown wrote to PURA. Getting the job done and serving our community should be Eversources priority. It was NOT.

Ridgefield told PURA that downed lines meant 200 of the towns roads were not cleared for a week. A patient at a Newtown health care center had to be evacuated by an all-terrain vehicle because downed lines blocked the road.

Bethels police station was left without power for six days.

Unless there is a financial penalty for failure to plan and conduct business for the benefit of the people it services, Eversource will continue to cut costs in order to pass profits back to shareholders and its top executives, said Matthew Knickbocker, Bethels first selectman.

Maria Brown of Fairfield said she couldnt contact UI.

The way UI handled the recent power outage in Fairfield was terrible, Brown said. It was impossible to get through to UI. There were no communication to give customers an estimated time for restoration. For some, it took a week-plus to get power back.

Lorraine Russo, a Wethersfield resident who is confined to an electric wheelchair, said she had difficulty charging the device.

For several nights, I had to sleep in a darkened, sub basement parking garage, alone, in my wheelchair for approximately 6-8 hours to charge my wheelchair, Russo told PURA. This was the only plug that had power (from an onsite generator).

Russo said if the battery loses all power, it has to be replaced at a cost of $1,000 and shipped from China.

Some customers were also frustrated with cable providers. Kaitlyn Shanley of Milford, speaking about her cable service, added in testimony, We are on day 13 from the storm with out answer of when we will get our wires restored. Please help!

In Canaan, a small town nestled in the Northwestern Hills, First Selectman Henry Todd was more than frustrated with Eversource and Comcast.

I do not believe the responses of either company were anywhere near adequate, he told PURA. They had at least a week before the storm hit to prepare. Why there was no plan, no response to phone calls, is unfathomable .

PURA was told that some out-of-state crews lacked maps showing where circuits and other infrastructure were located and had to wait for Eversource or UI crews, and that outside crews were being housed two hours from work sites.

Aimee Harrison, of Stamford, urged PURA to change the rules for major storms.

Please do something to change the performance of this, our sole source for power, and the pricing which stands to force people to curtail the purchase of medicines, light, air conditioning , Harrison said.

New Fairfield First Selectman Patricia Del Monaco told PURA Eversource left a quadriplegic, cancer survivor without power and in need of help.

Throughout my conversations with Eversource, I was told that disabled customers arent entitled to critical status and must make their own arrangements, Del Monaco said.

This incident illustrated a total lack of empathy by Eversource, and a life-threatening incident caused by Eversources negligence.

Cromwell First Selectman Gordon Ridgway said his town was pretty much on its own for the first 96 hours of Isaias.

Only the power company can ultimately make the town safe, he said. Not knowing when or who was coming made it hard to plan relief. I asked early on for just one line truck, which I thought was the plan: one Make Safe crew per town.

Ridgway added, I wonder if shutting down the service centers and downsizing line crews and relying on out of state crews who dont know the local circuits is wise.

Successfully met requirements

Following Isaias, the state Legislature gave consumers a new credit on their electric bill for power outages and $250 in reimbursements for lost food and medicine if an outage lasts 96 hours or more.

PURA was directed to create a performance-based system for utilities to hold them accountable and to apply those standards during future rate increase requests.

At the time, Eversource noted that this new approach will hold us accountable if we fall short in meeting certain standards, and will acknowledge when we exceed the standards, which we believe will result in better service for our customers.

Eversource was more defiant in testimony submitted to PURA as part of the ongoing investigation, at times disputing town officials over whether a specific road was cleared or when power was restored.

The company pointed out the Bethel police station had a generator and the town was late reporting the outage.

We agree that there are commonalities among the complaints voiced in those comments and that some of the common complaints are valid, Eversource told PURA.

With particular focus on communications, the company can always do better. That said, for many of the complaints that are voiced in the comment letters, there are reasons and explanations as to the underlying circumstances.

Eversource noted the expectation that a Make Safe crew would be deployed ahead of the storm or immediately following the storm is not reasonable for a widespread event like Isaias.

A Make Safe crew is responsible for ensuring downed wires are safe so other crews can clear roads and restore power. The Make Safe program was mandated by PURA following outrage over slow power restoration during the 2011 and 2012 storms.

In response to pages of complaints from the state Office of Consumer Counsel, UI directly disputed allegations and said it did a good job.

Overall, the evidence in this docket demonstrates that UIs actions were consistent with the Performance Standards and the (Emergency Response Plan), that its municipal and customer communications were critical success factors in its storm response, and that UI achieved substantial completion of restoration of its customers within six days  on August 10, 2021  which was consistent with the ERP timeline for a Level 3 event, the company said in a February filing with PURA.

bcummings@ctpost.com

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated a Milford utility customer told regulators in a written complaint that she was without power for 13 days. The woman said she was without cable for at least 13 days, but got her power back within a week. The article also incorrectly stated that customers faced weekslong outages. The last of the United Illuminating customers to get their power back had it restored within eight days.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!

The Senate parliamentarian dealt a potentially lethal blow Thursday to Democrats' drive to hike the minimum wage, deciding that the cherished progressive goal must fall from a massive Covid-19 relief bill the party is trying to speed through Congress.

The finding by Elizabeth MacDonough, the chamber's nonpartisan arbiter of its rules, means Democrats face an overwhelmingly uphill battle to boost the this year because of solid Republican opposition. Their proposal would raise the federal minimum gradually to $15 hourly by 2025, well above the $7.25 floor in place since 2009.

President was disappointed in the outcome but respected the parliamentarian's ruling, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. The Senate has a long tradition of obeying the parliamentarian's decisions with few exceptions, a history that is revered by traditionalists like Biden, a 36-year Senate veteran.

He will work with leaders in Congress to determine the best path forward because no one in this country should work full time and live in poverty, Psaki said.

Democrats are pushing the USD 1.9 trillion relief measure through Congress under special rules that will let them avoid a Senate filibuster by Republicans, a tactic that Democrats would need an unattainable 60 votes to defeat. But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an incidental impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. The parliamentarian decides if provisions pass that test.

MacDonough's decision now forces Democrats to make politically painful choices about what to do next on the minimum wage, which has long caused internal party rifts.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Democrats are not going to give up the fight to raise the to USD 15.

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, hailed MacDonough's decision. He said it shows the special procedure that Democrats are using to protect the relief bill cannot be used as a vehicle to pass major legislative change by either party on a simple majority vote."



Republicans solidly oppose the $15 target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs. They also oppose the overall relief bill, saying it's too expensive, not targeted enough at the people and businesses that most need it and a grab bag of gifts for Democratic allies.

In the wake of the decision, Democratic leaders were likely to face unrest from rank-and-file lawmakers, who have long had differences over the federal minimum wage. They can afford little dissension: Democrats have just a 10-vote edge in the House and no votes to spare in the Senate.

Progressives seeking to maximize Democratic control of the White House and Congress have wanted party leaders to push aggressively on the issue. But Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have voiced opposition to including the minimum wage hike in the relief bill, and other moderates have expressed concerns, too.

Even so, MacDonough's decision might actually make passage of the overall relief bill easier because efforts to find a minimum wage compromise among Democrats could have been contentious.

Democrats have said they could still pursue a minimum wage boost in free-standing legislation or attach it to legislation expected later this year that is to be aimed at a massive infrastructure program. But they'd still face the challenge of garnering 60 Senate votes, a hurdle that has upended Democratic attempts to boost the minimum wage for over a decade.

Senate Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a chief sponsor of the minimum wage effort, blamed archaic and undemocratic" Senate rules for the setback. He said he'd try amending the overall relief package to erase tax deductions from large corporations that don't pay workers at least $15 an hour and to provide incentives to small businesses to raise wages.

The parliamentarian's decision came to light the night before Democrats were set to push through the House an initial version of the $1.9 trillion relief legislation that still includes the minimum wage boost.

House Democrats believe that the minimum wage hike is necessary. Therefore, this provision will remain in the" bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said.

The overall relief bill is Biden's first legislative priority. It is aimed at combating a year-old pandemic that's stalled much of the economy, killed half a million Americans and reshaped the daily lives of virtually everyone.

Despite their paper-thin congressional majorities, Democratic leaders were hoping that House approval of the package would be followed by passage in the Senate, where changes seem likely. Democrats are aiming to get the legislation to Biden's desk by mid-March.

The relief bill would provide millions of people with $1,400 direct payments. It contains billions of dollars for vaccines and Covid-19 testing, schools, state and local governments, the ailing restaurant and airline industries and emergency jobless benefits while providing tax breaks to lower earners and families with children.
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
In this Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021 file photo, President Joe Biden visits the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly asserting Biden restored taxpayer funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Social media users are falsely claiming the Biden administration is bankrolling the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a Chinese lab which has faced unproven allegations that the coronavirus leaked from the facility leading to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 16:52:03|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Hungarian President Janos Ader receives an injection of China's Sinopharm vaccine against COVID-19 in Budapest, Hungary, Feb. 26, 2021. (Photo by Noemi Bruzak/MTI/Handout via Xinhua)

BUDAPEST, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian President Janos Ader received an injection of China's Sinopharm vaccine against COVID-19 on Friday, Hungarian news agency MTI reported.

Ader's doctors have advised him to get vaccinated as soon as possible, MTI said.

Meanwhile, in a short message aired by Hungarian public television M1, Ader called on all Hungarians to register for the vaccination as soon as possible.

"Anyone who gets the chance to receive the first and then the second vaccine with any product approved by the Hungarian authorities and Hungarian experts should do so," Ader said.

"Let's trust our doctors, let's trust our healthcare system," Ader said, adding that he hoped that Hungarians would soon leave the pandemic behind.

Hungary currently has stocks of vaccines from five producers, including China's Sinopharm. The first shipment of the Sinopharm vaccine arrived in Budapest on Feb. 16. Hungary has started to administer the Sinopharm vaccine on Feb. 24.

As of Friday, 521,283 people had received at least the first shot of a vaccine, while 240,622 had two jabs, according to the government's coronavirus information website. Enditem
Michael Halberstam was the older brother of the prominent journalist David Halberstam. By trade, the elder Halberstam was a cardiologist. He died way too soon as the result of a gunshot wound he sustained during the robbery of his D.C. residence.

Dr. Halberstam seems to have been the wittier of the two brothers. In his spare time he wrote the unjustly neglected satirical novel The Wanting of Levine (1978) about the first Jewish president. Even if it petered out toward the end, the novel nevertheless proved prescient in at least one respect  as Ira Stoll observed in the 2017 New York Sun column Trumps Electoral Triumph Was Imagined in a Novel Written 40 Years Ago.

Halberstams novel came to mind this week in connection with President Bidens nomination of Dr. Rachel Levine to be assistant secretary of Health and Human Services. Dr. Levine testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP!) Committee in support of her confirmation this past Thursday.

She seemed to me the embodiment of a satirical take on identity politics. One cant help but wonder whether the proximate cause of her selection is that she is yet another of the firsts about which Biden has bragged. She is biologically male, but identifies as transgender female. She will be the first avowed transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate.

Biden nominated her on the proposition that in Levine the woman and the moment have met: Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic  no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability  and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond, Biden said in a statement. Biden added: She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administrations health efforts. Bidens reference to her as a historic choice is the key.

In her appearance before the committee Senator Paul inquired about the use of puberty-blocking drugs and surgical amputations for minors with gender dysphoria. Starting with our general condemnation of genital mutilation from social custom or pressure, Paul raised the question whether minors should be permitted to have themselves altered (video below).

The Washington Post has yet to cover Amazons suppression of Ryan Andersons When Harry Became Sally on this question. The Post nevertheless went ballistic condemning Senator Paul for his line of inquiry. According to Post columnist Monica Hesse, Thursday was a day of historic firsts, of alarm and outrage  all (the alarm and outrage, anyway) thanks to Senator Paul posing this question:

Dr. Levine, you have supported both allowing minors to be given hormone blockers to prevent them from going through puberty as well as surgical destruction of a minors genitalia. Like surgical mutilation, hormonal interruption of puberty can permanently alter and prevent secondary sexual characteristics. The American College of Pediatricians reports that 80% to 95% of prepubertal children with gender dysphoria will experience resolution by late adolescence if not exposed to medical intervention and social affirmation. Dr. Levine, do you believe that minors are capable of making such a life-changing decision as changing ones sex?

Levine provided a classic Washington response: Transgender medicine is a very complex and nuanced field with robust research and standards of care that have been developed. It was a nonanswer. Nevertheless, as they say, she persisted. She graciously added that if confirmed to the position of assistant secretary of health, I would certainly be pleased to come to your office and to talk to you and your staff about the standards of care and the complexity of this field.

Committee chair Patty Murray provided the unintentionally humorous conclusion to Senator Pauls futile inquiries: Senator [sic] Levine, thank you for answering the question [sic].

Via Madeleine Kearns/NR and Harris Rigby/Not the Bee and Matt Hadro/National Catholic Register.
Beirut, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2021 ) :Syria on Friday condemned a deadly US air strike on Iran-backed militias in its far east as a bad omen from the administration of new US President Joe Biden.

The US said it carried out the strikes overnight at a Syria-Iraq border control point used by Iran-backed groups, destroying "multiple facilities" in retaliation for a spate of rocket attacks targeting its troops in Iraq.

A war monitor said at least 22 fighters were killed in the operation that struck three trucks loaded with munitions coming from Iraq near the Syrian frontier town of Albu Kamal.

It was the first US military action targeting such groups since Biden took office five weeks ago and came just as Washington had opened the door to resuming negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear programme.

"At President Biden's direction", the US raids targeted "infrastructure utilised by Iranian-backed militant groups in eastern Syria", Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

"These strikes were authorised in response to recent attacks against American and coalition personnel in Iraq, and to ongoing threats to those personnel." The air strikes were an "unambiguous message" from Biden, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

Biden "is sending an unambiguous message that he's going to act to protect Americans and when threats are posed, he has the right to take an action at the time and (in) the manner of his choosing", she said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strike killed at least 22 fighters from Iraq's state-sponsored Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force.

The raid also destroyed border posts of the Hashed, an umbrella group that includes many small militias with ties to Iran, said the monitor.

Kirby said the location was used by Kataeb Hezbollah and Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada, two Iraqi groups operating under the Hashed.

Kataeb Hezbollah said one of its fighters was killed and slammed the strike in a statement as "a barbaric aggression", calling it "a heinous crime in violation of international law".

-'Bad sign'- It identified the dead fighter as Rahi al-Sharifi and said he had been "stationed at the Iraqi-Syrian border to protect Iraq's land and people from the gangs" of the Islamic State group.

Syria condemned the strike as "cowardly American aggression".

"It is a bad sign regarding the policies of the new US administration which should adhere to international" norms, its foreign ministry said.

Iraq's defence ministry denied the US had coordinated with it to conduct the strike, saying it only works together with the US-led coalition in the fight against IS.

Syria's ally Russia also condemned the attack, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov questioning the Biden administration's plans in Syria.

"It is very important for us to understand the United States' strategic line on the ground," he said.

The US action followed three rocket attacks on facilities in Iraq used by US and coalition forces fighting IS.

One of those strikes, on a military complex in the Kurdish regional capital Arbil on February 15, killed a civilian and a foreign contractor working with coalition forces, and wounded several US contractors and a soldier.

Last week, the Biden administration offered talks with Iran led by European allies as it seeks to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal, left on the brink of collapse after Biden's predecessor Donald Trump withdrew from it.

But the new administration has also made clear it would not brook "malign activities" in the region by Iran.

The Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency authorization Saturday for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the first single-dose vaccine to be available for use in the U.S.

The announcement came a day after an expert panel tapped by the FDA unanimously endorsed the vaccine, green0lighting it to be administered to people 18 and older.

The vaccine is the third approved for use in the United States, with the sign-off coming nearly a year after the pandemic began sweeping across the country. To date, the coronavirus has infected nearly 30 million people and killed more than 500,000 in the U.S., and across the globe stricken 113 million and killed 2.5 million.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said California expects to receive around 380,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as early as this week. Newsom called the authorization excellent news.

Studies showed the vaccine had a 72% efficacy rate for preventing the virus in the United States, 64% in South Africa and 61% in Latin America, according to FDA materials. Those figures are lower than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine efficacy rates, which clocked in at 95% and 94%, respectively.

But Johnson & Johnsons vaccine, made by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, is regarded as a more accessible alternative to vaccines offered by Moderna and the Pfizer-BioNTech partnership, which both require two shots. Unlike the other vaccines, the J&J vaccine does not need to be shipped and stored frozen and needs only to be refrigerated.

In a press call shortly after the announcement, Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock said the vaccines authorization adds a crucial tool to the fight against COVID-19.

The process that FDA uses to review medical products is respected worldwide, and commonly referred to as the gold standard, she said.

San Franciscos Department of Public Health called the announcement a positive development in the fight against COVID and said it looks forward to further guidance from the federal and state governments.

All populations may benefit from application of a single dose, and we are working on operational plans to manage that supply, the statement said.

The United States purchased 100 million doses of Johnson & Johnsons vaccine in August, an investment that would allow its use after an approval or emergency use authorization by the FDA, the company announced at the time. The agreement secured Johnson & Johnson a contract worth more than $1 billion with the federal governments Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and left open the option for the United States to buy an additional 200 million doses.

After the advisory committees vote Friday, the FDA issued a statement pledging to rapidly work toward finalization and issuance of an emergency use authorization.

The agency has also notified our federal partners involved in vaccine allocation and distribution so they can execute their plans for timely vaccine distribution, the statement said.

The first shipments of the vaccine are expected within days.

Separately, the House voted to approve the $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package early Saturday, sending the first major bill of President Bidens administration to the Senate. The president urged the Senate to act swiftly.

If we act now  decisively, quickly and boldly  we can finally get ahead of this virus. We can finally get our economy moving again. The people of this country have suffered far too much for too long. We need to relieve that suffering, Biden said in remarks from the White House.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Lauren Hernandez contributed to this report.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
The Joint Forces' units have returned fire.

The Command of Ukraine's Armed Forces has reported 11 wounded in action (WIA) amid 14 violations of the ceasefire agreement by Russia-controlled armed groups in the Donbas warzone on Friday, February 26.

"In the past day, February 26, as many as 14 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 27, 2021.

Read alsoEscalation in Donbas linked to upcoming parliamentary election in Russia  MFA UkraineRussia-led forces used proscribed 120mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems and small arms near the village of Vodiane, a result of which, six Ukrainian servicemen received shrapnel wounds, and three more sustained combat injuries.

Enemy troops mounted attacks on Ukrainian positions near the village of Pisky, using 120mm and 82mm mortars, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms.

Also, Russian occupation troops employed automatic and hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and sniper rifles near the village of Luhanske. The enemy remotely planted POM-2 anti-personnel landmines in front of Ukrainian positions in the said direction.

In addition, the enemy fired small arms near the town of Maryinka and the village of Lebedynske. A Ukrainian serviceman was wounded as a result of the shelling, the report said.

Read alsoRussian General Kuzovlev promoted for his role in Donbas warWhat is more, the enemy used an automatic grenade launcher, small arms, and a tripod-mounted man-portable antitank gun, near the villages of Kamianka and Pivdenne, and the town of Svitlodarsk, respectively.

Ukrainian units delivered an adequate rebuff to enemy provocations, the JFO HQ said.

Moreover, the IED incident occurred near the village of Nevelske. The injured soldier was hospitalized.

All wounded servicemen were rushed to the hospital where they received medical assistance, the report said.

With the aim of an immediate ceasefire, the Ukrainian side of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) of the ceasefire in Donbas repeatedly sent requests for a truce regime through the OSCE SMM. However, all of them were ignored by Russian-controlled mercenaries with the self-proclaimed "Luhanks and Donetsk People's Republics" in eastern Ukraine.

Since Saturday midnight, February 27, one ceasefire violation was recorded in the JFO zone. In particular, the enemy fired small arms near the village of Zaitseve.

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
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-28 00:20:56|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- A 23-year-old man was seriously wounded by a crocodile after a two-hour fight in Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania's Nkasi district of Rukwa region, an official said on Saturday.

Said Mtanda, Nkasi district commissioner, said the crocodile attacked the man identified as Thomas Kasagama, a resident of Kabwe village, as he was taking a bath in the crocodile-infested lake.

"The man cheated death after fighting for two hours with the crocodile and later was rescued by passersby," said the official, adding that the incident occurred on Friday at around 5 p.m. local time.

Speaking from his Nkomolo hospital bed, Kasagama told a local newspaper that the crocodile attacked him shortly after he had started taking a bath in the lake.

"Realizing I was in danger, I decided to swim into deep waters where the crocodile would have no place to support itself. I started to fight so as to discharge myself from the crocodile," he said.

He said he screamed at the top of his voice alerting people onshore to rescue him.

"By the time I was rescued the crocodile had already done damage to my left leg and my left ribs," said Kasagama. Enditem
Australias universities face the prospect of a prolonged Chinese student drought as reports sweep through the multi-billion dollar industry that Chinese agencies are being encouraged by local authorities not to send students to Australia.

The universities first began receiving these reports at the beginning of this week, at which point the advice not to recommend or advertise Australian universities appeared to be circulating only to agents in smaller regional cities. By Thursday, university sources confirmed some reports had expanded to include Beijing and Shanghai, Chinas two largest cities.

Australian universities have received reports through their Chinese networks that local recruitment agents have been encouraged not to send students to Australia. Credit:Photo: Louise Kennerley

Group of Eight chief executive Vicki Thomson said her member universities  which include the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne  had heard the reports but their veracity remained unclear as there had been no official notification from Chinese authorities.

There is definitely something afoot. Either agents are being told not to direct students here or they are being told not to mention Australia as an option for study. But weve had no official notification from anybody, Ms Thomson said.
Posted Saturday, February 27, 2021 8:50 am

Just five of 18 investigations into police use of deadly force reviewed by the Washington state attorney general's office met all the requirements of an independent investigation called for after the passage of a new police accountability law, according to a report released Friday.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson in June ordered a review of all police deadly-force incidents in Washington since January 2020, when new rules called for under the voter-approved Initiative 940 went into effect.

The review followed revelations, reported in The Seattle Times, that the Pierce County Sheriff's Department failed to comply with the requirements of I-940 while investigating the suffocation death of Manuel Ellis while in Tacoma police custody.

Overall, the report found that most of the regional Independent Investigative Teams (IITs) formed to review police shootings are trying  with varying degrees of effort and success  to comply with the spirit if not the letter of I-940, which requires independent, conflict-free and transparent investigations into police uses of deadly force.

"These findings represent a snapshot of the first six months after the new rules became effective" on Jan. 6, 2020, the report states, pointing out that "government agencies can experience challenges with the initial implementation of new rules."

The attorney general's office had made it clear  over the objections of the families of victims of police violence and reformers  that it could not review the adequacy or conclusions of the investigations themselves or look at any that occurred before the new law took effect. The attorney general sent out a survey to see how well local police and sheriffs are complying with the reforms, which require public involvement and transparency, including allowing appointing members of the public inside the deadly-force investigations.

Annalesa Thomas, whose unarmed son, Leonard, was killed by a Lakewood police-led SWAT team in 2013, said she's concerned that Ferguson's report will be seen as an endorsement of the investigations themselves.

"He is clearly sending the wrong message to the legislative body that there is a definite need for a completely independent investigative team," said Thomas, whose family sued and won a $15 million federal civil-rights verdict. Thomas used some of that money to support the passage of I-940 and form Next Steps Washington, a community-based police reform group.

"The bottom line is that the police are still investigating police," Thomas said. "These investigations are flawed with conflict of interest."

While the attorney general's office began with a list of roughly 30 incidents culled from news accounts, the report says Ferguson's office wound up looking at 18 investigations conducted by 12 of the state's 14 regional IITs, which are composed of detectives from several area agencies. When a deadly-force incident occurs, detectives from the agency involved are excluded from the investigation, with a goal of minimizing conflicts of interest.

Ferguson also gathered survey results from 10 individuals who had been appointed community observers of the investigations after signing stringent confidentiality agreements.

The attorney general's office found just seven of the 18 investigations involved the requisite two community members, who also are supposed to review and vet conflict of interest forms provided by IIT detectives. Five others involved at least one community member, the survey found.

Ferguson's office said improvements are being seen in this area, particularly. "Several IITs subsequently reported improved processes to comply with the new regulations, including the provisions regarding non-law enforcement community representatives," the report said.

"In general, IITs must improve compliance with the provision that requires IITs to select at least two non-law enforcement community representatives to assist with each investigation," the attorney general's review concluded.

Two agencies refused to cooperate and did not return the attorney general's questionnaire. One was the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, which had the Ellis homicide investigation taken away from it after it came to light that a sheriff's deputy was at the scene and helped restrain Ellis, who died on March 3 from suffocation while in Tacoma police custody. The Washington State Patrol is now reviewing Ellis' death.

The other was the Region 3 Critical Incident Investigation Team, made up of detectives from Thurston, Lewis, Pacific, Grays Harbor and Mason counties. The Region 3 team is currently investigating the deaths of Sok Chin Son, shot by a Thurston County sheriff's deputy in January 2020; Kathryn Hale, who was shot by a Mason County sheriff's deputy; and a case only described as an "unidentified individual."

The Region 3 IIT instead offered to share the investigative files for those cases, but that information was not sufficient for the survey, the attorney general wrote. The Mason County Sheriff's Office  the lead agency for the Region 3 team  did not return a telephone message seeking comment.

A Seattle Times review of the Ellis investigation showed numerous instances where the Pierce County Sheriff's Office had not met the requirements of I-940.

Ferguson stressed that public participation is key to the success of the independent investigative team model and the state's efforts to make police use-of-force investigations reliable and transparent. While fewer than half of the agencies were successful at integrating civilians into the process, progress is being made.

"Moreover, community representatives who shared their experiences with the office of the attorney general reported that serving as a community representative was a positive experience, noting the transparency and professionalism of the IITs," Ferguson said.

___

(c)2021 The Seattle 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.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.



You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close

Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
The Pentagon logo is seen behind the podium in the briefing room at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on Jan. 8, 2020. (Al Drago/Reuters)

Congress to Get Full Classified Briefing on Syria Strike Next Week: White House

The White House announced Friday that congressional leadership had been briefed before President Joe Biden ordered strikes on Iranian-backed militia groups in Syria on Thursday and that lawmakers would be given a full classified briefing on the matter next week.

The Department of Defense briefed Congressional leadership before the action last night. The Administration has been briefing the Hill at the Member and staff-level today. There will be a full classified briefing early next week at the latest, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement Friday, after several Democrats called for information on the rationale for the strike.

The American people deserve to hear the Administrations rationale for these strikes and its legal justification for acting without coming to Congress. Offensive military action without congressional approval is not constitutional absent extraordinary circumstances. Congress must be fully briefed on this matter expeditiously, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), chair of the Senate Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee, said in a statement.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he looked forward to receiving more specific information about yesterdays airstrike in Syria.

A Pentagon spokesman said earlier that the strikes were in retaliation for attacks against U.S. and coalition personnel in Iraq.

Theres not much more that Ill be able to add at this point other than the fact that were confident in the target we went after, we know what we hit, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Thursday. Were confident that the target was being used by the same Shia militia that conducted the strikes.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a media briefing at the Pentagon in Washington on Feb. 19, 2021. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

Psaki said Friday that, by authorizing the strike, Biden is sending an unambiguous message that hes going to act to protect Americans and when threats are posed he has the right to take an action at the time and the manner of his choosing.

Lawmakers were divided on the strikes, with some questioning them and others saying they were lawful.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) said Bidens attack was a reckless abuse of his presidential powers, adding, We should be ENDING wars, not starting them.

I condemn meddling in Syrias civil war. I also condemn attacking a sovereign nation without authority, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said, sharing an old tweet from White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), though, said he appreciated the strikes. It is imperative that our enemies know that attacking Americans comes at a cost, he wrote in a statement.

POTUS authorized an airstrike on Iran-backed militia in Syria in response to attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq I support POTUSs decision to deter Iranian aggression & defend our troops, allies & interests, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) added in a tweet.

The Associated Press and Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.

Jaipur Literature Fest: Author Joseph E. Stiglitz explains more about GDP

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

Jaipur, Feb 22: The Jaipur Literature Festival, that is known as the "greatest literary show on Earth", is a sumptuous feast of ideas. Each year, several world's greatest writers, humanitarians, politicians, business leaders and entertainers are welcomed on one stage to champion the freedom to express and engage in thoughtful dialogue.

This year, OneIndia and Dailyhunt are the proud partners as live streaming partner and digital media partner respectively for the Jaipur Literary Fest 2021.

Jaipur Literature Fest: Pavan K Varma highlight types of elements used in Indian Literature

Earlier, the fest witnessed Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in conversation with Harvard University Professor Michael Sandel where the two spoke about the book "The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good?" that shows the polarised politics of time reflecting the deep divide between winners and losers.

In its latest session on "Measuring What Counts: The Global Movement for Well-Being", this volume successfully explains what GDP does not and cannot measure well and suggests that countries should publish a dashboard that measures what is really important.

Author Joseph E. Stiglitz propose 67 indicators that would present a more complete picture of the health of a national economy. Although these are useful measures, many countries would find it a challenge to collect and maintain such thorough statistics.

Click here to login

During the discussion, Stiglitz said that book provides an accessible overview of the last decade's global movement, sparked by the original critique of GDP, and proposes a new "dashboard" of metrics to assess a society's health, including measures of inequality and economic vulnerability, whether growth is environmentally sustainable, and how people feel about their lives.

click here to watch

The 14th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival 2021 (JLF) has also followed suit of virtual. The festival took place in a virtual avatar from February 19, and will end on 21. The fest will again resume from February 26 to 28.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 27, 2021, 8:37 [IST]


At the event, Soonthorn Xayachak, Secretary of the LPRP Central Committee and head of the committees Commission for External Relations, who is the Special Envoy of General Secretary of the LPRP and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, said that the LPLPs 11th National Congress was a success, becoming an important milestone to a new development period of the revolution of Laos.

The congress approved a Political Report of the 10th LPRP Central Committee, along with socio-economic development in the 2021-2025 period, as well as the amendment and supplementation of the LPRP Charter, and reviewed the leadership of the 10th LPRP Central Committee. The congress also elected the 11th LPRP Central Committee.

Soonthorn Xayachak thanked the CPV Central Committee, CPV General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong as well as leaders of the Party, State and major agencies of Vietnam for extending congratulations to the congress and their Lao counterparts. He also thanked Vietnam for supporting Laos in organising the congress, while congratulating the CPV on the success of its 13th National Congress.

For his part, Hoang Binh Quan, head of the CPV Central Committees Commission for External Relations and Special Envoy of Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong, showed his delight at the fruitful results of the LPLPs 11th National Congress and the election of deputies to the 9th Lao National Assembly, describing them as important political events of Laos, opening up a new period in the national defence and construction of Laos.

Quan expressed his belief that under the leadership of the LPRP, the Lao people will continue to gain new achievements in their renewal process and successfully realise the resolution released at the 11th LPRP National Congress, thus building a nation of peace, independence, democracy, unification and prosperity towards socialism.

He affirmed that the Party, State and people of Vietnam always give strong and comprehensive support to the national reform, defence, construction and development of Laos.

Quan and Soonthorn Xayachak shared the pleasure with the growth of the special solidarity between the two countries, which has brought about practical benefits to their people.

The two sides underscored the determination to work closely together to overcome difficulties and challenges to implement the resolution of each party, while coordinating closely in effectively implementing agreements reached by senior leaders of the two Parties and countries.

In any circumstance, the two sides will do their utmost to protect, maintain and reinforce the Vietnam-Laos ties and make the relations stronger, evergreen and everlasting to pass on to younger generations, they stated.
A firefighter suffered a burn injury and dozens of people were displaced from their homes early Saturday morning when a fire spread through a residential building in Paterson, fire officials said.

The blaze broke out at about 2:10 a.m. at a two-story building at 30-32 N. Seventh St. and was still burning as of 7:30 a.m., according to Andrew Ricciardi, deputy chief of the Paterson Fire Department.

The fire is contained but not under control, Ricciardi told NJ Advance Media.

A Paterson fire captain suffered a burn injury while fighting the blaze, and he was taken to Saint Barnabas Medical Center for treatment, officials said.

All the people inside the burning building escaped unharmed, but they have been displaced, Ricciardi said.

The displaced residents, about 49 people, are getting assistance from Paterson officials and the American Red Cross, the deputy fire chief said.

The Paterson Fire Department responded to an early-morning blaze on North Seventh Street on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021. One firefighter suffered a burn injury, and dozens of residents were displaced from their homes. Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media

Ricciardi said the cause of the blaze is under investigation, and its too early to determine whether it was accidental or suspicious.

With three fire companies from Paterson still at the scene, firefighters from surrounding towns are assisting by covering the city, the deputy chief said.

Paterson Fire Department battles 3rd Alarm, N7th Street Fire that displaces 50 people.



1 FIrefighter burned and sent to St Barnabas. pic.twitter.com/xJVrtzMgqT  Jerry Speziale (@JerrySpeziale) February 27, 2021

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com.
Felipe Saurez Barocio, 63, of Atwater, Calif., owner of Agriculture Services Inc., and his daughter, Angelita Barocio-Negrete, 34, of Merced, were sentenced to 10 years after pleading no contest to six felony counts of insurance fraud each.

Both serve six years in custody and four years on mandatory supervision. They were also ordered this week to pay $2.5 million restitution  the amount of workers compensation insurance premium they reportedly avoided paying over five years.

Barocio and his daughter reportedly underreported employee payroll by $11 million to fraudulently reduce the businesss premium for workers comp insurance. The fraud potentially left employed farm workers without insurance coverage and at financial risk.

On Oct. 14, 2019, State Compensation Insurance Fund filed a suspected fraudulent claim with the California Department of Insurance alleging potential insurance fraud. SCIF reported that Barocio, as owner of a farm labor contracting business, underreported employee payroll in order to reduce the proper rate of insurance premium owed to SCIF.

An investigation by the California Department of Insurance reportedly revealed that between 2015 and 2019, Barocio and his daughter, who worked as the office manager, provided SCIF with fabricated quarterly employee payroll reports. The CDI discovered $11 million in missing payroll when they compared the quarterly reports submitted to SCIF to the quarterly reports submitted to the Employment Development Department. This underreporting of employee payroll resulted in a total loss of $2,5 million in insurance premium.

Barocio and his daughter, Barocio-Negrete, were sentenced on Jan. 12 in the Merced Courthouse and ordered to pay restitution on Feb. 22.

The Merced County District Attorneys Office prosecuted this case.

Topics California Workers' Compensation Agribusiness
A man walks to lay flowers near where Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was gunned down, in Moscow (AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Thousands of people have streamed on to a Moscow bridge overlooking the Kremlin to lay flowers and mark the sixth anniversary of the killing of Russian opposition figure Boris Nemtsov.

Nemtsov, 55, a former deputy prime minister, was shot to death as he walked along the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky bridge late at night on February 27, 2015.

Among those who attended the commemoration was Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Expand Close People gather on the anniversary of Boris Nemtsovs death (AP/Dmitri Lovetsky) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp People gather on the anniversary of Boris Nemtsovs death (AP/Dmitri Lovetsky)

Mr Navalnys detention in January upon returning to Moscow from five months of recuperating in Germany from a nerve-agent poisoning set off a wave of nationwide protests.

Nemtsov was one of Russias most energetic and charismatic opposition figures, and his death was a blow to political opponents of President Vladimir Putin.

An officer in the security forces of Chechnyas Kremlin-backed leader was sentenced to 20 years for firing the shots that killed Nemtsov. Four other men were sentenced to 11 to 19 years for involvement.

'Remote learning is variable, some children have no broadband, insufficient computer hardware. Some teachers are adept at providing online learning and teaching, some are not.' Picture posed

Our leaders in education have failed our youth during this pandemic. That is clear.

That is not to pick upon individual teachers and school principals. The system, our government, the Department of Education, teaching unions, have failed our youth.

School and education has been disrupted for nearly a year, beginning with the first lockdown last March and continuing to this day when children, primary and secondary remain outside their classrooms with a stagnated return starting on March 1st.

There will be no Junior Certificate exams this summer, there was no Junior Certificate exam last summer.

The Leaving Certificate was moved to calculated grades last year, with exams during the summer holidays for those who wished to sit the actual exams.

Similar plans were announced for this year's cohort of Leaving Certs last week.

Undoubtedly educators have had to deal with an unprecdented scenario with the arrival of COVID-19 and the absolute need for public health to take priority.

No one is arguing that teachers should be in classrooms at the expense of their own safety and health concerns. Teacher and pupil safety is paramount, but has enough been done for school going children in the last twelve months?

Remote learning is variable, some children have no broadband, insufficient computer hardware. Some teachers are adept at providing online learning and teaching, some are not. Does assigning homework and coursework to students to complete qualify as teaching?

In primary schools the communication between the teacher and pupil is routed through the parent or guardian, that's not the case in secondary schools where teachers communicate with the students directly. Parents are outside the loop and can find it very difficult to find out what is going on, how much schoolwork is being done, how many online classes are being held every day.

If parents are working outside the home during the school day they have no way of monitoring their child and their schoolwork.

Children pulling the wool over their parents eyes didn't arrive with the pandemic.

The brightest and the best will find a way to thrive, but what about the average student? How do you realistically expect Junior Certificate students to remain motiviated and engaged with remote learning now that their exams have been abandoned?

A student now in Junior Certificate year has had second and third year severely disrupted. If that student chooses Transition Year next September, where the emphasis is on personal development and growth rather than traditional school subjects and teaching, they will have another year outside the formal and traditional school structure. They will then enter the Leaving Certificate cycle in September 2022 not having had a full school year since their first year which started in September 2018.

Only the brightest and the best and the most dedicated of students will not be adversely affected by such experience.

What about the children living in difficut home environments were abuse or bullying is present.

What about children living in a home, where parents cannot afford to have the heating on during the day. Children are sitting in a cold house and some may also be going hungry.

Why are schools not open as havens for these children, where they can attend if they have poor broadband, no computer equipment, are cold, hungry or in an unsafe environment.

Only a fraction of the school population would need such facilities and they could be supervised by a small fraction of the teaching staff in the school, all socially distanced.

You may point that those children might be identifiable and therefore possibly stigmatised as coming from a vulnerable backround, but it is any worse than leaving them excluded with no support network.

What about first year students who missed out on their final months in primary school, have started secondary school under socially distanced guidelines, which will have made settling into a new school, with multipule new subjects and teachers, while trying to make new friendships so much more difficult.

What about second year students, who have had their first two years of secondary school severely disrupted?

What about social exclusion. Children of all ages have not mixed with their peers for several months. When schools were open before Christmas, it was a very sterile environment, with much of the school extra cirrcular activities suspended. No sports, no drama, no school tours, no TY ball or school debs. Mixing with students in the classrooms or school yards was curtailed and if you are the parent of a single child, they may not have mixed with anyone their own age for several weeks.

Staging exams is just one part of the education system. Children take much, much more from their schooldays, the best days of their lives. Or so we used to say.

Schools might well be reopening in the next couple of weeks and hopefully will remain open until the end of the school year in May for secondary schools and June for primary schools, but educators need to examine the cost of the pandemic and the damage it has done to our children.

So much as fallen through the cracks, damage has been done and skirmishes between the Minister for Education and trade unions are distractions.

We need an honest apprasial of the mistakes and a blueprint agreed upon ove the summer to regain lost ground for when schools return in September when hopefully the vaccine programme will have advanced sufficiently that we can be confident of leaving the dark days of the pandemic behind.
A US court has ordered North Korea to pay for the damages caused to the crew and family of the spy ship USS Pueblo. The crew was captured by the North Korean navy and tortured for a time period of 11 months in the year 1968. In the hearing, the Washington Federal court said that the surviving members of the crew and families of those who have lost their lives deserve the compensatory damages for confinement. The amount came down to $1.15 billion and it was further doubled for punitive damages against Pyongyang.

US court awards $2.3 billion to USS Pueblo crew

The court said that the captured were mentally and physically abused during their captivity. Alan Balaran, the government-appointed special master, wrote about how damages were to be allocated. According to the reports by The Guardian, Balaran wrote that as a result of the barbarity which was inflicted by North Koreans, almost everyone required medical intervention. He also added that many had to undergo invasive surgeries because of the same.

Read: US Lawmakers, Civil Society Groups Urge Biden To Support TRIPS Waiver Proposal

More than 100 crew members and their relatives filed a suit against North Korea in February 2018 as a part of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. This act allows victims to sue state sponsors of terrorism for torture, personal injury or death. According to the reports by CNN, the lead attorneys for the victims, Mark Bravin, termed the judgement a "tremendous result. The Pueblo remains a commissioned ship in the US Navy. However, ince 2013 North Korea has used it as a tourist attraction and for a propaganda museum in Pyongyang.

Read: US: Prez Biden Announces Partnership With Private Businesses To Spread COVID-19 Awareness

The suit was also brought up in the year 2008 by few members of the crew- William Thomas Massie, Dunnie Richard Tuck and Donald Raymond McClarren, and Rose Bucher, wife of the Pueblo's late commander, Lloyd Bucher. The court then awarded the three surviving crew members $16.75 million each. Also, Bucher's estate $12.5 million was awarded for the abuse suffered during capture.

Read: Pentagon Confident That 'target Was Hit' As US Strikes Iranian-backed Militias In Syria

Also Read: US: What Is The Equality Act?, Here's All That You Need To Know
Paxton, IL (60957)

Today

Mainly cloudy. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mainly cloudy. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 13:05:58|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BRATISLAVA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Central Europe, which includes countries such as Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, is bracing for the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, topping the world in infection rate and death rate.

As COVID-19 continues dominating the agenda of governments in central Europe, new restrictive measures are introduced to prevent the outbreak from worsening. Governments also called on the public to strictly observe all kinds of orders and fight the epidemic together.

NEW RESTRICTIONS

The third wave of COVID-19 has hit Poland, with around 12,000 infections recorded on two consecutive days. Due to the situation, the Polish authorities stressed tighter rules on faces masks, mandating masks in public space starting Saturday, instead of the previously allowed alternatives including scarfs and visors.

"The situation is very difficult outside the Polish border, especially in the South. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the epidemic figures are three-four times higher than in Poland. For this reason, we have decided to impose quarantine on people arriving from those countries," said Polish Health Minister Adam Niedzielski.

Those presenting a negative test result conducted within the preceding 48 hours are exempted from such quarantine measures. Both antigen and PCR tests are valid. Otherwise, the quarantine will be obligatory, according to Niedzielski.

In the Czech Republic, on average, nearly 1,000 new infections occur in every million people per day. Calling the situation "extremely serious," Prime Minister Andrej Babis said the existing anti-epidemic measures must be tightened.

In Austria, the government has imposed two rounds of lockdown to contain the pandemic. The public's patience has worn thin. The economic and social damage has piled up. Under pressure, the government has been treading carefully to relax lockdown in some areas while maintaining restrictions in other.

Meanwhile, it is increasing coronavirus testing, which is free of charge in the country's test centers and pharmacies.

PROLONGED LOCKDOWN

The Czech government has declared a fresh state of emergency for 30 days until March 28. The Chamber of Deputies also approved a pandemic law, which allows the Ministry of Health and sanitation stations to have more choices in imposing restrictions.

Hungary will maintain the current restrictive measures until March 15. The restrictions include a curfew between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., mandatory wearing of face masks, the closure of theaters, cinemas, and hotels, as well as digital education for secondary and college students. Restaurants are allowed to offer takeaway services only.

"Mass vaccination will provide an opportunity to ease the restrictions. But we are currently in the third wave of the epidemic, so we will extend the measures until March 15," Gergely Gulyas, head of the Prime Minister's office, told a press conference on Thursday.

VACCINATION UNDERWAY

Vaccination against COVID-19 has been underway in the Czech Republic, but the vaccine quantity is not sufficient to meet the demand. Almost 582,000 vaccine doses have been applied so far with roughly 221,000 people having received both shots.

Hungary has already started to administer the Sinopharm vaccine as a third wave of the pandemic looms. As of Thursday, 508,073 people received at least one shot of the vaccine, while 211,073 had two jabs, according to official figures.

When asked whether Poland is looking for vaccines apart from those approved by the European Union (EU), Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said that Poland wants EU-approved vaccines only.

"The main criterion for us is the safety of patients. That is why we only consider vaccines admitted by the European Medicines Agency," Niedzielski said,

During a video summit of leaders of the EU member states, held on Thursday and Friday, Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic asked other member states to lend vaccines and send health workers to his country. He also thanked countries that have shown solidarity with Slovakia. Enditem

(Xinhua writers Jiang Xue in Bratislava, Yuan Liang in Budapest, Zheng Zhang in Warsaw, Yang Xiaohong in Prague, Yu Tao in Vienna, Zhao Feifei in Vienna contributed to the report.)
For the next six weeks, motorists along eastbound state Route 78 from Vista to Interstate 15 will see a series of electronic signs telling them to slow to a specific speed, then to speed up again.

Its part of a pilot study aimed at synchronizing traffic in an effort to reduce bottlenecks that happen every rush hour, but will depend on at least partial compliance of drivers to make it work.

The California Department of Transportation, in partnership with the Institute of Transportation Studies and the University of California Berkeley, is conducting the Variable Speed Advisory project, which it hopes could lead to reduced delays on area freeways.

Route 78 is consistently one of the most congested highways in the region during commuting hours. Traffic will often bottleneck in certain areas  through much of San Marcos in the afternoon and in Escondido and part of San Marcos in the mornings -- causing delays of 10 to 30 minutes.

Advertisement

Starting Tuesday morning, seven electronic variable speed signs on the shoulder will advise travelers of speeds that will optimize their commute time, said Ed Cartagena of Caltrans.

The signs will be activated between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and again from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. through April, Cartagena said.

He said the congestion issues along what is the primary east-west North County highway are pretty simple to explain. As more and more homes and jobs move into the area, the highway simply hasnt been able to keep up with the daily traffic demands, Cartagena said.

Add to that the expanding student populations of Cal State San Marcos and Palomar College, both largely commuter schools, and the problems have just gotten worse.

The aim of synchronizing traffic is to gradually slow traffic in advance of a bottleneck in order to keep traffic moving and avoiding stop-and-go traffic, said state Route 78 Corridor Director Allan Kosup. Essentially, we are asking motorists to slow down to go faster.

The roadside variable speed signs will display the advisory speeds at increments/decrements of 5 mph based on the traffic conditions.

The speeds are not enforceable and serve only as an advisory for motorists.

At the completion of the six weeks, staff from UC Berkeley will verify the algorithms, assess the compliance rates and overall change in queuing on one of San Diegos most congested interchanges, said Caltrans state Route 76/78 Corridor Project Manager Karen Jewel. Interested parties can view real-time results atwww.caconnectedvehicletestbed.org/VSA/ and can expect to view the studys findings later this summer.

Advertisement

Advertisement

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
Outcry from urban core leaders and a glimpse at local sentiment as patience for the vaxx wait quickly wears out . . . Read more . . .



CCO Launches Petition to Hospitals Over Grave Racial Inequities in Vaccine Distribution

Communities Creating Opportunity has started a petition, addressed specifically to the CEOs of five KC-area hospitals and generally to all KC healthcare providers receiving vaccines from the state, to address the racial inequities in local vaccine distribution . . .

The petition, viewed at https://www.change.org/p/kc-healthcare-providers-bring-vaccines-to-black-brown-communities, calls upon healthcare providers to send mobile units into and host vaccination events in black and brown communities, highlighting the unacceptability of most vaccines going to whiter, wealthier, healthier areas thus far. CCO lifts up Truman Medical Center's visit to Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church as an example.



The petition further calls for each hospital to do a press conference, vowing to address this terrible inequity, and to issue public, weekly reports on their progress, tracking how many events, mobile unit deployments, and vaccines are taken into low-income minority areas.



"We all knew this was coming," says Danise Hartsfield, Executive Director of CCO. "When low-income people of color don't have the same access to the vaccine as others, we need to expand access. The hospitals must step up."

#############

Developing . . .
DEAL OF THE WEEK

Ballantine Puts Grey in a Corner Actor Jennifer Grey sold a currently untitled memoir to Pamela Cannon at Ballantine. The world rights agreement was brokered by Brandi Bowles and Pilar Queen at the United Talent Agency. Ballantine said the book will explore Greys lifelong journey, like many women, to love and accept herself while existing in a culture that often imposes a narrow and unforgiving definition of beauty and a womans worth. Grey is best known for her starring role in the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, and the memoir touches on the highs and lows of her career, as well as her achievements in her personal life. Ballantine called it an ongoing coming-of-age story for women of every age.

FROM THE U.S.

Clinton and Penny Sell Terror

Hillary Rodham Clinton is following her husbands lead into the world of thrillers, having inked an agreement to cowrite State of Terror with Louise Penny. (Bill Clinton is preparing to release his second thriller with James Patterson, following the duos 2018 bestseller, The President Is Missing.) State of Terror will be copublished by Simon & Schuster (Clintons publisher) and St. Martins Press (Pennys house), with a laydown set for October 12. The book, S&S said, marks a unique collaboration by two longtime friends and thriller aficionados; it follows a new secretary of state who must create a team to unravel a conspiracy that is carefully designed to take advantage of an American government dangerously out of touch and out of power in the places where it counts the most. The houses brokered the world rights deal with Robert Barnett at Williams & Connolly (representing Clinton) and David Gernert at the Gernert Company (representing Penny). Jennifer Enderlin at St. Martins will be the books editor.

McCain Gets Stronger at Forum

For Random Houses Forum imprint, Mary Reynics bought world rights to Cindy McCains Stronger, in a deal brokered by Byrd Leavell at United Talent Agency. The book, McCains first, is subtitled Courage, Hope, and Humor in My Life Without John McCain. Forum said Stronger is an intimate memoir, detailing the authors 38-year marriage to Arizona senator John McCain (who died in 2018) and the trials and triumphs of her singular American life. Stronger is slated for release on April 27.

Cusks New Novel Goes to FSG

Rachel Cusk sold a new novel, titled Second Place, to Mitzi Angel at Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Sarah Chalfant at the Wylie Agency brokered the North American rights deal. In the book, FSG said, a woman who invites a famous painter to use the guest house in her coastal home comes to believe his vision might penetrate the mystery at the center of her life. The novel is a study of female fate and male privilege, the geometries of human relationships, and the moral questions that animate our lives. Picador (an imprint of FSG parent company Macmillan) will also reissue eight of Cusks backlist titles, all featuring new covers, with the first (A Lifes Work: On Becoming a Mother) timed to the publication of Second Place on May 4.

Theise Gets Complex at S&G

For Spiegel & Grau, Samuel Nicholson bought world rights to Neil Theises Notes on Complexity in his first acquisition at the newly established publisher. Theise, a professor of pathology at New York University, was represented by Trident Media Groups Amanda Annis. The agent said the nonfiction title is a brief introduction to complexity theory, which is the study of how complex systems behave in the world. Notes on Complexity explores the boundaries of science, philosophy, and even spirituality.

Weintraub Heads to Nebraska

Courtney Ochsner at the University of Nebraska Press took world English rights to Knocked Down: A High-Risk Memoir by journalist Aileen Weintraub, in a deal brokered by Susan Cohen at Writers House. Cohen said the book follows the authors journey as she moves from Brooklyn to the country, gets married, gets pregnant, and faces the prospect of bed rest in a rickety farmhouse. The agent added that book is a laugh-out-loud, emotionally charged story of one womans unexpected path to authenticity.

Cousens Sells Latest to Putnam

Putnams Sally Kim bought North American rights to Just Havent Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens from Amelia Evans at Penguin Random House UK. Putnam said the novel, which follows the authors bestselling debut (and Good Morning America Book Club pick), This Time Next Year, is the story of a hopeless romantic who picks up the wrong suitcase on a work trip to the island of Jersey and falls head over heels for the owner, sight unseen. Just Havent Met You Yet, which will be edited by Putnam senior editor Kate Dresser, is slated for fall 2021.

Khalid Takes His Brother to Grove

At Grove Atlantic, Peter Blackstock preempted North American rights to Zain Khalids Brother. The author was represented by Kent Wolf at Neon Literary. Grove said the debut novel is about exploring Muslim American identity, sexuality, and capitalist systems of control. It follows three brothers, all adopted, who live above a Staten Island mosque with their father, an imam with secrets from his time in Saudi Arabia, including the truth about the strange creature that haunts one of the brothers.
A University of Michigan library was closed for two days for cleaning when officials identified three venomous spiders found in the basement.

ADVERTISEMENT

Officials said the three spiders were found in late January at the Shapiro Undergraduate Library University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and the arachnids were sent to Professor Ann Danielson-Francois from the University of Michigan-Dearborn for identification.

Danielson-Francois identified the specimens as Mediterranean recluse spiders, a species that commonly hitchhikes with travelers. The species has been found in 22 states, but Danielson-Francois said it was the first time she had identified any that were found in Michigan.

The expert said the spiders may have tunneled into the basement of the library.

The library was closed for cleaning Sunday and Monday after officials were informed of the identity of the spiders.

Danielson-Francois said the spiders are venomous, but would be unlikely to bite someone in an open space like a library.

"They don't have a huge amount of venom, but they have enough to start necrosis, which is the eating away of the flesh," she told WJBK-TV.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us

We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.
The United Nations Secretary-General has strongly condemned the abduction of 317 girls during an attack on Friday on a secondary school in northern Nigeria.

Police and the military have begun joint operations to rescue the girls after the attack at the Government Girls Junior Secondary School in Jangebe town, according to a police spokesman in Zamfara state, Mohammed Shehu, who confirmed the number abducted.

Yunusa Muhammed, interviewed by The Cable Newspaper, said that four of his daughters studying in the school were kidnapped.

Muhammed received a call about 0200am on Friday, to alert him about the situation.

"We try to come by that time but exchanging fire between that robbers and soldiers could not give us time to get here, then we went back," he said while waiting for news at the school.

Resident Musa Mustapha said the gunmen also attacked a nearby military camp and checkpoint, preventing soldiers from interfering while the gunmen spent several hours at the school.

It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties.

Several large groups of armed men operate in Zamfara state, described by the government as bandits, and are known to kidnap for money and to push for the release of their members from jail.

Antonio Guterres has called for the "immediate and unconditional release of the abducted children and for their safe return to their families," said Stephane Dujarric, his spokesman.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said Friday the government's primary objective is to get all the school hostages returned safe, alive and unharmed.

He called on state governments to review their policy of making payments, in money or vehicles, to bandits.

Nigeria has seen several such attacks and kidnappings over the years, notably the mass abduction in April 2014 by jihadist group Boko Haram of 276 girls from the secondary school in Chibok in Borno state.

More than a hundred of the girls are still missing.

Friday's attack came less than two weeks after gunmen abducted 42 people, including 27 students, from the Government Science College Kagara in Niger State.

The students, teachers and family members are still being held.

In December, 344 students were abducted from the Government Science Secondary School Kankara in Katsina State.

They were eventually released.

Anietie Ewang, Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch, noted the recent abductions and tweeted that: "Strong action is required from the authorities to turn the tide & keep schools safe."

Amnesty International condemned the "appalling attack," warning in a statement that: "the girls abducted are in serious risk of being harmed."

While authorities investigate the abductions and human right groups demand more actions, Muhammed kept waiting for news of his four daughters.

"We are praying for the girls to come back safely, that's all," he said.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
February 28th is Rare Disease day. This is a day for our rare community to celebrate their uniqueness and raise awareness of conditions most people have never heard of.

RARE Ireland is a network for rare families in Ireland. Established in March 2017 by two mothers of daughters with rare conditions it remains Ireland's only support network for families living with rare disease.

It was set up to improve the quality of life for families living with rare conditions, to connect families and to bridge the gap between diagnosis and receiving a genetics appointment.

Ireland has one of the worst genetic services in Europe and parents often wait up to two years after receiving a diagnosis for their child to be given adequate information on how this condition is likely to impact their child. The support of RARE Ireland and its members makes this part of the journey less isolating for families.

It's an invaluable service to many members and a lifeline to those struggling with their diagnosis. RARE Ireland regularly advocates on behalf of their member, sharing their stories and helping to spread the word about many rare conditions and the beautiful faces behind them.

Jack O'Shea is a 13 year old boy who loves music, especially Nathan Carter and has been to many of his concerts. Jack lights up any room he walks into no matter where he is and always has a smile on his face.

Expand Close Jack pictured with his parents Michelle and Sean / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Jack pictured with his parents Michelle and Sean

Jack's parents are Michelle and Sean O'Shea from Nadd and he has one brother, Darren. His mother Michelle is from Mallow.

Jack has a rare syndrome called IMAGe syndrome pole 1 mutation! There are only 20 people known in the world so far with this mutation.

The breakdown of the disease reads: I - intrauterine growth restriction, M - metaphyseal dysplasia, A - adrenal hypophysia congenita, G - genital abnormalities while E - stands for nothing so that's why it's small in the spelling.

Jack might be a 13 year old boy but is the size of a typical six year old. He has intellectual delay, oral adversity so he eats no solids and only drinks a special formula milk and water, and sometimes juice.

He suffers from a slight hearing loss in the right ear, ostopenia of the bones and the biggest medical issue is his adrenal insufficiency which is where his adrenal glands do not work so must carry around an emergency injection with him at all times in case he has a bad fall, gets very sick etc. If this is administered he must go straight to hospital because if he does not receive immediate medical attention he could go into a coma or maybe worse.

Jack takes special steroids three times daily and these are his life line and can never be missed.

Jack may be short but he lets nothing get in his way. He loves playing pool and has other interests while he has a great imagination. Jack would often put on a live show on his mother's Facebook page singing Nathan Carter songs as he loves to entertain.

He spent a lot of his first few years of life in hospital being really sick and getting tests done with amazing staff at CUH. He still likes to give them a visit every now and then and is awaiting major surgery on his right kidney to reconstruct.

Jack was 10 years old before his family got his diagnosis of IMAGe syndrome with the wrong diagnosis in his initial care due to the rarity of the disease. Jack attends Holy Family School in Charleville and his family says they are amazing and cannot thank them enough for all the work they put in.

Jack's mother, Michelle, has been part of Rare Ireland since the early years of its foundation and their assistance, concern and care is second to none. Last year the group asked Michelle to become a committee member and she is so happy in her role.

Rare Disease Day falls on Sunday, February 28 and last year the group spent the day with President Higgins in Aras An Uactharain, which was such a special day with such families together.

Rare lreland has helped so many families across the country with a listening ear, support and advice. If you have a child with a rare condition please feel free to get in contact with the group on Facebook.

Michelle thanks you all for reading her super hero story.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
An 18-year-old woman from New York City was killed and four people were injured when a car veered off the New Jersey Turnpike and crashed into a guardrail, according to New Jersey State Police.

The crash occurred at about 10:25 p.m. Friday in the southbound car lanes just south of Interchange 12 in Carteret, when an Acura passenger car hit an unknown vehicle, then went off the left side of the highway and hit a guardrail, said Trooper Alejandro Goez, a spokesman for the State Police.

The Acura driver, Bilah Edmondson, 28, of Troy, N.Y., suffered minor injuries, but one of the four passengers inside the car was killed, Goez said. She was identified as Kaytlen Nivar, of the Bronx.

Goez said Nivar was sitting in the middle of the rear passenger seat and had not been wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Another rear-seat passenger, Samantha Rodriguez, 20, of the Bronx, suffered serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, Goez said. She also had not been wearing a seatbelt, the trooper said.

The other two passengers in the car suffered minor to moderate injuries, Goez said.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation, but no summonses have been issued as of Saturday morning, Goez said. Car lanes on the New Jersey Turnpike were closed for about four hours following the crash.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com.
An Oregon man captured photos of his unusual encounter with an extremely rare animal: a Sierra Nevada red fox.

ADVERTISEMENT

Alan Miles, of Bend, said he was in the parking lot of Skyliner in Mount Bachelor when he saw another person taking photos of an animal.

"I saw a lady taking a photo of this animal on the hill, looked up and it was this very unusual animal -- it was not a dog -- and just thought it was real special," Miles told KTVZ-TV.

Wildlife experts reviewed Miles' photos and identified the animal as a Sierra Nevada red fox. The species is considered extremely rare, with fewer than 50 believed to exist in the wild in California.

The Oregon Department of Fish And Wildlife said the species was first confirmed to be living in Oregon in 2015.

"Very little is known about the Sierra Nevada red fox," Fish and Wildlife biologist Jamie Bowles said. "We haven't taken a look yet at population size estimates or density in our area."

The photos that Miles snapped show an animal that has mostly black fur, with white at the end of its tail and on its paws.

"So it is a misnomer, their name, the Sierra Nevada red fox," Bowles said. "We actually see a lot more of the darker-coated foxes here in Central Oregon, specifically in the higher elevations."
New Delhi, Feb 27 : The NITI Aayog has promulgated a price range of Rs 300-500 for two Covid vaccines that would be available for the priority group at private facilities in the third phase of vaccination set to begin from March 1, sources privy to the development told IANS, adding that the Bharat Biotech's Covaxin would cost a bit higher.

However, the union health ministry would take a final call on the proposition.

The proposed price has been floated after a five-hour long meeting held between the Dr VK Paul, member (health), NITI Aayog and officials from Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech on Friday evening, which was concluded around 11 p.m., sources added.

"This would be the price end-user would pay for a dose. It includes the service charge the private facilities can take from the beneficiaries," a top official said.

IANS had reported earlier that private facilities will be able to collect a "service charge" of up to Rs 100 from the beneficiaries to meet the operational expenses they will be incurring during the vaccination drive against Covid-19. This will be in addition to the cost of the vaccines.

As per reports, the government has been procuring SII's Covishield for around Rs 210 per dose while the cost of Covaxin is around Rs 290 for a shot.

The third phase of vaccination will begin from March 1 and will cover 27 crore people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities at 10,000 government and over 20,000 private vaccination centres.

The government has decided that the people will be vaccinated free of cost at the government hospitals, while those taking the shots at private hospitals will have to pay.

The vaccines will be stored at public health facilities having cold chain points. The private facilities will be able to receive the desired doses from public hospitals in their vicinity.

Akin to the previous priority groups, healthcare and frontline workers, the general public as well will not be given a choice among the two vaccines. However, the people can make a choice between the centres where they are willing to take the jab, officials told IANS.

"One would not be allowed to choose among the two vaccines. However, they can indirectly go for their preference by selecting the centre they wish to be inoculated since the information of centres along with the vaccines they use will be available to the public," the official informed.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text

A Dominican College student is continuing to push for better mental health supports in schools.

Fifteen-year-old Aisling Murphy set about working on the 'Mental Health in Irish Schools' initiative last year after witnessing her sister struggle with severe anxiety. Aisling has set up a petition requesting the Irish Government to investigate providing a system of mental health supports in Irish schools and has just begun recording Zoom interviews with those interested in adding their voices to the discussion. The petition already has over 500 signatures.

'I started the petition to help raise awareness about mental health,' said Aisling.

'This is an issue many students, parents, teachers, professionals and politicians feel very strongly about. I have been in contact with TDs and senators about the initiative. We want the Government to put in mental health supports in all schools all over the country so there will be a dedicated mental health professional for every school.'

Aisling's Zoom interviews with others interested in taking part in the discussion are available to view on her podcast.

'I have spoken to Mark Ward, TD and published it to the Mental Health in Irish Schools YouTube Channel. Jim O'Callaghan TD and Marina Dillon, psychologist in training, took part last week. I spoke with Maria Parker today, who is a clinical nurse specialist and a psychotherapist and I am due to speak with Mary Butler, Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People next week.

'I hope that by speaking to a wide range of people with differing interests and experiences, these interviews will promote discussion of the issues and raise the awareness that these supports are very much needed within the school system. Two of the interviews I did are up on the podcast and two more are due to be posted. It was really interesting hearing the different points of views. The pandemic probably made things a little easier because more people are now online or on social media,' added Aisling.

She also has a mental health fair planned for the Dominican College Wicklow which will take place if Covid restrictions are lifted. She aims to pull all her work together so it is contained in the one document which she hopes will allow other students in other schools to run similar campaigns and awareness events in the future.

'I want to get involved so I can see these changes being made. There should be a dedicated mental health professional for every school in the country. The approach to mental health in the Irish school system in Ireland must be improved. Student and parent voices are missing from this vital discussion and therefore I am looking to interview students, parents, past pupils and those who also wish to advocate alongside side our voices in order to strive for change,' said Aisling.

Mental Health in Irish Schools is inviting others to take part either in recorded interviews or via a guest blog post if they have something they think would benefit this discussion. Aisling can be contacted via the website https://mentalhealthinirishschools.wordpress.com, and on Facebook and Instagram at Mental Health in Irish Schools.

New Delhi, Feb 27 : Day one of third phase of Covid vaccination is likely to see walk-in registrations in huge amount since the CoWIN portal is unlikely to be operational before March 1, officials told IANS.

"Senior citizens and people above 45 with comorbidities will be allowed to self register via the portal or app only on Monday," informed an official from Union Health Ministry.

The government is upgrading the CoWIN which was being used in the initial two phases of the vaccination for immunisation of healthcare and frontline workers.

Vaccination will be provided free of charge at the government health facilities and will be on a payment basis in the private health facilities. All private hospitals can charge Rs 150 for vaccines and Rs 100 for service charges fixed by the central government on Saturday.

The ongoing vaccination drive will now reach around 27 crore people who are on the list of priority for vaccination after healthcare and frontline workers.

Around 10,000 hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY and 687 hospitals under CGHS can be used by states as Covid Vaccination Centres (CVCs).

States are also given the freedom to use all Private Hospitals empanelled under State Government Health Insurance Schemes as CVCs.

In the case of self-registration, the CoWIN portal will provide the facility for booking an appointment based on the vaccination centres declared by the states/UTs, with their location, the dates on which appointment slots are provided and the capacity declared as Open Slots and the vacancies available at the time of booking.

However, such details pertaining to slots and availability of centres are yet to be worked out. A meeting of private hospitals with their state health secretaries is scheduled on Sunday 11 a.m. where they will be told the further modalities, the ministry official added.

Besides, all beneficiaries, regardless of the mode of access, i.e. through online registration or mobilisation through on-site registration are advised to carry the following for verification at the time of vaccination - Aadhaar Card; Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC); and Certificate of comorbidity for citizens in the age group of 45 years to 59 years.

An official will be present at the Vaccination Centre for verification of employment credentials and COVID duties for those who do walk in for on-site registration.
If you looked up at the sky last night, you probably noticed that the moon appeared full. Februarys Snow Moon wont actually be full until early Saturday morning, but itll look that way through Sunday morning, according to NASAs Gordon Johnston, who does a monthly skywatch report.

The name of this months moon, derived from Native American traditions, refers to the copious amounts of snowfall generally seen this time of year  and the resulting difficulty in hunting. Its names include the Snow Moon, Storm Moon and Hunger Moon.

Celestial events around this months full moon

The full moon wont be the only thing shining in the sky this weekend. Johnstons NASA blog outlines a few other things skywatchers should be on the lookout for.

Early Saturday, as morning twilight begins, the planet Mercury will appear just above the horizon in the east-southeast with the fainter planet Saturn appearing nearby. Shortly thereafter, Jupiter will rise in the same area, shining brighter than the other two planets  a very clear view of the horizon will be needed to see the three planets.

As evening twilight ends on Saturday, the only planet visible will be Mars, appearing above the west-southwest horizon. The bright star appearing closest to directly overhead will be Capella  look for it above the northern horizon.

READ MORE:

2021 meteor shower lineup, when to plan your own star party
A school teacher from Florida has lost her job after allegedly sending nude pictures of herself to former students.

Alexandra Handwerger, 47, who is a mother-of-two boys was a teacher at the Hebrew Academy, a private school for Jewish children in Miami Beach where tuition costs up to $24,000 a year.

The school was told of the alleged nudes after receiving a tip-off from a group of 18-year-old men who were former students.

Alexandra Handwerger, 47, was fired from her job at Hebrew Academy January 30th

A police investigation was opened on February 19th into Harbinger who is estranged from her husband, Rosh Lowe. The couple are pictured here together in December. No charges have been filed

Her firing came after the school received an email tip off from another school in Israel about alleged nudes that former students who were now 18 had received from the teacher

The group, who are currently studying in Israel, alleged they had received inappropriate photos from Handwerger through the Snapchat app.

Handwerger who was the head of the English department at the Academy was asked by bosses at the school how the students got hold of the pictures.

A police report noted that the teacher said she could not recall how, but that she did admit to taking the shots.

Handwerger was sacked on January 30 despite no charges having been filed against her. Miami Beach Police were informed a few weeks later on February 19.

Handwerger who was the head of the English department at the Academy was asked by bosses at the school how the students got hold of the pictures

Harbinger, a mom of two boys, is estranged from her husband Rosh Lowe, seen left

Jude Faccidomo, Handwerger's attorney, says the allegations are baseless.

'My client hasn't seen any photographs. I haven't seen any photographs, so I'm not in a position to comment on them,' he said to WSVN. 'There's no criminal allegations here. It's curious that Miami Beach Police are investigating it. We certainly understand the need to, and again, we welcome it.'

When confronted, Handwerger admitted the photos were her but could not 'recall' how the students might have got hold of the images

'We take these allegations very seriously, and are troubled by how they have materialized. This issue was brought to the school's attention through gossip and innuendo. The report itself references false emails and second hand sources. Unfortunately, it seems the salacious nature of the allegation has given way to favoring rumor over substance.'

School administrators had claimed that Handwerger was possibly involved with a former student around one year ago but both denied the allegations when confronted.

According to an incident report seen by Local10 school administrators received an anonymous email which alleged how a teacher was sending inappropriate pictures.

The email contained a phone number, which upon calling lead to a school administrator in Israel.

A letter was sent home to parents which addressed the issue which read: 'We received information that there is a video and possible photos of a former teacher that are inappropriate. It is our understanding that some graduates and current students may have received copies of the videos and/or photos.

'We are unaware of how our students received the videos/photos at this time, but have been and continue to conduct a thorough investigation regarding the entirety of this serious matter.'

The school's administration has also stated that a therapist is to meet with groups of students to discuss the situation.
Police say a man hired two of his friends to kill a rape victim. Instead, investigators say the suspects killed the man's sister.

Video Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING]

DAN COPP: This whole thing involves primarily five people. You have Beaux Cormier, Andrew Eskine, Dalvin Wilson, and the two victims, Brittany Cormier, who happens to be Beaux's sister, and Hope Nettleton, who's a neighbor of Brittany.

This whole thing surrounds Beaux Cormier. He's at the heart of this whole twisted plot. In my reporting, I found that he was arrested on a sex charge and is a convicted sex offender. He pleaded guilty in 2004 to carnal knowledge of a juvenile. So he was on a sex offender registry for about 15 years.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

What the police learned is that Beaux Cormier hires his two friends, Andrew Eskine and Dalvin Wilson, to kill the rape victim so she couldn't testify against him.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

So the men traveled from the Lafayette area to Montague and conduct surveillance on Brittany for the home where they believe-- Brittany Cormier's home, where they believe the rape victim lives. And that's between July and November of 2020 where they're conducting this surveillance.

In November, Eskine and Wilson go to the home to carry out the killing. But for whatever reason, they abort the mission.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Mr. Wilson is alleged to have entered the house. And having never seen the rape victim, he didn't know what she looked like. He gives the rape victim by name and asks who she is, where is she. And Brittany Cormier tells the gunman that she is the rape victim. And by doing so, the police, the sheriff here says she accepts her fate and knows she's about to die. But by doing so, she saves the life of the intended target, the actual rape victim.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Police investigators were able to use security cameras and witness testimony. And they're able to work with other law enforcement agencies and track down Eskine and Wilson in the Lafayette area, bring the two men to justice. They both confessed, allegedly, to their involvement in the plot. And they essentially said they were paid by Beaux Cornier to carry it out.

[MUSIC PLAYING]
Commuters will flock back to their desks 'in a few short months', Boris Johnson predicted yesterday.

Speaking at a rail industry conference, the Prime Minister dismissed the idea that the lockdowns of the last year would lead to a permanent shift towards working from home.

Guidance to work from home is expected to remain in place until at least June 21 to head off the risk of a resurgence in Covid cases.

Speaking at a rail industry conference, the Prime Minister dismissed the idea that the lockdowns of the last year would lead to a permanent shift towards working from home

Guidance to work from home is expected to remain in place until at least June 21 to head off the risk of a resurgence in Covid cases

But the PM said he believed normal work patterns would resume once the lockdown restrictions are finally lifted.

Addressing the conference via video link, he said: 'I know that some people may imagine that all conferences are going be like this, held over Zoom, Teams or what have you and we've got to prepare for a new age in which people don't move around, do things re-motely, they don't commute any more.

'I don't believe it. Not for a moment. In a few short months, if all goes to plan, we in the UK are going to be reopening our economy. And then believe me the British people will be consumed once again with their desire for the genuine face-to-face meeting that makes all the difference to the deal or whatever it is.

'Never mind seeing our loved ones, going on holiday or whatever.

The prediction echoes comments from Goldman Sachs boss David Solomon who described working from home as an 'aberration' (stock image)

Addressing the conference via video link, he said: 'Believe me, the British population will be consumed once again with their desire for the genuine face to face meeting, that makes all the difference to the deal, never mind seeing our loved ones going on holiday or whatever' (file image of commuters in London)

The prediction echoes comments from Goldman Sachs boss David Solomon who described working from home as an 'aberration'.

Speaking to a virtual conference organised by Credit Suisse, Soloman said: 'That's a temporary thing. I do think that for a business like ours, which is an innovative, collaborative apprenticeship culture, this is not ideal for us.'

He also said it would never become the 'new normal'.

Michael Gove is currently holding a review into the introduction of vaccine passports - with several large companies considering using them as a means of re-opening their businesses.

The introduction of vaccine passports has also seen support from former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Tony Blair has urged the public to take the Coronavirus vaccine when it is offered to them

Blair has said that society is unlikely to return to normal without a domestic vaccine passport scheme in place.

Speaking at an event with the Institute for Government, Mr Blair said that it will be difficult to see how the public will have the 'confidence' to go back to life as normal without a means to show people have been vaccinated or have tested negative for coronavirus.

One option understood to be on the table would involve businesses able to check test results on the NHS app. Individuals would be able to show that they have either had a jab or tested negative - maintaining their choice about vaccination.

Government sources stressed that no decisions have been taken and work is at an early stage. But supporters say such a concept could help theatres, cinemas, sporting venues and workplaces get back towards normality more quickly.

An illustration of an example of a Covid-19 vaccination certificate which could be used

As part of plans to lift lockdown, sports fans could be back in stadiums within weeks to test how coronavirus spreads in crowds, once people have been vaccinated or tested.

This could extend to a potential vaccine passport scheme.

The trails will use an adapted version of the NHS app, which will certify if a person has been vaccinated or tested negative.

The app can then be used to analyse any incidence of the disease or spread of Covid infections resulting from the event.

It comes as Jonathan Van-Tam has urged Britons not to 'relax' as the UK heads into a glorious weekend with the first warm weather for months, warning that 'this is not a battle that we have won yet'.

The Office for National Statistics found Covid cases had halved in a fortnight across England. It said 373,300 would be detected in any given day over the period to February 19

The deputy chief medical officer for England brought stern warnings to tonight's Downing Street press conference when he told the public: 'Do not wreck this now'.

Coronavirus cases are rising in dozens of parts of England, around one in five and mainly in the Midlands and the North, Professor Van-Tam said, and people must continue to follow lockdown rules for as long as they are in place.

He called for the UK to 'hold our nerve' and added: 'I do worry that people think it's all over. The more they think that when it's not, the greater the headwind they're going to give to the vaccine programme and the more at risk will become the milestones set on the road map.'

Grant Shapps also announced new Government legislation with the aim of helping the struggling airline industry.

Airlines are usually required to use 80 per cent of slots at oversubscribed airports or risk them being taken away the following year.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has told airlines they will not lose their take-off and landing slots at UK airports even if they continue to operate fewer flights than normal over summer

Previously, this had led to airlines operating 'ghost flights' with almost no passengers on board, to ensure they maintain their slots - worth millions of pounds at Heathrow.

However, new Government legislation has been introduced to extend the waiver of slot allocation rules to support airlines which have been struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.

This means that the 'use it or lose it' policy in relation to the slots has been suspended during the pandemic, with many flight schedules slashed to reduce losses caused by the collapse in demand for flights.

Mr Shapps said extending the policy is 'critical' to the resumption of international travel.

He went on: 'With airlines flying a smaller proportion of their usual schedules, the waiver means carriers can reserve their finances, reduce the need for environmentally damaging ghost flights and allow normal services to immediately restart when the pandemic allows.'

The International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency, found passengers totals dropped by 60 per cent in 2020 compared to 2019, with the above graph showing the evolution of world passenger traffic evolution since 1945

This graphic shows the breakdown of revenue losses across the world. Airlines have suffered 270billion losses resulting from the impacts of Covid-19, with airports and air navigation services providers losing a further 84billion and 9billion




Haiti - FLASH : Arnel Joseph killed, more than 400 detainees on the run, at least 25 dead





Friday afternoon at a press conference, Frantz Exantus, the Secretary of State for Communication accompanied by Noel Charles Nazaire Head of the Directorate of the National Penitentiary Administration (APN) took stock of the bloody mutiny followed by a major escape from the prison of Croix-des-Bouquet.



Key points from the press conference :



Frantz Exantus announced that a patrol of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) had killed the dangerous Gang Leader Arnel Joseph, considered as one of the most dangerous bandits in Haiti, who controlled the neighborhood of the Village ode Dieu in Port-au-Prince explaining "[..] He attacked a police patrol which was carrying out a routine check on the motorcycle he was on in l'Estere. The police responded and Arnel Joseph was fatally shot. The various technical services of the PNH confirm that it is indeed Arnel Joseph". Let's recall that Arnel Joseph was arrested on July 22, 2019 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-28309-haiti-flash-the-dangerous-gang-leader-arnel-finally-captured-by-the-pnh.html and was being held pending trial



During the mutiny and the escape which followed "25 people died among which 6 prisoners and the divisional inspector Paul Hector Joseph who was in charge of the prison" The other victims would be citizens fallen under the assassinated bullets of the prisoners on the run.



According to official figures from the Directorate of the National Penitentiary Administration Before yesterday's incident, there were 1,542 prisoners in the prison of Croix-des-Bouquets. The count made this Friday morning shows us that 1,125 prisoners are in cells."



According to these data, this means that 410 inmates are on the run and actively sought, i.e. the great escape from this prison considered to be the most modern and the most secure in the country, inaugurated in 2012 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-7025-haiti-justice-inauguration-of-the-new-prison-of-croix-des-bouquets-speech-of-pm.html) after that of August 10, 2014 a spectacular escape had allowed 329 prisoners to escape including Clifford Brandt https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-11795-haiti-security-329-escapees-the-government-explains-video.html



According to the Secretary of State, during the intervention "The police recovered two 12 caliber rifles and five 9 mm caliber pistols and tear gas canisters. "The mutiny that broke out in the area where Arnel Joseph was located was aimed at getting all inmates out of the prison "which fortunately did not happen".



3 commissions of inquiry are at work :

"The General Inspectorate will conduct an administrative investigation to determine internal responsibilities. The Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) will determine who are those who must answer questions of justice. Finally, the Directorate of Prison Administration will investigate the causes of this mutiny and the people involved, "said the Secretary of State.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33107-haiti-flash-arnel-joseph-escaped-spectacular-escape-from-the-prison-of-croix-des-bouquets.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31361-haiti-flash-failed-escape-attempt-by-arnel-joseph.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-28309-haiti-flash-the-dangerous-gang-leader-arnel-finally-captured-by-the-pnh.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-11795-haiti-security-329-escapees-the-government-explains-video.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-7025-haiti-justice-inauguration-de-la-nouvelle-prison-de-croix-des-bouquets-discours-du-pm.html



SL / HaitiLibre


















Students at one of the countrys most prestigious universities have removed Margaret Thatcher from a list of inspirational women and apologised for including her.

Members of the Durham University Art Society had been invited to take part in a portrait competition to mark International Womens Day.

Among the suggested subjects were Florence Nightingale, Cleopatra, Marie Curie and Britains first female Prime Minister.

Baroness Thatcher was removed from the list  along with French designer Coco Chanel  after complaints

But Baroness Thatcher was removed from the list  along with French designer Coco Chanel  after complaints. Organisers issued an apology, saying: Considering Durhams history as a former mining town, the impact of Thatchers policies, as well as her homophobia, her inclusion was an error.

Coco Chanel also had links to Nazis... so her inclusion was also extremely erroneous. We can only apologise for any offence or insult to anyone in our community that this may have caused.

Organisers issued an apology, saying: Considering Durhams history as a former mining town, the impact of Thatchers policies, as well as her homophobia, her inclusion was an error

Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union, accused the Art Society and their joint organisers, the History in Politics Society, of capitulating to woke bullies.

He added: Theyve allowed themselves to be bullied by a small minority of political activists.

'Far from being sensitive to the feelings of the local community in Durham, these student societies have thumbed their noses at all those local people who voted Conservative at the last Election.

A spokesman for the Art and History in Politics societies said: After some of the history of certain names on the list was drawn to our attention, we decided amongst ourselves to remove them.
There was a time when Republican lawmakers made a big stink about new rules that allowed members of he House of Representatives to designate a proxy to vote on their behalf amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They were so outraged that Republican leaders in the House even filed a lawsuit over the issue, claiming it was unconstitutional. But now it seems things have changed and Republican lawmakers like the ability to designate a proxy to vote for them, especially if it means they can travel to Florida to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference. In all, at least 13 House Republicans said the pandemic would force them to be absent and designated a proxy to vote on their behalf when they were scheduled to speak at the CPAC conference in Orlando.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Democratic lawmakers took note of the contradiction and characterized the moves as hypocritical. Apparently hypocrisy has become a tenant of the Republican Party, Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts wrote on Twitter. Let me get this straight: these Members cant vote in person because of the pandemic, but they manage to attend CPAC? He wasnt alone. My Republican colleagues here called us cowards for voting by proxy during the pandemic, filed a lawsuit to stop it, and even introduced a bill to strip pay from Members who vote by proxy, Rep. Don Beyer from Virginia wrote. Now they are in Orlando proxy voting from CPAC while we debate and vote on Covid relief.

The Republican lawmakers who appointed a proxy and were also scheduled to speak at CPAC includes Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Jim Banks of Indiana, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, Ted Budd of North Carolina, Mark Green of Tennessee, Darrell Issa of California, Ronny Jackson of Texas, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Devin Nunes of California, and Greg Steube of Florida.

Advertisement

A few months ago, Cawthorn was blasting the use of proxies. Leaders show up no matter how uncertain the times are, Cawthorn tweeted in July. The Democrats are cowards for hiding and not showing up to work. I guess we can label them as Nonessential personnel?

Some sought to justify their actions and blamed Democrats. After Democrats rearranged the House schedule with extremely late notice, Rep. Budd was forced to proxy vote for the first time, a Budd spokesman said. Rep. Budd remains philosophically opposed to proxy voting. Issas spokesperson also justified the move. Congressman Issa complied with all House voting rules in lodging his opposition to what the Democrats labeled as Covid relief, but that devoted more than 90 percent of its total to non-Covid spending, Issas spokesperson Jonathan Wilcox said in a statement.
J-Hope, SUGA, Jungkook, Jimin, RM, V, and Jin of the K-pop boy band BTS visit the "Today" Show at Rockefeller Plaza on February 21, 2020 in New York City. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

A German radio host compared the Korean pop-group BTS to COVID-19.

He did so while commenting on the group's recent cover of Coldplay's "Fix You."

Both the host and station Bayern 3 have issued apologies after fans called the remarks racist.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

German radio host Matthias Matuschik made compared Korean septet BTS to COVID-19 during a radio broadcast on Bavarian station Bayern 3 on Thursday, describing the group as "some crappy virus that hopefully there will be a vaccine for soon as well," the Associated Press reported. Following intense online pressure, both Matuschik and Bayern 3 published apologies online, saying that his remarks were "unacceptable," but that Matuschik did not intend for them to be racist.

During the show, Matuschik commented on BTS' recent cover of Coldplay's "Fix You" during an MTV Unplugged special, calling it "blasphemy," per the Associated Press. In the process, he compared the group to COVID-19. The comparison to echoed the racist discrimination and harassment that people of Asian descent have faced over the course of the pandemic, which has led to a recent surge in hate crimes against Asian Americans.

Matuschik, per the Associated Press, said during the program that "you can't accuse me of xenophobia only because this boyband is from South Korea... I have a car from South Korea, I have the coolest car around." He also said that in return for the Coldplay cover, BTS "will be vacationing in North Korea for the next 20 years."

Fans of the group and others decried his comments online, trending the hashtags #Bayern3Racist, #RacismBayern3, #RassismusBeiBayern3 ("Racism at Bavaria 3") to bring attention to them and call for an apology.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Initially, Bayern 3 published a statement saying that Matuschik had a tendency to "express his opinion clearly, openly and unvarnished" and that it is a "hallmark" of the program, saying that while his exaggerated wording "hurt the feelings of many BTS fans" it was not his intent.

Story continues

"This is his personal opinion, regardless of the origin and cultural background of the band," the initial statement read, saying that Matuschik was involved in refugee aid and stood against right-wing extremism.

People criticized the statement online, with some using the hashtag #RacismIsNotAnOpinion and saying that the apology put the onus on fans rather than on Matuschik's comments themselves.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Later, Matuschik and Bayern 3 both issued further apologies online, publishing statements in both German and English on the Bayern 3 website.

"I have given this a lot of thought over the past few hours and understand and accept that my words racially offended many of you, especially the Asian community. That was never my intention, but I realize that, in the end, what matters is only how words are perceived - not how they were intended," Matuschik said in the statement.

Bayern 3 said in its second statement that it was working through the issue with both Matuschik and the team in order to prevent similar events in the future."Bayern 3 also expressly and resolutely distances itself from any form of racism, exclusion, and discrimination," the statement reads.

BTS is comprised of seven members - RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook - who debuted under South Korean company Big Hit Entertainment in 2013. Since then, they've become one of the most successful musical acts worldwide.

This is not the first time that they have been subject to racist and xenophobic media commentary. In 2019, Australian television station Nine Network apologized following racist comments made about the band during a pop-culture broadcast. In early 2020, Howard Stern called out comments from "The Howard Stern Show" staff member Salvatore "Sal" Governale, who claimed that the members of BTS were carrying the coronavirus.

Criticism of Matuschik's comments, and Bayern 3's response, continue to unfold online in the wake of apologies many have found dissatisfying. In a recent op-ed for Teen Vogue, writer Jae-Ha Kim wrote that his words played into an "epidemic of hatred towards Asians, fueled by public figures like Matuschik, who almost always claim that they didn't mean it."

Read the original article on Insider
The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has unveiled the National Guide for Smart Construction as part of its celebrations of the Innovation Week which concludes on Sunday (February 28).

Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said the guide aims to develop basic drivers of policies, flexible elements and targets that stimulate the development of the construction sector in a way that meets the aspirations of the UAE government, which supports the transition of the state for the next fifty years and enhance its global leadership by creating an incubating environment for innovative and qualitative projects that support the work system.

He pointed out that the guide contains key elements for smart construction, which are essential for all parties to improve the construction process.

These include benchmarking to qualify contractors' capabilities and enhance cooperation between architects, designers and contractors to improve the overall results of the construction project, which include the unified smart building index and building information modelling index.

In a related context, the minister launched the live monitoring system for bridges on federal roads, which is the system for assessing the condition of the existing bridges and planning their maintenance operations, in partnership with the University of Palermo in Italy.

"The university will analyse data to set up a mechanism for predicting the condition of the bridges and the quality of the necessary maintenance," remarked Al Mazrouei.

"We will work with innovative tools and methods to explore the future and develop our performance to keep pace with the directions of the UAE government," he added.
Aspiring writers are often told to write about what they know and while Dundalk-born Austin Duffy has left the aspiring label behind, he still writes about what he knows best.

An oncologist and cancer researcher, his acclaimed debut novel 'This Living and Immortal Thing' saw him writing about breast cancer. In his new book, the wife of the central character has died of ovarian cancer and as the story develops, it becomes clear that her widower is also ill.

'It's inevitable that the stuff you know about and what you spend your time dealing with is going to find its way into your writing,' he said.

New York also features strongly in both books, with Austin writing about the city with the intimate knowledge of one who has spent time there.

'I love New York, absolutely love it.'

'I lived there for two years and my wife is from there. We met there at an artists' club and we go back as much as we can but obviously not lately.'

He first lived in the city when he won a two year fellowship to the world famous Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in 2006. They moved to Washington DC where he worked in the National Cancer Institute, before coming back to Ireland in 2017.

'When we lived in Washington DC we used to go New York all the time.'

He began writing 'This Living and Immortal Thing' in 2008 and was still living in Washington when it was published in 2016, missing out on having launch here. That novel was shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year and was runner-up for the McKitterick Prize for first novels by writers over 40.

His work as an oncologist in the Mater Hospital and in research UCD where he is a Professor, doesn't give him much time for writing.

'I try to write every day. I don't have as much time as I would like to spend on it. I work early in the mornings. I might do twenty minutes before I leave the house and another twenty minutes on the dart, and if I get in early enough, I might be able to do another ten or twenty minutes before I start work. That would be a good day.'

'If you write just a little bit every day, it's amazing how it adds up over the years.'

He has just completed a third book which is with the publishers and will hopefully come out next year.

'Ten Days', tells the story of Wolf, a middle-aged man, who travels to New York with his teenage daughter Ruth so that he can fulfil the promise he made to his dying wife Miriam that he would scatter her ashes on the Hudson River. Her family, who are Orthodox Jews, are dismayed as they don't approve of cremation. Wolf, who had been estranged from Miriam, wants to make amends and to return Ruth to her maternal family as his own health is failing. It's a gripping and moving story, told in beautifully crafted writing that is both descriptive and sparse.

Austin's wife Naomi Taitz-Duffy comes from a Jewish family and he admits that this is where a lot of the inspiration of the book comes form, although he hastens to add ,'thankfully the reality of our situation is much nicer and there is none of that antagonism that's in the book.'

He is naturally pleased that the book has got good reviews but says he isn't tempted to become a full-time writer.

Having job, albeit a demanding one, means he doesn't feel under pressure from a financial sense when writing which is good.

'I have a job that pays the bills and the mortgage and that's a big advantage. As a result of that I can take my time writing, I'm not under pressure to get a book out, to get some money.'

'I love my job. It's interesting and it keeps me busy. There's always something to motivate me and I do a lot of research.'

It's not just work which puts demands on his time.

He has young two children, Theo and Vered, whom he likes to spent a lot of time with.

'Weekends in particular are jam packed.'

They are currently being home schooled by Naomi, an artist who has her own studio in their Howth home.

Like many families, they got a puppy, a chocolate Labrador, during lockdown, and they enjoy walking him around Howth.

'There are lots of nice places to take him for a walk.'

Naturally the pandemic has impacted on his work in The Mater but he stresses that 'it's nothing compared to other colleagues employed in infectious diseases, respiratory illnesses and ICU - they got the brunt of it.'

However, he says, 'COVID-19 has really complicated everything and has been hugely disruptive to patients in lots of different ways.'

'There are people coming in on their own for treatment and also people who haven't been able to see their family when they are at their most vulnerable and need family support. It has been a tough time to be a cancer patient'.

'We are not out of it yet but hopefully nearing the end.'

The pandemic has also preventing him from coming to Dundalk as much as he would like. His parents, Vincent, a retired DkIT lecturer, and Pauline still live in Muirhevna, and his brother Garrett lives in Blackrock.

'I am really looking forward to going to Dundalk, going out with them for a meal and a pint. It seems a distant memory.'

It also robbed him of a launch for this novel but when books are as good as 'Ten Days' they find their onto bookshelves without publiciety.
(@FahadShabbir)

JEDDAH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 27th Feb, 2021) Secretary General of the OrganiSation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen has affirmed his support for the statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the report submitted to the US Congress about the murder of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi.

The OIC Secretary General stressed categorical rejection of the incorrect inductions cited in the report, which has no decisive proofs, affirming the rejection of prejudice and abuse to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's leadership, sovereignty and independence of its judiciary.

He expressed supporting all judicial measures that have been taken against the culprits in the crime, who have been brought to justice and final judicial verdicts were issued against them.

Dr. Al-Othaimeen also hailed the pioneering role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the President of the Islamic Summit and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, towards maintaining regional and international security and peace, combating terrorism and consolidating moderation.
A Coles worker who was injured on the job at one of the companys warehouses several years ago, has spoken out against the companys attempts to deny him compensation and his abandonment by the trade unions.

The worker contacted the WSWS after reading its coverage of the ongoing dispute at Coles Smeaton Grange warehouse in southwestern Sydney. He noted the parallels between his own treatment, the more than three-month lockout that the Smeaton Grange workers have been subjected to, and the attempts of the United Workers Union (UWU) to ram through a sell-out deal there in the face of substantial opposition.

Aerial view of the Smeaton Grange distribution centre [Credit: Charter Hall]

Today, the Smeaton Grange workers are again being compelled to vote on an agreement that would provide for the closure of the warehouse and the destruction of their jobs, as well as the minimal wage and redundancy provisions that Coles has proposed. As in the case of the interviewee, the unions are working with management against the workers they falsely claim to represent.

The interviewed worker requested to use a pseudonym for his protection, so he will be named as John throughout.

He began by explaining that the injury occurred during the work process. From straight away when I reported the injury I met with a brick wall. I said I was going to see my doctor. Because I was seeing my doctor they wouldnt transport me. If I was going to their doctor they would transport me, even though they wanted to know when my appointment was and they sent somebody down there to be there to speak to my doctor.

When my doctor said you had to have an MRI, the Coles representative said that because hes coming to see you and youre not one of our doctors, hell have to pay for the MRI. If its deemed its a work injury then hell get a rebate from the insurance company. So straight away they were pushing back and trying to make it difficult.

My doctor wouldnt have that. He said were not having the MRI until its approved by Coles, which they did four days later. The MRI proved that the injury was significant and that, as a specialist told me, I would have to have an operation. Coles sent me to a doctor in Sydney, one of their doctors who again said to me Youve got a significant injury. They explained it in more detail than what my own surgeon had and said Ill send my report through to Coles.

But when the report came through, it said Not work related, should heal itself within six weeks. Totally different to what the doctor had said to me. He hadnt committed that it was work related, but he certainly told me it was severe. But then that changed when the report was prepared and he said what Coles wanted him to say. That was enough for them to deny responsibility.

I went back to work on selective duties. I was using sick pay and long service and holiday leave to make up the difference in pay. We then basically had to fight it in the industrial commission, which took a number of months. They deemed it was definitely a work injury and the company had to take responsibility for it and approve an operation. I was operated on just over a year after I was originally set down for an operation. So they managed to drag it out for that long.

A couple of months after the operation, I was deemed by my surgeon to be fine to go back on light duties, office work, anything like that. Coles rejected this, saying We dont have light duties here, you can only come back when you do pre-injury duties for a certain amount of time a day.

Workers at Coles Eastern Creek distribution centre [Source: YouTube]

Some months later, I went back on four hours a day, three days a week. I had a bit of trouble with that but continued on. I had to go back to see my surgeon, which I did. He wrote a letter to Coles and said I would need a special brace which would help me carry out those duties and prevent further injury. Coles actually paid for that. But then, once the brace was fitted, I was called to the office and told that while I had it on I couldnt work. It just went on from there. At a few stages they denied responsibility again. I had to take them back to the commission.

Its been going on for years and they have tried to physically, mentally and financially destroy me. Theyve come close but they have failed, only because Ive stood up to them. Ive heard they have done it to a lot of people and a lot of people have fallen by the wayside. Thats why they continue to do it.

Ive been told that I now need a different operation, because the first one wasnt a success. As of today I have had no feedback on approval, disapproval, anything. Ive heard nothing from Coles, and basically that is where were at. All the way along, every which way you turn they are putting a brick wall up, trying to cheat you out of it, just trying to make life difficult.

Asked about the role of the unions in his case, John explained: When I saw that Coles had denied responsibility, I contacted the National Union of Workers [NUW]. I rang, left a message. I did that two times a day for three or four days in a row. In the end, I thought, this is no good I need to do something, so I contacted an outside solicitor.

About three or four weeks later, I got a phone call from this guy from the NUW saying Can I help you? I said, You could have three or four weeks ago but Ive done it. He said Oh yea, Ive been on holidays, which I think is a load of rubbish. Why didnt they tell me when I phoned through he was on holiday? Something like that if he is on holidays, it shouldnt fall by the wayside. Someone else should be taking it. It was obvious they didnt want any part of it.

Once the NUW amalgamated with United Voice a couple of years ago to form the United Workers Union, I received a message. I contacted them back and told them the story. They were all sympathetic, to the point of, We think we need to take this to the media, and that sort of thing. I said okay, fine. Ive still got messages where they got a girl to ring me and get the story. She asked me if Id be happy to put my name to this. I said, Yeah, no worries. She said she would put something together and told me a week later: Ive got a bit of a story here. I think its pretty good. Ive just got to get the go ahead from the union. That was two years ago and its the last I got from them. Ive heard nothing since.

Asked to elaborate on why he thought the unions had abandoned him, John stated, I think it has been shown with the whole Smeaton Grange dispute. Theyre just trying to cover their own backsides. All theyre concerned about regarding workers is that they keep paying their weekly union dues. Theyre under the opinion that if they keep Coles fairly sweet, theyre right, the money keeps coming in every week. Thats all I can put it down to.

Commenting on the UWUs refusal to provide the Smeaton Grange workers with strike pay, John added, Once again thats the union letting the workers down. Thats like they have let me down with no support. Theyre doing exactly the same thing. You pay into the union to have support in times like this. With the amount of assets and things theyve got, they should be helping the worker. It just goes to show you.

He noted that the union suppressed information and did everything it could to divide workers. One thing that has got me is, with the union sitting on its hands, there would be people I worked with who wouldnt know where I went or what happened to me, the worker said.

When I worked at a different warehouse 25 years ago, anything that happened to any worker, regardless of what it was, everybody knew about it, so you could stand together and do something about it.

The union has all the way along tried to separate things. Realistically, people who had gotten injured prior to me, they just disappeared. You couldnt stand up and say We dont like what happened. We better do something about it. The union has made sure that has happened all the way along, and Coles have done the same thing. Thats why we are in the position we are now. Workers just go on oblivious. You can see the same with information not fed to different sheds about the Smeaton Grange lockout.

Realistically a lot has got to be asked of the union by the workers. Why have they not done things? Why have they not brought in for the strike fund? Why have they done the things that theyve done to let it get to this point?

The unions had also presided over rapid speedups and had not objected to management placing ever greater demands on workers. Pick rates, i.e., how much product a warehouse worker must move, had increased four or five-fold over the past few decades, John said. The day I was injured, I think I had manually picked 9.8 tonnes of product.

They had gone to a ten-hour day, four days a week. We were told by managers, Dont worry, you wont pick the product for the full ten hours a day. Youll do half a shift on that then you will go and do something else. Because thats a lot in a ten-hour period. But that guarantee just flew out the window. People were picking ten hours a day, four days a week, week after week after week. This is how the injury happens.

They brought in headsets to speed it up so you basically worked like a robot. If you were getting behind the time they allotted, managers would come looking for you. You were tracked every minute of the day. They knew exactly where you were at all times, to the point where if you signed off two minutes late going to a break, for whatever reason, they knew, they were on to you. They treat you like robots.

John agreed that his experiences were one expression of a broader assault on the working class, commenting, You get these CEOs and whatnot getting their millions of dollars in bonuses to make things more profitable. The only way to make things more profitable is making people work a lot harder.

Wage growth over the last ten years has been very, very low. You look over that timethe price hikes in petrol, the price hikes in real estateand theres no way an ordinary wage earner can keep up with it. Personally thats the way I think they want it. They want all these million and billionaires owning and controlling everything. For workers, its getting back to like it was in the 1920s and 30s in Sydney, where most people had to rent a place, as it was then it was hard to get work during the Depression.

The first sign that somebody couldnt pay their rent, they were out on the street and they put somebody else in that house. It seems to me thats how they want to get it back to because they are just making it impossible. I would hate to be starting off again now trying to buy a house. With the wages that are available now I cant see how anyone could do it.

John warned that the attempt to close Smeaton Grange, and Coles broader restructure, which involved the closure of four other warehouses would have a devastating effect.

With the amount of numbers, if they all band together, its all under the one union, theres no reason why they cant get something, that they cant save their jobs. If you look at it, how many thousands of people will be out of jobs if Coles succeeds? Its not just the 2,000 or more permanent jobs at these five warehouses theyre trying to close. Its the people coming through, the kids leaving school. We had a lot of casuals there doing uni. They would do two or three days a week to try to help themselves through uni. Theyre losing all this opportunity as well. Society is going to suffer along the way.

By not standing together, the unions are just letting it happen. Its going to affect generation after generation. Once something is gone, you dont get it back. Weve seen that for years. Im disgusted how the unions have got it this way.
The Duke of Cambridge has warned against 'rumours and misinformation' on social media about coronavirus jabs.

Prince William, 38, also urged people to keep on taking the Covid-19 vaccination so 'younger generations' will feel 'it's really important for them to have it,' as he and Kate Middleton, 39, talked by video call with two clinically vulnerable women who have been shielding since last March.

His comments came after the Queen encouraged those hesitant about vaccination to 'think about other people rather than themselves'.

Shivali Modha, who has type 2 diabetes, and severe asthma sufferer Fiona Doyle are both now eligible for the vaccine as part of priority group 6, and were preparing to have their jabs when they spoke to the royals on Tuesday.

The Duke, 38, and Duchess of Cambridge (pictured), 39, spoke via video call on Tuesday to two individuals with long-term health conditions who have been shielding with their families over the course of the past year, and who are now eligible to receive the Covid19 vaccine

Shivali Modha, who has type 2 diabetes, is eligible for the vaccine as part of priority group 6, and was preparing to have their jabs when she spoke to the royals. Pictured, Shivali Modha (front left), Hiren Modha (front right) and their daughters Shyaama (top left) and Jyoti (top right)

The Cambridges heard how Mrs Modha, a mother-of-two, had been anxious about the Covid-19 jab after reading things on social media, but has since been reassured by vaccinated family members and medics from the charity Diabetes UK.

Prince William told her: 'Catherine and I are not medical experts by any means but if it's any consolation, we can wholeheartedly support having vaccinations. It's really, really important.

'We've spoken to a lot of people about it and the uptake has been amazing so far. We've got to keep it going so the younger generations also feel that it's really important for them to have it.

'So it's great that Shivali you're taking the time to work it out and come to the conclusion that "I need to do this" because social media is awash sometimes with lots of rumours and misinformation, so we have to be a bit careful who we believe and where we get our information from.

'Especially for those who are clinically vulnerable as well, it's so important that those vaccinations are done, so good luck.'

The royal family have been supporting the NHS in its rollout of the coronavirus vaccine, visiting vaccination centres and thanking staff and volunteers for their efforts.

The Duke of Cambridge (pictured, right) urged people to keep on taking the Covid-19 vaccination so the younger generation will feel it's really important for them to have it

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (pictured) also spoke to Fiona Doyle, 37, and her seven-year-old daughter Ciara, who have been shielding at home in East Finchley, north London, since the Covid-19 crisis began

Some of the UK's leading health charities, including Diabetes UK and Asthma UK, have formed a coalition to promote vaccine uptake among people with long-term health conditions.

Mrs Modha, 39, from Barnet in north-west London, was joined on the call by her husband Hiren and their daughters Shyaama, 11, and Jyoti, nine.

She replied: 'I guess it's just the unknown and I think that's the case for most people. It's just something that is unknown right now. And by the time you've had it, it will be A-OK.'

Kate told her: 'I hope it comes as a huge relief in the end. I know there's maybe the anxiety and the worry leading up to it, but I hope for all of you it will add a bit of normality back to your lives and confidence as well as we go forward into the spring, that would be great.'

Thanking the duke and duchess for calling, Mrs Modha told them: 'It's really nice to have you in our home, I wish I could offer you a cup of tea!'

'Same here!' laughed Kate.

Fiona said that the charity Asthma UK had been a 'real source of support' in dealing with her situation. Pictured, Fiona Doyle and her daughter Ciara

The duke and duchess also spoke to Fiona Doyle, 37, and her seven-year-old daughter Ciara, who have been shielding at home in East Finchley, north London, since the Covid-19 crisis began.

She said the charity Asthma UK had been a 'real source of support' in dealing with her situation.

Asked by the duke how she felt about the vaccination, she replied: 'I can't wait! I'm priority group six, so any day now I'm really hoping to get called up.'

Ms Doyle added: 'I think I'm trying to not see it as a magic cure. I'm not going to go out licking lampposts or anything straight away!'

'Did you used to do that before?' laughed William.

'I'm probably going to do what I do normally,' said Ms Doyle. 'I'll still wear my mask, I'll still keep my hand gel, still social distance.

'But it's nice to know that mentally you have that layer of protection and that if you do end up being unfortunate enough to catch it, it won't be as severe as it might have been without having been vaccinated.'
He said the sacking of Colonel-General Onik Gasparian sought by Pashinian would be unconstitutional and would not address the unprecedented political crisis in the country.

Pashinian petitioned Sarkissian on Thursday to sign a decree relieving Gasparian of his duties shortly after the chief of the Armenian armys General Staff and 40 other high-ranking officers issued a joint statement that accused the government of misrule and demanded its resignation.

Pashinian rejected the demand as a military coup attempt. By contrast, Armenian opposition groups trying to oust him over his handling of the autumn war in Nagorno-Karabakh voiced support for the militarys top brass.

Sarkissian held a series of talks with senior representatives of the ruling My Step bloc, opposition leaders and Gasparian before announcing his decision not to sign a relevant presidential decree drafted by Pashinians office.

Citing leading lawyers and independent experts, the president suggested that the proposed decree runs counter to the Armenian constitution. He also noted that Pashinian demanded Gasparians sacking after the militarys unprecedented statement and amid a political crisis and serious security challenges facing Armenia.

There is no doubt that the armed forces must maintain neutrality on political issues, Sarkissian said in a statement. It is also evident that because of the war the military personnel now need our support and attention more than ever before. Solving problems of the army and its personnel is a top priority that cannot be ignored in any way.

The existing situation is unprecedented, requires systemic and comprehensive solutions, and cannot be resolved with frequent personnel changes that do not take into account the state of affairs in the country, added the statement.

It insisted that the head of state, who has largely ceremonial powers, does not support any political force.

The Armenian constitution allows the prime minister to again demand that Sarkissian sack Gasparian. In that case, the president can sign the relevant decree or ask the Constitutional Court to rule on its legality.

Pashinian was quick to criticize Sarkissians decision not to sack the army chief. This decision does not help at all to settle the current situation, he wrote on Facebook, adding that he is resending the draft decree to the president.

Sarkissian's move was swiftly welcomed by an alliance of Armenian parties that continued to stage demonstrations in Yerevan aimed at forcing Pashinian to step down.

One of the alliance leaders, Vazgen Manukian, described it as a great victory when he addressed supporters of the Homeland Salvation Movement before they again marched through the city center. Manukian again called on Armenias police and the National Security Service to join the military in demanding Pashinians resignation.

The opposition alliance holds Pashinian responsible for the Armenian sides defeat in the six-week war with Azerbaijan stopped by a Russian-brokered ceasefire on November 10. Sarkissian has likewise called on the prime minister to hand over power to an interim government tasked with holding snap parliamentary elections.
Social media chatter among Australian anti-vaccination groups skyrocketed in the past week as the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine were delivered amid false claims that the jab would be mandatory.

A protester at Health Minister Greg Hunts Mornington Peninsula electorate office holds a sign claiming the COVID vaccine is a poison that will alter peoples DNA. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

An independent project monitoring online vaccine sentiment for the federal government has reported that comments and other interactions surged from about 200 a day to almost 6000, within 20 key Australian anti-vaccination Facebook groups open to the public.

It is only the second time since the pandemic began that such a notable jump has been observed, and the first time in almost a year.

But researchers from the University of Western Australia leading the Coronavax project say the number of people in Australias anti-vaccination community, while growing, was still relatively small. There are around 300,000 followers in the public Facebook groups.
It's the magazine cover that shows how Sydney's most notorious conwoman Melissa Caddick fooled everyone: her family, her friends and her industry.

Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal how Caddick graced the cover of a top financial planning magazine almost two decades before scandalising her industry.

'A wise choice,' the October 2003 front cover of Independent Financial Adviser Magazine said. 'Australia's best planning practice'.

It was PR puff for Wise Financial Services, the legitimate and successful planning business that Caddick was a managing director of.

But with hindsight it illustrates how Caddick built a reputation of career success - which she then used to sucker her friends, family and acquaintances.

'We trusted her because she was Melissa,' said one victim of Caddick's later alleged fraud operation, Maliver Pty Ltd.

Melissa Caddick was on the front cover of an industry magazine in October 2003 under a previous publisher. Back then, she worked with a legitimate financial planning firm

Caddick on the job with staff at Wise Financial Services, which she held a minority stake in, during the early 2000s

Caddick was already a picture of success in the early 2000s. Then, she became the minority shareholder in Wise Financial, a stake she held for three years.

She featured in the firm's website header, dressed in a powder blue power suit, and dispensed pearls of wisdom about high finance in The Australian newspaper.

Her advice included: 'I would never leave 100 per cent of my assets in just one asset class, like property or shares, nor would I ever leave money under the bed'.

Standards at Wise were stringent and public records show she held a legitimate Australian Financial Services Licence through 2004. (She would later be accused of using someone else's for several years).

'You could not scratch your nose without Compliance being all over it,' said a former colleague at Wise. And Caddick was an expert in it. 'She knows what to do and what not to do.'

The former colleague said that in later years Caddick would have known that she was breaching the 'cardinal sins' of financial planning.

After Wise, Caddick went on to work for a separate Sydney financial planning entity. She had a baby boy about that time with her now ex-husband.

Caddick (pictured drinking champagne on the rooftop of a Sydney school with her husband, Anthony Koletti) was believed by family and friends

Corporate watchdog ASIC has alleged in court documents that Caddick's financial misappropriation may have began as early as May 2009.

But her main Maliver frauds - which often involved faked CommSec documents regularly sent to clients - are alleged to have kicked off in earnest in 2013.

Authorities claim Caddick used her company to rake in more than $20million which she then splurged on designer clothing, expensive jewellery and flash cars.

Provisional liquidators this week said that Caddick had been 'meticulous' in her work, mocking up her clients fake financial reports using Microsoft Excel.

She intentionally resisted suggestions she use specific accounting software so she could hoodwink auditors, accountants and other advisers.

The mystery of Caddick's disappearance may now be drawing to a close.

Her decomposing foot was found by campers on Sunday. It was inside an Asics Gel Nimbus 22 sneaker when it washed up at Bournda Beach, south-east of Bega on the NSW south coast.

'(The foot) had been in the water for some time,' Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing said on Friday.

'Scientists were able to extract DNA from the foot and match it to a sample of DNA that we had already obtained from a toothbrush belonging to Melissa from her relatives,'

Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing and Detective Inspector Gretchen Atkins announce the discovery of a foot believed to belong to Melissa Caddick on Friday. Before the disturbing find, Caddick was widely believed to be alive

Caddick vanished from her family's Dover Heights home on November 11. Her foot was found in an Asics sneaker on Bournda Beach, south east of Bega last Sunday

A bouquet of pink roses was left outside the front gate of the Caddick family home in Dover Heights on Friday

Detectives suspect Caddick died by suicide shortly after Asic and the Federal Police raided her home on November 11 - although they are not ruling out foul play.

Her family are devastated and floral tributes mounted outside her cliffside home on Friday.

ASIC's investigation into her alleged fraud continues.

Few who once knew Caddick, and entrusted her with their savings, thought that she was capable of the deceit she is alleged to have led.

But why wouldn't they trust her, when she was draped in designer jewellery, hosted dinner parties at her $6.1million Dover Heights home, spoke of her specialised expertise and was a finance industry covergirl?
RTHK: Biden inspects Texas in wake of storm

President Biden met with volunteers at a food bank, toured a health centre and visited an emergency operations facility on Friday to assess recovery efforts from a severe Texas winter storm while an aide blamed state government for being unprepared.

Biden and his wife Jill Biden landed in Houston where he met Republican Governor Greg Abbott and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner to discuss the recovery from last weeks storm, which caused serious damage to homes and businesses, left millions without power or clean water for days, and killed at least two dozen.

At the food bank, Biden saw rows and rows of packaged food, from pasta to apple sauce, stacked in a large warehouse and watched conveyors move slowly as volunteers pulled food out of boxes and put them in containers for delivery.

Biden, a Democrat, has sought to bring consolation and empathy to the hard-hit state, which leans heavily Republican.

But his deputy national security adviser, Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, laid responsibility Friday on the Texas government for foregoing energy regulation that could have left it better prepared.

"Texas has chosen not to make the kinds of decisions that would provide for the supplies that you would keep for an emergency, that is, to invest in a kind of resilience that other states which are regulated are required to invest in," she said.

"They don't have the backup in terms of supply or generation capability that they needed to have in this crisis," she said, adding the state had the capacity to change that.

For 10 days this month, Texas was hit by an unusually prolonged period of very low temperatures. Electricity consumption surged, while many generating units failed to start up owing to frozen instrumentation, iced turbine blades and insufficient fuel supplies.

The state's Republican leaders have come under fire for not heeding warnings that the Texas power grid needed significant upgrades to defend against deep freezes.

While much of the rest of the United States features electricity systems that are interconnected, allowing power to cross state lines, Texas has long stood out for having its own grid.

The disaster has been a test of Biden's pledge to work for all Americans to help unify the country. Abbott initially did not recognize Biden's November election victory over former Republican President Donald Trump. Texas state officials lost a court bid in December to overturn the results, which Trump has falsely claimed were tainted by widespread fraud.

Last week, Abbott asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Biden to issue a major disaster declaration for all of the state's 254 counties. Biden initially signed off on a declaration for 77 counties, adding 31 more on Monday and signaling he was open to increasing the number.

The declaration authorizes FEMA to provide grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners.

Biden's team said he delayed his Texas visit to avoid hampering efforts to save people from the storm's damage. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A day after a key Senate official ruled that a provision increasing the federal minimum wage would need to be removed as written from President Bidens $1.9 trillion stimulus plan, Democrats were scrambling to salvage the critical progressive priority.

While the House is expected on Friday to move forward with a vote on the minimum-wage language as part of the full package, Senate Democrats were exploring how to codify their push to gradually raise the wage to $15 by 2025 without violating Senate rules.

Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, and other top Democrats are examining adding a provision that would penalize corporations that dont pay workers at least a $15 minimum wage, a senior Democratic aide said on Friday. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he was also examining legislation that would impose tax penalties on companies if any workers earn less than a certain amount.

In order to have the stimulus package become law before unemployment benefits begin to lapse in mid-March, Democrats are rushing the legislation through Congress on a fast-track process known as budget reconciliation, which shields it from a filibuster in the Senate, allowing it to pass without Republican support.
Northern Ireland has a brighter future as attention turns to life beyond Covid-19, the First Minister has said.

Arlene Foster joined with Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill to pay tribute to people across the region for their efforts in bringing down the R-rate and saving thousands of lives.

It comes as Northern Ireland recorded its fourth consecutive fall in registered Covid-19 deaths since the peak of 182 in late January.

More than half a million people here have now also received their first vaccines.

And last night health officials announced a relaxation in the rules relating to visitors to healthcare settings.

The Department of Health yesterday announced a further 241 cases and two more deaths linked to the virus.

However, fatalities are falling, analysis by statistics agency Nisra shows. Its latest bulletin notes 61 Covid-19 related deaths in the week ending February 19. That is a third of the peak figure recorded in the week to January 22.

In total, Covid-19 has played a part in the deaths of 2,768 people here since the start of the crisis.

But as Northern Ireland marks 12 months since its first case, Stormont's leaders delivered a rousing message of hope.

Health Minister Robin Swann said "the fight against Covid-19 is moving in the right direction", as he revealed further progress in the vaccination drive, with 537,086 jabs administered here - 505,188 of them first doses.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph to mark a year of Covid, Mrs Foster and Mrs O'Neill acknowledged the pain of the last 12 months, but also sought to offer hope to people, promising that better times are ahead.

Mrs Foster expressed her sympathies to every family affected by the virus, saying: "One year ago, Covid-19 arrived on our shores and our lives changed completely. There is no doubt of the terrible loss we have endured. We remember all of those who have succumbed to the virus, each one a person who is valued, loved and missed.

"It is right to take some comfort in the many thousands of lives that together we have saved. To do this, each one of us has had to take difficult decisions that previously we could never have imagined. As First Minister, this has included putting in place laws to curb freedoms that we all cherish and I'm proud to say that the people of Northern Ireland have rallied in support.

"They have followed the health rules and made the kind of everyday choices that protect them and their loved ones. This has been the most challenging year of my political life but what lifts my heart are the commonplace kindnesses I see in our community.

"Right across the province, there is a compassionate army at work looking out for neighbours, staying in touch with more isolated relatives and supporting those who need a helping hand, and this giant spirit of respect and care gives us all the strength we need to get through this.

"Slowly but surely, we are now on our journey towards recovery. Brighter days are ahead."

Mrs O'Neill said it was difficult to believe that a year had passed since the first case - but also sought to praise the public response. She added: "It's a storm that we've all weathered together, Covid-19 has touched all of our lives, and sadly many people have lost their lives to this terrible virus."

She said countless families have been left grieving for the loss of a loved one.

"My heart breaks for you all," she continued. "One of the cruellest things about coronavirus is that it spreads through human contact. At a time when we have wanted to keep our loved ones close, we had to keep them at a distance. We haven't been able to do so many things that we once took for granted. That has been so hard for everyone.

"You have all made huge sacrifices with those you love for the good of society and what has shone brightly through this dark time is the goodness of people, the way people have helped each other has been nothing short of amazing.

"We are deeply indebted to our incredible healthcare staff who have worked tirelessly to care for the people in most need and all of those other workers out there and volunteers, who have kept things going and provided support across communities.

"Thank you to each and every one of you - we know that better times are ahead. Let's keep focused on the light at the end of the tunnel - the vaccination programme is making great progress and we will reach a point where we will begin to see a slow, steady lifting of restrictions."

The Executive is due to release its roadmap for lifting lockdown early next week.

Meanwhile, the fight for essential workers to be prioritised for the Covid-19 vaccine has been dealt a blow after the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said offering the jab according to occupation could slow down the rollout. It recommended that the next priority groups should be 40 to 49-year-olds, 30 to 39-year-olds and 18 to 29-year-olds.
You are the owner of this article.
The organisations, which include The British Heart Foundation, Asthma UK, MacMillan Cancer Support and The Sickle Cell Society, will help promote access to key advice and information on vaccines. Photo: Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Sixteen UK charities have formed a new partnership in a bid to encourage people with long-term health conditions and their adult carers to get the COVID-19 jab.

The organisations, which include The British Heart Foundation, Asthma UK, MacMillan Cancer Support and The Sickle Cell Society, will help promote access to key advice and information on vaccines.

They will work alongside the UK government and the NHS.

Britain is currently leading the coronavirus vaccination race in Europe, after becoming the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer (PFE) jab.

In December, the NHS began administering the Pfizer-BioNTech (BNTX) vaccine, followed by the Oxford AstraZeneca ($AZN.L) one. A third vaccine, from Moderna (MRNA), was also approved, with others in the pipeline.

Around 19 million people have been vaccinated (with a first dose) so far in the UK, with around the majority of over-80s receiving the jab, as well as elderly residents in care homes.

The official estimate of the R number  how many people each infected person then reinfects  is between 0.6 and 0.9 for the UK, with new infections falling by 2% to 6% per day.

Since 15 February those in cohort 6  people between the ages of 16 and 64 with certain underlying health conditions and their carers  have been receiving invites from their GP practice to get inoculated from COVID-19.

READ MORE: UK economic recovery lags but vaccines bring hope

Having the support of the charities who work every day to support the very people we are reaching out to in cohort 6 is a great boost for the rollout which continues to show what we can achieve when we pull together as one, Matt Hancock, health and social care secretary, said.

Their help, encouragement and links with communities next in line for the jab will help make sure everyone can get access to the life-saving protection the vaccine provide.

Chris Askew, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: We are incredibly proud to be working with other leading voices in the charity sector to encourage people to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

Story continues

People with diabetes have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and have a higher risk of becoming seriously ill if they develop coronavirus.

Seven mass vaccine centres have also now opened in England.

Ashton Gate football stadium in Bristol, Epsom racecourse in Surrey, the Excel Centre where London's Nightingale hospital is based, Newcastle's Centre for Life, the Manchester Tennis and Football Centre, Robertson House in Stevenage and Birmingham's Millennium Point will offer vaccines to people aged 80 and older, along with health and care staff.

WATCH: UK praised for making coronavirus jab available to migrants

As part of the vaccines delivery plan, the government hopes that all adults can be vaccinated by the autumn. It plans to have a total of 2,700 vaccine sites across the country.

Britain was the first European nation to pass the 100,000 landmark and the fifth country in the world after the US, Brazil, India and Mexico.

However, the number of new virus cases has plunged from a peak of 66,405 a day on 11 January to 8,523 on Friday.

Earlier this month the Cabinet Office also announced that the most vulnerable groups would receive a jab by polling day at the latest.

In a press release, it said: The UK's vaccination programme is planned to have reached all nine priority cohorts by May, meaning that the government can commit to go ahead with these polls with confidence.

The government plans to give councils an extra 31m ($41m) for plastic screens in polling stations and hand sanitiser to make the polls Covid-safe. People who are shielding will be encouraged to vote by post.

WATCH: What UK government COVID-19 support is available?
On February 16, Turkish authorities announced that a 26-year-old woman, Suhayra Aden, was captured with her two children while crossing the border from Syria. Turkeys Defence Ministry said she was wanted as an alleged Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist. The three will likely be deported to New Zealand, where the woman has citizenship.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told the media: This individual was clearly most appropriately dealt with by Australia that is the place from which they departed for Syria. She added: New Zealand frankly is tired of having Australia export its problems.

Aden travelled to the war-torn country in 2014 on an Australian passport. She was a dual New Zealand-Australian citizen, and had lived in Australia with her family since she was six years old. The Australian government cancelled her citizenship last year.

Responding to Ardern, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared that, under anti-democratic laws passed in 2015, any dual citizens who engaged with terrorist activities are automatically stripped of their Australian citizenship. Morrison made no comment on what this would mean for Adens children, aged five and under. He described Aden as an enemy of our country who had fought with terrorist organisations.

In fact, Aden has not been convicted of anything and the allegations against her remain unproven. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) pointed out: The Turkish government has in the past labelled as terrorists people who merely lived under Islamic State and did not participate in fighting or actual acts of terrorism.

Aden travelled to Syria as a teenager and lived there under ISIS during the brutal war aimed at overthrowing the regime of Bashar al-Assad. She reportedly married and had three children with two Swedish men, who were both killed in the war. One of her children died of pneumonia.

The growth of ISIS in Syria was the product of intervention by the United States and its allies, who provided weapons and other support to Islamist rebels who were fighting to topple Assad, including the Al Qaeda offshoot Al Nusra. Foreign fighters were allowed to flood into Syria, including from Libya, where they had been supported by the US and NATO in 2011 to overthrow the Gaddafi regime. The Syrian war has left at least 500,000 people dead and 6.5 million homeless.

Successive Australian and New Zealand governments, as minor imperialist allies of Washington, supported the war against Assad. They had previously sent troops to the illegal US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, aimed at securing US dominance over the resource-rich Middle East and central Asia. More than a million people have died in these wars and entire societies have been destroyed, with tens of millions made homeless.

Australia redeployed troops to Iraq in 2014 to support the US occupation of the country and military operations against ISIS fighters who had crossed into the country from Syria. New Zealand also sent troops to Iraq in 2015.

Aden and her children are among thousands of people, from many parts of the world, who have been detained after escaping from the horrors of war in Syria. Clark Jones, a criminologist at the Australian National University, told Radio NZ the detainees include 67 Australian women and children, including around 34 children aged six years and under.

The Al-Hawl (or al-Hol) refugee camp in 2019 [Source: Wikipedia]

ABC reporter Dylan Welch, who spoke with Aden during a visit to the Al-Hawl refugee camp in northern Syria in 2019, said: She explained how worried she was, not only for herself but mainly for the kids. She was terrified she was going to lose the baby. Adens children were suffering from malnutrition and dysentery.

The refugee camp in the middle of the desert houses about 70,000 people, including 10,000 former ISIS supporters.

Australias ruling elite, which has some of the worlds most draconian anti-refugee policies, is now seeking to wash its hands of any responsibility for the fate of its citizens caught up in this humanitarian disaster. The decision to abrogate citizenship violates the basic democratic rights of Aden and her children.

New Zealands Ardern feigned sympathy for the children, telling Newshub: If we are thinking about the wellbeing of the kids, then surely wed think about making sure this person was repatriated to the place they had family, and that place is Australia.

However, the Australian and New Zealand governments have known that the three joint citizens were in the Al-Hawl camp at least since 2019, when Ardern and Morrison first discussed the issue. Nothing was done by either government to assist them, despite the immense dangers facing people in the camp.

New Zealand has one of the lowest refugee intakes in the world, at just 1,500 people per year. Successive NZ governments have collaborated with Australias abusive system of offshore detention of asylum seekers.

Arderns decision to publicly denounce Canberra for exporting its problems has nothing to do with humanitarian concerns. Australia and New Zealand are close allies and trading partners, but the economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has produced conflicts between the two countries.

Significantly, Arderns rebuke follows comments by Morrison on February 1 criticising New Zealands close trading relationship with China, which has overtaken Australia as New Zealands number one trading partner. Morrison called for New Zealand to stick together with the US and Australia, which are increasingly preparing for war against China.

At the same time, as the latest episode shows, the ruling class in both countries is stoking nationalism to divert growing anger over attacks on workers jobs and living standards.

Arderns Labour Party government is seeking to channel opposition to the long-term erosion of the rights of about 600,000 New Zealanders living in Australia. Under changes made to Australian legislation in 2001, those who migrated to Australia after that date have few means to apply for citizenship. They can be deported easily and are ineligible for welfare payments and disability support, regardless of how long they have lived in Australia.

New Zealands government and opposition parties have hypocritically denounced Australias policy of deporting NZ citizens, many of whom grew up in Australia, for criminal offences, including minor crimes. More than 2,000 people have been sent back under the hardline policy since 2015. New Zealands media has blamed the deportees for the growth of criminal gangs.

New Zealand, however, has similarly brutal anti-immigrant policies. Last year, for example, the Ardern government deported a paralysed Tongan woman despite warnings from doctors that she could die. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government barred thousands of temporary migrants from accessing welfare payments for nearly a year, while New Zealands border closureone of the harshest in the worldhas resulted in thousands of work visa holders being stranded overseas and unable to return.
A Belgian prison has been placed under quarantine and inmates have been confined to their cells after more than half of them tested positive for Covid-19, authorities said Saturday

Brussels, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2021 ) :A Belgian prison has been placed under quarantine and inmates have been confined to their cells after more than half of them tested positive for Covid-19, authorities said Saturday.

In addition to the more than half of the 132 inmates who tested positive, around 60 out of 115 staff at the Namur prison in southeastern Belgium have also been infected since a first case was discovered early last week.

One detainee was hospitalised and the situation is considered "very serious", said prison administration spokeswoman Kathleen De Vijver.

Hygiene products are being distributed to inmates and they receive one hot meal per day, but walks and visits are not permitted and they can no longer access the shower rooms.

The more contagious British variant of the coronavirus is now dominant in Belgium, where authorities called on Friday for "very great caution" as signs of a rebound in the pandemic emerged.
Billions of peripheral white blood cells are produced every day by the regular divisions of hematopoietic stem cells and their descendants in the bone marrow. Under normal circumstances, thousands of stem cells contribute progeny to the blood at any given time, making white blood cells a group with diverse ancestry.

Clonal hematopoiesis is a common age-related condition in which the descendants of one of these hematopoietic stem cells begin to dominate substantial portions of the blood. Genome-wide analyses have determined that clonal hematopoiesis is frequently driven by recurrent genetic alterations that confer a competitive advantage to specific hematopoietic stem cells, thus giving them the ability to expand disproportionately.

Multiple independent studies have shown that clonal hematopoiesis often goes hand in hand with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Since its discovery, this surprising association has been the subject of intense interest from clinicians and researchers alike.

Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in Western countries and represents a massive public health burden. Do clonal expansions in the blood contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis, and if so, how?

Subsequent work showed that indeed, atherosclerotic plaque formation can be exacerbated by immune cells with clonal hematopoiesis-related mutations, thus raising the question whether clonal expansions in the blood should be targeted therapeutically for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

In a new study published in Cell, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School now suggest a different, additional possibility: Atherosclerosis causes clonal hematopoiesis. Patients with atherosclerosis suffer from hyperlipidemia and inflammation, two conditions that are known to chronically boost hematopoietic stem cell division rates. In the new study, the researchers now demonstrate that this increased division accelerates the development of clonal hematopoiesis.

Patients with atherosclerosis essentially experience 'accelerated time.' This is because the speed with which genetic alterations arise and spread through the hematopoietic system is determined by the underlying rate of stem cell division." Kamila Naxerova, PhD, Study Senior Author and Principal Investigator, Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital

"From a genetic point of view, you could say that atherosclerosis accelerates aging of the blood. Since clonal hematopoiesis is an age-related condition, atherosclerosis patients are prone to developing it earlier than healthy individuals," says Naxerova, who is also an assistant professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School.

Naxerova says that her team's findings may potentially be good news for patients with clonal hematopoiesis: "There is no doubt that more research is needed to carefully dissect the connection between clonal hematopoiesis and cardiovascular disease. But our results indicate that clonal hematopoiesis might in some cases only be a relatively harmless sign of an overactive hematopoietic system, and not a danger in itself."

"What makes this study unique is that the interdisciplinary team incorporated mathematical modeling to discover a new paradigm in the atherosclerosis field and further elucidated the interplay between cardiovascular disease and clonal hematopoiesis," says Michelle Olive, PhD, Program Officer in the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.
My daughter is getting married this spring. It will be a small daytime wedding in a park. I bought a knee-length wrap dress and neutral-colored low heels to wear, and though I have not bought or worn stockings in decades, I feel as if I should wear them with this outfit. My daughter is horrified and plans to go barelegged under her knee-length wedding dress. Is there a general rule about stockings? Some guidance, please.  Judith, Washington, D.C.

Pantyhose  or stockings or nylons or tights, which are not exactly the same things but are often used interchangeably  are one of those items of dress that seems innocuous and unimportant, but is actually a giant generational, occupational and cultural lightning rod. For women of a certain age, they are simply a part of girding yourself for the world; for others, they are a symbol of old-fashioned female repression and outmoded gender rules.

Theyre not exactly a girdle or a crinoline, but they are a descendant of that genetic line: undergarments foisted on women to cover their bodies and make them acceptable to outsiders. They also, of course, help keep your legs warm and maybe prevent skirts from clinging, but thats the trade-off.

Indeed, if you ever want to start a lively discussion during a lull in a dinner party, bring up the question of pantyhose. Even when they are invisible or skin-tone, no one is neutral on the subject.

Simply consider, if you will, the case of Megan Markle. Just after her wedding, when she was still a sign of change within the royal family and hopes were high for modernization, she appeared with her new in-laws at Prince Charless 70th birthday party in an ivory dress, matching hat and pale hose! The internet freaked out, with numerous viewers seeing in the tights a sign that she was being stifled, just as her legs were stifled.
Chaiwat hits back at PACC over Kaeng Krachan burning

BANGKOK: A former Kaeng Krachan National Park chief has broken his silence after the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) moved to ban him from the civil service for allegedly leading other officials to burn the houses of Karen villagers a decade ago.



By Bangkok Post

Saturday 27 February 2021, 03:05PM

Former Kaeng Krachan National Park chief Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn says the PACC may have a hidden motive for trying to force him out of the civil service. Photo: Bangkok Post / file

Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn on Friday (Feb 26) wrote an open letter denying the allegation and accusing the anti-graft agency for senior civil servants of making the decision based purely on paper evidence without going out to check facts on the ground, reports the Bangkok Post.

Do not believe only in the papers given to you, Mr Chaiwat wrote.

The official also questioned whether the agency might have a hidden motive in pushing to end his bureaucratic career.

The PACC board has agreed to recommend the dismissal of Mr Chaiwat and five other park officials for burning the houses of about 100 Karen residents at Ban Bang Kloi, deep inside the park in Kaeng Krachan district of Phetchaburi, in 2011.

The next step is to send the recommendation to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to take disciplinary action. The ministry has to abide by the recommendation without the need to set up a disciplinary committee to look into the issue again, according to PACC regulations.

The PACC reportedly will also forward the case to public prosecutors for legal action.

Mr Chaiwat was the Kaeng Krachan park chief at the time of the incident in 2011. He is currently the director of Protected Areas Regional Office 9 in Ubon Ratchathani.

The decision by the PACC was made not long before the 10-year statute of limitations for arson and asset damage expires.

It took up the case after Karen spiritual leader Ko-ee Mimee filed a charge against Mr Chaiwat in 2015.

Ko-ee, who died in 2018 of pneumonia, said the area was his birthplace before it was designated as a part of Kaeng Krachan National Park in 1981, following the promulgation of the National Parks Act. He and other Karen villagers lost their right to stay there and were branded as trespassers. They were relocated to an area away from the park and have been trying ever since to return to their ancestral land.

The conflict took a grim turn in 2014, when Ko-ees grandson, rights activist Porlajee Billy Rakchongcharoen, vanished mysteriously, in what is believed to have been a case of enforced disappearance. The incident took place at a time when he was actively trying to help his fellow Karen gain the legal right to go back home.

Mr Chaiwat was a suspect in the disappearance as he was among the last people seen with the activist. When charred bones were found in an oil drum in the Kaeng Krachan dam reservoir in 2019, DNA testing indicated they were Billys. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) recommended that Mr Chaiwat and three others be charged with premeditated murder and other offences.

But public prosecutors declined to issue indictments in January last year on the most serious charges, and the accused are now facing no charges more serious than dereliction of duty. Billys widow has sought help from the DSI, which still believes in the strength of its evidence, and the Office of the Attorney-General to reopen the case.

The conflict between the ministry and the Karen is ongoing as 36 families have already returned to their homes in Bang Kloi, as the newly allocated land was not suitable for their way of life. At least four of them have been arrested for poaching wildlife and encroaching on forest land in the park.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 13:08:52|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Three people on a single-engine plane were killed Friday as the aircraft crashed into a ravine shortly after takeoff in Gainesville, Georgia, local media reported citing authorities.

Hall County Fire Services spokesman Zach Brackett was quoted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) as saying all the three adult occupants of the plane died in the tragedy.

The single-engine Cessna 182 crashed just after 6 p.m. ET (2300 GMT) about two miles northeast of Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in Gainesville, said the Federal Aviation Administration, which will investigate the incident together with the National Transportation Safety Board.

The ill-fated jet was on a planned flight from Gainesville to Daytona Beach, Florida.

Brackett said four adults and a child were displaced after fuel from the plane landed on their home, the AJC reported. No other injuries have been reported on the ground. Enditem
YEREVAN -- Armenian President Armen Sarkisian has refused to sign off on the dismissal of the head of the countrys general staff whose firing by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on February 25 prompted a political crisis.

According to a February 27 statement posted on Sarkisians website, the president considered the firing of General Onik Gasparian unconstitutional.

The presidents move gave Pashinian five days during which to resubmit the dismissal order. However, Pashinian announced immediately that he had already sent it back to the president.

WATCH: Armenian Opposition Continues Protests Against Prime Minister

Pashinian wrote on Facebook that Sarkisians decision is by no means conducive to the resolution of the situation.

Sarkisian now has three days to either sign the order or submit it to the Constitutional Court for review.

In his statement, Sarkisian stressed that he was not supporting either side in the dispute over Gasparians firing and that the armed forces should maintain political neutrality.

At an opposition rally in Yerevan, former Prime Minister Vazgen Manukian, who has been put forward as a replacement for Pashinian, said with the decision, the president has proved that he stands by the army.

I hope we will see statements from the police and the national security service that they too have sided with the army, he added.

WATCH: What's Next After Pashinian Denounces 'Attempted Coup'?

Pashinian has said he fired Gasparian after what he called an attempted coup aimed at removing him. Gasparian and other top military officials had issued an open letter calling for the resignations of Pashinian and his cabinet over their handling of a six-week conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces over the Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh last year.

Pashinian, whose My Step alliance holds a majority in parliament, has rejected opposition demands for early elections.
VERON PACCdigi contest

We would like to invite you to take part in the first Dutch PACCdigi contest.

The contest will take place April 17, 2021 from 12:00 UTC to 23:59 UTC.

This first edition will use the RTTY and FT8 modes on the 160 to 10 m contest bands.

The rules are published on the PACCdigi webpage: http://www.veron.nl/PACCdigi
Feng Wei Photography/Getty Images

The lush, unspoiled coastline of Pololu Valley is one of the archipelagos most sacred places.

It has also served as a sanctuary for many of the 6,045 residents in North Kohala, particularly Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) whose families have lived in the area for generations, and where parts of their rich cultural history lie in the headlands.
IN the space of one month, the families of 326 people were left in shock and heartbreak after losing their loved ones to the Covid-19 virus.

May 2021 was the deadliest month of the pandemic in Trinidad and Tobago and the month with the highest number of Covid-19 cases.
India and Bangladesh discussed "early completion" of the pending fencing work along the international border they share as they reiterated their commitment to address issues related to terrorism and extremism during the home secretary-level talks held on Saturday, an official statement said.

The 19th edition of the dialogue was held online in the backdrop of 'MujibBarsho', 50 years of the Bangladesh Liberation War and establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla led the Indian side, while the Bangladeshi delegation was headed by senior secretary, public security division of the neighbouring country's ministry of home affairs, MostafaKamal Uddin.

"India and Bangladesh attach highest importance to their bilateral relations. Both secretaries reiterated their commitment to further expand and strengthen mutual cooperation in the security and border related issues."

"Both sides reaffirmed not to allow the territory of either country to be used for any activity inimical to each other's interests," the Home Ministry statement said.

It added that both the sides discussed early completion of pending fencing along the India-Bangladesh Border (IBB) as agreed by the prime ministers of the two countries.

The talks "appreciated the cooperation between the two countries and the action taken to address the menace of terrorism and extremism in an effective manner."

It said effective functioning of the coordinated border management plan (CBMP) to control the illegal cross border activities was appreciated by both sides.

"The holding of the inaugural Police Chiefs' Dialogue in January, 2021 implementing the decision taken at the Home Minister Level Talks (HMLT) held in August, 2019, was noted with appreciation by both sides," the statement said.

The two countries also agreed to "further enhance the level of cooperation to prevent the smuggling of fake Indian currency notes (FICN) and contraband".

The statement said Bangladesh "appreciated" assistance provided by India in the field of training and capacity building for various security agencies.

"Both sides reviewed the entire gamut of security and border related cooperation and agreed to work closely to fulfill the shared vision of the leadership of the two countries," it said.

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi slams Modi over Sino-India standoff; says China knows PM is 'scared'
The Alabama Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee is hosting a special meeting at 2 p.m. CST this Saturday, February 27, which is open to all educators, parents, students and other workers. Dr. Benjamin Mateus, who has written extensively on the COVID-19 pandemic, will discuss the political motivations behind the new CDC guidelines on school reopenings, how they are at odds with the science, and answer questions from attendees. Register today and share this event widely with coworkers and on social media !

Montgomery, Alabama Superintendent Ann Roy Moore announced Monday that teachers must return to school buildings as of March 29, with students following in early April. The policy reversal takes place amid a spike of over 1,250 new COVID-19 cases in the state and after at least 30 Alabama educators have lost their lives to the virus.

Throughout the fall and winter, Montgomery educators have mounted protests against being forced to work in COVID-infected, dilapidated school buildings. As deaths mounted in late January, including four within a single week, some educators staged a sick-out and the district retreated to allow mostly remote teaching. The announced reopening at the end of March takes place in tandem with the reopening of schools by Democrats across the US, as demanded by the Biden administration.

In her letter to inform employees of their imminent return, Moore claims to be using the research from scientists, guidelines by the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She adds that the supposed safety measures of returning faculty before students and staggering students return will allow time to prepare to return face to face in the safest possible manner. MPS staff and students will continue to practice social distancing as much as feasible  (emphasis added). In reality, the virus continues to spread throughout Alabama schools. Alabamas COVID-19 K-12 Dashboard has recorded 2,686 cases in the past two weeks alone.

Moores announcement, and the CDC guidelines which she cites, blatantly ignore one of the most important factors in determining the safety of a building: ventilation and air quality. Educators in Montgomery have reported to the WSWS the terrible state of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in their schools, which result in widespread mold and mildew. The US Government Accountability Office estimates that 41 percent of school districts need to update or replace their HVAC systems.

It is imperative that the working class understands the latest CDC guidelines, which are being used across the US as a weapon to force teachers and students back into deadly classrooms as the pandemic rages out of control. We urge educators, parents and students to attend Saturdays meeting with WSWS science writer Dr. Benjamin Mateus to learn about the unscientific character of the CDC guidelines and why closing schools is one of the most effective measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

As Dr. Mateus wrote in a recent article on the CDC guidelines, A review of the guidelines references indicates many of the selected studies are of limited significance and use biased surveys done in a specific school over a limited time frame. Many provide no concrete context or understanding of how the coronavirus passes through children and schools in the community settings.

The guidelines highlight studies conducted early in the pandemic, when schools globally were closed as an initial response to containing the spread, deriving conclusions that are no longer valid. They have uncritically accepted claims made in studies that children were not vectors at home, while ignoring the cautionary remarks made by their authors that their findings might be flawed as children rarely present with symptoms.

The CDC is now working under the thumb of the Biden administration, which has set as its primary domestic policy goal the reopening of all schools nationwide by the end of April. Despite speaking in a different tone of voice, Biden is continuing the same deadly policy of the Trump administration: open schools as soon as possible, so parents can return to work to produce profits for the financial oligarchy.

Its atrocious, one Montgomery teacher told the WSWS. Why are we coming back at the end of March when clearly the numbers are continuously rising as far as COVID cases? As we can see, since school has been remote, no teachers have died. They only died when we were teaching in-person.

She noted that Moore also wants all children to take standardized tests in person, stating, They havent been at school in a year, but she wants to test them, she wants them to fail. They want every child to test in person, all the 6th graders in for two days. Thats 20 children in a classroom, piled on top of each other. No way youll be able to distance. This punitive policy is also in line with Bidens Department of Education ruling this week that standardized tests will be mandatory this year, a direct reversal of one of his campaign pledges.

The teacher continued, Theres no way we can stop this deadly virus from infiltrating the schools. We already know the ventilation system is poor and they already told us they werent going to replace it. We have mold and mildew all in the air ducts. Theyre saying wait until the summer to fix it. OK, then wait to the summer and dont make us go back.

Dr. Mateus also recently wrote about the glaring omission of aerosolization in the CDC guidelines, noting, In its push to support the Biden administrations efforts to open schools rapidly, the CDC has altogether negated the nature of aerosolization of the virus. Its guidelines make no mention of these transmission mechanisms. The CDC has nimbly backpedaled to emphasizing respiratory droplets and surface contamination as primary modes of infection. Its schematic makes this evident: universal masking, the physical distancing of six feet when possible, handwashing and respiratory etiquette.

Superintendent Moore cites the reduction in cases in Montgomery as evidence that it is safe to reopen. Of course, this is a misrepresentation of the situation. It was just announced that the number of confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 strain, which is known to be more transmissible and more deadly, has increased nearly three-fold in the state, from eight to 22. The true extent of this new strain is unknown, but it is set to become the dominant strain in the US by late March. Dr. Karen Landers of the Alabama Department of Public Health pointed out that most laboratories in the state do not have the ability to conduct sequencing, which is how the variants are detected.

The district is also pressuring parents to send their children back, saying, We are encouraging families strongly, whose children have not done well with virtually, to return. Since the beginning of the pandemic there has been no coordinated plan or funding to invest in the highest quality virtual education. Instead, the very same people who claim to be concerned about the health and well-being of students have sabotaged remote learning. The students whose performance is in question are no doubt those who lack the basic resources required to learn remotely, such as high quality internet and computers.

Moore says the buildings are cleaner than ever and loaded with supplies. In reality, not a single school in the district has been retrofitted with the proper ventilation systems that are a prerequisite for clean, safe air. She also claims that a partnership between MPS and Alabama State University will enable 800 employees to be vaccinated this week. This represents only 17 percent of the districts employees.

Science is on the side of educators, who are fighting internationally to put an end to the homicidal drive to force them and their students back into coronavirus-infested classrooms. We urge readers to attend Saturdays meeting, invite your coworkers, and help expand the network of rank-and-file safety committees. Only the mobilization of the working class, united behind a program guided by science and human need, is capable of putting an end to the pandemic and securing the future of public education.
UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2021) Estonia, France, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Norway and the United Kingdom at the United Nations in a statement on Friday urged Israel to stop demolition and confiscation of property in a Palestinian community in the Jordan Valley.

"We are deeply concerned at the recent repeated demolitions and confiscation of items, including of EU and donor funded structures carried out by Israeli authorities at Humsa Al-Bqai'a in the Jordan Valley," the statement said. "We reiterate our call on Israel to halt demolitions and confiscations."

The recent demolitions impacted the community of approximately 70 people, including 41 children, the statement said.

It also expressed the call on Israel to allow full, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to the community in Humsa Al-Baqai'a.
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.

Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

While it may be appropriate to label Max Lucado Christian-lite, I dont believe its fair to call him a Christian Leftist (at least not yet). His recent retraction and apology for his past sermons regarding same-sex marriage though have left many Christians wondering if the best selling author of over 100 faith titles folded to the pressures of progressive ideology this past week. Lucado, who claims to still personally affirm a biblical view of marriage and sexuality, faced backlash after being invited to speak at the Washington National Cathedral by the left-leaning Episcopal Church's Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Paul in the City and the Diocese of Washington. Ultimately, Lucado was allowed to address the church through the virtual event, but not without demands for leadership to rescind his invitation and to cancel his talk after statements from a 2004 sermon he preached condemning same-sex marriage surfaced.

Several issues are wrong with this situation, notwithstanding Lucados own response, buts let start by addressing the greater problem  that a so-called Christian church would support a liberal LGBT agenda over the teachings of Jesus, scriptural interpretation, and 2000 years of well-established church history. At some point in time, in denominations like this sect of the Episcopal church, Christian views on original sin, morality, and the dangers of libertine sexuality were replaced with a rampant embrace of licentiousness and every en vogue moral departure. In the past, this form of neo-Christianity, which has more in common with Marx than Christ, was mostly isolated to academic circles, but over the past few decades it has leaked its left-leaning heresy into the pulpit and now into the pews.

With that said, Lucados response doesnt make him apostate, and any cries from Christians to cancel him only cause us to resemble the leftist mobs we criticize. What it does show though is how easy it is for a solid Christian leader to succumb to political pressure and fall short of defending the faith.

The early church dealt with a similar issue which was vividly captured in St. Cyprians work, The Lapsed: The Unity of the Catholic Church, in which he tells of Christians who folded to pressure from the Roman state to offer a pagan sacrifice contrary to their faith. Individuals who conformed to the religious demands of the empire, only to later return to the church to reconfirm their faith in Christ, were known at that time as the lapsed.

Of course, Lucado didnt go as far as to offer a pagan sacrifice, but he did seemingly apologize for holding scriptural beliefs. In the end, his efforts failed to satisfy his progressive opponents and unfortunately caused his fellow Bible-believing base to question his witness. I wont be so bold as to call Lucado lapsed, but I do believe his efforts were misguided. Nonetheless, as St. Cyprian modeled to the early church, individuals like Lucado, assuming he continues to embrace a biblical worldview, should be allowed back into believers good graces  though not without caution.

In line with biblical grace, lets remember its easy for those who have never experienced a furious onslaught from a cancel culture mob to criticize. It is hard to say what any of us would do if we were to undergo this type of societal attack against our careers and livelihood. With that said, the right answer for Christians is to always hold fast to scripture and to never apologize for Gods word.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Nike Kikiowo started her poultry farm in 2017 in Osun State with 100 birds.

The graduate of History and Diplomatic Study had earlier ventured into various enterprises, but was not satisfied with their outcome.

Although she had a white collar job, she managed to engage herself with other things before calling it quit at the corporate world in 2016.

When she resigned, Mrs Kikiowo decided to rewrite her narrative and moved on to agriculture. She is now the managing director of Azarel Farms.

Agriculture for me had always been my passion, even though I never planned to be a full time farmer, but I had to start it. I had other businesses I was into but I am not as fulfilled as I am with agriculture, she told PREMIUM TIMES.

She contacted an animal scientist who advised her to begin with 100 birds.

I was scared when the scientist said I should begin with 100 birds, she said. How will I sell 100 birds? Will I hawk them? I asked him.

She was pleased with her first sales, so she gave it another try. By early 2018 she had grown to 500 birds capacity.

The mother-of-three belongs to the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Osun State chapter. Joining this association has added positive values to her business.

Mrs Kikiowo, who also has a diploma in Law, said aside her poultry farm, she owns a vegetable and crop farm and a rabbit farm of over 120 rabbits.

She understands the power of knowledge and she seeks it appropriately. She attends trainings on agriculture and business.

In 2018, Mrs Kikiowo joined the Osun State Broiler Outgrower Farmers Association. Every farmer in the cooperative got funding from the government through OBOPS 2( Osun Broiler Outgrower program scheme) programme organised by the state government.

The funding through OBOPS 2 catered for inputs like 2000 day-old chicks, feed, medication, vaccines and every necessary thing needed for a successful production cycle.

The scheme also provided off-takers for farmers to buy the mature birds at the end of every six weeks.

She acquired a larger space ( four hectares of land where the first branch of her farm is situated). Facility on the property includes a 3,000 capacity pen, a 1,000 capacity pen, farm house and other adjoining facilities.

She has since expanded to another location in the Osun capital, Osogbo, with another 6,000-capacity pen.

She now processes the birds by slaughtering and packaging them.

She feels uncomfortable when she sees young people seeking for jobs when farming is at their doorsteps. For her, young people should go into farming.

ADVERTISEMENT

When I see people walking around without jobs, it breaks my heart. For example you can start rabbitry with five rabbits; four does and one bucks within three to four months, you will have 36 rabbits, she said.

One regular breed of rabbit weener costs N2500, so when you purchase the four of them at N10,000, in three to four months you have 36 rabbits, after which you allow them to grow. In another four months you can start selling the older ones which is above N5000, she said.

Her husband encourages her with funds when necessary but she also feels more support should come from agricultural financial institutions.

She also thinks the best way for the government to encourage young people to go into agriculture is to revive the produce board, which guarantees a minimum price for every farm produce. So, when young people know they can become millionaires as farmers, there would not be a rush to migrate to urban centers or hustle to get white collar jobs.

She is not bothered about fertilizer because she practices integrated farming where she uses manure from the rabbit and poultry to supplement the growth for her crops (maize). However, the maize production on her farm is never enough. Having to purchase feed at a higher cost due to the cost of maize can really be discouraging.

Maize is a seasonal crop so she uses a larger portion of the maize she grows to feed the birds.

Ms Kikiowo seems to have a better idea on how to grow her farm despite joining the business in her mid thirties.

When I started this farming, so many people did not believe I could do it. Some said this woman that has long painted nails and worn long hairs, how will she do it, she said laughing.

In fact the discrimination was from both gender but when the result started showing, they began respecting me, she added.

Even the farmers that started before me, come to me for advice because I have a better idea. I read a lot of things on agriculture and I attend trainings too.

Ms Kikiowo has been applying for federal government credit but she is yet to receive any.
Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. High 73F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds overnight. Low 52F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Energy Program Could Have Costly Consequences for Huntington Beach, Finance Commissioners Warn

Huntington Beachs finance commissioners are raising flags about the possible implications of joining the community choice energy (CCE) program.

The citys entry into the CCE poses significant financial risks for the city if the CCE program isnt profitable, some say.

The contract that we would have to pay to get out of it is so massive, Finance Commissioner Casey McKeon told The Epoch Times.

The CCE is overseen by the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA), which was formed by the City of Irvine.

The organization aimed to recruit additional cities to form a locally controlled cooperative utility authority to buy and sell energy, providing citizens a CCE option.

Huntington Beach joined the program last December, along with Irvine, Buena Park, Fullerton, and Lake Forest. (The latter city has since withdrawn from the program.)

Huntington Beachs Finance Commission voted Feb. 24 to write a letter to the city council addressing its concerns.

The city has until April 1 to either amend the terms of the contract or drop out completely. If the city decides to drop out of the OCPA after that date, it must pay a penalty.

The action item of the Finance Commission meeting was to send a letter to the council, McKeon said. [There are] areas of our concern in this contract, and that they should look at it more closely before they decide to jump in on April 1.

A Councilors Perspective

After voting to join the CCE on Dec. 10, councilors nominated Councilmember Mike Posey to represent Huntington Beach on the board. At the time, Posey told The Epoch Times that he favors community choice energy because it offers options to the consumer.

Having single-source [energy] from an investor-owned utility gives you really one choice or no choices, said Posey.

So this gives you a choice of energy supply, and also gives you a menu of options of how invested that consumer or business wants to be in conventional energy supply or renewable energy supply.

Posey also said that the savings could attract certain businesses to come to one city over another, based on involvement with community choice energy.

For cities that are members  it gives them another tool in their toolbox to attract business, he said. He added that the estimated savings of around 2 percent could be part of the decision-making process that is used by an energy-consuming business to choose one city over the other, if they can save money on energy.

Two percent doesnt mean much when your electric bill is $75 a month, but it means a lot if your bill is $40,000 a month, Posey said.

Cost Concerns

However, concerns about the programs costs linger for finance commissioners such as McKeon.

By opting into the CCE, Huntington Beach will sign 10- to 15-year contracts for renewable energy sources. The estimated financial liability for the city is $884 million, McKeon said.

If too many people opt out of the program, then the CCE wouldnt have enough funds to purchase energy.

If the city is unable to pay the liability, the OCPA may take from the citys general fund, which would mean that SoCal Edisons users would in effect be paying for the debts related to the CCE for the remainder of the contract, McKeon said.

Another risk of CCEs involves energy rates that are contingent upon market forces and regulations by Californias Public Utilities Commission.

I just feel that language in the Orange County Joint Powers Agreement is so cumbersome that it should be looked at more closely, McKeon said.

SoCal Edison, an investor-owned energy company serving the majority of Orange County residents, already meets the states requirements on renewable energy generation, such as solar and wind power, rather than natural gas.

CCE purchases energy contracts on the open market and uses SoCal Edisons infrastructure to deliver the energy to households. One of the main focuses of the CCEs is to obtain renewable energy more quickly and abundantly.

The CCE will be able to purchase the renewable energy generation with a 2 percent savings, compared to SoCal Edison, using tax free municipal bond financing, McKeon said.

If I look at my [electricity] bill for my home  just the generation portions of my $122 a month electricity bill is $47. Theyre going to save me 2 percent on my $47, which is 95 cents a month, McKeon said. To me, thats a minimal savings for a massive liability risk on these contracts.

Residents in the cities utilizing CCEs are automatically opted in to the program.

Residents who dont want to participate in the CCE must opt out and join SCE to avoid automatic registration.

They have a 60-day window to opt out of the CCE at no cost from the start date of the program in 2022.

Members of the OCPA are not allowed to leave the contract once entering.

Irvine will fund $2.5 million to implement the program in 2022, however, it must be repaid to Irvine by January 2027. Until Irvine is repaid, it will receive two votes on the OCPA, while every other party will receive one vote.

Huntington Beach Councilmember Erik Peterson said he was afraid that the concerns the finance committee was raising to council would fall on deaf ears.

Its putting politicians and lobbyists and lawyers in charge of your power bill, which is horrible, Peterson told The Epoch Times. They know nothing about power.

If they cant buy that renewable energy in the energy market cheaper than Southern California Edison can produce energy and sell it in the market, then our prices will be above market rate.
New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) India and Bangladesh discussed 'early completion' of the pending fencing work along the international border they share as they reiterated their commitment to address issues related to terrorism and extremism during the home secretary-level talks held on Saturday, an official statement said.

The 19th edition of the dialogue was held online in the backdrop of 'MujibBarsho', 50 years of the Bangladesh Liberation War and establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla led the Indian side, while the Bangladeshi delegation was headed by senior secretary, public security division of the neighbouring country's ministry of home affairs, Mostafa Kamal Uddin.

'India and Bangladesh attach highest importance to their bilateral relations. Both secretaries reiterated their commitment to further expand and strengthen mutual cooperation in the security and border related issues.' 'Both sides reaffirmed not to allow the territory of either country to be used for any activity inimical to each other's interests,' the Home Ministry statement said.

It added that both the sides discussed early completion of pending fencing along the India-Bangladesh Border (IBB) as agreed by the prime ministers of the two countries.

The talks 'appreciated the cooperation between the two countries and the action taken to address the menace of terrorism and extremism in an effective manner.' It said effective functioning of the coordinated border management plan (CBMP) to control the illegal cross border activities was appreciated by both sides.

'The holding of the inaugural Police Chiefs' Dialogue in January, 2021 implementing the decision taken at the Home Minister Level Talks (HMLT) held in August, 2019, was noted with appreciation by both sides,' the statement said.

The two countries also agreed to 'further enhance the level of cooperation to prevent the smuggling of fake Indian currency notes (FICN) and contraband'.

The statement said Bangladesh 'appreciated' assistance provided by India in the field of training and capacity building for various security agencies.

'Both sides reviewed the entire gamut of security and border related cooperation and agreed to work closely to fulfill the shared vision of the leadership of the two countries,' it said. PTI NES AAR AAR
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Beyond barbecues and ceremonies: Recognizing Memorial Day

For many, Memorial Day weekend is about gathering with family and grilling or attending a parade. Some find a more personal way to honor the holiday.
 Flash

A declassified U.S. intelligence report released on Friday assessed that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud approved an operation to "capture or kill" Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.



"We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," read the executive summary of the 4-page report released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

"We base this assessment on the Crown Prince's control of decisionmaking in the Kingdom, the direct involvement of a key adviser and members of Muhammad bin Salman's protective detail in the operation, and the Crown Prince's support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, including Khashoggi," said the report.

"Since 2017, the Crown Prince has had absolute control of the Kingdom's security and intelligence organizations, making it highly unlikely that Saudi officials would have carried out an operation of this nature without the Crown Prince's authorization," it added.

Saudi Arabia denied the crown prince was involved in the death of Khashoggi.

Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018, and a number of top Saudi officials were arrested in connection with the case.

Saudi Arabia's Public Prosecution last September issued the final verdicts against eight convicts in Khashoggi's killing, five were sentenced to 20 years in jail, and three sentenced to seven to 10 years in jail.

Soon after the release of the report, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the State Department imposed visa restrictions on 76 Saudi individuals "believed to have been engaged in threatening dissidents overseas, including but not limited to the Khashoggi killing," according to a newly announced "Khashoggi Ban."

Also on Friday, the U.S. Treasury announced sanctions against Ahmad Hassan Mohammed al Asiri, Saudi Arabia's former Deputy Head of General Intelligence Presidency, and the kingdom's Rapid Intervention Force for their connection with the murder of Khashoggi.

This report was blocked from the public by the previous Donald Trump administration, which had a close relationship with the Saudi leadership and put Saudi Arabia as a linchpin of U.S. Middle East policy.

The Biden administration made clear it would recalibrate U.S.-Saudi relations. In his first foreign policy speech in early February, President Joe Biden ordered to end U.S. support for Saudi-led offensive operations in Yemen, including relevant arms-sales.

The report was released one day after Biden's first call as president with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Thursday.

According to the White House readout of their conversation, Biden affirmed the importance the United States places on universal human rights and the rule of law, saying he "would work to make the bilateral relationship as strong and transparent as possible."

The call also indicated a "counterpart-to-counterpart" pattern in Biden's engaging with Riyadh, breaking with his predecessor Donald Trump's preferred outreach to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The crown prince, who is officially Saudi's deputy prime minister and defense minister, had received a call from U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin last week.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

Lawmakers in my home state are currently considering the Elizabeth Whitefield End of Life Options Act, House Bill 47, and I want to share my voice. Ive been working on behalf of terminally ill Hispanics who are impacted by significant health care disparities and have fought for many years to improve access to end-of-life care including the option to die peacefully, without unnecessary pain.

I advocate for this issue because I watched my own mother suffer in agony as she died from breast cancer. I know if I had a terminal illness, it would be important to me to at least have the option.

Many of us work hard every day to provide equitable access to quality health care for our communities, but we need to also work to ensure quality end-of-life care for people who are suffering from a terminal illness.

Im urging legislators to consider passing HB 47. This compassionate bill would allow mentally capable, terminally ill adults with six months or less to live the option to get a doctors prescription for medication they can decide to take to die peacefully if their suffering becomes intolerable. I was heartbroken when the Legislature did not pass the bill during the 2019 legislative session. Im heartbroken today because many of the advocates who worked in support of it are not here with us today.

Terminally ill New Mexicans do not have time to wait for another legislative session. They are suffering, and they are dying, in pain, now. This issue is urgent for them. I strongly believe every New Mexican should be able to make end-of-life care decisions that are right for them and their families, including the option to request medical aid in dying.

I understand that some legislators may decide not to use this option if they become terminally ill. However, I urge them to honor the equally valid beliefs of other dying people who want this option  and those who have watched loved ones suffer needlessly painful deaths who wished they had this option, like myself.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Although I am not able to visit with lawmakers and rally with dying New Mexicans right now because of the pandemic, I urge you to stand with the majority of New Mexicans to pass HB 47. Join me to eradicate these health care disparities so all Americans have equal access to the full range of end-of-life care options. Lets work together and hear the voices of terminally ill New Mexicans.

Si Se Puede. Yes We Can!

Dolores Huerta is a civil rights activist and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. She was recently named one of USA Todays Women of the Century.
Tara Care Centre in Bray has gotten a broadband boost for residents to connect with loved ones.

The centre has been connected by Viatel to SIRO's Gigabit broadband network.

The broadband upgrade is also a key part of the centre's strategy to collaborate with the HSE as part of the ongoing vaccination programme and its general engagement with health authorities.

With a spike in broadband usage as a result of families video calling loved ones and more of the centre's operations shifting online since the outbreak of the pandemic, the Tara Care Centre needed to quickly upgrade its connection.

Viatel and SIRO responded to the request, expediting the installation given the critical role the centre plays in the community.

While Covid-19 may have changed how families and friends can connect with loved ones, the Tara Care Centre has strived to guarantee their 47 residents' experience is still as comfortable as possible, ensuring that they can connect to the outside world with video calls, access services from the nearby Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church online and celebrate special occasions.

The SIRO network will enable residents to contact loved ones from the comfort of their own rooms, instead of needing to rely on being near a wifi router.

Access to the SIRO network is also crucial for the Tara Care Centra as part of their ongoing Covid-19 testing regime and participation in the vaccination programme given the volume of information that is submitted on an ongoing basis.

The centre's management can now instantly access and upload the necessary information in seconds to ensure the safety of residents and staff, with no risk of delayed communication from health authorities due to slow broadband speeds.

Using the existing ESB network, SIRO delivers fibre optic cables all the way to the building.

This technology, known as Fibre-to-the-Building, has no copper connections at any point to slow down the network and delivers 1 Gigabit speeds. For context, downloading a high definition movie that is 4 gigabytes in size with a standard 10 Mbps connection would usually take an hour. In contrast, it takes 30 seconds with SIRO's Gigabit broadband. So multiple simultaneous video calls by residents from the Tara Care Centre to family members is seamless because of the reliability of the SIRO network.

'SIRO has been nothing short of transformational in terms of how we and our residents connect with the outside world,' said director of the care centre Paul Costello. 'It would not have been possible if it wasn't for Viatel's quick response and prioritising our connection which we are very grateful for. As a result, we can ensure that despite being apart, our residents can stay close to their loved ones by being able to connect with them at the touch of a button.'

'County Wicklow has been part of our national rollout,' said SIRO CEO John Keaney. 'We have seen first hand how much of a difference broadband connectivity makes to people's lives, even more so since the outbreak of the pandemic last year. So when we got the call for assistance from the Tara Care Centre in terms of their need for better broadband to run their facility, we knew we had to make them a priority given that this is a time when not everyone can be at home with their family. Everyone has to do life differently at the moment, but at least we've been able to ensure that things like talking to a relative or being part of a church service is still a possibility.'

Damien McCann, Head of Sales and Marketing with Viatel said that while a rapid response is all part of a day's work the Tara Care Centre was a very special project.

'Many of our customers need to be connected as soon as possible - they might be waiting to open new premises or start production,' he said.

'We work with many healthcare clients and we are very familiar with the clinical side of their connectivity needs. Covid cast the Tara project in a whole other light - what could be more urgent than getting these residents time with their families? We were so glad to help out.'

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday asked automobile manufacturers to increase localisation of components to 100 per cent or else the government will consider raising basic customs duty on imports in order to encourage domestic manufacturing of such parts.

Speaking at an event organised by the Automotive Components Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), the Minister of Road Transport and Highways said the present levels of localisation of parts in the Indian auto sector is around 70 per cent and "at any cost we need to stop imports of auto components".

"I urge both vehicle and auto component manufacturers to increase localisation of components to the maximum. Not maximum, my expectation is to make it 100 per cent. We are fully competent in all the things. Even, I am requesting automobile manufacturing companies to take it very seriously otherwise for imports of components we will think in the direction to increase more customs duty on that," he said.

Stating that the Indian component manufacturers are fully competent and should be given chance to fully supply the required parts, Gadkari said,"Presently my request to all of you is that at any cost we need to stop imports of auto components...This is the time for the Indian auto industry to support Make in India and Made in India movement."

Reiterating that the auto sector is a key driver of the Indian economy and top contributor among the manufacturing sector, the minister asserted that increase in basic customs duty on select auto components will encourage local manufacturing of such items.

"The government has always had a clear policy that we want to encourage Make in India and Made in India."

Gadkari said whenever he had a chance to interact with the automobile manufacturing companies, his suggestion to them has always been to not to give encouragement to imports.

The minister said the auto industry needs to make qualitative alternatives for imports by which the demand in Indian market can be fulfilled at a reasonable cost.

"You may be aware that the auto component industry is considered as one of the shining sectors and among the champions to achieve the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India. It is because of strong capability of the component sector that the vehicle industry in India has been able to achieve localisation of around 70 per cent," the minister said.

Asking the manufacturers to focus on reducing cost without compromising quality to supply components of international standards, Gadkari said, the government is working towards making the country a global automobile manufacturing hub in the next five years and it is going to declare the whole policy.

The minister also said with the proposed voluntary vehicles scrappage policy, the availability of raw materials such as steel, plastics, rubber, copper and aluminum among others will also increase, which the manufacturers should take advantage of.

Also read: MSMEs should avail concessional finance to install rooftop solar: Nitin Gadkari
Mass night prayers during Ramadan (Taraweeh) will be permitted in some mosques with the adoption of preventive measures against the coronavirus, the state-run MENA agency quoted Nouh Essawy, the endowments under-secretary for mosque affairs, as saying on Saturday.

The mosques allowed to hold Taraweeh prayers are those the state permitted to open for Friday noon prayers due to their strict adoption of preventive measures to curb the spread of the pandemic.

With Ramadan beginning in April, Essawy said a ban has not been lifted on the organisation of the holy month's charity Iftar banquets nor on solitary retreat in mosques, known as itikaf.

Shrines, community centres, and bathrooms in mosques will remain closed, he added.

Taraweeh prayers, considered the most spiritual prayers held during Ramadan, were banned last year as Egypt had stopped in March all congregational religious activities nationwide to curb the spread of the virus in the overpopulated country.

Taraweeh prayers in Ramadan 2020 were performed by a mosque imam and two mosque workers, and broadcast on Al-Quran Al-Kareem radio station.

However, Essawy said it is preferable for worshippers to pray Taraweeh at home amid the pandemic crisis.

Egypt saw an unprecedented Ramadan in 2020 as restrictions to contain the pandemic, including an extended overnight curfew in place since March, took a toll on the cherished rituals of Islams holiest month.

The temporary shutdown of the practices were lifted over the summer, allowing major mosques to reopen for daily prayers later in late June, with weekly Friday prayers resumed in late August.
US health advisers endorsed a one-dose COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson on Friday, putting the nation on the cusp of adding an easier-to-use option to fight the pandemic.

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to quickly follow the recommendation and make J&J's shot the third vaccine authorized for emergency use in the US vaccinations are picking up speed, but new supplies are urgently needed to stay ahead of a mutating virus that has killed more than 500,000 Americans.

After daylong discussions, the FDA panelists voted unanimously that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks for adults. If the FDA agrees, shipments of a few million doses could begin as early as Monday.

Also read: US regulators relax Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine shipping regulations

More than 47 million people in the US, or 14 per cent of the population, have received at least one shot of the two-dose vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, which FDA authorized in December. But the pace of vaccinations has been strained by limited supplies and delays due to winter storms.

While early J&J supplies will be small, the company has said it can deliver 20 million doses by the end of March and a total of 100 million by the end of June. J&J's vaccine protects against the worst effects of COVID-19 after one shot, and it can be stored up to three months at refrigerator temperatures, making it easier to handle than the previous vaccines, which must be frozen.

One challenge in rolling out the new vaccine will be explaining how protective the J&J shot is after the astounding success of the first US vaccines.

The two-dose Pfizer and Moderna shots were found to be about 95 per cent effective against symptomatic COVID-19. The numbers from J&J's study are not that high, but it's not an apples-to-apples comparison. One dose of the J&J vaccine was 85 per cent protective against the most severe COVID-19. After adding in moderate cases, the total effectiveness dropped to about 66 per cent.

Also read: 500,000 COVID-19 death toll in US 'grim, heartbreaking milestone': Joe Biden

Some experts fear that lower number could feed public perceptions that J&J's shot is a "second-tier vaccine." But the difference in protection reflects when and where J&J conducted its studies.

J&J's vaccine was tested in the US, Latin America and South Africa at a time when more contagious mutated versions of the virus were spreading. That wasn't the case last fall, when Pfizer and Moderna were wrapping up testing, and it's not clear if their numbers would hold against the most worrisome of those variants.

Importantly, the FDA reported this week that, just like its predecessors, the J&J shot offers strong protection against the worst outcomes, hospitalization and death.

While J&J is seeking FDA authorization for its single-dose version, the company is also studying whether a second dose boosts protection. Panel member Dr. Paul Offit warned that launching a two-dose version of the vaccine down the road might cause problems.

"You can see where that would be confusing to people thinking, ''Maybe I didn't get what I needed,''" said Offit, a vaccine expert at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "It's a messaging challenge."

Also read: COVID-19 vaccine: WHO to provide no-fault compensation fund for serious COVAX side effects

J&J representatives said they chose to begin with the single shot because the World Health Organization and other experts agreed it would be a faster, more effective tool in an emergency. Cases and hospitalizations have fallen dramatically since their January peak that followed the winter holidays. But public health officials warned that those gains may be stalling as more variants take root in the US.

"We may be done with the virus, but clearly the virus is not done with us," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said, speaking at the White House on Friday. She noted that new COVID-19 cases have increased over the past few days.

While it's too early to tell if the trend will last, Walensky said adding a third vaccine "will help protect more people faster." More vaccines are in the pipeline. On Sunday, a CDC panel is expected to meet to recommend how to best prioritize use of the J&J vaccine.

Other parts of the world already are facing which-is-best challenges. Italy's main teachers' union recently protested when the government decided to reserve Pfizer and Moderna shots for the elderly and designate AstraZeneca's vaccine for younger, at-risk workers. AstraZeneca's vaccine was deemed to be about 70 per cent effective in testing. Canada became the latest country Friday to allow use of AstraZeneca's vaccine.
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.
TD Leader and MLC Nara Lokesh, State President K Atchham Naidu, Varla Ramaiah release the Municipality Elections Manifesto at the state office on Friday. (DC Image)

VIJAYAWADA: The Telugu Desam released its manifesto with ten promises for the ensuing municipal elections.

Party general secretary and MLC Nara Lokesh, after releasing the manifesto on Friday, asserted that YSR Congress leaders had no moral right to ask for votes in the municipal elections as the Jagan Mohan Reddy government has ignored civic amenities like roads, drainage, drinking water, health and housing needs of the people across cities and towns.

Lokesh appealed to the people to realise what damage the YSRC had done to the State since coming to power.

Addressing a press conference, he maintained that they had framed the manifesto after conducting a three-month long survey to understand the expectations of the urban people. He explained that the manifesto contained 10 promises beginning with their commitment to reopen Anna canteens across the state.

The TD leader assured to cut old taxes by 50 percent in order to provide relief to the people from the price rise. The other promises include clean towns, clean drinking water, job melas for unemployed youth, city beautification, pothole-less roads, permanent auto stands with toilets and drinking water, MEPMA meeting halls, TIDCO houses, salary hike for sanitation staff and free water connections.

He recalled how water contamination had caused a major health crisis in Eluru, which is the hometown of the Health Minister.

Attacking the Chief Minister's policies, Lokesh dared YSRC leaders to explain why Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was hiding in his Tadepalli palace all the time and solely dependent on the police and using backdoor methods.

He said that he would not hesitate to call Reddy a coward any number of times going by how he encouraged his party men to resort to all sorts of devious ways to pull out unanimous results in the panchayat elections.

Lokesh dismissed Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy as just an advisor who was drawing his salary from public funds and who had no right to criticise TD.

He said "I stand by my words. I just called Jagan Mohan Reddy a coward. He is just sitting in his Tadepalli palace and not coming out to solve people's problems. We did not threaten to hold him by the collar or shoot him in the middle of the road."
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.
Imperial Valley News Center

Wife of El Chapo Arrested on International Drug Trafficking Charges

Washington, DC - The wife of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman Loera, leader of a Mexican drug trafficking organization known as the Sinaloa Cartel, was arrested Monday in Virginia on charges related to her alleged involvement in international drug trafficking.

Emma Coronel Aispuro, 31, a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, was arrested today at Dulles International Airport. She is scheduled to make her initial appearance in federal court in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia via video conference.

According to court documents, Aispuro is charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana for importation into the U.S. Additionally, Coronel Aispuro is alleged to have conspired with others to assist Guzman in his July 11, 2015 escape from Altiplano prison, located in Almoloya de Juarez, Mexico. After Guzman was re-arrested in Mexico in January 2016, Coronel Aispuro is alleged to have engaged in planning yet another prison escape with others prior to Guzmans extradition to the U.S. in January 2017.

Guzman Loera was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of New York in 2019 for his role as a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel.

Cornel Aispuro is charged in a one count criminal complaint with a conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, and 500 grams or more of methamphetamines for unlawful importation into the U.S.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Departments Criminal Division and Assistant Director in Charge Steven DAntuono of the FBIs Washington Field Office made the announcement.

The FBIs Washington Field Office is investigating the case.

Acting Deputy Chief Anthony Nardozzi and Trial Attorney Kate Wagner of the Justice Departments Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In a rather shocking incident, a couple in Nellor, Andhra Pradesh allegedly sold their younger daughter to make money for the treatment of their elder child.

The couple, who are residents of Kottur used to work as daily wage workers and had two daughters.

But recently the family had been going through a major financial crisis after their eldest child became ill.

BCCL/ Representational Image

Family struggling to arrange for funds

While the family was struggling to raise money for her treatment, a neighbour approached them offering to help.

The neighbour, identified as Chinna Subbaiah offered the helpless couple Rs 10,000 and in exchange, he wanted to marry their 12-year-old daughter.

The 46-year-old man who had been living alone after his wife left him then 'married' the girl two days ago and brought her to his relatives' house in Vidavalur Mandal Dampur on Wednesday night.

Representational Image/Lofilolo

The incident came to light only after neighbours who heard the girl's cry at night alerted the officials.

The girl was later rescued by ICDS official and Subbaiah has been detained.

The girl was shifted to a childcare center in Nellore and is being given counseling.
Sunak - REUTERS

Tens of thousands of young people will be able to make it on to the housing ladder under a Government-backed mortgage scheme to be unveiled by Rishi Sunak in next weeks Budget.

Under plans to turn generation rent into generation buy, the Treasury will offer lenders a guarantee to ensure they can issue mortgages to first-time buyers and current homeowners covering 95 per cent of property value, up to 600,000.

This means buyers will need just a five per cent deposit. The proposals have been drawn up by Treasury officials in recent weeks, with discussions with banks well advanced.

It is expected to closely resemble the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme, introduced by David Camerons administration.

On Friday night, the Chancellor said: By giving lenders the option of a government guarantee on 95 per cent mortgages, many more products will become available, helping people to achieve their dream and get on the housing ladder.

Meanwhile, in an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Sunak warned he would level with people over the enormous strains in Britains public finances due to the pandemic.

Although Wednesdays Budget will see many of the coronavirus support schemes, such as furlough, rolled over while lockdown restrictions remain, the Chancellor said that tax rises would be needed in the long-term.

In the Budget, Mr Sunak will also announce a 126 million cash injection for apprenticeships, which will include a programme enabling trainees to work at multiple companies.

In an expansion of his plan for jobs, the Chancellor will boost the cash incentives for firms that give apprentices a job after their training.

The current 2,000 payment to firms for taking on 16 to 24-year-olds, as well as the 1,500 reward for over-25s, will be replaced with a simpler incentive of 3,000, which will apply for all age groups.

Mr Sunak will also set out plans for new flexi-job apprenticeships, enabling trainees to develop their skills with a range of employers within a particular sector.

Story continues

The trainees will be linked to an agency that will place them with relevant organisations. The package is expected to help create 40,000 new traineeships.

Meanwhile, the Treasury is also expected to announce the creation of 10 new low-tax free ports, at least seven of which will be based in England, as part of the Governments levelling up agenda.

The Chancellor met the Prime Minister on Thursday evening to discuss the applications for the new economic zones, which were first proposed by Mr Sunak as a backbench MP.

Bids from areas across the country were submitted earlier this year, with the successful zones benefiting from a package of tax reliefs, as well as simplified customs procedures and relaxations around planning processes.

On Friday, the Chancellor confirmed that he would create a new fast-track visa route for tech workers, as first revealed by The Telegraph.

The tech visas will be launched to help fast-growing companies recruit from across the world post-Brexit, one of a series of recommendations made to bolster Britains fintech industry.
The Canadian Press

As COVID-19 vaccine supplies ramp up across the country, most provinces and territories have begun planning to give second doses in the coming weeks. More than 23 million people across Canada have now had at least one dose of a vaccine. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says by the summer, Canada will have enough vaccines so that every eligible resident will have gotten their first dose, and by September, it will have enough doses for everyone to be fully vaccinated. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended that Canada turn toward the ultimate goal of fully immunizing the population, now that supplies of COVID-19 shots are increasing. The advisory panel said those at highest risk of dying or becoming severely ill should be prioritized for second shots, either after or alongside first doses for anyone else who is eligible for a vaccine. Since the novel coronavirus is still circulating in Canada, NACI is still recommending that the second dose be received up to four months after the first dose, in order to maximize the number of people who get at least one shot. Here's a list of the inoculation plans throughout Canada: Newfoundland and Labrador All people in the province aged 12 and older can now book an appointment for a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. So far 2.19 per cent (11,446) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Nova Scotia Appointments for an initial COVID-19 vaccine shot are now open to people 12 years of age and older. Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for use in children aged 12 and up. The Moderna vaccine is only available for those 18 and older. Under the province's accelerated vaccine plan, someone who received their first dose of vaccine on March 22 and is due for a second dose on July 5 will now be able to reschedule their second appointment for as early as the week of June 20. The province has stopped the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine as a first dose. The Health Department says the decision was based on "an abundance of caution'' due to an observed increase in the rare blood-clotting condition linked to this vaccine. The department also says it will reschedule anyone who was to receive AstraZeneca to instead be inoculated with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna "in a timely manner." --- Prince Edward Island In Prince Edward Island, residents as young as 16 can book a COVID-19 vaccine. People 16 years and older who have certain underlying medical conditions, pregnant woman and eligible members of their household can also get a vaccine. So far 8.11 per cent (12,868) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- New Brunswick Residents in New Brunswick aged 12 to 17 are now eligible to book an appointment for a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Officials also say residents 55 and older who received an Astra-Zenaca vaccine for the first dose at least eight weeks ago can now get a second dose of the vaccine with informed consent. So far 5.08 per cent (39,633) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Quebec In Quebec, all residents 12 and older can book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. The province's health minister says Quebecers 12 to 17 years old will be fully vaccinated by the time they return to school in September. Quebec also says it will shorten the delay between first and second doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to eight weeks from 16 weeks. The province says more than 5.8 million doses of vaccine have now been administered, with more than 58.1 per cent of the population having received at least one dose. --- Ontario All adults in Ontario can now book COVID-19 vaccine appointments. People turning 18 in 2021 can book Pfizer-BioNTech shots. Youth aged 12 and older can also book appointments across Ontario. They can book through the provincial online portal, call centre and through pharmacies offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the only shot authorized by Health Canada for use in youth aged 12 and older. Ontarians, meanwhile, are getting the option to shorten the interval between COVID-19 vaccine doses. Most people are being scheduled for doses four months apart, but officials say the new interval could be as short as 28 days. The plan will start with seniors aged 80 and older this week and the province will later offer second shots based on when people received their first. People will keep their original appointments if they dont re-book. The province aims to see all eligible Ontarians fully vaccinated by the end of September. Ontario is also resuming use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine but only as a second dose. Those who received the first dose of AstraZeneca between March 10 and March 19 during a pilot project at pharmacies and some doctor's offices in several Ontario communities will be first in line to receive their second dose. Ontario says more than 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered across the province. So far 4.68 per cent (687,894) of the population has been fully vaccinated --- Manitoba Manitoba is using the Pfizer vaccine for everyone aged 12 and up, and the Moderna vaccines for people aged 18 and up. These are available through a few channels including so-called supersites in larger communities. The province is also allowing anyone 40 and over to get an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine through pharmacies and medical clinics, subject to availability. People 30-39 can get a shot if they have certain underlying health conditions such as chronic liver failure or severe obesity. The province has opened up second-dose appointments to all Indigenous people aged 12 and up, to people with certain medical conditions such as severe heart failure and Down syndrome, and anyone who received their first dose on or before March 29. Provincial health officials say they now expect 70 per cent of Manitobans aged 12 and older to get a dose by the end of June. So far 7.75 per cent (106,678) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Saskatchewan Saskatchewan says it reached the step two threshold of its reopening roadmap released last week, with over 70 per cent of residents age 30 and older having received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That means restrictions will begin to be relaxed June 20, which includes easing capacity limits on retail, personal care services, restaurants and bars, although they must still maintain physical distancing among occupants or have barriers in place. The rules also raise caps on private indoor gatherings to 15, while capacity limits jump to 150 for both public indoor gatherings and all outdoor assemblies, whether public or private. Premier Scott Moe says once 70 per cent of the entire adult population is vaccinated, Saskatchewan can move to the third step of its plan and remove almost all of the remaining public health orders. Saskatchewan residents aged 12 and older are now eligible to book their first COVID-19 vaccine appointment. A school immunization program for those aged 12 to 18 will be introduced in June, but eligible residents of that age can also be immunized at clinics offering the Pfizer vaccine. Anyone 85 and older or anyone who received their first vaccine dose before February 15 can now book their second dose. Anyone diagnosed with cancer and solid organ transplant recipients will be receiving a letter of eligibility in the mail which will allow them priority access to a second dose. There are drive-thru and walk-in vaccination clinics in communities across the province. The province says 6.60 per cent (77,767) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- Alberta Every Albertan aged 12 and older is now eligible for a vaccine. As of May 27, 60.3 per cent of Albertans over the age of 12 had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The milestone means the province's second stage of easing restrictions can begin on June 10. It is subject to hospitalizations being below 500 and trending downwards. Some of the restrictions that would be lifted include allowing outdoor gatherings  including weddings and funerals  with up to 20 people. Restaurants would be allowed to seat tables with up to six people, indoors or outdoors. Retail capacity would also increase, and gyms could open for solo or drop-in activities with three metres of distancing. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, has said people who are immunocompromised can book a second dose three or four weeks after their first shot. All other Albertans are eligible to get their second dose three to four months after the first. For the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the province lowered the minimum age to 30. They are, however, reserving the remaining supply for second doses when people are eligible. More than 250 pharmacies are offering immunizations. So far 8.82 per cent (388,200) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- British Columbia British Columbia is setting an end-of-summer target for everyone in the province to receive their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has also announced a decrease in the time between the first and second dose of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, cutting the interval to eight weeks from 16 weeks. But the interval for people who received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as a first dose and are waiting for their second AstraZeneca shot may take longer. Henry said the province is waiting for results from international data on AstraZeneca, including the effectiveness of mixing vaccine shots and ongoing concerns about rare blood clots. Henry said the rollout of second doses will be similar to the first dose, with those at the greatest risk at the top of the list. Seniors, Indigenous people and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable were to start getting their invitations to book a second shot by the end of May. The province will try to ensure that everyone gets the same vaccine they were first administered, but a shortage of the Moderna vaccine may mean people will have to substitute it for a Pfizer shot. Henry said the National Advisory Committee on Immunization has reviewed the evidence on using different vaccines and has updated the guidance, confirming that while it is preferable to have the same product, it's not always possible. Pfizer and Moderna are the same type of vaccines. Families can get vaccinated together in B.C. as the government allows youth between the ages of 12 and 17 to get their COVID-19 shot. The shots will be administered at community clinics instead of in schools based on feedback from families, with 310,000 children in B.C. eligible to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has been approved for that age group. As of Friday, about 3.1 million doses of Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines had been administered in B.C., which means about 63 per cent of those eligible have got their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. So far 3.14 per cent (160,885) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Nunavut Chief public health officer Dr. Michael Patterson says Nunavut has placed an order for doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with the federal government to vaccinate people ages 12 to 17 in the territory. The Moderna vaccine is currently the only one available in Nunavut. Nunavut has opened vaccinations to anyone 18 and older. It is also offering shots to rotational workers coming from Southern Canada. In the territory, 36.44 per cent (14,113) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is now offering vaccinations against COVID-19 to young people between 12 and 17. The territory, which has only been using the Moderna vaccine, recently exchanged some of that for doses of the Pfizer product, which Health Canada has now approved for anyone as young as 12. So far 51.74 per cent (23,344) of the territory's population has been fully vaccinated. --- Yukon The territory is now vaccinating children aged 12 to 17. The government says clinics in most communities will be held in schools, while those in Whitehorse can get their shot at the Coast High Country Inn Convention Centre. The children will be getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The territory says because of limited supply and stricter handling requirements, the vaccine will only be available for a short time. It says second doses for those 12 to 17 will start on June 23 and medical travel will be supported for youth who aren't able to make the clinic date in their community. The Moderna vaccine is available to adults 18 years of age and older. The government says 59.34 per cent (24,763) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2021. The Canadian Press
FAPESP promotes webinar to discuss the impacts of pandemic on schools and families

Entitled "Education: COVID-19 and social inequalities", a March 03 webinar promoted by FAPESP, the Sao Paulo Research Foundation, will be gathering experts on education to explore how the pandemic has impacted education in different national contexts. They will discuss the challenges associated with the implementation of responses by the educational systems in face of structural inequalities.

The webinar will be broadcasted from 2 to 4 p.m (UTC - 03:00). FAPESP invites the academic community as well as journalists to register at https:/ / fapesp. br/ eventos/ covid9/ registration and join the Webinar on the YouTube Channel of FAPESP's News agency, Agencia FAPESP.

Participants will be able to interact via a Q&A panel, sending comments and questions in English or Portugese to live@fapesp.br.

Professor Marta Arretche, a board member of the Center for Metropolitan Studies (CEM) - one of FAPESP's Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers (RIDCs) - will welcome the speakers on behalf of Sao Paulo Research Foundation. The moderator will be Ana Maria Fonseca de Almeida, coordinator for FAPESP's Improvement of Public Education Program and a Professor at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP).

Four speakers have been invited to present results of their studies. Prudence Carter, from the University of California, Berkeley, USA, will examine some of the larger issues of educational inequality in the U.S. and how they have been exacerbated by the pandemic. She will also discuss the differences by race, socioeconomic status, and political ideology in how to ameliorate the current impact on schooling by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Paula Louzano, from Universidad Diego Portales in Chile, will examine the impact and implications on initial teacher education (ITE) of the crisis brought about by COVID-19 from the perspective of Latin American countries.

Parental support and educational inequalities is the topic to be developed by Romain Deles, from Universite de Bordeaux - Centre Emile Durkheim (France). Professor Deles focuses on three major issues of home schooling: the organization of work; the transmission of school knowledge; and the maintenance of a serene parent-child relationship.

Lorena Barberia, from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, will address the issue of remote education programs and its correlation with previous economic and educational conditions. She is the leading author of the study "Assessment of Brazilian States and State Capitals Remote Public Education Programs during the COVID-19 Pandemic" which suggests that policies must be designed to address the preexisting, now augmented, unequal access and unequal provision of education for vulnerable groups.

###

About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. You can learn more about FAPESP at http://www. fapesp. br/ en and visit FAPESP news agency at http://www. agencia. fapesp. br/ en to keep updated with the latest scientific breakthroughs FAPESP helps achieve through its many programs, awards and research centers. You may also subscribe to FAPESP news agency at http://agencia. fapesp. br/ subscribe .

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Report

?? Ahora | El titular del @Minsa_Peru entrega formalmente a la presidenta de la PCM, @VBermudezV, el informe con los resultados de la comision sectorial que investigo la aplicacion de vacunas contra la #COVID?19 fuera del ensayo clinico. pic.twitter.com/FiN3ExIOYS
A west Wicklow councillor claimed some fellow councillors were 'playing politics' with remembering the Famine during a heated debate at this month's meeting of Baltinglass Municipal District.

The comment was made by Cllr Gerry O'Neill (Ind) during a discussion of his motion to re-dedicate the Downshire Monument in Blessington to the victims of the Famine. As the motion about the monument, which is also known as the Boyle Monument, was not seconded by another councillor, it was dropped.

The Independent councillor's motion asked: 'That Baltinglass Municipal District examine an appropriate way to commemorate all the victims from west Wicklow of the Great Famine, including the rededication of the Downshire Monument to the victims of the Famine period or the development of an appropriate new monument in Blessington town centre'.

During Monday's virtual meeting of Baltinglass Municipal District, which was observed by several local historians and other members of the community, District Administrator Garvan Hickey said that eight letters of objection to Cllr O'Neill's proposal had been received by the district.

While the members of the Baltinglass Municipal District did not object to the idea of a monument to remember local victims of the Famine, some expressed concerns during the discussion about Cllr O'Neill's motion to re-dedicate an existing monument.

Cllr Vincent Blake (FG) pointed out as the motion was not seconded, it had to be dropped. He also noted that the standing orders require 14 days notice of a motion. However, the submission date for Cllr O'Neill's motion was listed as February 15, less than the necessary period.

Expand Close Re-dedication motion: Cllr Gerry O'Neill / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Re-dedication motion: Cllr Gerry O'Neill

Cllr O'Neill said Cllr Blake was 'playing to the gallery'. He argued other motions where 14 days notice had not been given had been considered by the district in the past.

Asking Cllr O'Neill to withdraw his last statement, Cllr Blake said he wanted to ensure compliance with the rules.

Cllr O'Neill said he had 'said the same on numerous occasions'.

Cllr Patsy Glennon (FF) said the standing orders stated a motion not seconded had to be dropped, but in this instance an extension was being allowed so brief summary could be given.

Cllr O'Neill outlined that hundreds of residents of the Blessington and north Wicklow area would have been housed or died at the Naas workhouse during the Famine years. His aim was to draw attention to the role of the landowners and the 'establishment' of the time of the Famine and to remember those who had died. The proposal was to add a plaque to the Downshire Monument to remember all the victims of the Famine from the area. The monument was made of soft granite and the lettering was fading. The new plaque would be created with input from local historians.

'We don't have any memorial to the people of these times', he added.

Cllr John Mullen (FF) said he agreed with Cllr Blake's point that the motion should be dropped as it had not been seconded. The municipal district was meeting virtually in the midst of a global pandemic and there was a 'need to be very careful how we respond' to the motion, he said.

'A monument re-dedication or change would be dangerous in my view. All monuments are a teaching moment in history. This monument is part of the physical infrastructure of Blessington and it would be dangerous to change it,' said Cllr Mullen.

While he had no objection to a separate monument to remember the Famine, Cllr Mullen suggested the Famine's legacy was visible in the community spirit displayed during the pandemic.

Cllr Mullen appealed to Cllr O'Neill to withdraw the motion which was 'divisive' and 'inappropriate'.

'As a reasonable man, I don't think you want this division. I'd ask you to withdraw the motion. It's the wrong time to do it,' he said.

Cllr Edward Timmins (FG) said he did not agree with the time spent discussing the motion as it had 'little or no support' and was 'divisive'.

He suggested 'reasonable' proposals in relation to a Famine memorial could be discussed in a separate forum, and urged the district 'not to spend a long time on this matter'.

Cllr Avril Cronin (FG) added: 'I believe it is not the time to look at something like this' given the full agenda of the meeting.

Cllr Glennon said there was 'no appetite' in the community to re-dedicate the Downshire Monument. He had no objection to erecting a monument to remember the Famine in principle, but suggested that Blessington may not be the most appropriate location in the district.

Cllr O'Neill said he had not intended the motion to be divisive and expressed the view that some members were 'playing politics' with the motion.

'All I want to do is remember the people from the area who died,' he said, 'It was not my intent to upset anyone'.

Cllr Glennon said this could be achieved without re-dedicating the Downshire Monument. He urged Cllr O'Neill to withdraw the existing motion and re-formulate a new one.

Cllr O'Neill withdrew the part of the motion in relation to the re-dedication of the Downshire Monument. However, he put forward the second part of the motion in relation to the development of a separate Famine memorial. He asked for support from his fellow councillors for a monument to remember those who died. He appealed for a seconder, asking if 'anyone had got the guts to second the motion'.

Cllr Timmins said this was not the way to agree a motion. He suggested Cllr O'Neill 'go away, think about this and consult, then come back' as this was 'not the way to do this'.

Cllr O'Neill said the majority of people supported his idea. He repeated his appeal to fellow members for the second part of the motion to be seconded as they had indicated support for a Famine monument.

'If I offended anyone, I apologise. But I will not withdraw the second part as I'll come back with the same wording.'

Cllr Glennon said he supported the idea of a commemoration plaque, but felt the location required further consideration. There had been a workhouse in Baltinglass and other areas of the west had connections to that period.

'I think there's a need to consult with local historians and others on the most appropriate location,' he said.

Cllr O'Neill said he spoke with local historians and none had objected to the idea of a monument.

'Let me make it clear, I did not mean to hurt anyone. But I left the second part open to put in a new monument'.

Cllr Glennon asked Cllr O'Neill again to withdraw the motion to allow the meeting to proceed. He noted that the motion would be dropped as it had not been seconded.

Cllr O'Neill said he would come back with the same wording as the second part of the motion in any new motion.

'I apologise to councillors if they are offended by my aim to remember those who died in the Famine.'

Cllr Glennon said, 'it's beneath you to make such a comment. No objections have been made to the idea of a memorial, but to the manner of going about it.'

The Independent councillor repeated his refusal to withdraw the motion.

Cllr Glennon then formally called for a seconder for the motion. No councillors seconded Cllr O'Neill's motion and it was deemed to have been dropped.

Adnkronos

Mariolina Nigrelli, la donna di 40 anni trovata ieri sera morta impiccata con la figlia Alessandra di 14 anni, nella casa di campagna alla periferia di Santo Stefano di Camastra (Messina), ha lasciato, come apprende l'Adnkronos, una lunga lettera di addio sul tavolo della casa di campagna in cui sono stati scoperti i due cadaveri. La donna ha indirizzato la lunga lettera, scritta a mano, al marito, Maurizio Mollica, un fabbro molto noto nel piccolo paese del messinese conosciuto per le ceramiche artistiche in cui si legge, tra l'altro: "Porto via con me Alessandra", raccontando di alcune difficolta. La ragazza di 14 anni frequentava la terza media a Santo Stefano di Camastra. Al momento la pista piu accreditata e quella dell'omicidio-suicidio, avvalorata anche dalla lettera d'addio della donna. Anche se, comunque, gli inquirenti non escludono altre piste. Sul posto, per tutta la notte, il Procuratore capo di Patti Angelo Vittorio Cavallo, che ha raggiunto la casa di campagna in cui e avvenuta la tragedia, e il sostituto Andrea Apollonio, che coordinano l'inchiesta sulla morte di madre e figlia. Le due donne sono state trovate impiccate, a poca distanza l'una dall'altra. A trovare i cadaveri e stato il marito della donna, Maurizio Mollica, arrivato nella casa di campagna poco dopo le 19.30, in compagnia di due parenti. L'uomo e stato sentito per tutta la notte dagli inquirenti. Ha pianto per tutto il tempo, come si apprende, raccontando di rapporti "tesi", soprattutto, negli ultimi tempi con la moglie. L'uomo, nel pomeriggio, insospettito perche la donna non rispondeva al telefono, ha raggiunto con la propria macchina la loro casa di campagna in contrada Letto Santo, a circa otto chilometri dal centro abitato, localita nota anche dal punto di vista turistico per la presenza dellomonimo Santuario che domina dallalto tutta la vallata dellHalaesa. Arrivato qui avrebbe scoperto i corpi senza vita delle due donne. E ha subito chiamato i carabinieri. Nella tarda serata di ieri, raggiunto al telefono, il procuratore di Patti Angelo Vittorio Cavallo si e limitato a dire all'Adnkronos che "e ancora presto per fare valutazioni" e che si aspettava l'esame medico-legale. Sara disposta tra domani e martedi, come apprende l'Adnkronos, l'autopsia sui corpi che sara eseguita, con ogni probabilita, martedi mattina al Policlinico di Messina. Nel frattempo e stata trovata la lettera di addio, in mano agli inquirenti, che potrebbe dare delle spiegazioni a quanto accaduto in quella casa di campagna. LA LETTERA D'ADDIO - "Mi spiace, chiedo perdono" e uno dei passaggi della lettera, come apprende l'Adnkronos. Nella missiva, molto lunga, trovata dagli inquirenti sul tavolo della cucina, la donna spiega il motivo del gesto e chiude scrivendo: "Porto via con me Alessandra". Lo scorso 19 maggio, la donna aveva condiviso un post su Facebook dal profilo 'Emozioni del cuore' in cui si leggeva: "Alcuni figli non capiranno mai la tacita supplica di un genitore che ti mette in guardia da qualcosa. Quando un genitore ti chiede di non fumare ti sta chiedendo solo di vivere piu di lui. Quando un genitore ti chiede di non uscire con determinate persone e solo perche quelle persone potrebbero farti del male. Quando un genitore ti chiama piu volte al cellulare non lo fa perche vuole darti fastidio, e solo che la sua anima freme nel saperti a casa sano e salvo. Un genitore non ti da mai il peggio ne te lo augura. Un genitore ti ama e ti supplica di avere una vita migliore e piu felice della propria". E la donna aveva aggiunto, in dialetto: "Infatti si dice mettiti con quelli migliori di te". Aggiungendo: "Mi fate solo schifo". Gli inquirenti stanno cercando di capire a cosa si riferisse. IL MARITO E I FAMILIARI - Una lite, l'ennesima, i messaggi di fuoco, poi la ricerca disperata di moglie e figlia fino al ritrovamento dei corpi senza vita appesi a una trave. E' quanto ha raccontato, nella notte, come apprende l'Adnkronos, Maurizio Mollica agli inquirenti che lo hanno sentito dopo il ritrovamenti dei corpi della moglie Mariolina e della figlia Alessandra. L'uomo ha pianto a lungo nella notte e ha raccontato delle continue liti recenti con la moglie sulla gestione della figlia. La ragazza , come ha raccontato all'Adnkronos anche il parroco, "si sentiva emarginata" e spesso la madre litigava con le altre madri delle compagne di scuole della giovane. Poi, ieri sera, il macabro rinvenimento nella casa di campagna. "Negli ultimi mesi sembrava preoccupata per la figlia Alessandra. Aveva litigato anche con le mamme di diverse compagne di scuola della ragazza. Era molto apprensiva" hanno raccontato agli inquirenti alcuni familiari della donna. I familiari sono stati ascoltati, come apprende l'Adnkronos, per tutta la notte. IL PARROCO - "Siamo tutti sgomenti, sono tragedie che agghiacciano il cuore e mettono inquietudine. Conoscevo bene la piccola Alessandra. L'avevo accompagnata alla prima comunione...". Padre Calogero Calanni, parroco della Chiesa San Nicolo di Bari di Santo Stefano di Camastra, fa fatica a parlare. Non riesce a capacitarsi per la morte di Mariolina e della figlia Alessandra. Racconta all'Adnkronos che la ragazza "si sentiva spesso emarginata, non era accolta positivamente dal contesto scolastico". "Ci poniamo adesso delle domande - dice - cosa si poteva fare per esser piu attenti e premurosi verso ogni famiglia, ognuno di noi e un mistero". La famiglia di Alessandra "seguiva la ragazza", dice ancora. "Poi c'e stata la fase del Covid che ha bloccato tutto, in questo periodo lungo del coronavirus - racconta ancora il parroco - e ha amplificato anche alcuni problemi e l'amarezza dell'esser soli, del non aprirsi". E dice che ieri sera "il paese e rimasto attonito, raggelato da questa terribile notizia". "Chissa cosa e accaduto nella testa della madre, per fare quello che ha fatto". IL SINDACO: "CHI SA PARLI" - "Adesso e il momento del dolore e della solidarieta che deve spingere ognuno di noi stefanesi a stare accanto a Maurizio, ai familiari tutti che si trovano a vivere un momento drammatico. E' anche il momento in cui chi fosse eventualmente a conoscenza di fatti e circostanze utili a facilitare gli inquirenti a ricostruire quanto accaduto, si metta immediatamente a disposizione degli stessi e collabori" e l'appello lanciato dal sindaco di Santo Stefano di Camastra, Francesco Re. "Quando accadono fatti come quelli di ieri - dice - c'e sempre una responsabilita collettiva che deve spingere tutti a riflettere su quanto e di piu poteva e doveva essere fatto per supportare condizioni di fragilita psicologica amplificate da 15 mesi di isolamento e di restrizioni sociali patiti a causa dell'emergenza Covid". "S.Stefano di Camastra, nota ovunque oltre che per la bellezza delle sue ceramiche anche per la proverbiale ospitalita ed accoglienza della sua gente, e sconvolta dai tragici fatti accaduti ieri che hanno distrutto la vita di una intera famiglia", conclude.
Saludo y respaldo la decision del @Poder_Judicial_ frente al pedido de @anaestradau y la @Defensoria_Peru.



Esta decision reconoce el derecho fundamental a una vida digna de la persona y el derecho a decidir sobre su vida.
A man featured on the Laredo Crime Stoppers most wanted list has turned himself in, according to Laredo police.

Julio Enrique Vela Jr., 37, was served with a warrant on Thursday charging him with harassment, a Class B misdemeanor that could carry a punishment of up to 180 days in jail, a $2,000 fine or both.

Webb County Jail records show that he was released on bond.

The case unfolded when a Laredo police officer responded to a harassment report at about 5:46 p.m. on July 23 in the 2400 block of Lucia Court. A 28-year-old man stated that he had previously been a victim of harassment in which he filed several reports.

He stated that the same male suspect had sent him threatening messages via Facebook Messenger. He identified Vela as the person sending the threatening messages to him, his daughter and his girlfriend. The complainant alleged that the threats started after he began dating a woman who had previously dated Vela, according to court documents.

An investigator called Vela on Aug. 6. Vela stated that someone had opened a false Facebook account with his information. Vela further stated that he was willing to meet the detective with his attorney present.

Vela denied sending messages to the complainant. Vela further stated that he had filed an online impersonation report and further explained that the complainant had pulled a gun on him.

Vela presented himself at LPD headquarters on July 27 along with his attorney. Vela stated that he only had a workplace relationship with the complainants girlfriend and that the complainant confronted him for communicating with his girlfriend, states the affidavit.

Vela denies ever sending messages or calling anyone for the purpose of threatening them, states the affidavit.

A family spokesperson on behalf of Vela said that they have evidence that this case has no validity because the alleged threats were made from a fake Facebook profile.

Who in his own judgment would make a profile under his own name and photo, and threaten someone knowing that they would identify him? It is something so illogical and incoherent that only Laredo police believes, the family said in a statement.

The family further added, This case is full of false accusations, lies and bad investigations on the part of the supposed investigators who are taking the case. What we ask for as a family is justice for all the bad things that have been handled in relation to the image of Julio E. Vela Jr., and that the real culprits pay for the material damages, but above all the moral damages that they have caused by the web of lies that they have believed simply out of resentment, hatred and envy.
ADVERTISEMENT

Shiekh Gumi needs to thread with utmost caution on how he goes about his mission of negotiating with and seeking amnesty for bandits, and more importantly his utterances and conduct in this regard. The statement credited to him that he was informed by an army officer that it was Christian soldiers who killed herders while on a mission to tackle cattle rustling in 2014 is highly condemnable

For several reasons, a lot of Nigerians were skeptical ab initio about the call for negotiations and amnesty being canvassed by Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and his team, which in their opinion would result in the immediate end to banditry in North-Western Nigeria.

The first and possibly most important reason why Gumis proposal would be difficult to go through is that Gumi is an ordinary citizen of Nigeria. He has no power or authority to enforce or implement any of the suggestions he believes would bring an end to the persistent criminality of bandits in the country. His proposals therefore only amounts to his personal views or convictions and are most likely going to fizzle out after making sensational headlines in our various social media platforms and the traditional news outlets. If the Federal Government of Nigeria can insist that all resolutions of the National Assembly (which is a constitutionally recognised arm of government) are only advisory to the executive, then it is very simple to deduce how far the suggestions of an individual with no power or authority whatsoever will go.

The second issue that would make the adoption of Sheikh Gumis formula for ending banditry impossible is his probable lack of insight into how the business of government is conducted. Nigeria as a country has a national security strategy, which it is implementing. Yes, we can say that the security situation in our country is not improving and the government strategy is not working or is ineffective. However, those conversant with how the business of government is conducted know very well that the government will not abandoned its security strategy and go on it knees to negotiate with rag tag groups of illiterate criminals who are killing and maiming innocent people with impunity.

The subtle request by Sheikh Gumi for government to provide funding to broker peace with bandits is another reason the government will not very likely consider his clamour for negotiations with and blanket amnesty for bandits. Nigerians heard him suggesting that the government should rather use the funds usually deployed for purchasing weapons to fight bandits for the infrastructural development of the villages of these bandits. Certainly, the Federal Government will not hand over funds appropriated for military operations to non-state actors. Nigerians had expected Sheikh Gumi and his team to concentrate on convincing the bandits to abandon their criminal activities, repent and apologise to the Almighty Allah, the Nigerian state and Nigerians for their misdeeds.

Certainly blaming the military and painting a picture of something akin to ethnic cleansing against the Fulani herders will not help in any way to bring sustainable peace and resolution of this protracted cycle of violence. It will certainly discourage the Federal Government from keying into Gumis proposal and initiative howsoever laudable it appears.

I have always maintained that Shiekh Gumi needs to thread with utmost caution on how he goes about his mission of negotiating with and seeking amnesty for bandits, and more importantly his utterances and conduct in this regard. The statement credited to him that he was informed by an army officer that it was Christian soldiers who killed herders while on a mission to tackle cattle rustling in 2014 is highly condemnable and should not have come from an eminent cleric like him.

Considering his level of education and position in the society, Nigerians expect Gumi to be very circumspect on his choice of words because of the high level of suspicion associated with his mission from the onset. He should have employed the basic principle of justice that mandates hearing from both sides in all issues. Propagating what he was told without approaching the Nigerian military to hear its own side of the story is unacceptable. Believing and transmitting the narration of the military officer hook, line and sinker is a great error of judgement that is not expected from a clergy of Sheikh Gumis status.

Another issue that Gumi ought not to have propagated is the allegation by the bandits that the military have killed hundreds of innocent Fulani herders and members of their family. If indeed the bandits claimed that the military have killed hundreds of their kinsmen, Shiekh Gumi needs to balance the narration by hearing from the military about those grievous allegations.

Certainly blaming the military and painting a picture of something akin to ethnic cleansing against the Fulani herders will not help in any way to bring sustainable peace and resolution of this protracted cycle of violence. It will certainly discourage the Federal Government from keying into Gumis proposal and initiative howsoever laudable it appears. Nigerians were therefore not surprised when the Federal Government announced recently that it would continue to fight bandits, kidnappers and terrorist wherever they are, without ethnic profiling or sentiments. Bandits, kidnappers and other armed gangs are criminals and enemies of the Nigerian state and should be treated as such.

Mijinyawa Bashir is a consultant physician and public affairs commentator. He writes from Abuja Nigeria, and can be contacted through: bashirmijinyawa34@gmail.com.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
TERRE HAUTE (WTHI) - Like the many Americans who face charges stemming from the insurrection at the US Capitol back in January, Federal Agents were able to capture screenshots from the social media pages of 52-year-old Dona Sue Bissey and 49-year-old Anna Morgan-Lloyd, which confirm they were at the insurrection, leading to the charges they now face.

The Indianapolis office of the FBI tweeted Thursday that Dona Sue Bissey and Anna Morgan-Lloyd were arrested on Wednesday. According to the FBI, they are from Bloomfield, Indiana.

Their charges include Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority, and Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds.

According to the complaint read aloud in Federal Court Friday morning, Morgan-Lloyd went to the Greene County Sheriff's Office on January 22nd to apply for a gun permit.

It was there someone recognized her as someone who was at the insurrection.

The Greene County Sheriff's Office sent this information to Federal Agents.

Screenshots from social media captured by federal agents confirm both women were present both outside and inside the Capitol during the insurrection.

A federal magistrate released both women after the hearing.

They cannot travel outside of southern Indiana, have firearms, and they must report weekly to pre-trial services.

They are also banned from traveling to Washington D.C. except on court-related matters.

If trials are held in these cases, they would be held in Washington, not Indiana.

Both Bissey and Morgan-Lloyd will be back in Federal Court on Monday afternoon.

That hearing will be via zoom with authorities in Washington D.C.

The maximum penalty they could receive from the most serious charge they face is 10 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

The FBI continues to seek the publics assistance in identifying individuals involved with unlawful conduct on January 6 in Washington, D.C. The Department of Justice is listing filed cases on its website.

You can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) to verbally report tips and/or information related to this investigation, or submit at tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
The Alabama Republican Party elected a new chairman at its winter meeting today in Montgomery.

The party picked John Wahl, a butterfly farmer from Athens, who was the only candidate to replace Terry Lathan. Lathan had announced in December she would not seek another term. Lathan has led the party since 2015.

Wahl has been senior vice chairman, the number two position, since 2019.

The State Republican Executive Committee, with more than 400 members, picked Wahl by acclamation. He was the only person nominated.

I think its important for the Republican Party right now to stand for the values we believe in, Wahl said after the meeting. Constitutionally limited government, fiscal responsibility, family values, and communicate those values to the public over the next two years between now and the mid-term elections.

Lathan won praise today for her leadership of a party that holds every statewide office in Alabama and controls the Legislature. Wahl said he wants to add to that success.

I would like to see the Republican Party grow in our metro areas and communicate our message better with new voters in metro areas and also with minority voters, Wahl said.

Wahl raises butterflies for zoos, botanical gardens, and other exhibits. He previously had a political consulting company that helped candidates with strategy and polling.

I look forward to using the principles I have learned as a small businessman with the party because I think thats important, Wahl said. Theres a lot of common sense that goes into working as a small businessman.

The committee also elected other officers at the Montgomery Renaissance Convention Center in a meeting that started at 10 a.m. The committee elected John Skipper of Mobile as senior vice chairman, choosing him over Rep. Andrew Sorrell of Muscle Shoals. Committee members approved resolutions, including one to urge withdrawal from the United Nations and one to honor Congressman Mo Brooks.

Related: Alabama Republican Party supports withdrawal from U.N., hydroxychloroquine

Gov. Kay Ivey was the first speaker today. Ivey urged party members to start getting ready for next years elections, including the race to replace Sen. Richard Shelby, who has announced he will not seek reelection.

As we head toward 2022 we must begin the process now to ensure that our U.S. Senate seat remains Republican, Ivey said. And we have every reason to hope that the Republicans can take back the U.S. House of Representatives, sending Nancy Pelosi back to California.

Ivey praised Lathan for leadership of the party over the last six years.

Youre leaving the AL GOP in a steady place, the governor said during brief remarks.

Lathan poked fun at what she said was a false belief that the Republican Party faces uncertainty after losing the White House and control of the Senate. She talked about national gains in state legislatures and the dominance in Alabama.

So the question we hear the most now is, Where does the Republican Party go from here? Thats what they say in the media breathlessly. Because we all know were just a mess, right?

Thats so silly. The answer is so obvious. Theyre so smug. We go forward. We keep going. And we keep winning. In our state, we will protect our gains, grow our party and plan for 2022.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville spoke briefly to the executive committee. Former U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne of Fairhope also spoke briefly via live video.

Tuberville bemoaned the Democrats control of the White House and Congress.

You sent me up there, and Im going to do Gods work, Tuberville said. Im going to work hard every day. Right now theyre playing with 12 on offense, were playing with six on defense.

He urged Republicans to stay involved and run for local offices, which he said were more important than his position.

Take care of your neighborhoods, take care of your cities, take care of your counties and your state, Tuberville said. Run for office. Stand up for something. Because if we dont, were going to lose. Our kids are not going to have the same thing that you and I had growing up.

Tuberville talked about his first day on the Senate floor, which was Jan. 6, the day a pro-Trump crowd stormed the Capitol and temporarily delayed the certification of Joe Bidens Electoral College win. The crowd was riled up over Trumps unsubstantiated claims that the election was stolen, claims that Tuberville promoted.

I was embarrassed, Tuberville said. If that was people that were conservative, God love them, Republicans, they were wrong, because we gave them something to talk about.

Tuberville said other riots across the country over the last year received far less attention from the media.

Nobody says anything. But if we went up there and did that, which we did, thats all they talk about, Tuberville said. And it put us in a bind. Were going to fight back. We know better. We do it the right way.
Sunrise host Samantha Armytage recently revealed that an early retirement had crossed her mind.

And according to The Daily Telegraph, the 44-year-old presenter is set to reveal how TV 'can't be a forever job', in Sunday's Stellar magazine.

In a preview of the chat that was published on Saturday, Sam explained that industry is 'a dangerous environment'.

Candid: In a preview for Sunday's Stellar Magazine, Samantha Armytage explained that the TV industry is 'a dangerous environment'

'TV isn't a place that's necessarily very healthy,' she told the publication.

'It's full of sociopaths and narcissists - it can be a dangerous environment, let me tell you.'

In the preview episode for her podcast Something To Talk About with Samantha Armytage, published by Stellar, Sam further addressed whether she would give up Morning TV.

'One of these days I will eventually give it up, nothing lasts forever, or they might sack me, you know its a business,' she said with a laugh.

Revelation: The candid admission comes after Sam admitted on the Kyle and Jackie O Show that she has thought about retirement. Pictured with her Sunrise co-host David 'Kochie' Koch

The candid admission comes after Sam admitted on the Kyle and Jackie O Show that she has thought about retirement.

Earlier this month, she said that while she was still under contract at Seven, she hadn't ruled out giving up her TV career for a quiet life in the Southern Highlands.

The media personality said that she was 'very happy' in her job but could 'easily' see herself embracing country life 'down the track'.

Sam made the admission while discussing her wedding to millionaire horse breeder Richard Lavender, which took place at his $2million estate in Berrima.

Change of pace: The media personality said that she was 'very happy' in her job but could 'easily' see herself embracing country life 'down the track'

Radio host Jackie 'O' Henderson observed: 'I get the feeling, Sam, that you're going to give this up next contract or something.'

She then asked: 'Do you ever see yourself doing that [retiring to the country]?'

Sam replied: 'Oh yeah, I think down the track I could, easily.'

When asked if she would miss working in TV, Sam offered a thoughtful response.

'I do wonder... there's a lot of adrenaline in television. Anything that's live there's a lot of adrenaline. Sometimes I wonder... but by the same token you don't want that adrenaline all the time,' she said.

'And you know, I've been a journo for 22 years. I'm very old.'

Women's intuition? Radio host Jackie 'O' Henderson (pictured) observed: 'I get the feeling, Sam, that you're going to give this up next contract or something'

In December, Sam furiously hit back at a report in a Nine-owned newspaper which claimed her position at Seven was 'one of the biggest question marks of 2021'.

She denied she was leaving the network and accused the newspaper of doing a hatchet job on her because Sunrise had beaten Nine's Today show in the ratings.

'Good one, Channel Nine. If you can't beat Sunrise in the ratings, invent a (bitchy) column for some Christmas "cheer",' she wrote on Instagram.

Denial: In December, Sam furiously hit back at a report in a Nine-owned newspaper which claimed her position at Seven was 'one of the biggest question marks of 2021'

The Sun-Herald column noted that 'a question mark hangs over' Sam's future at Seven, with 2021 perhaps being the year when her priorities shift from her career to 'marriage and starting a family' with Richard.

Despite Sam's denial, a spokesperson for Nine Newspapers said they were 'standing by the story'.

Sam has co-anchored Sunrise with David 'Kochie' Koch since 2013.

Sam Armytage launches her new podcast for Stellar, Something To Talk About with Samantha Armytage, on February 28.
San Antonio, TX, Feb. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Biglari Holdings (NYSE: BH.A; BH) announced today its 2021 Annual Shareholders Meeting will be held in San Antonio on Thursday, May 27, at 1:00 p.m. Central Time at the Majestic Theatre. Shareholders will be able to attend the meeting in person.

About Biglari Holdings Inc.

Biglari Holdings Inc. is a holding company owning subsidiaries engaged in a number of diverse business activities, including property and casualty insurance, media and licensing, restaurants, and oil and gas. The Company's largest operating subsidiaries are involved in the franchising and operating of restaurants.

SOURCE Biglari Holdings Inc.

Related Links

http://www.biglariholdings.com


In lockstep with President Joe Bidens push to reopen schools across the United States, school systems throughout the broader Washington D.C. metropolitan area have reopened or are in the process of reopening. The return to schools follows separate announcements by the governors of Virginia and Maryland calling on all schools to reopen in March.

Washington, DC (Source: Wikipedia/Library of Congress)

On January 21, the day after Biden was inaugurated, Marylands Republican Governor Larry Hogan announced in a bullying speech that all Maryland schools should return to at least hybrid instruction by March 1 and threatened action against teachers who did not return. During his press conference, Hogan pointed to Chicago, where the city locked out and withheld pay from teachers who did not return to schools, as well as South Carolina, where the state threatened to take away educators teaching licenses.

If school systems dont immediately begin a good faith effort [to reopen] we will explore every legal avenue at our disposal, Hogan said. In a letter the same day to the president of the Maryland State Education Association, he cited Bidens call to return to schools, adding that the prompt return to in-person instruction is vital to our nations success.

Virginias Democratic Governor Ralph Northam, meanwhile, announced on February 5 that all school systems in the state should reopen by March 15. Both governors made lying claims that schools could be made safe in the midst of the pandemic.

It's possible for us to have in-person learning safely, Northam said. Everybody will come on board with this and get our children back into classrooms." Likewise, Hogan baldly asserted that There is no public health reason for county boards to keep students out of schools. None. This really isnt controversial. The science is clear.

Hogan is correct on one thing: the science is clear. However, contrary to all those pushing for schools to open, the science clearly shows that school staff and students are transmitting the coronavirus in schools and spreading it within their communities.

Across Virginia, only 21 out of 132 districts remain fully virtual and all but three, the cities of Portsmouth and Richmond, along with Sussex County, are planning to reopen in the coming weeks.

In Portsmouth, where resistance to reopenings remains strong, Cardell Patillo, the chairman of the school board, explained at a meeting this week that the push to reopen despite continuing high infection rates treats teachers and students as sacrificial. Patillo added, Its almost like, Hey, we know were going to lose some [people], but were not going to lose the majority.

Fairfax County, Virginia, the eleventh largest school district in the country with 186,000 students, began an accelerated reopening February 16. By March 9, students across all grade levels will be able to return for in-person learning.

Announcing the reopening plans on February 2, Fairfax School Superintendent Scott Brabrand referred to Bidens reopening push, stating We acknowledge that no situation is risk-free, but the risks are greater in not returning students at this time. Our president has asked for this, and we must come together now.

Within days of Fairfax County schools reopening, positive cases have been reported. After only returning for two days, a special education student was exposed to a teaching assistant who tested positive for COVID-19. The school system failed to notify the students family for four days after the positive test.

The students mother, Kolleen Kennedy, told WTOP radio, I panicked because I have a 76-year-old mother, who is around [the boy] all the time, and who was around him on Thursday, because she was helping me with him. The family is now in quarantine for two weeks.

After schools on Marylands Eastern Shore reopened on February 8, a teacher there told the World Socialist Web Site that we have had a COVID case each day we've been open. Currently both of our nurses are in quarantine and several teachers.

Until the reopening push, Fairfax County had been almost fully virtual, with only certain vocational and special education programs open for in-person classes. Despite limited attendance, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has reported outbreaks, defined as having at least two positive cases, in 18 Fairfax County public schools and in three private schools. Statewide, there have been outbreaks in at least 148 schools, according to VDH data.

In order to preempt rising teacher anger, the Fairfax school system approved 2,300 of its 15,000 teachers to continue working virtually. As more students return to classrooms, the school system is hiring about 850 classroom monitors to take the place of teachers. Thus, many students returning will sit in front of a laptop for virtual instruction inside school buildings, in place of the same instruction at home.

The teachers unions have facilitated the return to in-person learning. In late January, the president of the Fairfax Education Association (FEA), Kimberly Adams, said, We think all students need to be vaccinated before in-person instruction resumes full time. However, this was simply a public relations maneuver. The FEA has proposed no action to resist the accelerated reopening, with Adams only insisting that a hybrid learning option must continue to be available to all students and staff.

Next door to Fairfax, in Washington D.C., schools reopened on February 2 with extremely low attendance. On the first day of classes, the Washington Post noted that at one elementary school only one student showed up; by the end of the week only nine students were attending in-person. Despite this minimal attendance, the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) required 1,800 out of 4,000 city teachers to return during the first week.

Five DCPS elementary schools reported positive cases after only three days of in-person learning, forcing all students in the class with a positive test to quarantine. On the weekend of February 67, a DCPS cosmetology teacher, Helen Marie White, died from COVID-19. She had been teaching at an alternative adult program since the fall.

In response to the death of White, the Washington Teachers Union (WTU) continues to do nothing to protect its membership. Instead, it issued a statement to respectfully ask DCPS to implement certain inadequate health measures, including adherence to both watered-down CDC guidelines and the provisions of a largely cosmetic memorandum of agreement that the WTU entered into with DCPS last December.

In a February 7 article summarizing the first week of Washingtons reopening, the Washington Post reluctantly acknowledged the reality that in-person learning is not going to improve the quality of education, explaining that teaching both in-person and remote students meant those in class were wearing headphones, facing their laptops and listening as their teacher addressed the classroom learners and at-home learners simultaneously.

In Maryland, all public school systems are set to open by March 1, with the most populous districts, including Montgomery County (162,000 students), Anne Arundel County (80,000), Howard County (60,000), Baltimore City (84,000), Baltimore County (111,000), and Harford County (39,000) beginning the reopening process Monday.

Baltimore initially planned to reopen on February 16. After widespread resistance from parents, teachers and students, the school system pushed back the reopening by two weeks. On Wednesday, Baltimore students held a protest against reopening at school headquarters.

At the protest, Eamon Lekso, a high school student, said that reopening, will increase the exposure to COVID-19 to students, teachers and families in Baltimore. We must act now. Another high school student, Blanca Rosalez, told the crowd that along with the demands from our teachers such as vaccines, ventilation upgrades and others, we ask for students to do virtual learning from home like weve been doing since March.

Another student pointed out that the underfunded school system has no full-time nurses in any of its schools and that even when nurses are present they lack the resources to truly care for students. I cant count the number of times me or my peers have received a wet paper towel for injuries that require an ice pack.

A Baltimore teacher who spoke to the WSWS explained that the Baltimore Teachers Union (BTU) is offering only token resistance to the reopening. The BTU has put forth a petition calling for vaccinations of all staff, unspecified ventilation upgrades, the following of minimum public health metrics and a robust testing program. The BTU, however, has not threatened a strike or any other action when none of the demands are met. The union also held a car caravan a few weeks ago and is now calling for union members to support a toothless no confidence vote against the CEO of Baltimore Schools, Sonja Santelises.

Reacting to the BTUs failure to do anything meaningful, the teacher commented, Unfortunately, its not surprising. It makes me wonder why we have a union at all. She added, Teachers feel helpless.

Educators are not helpless, but in order to resist school reopenings they must organize independently of the unions and the Democratic Party. We urge educators, students and parents to join the Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, which is fighting to close all schools and nonessential workplaces until the pandemic is contained and the population fully vaccinated, while demanding full economic security for all workers affected by these necessary lockdowns.

On Saturday, February 27, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, the Alabama Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee is holding a public meeting, The CDC vs. Science: What Teachers, Parents, and Students Need to Know. We urge all readers interested in stopping the reopening of schools to register and attend this important meeting.
The FBI have managed to single out the person responsible for Capitol Officer Brian Sicknick's death but have yet to determine their identity

The FBI has pinpointed a suspect in its investigation into the death of a U.S. Capitol Police officer in the January 6 attack on Congress by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.

Two unnamed law enforcement officials who have been briefed on the inquiry, said investigators have zeroed in on an individual seen in video footage of the riot who attacked several officers with bear spray, including Brian Sicknick, the policeman who died.

Sicknick, 42, was among a vastly outnumbered group of police officers confronted by the mob who stormed the Capitol in a bid to stop Congress from certifying the election in favor of President Joe Biden.

The violence led to the impeachment of Trump by the U.S. House of Representatives on a charge of inciting an insurrection, but he was acquitted by the Senate in a trial held after he left office.

According to the New York Times, FBI agents began to suspect soon after opening a homicide probe that Sicknick's death was related to his inhalation of a chemical irritant, such as mace or bear spray, which both law enforcement officers and rioters were armed with during the insurrection.

A homicide investigation into Sicknick's death opened soon after the January 6 attack. Pictured, Capitol police push back a crowd of supporters of President Donald Trump after they stormed the building

Investigators have now managed to pinpoint a person seen on video of the riot who attacked several officers with bear spray, including Officer Sicknick.

According to one of the officials cited in the Times' report, video evidence shows that Sicknick's suspected assailant discussed attacking officers with bear spray beforehand.

Prosecutors may also be more likely to bring charges of assaulting an officer, rather than murder.

Medical examiners have yet to rule on the cause or manner of Sicknick's death, as the autopsy is pending results of toxicology tests, the Capitol Police said in a statement on Friday.

Sicknick was initially thought to have been struck with a fire extinguisher but there was no evidence to support that he had died from any blunt force trauma

Sicknick's body did not have evidence of major blunt force trauma and investigators believe that he had an adverse reaction to pepper spray. Above, a Trump supporter is seen deploying bear spray at the Capitol riot

Well over 100 officers were injured in the riot and five people died.

Although investigators have narrowed potential suspects seen in video footage to a single person this week, they have yet to identify that individual by name, the Times reported.

Officer Sicknick died the day following the riot on January 7. The Capitol Police issued a statement that said he 'was injured while physically engaging with protesters,' and then 'returned to his division office and collapsed.'

Initially the officer was thought to have been struck with a fire extinguisher but the coroner's report found no evidence to support that he had died from any blunt force trauma.

Investigators have managed to pinpoint an as yet unidentified person seen on video who attacked several officers with bear spray, including Officer Sicknick

A hearse leaves the Capitol with the cremated remains of U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, in Washington, D.C.

The Times said the U.S. Justice Department declined to comment. The FBI has also declined to comment.

But the officer's mother Gladys Sicknick, 74, told DailyMail.com exclusively that she believed her son succumbed to a fatal stroke - and was not bludgeoned to death by a fire extinguisher as reported.

She said, He wasnt hit on the head no. We think he had a stroke, but we dont know anything for sure.

Wed love to know what happened.'

The first reports that an officer had been killed were premature and emerged on January 6. US Capitol Police were swift to issue a denial.

It is now known that Officer Sicknick was on life support at the time and his death was confirmed barely 24 hours later at 9.30pm on January 7.

The official statement was measured and vague as to the cause. According to the police, Officer Brian D Sicknick passed away due to injuries sustained while on duty.

The deadly riots marked a tragic end to a life of service for the officer (pictured with parents during his ceremony) who enlisted in the National Guard six months after graduating high school in 1997

SICKNICK DEATH TIMELINE January 7 CNN is among the first to report that an officer has died as a result of the Capitol riots. 8pm US Capitol Police issue a statement describing reports of the death as not accurate but that an officer is on life support. 9.30pm US Capitol Police announce Officer Brian Sicknicks death and state he was, injured while physically engaging with protestersreturned to the division office and collapsed. January 8 AP reports that a fire extinguisher was hurled but does not connect it to Sicknicks death. The New York Times publishes its story claiming that pro-Trump supporters, overpowered Sicknick and struck him in the head with a fire extinguisher. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, issues a statement condemning, the violent and deadly act of insurrection targeting the Capitol. She adds, The perpetrators of Officer Sicknicks death must be brought to justice. Trumps Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere also issues a statement describing Sicknick as an American hero. Officer Sicknicks family members give their own accounts and make no mention of any blunt trauma or attack. Sicknicks brother, Ken, speaks with ProPublica and reveals that his brother texted him on Wednesday evening and was in good shape. Sicknicks father, Charles, 81, tells Reuters his son was resuscitated twice on the way to the hospital. He says, He had a blood clot on his brain and had a strokeoperating was not an option. January 10 Footage of a protester hurling a fire extinguisher into law enforcement on the steps of the Capitol become public. January 14 Retired Philadelphia firefighter Robert Sandford is identified as the rioter who threw the fire extinguisher. His charges include assault on a police officer, disorderly conduct, civil disorder and unlawful entry of the Capitol. January 29 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announce that Officer Sicknick will be given state honors in the Capitol Rotunda and will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery. February 2 CNN report that investigators are vexed by a lack of evidence and that medical examiners have found no sign of blunt force trauma. Democratic House Impeachment Managers file their pre-trial brief and state as fact, The insurrectionists killed a Capitol police officer by striking him on the head with a fire extinguisher. February 3 Officer Sicknick is honored in the Capitol Rotunda by dignitaries including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. February 11 Investigators consider whether an adverse reaction to bear spray may have contributed to Sicknicks death February 16 The New York Times updates its January 8 report stating, New information has emerged regarding the death of the Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick that questions the initial cause of his death provided by officials close to the Capitol Police.' February 17 Officer Sicknicks mother tells DailyMail.com her son was not killed by a blow to the head but died of a stroke. The Medical Examiner has yet to release a cause of death. Advertisement

It continued, Officer Sicknick was responding to the riots on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at the US Capitol and was injured while physically engaging with protesters. He returned to his division office and collapsed. He was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Yet despite this statement issued on January 7 the following day on January 8 The New York Times were reporting that, pro-Trump supportersoverpowered Mr Sicknick, 42, and struck him in the head with a fire extinguisher according to two law enforcement officials. With a bloody gash in his head, Mr Sicknick was rushed to the hospital and placed on life support.

DailyMail.com has confirmed with Douglas Buchanan, Chief of Communications for DCs Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services that Sicknick was not rushed to hospital from the Capitol. But did indeed return to his division department as stated.

In fact, the very day that The New York Times account ran, Sicknicks own brother, Ken, spoke with ProPublica and said that his brother had been in good spirits and had texted him after returning to the department.

He said, He texted me last night and said, I got pepper-sprayed twice, and he was in good shape.

That same day, January 8, Sicknicks father, Charles, 81, told Reuters that on January 7, as they rushed from their homes in New Jersey to DC, the family were told that Sicknick had a blood clot on his brain and had suffered a stroke. He was being kept alive on a ventilator but was dead by the time they got there.

More than 200 people have been arrested for their role in the Capitol siege.

A number of them are associated with militant groups such as the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, underscoring rising concern about threats posed by right-wing extremists.

Sicknick received one of the highest tributes that Congress can bestow on a civilian, when his remains lay in honor at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month

U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman pays respects to U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington

Earlier this week, Capitol Police leadership were grilled by Congress as to their failures in policing the event which left rank-and-file officers exposed against armed rioters who came within steps of lawmakers.

In an appearance before a House subcommittee, acting Chief Yogananda Pittman said none of the warnings forecast the mass attack that actually took place.

Both Democrats and Republicans took issue with that, saying the intelligence sounded both specific and credible.

'I cannot get past a glaring discrepancy between intelligence received and preparation,' Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said during Thursday's hearing before the House Appropriations Committee.

Pittman insisted that the force took appropriate measures to protect the building and the lawmakers who were inside in the day of the riot.

She said they stationed armed officers at the homes of congressional leaders, intercepted radio frequencies used by the invaders, and deployed counterintelligence officers to the Ellipse rally where Trump was sending his supporters marching to the Capitol to "fight like hell."

But the mob made it through the police line and smashed their way into the Capitol, fighting past officers who were outnumbered and overwhelmed.

Many officers didn't know if they could use force and lacked guidance on how to stop the rioters, leaving some to improvise.

Pittman became acting chief when her predecessor, Steven Sund, resigned in the wake of the insurrection.

At the time of the attack, she was serving as assistant chief for protective and intelligence services.
Over the winter months, Seal Rescue Ireland volunteers have been inundated with reports of dead seals washing up on beaches, particularly in Counties Wexford, Waterford and Cork.

From November 1, 2020, to February 19, Seal Rescue Ireland have received reports of 40 dead seals in Co Wexford alone.

Melanie Croce from the group said that the cause of death for these seals has yet to be determined, but it is a certainly cause for concern.

'We have been keeping a dead seal database for the last five years, and 2020 saw the highest number of reports, double the year before, said Ms Croce. 'It could be that we're getting more reports because there are more people out on the beaches but those reports will probably slow down with the storms, with people taking a break from walking on the beach.

'I fully expect an onslaught of reports once the weather clears in a few days as we're constantly getting new reports and we need to rule out duplication.

'As of last week, a total of 61 dead seals had been reported so far this year, compared to just 36 last year. There's a huge concentration in the south east, but it does tend to coincide with fishing activities.

'We can't say for definite what's causing these deaths as the full investigation hasn't been done and we need more information. There was speculation that seals were being shot, but I think people may have been jumping to conclusions. Some of the bodies discovered were very highly decomposed and marks or holes that were on them were more likely to be due to scavengers like crabs or birds who would be pecking at the seals after they've died. We highly doubt that the deaths are to do with the virus, but we can't rule that out for definite.

'What is more likely is that there are more natural threats. The storms have gotten worse and they're washing the seal bodies in, while others are drowning in fishing nets. These threats happen offshore and are unmonitored, but with the storms washing up the seals, we're getting more accurate numbers than before. The threats really are those that we always speak about such as climate change pollution, by-catch (when seals get caught in nets), as well as unsustainable fishing which is ever-present. It's hard to say whether it's an increase in reporting, or actually more dead seals'.

There is hope that more funding and resources will be put towards the issue of identifying the root of the problem and Ms Croce said that the demand for Seal Rescue Ireland's services have never been greater.

'The demand for our services has risen drastically as we had a record -breaking year last year, rescuing 170 seals compared to 117 in 2019. Our work has continued throughout this Covid time period but having the centre closed to visitors, not being able to go to any events and not being able to have public releases, it has definitely impacted our ability to fundraise.

'Trying to keep the doors open has been really hard and Covid has definitely given us a lot of challenges. But we have diversified and are providing ,virtual opens such as tours, fundraisers as well as education but the lockdown is lasting longer and longer and we need to future-proof our activities moving forward since we don't know how long this is going to last.

'Our work is going to continue into the future but, at the moment, we are starting to look at other options as we have outgrown this space in Courtown. Right now we are treading water in the sense that we're still in the midst of our rehab season and we have about 30 seals that we haven't been able to release even though they're ready to go.

'We have built such a strong network here and we've got an amazing, devoted team, but we are looking forward to things slowing down so we can focus our energy to developing a long term plan. With the future of the Leisure Centre up in the air, we're operating behind locked gates and the future is uncertain'.

Ms Croce asked that if members of the public see a dead seal, they should remain 100 metres away and keep dogs on a lead, then call Seal Rescue Ireland's 24/7 rescue hotline 087 1955393 or email admin@sealrescueireland.org.

On the website, www.sealrescueireland.org, families can find free educational resources, including eight mini-episodes with a downloadable workbook suitable for two different age groups that is designed for home learning.
WASHINGTON -- The International Monetary Fund on Friday said it would propose ways to improve the transparency and accountability of how its Special Drawing Rights are used, a key U.S. demand for its support of a new issuance of the IMFs own currency.

Geoffrey Okamoto, first deputy managing director of the IMF, said a new allocation of SDRs would boost the reserve positions of all IMF members, calling it a far superior option to the alternatives currently available to poorer countries.

The IMF will respond to the G20s call for a proposal on a general allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), he said in a tweet.

So that countries see maximum benefit from new SDRs, we will propose ways to improve transparency and accountability in how SDRs are allocated and traded, he added. He gave no details.

Finance officials from the Group of 20 major economies on Friday expressed broad support for boosting the IMFs emergency reserves after U.S. officials dropped the previous administrations opposition.

Italy, which heads the G20 this year, is pushing for a $500 billion issuance of SDRs, a move backed by many other G20 members as a way to provide liquidity to poor countries hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic without increasing their debt levels.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Thursday expressed her qualified support, but called for greater transparency about the trading and use of SDRs.

SDRs are supplemental foreign exchange reserve assets issued by the IMF much as a central bank prints money.

They can be cashed in by members in exchange for hard currency, without condition, to pay for vaccines, equipment and other needs.

Oxfam International, one of many groups pushing for an SDR allocation, welcomed the G20s support and said IMF shareholders should approve the move at their spring meeting in April.

Senator Dick Durbin, who has introduced legislation calling for a $2 trillion SDR allocation, urged the Biden administration to back the largest issuance possible without any delay.
A 31-year-old Trenton man was fatally shot early Saturday in Bensalem, Pennsylvania and a passenger in the vehicle in which he was found also suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his head police said.

The passenger was listed in critical condition at a local hospital, a Bensalem police report said. He has not been identified.

The homicide victim, Johnnie Clark, was also shot in the head and was found in the drivers seat of the parked car. The incident was reported at 1:59 a.m. in the 4100 block of Old Lincoln Highway in the Trevose section of the township.

Police have no suspects but are requesting anyone with information about the incident contact them at 215-633-3719.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com.
Im sorry but seeing kpop idols talk about climate awareness when one of the main functions of the industry is to put idols faces on unnecessary products and sell them at a premium and essentially promote excessive wasteful consumerism is funny to me. That being said I do absolutely buy every version of album/ mini-albums my faves drop and I absolutely pay to have collectible items with them on it just because lol.



But uh good for them. If this even gets one Blink to seriously think about climate change then it did what it was supposed to do.

Reply

Thread

Link

In our target clearance section there were like.10 blackpink pillows.



Like who and why needed those to be made besides fleecing someone?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Blackpink watched a documentary and learned about the planet lmao this is killing me but I guess it's good that they've educated themselves.



Rose looks so pretty here.

Reply

Thread

Link

waiting for blinks to save the world THIS IS YOUR CALL

Reply

Thread

Link

Blackpink watched a documentary and learned about the planet



Loool, I don't know why this is so funny.



So this week has been full of news about Jennie/GD (vomit emoji to him and him only), He Who Must Not Be Named's (vomit emoji) trial continuing with more witnesses on his paying people to beat people up at his club/giving prostitutes as gifts/all those other charges, and now climate change, but WHERE IS ROSE'S SOLO?!

Reply

Thread

Link

Love Jisoo's outfit

Reply

Thread

Link

I second the rose solo part,They have to ride their momentum.





Also

Stream and Stan Brave Girls 

Who are currently charting with this bop.



Reply

Thread

Link

brave girls are still around? what kinda longevity

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

And they just renewed their contracts 

But they just had their Momoland/EXID moment thanks to a fancam so theyve been charting after 4 years lmao

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Wow, I didn't even know they were still together! But then I looked them up and it seems like the current members are all from 2016 on? So while in name they are a 2nd gen group and have been around awhile, all the old members left and really the members are more of a 3rd gen group? That's kind of strange, but I'm all for a girl group getting a resurgence.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

They just reached number one lmao

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Queens of not wanting climate to be so hot you need a fan!

Reply

Thread

Link

lol

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

okay bp post, keep them coming

Reply

Thread

Link

My girls always look pretty



The industry is sustained on bulk buying albums, which fans then dump as 'donations' to orphanages and schools. These organization then have to spend their own money to dump these albums in trash, because what use are kpop albums to them? Environmental activism by kpop industry is hypocritical tbh

Reply

Thread

Link





The amount of times idols from even not that popular groups have been exposed as just throwing all the letters, stuffed animals, etc. in the dumpster shows that's a dumb way to spend your money. (Or the idol who regifted jewelry he got from a fan to his secret gf loool) Kpop is quite obsessed with material things. Yeah, that and the insane amount of gifts fans give to idols who don't even need them. Sure, struggling non-Big 3 groups will probably actually wear some of the designer things you give them, but groups like BP don't need things like this when they are already rich and get free stuff thrown at them. YG needs to ban gifts for BP and probably even Treasure soon.The amount of times idols from even not that popular groups have been exposed as just throwing all the letters, stuffed animals, etc. in the dumpster shows that's a dumb way to spend your money. (Or the idol who regifted jewelry he got from a fan to his secret gf loool) Kpop is quite obsessed with material things.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

people send them this stuff? this is ridiculous

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It's really wild, but part of kpop. If you look at the link I posted, those are all designer things that were bought by fans for a person who is already a millionaire and gets free designer things already. Part of the appeal is seeing your favorite in designer clothes/accessories that might not otherwise be able to afford.



Sure, some things are appreciated (Taehyung from BTS has still been seeing a jacket fans bought him years ago, I appreciate that he actually got use out of it), but once a group gets to a certain level, usually they say we are no longer accepting gifts. Like, it would be absurd for BTS to need designer clothes at this point. For some reason YG has not done that with BP and it's causing some mixed reactions from, "wow my favorites are so cool to have fans that buy them stuff and you're just jealous" to people thinking it's shameful and that the young ones doing it shouldn't be using their parents' money to make a rich idol richer. And tbh, BP were never struggling artists, YG is known as the fashionable company that has their idols in designers.



Kpop is very into consumerism/material things.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

lol, are hey still trying with that shit?

one of them is more wasteful than a tiny city

I get their using their "platform" to reach a wider audience, but come one.

This is like when CLooney was taking private jet to advocate for change in the way we drive our cars

Reply

Thread

Link

one of them is more wasteful than a tiny city



who?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I once criticised them for never saying anything (or being allowed to say anything) of remote substance that could potentially offend anyone and...that's still the case.



While I totally agree that K-Pop idols doing environmental activism is ridiculous, you can't honestly call this activism in the first place. This is just a PR appearance, it's pretty obvious they don't know anything about the topic.

Reply

Thread

Link

Yeah theyre saying absolutely nothing and they look like they cant wait to be out of there. They visibly couldnt care less about the cause. Theres no substance to any of this at all.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

lol no kpop group says anything of actual political substance but ok

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Lol yeah, this is hypocritial coming from any kpop group. And no kpop group has said anything remotely controversial.

I'd prefer if kpop idols or just celebrities in general tied up with charities they udnerstand and relate to, and donate, instead of doing these kind of bs activism. IU is one such example, she regularly donates to Green Umbrella Children's foundation, almost like 3-4 times a year.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Your first sentence describes all kpop groups, or at least the big majority of them





Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i dont believe activist idols. not even a little bit. this is just for brownie points n for fans to have their egos inflated (my bias is working with unicef!!)

Reply

Thread

Link

They are in a position to do something about it but they won't. They can start by doing something small like not promoting fast fashion and removing physical copies of albums from fan events.

Reply

Thread

Link

Anything that gets people interested in Climate Change at this point.



Members of Fridays4Future in other countries are being categorized as terrorists and you have adults threatening young people like Greta in horrific ways. So if this means BP can convince the purveyors of misogyny to accept that climate change is real and man-made I am all for it.



I just got out of a meeting full of old yt men recently where someone claimed we should call it environment instead of climate change because climate change is too political. These morons need to be stopped.



If Blinks start quoting the SDGs to each other and to the rest of the world, the more the merrier.



Edited at 2021-02-28 12:59 am (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link
Investors from the UK were showing significant interest in investing in renewable energy projects in Vietnam, especially wind power,

expecting the Vietnamese Government to introduce long-term support policies as well as simplification of procedures for project implementation.

A wind farm in Binh Thuan province (Photo: VNA)

British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward said at the UK  Vietnam Renewable Energy Dialogue on Wednesday that clean energy was becoming a global trend, adding that every 1 investment USD in clean energy would help generate from 3-8 USD.

The Vietnamese Government in 2015 approved the renewable energy development strategy to 2030 with a vision to 2050 which aimed to increase the percentage of renewable power from 35 percent in 2015 to 38 percent in 2020 and 43 percent in 2050.

The Government also introduced incentive policies to encourage the development of wind power, biomass energy, energy from waste and solar power.

Hoang Tien Dung, Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trades Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority, said developing renewable energy was important in the context that sources for hydropower were being exhausted, thermopower was limited due to commitments to global climate change and gas-fired power had high production costs.

According to the draft national power development planning for 2021-30 period with a vision to 2045, Vietnam had large potential for renewable energy development which was estimated to amount up to 855GW, mostly solar power (434GW), and wind power (375GW). The potential for off-shore wind power was estimated at 158GW.

Off-shore power was attracting increasing interest from foreign organisations and investors, Nguyen Ninh Hai, Head of the Renewable Energy Department under the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority, said.

Hai said that as off-shore wind power was a new thing to Vietnam, the Ministry of Industry and Trade was cooperating with some research organisations to have a comprehensive evaluation about the off-shore wind power development potential in the country.

Bui Vinh Thang, Director of Mainstream Renewable Power Vietnam, said that the Governments planning and policies played a very important role for renewable energy investors, especially in wind power and off-shore wind power.

Benjamin Dubas, a representative from Lightsource BP, said that renewable energy investors expected the transparency and stability of policies in the long term to invest in Vietnam, especially feed-in tariffs (FIT).

According to Dung, FIT pricing was applied to accelerate investment in renewable energy in the first stage in Vietnam but this mechanism would not be maintained for a long period and be replaced by competitive bidding when the technology development helped push down prices of solar and wind power.

He added that the national power development planning which was being completed would give priority to renewable energy on the basis of ensuring balance of power sources and the power transmission between regions.

The ministry expected to continue receiving support from the UK in renewable energy, especially off-shore wind power which the UK had experience in and Vietnam had large potential.

By the end of 2020, the total renewable energy output accounted for around 25 percent of the total output worth 69,000MW of the Vietnams power system. There were 148 solar power projects with a total capacity of more than 8,800MW, 100,000 rooftop solar power projects with a total capacity of 9,300MW, and 11 wind power projects with a total capacity of 511MW./.VNS
Read what is in the news today:

Society

-- Vietnam confirmed six new COVID-19 cases on Friday, including four local infections documented in Hai Duong and two imported cases in Tay Ninh and Dong Thap, raising the national patient tally to 2,426.

-- A total of 74 volunteers received injections of Vietnams home-grown Nano Covax in the second phase of human trial in Hanoi and the southern province of Long An on Friday.

-- A truck transporting bauxite collided with a 16-seat passenger bus, causing a serial traffic accident of six vehicles in total on Bao Loc Mountain Pass in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong at around 6:40 pm Friday.

-- Police in northern Bac Giang Province on Friday said that they had discovered 28 people testing positive for drugs at a karaoke bar in Lang Giang District.

-- After a series of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspapers articles, Ho Chi Minh City chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong on Friday ordered related departments and agencies to strictly deal with the prolonged problem of noise pollution caused by home karaoke.

-- Hai Phong City chairman Nguyen Van Tung on Friday decided to remove eight control points at the entrances to the northern city from 5:00 pm on the same day to allow normal transport of goods into the city.

-- The committee for COVID-19 prevention and control of Dong Trieu Town in northern Quang Ninh Province on Friday lifted lockdowns from seven villages in two communes of An Sinh and Viet Dan, and the entire communes of Binh Duong, Nguyen Hue and Thuy An, as well as removed a control point at the Dam Thuy Bridge in Thuy An Commune.

Business

-- Vietnam moved up three places from 50th to 47th in the Global Soft Power Index 2021, which ranks the worlds top 60 soft power nations, according to the Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index Report.

-- Van Don International Airport is ready to reopen safely by March 3 after the epidemic is under control, announced the Quang Ninh authorities.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
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.
A young man who overindulged in alcohol and drugs during a night out in Carrick-on-Shannon was found on the roof of a bank at 3am after breaking eight of the bank's windows.

Paul Diffley, Kildallogue, Strokestown, Co Roscommon pleaded guilty at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court to criminal damage to property at AIB, Main St, Carrick-on-Shannon on December 27, 2019.

Sgt Michael Gallagher said that at 3am on that date Sgt Lee and Garda Calvey were on duty at Main St when their attention was drawn to an alarm at AIB. They heard noise on the flat roof at the rear of the building and found the defendant hiding on the roof of the bank.

He made his way down to street level and spoke to the Gardai. He had cuts and bruises on his hand and was intoxicated but cooperative.

Eight small panes of glass in two large windows had been broken. There were steel security bars on the inside of the windows and there was no possible way for him to gain entry.

On February 15, 2020, the defendant called to Carrick-on-Shannon Garda Station by appointment and fully acknowledged what he had done and said he had no excuse.

He said he sometimes took substances and on this occasion he had taken cocaine.

Sgt Lee said it was clear to him that substance abuse was a factor.

The court heard he had no previous convictions.

Counsel for the defendant said Mr Diffley went with some friends from Strokestown to Carrick-on-Shannon for a night out and during the course of that night out drank far too much alcohol and engaged in substance abuse of which he is ashamed.

He said the defendant has no particular memory of the night such was the abuse of substances on the night in question.

Counsel described him as a vulnerable character who had written a letter of apology to the court.

A letter was handed in from a psychotherapist Mr Diffley is attending and a consultant psychiatrist from St John of Gods in Dublin which he attended as an outpatient in 2020.

He said Mr Diffley went to the Gardai the following day and made an apology. He is a young man with a degree in Chinese and International Business from DIT, while a reference from his employer described him as honest, reliable and trustworthy.

As a token of his remorse he gathered a sum of over 1,400 from his own wages to pay for the damage caused.

Judge Kevin Kilrane ordered that a sum of 1,000 be paid to the bank and the balance of 435 be paid to the Carrick-on-Shannon CCTV Company and he imposed the Probation Offenders' Act 1.1.
Every morning before sunrise, Damian Morffet arrives at San Franciscos most distressing street corner. There, at Golden Gate Avenue and Hyde Street, each dawn looks bleaker than the one before.

Dealers hawking fentanyl have already staked their territory. Those addicted to their wares are already high, splayed unconscious at the dealers feet. People huddle around makeshift campfires to keep warm or cook their drugs. Trash litters the sidewalk.

Like a Sisyphus of the Tenderloin, Morffet will spend the next 11 hours pushing forward the chaos, keeping the perimeter of 101 Hyde St. clear, even though he knows the misery will be back as soon as his shift ends.

He and his fellow security guards earn a combined $17,500 a month from La Cocina, a nonprofit thats five years into its quest to open a food hall inside the building and needs the outside passable.

People every day who live in this neighborhood come up to me and say, Thank you for being out here and doing what you can. And I dont really think were doing anything, Morffet said, while adding that City Hall does even less. Its been a big, giant wound for a while, and they basically put a Band-Aid on it, and its still overflowing with blood.

Finally, the city may begin to staunch the bleeding. Supervisor Matt Haney, the budget committee chair who lives two blocks from that miserable corner, will propose a package of fixes on March 17 designed to ease the citys fentanyl crisis.

He wants more effective prosecution for dealers and their suppliers, more outreach to people who use drugs on the streets and better oversight of people addicted to drugs who live alone, and often die alone, in single-room-occupancy hotels.

The goal is to lessen the overdoses that killed 699 people in San Francisco in 2020 and 61 more in January alone.

Without a plan like this, were just pushing people around, which isnt working, Haney said. We need to try some new things. Otherwise were on pace to have a worse year  more awful and deadly and ghastly  for our city than last year.

Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle

The package, still being finalized, would cost in the ballpark of $6 million to $7 million a year, Haney said. About a third would go to District Attorney Chesa Boudins office for a new unit devoted to fentanyl. Six new prosecutors and two new investigators would focus on fentanyl dealing and try to build larger cases against the drugs suppliers.

Boudin has repeatedly said he needs kilos, not crumbs to fight the fentanyl trade, even though a kilo of fentanyl is enough to kill more than half the city of San Francisco. He mostly releases dealers after their arrests with stay-away orders from particular blocks or corners  orders they often ignore.

If the misery at Golden Gate Avenue and Hyde Street is any indication, other legal efforts  including City Attorney Dennis Herreras effort to keep the most prolific dealers out of the neighborhood entirely  arent yet making a difference. The city settled a lawsuit over conditions in the Tenderloin with UC Hastings last year, but the dealing persisted.

Haney wants to hire outreach workers on foot and in vans to encourage people addicted to drugs to enter treatment as well as to test their drugs to ensure theyre not unwittingly getting a product laced with fentanyl.

Haney also wants to expand an SRO overdose prevention program that was started by Mayor London Breed in 2019 but never fully implemented as the pandemic struck. He wants all staff in SRO hotels and supportive housing complexes trained in overdose prevention, administering Narcan and connecting people to treatment.

His package of proposals also includes accelerating the expansion of the citys new Street Crisis Response Team, which sends teams of three  a paramedic, a clinician and a formerly homeless or drug-addicted peer  to respond to mental health crises.

Haneys proposals seem smart, if long overdue. But wont it be deeply satisfying if its a team of immigrant women with mean culinary skills  and not politicians  who really help turn around that corner in the Tenderloin? After all, economic development is one of the best ways to fight poverty and hopelessness.

Eventually, the city intends to develop 101 Hyde St. into affordable housing, but anybody who follows that process in San Francisco knows progress is somehow always years away. La Cocina has a lease through 2025 in the meantime.

The corner represents whats broken in San Francisco, but La Cocina represents whats working. Its a Mission District nonprofit that helps women  mostly people of color and many of them immigrants  establish food businesses. Some participants live in the Tenderloin and sell food in their SRO hotels.

The inside of 101 Hyde feels like paradise compared with the outside. Woven baskets line shelves, and portraits of neighborhood residents hang on a pink wall. The kitchen is built. The tables and chairs are in place. The seven booths where the women will sell their food  always with one meal option available for $5 or less  are ready. An eighth booth will feature rotating pop-ups.

Caleb Zigas, executive director of La Cocina, said the coronavirus has delayed an official public opening until the summer, but the women are already using the space to cook for nearby SRO residents.

Our hope is that the city and other folks understand that, long-term, patient investment in a space like that can have deep, positive impacts for the whole neighborhood, he said.

Zigas said that when La Cocina agreed to open the food hall, the conditions on the corner werent as dire as they are now. The nonprofit invested $5 million to improve the building, using its own reserves plus government and private help, and is spending $300,000 a year in operating costs.

And thats before its even open to the public, demonstrating just how hard it is to start a small business in San Francisco  even though outside, an illegal, deadly business is allowed to proliferate and reap rich rewards.

And thats where Morffet comes in. The 57-year-old San Francisco native cant believe his city has become a place where people die of overdoses at a rapid clip, while nobody seems to do much about it.

I love my city, but its ugly, he said. Theres no compassion out here at all.

Sporting an orange vest, he kindly but firmly tells people to move. Soon, theres a wall of dealers and people using drugs in front of the building next door.

For now, Morffets sidewalks are clear.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf Instagram: @heatherknightsf
Washington: The US, the world's largest economy, owes India $216 billion in loan as the country's debt grows to a record $29 trillion, an American lawmaker has said, cautioning the leadership against galloping foreign debt, the largest of which comes from China and Japan.

In 2020, the US national debt was $ 23.4 trillion, that was $ 72,309 in debt per person.

"We are going to grow our debt to $ 29 trillion. That is even more debt owed per citizen. There is a lot of misinformation about where the debt is going. The top two countries we owe the debt to are China and Japan, not actually our friends," Congressman Alex Mooney said.

"We are at global competition with China all the time. They are holding a lot of the debt. We owe China over $ 1 trillion and we owe Japan over $ 1 trillion," the Republican Senator from West Virginia said on the floor of the US House of Representatives as he and others opposed the latest stimulus package of $ 2 trillion.

In January, US President Joe Biden announced a $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package to tackle the economic fallout from the pandemic, including direct financial aid to average Americans, support to businesses and to provide a boost to the national vaccination programme.

"The people who are loaning us the money we have to pay back are not necessarily people who have our best interest at heart. Brazil, we owe $ 258 billion. India, we owe $ 216 billion. And the list goes on the debt that is owed to foreign countries," Congressman Mooney said.

America's national debt was $5.6 trillion in 2000. During the Obama administration, it actually doubled.

"Since the eight years Obama was President, we doubled our national debt. And we are adding another"projected here"a completely out of control debt-to-GDP ratio," he said urging his Congressional colleagues to consider this national debt issue before approving the stimulus package.

"So I urge my colleagues to consider the future. Don't buy into the"the government has no money it doesn't take from you that you are going to have to pay back. We need to be judicious with these dollars, and most of this is not going to coronavirus relief anyway," he said.

Congressmen Mooney said that things have gone completely out of control. The Congressional Budget Office estimates an additional $ 104 trillion will be added by 2050. The Congressional Budget Office forecasted debt would rise 200 per cent.

"Today, as I stand here right now, we have $ 27.9 trillion in national debt...That is actually a little more than $ 84,000 of debt to every American citizen right here today," Mooney said.

"We have actually borrowed $ 10,000 per person in one year. I mean, that is out of control," he said.
(@FahadShabbir)

Chisinau (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2021) Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Saturday welcomed the first delivery of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from Romania, saying that the country's doctors will get prioritized access to the vaccines.

Earlier in the day, the Moldovan drug regulator said that it granted a one-year conditional authorization to three COVID-19 vaccines  Sputnik V, Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

"I am very happy that today we have received 21,600 doses of the vaccine. It is generous support from the Romanian side. I thank all those involved, thank the Romanian government, and also the European Union. This first batch is very important, because these vaccines will be used for the vaccination of the front-line health care workers," Sandu told journalists.

The president added that Moldova would launch its nation-wide vaccination on Monday.

In late December, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis pledged that Romania would send 200,000 vaccine doses to Moldova. On January 30, the Moldovan health ministry said that the country would receive for free 24,570 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 264,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the World Health Organization-led COVAX Facility. After that, Chisinau will purchase vaccines from COVAX at a discount price.
Have You Seen This? Baby calmed by Imperial March
A 17-year-old girl has been sent home from school over concerns her outfit might make a male student teacher "feel awkward".

Karis Wilson, from Canada, was pulled from her Year 12 class on Wednesday and told her dress "reminded her female teacher of a lingerie outfit" and had the potential to make a male student teacher "feel uncomfortable".

The student's frustrated father, Christopher Wilson, then posted about the incident on Facebook, calling the decision "absurd" and saying his daughter was left in tears.

With his daughter's permission, Mr Wilson shared an image of the teenager wearing the outfit she was sent home for  a knee-length black dress with a lace trim worn over a long-sleeved white turtleneck.

Karis Wilson, 17, was asked to leave class because her outfit (pictured) was making her teachers 'feel uncomfortable'. Source: Facebook

Mr Wilson said in his Facebook Live video any teacher distracted by the clothing of students was in the wrong profession.

"Im frustrated, Im hurt, Im disappointed in the system," Mr Wilson said.

The father added he requested to see the official dress code for the NorKam Senior Secondary school in British Columbia.

It stated students were prohibited from wearing any clothing promoting alcohol or tobacco use, wearing anything that depicts nudity, wearing clothing with offensive language and wearing clothing that is distracting'.

"It's actually a very modest outfit when you actually look at it ... I think the initial comments were based on the fact that it had lace," Mr Wilson said in the Facebook video which has received more than 79,000 views.

Teen girl 'really broken up' over ordeal

The concerned father said his daughter was "really broken up" after she was sent home from school.

When he asked her how he could support her, she told her father she wanted to make sure other students wouldn't go through the same experience.

"Please stand with Karis and I and make sure that those involved are held accountable and that this never happens again," Mr Wilson wrote on Facebook along with the hashtag #Imwithkaris.

Story continues

The impassioned speech drew hundreds of positive comments from people praising Mr Wilson for standing up for his daughter and many were left outraged by the school's actions.

"A females education is far more important than how she is dressed! If somebody elses choice of clothing makes you uncomfortable then that is entirely on you!" one person responded.

"So, the female teacher perpetuated rape culture, shamed a young woman?" another user commented.

Karis fellow NorKam students walked out of classrooms holding signs in solidarity. Source: Facebook

Students stand by Karis Wilson

In the wake of the incident, Karis fellow NorKam students walked out of classrooms holding signs in solidarity.

My education is more important than what I wear, one sign read.

Am I distracting you with my midrift? Another student wrote on a sign.

Im not my dress" another sign said.

Mr Wilson told local news outlet CBC seeing the students supporting his daughter was a "silver lining" to a negative experience.

"There was a female who was singled out because what she's wearing could make someone in a position of power over her feel uncomfortable. And the more you think of it, the more you say it, the more you understand that this is absurd," Mr Wilson said.

A spokesperson for the school district released a statement to Daily Mail stating they were currently reviewing the incident and treating the allegations seriously, but would not comment on the incident specifically.

Whenever a parent is concerned about their child at school we want to work with them for the best outcome for the student, a NorKam spokesperson said.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com

You can also follow us on Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.


Vani Devi says she has a better understanding of issues and an undeniable track record as a professor at JNTU, as an educationist. (DC/Surenderreddy Singireddy)

Hyderabad: The electoral race for the member of the Legislative Council representing the Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Mahbubnagar (HRRM) graduates constituency has just started acquiring its contours after the last minute entry of Surabhi Vani Devi, daughter of former prime minister late P. V. Narasimha Rao, academic, artist and educationist, into the fray, but all indications show that she has a lot of ground to cover to catch up with incumbent MLC, lawyer and the easily accessible and affable Naraparaju Ramchander Rao of the BJP.

Making the contest fascinating is an equally simple person, known, like his other two rivals, for his integrity, charisma and passion: academic, former MLC and political analyst Prof K. Nageshwar; and the Congress candidate G. Chinna Reddy, former minister and AICC secretary.

The constituency, which is large, diverse and heterogeneous, with several different sets of voters, all with clearly different yet focussed concerns, is tough to conquer. Employees of central and state public sector enterprises, retired employees, employed and unemployed students make for a tough lot to access together. Party affiliations are relevant but not deciders.

Interestingly, while Ramchander Rao says the pro-BJP wave in the state and a prevailing narrative that it will not only challenge but prevail against the TRS in the next Assembly elections, the positive image of Prime Minister Narendra Modis government and his own work for the graduates, unemployed youth and state employees will make him a clear winner, all the others feel the fight is respectively between them and the BJP candidate.

Prof. Nageshwar said, The fight is between BJPs Ramchander Rao and I. While his strength is based on the partys rising tide, and money power of an organised party in power, I am facing him based on my passionate championing of causes dear to the constituents. Several unions, student bodies and my fans on social media are augmenting my chances. I am confident I will defeat him.

Vani Devi, dismissing all talk of being late to the race or being a novice, says, I have a better understanding of issues and an undeniable track record as a professor at JNTU, as an educationist who has started and run several educational institutes.

While she feels the race is between her and the BJPs incumbent and popular lawyer, she feels in the end, she will triumph. Ramchander Rao also exudes confidence when he says, There is a pro-BJP wave across Telangana as much as an anti-TRS wave. The people are still barely recovering from the shock of the double murders in Manthani of the lawyer couple. Yet, there has not been a single word of condemnation from the TRS chief and CM. The elections will see the BJP win with a resounding majority. The race is really between the others for second place.

Speaking about the crucial P.V. Narasimha Rao factor, Ramchander Rao says, Everyone can see through the political game of KCR. Trying to distract attention from his failures, by invoking the name of the illustrious late PM he wont get away. Giving a losing ticket to the daughter of PV is a great disservice to the family.

Prof Nageshwar also dismisses the factor, saying the appeal of Narasimha Rao is one of respect, not charisma of a kind either NTR or YSR had to get votes in his name. People, especially the Brahmin community, will not vote based on caste.

The Congress leader, who started with a strong campaign, is losing out because of the high stakes and resources being pitched in by the two leading parties  the BJP and TRS.

Even though she is my aunt and family, and I respect her, I am sure my party will win. The TRS did a bad thing by making her a scapegoat, said N.V. Subhash, BJP leader and grandson of Narasimha Rao.

Vani Devi dismisses these contentions saying, If they respect my father so much, let them withdraw from the elections.

As Prof. Nageshwar says, She wont be a major factor in these polls. As such, there is a strong anti-TRS wave in the state. Yet, the election to this constituency wont be a referendum on the KCR government as much as about who is the right candidate to represent this diverse constituency. She has never been in public life and none of the voters will believe she can fight for them.

Ravi Srivatsa, a graduate constituency voter from Hyderabad, said, Based on the campaign and whatever I have seen of the candidates, I think, at least in the city, the BJP is clearly ahead. But how differently do voters think, in say Mahbubnagar, I cannot be sure. In absence of any ability to decide based on candidates most people would vote for a party.

While the BJPs lawyer will enjoy the thought, the others, including the educationist and daughter, professor, former minister and other independents would be hoping otherwise and they have not just a few weeks to change it.
We have seen how fast a coronavirus outbreak can spread across the city, Dr Kanhutu said. Aged care, healthcare and driver share companies are heavily reliant on migrant communities who have lots of linkages across geographic zones. If you get the vaccine rollout wrong in one area, youve got it wrong for the whole state. She is one of a growing number of health experts calling for religious centres, schools and community halls to be considered for mass immunisation hubs when the vaccine is administered to the broader population in the coming months. A one-size-fits-all approach where everybody is just going to go to the MCG and queue up for a vaccine is not going to work for many migrant communities, Dr Kanhutu said. Youve got meet people where they are so they dont have to travel and it has to be in a way that feels comfortable and culturally safe for them. The Australia Medical Associations Mukesh Haikerwal said the overseas practice of using religious spaces, including Salisbury Cathedral in Englands south and a mosque in Birmingham, as vaccination centres had worked extremely well, allowing thousands of people to be safely social distanced as they were immunised. It seemed strange at first, but actually, it did the job, the western suburbs GP said.

He said access remained the single biggest barrier hindering vaccine coverage globally. Whatever is available, should be made available as potential sites for coronavirus vaccine hubs, Dr Haikerwal said. A medic monitors people who sit and wait after receiving their vaccine at Salisbury Cathedral. Credit:AP Dr Kanhutu said governments must learn from past mistakes in the pandemic. She said there were missed opportunities to engage with high-risk migrant communities to prevent clusters that spread rapidly during Victorias deadly second wave, in which about half of the more than 20,000 people infected with coronavirus were born outside Australia. Most notable was the response to the COVID-19 outbreak that swept through Melbournes high-rise public housing towers, plunging more than 3000 people into a sudden and harsh mandatory lockdown under police guard.

Usually, we learn by doing some really awful jobs of it, Dr Kanhutu said. What happened with the public housing towers was very telling. Everyone went in with all best intentions, but most of the information was delivered in English so there were these language and communication breakdowns, which caused significant confusion and distress. Australian research following the second wave in Victoria found culturally and linguistically diverse communities reported heightened levels of anxiety, confusion and distress along with a greater reliance on non-official sources of information due to the lag in public health information. Like Dr Kanhutu and Dr Haikerwal, Professor Hassan Vally, an epidemiologist at La Trobe University, said religious and community leadersshould be at the forefront of delivering public health messages about the vaccine in the coming months. The research in this area shows that its not just the message, but its who delivers the message that is really important, he said. We know the government is working incredibly hard to engage community leaders to come on board to be part of delivering these messages to their communities in the hope that if the message comes from trusted sources it will have more impact.

In the US and UK, mounting evidence suggests ethnic minority communities measured higher rates of hesitancy about getting the vaccine than the wider population. But Professor Vally said the war against coronavirus misinformation was not confined to migrant communities with an estimated quarter of Australians still hesitant about receiving the jab. I think were going to be surprised by the amount of vaccine hesitancy in Australia, he said. Some of that will be just people who were just naturally anxious about the speed at which things are happening and for some it will be people that have been influenced by the misinformation circulating. Following the lockdown of the high rise towers, not-for-profit community health centre Cohealth, employed dozens of public housing residents to be health concierges who deliver important public health information to culturally diverse communities. The health concierge model has been so fantastic because they have been able to influence how those messages are distributed, Cohealth chief executive Nicole Bartholomeusz said. They are going to be critical for the vaccine roll-out because we need to be really smart about getting clear and consistent messages in language through a range of channels so that its easily heard and understood.

Last week , the Australian National Imams Council along with Australian Fatwa Council released an Islamic ruling deeming the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines to be permissible under Islamic law. The decision followed false reports that the vaccines contained pork. Consumption of pork products is forbidden in Islam. Loading But Catholic and Anglican archbishops remain at odds with authorities over the AstraZeneca vaccine, with religious leaders telling parishioners they are entitled to request a different jab, while the federal government says most people wont have a choice. Religious concerns about the AstraZeneca vaccine arise from its use of decades-old aborted fetal cells in the development process, which is common scientific practice that some Christians find objectionable.
NEW HAVEN  Police have secured an arrest warrant charging Qinxuan Pan, an MIT graduate student with murder in the shooting death of Kevin Jiang earlier this month.

Matthew Duffy, a U.S. Marshal, confirmed the service is attempting to take Pan into custody on that warrant. The 29-year-old is still believed to be in Georgia, according to Duffy.

New Haven police had previously only named Pan as a person of interest in the fatal Feb. 6 shooting, saying that he was in the area on the night Jiang was killed.

New Haven police have not confirmed the warrants existence. A police spokesman did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Friday night.

Police were called to Lawrence Street near the Nash Street intersection around 8:30 p.m. that evening. There they found Jiang, a 26-year-old Yale graduate student, gunned down.

The marshals office is offering a reward of $10,000 for information leading to Pans apprehension by law enforcement. The U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force has also been asked to assist in finding him.

The television station Fox 61 reported the warrants existence earlier in the evening, citing unnamed police sources.

Authorities believe Pan stole an SUV from a dealership in Mansfield, Mass., swapping out the dealer plates before coming to Connecticut. Pan is wanted by Massachusets authorities for charges related to that theft. New Haven police also have a warrant out for his arrest in the stolen vehicle matter.

Ziang was engaged to be married to his fiancee, Zion Perry. Photos have emerged online that appear to show Perry and Pan together at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology dance in March of last year. New Haven police said they have not ruled out the possibility of a prior relationship between the two.
Mark Machins big mistake got him drummed out of Canada s national pension manager in a matter of hours. Its a turn of events that puts the fund in the hands of a former industrial scientist who has made few waves in the world of finance.

John Graham was promoted to chief executive officer of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board on Friday, putting him in charge of a $373 billion global portfolio that includes everything from Britains Southampton port to Germanys Axel Springer media empire to the Petco retail chain.

The fund needed a new CEO quickly after Machin was found to have flown to the United Arab Emirates, where he received a Covid-19 vaccine. He had committed a double political sin -- taking a trip in defiance of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus warnings to avoid international travel, and getting a shot most other Canadians cant get because of the countrys limited vaccine supplies.

After the Wall Street Journal revealed Machins travel on Thursday evening, he resigned.

The board surprised some CPPIB managers by turning to Graham, who was not seen as the natural successor to Machin, according to people familiar with the situation. The organization was thrown into a situation it might not have been prepared for: Machin had been CEO for less than five years and wasnt expected to leave soon.

But Graham is described by associates as a safe pick -- smart and sophisticated, with the cautious mindset of a Canadian public servant. He will likely follow the existing strategy of expanding international offices and investing more in private assets, these people said.

"When you look at his CV, you see credit, private markets -- that is a significant part of the future as to where that retirement-savings investment process needs to go, in order to be successful and generate net real rates of return that are high enough," said Keith Ambachtsheer, a pension adviser who has provided strategic advice on governance, finance and investment issues to Canadian pension funds, including CPPIB.

Graham, 49, spent almost a decade as a research scientist at Xerox Holdings Corp. after completing a doctorate in physical chemistry. He started at CPPIB in 2008 in the portfolio design group before switching to private investments and credit.

In 2018, Machin promoted Graham to senior managing director in charge of a credit investments team spread across Toronto, New York, London and Hong Kong. The groups recent focus has been growing in Asia and emerging markets, particularly in China, India and Brazil.

These are markets that are going to grow, they are going to be increasingly relevant in the global economy and it makes sense to spend time to build out capability and the infrastructure to invest," Graham said in a 2019 interview with Bloomberg.

Private Credit

Graham was also in charge of making a deeper push into private credit, where borrowers bypass traditional capital markets, to fill a need for yield made scarce by low interest rates.

In an interview in December, Machin said exuberance in public markets was a signal to him to extend his funds already-huge bet on private assets. He had continued to build the Canadian funds private holdings since becoming its first foreign-born leader in June 2016.

About 25% of CPPIBs portfolio is in private equity and another 17% in real estate and infrastructure, most of which is private, as of Dec. 31, according to fund disclosures.

The strategy is seen as a success, and the fund has returned 9.7% annualized over the past five calendar years after expenses. Almost all of that was on Machins watch as CEO.

But it wasnt enough to save his job in a country where a number of public figures have blown up their careers by leaving for vacations or other discretionary reasons during the pandemic.

Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips was forced to resign on Dec. 31 after it was revealed he took a Caribbean vacation at a time when many businesses in the province had been ordered to shut their doors. A cabinet minister in Alberta, Tracy Allard, quit her post after she went to Hawaii.

Nearly a year into the pandemic, theres a tremendously fragile public that is out there that is not going to have a lot of tolerance for CEOs who are seen to be flouting the rules," James Moore, an adviser for law firm Dentons and former Canadian cabinet minister, said in an interview on BNN Bloomberg Television.

That may explain why Finance Minister Chrystia Freelands office rebuked Machin for his Dubai trip, despite a government practice of saying as little as possible about CPPIBs operations. The funds top executive reports to a government-appointed board, but the directors are businesspeople including Royal Bank of Canada Chairwoman Kathleen Taylor, not political figures.

CPPIBs board missed its chance to send the message that it is truly independent by taking his resignation over one lapse of judgment instead of defending him, according to a senior executive of another large pension fund who asked not to be identified because he isnt authorized to speak about the situation publicly.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
Hundreds of people gathered near the building of the president's office in Kyiv to support activist and blogger Serhiy Sternenko, who was sentenced to more than 7 years and confiscated half of his property for the kidnapping of a deputy of Odesa City Council in 2015.

A correspondent of the Interfax-Ukraine agency reports that the people demand to reconsider the Sternenko case, release Andriy Antonenko, suspect in the murder of Pavlo Sheremet, and stop the political persecution of Ukrainian activists and volunteers.

Also, the protesters demand an explanation as to why politicians and officials against whom sanctions for financing terrorism were imposed have not yet been announced with suspicion.

The protesters brought with them Ukrainian flags and posters with patriotic slogans. Now there are no party symbols during the protest.

The official start of the protest was initially planned at 12:00, but was postponed to 12:30 so that everyone could take part in it.

Photo - Iegor Shumikhin
Today (Tuesday, 23rd) is arguably the biggest day in Micheal Martin's political career to date.

When the Fianna Fail man addresses the nation with details from the reboot of the Living With Covid plan the nation will be watching, knives in mouth, for any double speak.

The truth has been unpalatable for some time. How the extended lockdown was leaked last week in an interview with an Irish Mirror journalist was disgraceful. The journalist in question did nothing wrong. We are there to ask questions; hard questions and that is what she did.

The Taoiseach may have been trying to be honest but what he said, effectively that Level 5 lockdown was continuing for nine more weeks, drove tens of thousands of people across the country into a mental tailspin. People with the sunniest dispositions have found themselves on the brink of the blackest depression over recent days trying to figure out how they can make their business work, life work, in mental quicksand.

The leaking of information which is having a real impact on people's mental health is not helpful. It is as if the Taoiseach is using us as guinea pigs, driving us like proverbial crash test dummies into a wall of resistance to see what the test results are.

Committing political hara-kiri is a given during a pandemic but to do so with such enthusiasm suggests a leader who is struggling big time.

Throughout Covid-19 we have been living in a game-plan vacuum. Essentially it's been a kite flying exercise to see how people and business lobby groups react to a plan of action. If the reaction is too strong, policy changes. There isn't a hope in hell of us getting to under 100 cases any time soon. Everyone is too fatigued and you'll always have the 5 per cent who just don't comply. The best we can hope for is that numbers and deaths continue to fall until the warmer weather when we're all outdoors more and then we can have some kind of a summer like last year. By then most of us will have been vaccinated, and barring a booster shot every six months or so to protect us against mutant variants, life can return to some kind of normality.

Whatever Micheal Martin and Taoiseach in waiting Leo Varadkar announce today, it should address mental health. Unlike Denmark, Ireland has not committed specific funding to tackling the Covid mental health crisis among our young. The national waiting lists for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) increased by almost 20 per cent in 2020 while the number of children waiting for over 12 months for support rose by 25 per cent. What has the government done? Nothing.

GPs across Wicklow and Wexford are reporting big increases in people calling with mental health issues. This crisis could be a silent killer. We need a government with a consistent message. Not one in which ministers have to clarify our Taoiseach's utterances.

Where are the brochures about mental health? Where is the creative thinking? A World Economic Forum report issued this month highlights a rise in loneliness, sleeplessness and anxiety among over50s directly related to the pandemic. The report states that the crisis is greater among young people.

Some 2,736 children were on waiting lists for CAMHS as of December, an increase of more than 400 on December 2019. The number waiting over 12 months for services rose from 212 in 2019 to 266 a year later.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Communication is the most important part of a managers job description, and Gabe Kapler is going above and beyond this spring.

Kapler is meeting with players one-on-one each afternoon, along with president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi and general manager Scott Harris to hear whats on everyones minds. With 72 players in camp, thats a lot of meetings, four a day for 20 minutes or more each.

Were talking about things theyre working on, reiterating strengths they showed last year - but what we really want is to hear from the players, that theyre thinking as were starting camp, Kapler said Friday. Its going really well. We want to let them into the process - we want players to be involved in their own development plan.

Kapler has also told players they are welcome to stop by his office any time to go over upcoming lineups and current depth charts so they understand where they stand.

Players dont want the ball hidden from them, so were opening the door up and being direct, he said. Getting through all of them is a challenge, but were giving each of them assurance that we value them and these conversations are very important to us.

The interactions have been positive and enlightening. For example, Kapler said, outfielder Alex Dickerson came into ask about the depth charts because he wondered if he might need to take grounders at first base. He wasnt trying to avoid work, he wanted to be responsible and make sure hes doing whatever he can, Kapler said. I really appreciated that.

While some players arent too bothered about advance notice - infielder Wilmer Flores said he takes grounders everywhere and hes always ready to go wherever needed - most players like a heads up, especially when they play all over the place. I like that, infielder Donovan Solano said. Its always great to know ahead of time how the manager is going to use us, especially if were going to play different positions so that you can not only get yourself mentally ready but then also work at it.

 Kapler said Conner Menez will start Sundays Cactus League opener, a game that will go seven innings. Also pitching that day will be a slew of non-roster invitees: Sam Long, Jay Jackson, Zack Littell, Sam Wolff, Tyler Cyr and Jimmie Sherfy. The Giants are planning to go seven innings each of their first five games, then reassess.

 The Giants claimed right-hander Jordan Humphreys, 24, off waivers from the Indians. Theyd also acquired Humphreys last year in the deal that sent Billy Hamilton to the Mets, and he pitched at the teams alternate site in Sacramento. Humphreys has primarily been a starter in the minors but also can work in relief, and he has some sparkly numbers: a 2.60 ERA in four seasons with 117 strikeouts and 30 walks in 169  innings. To make room for Humphreys, right-hander Tyler Beede, returning from Tommy John surgery, was placed on the 60-day DL.

 Right-hander Trevor Gott cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Sacramento, and he will remain in camp as a non-roster invitee.

 Pitchers who stood out during live batting practice Friday: Tyler Rogers, Caleb Baragar, Matt Wisler and Silvino Bracho.

Susan Slusser covers the Giants for The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: sslusser@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @susanslusser

The Biden administration on February 26 released a declassified intelligence report of the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and revealed that Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation to capture or kill the Saudi journalist. Khashoggi, who was murdered in 2018, was a vocal critic of the Saudi regime. He was killed in Turkey where he had gone to obtain paperwork certifying his divorce from his former wife Alaa Nassif in order to be able to marry his Turkish fiance Hatice Cengiz.

On Friday, the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released the report - Assessing the Saudi Government Role in the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi - which said that Crown Prince MBS approved the operation to capture or kill the Saudi journalist. The ODNI said that they based the assessment on the Crown Princes control of decisionmaking in the Kingdom, the direct involvement of a key adviser and members of Muhammad bin Salmans protective detail in the operation. The report further even added that the Crown Princes support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad is also the reason to believe that he had approved the operation.

READ: US: Prez Biden Announces Partnership With Private Businesses To Spread COVID-19 Awareness

The report read, We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Further, the report went on to name individuals allegedly complicit in, or responsible for, Khashoggis death. However, it added that the US doesnt know how far in advance those involved planned to harm him. The US officials said that the Crown Princes absolute control of the Kingdoms intelligence organisations would make it highly unlikely that such an operation could have been carried out without his authorisation.

It is worth noting that the Saudi authorities have blamed the killing on a rogue operation by a team of agents sent to return the journalist to the kingdom. A Saudi court had tried and sentenced five individuals to 20 years in prison, after initially sentencing them to death.

READ: Kremlin 'closely Monitoring' Syrian Developments After US' First Airstrike Of Biden Era

US announces visa restrictions and sanctions

The report was released a day after US President Joe Biden had a telephonic conversation with Saudi King Salman. Following the release, a statement from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described it as a horrific killing and announced new visa restrictions. According to BBC, Blinken announced the travel restrictions, dubbed the Khashoggi ban. He said that those targeted are believed to have been directly engaged in serious extraterritorial counter-dissident activities.

Blinken even went on to warn that perpetrators targeting perceived dissidents on behalf of any foreign government should not be permitted to reach American soil. Additionally, the treasury department sanctioned some of those around Crown Prince, including one of his close aides, former deputy intelligence chief Ahman Asiri, as well as his personal protective force, which was involved in the killing.

(With inputs from ANI)

READ: Biden Marks 50M Vaccine Doses In First 5 Weeks In Office

READ: Bidens Trade Rep Nominee Vows To Work With Allies



Nearly three years after Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order that would grant people on parole the right to vote, the state Legislature has taken the first step to codifying those rights into law after the state Senate passed a bill this week to do just that.

Under current state law, people on parole are not allowed to vote until after their period of supervised release comes to an end. For years after their release from prison, formerly incarcerated people were kept from the ballot box. And attempting to register to vote could send them back to prison. Legislation to restore voting rights date back to 2009, but Republicans who controlled the state Senate prevented it from ever coming up for a vote. That was still the case in 2018, when Cuomo issued his executive order in lieu of the stalled legislation. It permits him to issue conditional pardons to those on parole allowing them to vote upon their release from prison.

But criminal justice and voting rights activists never stopped advocating for the legislation to ensure that those voting rights are both enshrined in law and automatically restored. They had hoped that Democratic majorities in both chambers in 2019 and 2020 would have resulted in the bills passage, but for the past two years, it didnt even make it out of committee in either the state Senate or the Assembly.

But on Wednesday, the state Senate passed the legislation for the first time. It's a small but really significant development, Perry Grossman, senior staff attorney in the Voting Rights Project at the NYCLU, told City & State. It clears up a lot of confusion in the law, and it shows that these voters matter. Under the current executive order, people on supervised release have to wait to receive their pardon from the governor, and the state law still technically says its illegal to vote. The conditional status of their voting rights and the lack of statutory support has left some on parole wary because even unintentional mistakes can land them back in prison. It wasn't easy getting the legislature to move on this, Grossman, who has been closely following this legislation for years, said.

The law has roots that date back about 150 years, an outdated relic of the Jim Crow era meant to keep recently enfranchised Black people from actually exercising that right. With passage of my bill (this week), we are one step closer to officially correcting an error that has silenced the voices of so many New Yorkers for so long, state Sen. Leroy Comrie, the bills sponsor, said in a statement. The legislation would provide clarity that anyone who is a citizen and living in the community is allowed to vote. If one has served their time in prison, as soon as they are back in the community, that person would be permitted to vote again.

Now, the bill awaits passage in the Assembly, but the timeline in that chamber remains unclear. Its a bit alarming that a simple bill seeking to chop away at Jim Crow-era voter bans has not yet passed in the New York State Assembly, Nick Encalada-Malinowski, civil rights campaign director at VOCAL-NY, said in a statement. The legislation, sponsored for the past decade by Assembly Member Danny ODonnell, is still in committee. It has come close to getting approved in the chamber in past years, but its never actually come up for a vote. ODonnell spokesperson Gabriel Lewenstein said they have productive conversations and that theyre optimistic it will soon get passed in the chamber.

The voting rights bill is just one of a long list of criminal justice reforms that advocates are still pushing for this year. They include parole reform like elder parole, which would allow inmates over 55 years old who have served at least 15 years in prison to become eligible for parole, and the Less is More Act, which would eliminate jail time for parole violations. Im so happy the Senate passed this (voting rights) bill, but we still have a long way to go, Jovada Senhouse, VOCAL-NY board member, said in a statement. We arent going anywhere until we end solitary confinement, and wrongful convictions, pass parole reform and restore the right to vote to our incarcerated brothers and sisters.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
ARCHIVED - Covid restrictions relaxed in much of Spain despite warnings of a potential fourth wave



Regional governments ignore repeated pleas for caution from the Ministry of Health

So great is the desire for a semblance of normality to be re-introduced to daily life in Spain that in spite of the repeated warnings that caution is required in maintaining restrictions on socializing and travel in order to avoid a potential fourth wave of Covid-19 contagion, at least half of the 17 regional governments are already allowing people a greater degree of freedom as the month of February comes to its end.

It is only a month since the third wave reached its peak and the strain on hospitals and health services remains extreme as entire wards and units are reserved for Covid patients, but at least 8 Autonomous Communities have announced less strict measures as the infection rates continue to fall. This has raised hopes that inter-regional travel bans could be lifted by the time the Easter holidays start at the end of March, potentially bringing about a partial reactivation of the tourism sector, but of course at the same time it increases the risk that by that time infection rates could be rising again.

It appears that many regional governments have no longer been able to ignore the calls from businesses  particularly bars and restaurants  and members of the public for some relief from the forced closures over recent months. In Madrid it has been decided that the night-time curfew will continue to be in force from 22.00 to 6.00 for at least another two weeks  although in Catalunya the anticipated relaxation of some restrictions has been postponed due to a slight increase in infection rates shown by the latest data, but other administrations seem unwilling to heed the warnings or to risk unpopularity.

Even in Catalunya the government has announced that after two months with their doors closed shopping malls will be allowed to re-open partially (although not at weekends), while in Castilla-La Mancha it is the intention to shorten the curfew and allow inter-regional travel, becoming the first region to do so apart from Madrid and Extremadura since the end of the Christmas holidays.

Meanwhile, in Aragon the start of the curfew is being put back from 22.00 to 23.00 and social gatherings of up to 6 people are to be allowed as fewer restrictions are placed on bars and restaurants, and in Galicia Friday sees the partial reopening of hostelries and the resumption of travel between the 313 municipalities with just 10 exceptions.

Even in Murcia, where the regional minister for Health generally urges caution, the number of people allowed to meet has been raised to four and outdoor bar and restaurant terraces are permitted to open in 43 of the 45 municipalities.

Similarly, in the Comunidad Valenciana, one of the regions to suffer most severely during the third wave, outdoor terraces are now allowed to open and after this weekend it is expected that almost all municipal boundaries will be open, allowing greater movement.

In Andalucia only 51 municipalities are now confined, and borders re-open at midnight on Friday in the remainder across all eight provinces of the region.
About 8:50 p.m., Julian N. Castillo was visiting a friend in the 6300 block of South Richmond Street when two males started arguing with him, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiners office. The pair started punching Castillo, who ran out the apartment and down the street.
Equality Act will force people to hide their faith, Sen. Lankford warns at CPAC

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

At the Conservative Political Action Conference, a U.S. senator warned that the Equality Act would force people to hide their faith and accused one of President Joe Bidens cabinet nominees of working to manage the faith of Californians.

The first full day of CPAC, an annual gathering of conservative grassroots activists, took place Friday in Orlando, Florida. One of the speakers, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., addressed the topic of freedom of religion.

According to Lankford, You dont have to take off your faith when you leave your house. You dont have to take off your faith when you leave church. In fact, I would remind this group if you dont practice your faith every day, you really dont have a faith, you just have a religious hobby.

The in-group in our society doesnt get to define who can and cannot have faith, what their faith would look like in public or in private, he added. We dont have to submit to the in-crowds secular humanism, which he warned is already underway.

Lankford then cited Xavier Becerra, Bidens nominee to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services, as a supporter of this effort. Lankford described how the tenure of Becerra as attorney general of California was defined by hostility toward religious people who did not want to fund contraception and abortion-inducing drugs in their employer-sponsored healthcare plans.

He led the lawsuit against people of faith like Little Sisters of the Poor, forcing them to choose between shutting down their ministry to elderly poor or to violate their religious beliefs, Lankford said. He worked to manage the faith of Californians.

Lankford also cited the Equality Act, a controversial legislative package that passed the House of Representatives Thursday, as another example of the hostility to religion that is becoming commonplace among some government officials.

Although the Equality Act was billed as a necessary bill to enshrine protections for the LGBT community into law, Lankford warned that under the measure, people of faith cannot say you have faith.

As officials at the Alliance Defending Freedom explained in a recent webinar, the Equality Act contains a ban on sexual orientation and gender identity that could require religious employers to include in their healthcare plans things that they might object to like cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers for children and sex reassignment surgery, and perform other actions that might conflict with their religious beliefs.

In addition to warning about the potential confirmation of Becerra and the possible passage of the Equality Act, Lankford touted a recent U.S. Supreme Court victory for religious freedom.

A couple of years ago in Montana, a mom tried to utilize a state scholarship fund to send her daughters to a Christian school but the state of Montana has specific language in their Constitution that doesnt allow state funds to be used at a religious school, he recalled. After mentioning that the Supreme Court determined that as long as Montana maintained a scholarship program it could not exclude religious schools, Lankford lamented that despite the Supreme Court precedent, several states still have similar language in their state constitutions.

Contending that such language requires the states to discriminate against people of faith, Lankford explained that the language was known as the Blaine Amendment, named after the 1884 presidential candidate who spearheaded it, James Blaine, and written during a time of anti-Catholic fervor in our nation more than a century ago.

That language needs to go, Lankford declared. If youre a state legislator, clear that bigoted language out of your state constitution.

As his speech concluded, Lankford brought up the Abraham Accords, an agreement between the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to recognize the importance of maintaining and strengthening peace in the Middle East and around the world based on mutual understanding and coexistence, as well as respect for human dignity, freedom, including religious freedom.

Freedom is breaking out in the Middle East while the left is trying to shut it down in America, he remarked.

They cannot do that because we are Americans and we have the greatest Constitution in the world, he concluded. The right to have your faith and live your faith is a right. You have to make it a reality by actually living your faith.

On average, women wait until they are 31 to have their first child in the Grand Duchy, according to Eurostat.

This is significantly higher than the majority of European countries.

Our elders often harp on about it, today's young people are having children later and later... And they are right. Whether for cultural, financial, professional or other reasons, the average age at which women become mothers for the first time is rising steadily in Europe.

A study published this week by Eurostat confirms this trend. The average age of women in the EU at the birth of their first child now stands at 29.4 (2019 data), with extremes ranging from 26.3 in Bulgaria to 31.3 in Italy.

Three countries surpass the average age of 31: Italy (31.3 years), Spain, and Luxembourg (both 31.1 years).

It is interesting to note that Luxembourg is one of the countries (together with Estonia and Lithuania) where this age has increased the most. Between 2015 and 2019, the average age increased by 0.9 years in the Grand Duchy. Only Estonia experienced a greater rise (+1.1 year).

In contrast, during the same period, the smallest changes were recorded in Slovakia (+0.1 year) and Slovenia (+0.2).
AUSTIN, Minn. - A Habitat for Humanity trailer was stolen from Mason City and left in a cornfield.

When it was found, all the tools were stolen.

Two Rivers Habitat for Humanity and the Rocheseter Area ReStore are helping out the non-profit.

Habitat for Humanity says there were about $6,000 worth of tools stolen.

Two Rivers Habitat for Humanity tells KIMT News 3 they are giving ladders, toolboxes, tools, and other supplies to help out.

"We are so grateful to Kevin and his affiliate at Two Rivers Habitat for Humanity for reaching out to us when they heard we had some thefts of our tools. It warms our heart that they're taking care of a Habitat family. It's really connected and it's just a great thing when we can help each other out. We just can't say enough about our affiliate," says North Central Iowa Habitat for Humanity's Melissa Schoneberg.

She says these tools will help Habitat for Humanity continue building homes in Iowa for those in need.
Panaji, Feb 27 : If culture associated with Goa's temples vanishes, then it will be difficult to preserve Goan culture in its entirety, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Saturday.

Speaking at a function organised to inaugurate a local music festival, Sawant also bemoaned the fact that even the practice of regular arti performance was dying in Goa's temples, despite efforts by the state government to promote art and culture.

"If our temple culture vanishes, then it will be difficult to preserve the entirety of our culture. This is very important. This is not the government's responsibility alone. This is the responsibility of all Goans," Sawant said at the function held here.

"On the one hand, we (government) are spending a lot of money, creating infrastructure, manpower. We are doing all these things, but then why aren't artis being conducted in Goa's temples, let alone bhajans. Should the government organise such things too? Who will preserve village cultures and temple cultures?" Sawant said.

The Chief Minister also called for a music revolution in Goa over the next sixty years, as a step towards retaining indigenous culture and the spirit of Goanness.

"Goa needs a revolution in music. We are celebrating 60 years of Goa's liberation. It is also a time to look back, as well as to look ahead at the next 60 years and what we will achieve then. If we preserve our culture we will retain our Goanness," Sawant said, calling for a collaboration between the government, artists and social organisations involved in the area of culture.
Between her recent engagement to Carter Reum and her revealing documentary, Paris Hilton has been making headlines of late.

And on Friday the hotel heiress and entrepreneur was back in the spotlight when she was one of the guests on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Her busy day also included a shopping spree at the posh Valentino store in Beverly Hills, which was caught on camera.

Beaming: Paris Hilton, 40, was all smiles moments after going on a shopping spree at Valentino on Rodeo Dr. in Beverly Hills on Friday

Hilton, who just turned 40 earlier this month, was all smiles as she made her grand exit out the store that's located on the world famous Rodeo Drive.

She had a massive red bag full of choice items in both hands, along with a couple of smaller bags.

Always dressed to impress, the New York City native stunned in chic black dress that was cinched in at the waist with a large golden Valentino belt.

Shopping spree: The hotel heiress and entrepreneur struck some poses by the exit doors as she carried no less than four bags

Chic: The former Simple Life star stunned in a stylish black dress that was cinched in at the waist with a large golden Valentino belt and matching heels

The stunning number fell to around mid-calf and had open slits along the inside of each sleeve.

She rounded out her ensemble with matching black heels, chic dark sunglasses, and her trademark blonde tresses styled long and flowing to about the middle of her back with a part on the slight right.

With the camera flashing, Hilton went into model mode and struck a few poses as the doorman held the exit doors open for her.

Put together: Hilton rounded out her ensemble with stylish sunglasses and her trademark blonde tresses styled long with a part on the slight right

Sales pitch: A little later in the day, when she got back to her LA home, Hilton shared a quick video of her purchases on her Instagram Story

That's Hot! The This Is Paris star gave her 14.1 million Instagram fans and followers a look at some of the items got got fro Valentino, which included a bag, purse and belt

A little later in the day, when she got back to her LA home, Hilton shared a quick video of her new items on her Instagram Story.

'Thank you Valentino. So gorgeous, I love this new bag. Yes thank you,' she said as she held up the red bag before shifting her camera phone to her new belt and purse that were laid out on a bed.

About four hours later, the former Simple Life star took back to Instagram to promote her appearance on The Tonight Show.

Busy day: About four hours later, the New York City native promoted her guest appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Friday night

Working it: Hilton gushed about Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon in another promo post

Glowing: Hilton was wearing that same black dress for her Tonight Show promo video

'Had so much fun speaking with @JimmyFallon on @FallonTonight,' she began in the caption.

'He was so funny, kind, respectful and sweet. Tune in Tonight [Friday, February 26] to @NBC at 11:15pm to watch our interview! #FallonTonight.'

It's been less than two weeks since Reum proposed to Hilton after a year of dating while the couple celebrated her 40th birthday on a private island.

Her engagement ring, a mega-carat, emerald-cut sparkler, was designed by jeweler Jean Dousset, who's the great-great-grandson of famed French jeweler Louis Cartier. according to People.
Welcome to Pandemic Problems, an advice column from The Chronicles engagement reporters that aims to help Bay Area residents solve their pandemic-related conundrums  personal, practical or professional. Send your questions and issues to pandemicproblems@sfchronicle.com.

Todays question is fielded by The Chronicles Kellie Hwang.

Dear Advice Team: I am 63 and live in Santa Clara County. My sibling, who was living abroad in a country with a high level of coronavirus, unexpectedly passed away. Its become clear that I will have to travel there to deal with the burial and other logistics as I am the closest living family member. If I find a way to be vaccinated, would it still be safe for me to travel to a country with a high rate of infections, and with the new variants that are spreading? And if it would, are there any exceptions to the vaccine rules given this emergency family situation that I could inquire about? I dont even know who to reach out to, or where to start.

Dear Reader: First of all, condolences to you and your family during what Im sure is a difficult and stressful time. Many people have had to figure out a way to deal with family emergencies during the pandemic, but I cant imagine how challenging it must be when the problem becomes international.

There are steps you can take to prepare yourself as best as possible to travel. Here is some advice from infectious-disease and travel experts.

Contact the embassy

Contact your destination countrys embassy or consulate located nearest to you, and explain your situation. They will know best what the situation looks like where you need to go.

Get a travel agent

Christopher Elliott, a consumer advocate and author, recommends finding a good travel adviser who specializes in the specific country.

Check travel restrictions and recommendations

For any foreign travel, check restrictions on who is allowed to arrive in your destination country. Many countries have banned foreign nationals, including U.S. citizens, from entering, but sometimes exceptions are allowed, such as caring for relatives who live in that country, or a death abroad.

Mary Wilson, a clinical professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the UCSF School of Medicine, suggests checking the following websites for information:

 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The agency maintains a page with COVID-19 travel recommendations by destination.

 U.S. State Department: Find country-specific COVID-19 information on this page and information about deaths overseas on this page.

 Office or ministry of foreign affairs and ministry of health offices for the specific country.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle 2020

Prepare for testing and quarantine requirements

Youll want to check health screening procedures upon entering and exiting your destination country, and stay vigilant with safety measures if you have any layovers.

On Jan. 12, 2021, the CDC announced that all travelers arriving to the U.S. from a foreign country are required to get tested for the coronavirus within three days prior to departure. They must present a negative test result or proof of recovery from COVID-19 to the airline before boarding.

Those arriving to the U.S. on one or more connecting flights must get tested in the three days before the first flight in their itinerary, but only if the flights were booked as a single passenger record with the U.S. as the final destination, and no layover is more than 24 hours long, according to the U.S. Embassy. If the connecting flight to the U.S. was booked separately or the connection is longer than 24 hours, travelers need to get tested within three days before that flight arrives in the U.S.

After returning to the U.S., the CDC recommends getting tested three to five days after traveling, and quarantining at home for seven days. If you receive a positive test result, isolate and stay away from others. If you do not get tested, self-quarantine for 10 days after traveling.

Many countries and local jurisdictions have testing and quarantine requirements for arriving travelers, so find out the rules specifically where you are staying.

Get vaccinated if possible, but its not required for travel

If you are eligible, get a coronavirus vaccine before traveling. But remember it will take time to go through the process. There is a 21- to 28-day period between the two doses depending on which one you get.

After the first dose, the Moderna vaccine has shown to be about 92% effective after 14 days, while the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is at least 52% effective before the second dose, according to FDA briefing documents. The vaccines wont be fully effective until two weeks after the second doses, so you probably wont be fully protected until a month and a half after receiving your first dose.

Elliott said he doesnt know of any emergency provisions that would allow individuals to get vaccinated if they are not currently eligible.

More Information About Pandemic Problems Send your questions and issues to pandemicproblems@sfchronicle.com. We cannot respond to all questions, but your submission will be read and considered. Please be as specific as possible, but try to keep it concise. We may edit your submission for space, clarity or spelling and grammar. Keep the people and situations in your letter anonymous by changing the names (including yours) and details. We will remove any identifying information. Emails, letters, tweets or other messages you send become the property of The Chronicle and may be published online and in print. Important: This column cannot address immediate risks to your health and safety. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 to reach a counselor at a locally operated crisis center 24 hours a day for free. Text "Connect" to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor any time for free. Emails or other communications you send become the property of The Chronicle and may be published online and in print. By submitting a question, you agree to The Chronicle's Terms of Use, which are available for review at sfchronicle.com/terms_of_use, and acknowledge its Privacy Notice, which is available for review at sfchronicle.com/privacy_policy. The advice offered in this column is intended for informational purposes only. Use of this column is not intended to replace or substitute for any professional, financial, medical, legal, or other professional advice. If you have specific concerns or a situation in which you require professional, psychological or medical help, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified specialist. The opinions or views expressed in this column are not intended to treat or diagnose; nor are they meant to replace the treatment and care that you may be receiving from a licensed professional, physician or mental health professional. This column, its authors, the newspaper and publisher are not responsible for the outcome or results of following any advice in any given situation. You, and only you, are completely responsible for your actions. See More Collapse

According to California guidelines, individuals 65 and older; health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities; and frontline essential workers in education, food and agriculture, and emergency services are eligible for a vaccine. But the state says counties can amend the guidelines to reflect local priorities, and some groups may not be able to receive a vaccine yet in their county due to lack of supply.

The health department in Santa Clara County, where you live, said current eligibility there is only for individuals 65 and older. On Feb. 28, eligibility will expand to frontline essential workers in education and child care, food and agriculture, and emergency services.

At this time, nonessential travel is strongly discouraged, the health department said. If someone must travel, as in this situation, it is important to follow all precautions, including quarantining upon return in accordance with the countys health officer directives.

Stay safe while traveling

Whether or not you can get vaccinated, youll still want to take the necessary precautions while traveling. Even after receiving both vaccine doses, the CDC recommends continuing COVID-19 safety measures including wearing a mask, social distancing and frequently washing your hands.

There is no way to avoid risk of exposure during such a trip, but personal interventions and choices can reduce risk, Wilson said.

Wilson advises thinking of a trip in many segments. She said the portion on an airplane may be one of the safest, as many planes exchange the air every two to four minutes and use HEPA filters. Most airlines clean their planes before every flight. U.S. airports have also implemented precautionary measures including enhanced clearing and contactless check-in.

The Transportation Security Administration announced this year that travelers are now required to wear masks at airports, on passenger airplanes and throughout the transportation network. All major airlines require passengers to wear masks, but only Delta Airlines will continue to block some seats on all flights to allow for distancing through spring break and Easter.

Here are some of Wilsons travel safety tips:

 Book through a major U.S. carrier if possible, and arrange a flight itinerary with as few connections as possible to avoid more chances for exposure and long layovers. If you do have connecting flights, it might be a good idea to research layover airports for safety measures and if they tend to have long delays.

 Consider double masking in any indoor spaces including airports, on planes and ground transport. The CDC has provided new guidelines to improve protection.

 Take extra precautions at meeting points within airports (check-in, boarding area, bathrooms, baggage claim) and on transportation, as they are potential sites of exposure.

 Maintain physical distancing and avoid indoor crowds, particularly in poorly ventilated spaces.

 Bring extra masks and hand sanitizer.

 Wash your hands often and avoid touching your face during travel.

 Purchase takeout food and bring it back to your lodging, rather than eating out at restaurants.

Also, keep in mind that new coronavirus variants are circulating that may be more infectious or cause more severe illness. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UCSF, said to continue with the protections we know about that work against variants including mask-wearing, ventilation and hand washing.

Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang.

Pandemic Problems is written by Chronicle Advice Team members Annie Vainshtein and Kellie Hwang, combining thorough reporting and guidance from Bay Area experts to help get answers and find a way forward.

News_release

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have launched a first-in-human Phase I clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of a gene therapy to deliver a key protein into the brains of persons with Alzheimers disease (AD) or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a condition that often precedes full-blown dementia.

The protein, called brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF, is part of a family of growth factors found in the brain and central nervous system that support the survival of existing neurons and promote growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses. BDNF is particularly important in brain regions susceptible to degeneration in AD.

In previous published research, principal investigator Mark Tuszynski, MD, PhD, professor of neuroscience and director of the Translational Neuroscience Institute at UC San Diego School of Medicine, and colleagues described the prevention and reversal of brain cell degeneration and death in animal models.

We found that delivering BDNF to the part of the brain that is affected earliest in Alzheimers disease the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus  was able to reverse the loss of connections and to protect from ongoing cell degeneration, said Tuszynski. These benefits were observed in aged rats, aged monkeys and amyloid mice.

Amyloid mice are genetically engineered to inherit a mutation in the gene encoding the amyloid precursor protein, and as a result develop amyloid plaques  aggregates of misfolded proteins in the brain that are considered a hallmark characteristic of AD.

BDNF is normally produced throughout life in the entorhinal cortex, an important memory center in the brain and one of the first places where the effects of AD typically appear in the form of short-term memory loss. Persons with AD have diminished levels of BDNF.

But BDNF is not easy to work with. It is a large molecule and cannot pass through the blood-brain barrier. As a result, researchers will use gene therapy in which a harmless adeno-associated virus (AAV2) is modified to carry the BDNF gene and injected directly into targeted regions of the brain, where researchers hope it will prompt production of therapeutic BDNF in nearby cells.

The injections are precisely controlled to contain exposure to surrounding degenerating neurons since freely circulating BDNF can cause adverse effects, such as seizures.

The three-year-long trial will recruit 12 participants with either diagnosed AD or MCI to receive AAV2-BDNF treatment, with another 12 persons serving as comparative controls over that period.

This is the first safety and efficacy assessment of AAV2-BDNF in humans. A previous gene therapy trial from 2001 to 2012 using AAV2 and a different protein called nerve growth factor (NGF) found heightened growth, axonal sprouting and activation of functional markers in the brains of participants.

The BDNF gene therapy trial in AD represents an advance over the earlier NGF trial, said Tuszynski. BDNF is a more potent growth factor than NGF for neural circuits that degenerate in AD. In addition, new methods for delivering BDNF will more effectively deliver and distribute it into the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus.

Despite billions of dollars of research investment and decades of effort, there are only two symptomatic treatments for AD. There is no cure or approved way to slow or stop progression of the neurological disorder that afflicts more than 5 million Americans and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

Numerous clinical trials are ongoing to assess pharmaceutical remedies. Tuszynski said gene therapy, which debuted in 1980 and has been tested on multiple diseases and conditions, represents a different approach to a disease that requires new ways of thinking about the disease and new attempts at treatments.

We hope to build on recent successes of gene therapy in other diseases, including a breakthrough success in the treatment of congenital weakness in infants (spinal muscular atrophy) and blindness (Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, a form of retinitis pigmentosa), Tuszynski said.

BDNF gene therapy has the potential, unlike other AD therapies currently under development, to rebuild brain circuits, slow cell loss and stimulate cell function. We are looking forward to observing the effects of this new effort in patients with AD and MCI.

For more information on this Phase I clinical trial, contact Michelle Mendoza at 858-822-7438 or email alphastemcellclinic@ucsd.edu
Marital discord takes many forms. But that between Edward Maund and his wife Eleonora has gone down in history as a fascinating symbol of the power of early day feminism.

At the beginning of the last century, after 36-year-old Eleonora defied Edwards will and embarrassed his status as the head of the household, her husband made his anger very public.

Eleonora was one of thousands of women now known as Census evaders. They used the opportunity of the 1911 Census to protest about Edwardian societys mistreatment of women.

Thousands of women are now known as Census evaders. They used the opportunity of the 1911 Census to protest about Edwardian societys mistreatment of women

Not only did they consider the Census sexist because Herbert Asquiths Liberal government asked for the form to be filled in by each head of household  naturally a man  but many women used it as an opportunity to express their anger at not having the vote.

Under the rallying cry of If women dont count, neither shall they be counted, groups across the country made their strong opinions known on the day of the Census  April 2, 1911.

Eleonora Maunds behaviour, considered most unwifely at the time, can be seen among many similar in records of the survey held in the National Archives.

They show that her husband, a prosperous African-explorer-turned-businessman 22 years her senior, filled in the Census, listing himself, his wife, three children and two servants as living in their home in West Kensington, London.

However, like countless other women, Eleonora intercepted the form before it was given to the official enumerator and crossed out her own name. Instead, at the bottom, she wrote Wife Away.

Her furious husband discovered this sabotage, restored his wifes name and added in angry red ink: My wife, unfortunately being a suffragette, put her pen through her name, but it must stand as correct  it being an equivocation to say that she is away  she being always resident here & has only attempted by a silly subterfuge to defeat the object of the Census. To which as Head of the family I object.

Another woman stuck a Votes for Women flyer across the form, writing sarcastically: No persons here, only women

Silly subterfuge or just one brave pinprick against unthinking male domination, Eleonora Maunds defiance cannot be erased from history.

Intriguingly, today, we are witnessing another, very different generation of women threatening to sabotage next months ten-yearly Census.

Instead of being a feminist call-to-arms, their protest demonstrates just how far British society has come in the intervening 110 years and how political priorities have changed.

Fair Play For Women has launched a legal challenge against the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which is running the survey, over the issue of sex.

The head count  which has been going since 1801, although this years, on March 21, could be the last, with future population counts being carried out in other, cheaper and easier ways  will be the first to ask people about their gender identity among many other questions.

But campaigners disagree with the change to the Census that allows people to answer the question whether you are male of female by using the sex recorded on a document such as their passport.

They believe only your birth certificate should be used because a passport, which can be changed simply with a doctors note, allows people too much freedom to choose their sex, regardless of their sex at birth.

They say this will defeat the purpose of the 906 million Census by not collating accurate data.

For its part, the ONS says: The guidance makes clear we are referring to government-issued documents. This is not self-identification.

In todays debate, feminists and transgender activists find themselves on different sides.

As one woman blogger put it on Twitter: When the suffragettes boycotted the Census, they were making a point about a lack of human rights afforded to women, and the inability to participate in democracy and society.

'Today, TERFs [trans-exclusionary radical feminists] are just angry that transwomen are able to record themselves as women.

Of course, in the days before sex-change surgery and Twitter, Eleonora Maund and her sister feminists had to find other ways to be heard.

Fair Play For Women has launched a legal challenge against the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which is running the survey, over the issue of sex

Against growing feminist militancy fuelled by the recently formed Womens Freedom League, which saw hunger strikes and Parliament rejecting several opportunities to give some women the vote, Prime Minister Herbert Asquith had become unsympathetic to womens suffrage.

So, the 1911 Census offered an ideal protest vehicle, and womens organisations, whose supporters had already vandalised government property, called for a boycott.

And thus the battle for the Census began.

Margaret Wynne Nevinson, a member of the Womens Freedom League, was typical in her view, saying the cause was based on the great axiom of the British Constitution  that government must rest on the consent of the governed.

The Census had been the brainchild of the President of the Local Government Board, John Burns.

His concern was the size of families, high levels of infant mortality and how fertility was affected when women worked in different types of employment.

As the 16th child in a family of 18, only nine of whom survived infancy, he was on a mission to reduce mortality by improving housing and childcare.

Interestingly, in view of the complaints about the gender question on next months Census, there were concerns, while compiling the 1911 survey, that questions about the length of marriage would be too intrusive.

Among the loudest Boycott The Census voices was Edith How-Martyn, who said: Any government which refuses to recognise women must be met by womens refusal to recognise the government.

Leading suffragettes such as Emmeline Pankhurst urged passive protest, whereby women at home on Census night should refuse to complete the return or avoid the Census altogether

Leading suffragettes such as Emmeline Pankhurst urged passive protest, whereby women at home on Census night should refuse to complete the return (and risk a 5 fine or a months imprisonment), or avoid the Census altogether by making sure they were out of the house.

All across the country on Sunday, April 2, 1911, women left their homes so they couldnt be counted or were ready with a pen to sabotage the answers given by their head of household.

They were urged to write across the form: No Votes for Women; no Information from Women.

Alternatively, thousands absented themselves, remaining away until midday the following day.

Some hired or borrowed houses from wealthy sympathisers so women could hole up together, holding all-night revelries.

It was to one such gathering that Ada Flatman, 35, and a friend were heading in Cheltenham when two policemen suddenly started shadowing them.

Ada, a Womens Social and Political Union member, had organised a midnight supper party at a borrowed house.

She told the Gloucestershire Echo newspaper afterwards: We parried the detectives and at last I held them at bay while my friend disappeared down a side street.

On arrival at the house, she and nine other women spent the night listening to violin music. Elsewhere, women held bridge parties and concerts.

In Manchester, Jessie Stephenson rented a large house  later known as Census Lodge  and invited fellow evaders to bring refreshments, rugs and cushions. Musical friends should bring their instruments. Every evader is asked to bring at least ten women with her.

Sentries were posted on the doors of the property in Victoria Park to guard against police.

The enumerator called early in the morning to collect the Census form. Jessies was the only name recorded, along with 156 anonymous women and 52 men sympathisers.

Among more famous resisters was Sidney Mappin, a director of the Royal silversmiths Mappin & Webb.

Some of the larger house parties allowed access to the Press, and photos appeared in newspapers of women sleeping, crammed together on the floor.

All across the country on Sunday, April 2, 1911, women left their homes so they couldnt be counted or were ready with a pen to sabotage the answers given by their head of household

One reporter wrote that women assembling like this for a kind of orgie was proof of the folly of giving them a vote.

Some women stayed out all night by walking the streets or moors. Others acquired horse-drawn caravans to overnight on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire and on Wimbledon Common, South-West London.

In Central London, a rally with speeches was held in Trafalgar Square until resisters were moved on by police.

But they decamped to nearby Aldwych, where a large indoor roller-skating rink had been hired specially.

Dorothea Rock, a 29-year-old Essex suffragette, wrote on her Census form: I, Dorothea Rock, in the absence of the male occupier, refuse to fill up this Census paper as, in the eyes of the Law, women do not count, neither shall they be counted.

In Malvern, Worcestershire, Kate Gillie sabotaged her form, dedicating it in loving memory of Mrs Clarke and Miss Henria Williams who lost their lives for the cause.

(Williams had recently died after being roughly treated by police during a tax-resistance protest. Her coffin was draped in the suffragette colours with a wreath saying: She hath done what she could.)

Gillie added acidly: If I am intelligent enough to fill in this Census form, I can surely make an X on a ballot form.

Mary Howey, of Cradley, Hertfordshire, tartly recorded as her answer to the question about illnesses and infirmity not enfranchised.

Another woman stuck a Votes for Women flyer across the form, writing sarcastically: No persons here, only women.

In Kensington, author Laurence Housman, brother of the poet A. E. Housman, and a supporter of the womens vote, opened his house to women for a midnight orgy of resistance.

He wrote on his form: All information refused by the four women inmates as protest at their exclusion from the Franchise.

Emily Wilding Davison hid in the Houses of Parliament and was determined her vote was not counted. She was killed by King George Vs horse Anmer during the Epsom Derby two years later (pictured)

The most eye-catching protest was made by suffragette stalwart Emily Wilding Davison, who was determined that if her vote was not counted at Westminster, then at least she would be.

She smuggled herself into the House of Commons on Saturday, April 1, and hid in a broom cupboard  sustaining herself with meat lozenges and lime juice.

After being found by a cleaner on the Monday morning, the Clerk of the Works for the Houses of Parliament recorded her address on the Census as Found hiding in crypt of Westminster Hall.

She was also described as the sole occupant of the Houses of Parliament. A triumph indeed, although two years later Davison died for her cause, hit by King George Vs horse Anmer during the Epsom Derby.

The suffragettes had gained great publicity, and not a single protester was arrested or fined, which they saw as a government climbdown.

However, John Burns, who had devised the Census, tried to downplay the actions of what he called vixens in velvet, saying their number was negligible.

Jill Liddington, in her book Vanishing For The Vote, estimates that between 3,000 and 4,000 people actually boycotted the Census.

The fact that the female-male ratio had not changed since the last Census in 1901  1,068 women per 1,000 men  suggests that the protests effect on official statistics was, indeed, negligible.

Certainly, the boycott did nothing to sway Asquith, who remained obstinately opposed to womens suffrage. It was only in 1918 that Parliament granted some women the right to vote  but not on an equal basis to men, who gained universal suffrage.

Ten years later, the Representation Of The People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928 gave all women over the age of 21 the vote on the same basis as men.

Nonetheless, as Laurence Housman wrote, it allowed the non-heroic many, who baulked at window-smashing or going on hunger strikes, to play their part in the fight for the vote.

When we fill in our Census forms next month, we should spare a thought for the midnight walkers, roller-skaters and Eleonora Maunds of 1911 and their fight to be counted as citizens, not simply statistics.

By Michael Powell

Census chiefs have quietly launched the ten-yearly survey a month early, sparking fury among feminists who have branded it a dirty trick to block their High Court case.

The 900 million survey is due to be held nationwide on March 21 but the Office for National Statistics decided it should go live online last Monday  27 days early.

Last week, The Mail on Sunday revealed that campaign group Fair Play For Women had launched a legal challenge after accusing the ONS of caving in to last-minute pressure from transgender activists.

The ONS now claims it is too late to bring the legal case after it uploaded the Census online last week.

It came three days after the womens group notified civil servants that it was seeking a judicial review over changes to guidance allowing people to state the sex that appears on legal documents, such as a passport.

Campaigners argue that a persons sex on legal documents can be easily changed with a note from a doctor and they want people to be compelled to put down the sex on their birth certificate.

The ONS last night insisted it had always planned to do a soft launch on February 22 and rejected claims it was connected to the High Court case.

In a letter to Fair Play For Womens solicitors last Wednesday, Government lawyers said the legal action could not be brought because all ONS systems to complete the Census are now live (as from 3pm on 22 February) and people can now complete the return and submit their returns, or complete in whole or in part and save their responses with a view to later submission.

Neither the ONS nor the Census website and its social-media accounts alert the public that they can complete the form early.

TV and newspaper adverts, social-media clips and posted leaflets all state: Census Day is 21 March.

Dr Nicola Williams, of Fair Play For Women, said: When we got the letter we were absolutely stunned.

They did not indicate to anyone publicly that they were going to do this. It is a preposterous dirty trick just to stop us from taking them to court. It is outrageous what the ONS is doing.

Dr Williams, whose group has raised more than 60,000 to fight the case, revealed she had instructed Jason Coppel QC to seek a High Court order next week to get the guidance removed.

An ONS spokesman said: It has always been the ONSs clearly stated intention to begin data collection well before Census Day.

This is to maximise response, manage the online demand and limit the number of field staff having to follow up with households who had not completed after Census Day.
Alex Salmond has called on senior members of the Scottish government and the SNP, including Nicola Sturgeons husband, to resign over allegations of a conspiracy against him.

But the former first minister of Scotland stopped short of saying his successor, who he accuses of breaking the ministerial code, should stand down, saying that was a judgement for others.

During a highly-anticipated appearance before a Scottish parliament inquiry, the man who led the SNP for 20 years claimed Scotlands current leadership had failed.

He also said there had been a calculated and deliberate suppression of key evidence to the committee.

And he alleged that Scottish government documents had been improperly withheld from the courts, in what he described as an obstruction of justice.

The list of those he said should resign or consider their position included the Scottish governments permanent secretary, its chief law officer, Peter Murrell, the chief executive of the SNP who is also married to Ms Sturgeon, and the first ministers chief of staff.

He was giving evidence just days after he accused a number of former SNP allies of a malicious effort to remove him from public life.

MSPs are investigating the Scottish governments handling of harassment allegations against Mr Salmond, which saw him awarded 512,000.

Scottish ministers were ordered to pay his legal fees after the Court of Session found the Scottish governments investigation was tainted by apparent bias after it emerged the investigating officer had prior contact with two of the women who made complaints.

But Mr Salmond told the Holyrood committee they had been asked to do their job with both hands tied behind its back and a blindfold on.

He added: Scotland hasnt failed, its leadership has failed.

The importance of this inquiry is for each and everyone of us to help put this right.

Hours after Ms Sturgeon denied the identity of one of those who complained about Mr Salmond had been revealed, her predecessor suggested that was not true.

Mr Salmond said the name had been revealed to to Geoff Aberdein, his former chief of staff, and told MSPs there were three other people who know that to be true.

Yesterday Ms Sturgeon said: To the very best of my knowledge, I do not think that happened.

Mr Salmond also alleged there had been an obstruction of justice as he said government documents had been wrongly withheld from the courts.

He also said that if Ms Sturgeon had been aware that her government was about to lose the judicial review of his case, and had proceeded anyway, that would mean the first minister had breached the ministerial code.

The legal advice received by the Scottish government has not been published.

But Mr Salmond faced questions about his own behaviour when one of the members of the committee, Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton asked him: Of the behaviours that you have admitted to, some of which are appalling, are you sorry?

Mr Salmond replied: Over the last three years there have been two court cases, two judges and a jury and Im resting on the process.

The former first minister had initially been due to give his evidence earlier this week.

But at the eleventh hour, he dramatically refused to appear amid an extraordinary row over a written submission he made to the committee.

The documents had been published by the Scottish parliament on its website.

But in a shock development, the submission was later removed and part of the evidence redacted.

It was then republished on the website, despite the original document being in the public domain for at least 16 hours.

The row was prompted by an intervention from the Crown Office, which oversees the prosecution of crime in Scotland and which expressed concerns over Mr Salmonds submission.

The committee will quiz Ms Sturgeon on her version of events next week.
Caracas (Venezuela) February 27, 2021 (SPS) - President of Venezuela, Mr. Nicolas Maduro, has congratulated President of the Republic, Secretary General of Polisario Front, Mr. Brahim Ghali, in a message on behalf of the people and government of Venezuela on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the proclamation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).

I am pleased to express to you, on behalf of the Venezuelan people and on my own behalf, our congratulations on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the brotherly SADR, which you are celebrating on February 27th, says Nicolas Maduro.

The Venezuelan President also emphasized the historical ties of brotherhood that bind the two brotherly countries, expressing his country's desire to strengthen and develop bilateral relations and joint action for a multilateral world. (SPS)

062/090/T
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2021) -Global UAV Technologies Ltd. (CSE: UAV) (OTC Pink: YRLLF) (FSE: YAB2) (the "Company" or "Global UAV"), is announcing pursuant to a news release dated November 7th, 2020, Dronelogics Systems Inc. ("Dronelogics"), a subsidiary of Draganfly Inc., ("Draganfly"), has chosen to terminate the option agreement (the "Agreement") with Global UAV for the acquisition of 100% of the assets of the wholly-owned subsidiaries of Global UAV: Pioneer Arial Surveys Ltd. ("Pioneer") and High Eye Aerial Imaging Inc. ("High Eye", together with Pioneer the "Global UAV Subsidiaries").

As a result of certain assets not being in a position to be transferred pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, Draganfly has decided to terminate the Agreement. The board of directors of the Company is disappointed in the termination of the Agreement, which is the result in whole or in part from the lack of cooperation of certain former employees and contractors in returning equipment, property of Global UAV, in their possession.

About Global UAV Technologies Ltd.

Global UAV Technologies Ltd. is a diversified, vertically integrated drone technology company within the commercial Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ("UAV") sector. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries - Pioneer Aerial Surveys Ltd., High Eye Aerial Imaging Inc., UAV Regulatory Services Inc., and NOVAerial Robotics Inc.- Global UAV Technologies Ltd. provides a full spectrum of UAV-based services and products including drone research and development and manufacturing, flight services and regulatory compliance. Global UAV Technologies Ltd. will continue its growth through technology development, expanding the business of its current divisions and the continued evaluation of potential acquisitions. Global UAV is well positioned for growth as a vertically integrated drone technology company.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"James Rogers & Andrew Male"

Director & Director

For additional information please contact:

Global UAV Technologies Ltd. Investor Information

Telephone: 1 888 905 7011

Email: ir@globaluavtech.com

www.globaluavtech.com

Neither 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.

Forward-Looking Statement

Statements in this press release, other than purely historical information, including statements relating to the Company's future plans and objectives or expected results, may include forward-looking statements. Forward- looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in public markets, service industries, manufacturing and the UAV Sector. As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75605
Vijayapura : , Feb 27 (IANS) The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has achieved a rare feat by completing a single lane of the four-lane stretch of 25.54 km being developed between Vijaypur-Solapur (NH 52) in a record time of 18 hours, Union minister for Road Transport, Highways Nitin Gadkari said on his Twitter handle.

"This quick work will be added to the Limca Book of Records. I congratulate workers and the project director of NHAI, other officials, representatives of the company," he said.

This road is part of the high density traffic corridor Bengaluru-Chitradurga-Vijayapura-Solapur-Aurangabad-Dhule-lndore-Gwalior.

According to Gadkari about 500 employees of the contractor company worked hard for this. "Along with these employees, I congratulate the National Highways Authority project manager, officers, all the representatives of the contractor company and the project officers," Gadkari said.

An official from the NHAI, on the condition of anonymity, told reporters that "In total 25.54 km of road asphalting work has been carried out in 18 hours. It is not done end-to-end but they have done it in five different places at the same time." The official added that initially it was planned to take-up only blacktop work for a 20 km stretch of single lane in 12 hours but it was later extended for another 5.5 km on the same lane, which took another six hours to complete.

The Solapur-Vijyapur highway was formerly known as the National Highway connecting Maharashtra and Karnataka. The bypass four lane road will be constructed between Solapur and Vijaypur. The route will also have six flyovers.

"At present, work on 110 km of Solapur-Vijayapur Highway is in progress. The work will be completed by October 2021," Gadkari tweeted.

While praising the work of the NHAI, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol said, "This rare feat will definitely set a benchmark in the ongoing and upcoming projects. I congratulate the entire team on completing the 25.54-km lane asphalting in 18 hours. The work was launched when Ramesh Jigajinagi was the union minister of state." He added that this highway connects southern India with northern India and its development will serve as an alternative route to the North-South Corridor of the National Highways Development Programme.

"The development of four lanes with bypasses at Solapur, Bijapur and construction of six flyovers would greatly reduce travel time and vehicle operating costs as well as help in expediting the improvement of infrastructure in Maharashtra and Karnataka states," he added in a statement.

In the presence of officials of the Limca Book of Records, the NHAI took the asphalt work in five different stretches between Vijayapur-Solapur national highways on Thursday. Among the five stretches three are in Karnataka - Dhulked, Horatti Tanda, and Tidagundi, and the remaining two are in Maharashtra.

The work was carried out by the NHAI, Project Director Sanjay Kadam, IGM director Venkatesh Rao, and IGM team leader K. Siddanagouda.

Earlier, a new World Record was created for the laying of pavement quality concrete (PQC) for a four-lane highway of 2,580 meters length within 24 hours. It was achieved in India during the construction of the country's flagship greenfield expressway, the Delhi-Vadodara-Mumbai project.

The Union cabinet had approved the four-laning of the Solapur-Vijayapur section of the new National Highway-52 connecting Maharashtra and Karnataka at an estimated cost of Rs 1,889 crore in 2017.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Amelia Gray Hamlin recently landed in hot water for her overuse of bronzer.

But the daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin appears to be back to a more natural shade with her latest post.

She put her tight tummy on display Friday in a '90s chic long-sleeve crop top, as she struck some poses in a couple of mirror selfies she posted to Instagram, writing: 'a mirrors perspective ...'

Mirror selfie: Amelia Gray Hamlin put her tight tummy on display Friday in a '90s chic long-sleeve crop top, as she struck some poses in a couple of mirror selfies she posted to Instagram

The 19-year-old paired the colorful Boohoo top with some faded high-waisted jeans, featuring an 'LA' patch on the leg.

It comes after she faced backlash Thursday over some photos of herself in a high braid ponytail and gold hoop earrings, where her skin tone appeared to be a few shades darker than usual.

Hamlin turned off the comments, after she was accused of 'blackfishing,' an unfortunate social media phenomenon that involves altering your appearance to appear Black or racially ambiguous.

She defended herself on her Instagram Story, writing: 'I'm recieving a lot of comments in regards to my latest photo. I am being told that I am 'black fishing'  thank you all for educating me on this topic.

Blue jean baby: The 19-year-old paired the colorful Boohoo top with some faded high-waisted jeans, featuring an 'LA' patch on the leg

Blackfishing scandal: It comes after she faced backlash Thursday over some photos of herself in a high braid ponytail and gold hoop earrings, where her skin tone appeared to be a few shades darker than usual

Facing backlash: Hamlin turned off the comments, after she was accused of 'blackfishing,' an unfortunate social media phenomenon that involves altering your appearance to appear Black or racially ambiguous

Tan easily: She defended herself on her Instagram Story, writing: 'I recently went on vacation to the sun, and with my Italian heritage I tan very easily'

'I recently went on vacation to the sun, and with my Italian heritage I tan very easily. There is no self tanner involved. Or intention of looking darker than my own natural skin color. I had a lot of fun creating this look with not malice intention or offense.'

The DNA fashion designer recently returned from a romantic getaway with boyfriend Scott Disick, 37, to Miami Beach, where they made their relationship Instagram official on Valentine's Day weekend.

And although she had dinner with the Flip It Like Disick star and his kids, they are reportedly taking things slow, after they were first romantically linked in October.

Romantic getaway: The DNA fashion designer recently returned from a romantic getaway with boyfriend Scott Disick, 37, to Miami Beach, where they made their relationship Instagram official on Valentine's Day weekend

Taking it slow: And although she had dinner with the Flip It Like Disick star and his kids, they are reportedly taking things slow, after they were first romantically linked in October

Light and fun: A source told ET Online: 'They're still not super serious and are just taking things day by day and keeping things light and fun'

A source 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.'

Disick was previously in an on-again, off-again relationship with Kourtney Kardashian, 41, from 2006 to 2015, and they share sons Mason Dash, 11, Reign Aston, six, and daughter Penelope Scotland, eight.
Mumbai, Feb 27 : Bollywood action hero and martial arts enthusiast Vidyut Jammwal on Saturday dedicated a song for the mothers of stuntmen and action choreographers working on sets of films, who are all the time worried about the well-being of their sons.

Vidyut shared a video on Instagram where the song "Teri mitti" from the film "Kesari" plays in his car as he drives. The actor informed he was dedicating the song to the mothers of all stuntmen.

In the video the actor says: "This message is for all the people who leave their houses in the morning to go to work and their mothers tell them, dhyaan rakhna apna (take care of yourself). I have just finished with the shooting of Sanak. The action is over. It's a great feeling that everybody is safe and happy. This message is for all the guys who do action and stunts, whose mothers feel scared when they step out of their homes. Mothers, please don't worry we will always take care of you and we love you." "Mothers we love you and we promise you we will be safe/careful for you ALWAYS. #StuntMan #Stunts #ActionMan," Vidyut captioned his video.

On the work front, Vidyut has just finished shooting for the action thriller Sanak, which casts him opposite Bengali actress Rukmini Maitra. Sanak marks Rukmini's Bollywood debut.

Sanak is directed by Kanishk Varma and produced by Vipul Shah along with Zee Studios. The film also stars Chandan Roy Sanyal and Neha Dhupia.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text

Patna, Feb 27 : Schools from classes 1 to 5 are scheduled to resume in Bihar from March 1 after a long gap in view of the coronavirus pandemic. The Bihar government also plans to launch a 'Praveshotsav' campaign to enrol students in schools. Under this campaign, special efforts will be made for enrolment of students from classes 1 to 9.

The aim of the campaign is that there should not be any child left in the state who does not get school education. In addition to the state education department, the Rural Development department and the Social Welfare department have also been deployed for this campaign.

An education department official said a letter has been sent to all the District Magistrates (DMs) regarding the 'Praveshotsav' campaign. The letter said the schools have been continuously closed since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to this learning and studies of children have been disrupted.

It has now been decided to run a three-month catch-up course from the first week of April during the academic session 2020-21, thereby shortening the educational material of the earlier classes.

In order to start a catch-up course, it is necessary that all previously enrolled students and those students who did not go to school should be admitted back to school.

An education department official said that to achieve this objective, a 'Praveshotsav-Special Enrolment Campaign' would be launched between March 8 and 20 for enrolment of children from classes one to eight and ninth grade this year. For this, Principal Secretary of the Rural Development department and Education department and Additional Chief Secretary of Social Welfare department have issued a directive to all the District Collectors.

He said that under this campaign, all schools would be decorated and parents would be welcomed and felicitated. Schools would take out a students march past on March 8 and enrolment work in schools would start from March 10.

Officials say that community support would be taken for ensuring 100 per cent success of this campaign. Apart from school march past, art batches would reach every village and social media campaigns would also be run to spread awareness among the parents. The Education official said monitoring of this campaign would also be done.

Under this campaign, the school Principals would also ensure the coordination of education workers, Anganwadi workers and livelihood groups. For this, a committee under the chairmanship of the District Education Officer would be set up.
A group of Russian diplomats had to leave North Korea on a hand-made and hand-pushed trolley, so they could return to their home country, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Facebook. Officially, North Korea is not among the many countries affected by the ongoing, international health crisis. Unofficially, medical experts have reasons to doubt the official stance.For months, all type of passenger transport to and from the country has been blocked, and that includes railways and international flights. This meant that the Russian Embassys third secretary Vladislav Sorokin and his family were left with few to no option of getting back home.So a solution was improvised: the group of eight, which also included kids as young as 3, traveled by train and by bus across North Korea for 34 hours on end, and then made the final stretch of the journey on a hand-pushed trolley.Photos of that last stretch were uploaded to the Ministrys Facebook page, and a video was also made public. (for whatever reason, only six people are shown in the state-sanctioned materials.) The trolley was used for about 1 km (0.6 miles), to get the group across the border. Though the journey took place in winter conditions and came at the end of a very exhausting experience, they still managed to break into laughter at the end.While the adults pushed the cart, which was loaded with luggage and other personal belongings, the kids at least got to take in the view on a plush bench. Improvisation at its best.Once the trolley crossed the Tumen River into Russia, the group was welcomed by Russian officials and ferried by bus to Vladivostok airport.

The CEC said that in view of the Covid-19 safety protocols, candidates can file their nominations online and voting will be allowed for an additional hour. (PTI/Manvender Vashist)

New Delhi: The stage is set for Assembly elections in two states in eastern India, and two states and a Union territory in the South, as the Election Commission announced the voting days in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry UT. The Assembly polls for 294 seats in West Bengal will be conducted over a record eight phases, from March 27 till April 29, and that of Assams 126 seats in three phases -- from March 27 to April 6. The southern states and the UT will hold polls in a single phase on April 6. The counting of votes for all five states/UT will be held on May 2.

Kerala has 140 Assembly seats, Tamil Nadu 234 and Puducherry 30. The term of the Assemblies in Assam, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal will end in May while that of Kerala and Puducherry expires in June.

Nearly 18.68 crore voters are expected to cast their votes at 2.7 lakh polling stations for 824 Assembly seats across Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said. He added that all officials and other personnel on poll duty will be vaccinated against Covid-19 before the polling begins.

The Election Commission has decided to appoint two special observers for West Bengal and a third may also be sent if required, Mr Arora said, even as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the rationale behind the eight-phase Assembly polls announced by the EC  one more than the seven phases in the last election.

West Bengal has in the past seen major political violence during elections, and accordingly, a huge deployment of security forces has been put in place to prevent that. The CEC said webcasting will be done at polling stations in critical and vulnerable areas, while adequate deployment of Central armed police forces will be ensured. He added that all critical and vulnerable areas have been identified and advance teams have already been deployed across the four states and one Union territory.

The CEC said that in view of the Covid-19 safety protocols, candidates can file their nominations online and voting will be allowed for an additional hour. Door-to-door campaigning will be restricted to five persons, including the candidate, while roadshows will be allowed with a maximum of five vehicles.

Meanwhile, in order to enable the voter to know the serial number of the electoral roll of his/her polling station, date of poll, time, etc, the EC has decided to issue a Voter Information Slip in place of the Photo Voter Slip which will include all such information but will not have the photograph of the voter. The Voter Information Slip will be distributed at least five days before the date of poll to all enrolled electors by the district election officer. However, this Voter Information Slip will not be allowed to be used as a proof of identity for voters and people will have to carry other documents for identification.


We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
* Username

This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely!
You are the owner of this article.
The C.D.C. is urging communities to reopen schools as quickly as possible, but parents and teachers have raised questions about the quality of ventilation available in public school classrooms to protect against the coronavirus.

We worked with a leading engineering firm and experts specializing in buildings systems to better understand the simple steps schools can take to reduce exposure in the classroom.
A Canadian gay couple vacationing in the Mexican resort town of Tulum were briefly detained for kissing on a beach 'near a group of children'.

Video footage recorded by a local women's right's activist Maritza Escalante on Sunday shows the moment the men were handcuffed together. A third man is also handcuffed in the back of the police pickup truck.

Quinana Roo Tulum Police said that officers were 'responding to a complaint of obscene behavior involving several people'.

In the video, one of the arrested men can be heard saying 'and that's why they arrested us' as he struggles to step into a police vehicle as a group of beachgoers surround it.

'We are gay and we were kissing and that's why they are taking us,' he later says. 'We are gay.'

The crowd chanted at the officers until the men were released.

A Canadian gay couple vacationing in the Mexican resort town of Tulum were briefly detained for kissing on a beach 'near a group of children'. Pictured, one of the men arrested

Video footage recorded by a local women's right's activist Maritza Escalante on Sunday shows the moment the men were handcuffed together. A third man is also handcuffed in the back of the police pickup truck

Beachgoers surround two gay men while they were being arrested for allegedly kissing in public at a beach in Tulum, Mexico, on Sunday. The Quintana Roo Tulum Police said its agents were responding to a call involving several individuals who were engaging in lewd behavior. 'We are an inclusive and impartial police both for residents and tourists who visit the state of Quintana Roo,' the Quintana Roo Tulum Police said in a statement

Escalante said she was on a family beach trip when she noticed a police patrol unit approaching the gay men on their ATVs.

'To my surprise and that of many who had also approached [the cops], the reason for their arrest was because they were gay and had kissed,' Escalante wrote on Facebook.

'The policemen were violent and gave arguments such as "there are families and children and they cannot be seeing this." They were forced into the patrol and not allowed to go,' she added.

'All of us who were gathered were upset to see the situation. No matter how much we told them they [the police] were committing a crime, they would not let them go.'

A gay man from Canada told beachgoers that he and his partner 'are gay and we were kissing and that's why they are taking us' while they were loaded into the back of a police pickup truck at a beach in Tulum, Mexico, on Sunday

A beachgoer confronts the Quintana Roo Tulum Police at a beach in Tulum on Sunday moments after cops apprehended three men, including a gay couple, following reports of individuals who were engaging in vulgar sexual acts in front of other families.

The Quintana Roo Tulum Police issued a statement Thursday saying the officers were responding to a call of several individuals engaging in vulgar sexual acts in front of other families.

After being pressured by the crowd, the officers soon removed the handcuffs from the three arrested men and allowed them to leave to prevent a riot.

In response to the arrest, Quintana Roo Tulum Police said: 'We are an inclusive and impartial police both for residents and tourists who visit the state of Quintana Roo. So no abuse of authority will be tolerated.'
Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Diplomacy is back! President Joe Biden declared at the Munich Security Conference last week. But so is bombing Syria, apparently. Biden has only been president a bit more than a month, but he has already ordered his first bombing campaign. (It took Trump four months to do the same.) The target was facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran-backed militia in retaliation for rocket attacks against US troops in Iraq earlier this month.

Presumably, Biden wanted to signal to Iran that it would pay a heavy price if it ordered attacks against US troops in order to pressure Washington to return to the Iran nuclear deal. But by bombing Syria for this reason, Biden proved how failing to rejoin the nuclear agreement endangers US national security  Irans nuclear program continues to advance while the US and Iran glide closer to a military confrontation.

Biden knows these arguments quite well. He made them against Donald Trump only a few months ago. His top officials have spent the past years extensively criticizing Trumps maximum pressure strategy. They were all correct.

Which makes his steps on Iran in his first month all the more perplexing. While Bidens intent to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) seems unquestionable, good intentions and good strategy are not the same thing. Rather than bringing diplomacy back, Biden appears to be falling back into old patterns where appearing tough trumps being smart and where diplomacy is merely a slogan sprinkled on policies centered on coercion, not a genuine give and take.

Of course, few doubted that reviving the JCPOA would be without challenge. And the lack of priority given to Iran may simply be due to the plethora of domestic and international crises Biden has to attend to with less than a full staff.

Yet, these exonerating circumstances do not explain the many seemingly unnecessary and counterproductive measures the Biden administration has taken on the JCPOA since taking office.

Story continues

Even before diplomacy has begun, the Biden administration has seemingly initiated a highly unproductive blame game

First, the administration rather unnecessarily decided to create a public feud over whether Iran or the US would have to take the first step towards reviving the JCPOA. Instead of carefully working with the Europeans to design a choreography that would enable both sides to move simultaneously, and by that, avoid a conflict over chronology altogether, Biden officials repeatedly made public demands that Iran had to take the first step before any of Trumps JCPOA-violating sanctions could be lifted  even though it was the US that left the agreement.

This wont work. Wendy Sherman, President Barack Obamas former lead negotiator and Bidens pick for deputy secretary of state, said as much in September 2019. Sherman said she would be shocked if Iran agreed to a meeting without some sanctions relief and that there are plenty of ways to do this so that everyones interests can be met and so that everyones face can be saved. Sherman was right then and she is right now.

Even if Biden calculated that a small public confrontation could serve the administrations broader purposes, it should not have been over an issue where the US neither has persuasive moral nor legal arguments.

Second, even before diplomacy has begun, the Biden administration has seemingly initiated a highly unproductive blame game that has further damaged the atmospherics for diplomacy. The administrations messaging has been to emphasize that Iran is the party out of compliance with the JCPOA  which is technically false  and that the future of the deal hinges on Iran coming back into compliance. Even though it is the US that left the deal while Iran is still in it. While Iran has reduced its obligations in accordance to paragraph 36 of the JCPOA, that is fundamentally different from the US leaving the deal and imposing sanctions on countries that seek to abide by the nuclear accord.

Bidens attitude has been that the US simply is not responsible for the actions of the Trump administration. America has a new president now and as a result, it starts off with a clean slate unburdened by the many transgressions of Donald Trump. Consequently, it is Iran that is in the wrong, not America. All the US needed to do to regain the moral high ground was to elect a new president  even though the new president is continuing the policies of the old president.

The blame game is further fought at the International Atomic Energy Agency now. Reports indicate that the US and the EU are seeking to rebuke Iran for reducing its cooperation with the IAEA. Tehrans actions are certainly worthy of censure. But again, the problem is that the US has abandoned all of its obligations while Tehran has reduced some of its own. If the US returned to the deal and Iran didnt, rebuking it would be fully justified. But doing so now when the US still remains outside of the deal is simply kafkaesque. Its not even a clever way of playing the blame game.

Even if the US succeeds in shifting the blame to Iran, the question is what the value of that is at this point. In this early stage of diplomacy, the parties should be seeking to create the best possible atmosphere for talks. They should demonstrate their positive intent and commitment to finding a diplomatic solution. Descending into a public blame game is what the parties do when talks start to break down  its not an effective measure to get talks going. All it does, intentionally or not, is to signal insincerity, perhaps even bad intent.

That is certainly how Bidens maneuvering has been read in Tehran. Whatever advantage Biden thinks he gains through military signaling in Syria and by playing the blame game in the media, if it sabotages what arguably is the final opportunity to revive an accord that is critical to US national security, then Biden may inadvertently achieve what Trump couldnt: destroying the legacy of Obamas main foreign policy achievement.

Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Last week, after I wrote about former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, I knew they would come, and come they did: emails and tweets from readers asking why Higgins didnt pursue criminal charges against her alleged perpetrator in 2019, when the alleged sexual assault occurred.

Why did Higgins take so long to speak up, and why did she go to the media with her story instead of taking the correct avenue of pursuing her former colleague through the criminal justice system?

Illustration: Reg Lynch Credit:

Another person I spoke to in the past week was a 32-year-old Melbourne lawyer, who raised her complaint of sexual assault in multiple forums and even had her application to the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal upheld. But her alleged attacker still holds a prominent position in Melbournes legal fraternity and has faced few consequences for the alleged assault.

Una (not her real name) was 24 when she was raped, she says. In 2013, as a young lawyer, she accepted an invitation to spend a weekend at a holiday house with friends. One of the group was a guy she knew from law school. Late on the first night, she says he got into bed with her, uninvited, and forced himself on her.
This was revealed on Saturday morning by Radio 100,7 and later confirmed to RTL by the Ministry of Health.

Luxembourg's hospitals will have to re-check the list of people who can benefit from the Covid-19 vaccine in order to avoid errors. The Ministry is currently analysing these lists, as the National Health Directorate confirmed to RTL on Saturday.

This decision comes after the vaccination of three members of the Robert Schuman Hospitals' board of directors, who at the time were not eligible to receive the vaccine. The controversial decision sparked a number of reactions both from political leaders and the general public.

According to Radio 100,7, the hospitals had not opted for a collective approach and had taken decisions internally on a case-by-case basis. Romain Nati, Director General of the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL), said that the CHL had for instance decided not to vaccinate retired staff members, while other institutions had had a "broader view of the issue".

At a press conference on Thursday, Minister of Health Paulette Lenert stressed that an in-depth verification of the lists would be relatively complicated due to data protection. The National Health Directorate will therefore have to rely on the figures provided by hospitals, whose staff were a priority during the first phase of the vaccination campaign in Luxembourg.

The Grand Duchy's hospitals have so far received enough vaccine doses to vaccinate a total of 7,925 people, numbers that have been confirmed upon enquiry by the Ministry of Health. The Ministry explained that deliveries had been made according to the demand from the hospitals themselves.

During a press conference on Thursday, the president of the Robert Schumann Hospitals' board of directors, Jean-Louis Schiltz, had shown himself bewildered by the fact that his hospital had vaccinated 2,200 with Moderna and BioNTech/Pfizer vaccines, while "another facility" had already vaccinated 2,900 staff members. A situation which, according to Schiltz, could only be explained if one hospital had received more doses than the other.

Opinion - Martin Jonsson: The Schuman vaccination scandal - a masterclass in ill-advised press briefings

Pharmacist Mike Ruane, of Scranton, talks to patients who signed up to receive a COVID-19 vaccine during a drive-thru clinic at Scranton High School in Scranton, Pa., Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. (Sean McKeag/The Citizens' Voice via AP)

Just five weeks ago, Los Angeles County was conducting more than 350,000 weekly coronavirus tests, including at a massive drive-thru site at Dodger Stadium, as health workers raced to contain the worst COVID-19 hotspot in the U.S.

Now, county officials say testing has nearly collapsed. More than 180 government-supported sites are operating at only a third of their capacity.

"It's shocking how quickly we've gone from moving at 100 miles an hour to about 25," said Dr. Clemens Hong, who leads the county's testing operation.

After a year of struggling to boost testing, communities across the country are seeing plummeting demand, shuttering testing sites or even trying to return supplies.

The drop in screening comes at a significant moment in the outbreak: Experts are cautiously optimistic that COVID-19 is receding after killing more than 500,000 people in the U.S. but concerned that emerging variants could prolong the epidemic.

"Everyone is hopeful for rapid, widespread vaccinations, but I don't think we're at a point where we can drop our guard just yet," said Hong. "We just don't have enough people who are immune to rule out another surge."

U.S. testing hit a peak on Jan. 15, when the country was averaging more than 2 million tests per day. Since then, the average number of daily tests has fallen more than 28%. The drop mirrors declines across all major virus measures since January, including new cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

Sgt. Richard Grant of the Air National Guard helps point a patient in the right direction at a COVID-19 vaccination site at the Augusta Civic Center, Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, in Augusta, Maine. Gov. Janet Mills said Mainers ages 60 and older may get the vaccine starting Wednesday, March 3. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Officials say those encouraging trends, together with harsh winter weather, the end of the holiday travel season, pandemic fatigue and a growing focus on vaccinations are sapping interest in testing.

"When you combine all those together you see this decrease," said Dr. Richard Pescatore of the health department in Delaware, where daily testing has fallen more than 40% since the January peak. "People just aren't going to go out to testing sites."

But testing remains important for tracking and containing the outbreak.

L.A. County is opening more testing options near public transportation, schools and offices to make it more convenient. And officials in Santa Clara County are urging residents to "continue getting tested regularly," highlighting new mobile testing buses and pop-up sites.

President Joe Biden has promised to revamp the nation's testing system by investing billions more in supplies and government coordination. But with demand falling fast, the country may soon have a glut of unused supplies. The U.S. will be able to conduct nearly 1 billion monthly tests by June, according to projections from researchers at Arizona State University. That's more than 25 times the country's current rate of about 40 million tests reported per month.

With more than 150 million new vaccine doses due for delivery by late March, testing is likely to fall further as local governments shift staff and resources to giving shots.

This Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021 file photo shows a BinaxNOW rapid COVID-19 test made by Abbott Laboratories, in Tacoma, Wash. After a year of struggling to boost testing, communities across the country are seeing plummeting demand for the service, in some cases shuttering testing sites or even trying to return supplies. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

"You have to pick your battles here," said Dr. Jeffrey Engel of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. "Everyone would agree that if you have one public health nurse, you're going to use that person for vaccination, not testing."

Some experts say the country must double down on testing to avoid flare-ups from coronavirus variants that have taken hold in the U.K., South Africa and other places.

"We need to use testing to continue the downward trend," said Dr. Jonathan Quick of the Rockefeller Foundation, which has been advising Biden officials. "We need to have it there to catch surges from the variants."

Last week, Minnesota began urging families to get tested every two weeks through the end of the school year as more students return to the classroom.

"To protect this progress, we need to use all the tools at our disposal," said Dan Huff, an assistant state health commissioner.

But some of the most vocal testing proponents are less worried about the declines in screening. From a public health viewpoint, testing is effective if it helps to quickly find the infected, trace their contacts and isolate them to stop the spread. In most parts of the U.S., that never happened.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom watches as a farmworker receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, Friday Feb. 26, 2021, at a vaccination clinic for farmworkers at the Dr. Sharon Stanley-Rea Community Center in Fresno, Calif. (John Walker/The Fresno Bee via AP, Pool)

Over the holiday season, many Americans still had to wait days to receive test results, rendering them largely useless. That's led to testing fatigue and dwindling interest, said Dr. Michael Mina of Harvard University.

"It doesn't exactly give you a lot of gratifying, immediate feedback," Mina said. "So people's willingness or interest in getting tested starts to go down."

Still, U.S. test manufacturers continue ramping up production, with another 110 million rapid and home-based tests expected to hit the market next month.

Government officials long assumed this growing arsenal of cheap, 15-minute tests would be used to regularly screen millions of students and teachers as in-person classes resume. But recent guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention don't emphasize testing, describing it as an "additional layer" of protection, behind basic measures like masking and social distancing.

Even without strong federal backing, educational leaders say testing programs will be important for marshaling public confidence needed to fully reopen schools, including in the fall when cases are expected to rise again.

"Schools have asked themselves, justifiably, 'Is the juice worth the squeeze to set up a big testing effort?'" said Mike Magee, CEO of Chiefs for Change, a nonprofit that advises districts in more than 25 states. "Our message to the school systems we work with is: 'Yes, you need to stand up comprehensive testing because you're going to need it.'"

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Evangelist Alveda King: Celebrating Black History Month 2021 NEWS PROVIDED BY

Alveda King Ministries

Feb. 26, 2021



ATLANTA, Feb. 26, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following is submitted by Evangelist Alveda King, she is available for comment: As Black History Month 2021 closes out, the Jewish people celebrate Purim, Feast of Lots, a joyous Jewish festival commemorating the survival of the Jews who, in the 5th century BC, were marked for death by their Persian rulers. I visited Israel in 2011. The history of Purim is found in the biblical Book of Esther. I have a special connection to what is known today as "The Esther Call."



During Black History Month, I personally remembered and celebrated the legacy of the King Family by honoring my father, Rev. A.D. King, my grandfather, Daddy King, and my uncle, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.



In America, Blacks have contributed so much to our nation. Yet, for many Americans, so little is known and recorded about our many accomplishments. I personally use Black History Month as an opportunity to educate my audiences as to the eugenics and genocidal practices of the abortion industry; and to fight for the lives of the pre-born; especially those disproportionately being targeted, the Black babies in the womb.



We also celebrated Valentine's Day this month. My brother, Rev. Derek King and I celebrated with our mother, Mrs. Naomi Ruth Barber King at the King Family Birth Home on Auburn Ave. in Atlanta, GA The family home is in the Historic MLK National Park.



Little known fact: I lived in what is known as the MLK Birth Home for the first few years of my life. This year, we pitched a canopy tent and set up a beautiful table with decorations and enjoyed each other's company as we reminisced about days of our lives as members of the King Family Legacy. It was a blessed Black History Month walk down memory lane.



Over at www.alvedaking.com, we released a new book, BY WAY OF ANCIENT AFRICA, GREECE, AND CALVARY, in observation of Black History Month. Please check it out.



As we depart from February 2021, let us look forward to many days of Agape love, forgiveness, and an increasing awareness for the need to be brothers and sisters; one blood, one human race; with an ever increasing regard for all human life, from the womb to the tomb.

"When we value the human personality, we won't kill anybody." Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.



Tune in to Prolife Praise with Evangelist Alveda King every Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 pm ET on EndAbortion.tv.



Catch my NEW show on Fox Nation, ALVEDA KING'S HOUSE. The first three episodes are now available with more coming throughout the year. SOURCE Alveda King Ministries



CONTACT: Leslie Palma, 917-697-7039



Share Tweet
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
(Newser)  Koji and Gustav are now safe and sound. Lady Gaga's two French bulldogs, who were swiped from her dog walker, Ryan Fischer, on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, were returned uninjured on Friday evening to a Los Angeles Police Department station by a woman who police believe is "uninvolved and unassociated" with the theft, LAPD Capt. Jonathan Tippet tells the AP. "Both of Lady Gaga's dogs have been turned in ... and they have been safely reunited with Lady Gaga representatives," the department tweeted late Friday. "The woman's identity and the location the dogs were found will remain confidential due to the active criminal investigation and for her safety," the department added. It's not clear if the woman will receive the $500,000 reward offered by Lady Gaga, who's currently in Rome filming a movie.

story continues below

Police also haven't said whether they believe the theft was random or if Gaga's dogs were targeted, per NBC News. Meanwhile, an update on Fischer, who was shot during the theft: Tippet tells People Fischer was in stable condition as of Friday after being shot once in the chest. "Ryan is receiving extraordinary care in the hospital right now and his doctors expect him to make a full recovery," his family says in a statement to TMZ. "We cannot possibly say enough to thank all of the first responders, nurses, and doctors who have worked so tirelessly to care for Ryan." Lady Gaga had a message for her dog walker on Friday. "I continue to love you Ryan Fischer, you risked your life to fight for our family," she posted on Instagram. "You're forever a hero." An investigation into the attack is ongoing. (Read more Lady Gaga stories.)
5 things you need to know Monday

News
On May 2, hold me to my last tweet: Prashant Kishor on West Bengal Assembly elections 2021

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, Feb 27: Poll strategist Prashant Kishor said on Saturday said that one of the key battles for democracy in the country will be fought in West Bengal. He also shared the Trinamool Congress's main slogan - "Bengal only wants its own daughter" - on Twitter.

Election 2021: Results on May 2nd | All you need to know | Oneindia News

It can be seen that Kishor's company, I-PAC, is assisting the ruling party in formulating a strategy to stop the BJP - which has made deep inroads in the state with their stellar general election performance - in its tracks.

Explained: What is Model Code of Conduct, when does it come into equation?

"One of the key battles FOR DEMOCRACY in India will be fought in West Bengal, and the people of Bengal are ready with their MESSAGE and determined to show the RIGHT CARD - #BanglaNijerMeyekeiChay (Bengal Only Wants its Own Daughter) PS: On 2nd May, hold me to my last tweet," he wrote.

The State elections will be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29, making it the longest ever polls in the state. The results will be declared on May 2. The eight days of voting are March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Last time, in 2016, the state's 6.5 crore voters voted over seven days between April and May.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates The India Toy Fair 2021 via video conference

The Election Commission indicated that the decision was linked to fears of political violence in the state during polls.

The BJP - which won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state whose politics had revolved around the Trinamool-Left rivalry - is hoping to form its maiden government. The party's election campaign is centred around the law-and-order situation, the dynasty politics allegation and the alleged lack of development under Ms Banerjee - charges denied by the Trinamool.
I was told to find two stones at the bottom of the mountain, to carry them on the ascent.

That it was tradition. I remember the care I took finding just the right ones, squeezing my fists to ensure they were still there as we made our way up through heather, my offering to Queen Maeve whose cairn was at the summit. I was six.

It was my first trek up Knocknarea or any mountain, my first trip to Strandhill, Co Sligo, my first time to Ireland. I know that it was late October, that I had never seen heather, that it might have rained, that I was with my father because he had come home to say goodbye to his dying father, that the higher we climbed, the windier it was.

But the clearest memory is the press of stone against my palms and the first sight of Maeve's grey stone pile as we came over the ridge.

I have made the pilgrimage hundreds of times since, came to the mountain the morning my own father died, watched my children's concentration on this ritual, clasping wishes in their small hands. Teenagers now, they still carry the stones.

Knocknarea is variously translated as "the hill of the kings" or "the hill of the moon".

Expand Close Una on Culleenamore beach / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Una on Culleenamore beach

Maeve was the legendary queen of Connacht who, according to some stories, is buried like a warrior, standing, spear in hand and facing her enemies to the north.

However, she is also a sovereignty goddess, an embodiment of the land and the north west territory. Her hill looms over the village of Strandhill and is a metric of weather, time and mood.

The mountain shape-shifts, sometimes close, other times further away, contours change and colour: sombre black, purple, blazing amber-pink, every shade of grey, sometimes disappearing into a shroud of mist.

Beside us the mountain starts to feel like a sentient being. Villagers tell the time against the one o'clock stone.

Every August locals and athletes from all over Ireland and farther scramble up the mountain and circle the cairn coming down the other side. It's the Warrior's Run, and all summer runners can be seen jogging the mountain loop in preparation. Even I have tried it.

I have returned to Culleenamore, Strandhill almost every summer of my life and now come here even in the winter.

There is the mountain, the sea, walks, archaeology. In normal times there are restaurants, cafes, pubs, music, seaweed baths, ice cream.

I look at things when I am here. I pick up a shell when walking. A heron sits out on the green bank in Culleenamore and I stop and wait, watching. Out on Ballisodare Bay, the largest seal colony on the west coast of Ireland splays out on the Great Seal Sand Bank. Common seals.

They are curious and at high tide might venture towards the shore to have a look if kids are out swimming or shouting in the bay, their heads popping up out of the water.

At night we can hear them, a sound like a wail carried across the water. Friends come to camp and in the morning ask if we heard a baby crying in the night.

Over the years we have found seal pups and local Neil Walton from Voya Seaweed Baths rescues them, feeding them and delivering them to the seal sanctuary through a network of volunteers. The children have named them over the years, Seaweed, Periwinkle.

My son finds a stranded dolphin, young and female.

She is distressed and the tide has gone out.

We look for help on social media and in minutes local surfers have arrived in wetsuits to do whatever they can along with Neil.

They refloat her several times; the sun is setting and we watch her turn the wrong way and come back towards us.

The last journey out with her cocooned in a sheet is done in the near dark, the temperature almost freezing, and I think about what a community this is. All these people gathered in the dark willing her to survive.

Maybe it's the surfing culture, or the rhythmic crash of waves, the expanse of space out to sea, but here everything slows, time stretches and amplifies, and there is space to think and be.

I have not done yoga on the beach, or anywhere for that matter, and I can't surf, but I sit on a bench at the seafront and watch families or surf school classes in their wet suits face the wind and crash of waves, carrying their boards.

Kids sit on the cannon or the sea wall with their ice cream cones.

I walk the shoreline between Culleenamore and Strandhill and almost every day someone has left a trace.

Stone sculptures, words spelt out in the sand, shapes or labyrinths made from sea wrack.

I can walk the long way around the coast from the bay to the seafront in Strandhill or cut through shell valley, surrounded by giant dunes, the echo of the waves and the suck of stones in the undertow resounding between them.

To the north of the village is Killaspugbrone which is included in the Knocknarea loop and part of the Wild Atlantic Way.

The church is a ruin from the 12th century and is believed to be on the site of a 5th century church founded by St Patrick. Donegal is a blue-grey bulk and to the west, Inishmurray a muted black line. Ben Bulben seems closer than possible.

The Atlantic roars and either side of the path seagrasses and flowers survive the wind. In the summer there is harebell and buttercups.

The churchyard beside the ruin is a burial ground used up until the 1960s. Ancient crosses lean at angles, weathered and salt whipped.

The ground is uneven, hallowed. It is quiet and beautiful.

I walk back to Culleenamore. Shells crunch underfoot, oyster, limpet, cockle, snail, mussel, whelk, periwinkle. Sligo or Sligeach, I am told, means "the shelly place".

When my kids were young, we spent days picking cockles with spoons and buckets here on the cockle strand, listening for the click of metal against the buried shell.

I showed them how to open them without cooking, wedging the two hinges together and twisting, watching their delight and disgust.

We'd bring our haul to my aunt and uncle who would cook and eat them. People have been coming here since pre-historic times for shellfish.

The Culleenamore midden dates back to the Bronze age, its stacked layers of oyster shells extending several hundred metres along the bay.

This line between the earth and the sea holds so much.

A friend of mine recently gave me one of Manchan Magan's books, a collection of Irish sea words and coastal terms gathered along the western shoreline from Galway to Donegal.

There is actually a word for that sucking sound of stones heard at the sea front - "suitu". But the phrase that catches me is "Uaigneas an Chladaigh", "the sense of loneliness on the shore; a haunting presence of people who lived and died long ago".

Here, on this stretch of shore, I feel alive, not just to what's gone before but to what's right in front of me.
By now, it should be clear to even the most committed both-sides commentators that Republicans are rerunning their 2009 scorched-earth strategy. Back then, Republicans correctly calculated that if they denied the Democratic president any and all support, he'd bear the blame for a sluggish recovery and they could pillory him for failing to achieve bipartisan cooperation.

But what if the strategy is even more radical this time? What if Republicans have calculated that they can take back at least one chamber of Congress, grinding President Joe Biden's agenda to a halt, even if Biden largely succeeds?

Republicans may well be fully expecting Democrats to pass a series of economic rescue and stimulus proposals - all on their own - that actually do get the economy booming again, even as the vaccine rollout and other policies successfully tame the pandemic.

Yet in this scenario, Republicans still know that even if this happens, they still have a good chance at recapturing the House at a minimum, helped along by a combination of voter suppression and other counter-majoritarian tactics and built-in advantages.

On Friday, House Democrats are set to pass Biden's $1.9 trillion package, which includes $1,400 payments to individuals, extended unemployment assistance, tens of billions of dollars to fight the pandemic and facilitate reopening schools, and much more.

By all indications, virtually every House Republican will vote against the plan. It will move to the Senate, where there are complications, but much of the package will probably pass in a similar form. And just about all Senate Republicans will vote against that, too.

Obviously, Republicans can genuinely oppose this package on principle. But what's striking is that many Republicans aren't even trying to make a strong, intellectually grounded argument.

It's as if they know they don't have to - and know they can recapture power without doing so.

There are numerous signs of this. First, who is today's Paul Ryan? Back in 2009, the then-congressman made a very public case against a stimulus a fraction this big, making an actual argument (if a fraudulent one) about what debt Armageddon would mean for American society.

These days it's harder to make that case. Republicans blew up the deficit with a huge tax cut for the rich, and cheered along as the pre-covid economy was rocket-fueled with stimulus. Economists no longer fear the long-term risks of massive deficit spending amid big crises.

As a result, there's nothing close to the same kind of public argument this time. As New York Times columnist Paul Krugman points out:

- - -

"Who's the face of Republican opposition to the American Rescue Plan? Nobody comes to mind.

"Put it this way: Republicans appear to be losing the economic argument in part because they aren't even bothering to show up."

- - -

Again, it's as if they know they don't have to.

Now consider the battle over the child tax credit. The Biden package includes a provision that will send at least $3,000 per child to most families, in monthly installments for one year.

In this case, one Republican - Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah - has seriously engaged the debate, offering his own child tax credit that would be universal and permanent (but offset by spending cuts elsewhere).

This proposal is perfectly tailored for congressional Republicans to adopt. They could use it to negotiate to put their own big stamp on the Biden package - and take credit for it.

But they aren't doing this. Even the supposed populist Republicans have dismissed it as "welfare," reverting to Ryan-esque arguments that cast safety-net programs as debilitating.

As Samuel Hammond and David Koggan point out, Republicans are squandering a major opportunity to demonstrate how "conservative principles" can co-opt the "pro-family, pro-working class high ground." Running on this could be a "huge winner" for GOP candidates in 2022.

Say it with me this time: It's as if they know they don't have to. Why might this be?

As all this is happening, Republicans are racing forward with an extraordinary array of new voter suppression efforts. Such measures are advancing in Georgia, Florida and Iowa, and in many other states.

In a good roundup of all these new efforts, Ari Berman notes:

- - -

"After record turnout in 2020, Republican-controlled states appear to be in a race to the bottom to see who can pass the most egregious new barriers to voting."

- - -

On top of that, Republicans are openly boasting that their ability to take back the House next year will gain a big lift from extreme gerrymanders. Some experts believe they can do that even if Democrats win the national House popular vote by a margin similar to that of 2020.

It's hard to know how direct the relationship is between the GOP's ceding of the field in the economic debate on one hand, and the party's increasing commitment to rigging electoral maps and making it harder to vote on the other.

But this confluence does suggest a more radicalized approach to opposition than in 2009. As I recount in my book, it wasn't until after the GOP's 2010 sweep of state legislatures across the country that Republicans undertook the massive spate of voter suppression efforts that characterized the past decade.

Since then, we've seen Republicans again win the White House while losing the popular vote; the installation of two Supreme Court justices via scorched-earth procedural warfare; widespread GOP support for an effort to overturn a national election; a GOP president trying to make that happen by fomenting mob violence; and in the aftermath of it all, a large doubling down on counter-majoritarian tactics.

So is there any reason to doubt that they're primarily counting on more of the same as their path back to power this time?
The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks!

Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics.

The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc.

The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics.

The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates.

Access to college recruiters and advisors  its harder to line up higher education.

Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family.

Vote

View Results
Cipla seeks price capping waiver, says its close to commit over $1 billion to Moderna

Welcome move, but India has not beaten us in vaccine diplomacy: China

International

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Beijing, Feb 27: China on Friday welcomed India supplying more Covid-19 vaccines to a number of countries, playing down reports that New Delhi has beaten Beijing in its vaccine diplomacy around the world.

Responding to a question on a report that India has beaten China in its own game of vaccine diplomacy, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin during a media briefing said, "We welcome that and hope to see more countries taking actions to provide vaccines to the world, especially developing countries, to help with the global response."

"China has been overcoming domestic difficulties to provide vaccines to other countries in concrete measure," he said, flagging China's own vaccine requirement to inoculate its 1.4 billion population.

He reiterated that China has been providing vaccines to 53 countries and exporting vaccines to 27 countries, amid reports that many of those countries are yet to receive Chinese vaccines or the promised quantities.

Following Trudeaus call to PM Modi, India to supply 5 lakh doses of vaccines to Canada

For its part, China has promised 10 million vaccines to the United Nations-backed COVAX initiative COVAX, but the first supplies of COVAX vaccines went from the Serum Institute of India to Ghana.

India on Wednesday dispatched the first batch of six lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses to Ghana under the COVAX facility, an international cooperative programme formed to make sure low- and middle-income countries have fair access to Covid-19 vaccines.

Besides neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Maldives where China competed with India in expanding its influence, New Delhi has delivered vaccines to numerous countries, a substantial amount of doses freely well ahead of Beijing's offers to supply the jabs.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment for supporting vaccine equity and sharing Covid-19 vaccines with over 60 countries across the world, hoping that other nations will follow his example.

India, the largest drug producer in the world, is currently manufacturing two Covid-19 vaccines- Covishield and Covaxin. While Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India in Pune, Covaxin is being produced by Bharat Biotech.

India is expected to step up its vaccine diplomacy in a big way once the Covaxin of the Bharat Biotech gets the WHO nod in the coming weeks.

Commenting on China's vaccine diplomacy, Huang Yanzhong, a global health expert at US think tank, Council on Foreign Relations, said China's success in largely controlling the Covid-19 outbreak within its borders had reduced its need for vaccinations until recently.

"(China was) not initially paying too much attention to this, which was partly due to the limited vaccine production capacity in the country and the perceived low risk of infection. In a way it was a false sense of security," Huang told Hong Kong's South China Morning Post.

"On the other hand, China could use (its vaccines) to become the global leader in ensuring equitable access to vaccines, bridging the gap between the developed and developing world. Certainly, this would help improve China's image and project soft power in those countries," he said.

A WHO regulatory evaluation of China's vaccines Sinopharm and Sinovac is expected to be completed by March at the earliest, according to the UN body.

Our prayers answered says PM Skerrit, as Indias vaccines reach Dominica

The lower efficacy rate of Chinese-made vaccines, 50.4 per cent for Sinovac and 79 per cent for Sinopharm, compared to more than 90 per cent for Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines - could also slow China's reaching of herd immunity, according to public health experts, the Post report said.

According to Huang, if China falls behind Western countries in achieving herd immunity, it would lead to an unwelcome scenario for Beijing, with life returning to normal and international travel resuming between some countries.

Imran Khan says onus of further progress in ties on India | Oneindia News

"China may still need to close its borders, that certainly would not improve China's international image," Huang said. This would also mean China could no longer claim a superior disease control model, Huang added.
WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden on Friday dramatically altered the way the U.S. government calculates the real-world cost of climate change, a move that could reshape a range of consequential decisions, from whether to allow new coal leasing on federal land to what sort of steel is used in taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects.

The administration plans to boost the figure it will use to assess the damage that greenhouse gas pollution inflicts on society to $51 per ton of carbon dioxide - a rate more than seven times higher than that used by former president Donald Trump's administration. But the number, known as the "social cost of carbon," could reach as high as $125 per ton once the administration conducts a more thorough analysis.

In a recent interview, Biden's national climate adviser, Gina McCarthy, said the administration is setting an initial price to inform its policies "and then work more diligently about what the actual cost might be as we move forward, and get the information that we need to be able to do that."

The ultimate figure will be incorporated into decisions across the federal government, including what sort of purchases it makes, the kind of pollution controls it imposes on industry and which highways and pipelines are permitted in the years to come. Just as important, the move sends a powerful signal to the private sector and to ordinary Americans that the choices the country makes now could lock in disastrous consequences on both current and future generations - or help to avert the worst impacts.

"A new social cost of carbon can tip the scales for hundreds of policy decisions facing the federal government," said Tamma Carleton, assistant professor at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara. "Any policy, project, or regulation that lowers emissions will now have a higher dollar value, reflecting the many benefits future Americans enjoy when emissions fall today."

"Confronting climate change will cost money," she added. And putting a higher price on global warming's damages "highlights the large hidden costs of doing nothing."

While this is not a new tax that consumers would have to pay, it would make it harder for fossil fuel projects to win government approval by factoring in their long-term costs to society.

For example, if the Trump administration had applied the Obama-era calculation to its rollback of federal mileage standards, the costs of that rule would have far outweighed the benefits and would have been much harder to justify. And any federal coal leasing in the Powder River Basin would be unlikely to win approval: University of Chicago professor Michael Greenstone noted that the climate damages associated with that mining "are six times larger than the market price of that coal."

There is mounting evidence that climate change impacts are already costing the United States and other countries billions of dollars each year, but policymakers are not fully accounting for these damages when they approve projects or make purchases that will cause more planet-warming pollution. Wildfires, more intense storms, increased flooding and heat waves linked to rising greenhouse gas emissions are already taking their toll in the United States and overseas, and scientists expect those calamities to grow worse over time.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for example, has estimated that last year there were "22 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters across the United States, shattering the previous annual record of 16 events." If the world does not curb its overall carbon output, according to a recent academic paper, future warming could raise the average mortality rate in Los Angeles roughly 20 percent by the end of the century.

For many Americans, the costs are already clear.

Herve Hamon directs planning and zoning for Dorchester County, Md., which recently published a plan saying sea-level rise "will lead to the failure of conventional septic systems, contaminated drinking water supplies, loss of productive agricultural land and damage to seafood processing infrastructure." By 2050, the plan projects, the cost of flood damage will rise from $11 million to $66 million, and "790 buildings are expected to be constantly wet."

Hamon and his colleagues are struggling to figure out how to maintain road infrastructure to waterfront homes given the expanding water on the county's south side, even as more people want to build there. If national policymakers can curb greenhouse gas emissions by putting a price on their impact, he said in an interview, it could reduce the county's sea-level rise threat.

"For us, having anything that would slow down the degradation would be fantastic," he said. "The less it rises the better it is, and the longer the county will function."

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, whose state suffered several billion dollars in wildfire-related losses last year, called the move "fantastic" in an interview, saying the approach allows elected officials to "measure climate risk in a way that people can actually understand, and in a way that can shape policy."

But many industry groups remain nervous about putting a higher price tag on carbon emissions, and are warning the administration it needs to listen to them before settling on a final figure for doing so. On Tuesday, a coalition of business groups - including the American Chemistry Council, the Council of Industrial Boiler Owners, the Portland Cement Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce - wrote White House officials to say they expected them to provide "ample channels and opportunities for public and stakeholder input" as they update the government's cost-benefit approach.

Nick Loris, an energy economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, criticized the accounting mechanism as an ineffective way to pursue climate policy, in part because changes in assumptions from one administration to the next can result in vastly different estimates.

"It's concerning to me that a figure that has such wild swings . . . could ostensibly determine whether or not the benefits of a project outweigh the costs," Loris said. "It doesn't give you any policy or regulatory certainty, or really any confidence in rulemaking if the costs can swing that wildly."

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., called the move Friday "a backdoor carbon tax" that would lead to higher energy costs.

"The administration is laying the traps to justify punishing new regulations," Barrasso said in a statement. "Since the president can't rationalize the crippling costs of his climate policies, he needs to exaggerate the benefits."

The federal government first started incorporating the cost of climate impacts into its decision-making under President George W. Bush, after a federal court invalidated its mileage standards on the grounds that they did not address the damages associated with carbon dioxide. President Barack Obama made the issue a priority, establishing an interagency working group that set the number at $37 per ton by the end of his presidency.

In 2017, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommended that the federal government update the methods it uses to estimate the real-world, economic impacts of climate change. But that same year the Trump administration disbanded the federal working group that had been created to study those figures, and slashed the carbon price to between $1 and $7 per ton by excluding climate damages projected overseas.

Even as the Trump administration backtracked, Democratic-leaning states have pressed ahead.

In December, for example, New York state adopted a "value of carbon guidance" ranging between $79 and $125 that it will apply to policies and programs going forward. Colorado, Minnesota and Virginia require regulators to factor in the cost of climate damages when evaluating new power generation applications, and Illinois and Maine also incorporate this into their electricity sector policies.

"They certainly have swayed the decisions these states are making," said Kevin Rennert, who directs Resources For the Future's Social Cost of Carbon Initiative.

While the Biden administration has now set an initial price to inform its analysis of policies ranging from gas mileage standards to purchasing, it will now embark on a months-long process to determine a longer-lasting one. That price will take other factors into account, such as the fact that the poor suffer more from climate impacts than the wealthy and more recent scientific findings on climate impacts.

In the meantime, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is waiting for action. He has watched as the Minnesota climate has grown warmer and wetter, with more extreme weather. In recent years, faster snowmelts have overwhelmed sewer tunnels and landslides have caused millions of dollars in damage to local parkways.

"There have been some major changes over just the last several years that have had dramatic impact on city coffers," Frey said. "This is a climate issue."

And one that Minneapolis can't tackle alone, even though it also has imposed a $42 per ton estimate for the costs of climate change.

"We're not an island, obviously. We are impacted by what Phoenix and Cleveland and Baltimore and the entire state of Texas does  Carbon does not respect borders," Frey said. That is why a federal standard is essential, he added.

"It really should be baked into every decision."


Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Considered as an important battleground for both national and regional political parties, Tamil Nadu will be seeing a fierce tussle between Congress-DMK and ruling BJP-AIADMK alliance.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Friday that Tamil Nadu assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 6. Considered as an important battleground for both national and regional political parties, Tamil Nadu will be seeing a fierce tussle between Congress-DMK and ruling BJP-AIADMK alliance. The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led front by MK Stalin, including the Congress, had won 37 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu in 2019.

Even before the Election Commission of India announced the dates for the upcoming assembly polls, the Tamil Nadu assembly on Friday passed a bill to provide a 10.5 per cent of special reservation for the Vanniyar community in educational institutions and in the appointment of posts in services under the state. In the battle race for the polls, recently BJP Yuva Morcha chief Tejasvi Surya asked people to unitedly defeat MK Stalins party. Slamming Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) as anti-Hindu, Surya said DMK represents a bad ideology that is anti-Hindu.

Rahul Gandhi had kicked off the Congress partys campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu from the states western part of Coimbatore and Tiruppur. The Congress had choose to campaign by itself without its ally in the state, DMK. Ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2021, the AIADMK party is set out to sort out its differences and attempts are being made. ADMK has announced that EPS and OPS were united like Ram-Laxman and added that there were no differences between the party leaders.

In this 3-day trip to poll bound TN, Rahul Gandhi had launched a front foot assault on Modi and the RSS; he had asserted and openly claimed that knickerwalas from Nagpur cannot decide the fortunes of the Tamil people.
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region

As revealed in leaked photos at the beginning of the month, for his first-ever major interview since moving out of the UK to Montecito, California, and consequently being stripped of his royal responsibilities, the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has sat down for an interview with James Corden. The two are good friends in real life as well, and it shows.Given current health restrictions and the fact that Prince Harry is still a prince, cramming him into the Range Rover was simply not possible. So Corden got him on a double-deck, open-top bus and reworked the entire interview around the theme of Prince Harrys first-ever tour of Los Angeles, his current hometown. As it so happens, this was Harrys first-ever ride on such a bus, because royal life may be a lot of things, but its also devoid of lifes silliest distractions.You can see the entire video below. What you dont see in the footage is the security detail on the bus, which made sure to block traffic and ensure that everything went smoothly.Of course, there were bits that were scripted and you could tell that, too. The two stopped by the mansion used to film The Fresh Prince of Bel Air with Will Smith, and Corden acted as broker for Harry and his wife, Megan. He showed him the sights, while they chatted about Prince Harrys new life, his decision to leave the UK and what their life is like now in the U.S., as well as how they never walked away from public service. They also stopped by an army-style training circuit, which, of course, Harry aced and Corden did not.All in all, this is perhaps one of the lightest and funniest Carpool Karaoke episodes in the existence of the show, in addition to being the only one to feature an actual member of the Royal Family. Plus, for once, Corden could stop pretending he was driving and indulge in the most British treat: tea and scones.
The carried out a long range precision strike against a practice target to mark the second anniversary of the Balakot operation.

The strike was carried out by members of the same squadron who carried out the actual operations. The strike took place in Rajasthan sector recently.

In the meantime, chief Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria on Saturday flew a multi aircraft sortie with the units to commemorate the occasion along with the squadron pilots.

The completes two years on February 26. The strike was carried out at terror camps in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in response to the deadly Pulwama terror attack that claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.

It was the first aerial assault carried out by India in Pakistan after the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war.

On February 26, 2019, at around 3.30 a.m., 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and destroyed the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot.

The demonstrated India's prowess to retaliate to Pakistan's sinister intentions.

Codenamed as 'Operation Bandar', the air strike was conducted by the seventh and ninth squadrons of the

After the strike, over two dozen fighter planes, including F-16s left Pakistani bases aiming to hit Indian military installations. But the Indian Air Force in anticipation of such an attack was ready and an aerial dogfight ensued. It ended with an Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, shooting down an F-16 fighter plane of Pakistan and getting hit in the process.

Wing Commander Varthaman exited safely but was captured. Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan announced his capture. India demanded his unconditional and safe return.

Back then, the US played a role in the release of Abhinandan. He safely returned to India.

--IANS

sk/kr

(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.)
Blathnaid Treacy, who will appear on the Today Show alongside Daithi O Se on Mondays and Tuesdays from March

Blathnaid Treacy from Bray will replace Sinead Kennedy as co-presenter of the Today Show while Sinead is on maternity leave.

Blathnaid will fill in on Mondays and Tuesdays from next month alongside Daithi O'Se.

Blathnaid, who has her own Irish language radio show on RTE, is already a regular with viewers, filling in for Maura Derrane a number of times in recent years. She also presents a movie and podcast review section every Monday for the show called Something For The Week as well as being their fashion guru.

Maura Derrane, will continue to host with Daithi on Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays. This is their ninth season on air.Maura took a step back this series to three days to spend more time with her son Cal.

Blathnaid and her husband musician Charlie Mooney got married 18 months ago at Kippure. She has previously worked on 2fm and also as a presenter of Dancing With The Stars.
Virgil Lee Ward, a veteran of Pearl Harbor and a former San Antonian, died Sunday night at his home in Grand Prairie. He was 102.

He passed away here in his bed, said his wife, Merry Lux Ward.

Tall, thin and strong, Ward lived in the Alamo City for years, but when the couple attended the annual Dec. 7 reunion lunch of the local chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association in 2016, it was the only time he met its shrinking band of veterans.

Virgil and Merry Ward later moved to the Dallas area. He was hospitalized in January as he battled pneumonia, an illness hed beaten before, and eventually entered hospice care.

Services are pending. Ward will be buried in Houston National Cemetery.

There was a world before Pearl Harbor and one after it. The transformed world began at dawn on a sleepy Sunday on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, when waves of Japanese planes stunned America by destroying much of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio areas shrinking band of Pearl Harbor veterans will never forget

An Army private, Ward was at the post exchange before dawn to collect newspapers he delivered as a side job. Just before 8 a.m., he saw the fighter planes.

They were flying in a formation when they first came in, and then they split up, of course, and they were diving in the air where I was at, and I was pretty close, he recalled in a 2018 interview.

Dumbfounded, he instinctively took a longer route off the main highway to get to his duty station so his car would draw less interest from the Japanese pilots.

He reached his station: a phone exchange he helped run as a Signal Corps soldier on Diamond Head, a volcanic height above Honolulu.

They were strafing and bombing, he said. And I was close enough to see all the planes up there.

The attack by a Japanese strike force of 353 aircraft, launched from four aircraft carriers, took just 75 minutes. It left 2,403 Americans dead, including 68 civilians.

Eight U.S. battleships and numerous smaller craft were sunk or damaged, and the Americans lost 169 planes to 29 Japanese. All four U.S. aircraft carriers were at sea, however, and they would alter the course of the Pacific war within a few months, at the Battle of Midway.

But first, the Empire of Japan would make World War II truly global in scale. The day after the Pearl Harbor attack, Japanese forces landed near Singapore and invaded Thailand. They seized Guam and invaded the Philippines on Dec. 10 and Burma on Dec. 11. They swept into British Borneo and Hong Kong, and they took Wake Island just before Christmas.

On ExpressNews.com: In search of travel, one farm boy found a war

Ward was a communications specialist assigned to the 16th Coast Artillery and had just been trained on what then were called self-dialing telephones. The new rotary devices had not been installed in his office, so he took a steady stream of calls the old way, from soldiers  including some commanders  speaking into a mouthpiece and asking an operator to connect them manually, with wires and plugs.

The callers were trying to make sense of the chaos, but I couldnt tell them much more than they were being attacked, Ward said.

The Pearl Harbor group in San Antonio had 64 members in 1992, but it has dwindled since to just three now: William St. John, retired Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Platt and retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Gilbert Meyer.

Abner James A.J. Dunn, who died Nov. 23 at his home in Floresville at 98, was a regular at Pearl Harbor commemorations in Corpus Christi.

Ward, the son of a moonshiner who preached on the side, was 15 when he joined the Army out of a small town in Tennessee. He thought he was 17 because thats what his dad had told him. He had worked on the family farm starting in fifth grade.

A friend who suggested they join the Army in 1935 flunked the entrance exam, but Ward was sent to New York and made a muleskinner because of his experience.

I told them I wanted to go overseas, and you know where they sent me? Ward said, chuckling. Hawaii.

He stayed there for the next 13 years.

Ward retired as a major in 1965 after a 30-year Army career. He liked to celebrate his birthdays on Feb. 2 at an Asian restaurant on the West Side. He stayed healthy for most of his old age, with a strong recollection of the battle that changed his life, but in the past couple of years, his short-term memory had begun to fade, Merry Ward said.

Ward had some close calls in the Korean War, where he got a battlefield promotion and saw a nearby soldier get killed by a mortar shell close enough to spray him with shrapnel, and in Vietnam, where the Saigon hotel he stayed in was blown up while he was out.

On ExpressNews.com: Remembering Pearl Harbor. A podcast with Virgil Lee Ward

But Pearl Harbor was his most haunting experience. In this new kind of war, his coastal artillery battery never fired a shot, but those in his unit quietly went about their jobs as the attack unfolded.

There wasnt a lot of words. There were a lot of bullets, though, Ward said in 2016.

I can tell you he still has some nightmares about that, Merry Ward said. Hell rise up in bed, Get down! Get down! Because hes afraid of somebody shooting something, and so I know when hes running from bullets at night.

sigc@express-news.net
Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community.

Submit here
WASHINGTON - Mark Currie of Virginia had three checks snagged in postal delays in three months. In New Jersey, Lois Fitton says she was forced to pay interest on a credit card balance because the bill never arrived. Jim Rice says two insurance companies canceled policies for his property management business in Oklahoma after the payments got lost in the mail.

As the service crisis at the U.S. Postal Service drags into its eighth month, complaints are reaching a fever pitch. Consumers are inundating members of Congress with stories of late bills - and the late fees they've absorbed as a result. Small-business owners are waiting weeks, even months, for checks to arrive, creating cash-flow crunches and debates on whether to switch to costlier private shippers. Large-scale mailers, such as banks and utilities, are urging clients to switch to paperless communication, a shift that would furtherundercut the agency's biggest revenue stream.

The growing outcry adds another dimension to the agency's myriad crises: a clogged processing and transportation network, severe staffing shortages and $188.4 billion in liabilities. The prolonged performance declines have eroded the reputation of the few government agencies that boasts generations of broad public support.

"The industry's faith and confidence in the USPS to perform is critical; without that confidence, alternatives for mailers throughout our coalition will become more attractive out of necessity," Joel Quadracci, chief executive of Quad, one of the nation's largest direct mailing firms, testified Wednesday during a House hearing on mail issues. "And, unfortunately, the industry's confidence in USPS has been shaken."

Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio, went further, telling Postmaster General Louis DeJoy at the same hearing that he's personally "lost all confidence in the postal system." He described making an "embarrassing" call to J.C. Penney to avoid a late fee because the bill arrived nearly a month after its due date. "My goal is to be able to get to the point where I put my mailbox in the garbage can."

The agency's delivery times have sunk to historic lows since DeJoy took over in June. In most states, it took at least five days for a piece of first-class mail - such as a bill or paycheck - to arrive last month, according to data provided by mail-tracking vendor GrayHair Software. Going back 90 days, into the heart of holiday shipping season, it took more than six days on average for first-class delivery nationwide. The Postal Service aims to deliver local mail in two days and nonlocal mail in three to five days.

At the end of December, the agency had an on-time rate of 38% for nonlocal mail, according to data it reported to a federal court. Traditionally, that number is around 90 percent. The Postal Service has not discloses 2021 metrics.

The delays stem from DeJoy abrupt reorganization of the Postal Service in July and residual holiday backlogs, leaving consumers and small businesses to contend with the consequences and few alternatives.

"The Postal Service has a monopoly on mail. So if you want to send a letter or a bill, you have to use the Postal Service," said Michael Plunkett, president and chief executive of PostCom, a national postal commerce advocacy group.

Small-business owners like Rice, who owns Arzon Development Co. in Stillwater, Okla., are wary of shifting to higher-cost shippers because the added expense will be passed on to their customers. "Incidences of lost mail have gone from happening one to two times per year to an almost weekly issue. As a company reliant on the mail, the service has taken an obvious and painful turn for the worse."

DeJoy acknowledged the Postal Service "fell far short" during the holiday season. "Too many Americans were left waiting weeks for important deliveries of mail and packages," he said at Wednesday's hearing. "This is unacceptable, and I apologize to those customers who felt the impact of our delays."

DeJoy is pressing forward with a strategic plan to combat years of "financial stress, underinvestment, unachievable service standards and lack of operational precision," even as Congressional Democrats clamor for his removal. That plan - which will to include higher prices and slower delivery standards, according to people briefed on the details - will come out in March, DeJoy told the House panel.

"It sounds like your solution to the problems we've identified is just surrender," Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said at the hearing.

Later Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced he would nominate two Democrats and a voting rights advocate to fill three vacant seats on the Postal Service's governing board. If confirmed, it would shift the balance of power potentially the votes to remove DeJoy. On Thursday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the agency "needs leadership that can and will do a better job."

The success of DeJoy's plans is contingent on restoring commercial mailers' confidence in the system, as they have an outsized effect on the Postal Service's bottom line. The bulk of its first-class mail revenue originates from businesses. And the vast majority of nonbusiness first-class mail stems from consumers replying to businesses. If larger mailers start diverting products away from the Postal Service, the agency would lose two big chunks of revenue that industry experts say are unlikely to return.

Some of DeJoy's proposed changes, along with existing delays, already are scaring consumers who have long preferred - or lack viable alternatives to - the mail system.

When Kristofer Goldsmith orders refills for his regular array of prescriptions from the Veterans Affairs hospital in the Bronx, it usually arrives on his doorstep in Pleasantville, N.Y., in two days. But his December order took a month and a half to arrive, and he went weeks without the medications. His primary care provider couldn't even find a bar code to track the original order, which he said arrived the same day as the replacement.

"I'm relatively lucky that I can live with symptoms flaring up," he said. "But there have been other points in my life when living without my medications could impact me catastrophically."

Earlier this month, Postal Service apologized to a New Hampshire landscaping business for delays that held up dozens of invoices for up to 45 days, according to the New Haven Register. The business owner, Dan Thornberg, said 80 pieces of mail were delivered at once; 50 of them were checks. The delays, he said, nearly drove his company into a financial collapse.

Tiffini Travis, a research librarian at California State University in Long Beach canceled her Citibank credit card after her December bill payment arrived one day late because the company locked her card.

Amani Baskeyfield in Glenn Dale, Md., said she started managing her mother's credit card bills last month after a mailed payment showed up late and Citibank shuttered the account without notice. She's already switched her mother's account to paperless billing and statements.

Citibank spokeswoman Jennifer Bombardier said that the company has advised customers about digital banking options and acknowledged that mail issues may impact payment schedules.

"We realize that, from time to time, there are circumstances outside of our customer's control," she said in an emailed statement. "In those circumstances, we work with our customers on an individualized basis to address the matter."

Discover Card Senior Vice President Dennis Michel said in an emailed statement that about 10 percent of customers' payments are mailed, and that the company noticed an uptick in customer service calls about mail delays in late December and January,

American Express sent an email to cardholders on Feb. 3 with the subject line "Your mail from us may be delayed," and encouraged customers to use online tools to access account information. A spokesperson said the company has not seen an increase in customer calls related to mail service.

Electric utility company Exelon said in a statement that customers assessed late fees because of mail problems should call the company to have them rescinded.

But the mail slowdowns - especially for credit card bills and payments - threaten to further burden American consumers already weighed down by debt. In 2020, 33% of cardholders were charged a late fee, according to data gathered by Bankrate.com, and 47% asked for it to be waived.

Credit experts caution consumers not to worry too much about the impact of mail delays. A late payment will only impact your credit score if it's at least 30 days behind, a lengthy threshold in the credit world, but one some mail consumers say cuts very close given the current timetables. If consumers are worried, said Bankrate credit card analyst Ted Rossman, they should be proactive and tell lenders that the check is in the mail.

"Maybe try to pay it online or over the phone or at least give customer service a heads up," he said.

But many consumers and small-business owners say they are frustrated by the mail delays and the patchwork of approaches that utilities, lenders, insurers and other firms apply with regard to late and missing billing statements. Rice, the Oklahoma business owner, said he is transitioning to online payments when possible, but said he has no control over the fact that many of his vendors submit invoices through the mail, and that many of his tenants pay rent that way as well.

"I understand that the USPS undoubtedly needed a review of procedures," he said. "What I cannot accept or excuse is a total breakdown in reliability."

- - -

The Washington Post's Christopher Ingraham contributed to this report.

After blasting, prepping, and polishing the sheet metal, Gordon's Classic Restorations of Dallas, Georgia treated the Mustang with Nightmist Blue two-stage paintwork. A polished bumper is joined by the factory grille without the pony emblem and a stainless-trimmed hood topped by a scoop.Shaved of everything but the mirror on the drivers side and door handles, the side profile of this build is - dare I say it - elegantly aggressive. The 17-inch American Racing Torq Thrust II wheels bring the point home with a smoked chrome finish. Out back, the dual-tipped Flowmaster exhaust system is accompanied by an ornate fuel filler and bright tri-bar taillights.The ultra-clean Parchment interior contrasts nicely with the exterior, and its tastefully trimmed as well. A short-throw shifter, AutoMeter instrumentation, JVC audio, Kicker DS speakers, vinyl bucket seats, polished handles, and a three-spoke steering wheel are a few of the highlights.Built over the course of three years, the notchback pony is flexing 302 muscle in the guise of a roller crate engine. The 5.0-liter V8 powerplant with an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake and GT40 iron heads with Edelbrock valve covers takes its mojo from a Holley four-barrel carburetor.An Eagle crankshaft, I-beam rods, and high-performance pistons also need to be mentioned, along with a COMP hydraulic roller cam, double-roller timing set, Taylor plug wires, long-tube headers, and an aluminum radiator. Matched with a Tremec five-speed manual, the engine twists an 8.0-inch axle with 3.55 gearing, Scott Drake springs, and Bilstein shock absorbers.Now showing just under 1,900 miles (3,058 kilometers) on the odometer, this ground-up restomod can be yours for $45,900, which is pretty good bang for the buck considering that a 2021 model year Ford Mustang GT Premium Fastback starts at $40,120 excluding destination charge.
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce on Friday stressed that China and the European Union (EU) are partners rather than rivals, and the cooperation between the two sides is far greater than any competition.

China wishes to work together with the EU to safeguard and develop a multilateral trading system, the ministry said via a press release in response to a trade policy document released by the European Commission on Feb. 18.

China appreciates that the EU will continue to advocate multilateralism and a rules-based international order, support trade policies that feature openness and engagement, and attach importance to economic and trade relations with China as always, as stated in the document, said the statement.

However, it must be pointed out that the EU's claim that China pursues "a distinct state-capitalist model," which "poses increasing challenges for the established global economic governance system," is not true, the ministry said.

It is also groundless to say that a key driver of the crisis the World Trade Organization (WTO) faces is that China's accession to the organization has not led to its transformation into a market economy.

China firmly rejects such claims and accusations, said the ministry.

China has been building a socialist market economy in an all-round way, letting the market play a decisive role in resource allocation and giving full play to the role of the government.

History has shown that the country's economic governance system contributes Chinese wisdom to global economic governance, said the press release.

The ministry said China has always been an active participant, firm supporter and important contributor to the WTO. The root causes of the current WTO crisis are unilateralism and protectionism.

At a time when the WTO faces serious challenges, China and the EU should work together to safeguard the authority and representativeness of the multilateral trading system, and strengthen solidarity and enhance trust among WTO members, said the commerce ministry.

According to the document, the EU will adopt stricter restrictions in foreign investment screening, export control, public procurement and foreign subsidies.

China hopes that the EU will increase its policy transparency, maintain fairness, justice and non-discrimination, and avoid hindering normal international trade and investment, the ministry said, adding that different social systems and economic models should not prevent the two sides from carrying out mutually beneficial cooperation.

China is ready to work with the EU to strengthen dialogue, deepen cooperation and properly handle differences to push for the steady and long-term development of China-EU economic and trade relations.

China hopes that the EU will continue to adhere to free trade and multilateralism, work with China to oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and facilitate the recovery of the world economy at the earliest possible date, said the ministry.
New Delhi: India has responded to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's comments on the farmers' protests and said it lacks 'objectivity and impartiality'.

In response to Michelle Bachelet's statement that the farmers' agitation highlight the importance of ensuring laws and policies are based on meaningful consultations with those concerned, Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey, Permanent Representative of India, said, "The Government of India has set a goal of doubling the income of farmers by 2024. The purpose of enacting three Farm Acts is to enable farmers to realise better price for their produce and enhance their income."

He added, "It will particularly benefit small farmers and offer more choices to those farmers who opt for them. The Government has shown utmost respect for protests by farmers and has remained engaged in dialogue with them to address their concerns."

Indias Statement during the General Debate on the Oral Update of the High Commissioner at the 46th Session of Human Rights Council.@UNHumanRights#46HRC pic.twitter.com/Sv9auY26lC  India at UN, Geneva (@IndiaUNGeneva) February 26, 2021

During the 46th session of the Human Rights Council, Michelle Bachelet in Oral Update had expressed, "I trust that ongoing dialogue efforts by both sides will lead to an equitable solution to this crisis that respects the rights of all."

She further added, "Charges of sedition against journalists and activists for reporting or commenting on the protests, and attempts to curb freedom of expression on social media, are disturbing departures from essential human rights principles."

She had also commented on Jammu and Kashmir and said that the UN continues to monitor the situation in Indian-administered Kashmir, where restrictions on communications, and clampdowns on civil society activists, remain of concern.

"Despite recent restoration of 4G access for mobile phones, the communications blockade has seriously hampered civic participation, as well as business, livelihoods, education, and access to health-care and medical information," she had said.

To this, Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey said, "Given these developments, we were perplexed to note some of the comments by the High Commissioner. She appeared as oblivious of the enormous efforts made by my Government to address the challenges, as indeed of many of the factors driving these challenges."

He also mentioned the January 26 violence in the national capital and said, "The unprovoked violence on our Republic Day in the name of farmers' rights, apparently, left her unmoved. Her indifference to terrorism is, of course, not new. Objectivity and impartiality have to be the hallmarks of any Human Rights assessment. We are sorry to see that the High Commissioner's oral update is lacking in both."

Live TV
Ashley Cain has candidly admitted he's feeling 'slightly rattled and super nervous' after revealing his baby daughter Azaylia's leukaemia has returned.

The Ex On The Beach star, 30, shared an emotional update with fans on Instagram on Friday night, saying he needs to 'some time to sit and reflect'.

Earlier in the day, the doting dad had taken his little girl, six months, to hospital for an appointment and revealed there is a 'new plan of action' amid her cancer battle.



Strong: Ashley Cain has candidly admitted he's feeling 'slightly rattled and super nervous' after revealing his baby daughter Azaylia's leukaemia has returned

Giving a late night update, Ashley said: 'Ive let the girls go to bed and I'm staying up, cant lie it's been the first time properly since it started Ive felt super super nervous.

'Feel like it's hitting me a bit and I havent been rattled on his whole journey and I feel slightly rattled at the moment.

'Think I need some time to sit and reflect, pull myself together and reset for tomorrow, crack back on. Heads gone a bit today, cant lie.

Ashley had earlier shared sweet clips of him playing with his daughter after their trip to the hospital for an appointment.

Doting dad: The Ex On The Beach star, 30, shared an emotional update with fans on Instagram on Friday night, saying he needs to 'some time to sit and reflect'

In one video the reality star looked every inch the doting dad as his adorable little girl lay sleeping on his chest with her hand resting on his tattooed arm.

It had been a busy day for the family, with the star earlier reassuring fans he'd update them on Azaylia's situation 'when we get our heads around it,' before telling his tiny daughter: 'You've got this.'

Ashley documented their trip to hospital for an appointment, with Azaylia looking sweet in her car seat, while he told her: 'Hello princess, off to hospital, aren't we?

'Big day today. Let's go champ. You look amazing by the way. You look absolutely beautiful.'

Adorable: Ashley shared a sweet clip of his little girl sleeping on his chest and resting her hand on his arm

After their appointment, the father-of-one asked his little girl: 'Shall we go back home now baby? Shall we have a play? Do you wanna have a kiss? Have a cuddle? Yeh.'

Ashley then revealed: 'So, we've got a new plan of action now for Azaylia. It's gonna take a bit of time to get our heads around it...

'But, I'll update you guys as soon as we've had a chill-out, got our heads around it and we're ready to go for it.'

Then, in a heartwarming moment, the reality star turned to his daughter and said: 'Let's go champ. Let's go champ. Likkle lion. Likkle lion. You've got this.'

New plan! Earlier on Friday Ashley took Azaylia, six months, to hospital for an appointment and revealed there is now a 'new plan of action' amid her cancer battle

Ashley was left in tears on Tuesday as he marked the moment his daughter Azaylia left hospital to go home for the first time in five months.

The reality star described it as a 'miracle blindsided by heartbreak' after doctors delivered the news her leukaemia had returned- just 10 minutes before the family were due to leave the children's ward.

Azaylia is battling a rare and aggressive form of leukaemia and had recently undergone a stem cell transplant.

Taking to Instagram, Ashley shared the moment of Azaylia 'ringing the bell' so he and his partner Safiyya Vorajee could finally take her home, with Azaylia continuing her treatment as an outpatient.

You've got this! Speaking on his Instagram Stories, the star told fans he'd update them on the situation 'when we get our heads around it,' before telling his tiny daughter: 'You've got this'

Ashley documented their journey to hospital, with Azaylia looking adorable in her car seat, while he told her: 'Hello princess, off to hospital, aren't we?

He penned: 'Today was supposed to be a day of unquestionable happiness. However, it turned out like most days on this journey; A miracle blindsided by heartbreak!

'We got told a few days ago that's Azaylia would be ringing the bell today and coming home with us, as a family to resume treatment 2 days per week as an outpatient.

'However, 10 minutes before the moment we have been praying for over the last 5 months...

'We got urgently informed that Azaylia's leukaemia had returned. We crumbled and cancelled the celebration as we felt broken and numb to the core before seeing her beautiful face telling us, the show must go on and us then realising how far our little girl has come and how much she deserves this moment.

Emotional: Ashley was left in tears on Tuesday as he marked the moment his daughter Azaylia left hospital to go home for the first time in five months

'She has battled against the odds, she has overcome every obstacle in her path and she has done it all with remarkable spirit and the biggest smile on her face!

'For now we are enjoying precious moments at home until we return to hospital on Friday! Thank you for your support and please keep our beautiful daughter in your prayers!'

The moving video showed the corridor lined with nurses and doctors applauding the family as they prepared to go home.

Through tears Ashley said: 'I want to say thank you for all the care you've given us. For looking after her but also just the care for us has been amazing.

Sad: The star said it was a 'miracle blindsided by heartbreak' after doctors delivered the news her leukaemia had returned- just before the family were due to leave the children's ward

Devastating: 'We got urgently informed that Azaylia's leukaemia had returned. We crumbled and cancelled the celebration as we felt broken and numb to the core', Ashley wrote

'We got some news today that Azaylia's leukaemia has come back but that just means that we stay positive and we get back to ring that second bell and get out of here.'

The couple had faced an agonising two week wait to find out whether the stem cell transplant managed to clear out the leukaemia from her bone marrow.

Ashley said he was devastated to learn Azaylia was at a higher risk of complications going into the transplant after her cancer returned, following two rounds of chemotherapy.

When Azaylia was diagnosed with leukaemia she had a soaring white cell count of 200, and also had tumours on her lungs, kidneys, and stomach.

Poignant: Taking to Instagram, Ashley shared the moment of Azaylia 'ringing the bell' so he and his partner Safiyya could finally take her home

Keeping positive: Ashley's partner Safiyya Vorajee also commented on Ashley's post saying that their 'special little girl' will 'beat this'

What are the symptoms of leukaemia in children? Fatigue and pale skin - this is because leukaemia can cause anaemia which makes a child feel weak, tired and light-headed. Infections and fever - children with leukaemia lack normal white blood cells which would normally help fight infection. Rash - children may have small, dark spots that look like common rashes if the leukemia cells spread to the skin Easy bruising or bleeding - this includes frequent nosebleeds, bleeding gums and bleeding a lot from small cuts. Bone or joint pain - this is caused by a build up of leukaemia cells near the surface of the bone or inside the joint. Swelling of the abdomen - leukaemia cells may collect in the liver and spleen causing them to enlarge. Loss of appetite and weight loss - if the spleen and liver swell, they can press against the stomach causing loss of appetite. Swollen lymph nodes - some leukaemias spread to the lymph nodes causing them to swell. Source: American Cancer Society Advertisement

Ashley revealed that a normal person's white cell count is five, while adults who are suffering from the blood cancer tend to have a white cell count of 40, so it was alarming that Azalyia's was so high.

The star explained that being told the news left him a 'broken man', and he claimed it was an 'absolute miracle' that she has been able to fight the cancer.

Through publicising Azaylia's battle, Ashley has helped the NHS get 80,000 people to sign up to become stem cell donors in just 48 hours after he appealed for help.

Saying that he was 'forever grateful' to the members of the public who had ordered test kits to be added to the stem cell register, Ashley claimed the charities usually get 30-40,000 people registering in a single year.

Ashley, who made his appeal to find a donor on social media, said he thought it was 'beautiful' how people could come together for a good cause in spite of negativity that is often prevalent online.
Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi expressed his appreciation of the Kuwaiti efforts to end the Gulf crisis and help achieve reconciliation, as he received on Saturday a written message from the Kuwaiti Emir, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

Kuwaits Foreign Minister Ahmed Nasser Al-Sabah handed the emirs message to El-Sisi at a meeting in Cairo attended by Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Kuwaiti Ambassador to Cairo Saleh Al-Thuwaikh.

The meeting comes after the quartet of Egypt, Bahrain, UAE and Saudi Arabia agreed last month to sign a reconciliation deal in Saudi Arabia to end a three-year rift with Qatar.

The signed agreement, known as Al-Ula agreement, was mediated by Kuwait.

On Tuesday, official delegations from Egypt and Qatar held their first meeting in Kuwait to discuss future steps required to enhance joint work and bilateral ties after the agreement.

The emirs message conveyed greetings to El-Sisi and affirmed Kuwaits appreciation of the historic ties linking the two countries in various fields, the presidency said in a statement.

The message affirmed keenness to enhance the Egyptian-Kuwaiti cooperation at all levels and to coordinate with Egypt periodically on various issues.

El-Sisi, during the meeting with the Kuwaiti FM, affirmed Egypts fixed stance supporting Arab solidarity in order to deter dangers facing the Arab nation and preserve national security, the statement read.

El-Sisi asked that his greetings be conveyed to the Kuwaiti emir while congratulating the Kuwaiti government and people on their Kuwaiti National Day that they celebrated last Thursday.

The president also affirmed Egypts keenness in developing special cooperation between the two countries in various fields, with the aim of strengthening regional security and stability and achieving the aspirations of the people of both countries and the Arab nation.

Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Sabah praised Egypts constant keenness in enhancing solidarity with Arab countries and in advancing the frameworks of joint Arab work, the statement said.

The Kuwaiti FM also hailed Egypts pivotal role in the region as a main pillar of security and stability for the Arab world, the statement added.

The meeting discussed bilateral relations as well as developments of regional issues. El-Sisi reiterated in this regard the relation between the Gulf security and the Egyptian national security.

The meeting agreed on intensifying Egyptian-Kuwaiti coordination during the coming period to deter threats facing the security and stability of the Arab countries and people, the presidency said.

Short link:


NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere has claimed his women followers chose to be branded with his initials as an 'honorary thing' and a 'tribute' which made him feel 'almost embarrassed' in his first interview since being jailed for 120 years.

Raniere, 60, told Dateline in a special that aired Friday that he 'didn't come up with' the idea to carve with a cauterizing pen his initials K.A.R. above the bikini lines of the members of the secret master-slave group DOS.

The cult leader, dubbed 'Vanguard' within his inner circle, also claimed he is 'against tattooing' but insisted if it was Albert Einstein or Brad Pitt's initials 'no one would care'.

Raniere, was speaking via phone from the maximum security federal penitentiary in Tucson, Arizona, where he is serving 120 years for turning cult followers into sex slaves and sexually abusing a 15-year-old.

NXIVM started out as a purported self-help group in Albany, New York, in the 1990s, offering personal improvement and professional development training programs.

Raniere then formed Dominus Obsequious Sororium (DOS) - a secret master/slave club where women were branded, turned into his sex slaves, made to live off just 500 calories a day and forced to make a lifetime vow to obey their 'masters'.

Raniere was convicted in 2019 on charges that included sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy, human trafficking and multiple counts of racketeering - including sexual exploitation of a child, possession of child pornography, extortion and identity theft.

NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere (pictured) has claimed his women followers chose to be branded with his initials as an 'honorary thing' and a 'tribute' which made him feel 'almost embarrassed' in his first interview since being jailed for 120 years

Raniere, 60, told Dateline in a special that aired Friday that he 'didn't come up with' the idea to tattoo his initials K.A.R. above the bikini lines of the members of the secret master-slave group DOS. Pictured a brand received by a female member

The cult leader denied ordering the branding of his cult followers, despite audio played during his trial revealing him planning the ceremonies with cult member and his alleged second-in-command Smallville actress Allison Mack.

'I didn't come up with the branding. If you look at my long-term partners, I'm even against tattooing,' he told Dateline.

'I don't have tattoos. None of my partners have tattoos.

'If my partners want to get them, that's up to them. But I am dissuasive of it.'

Raniere claimed it was a choice the women made and that they didn't want painkillers so they could 'feel it.'

'They even chose to do it without anaesthetics so that they would feel it,' he said.

'No, no ordering whatsoever.'

He recited court testimony to argue the women 'agreed to it.'

'Someone being branded they agreed to it as one of the four conditions to even be considered for entrance into the sorority and that was said in testimony.'

Raniere claimed women having their initials carved on them made him 'almost embarrassed' but that the women wanted to do it as a 'tribute' to him.

'No [I didn't try to stop it] but I was slightly in a way almost embarrassed,' he said.

'At first I thought 'well if it was Albert Einstein's initials then no one would care.' And then I thought 'If it was Brad Pitt's initials, maybe you'd have some jealous husband.'

'But that's not what I'm like so I took it as an honorary thing - a tribute thing. And that brand was going to be tattooed over anyway. It was symbolic.'

The cult leader spoke to Dateline via phone from the maximum security federal penitentiary in Tucson, Arizona, where he is serving 120 years for turning cult followers into sex slaves and sexually abusing a 15-year-old

During Raniere's 2019 trial in Brooklyn federal court, more than a dozen former DOS members testified about how they were branded in their pubic region with an insignia during a nude ceremony.

The symbol was carved using a cauterizing pen - a medical device used for surgeries to cut through flesh - while the women were held down naked on a table and were given no anaesthetic for the procedure.

India Oxenberg said she was the first woman to be branded in January 2016 as two fellow cult members held her down by her hands and feet.

Another victim who was also branded, Sarah Edmondson, said during court testimony that she had needed to undergo plastic surgery to get it removed.

Former DOS slave-master Lauren Salzman described the branding as 'the most painful thing I've ever experienced' while many victims recalled smelling burning flesh during the procedure.

Prosecutors presented audio in Raniere's trial of him and his alleged second-in-command, Smallville actress Allison Mack, planning the ceremonies in January 2017.

Raniere was heard saying that he wanted the women to recite an oath during the service.

Raniere in a court sketch during his October sentencing. Dubbed 'Vanguard' within the cult, Raniere told Dateline he is 'against tattooing' but insisted if it was Albert Einstein or Brad Pitt's initials 'no one would care'

Raniere in a court sketch during his trial in June 2019. NXIVM started out as a purported self-help group in Albany, New York, in the 1990s. Raniere then formed Dominus Obsequious Sororium (DOS) - a secret master/slave club where women were branded, turned into his sex slaves, made to live off just 500 calories a day and forced to make a lifetime vow to obey their 'masters

'The person should also ask to be branded,' he said. 'Master please brand me. It would be an honor, and an honor I want to wear for the rest of my life. Although my body may be burned or tortured or whatever, my love is stronger.'

'They should probably say that before they're held down so it doesn't seem like they're being coerced,' he added.

Raniere also said that he wanted the ceremonies to resemble a human sacrifice ritual.

'Do you think the person who's being branded should be completely nude and held to the table, almost like a sacrifice?' he asked Mack in the recording.

'That's a feeling of submission. Laying on the back, legs spread straight, held to the table. Hands above the head, probably held, almost like sacrificial.'

Raniere also denied using 'collateral' to blackmail women after cult followers testified he forced them to hand over embarrassing documents and explicit naked photos of themselves.

India Oxenberg (pictured) said she was the first woman to be branded in January 2016 as two fellow cult members held her down by her hands and feet

Another victim who was also branded, Sarah Edmondson (left), said during court testimony that she had needed to undergo plastic surgery to get it removed. Former DOS slave-master Lauren Salzman (right) described the branding as 'the most painful thing I've ever experienced' while many victims recalled smelling burning flesh during the procedure

'I did not take the collateral at all. I did not have possession of the collateral whatsoever,' he told Dateline.

He admitted he had 'seen' some of the collateral but 'did not have possession of the collateral whatsoever' and vowed to 'fight' the accusation 'another time'.

'I did not take the collateral at all. I did not have possession of the collateral whatsoever. Not not seen but did not possess,' he added.

The 60-year-old said he does 'apologize' for his 'participation' in the suffering of the victims but brushed off the damage caused saying 'it happens'.

'Yes I apologize for my participation in all this pain and suffering. I have clearly participated... this is a horrible situation,' he said.

When asked if he is sorry for the damage he has caused his victims, Raniere interjects saying 'that I've participated in' not 'caused'.

'I say damage I've participated in because I don't believe we're always the cause of all of it,' he said.

'We are the cause more or less but all the damages I can fathom I participated in, I feel responsible for. It's not just a matter of 'did I cause it all myself?'

Smallville actress Allison Mack was also charged with sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing. Mack (right) is pictured with NXIVM member Nicki Clyne (left)

Seagram's heiress Clare Bronfman (left), another prominent cult member, was sentenced to six years in prison in September. Dr Danielle Roberts (right), who branded the women, has never faced any charges but her medical license is under review for her involvement in NXIVM

'I'm involved in the cause of it and for that that haunts me forever.'

However, despite this admission of wrongdoing, Raniere continued to protest his 'innocence'.

'Well, being innocent of crimes and being innocent if you will of any wrongdoing or you know, people cause damages inadvertently and well-intentioned damages... and they don't mean to damage but it happens,' he said.

During his sentencing hearing Raniere claimed he was 'deeply remorseful' but insisted he was wrongly accused.

His legal team is now planning an appeal with the convicted criminal claiming prosecutors 'rigged' the case against him.

Raniere was found guilty in Brooklyn federal court in June 2019 of seven counts of racketeering, sex trafficking, sexual exploitation of a child and human trafficking.

The sexual exploitation count relates to a girl who was just 15 when a 45-year-old Raniere had sex with her and took nude photos of her.

Raniere in his mug. A federal judge then sentenced him in October 2020 to spend the rest of his life in prison

The girl, who is now an adult, and her two sisters also fell pregnant by him and say he forced them to have abortions.

He also punished young women including a teenager who he held in a bedroom for two years as punishment because she had gained weight and shown a romantic interest in another man.

A federal judge then sentenced him in October 2020 to spend the rest of his life in prison after 15 of his victims spoke or had victim impact statements read out in court.

He was transferred to the federal prison in Arizona that specializes in sex offenders last month after being sentenced in October to 120 years in prison.

Mack, 38, was also charged with sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy in April 2018.

She pleaded guilty and is out on house arrest while awaiting sentencing, where she faces up to 40 years in prison.

Seagram's heiress Clare Bronfman, another prominent cult member, was sentenced to six years in prison in September for conspiracy to conceal and harbor illegal aliens for financial gain, and to fraudulent use of identification.

Dr Danielle Roberts, who branded the women, has never faced any charges but her medical license is under review for her involvement in NXIVM.
Construction crews have started on the second phase of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome's $450 million renovation project, which will include a dozen new premium field-level suites and viewing decks on two levels at each of the four corners of the stadium.

The latest phase is expected to be completed before the start of the 2021-2022 Saints season and will be the most visible results yet of a project that has so far focused on upgraded exits, commercial kitchens and other less-visible improvements.

ASM Global, the company that operates the stadium under contract with the state, said work started this week on the $47 million second phase despite the severe drop in the stadium's revenue due to event cancellations and the miniscule attendance allowed at Saints games.

The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District Board, which oversees the stadium, heard Thursday at its monthly meeting that revenues for the Superdome and the Smoothie King Center, which ASM also runs, were down by more than 90% in the last 12 months through February compared to the year earlier.

Kyle France, board chairman of the LSED, which is also known as the Superdome Commission, said there were some indications that events would start coming back this autumn. Still, he noted that finances for the Superdome and later phases of the renovation project were very uncertain at this point.

"It all depends on the economy, mass vaccinations, how we get around the corner on this pandemic and beyond to recovery," France said.

+9 $450M Superdome renovation renderings unveiled after construction plans approved The first architectural renderings of the planned renovation of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome were unveiled Thursday, giving a glimpse of new, w

The first phase of the project, which was estimated to cost $100 million, began early last year before the pandemic and was described as "the enabling phase." It consisted of back-of-house work, including the creation of new exits and a large kitchen and food-service area in space formerly used for parking.

The second phase will be immediately visible to fans starting this fall.

Doug Thornton, who runs ASM Global in New Orleans, said during the meeting the open spaces on the corners of the stadium at the 200 and 500 levels, will be a big improvement to the fan experience.

Each area will be known as a Super Vomitory, or "SuperVom," and will allow unobstructed views of the scoreboard and field, a feature that's present at other top-level arenas.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

"The SuperVoms are the landing area for what they call the new atria in the northwest and northeast corners in phase three and four," said Thornton.

In those later phases, the Superdome's 80,000 square feet of ramps will be removed and replaced by high speed escalators that open up into spacious areas with unobstructed views of the field.

"That'll make it like Cowboy [the AT&T Stadium in Dallas] and other modern stadiums around the country," Thornton said.

Saints fans get another look at Superdome's new field-level suites, set to open for 2021 season Those wishing they could sit on the field and watch the New Orleans Saints play in the Superdome are close to having their dream become a real

Construction of the atria isn't scheduled to start until after the Superdome hosts the NCAA Men's Final Four next spring.

Phase two, which has hard construction costs of $47 million and other costs bringing it up to a total of $60 million, was already fully funded before the pandemic hit the stadium's finances.

But the bulk of the overall $450 million project cost comes in the later stages, which could be impacted by the recession.

"We are at a point in the process where we're evaluating the future phases as we go forward," Thornton said.

ASM Global is asking the state legislature for emergency funding to fill the current gap in its finances, up to $12.5 million. The state's contribution of up to $90 million for the renovation project was approved by the legislature in 2019, but Thornton said the timing and scope of the later phases of the project will need to be revisited in coming weeks.

Under the terms of the financing deal, the Saints have agreed to fund a third of the project costs, or up to about $150 million, and the Superdome Commission will fund $210 million through issuing bonds. The state would cover the remaining $90 million.

France said that the financing and scope of the project after the current phase "becomes murkier" because of the financial hit to the Superdome's finances over the last year.
CLEVELAND, Feb. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- US demand for manufactured food is forecast to grow 1.4% annually in nominal terms through 2024, according to Food Processing: United States, a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports. The market for manufactured food will expand as real disposable income per capita advances 0.4% annually during that period. In addition, consumers will pay a premium for products that require little or no preparation and are considered healthy or natural. Therefore, purchasing of higher-value foods is expected to support demand growth. However, the maturity of the market, declines in real disposable income in 2021, and falling meat and chicken prices will restrain faster gains.

Demand for meat, poultry, and seafood products is forecast to expand 2.1% annually through 2024, remaining the leading product segment. While meat consumption per capita has fallen over the last four decades, stagnant beef prices and falling chicken prices will support small additional gains in volumes of meat consumption. Demand will also be boosted by purchases of more expensive cuts of meat, bolstered by demand for high-quality meat while dining out, more environmentally friendly meat (e.g., grass-fed, free range, organic, no antibiotics or hormones used during production), and value-added meat products (e.g., pre-marinated or seasoned meat). Rising competition from vegetable-based meat-like alternatives is expected to restrain faster gains. Competition from meatless products is also set to intensify over the forecast period due to consumer concerns about their health, animal welfare, and the environmental impact of meat production.

These and other key insights are featured in Food Processing: United States. This report provides an estimate of 2020 and forecast to 2024 for manufactured food demand and shipments for both employer and non-employer firms in nominal US dollars at the manufacturer level. Total demand is segmented by product in terms of:

meat, poultry, and seafood

dairy products

grains and oilseeds

bakery and related products

processed fruits and vegetables

animal food

sugar and confectionary products

other manufactured foods, such as condiments and sauces, dry coffee and tea, egg substitutes, frozen specialty foods, peanut butter, roasted nuts, and spices

To illustrate historical trends, total demand, total shipments, the various segments, and trade are provided in annual series from 2009 to 2019.

Excluded from the scope of this report are ready-to-drink beverages such as bottled water, carbonated soft drinks, and fluid milk; beverage syrups; and unprocessed foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs. Also excluded are flavoring syrups and concentrates for the production of soft drinks. Cotton linters are also excluded. Inedible byproducts of animal slaughtering, such as bones and hides, are not included in demand or shipment totals for meat, poultry, and seafood products. Re-exports of manufactured food are excluded from demand and trade figures.

More information about the report is available at:

https://www.freedoniafocusreports.com/Food-Processing-United-States-FF10024/?progid=91541

https://www.freedoniafocusreports.com/Freight-by-Rail-United-States-10775040/

About Freedonia Focus Reports

Each month, The Freedonia Group  a division of MarketResearch.com  publishes over 20 new or updated Freedonia Focus Reports, providing fresh, unbiased analysis on a wide variety of markets and industries. Published in 20-30 pages, Focus Report coverage ranges from raw materials to finished manufactured goods and related services such as freight and construction. Additional Consumer Goods reports can be purchased at Freedonia Focus Reports or MarketResearch.com.

Analysis is intended to guide the busy reader through pertinent topics in rapid succession, including:

total historical market size and industry output

segmentation by products and markets

identification of market drivers, constraints, and key indicators

segment-by-segment outlook in five-year forecasts

a survey of the supply base

suggested resources for further study

Press Contact:

Corinne Gangloff

+1 440.684.9600

[email protected]

SOURCE The Freedonia Group

Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349

Sometimes, your best business decisions are those that go against what everyone else is telling you to do.

This often has been the case for Fawn Weaver, founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest, a spirits brand named for the Black distiller who mentored whiskey legend Jack Daniel after the Civil War. Founded in 2016, the company's blends have won more than 150 awards. Most recently, her Shelbyville, Tennessee-based company was a 2020 Inc. Best in Business honoree for helping Covid-19 responders and other Black-owned businesses during the pandemic.

About 21,000 U.S. locations sell Uncle Nearest. Landing that kind of distribution was the result of one of the many counterintuitive decisions that Weaver made in growing her business. The story was among those she recounted to Marli Guzzetta, executive editor of Inc., during a recent Inc. stream event in the Your Next Move series.

Weaver says she declined an offer from a nationwide liquor distributor because of a strategy she calls "catch and kill"--meaning that if a large distributor takes your product nationwide and you become a threat to one of their larger brands, you might end up in a corner of their warehouse, with the distributor giving you excuses as to why it didn't sell.

Instead, she hired the best distributor from every state to sell her spirits and put each distributor in competition with one another for sales. In doing so, her reach grew from one state to 50 in less than two years.

"I did something that everyone told me not to do, which is the story of my life," Weaver said. "If it had failed, it would have been the worst decision ever. But as it turns out, it's the smartest decision we've made so far."

Here are two other tips from Weaver on key decisions that go against contrary beliefs.

Market to whomever you like.

American whiskey has been largely targeted at White men, according to Weaver, who says she was pushed to market either to this dominating whiskey consumer or to the African American consumer, simply because she's Black herself. But Weaver had no interest in dividing her market.

"If I did that, that means that I don't think that my product is good enough for everybody," Weaver says. "What we have in common is far greater than what we don't have in common. So all we have to do is target those things that are similar."

Weaver didn't break down her customer by demographics. Her target customer is anyone who is willing to pay for a $50 or $60 bottle of whiskey, she says.

Ignore limitations imposed by others.

Weaver is the first woman of color to run a major spirits company and the first person of color to found one. Her advice for anyone who is a minority in any industry is to ignore that fact entirely.

"The moment that you begin looking at the fact that this has never been done before, then that's the moment that you have now set up boundaries for yourself," Weaver says. She adds that surrounding yourself with mentors and peers who have a similar mindset and confidence is key.

Finally, she suggests interviewing people who have done extraordinarily well, and people who have failed. Somewhere in between the two extremes, she says, is where you should start.
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.

Sorry!

This content is not available in your region

Breaking Bads Bryan Cranston is planning to visit Armagh, his ancestral home.

The actor, who played Walter White in the drama and Hal in Malcolm in the Middle, said on Friday nights Late Late Show he was itching to visit the area because its where his great-great-great-great grandparents came from.

He told presenter Ryan Tubridy: Ive got to come back to Ireland. I havent been in several years and Ive never been to where my people come from in Armagh. Ive got to go up there.

I know when I watched the play The Ferryman in London, I thought Thats where my people are from, so I have to go and see what that was like. I cant wait.

My great-great-great-great grandparents came from Armagh, so Im just itching to go there, soak up the energy, meet the people, be in the culture and get some sense of where my roots started.

The actor (64), who can currently be seen in new legal drama Your Honor, also revealed how he deals with fame after the success of Breaking Bad, in which he played a meek chemistry teacher turned ruthless drug baron.

Celebrity is a strange beast. No acting class teaches you how to be a celebrity, he said.

Along with celebrity comes tremendous opportunities, so I would not trade it in, but there is a learning curve to it. You lose a sense of privacy and anonymity.

There are pomp and circumstance events that you have to attend and those are tiring, but in the long run its not a complaint  its an observation. I have great opportunity and Im appreciative of it.

The actor also told the show he was still suffering after contracting Covid-19 last July.

Expand Close Breaking Bad / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Breaking Bad

He and his wife fell ill for a few days, but he has still to fully regain his sense of taste and smell.

We were very lucky. We had very mild symptoms, he said.

The only lingering thing was that I lost my sense of taste and smell. Now its back to about 70 to 75 percent, which is still not great.
After four days of deliberation during the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting held virtually in the French capital of Paris a decision regarding Pakistan's status was taken.

Pakistan has to remain in the Greylist until it complies with all the 27 points that it has been asked to meet as a criterion to be moved into the white list.

Due to being on the Greylist since 2008 Pakistan has endured a total loss of USD 38 billion of its GDP. For a cash-starved country, this is a major setback that Pakistan must not take lightly.

Perhaps with this in mind Pakistan has decided to calm down its antagonism against its neighbour, hence, DG Military Operations Pakistan held a meeting with his Indian counterpart the same day that the FATF verdict was readout.

Pakistan has finally agreed to a ceasefire at the Line of Control (LoC) and revive the 2003 ceasefire status with India. This is a good sign that must be appreciated especially when the Pakistan army had to swallow its pride by admitting its role in cross border firing.

One must not forget that India has never attacked any neighbouring state or nation neither has it ever send terrorists to create havoc abroad, something that we Indians have had to deal with since 1990 when a new wave of terrorism raised its head leading to the genocide and mass exodus of the indigenous Kashmiri Hindu pundits.

Terrorist attacks on civilians and our security forces came to an abrupt halt when on August 5, 2019, the Modi Sarkar abrogated Articles 370 and 35A that barred Indian laws from taking effect in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

In order to bring some sense into the stubborn antagonist approach against India by the Pakistani top military brass, Ajit Doval, the Indian National Security Advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently been advocating for peaceful negotiations between India and Pakistan to solve the bilateral issue of Jammu Kashmir.

It is Doval's unrelenting pursuit for defeating terrorism in the Valley that brought peace to the Valley in the first place. Ensuring minimum loss of life, he has attempted at deciphering the psychological mindset of a Kashmiri militant, offering them a safe return back into the civil society if they voluntarily give up terrorism while at the same time Doval has been successfully busting terrorist sleeper cells and beating infiltration attempts made by Pakistan.

Now the next step would be to swiftly translate the ceasefire arrangement of February 25 into bilateral talks and make serious-minded efforts to resolve the long-standing territorial dispute between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan must realise that Indian people are no enemy of the people of Pakistan. Indian citizens feel empathy towards the plight of their neighbours living without adequate means and deprived of power and electricity and shortages of food. India wants to help Pakistanis live a better life.

Pakistan must realise that China is the real enemy of its people. Chinese capitalism of the 1980s has now transformed into an imperialist expansionist dragon and Pakistan sits right in its mouth waiting to be swallowed at an instance.

China has been claiming that Pakistan is its friend but the fact of the matter is that China has been using Pakistan's geographical location to challenge India and to gain excess to the Indian Ocean. China has cunningly set CPEC as bait to enslave Pakistan and it took the bait. China is now artfully applying debt entrapment policy to enslave Pakistan further.

According to the State Bank of Pakistan data, released in 2020, Pakistan's total debt to China has risen from USD 7.2 billion in 2017 to a whopping USD 30 billion in 2020. And it would take Pakistan more than 50 years to pay back that debt and even that is not guaranteed since Pakistan's downward economic spiral is showing no signs of ascending any time soon. This means that Pakistan will have to borrow even more from China.

Hassan Abbas, an American academician of Pakistani origin has warned that the accumulated cost of constructing five hydropower projects which China is financing in Pakistan is expected to escalate to USD 98 billion and the accumulated interest of these projects is almost USD 5 billion a year!

Abbas has made his calculations and has revealed that in the next 20 years Pakistan will have to pay China USD 200. I doubt if Pakistan will ever be able to free itself from the debt trap that China has woven around its fragile economic structure.

It is time for Pakistan to realise that China and not India is its real enemy. Narendra Modi and not Xi Jinping is its well-wisher. We can make February 25 go down in the history as the day when Pakistan finally woke up to the reality of the Road and Belt Initiative and its CPEC bait and quickly resolves the border and territorial disputes with all its neighbours.

However, if this extension of the hand of peace toward India by the Pakistan military proves to be nothing more than a desperate strategic manoeuvre to gain time to crush the insurgency in Baluchistan and the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, then Pakistan will be making a fatal mistake. It will only end up hastening the disintegration of the state of Pakistan and it will also lose a golden opportunity to let India save it.

By accepting Pakistan's hand of peace India has once again extended her helping hand akin to a lifeboat of hope that could finally sail Pakistan toward peace and away from war.

(ANI)
LEE, N.Y.  Five people were sent to the hospital following a two-car accident in the town of Lee Friday afternoon.

Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol says 76-year-old Richard McCarthy, of Rome, collided with another vehicle around 12:20 p.m., when he tried to turn left into a driveway and failed to yield the right of way.

Maciol says both vehicles were severely damaged in the crash.

The other driver, 40-year-old Christopher Hildenbrandt, and his two young passengers were taken to Rome Health for treatment.

McCarthy, and his passenger Cynthia McCarthy, 74, were treated for injuries at St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

McCarthy was issued a traffic summons for failure to yield the right of way. He will return to Lee Town Court at a later date.
Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu held telephone talks with his Armenian counterpart Vagharshak Harutyunyan. The relevant information was published on the website of the Russian department.

According to the statement, the ministers discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, the current situation in the region and areas where the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh are serving.

In addition, Shoigu and Harutyunyan discussed other issues of mutual interest.
Joe Biden talks with US Air Force Colonel Stephen Snelson prior to boarding Air Force One. Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters.

Russia claims it was only given about four to five minutes warning of the Biden administrations first military action when it struck Iranian-backed militias in eastern Syria killing more than 20.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the warning came too late to deconflict the situation.

US officials believe the attack killed a number of alleged Iranian-linked fighters, signaling the administrations intent to use targeted military action to push back against violence tied to Tehran.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported yesterday that 22 Iranian-backed fighters had been killed when the strike at 1am local time hit three truckloads of weapons which were crossing a border point from Iraq to Syria. It added that the death toll could rise.

Our military was warned four or five minutes in advance. Of course, this has no value even from the angle of deconfliction, as they say in relations between Russian and US servicemen, Mr Lavrov told a Moscow news conference.

This kind of notice given at a time when the strike is already being delivered.

Russia emerged as a key player in Syria when President Vladimir Putin deployed forces in 2015 to back Moscows longtime ally, President Bashar Assad.

Russia claims to be only foreign player legally in Syria, as Mr Assad sought Russian help in confronting rebels in the countrys civil war.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the attack hit facilities used by Iran-linked Iraqi militias, including Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, at a strategic border-crossing in eastern Syria.

The attack was authorised in response to recent attacks against US and coalition personnel in Iraq, and to ongoing threats, Mr Kirby said.

The last US strike targeting the Syrian border region was in late 2019 when the Pentagon struck two locations of Kataib Hezbollah.

Syrian state media confirmed the latest strike, reporting that it took place at a time when the army was targeting the Islamic State in the area.

Iranian-backed groups allied to Assad control the border crossing, using it to transport weapons, personnel and goods.

Kataib Hezbollah has denied any involvement in the recent attacks against US interests in Iraq. An aide to a senior Kataib Hezbollah commander told reporters that one of its soldiers was killed in the attack.

Its strange the United States bombed Kataib Hezbollah over an attack that was condemned by Kataib Hezbollah themselves, he said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

While the United States has not targeted the area since 2019, Israel regularly strikes sites near the Syrian-Iraqi border, bombing Iranian and Iranian-backed groups and their facilities, as well as positions of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, designated a terrorist group by the United States.

Mr Lavrov claimed to have intelligence that America had no plans to leave Syria and was in fact aiming to break up the country.

Its been alleged that theyve decided never to leave Syria, up to the point of the countrys breakup, Mr Lavrov said, adding that Moscow wants to resume contacts with Washington over the conflict.

Its very important for us to resume contacts at the political-diplomatic level, and we hope the new administration will put together teams for this purpose soon enough, he said.

Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the Russian State Dumas foreign affairs committee, said the attack proved that Washington was not interested in peace in Syria.

Obviously, the priorities of the new US administration do not include peace on Syrian land and the war on terror, Mr Slutsky said, according to the Interfax news agency.

The airstrike killed members of pro-Iranian units fighting for Syrian government forces, and the attack was launched without any charge or trial, he said.

Syria condemned the air strikes describing them as a negative indication for the policies of the new US administration.

The cowardly attack is against international law, Syrias foreign ministry said. It warned that it would lead to an escalation in the region.
Charter school reform remains the subject of heated debate among Pennsylvanias elected officials and educators.

Both school district advocates and the charter school community agree changes are needed. But Gov. Tom Wolf and two Democratic lawmakers are pushing reforms that are not in line with what charter schools want to see.

At a Friday afternoon news conference, Wolf unveiled legislation, being offered by Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery County, and a Senate bill proposed by Democratic Sens. Lindsey Williams and Jim Brewster, both of Allegheny County, that would alter the way charter schools are funded. The legislation would also add new transparency and accountability standards to charter schools, the lawmakers say.

Wolf acknowledged that there are some charter schools doing an outstanding job of putting students on a path for success. But he added, the way the law is set up we cant guarantee that every charter school is actually giving every student the education we need that student to get.

Plus, he said it allows many charter schools to overcharge taxpayers too much to educate students.

Its time to fix our charter school law, he said. I hope to see a bill with concrete sustainable changes to the charter school law come to my desk this year.

His charter reform proposal would by establishing a flat $9,500-per-student rate for all 14 cyber charter schools, instead of the varying rates that districts now pay based on a portion of what they spend to educate students in their own schools.

Williams said that rate was calculated by choosing the lowest average per-student rate to educate students among the states five highest performing cyber charter schools.

We understand that some of the school districts think thats too high and some of the cyber charters think thats too low, and we think because of that maybe were in the right spot, she said.

The proposal also would move to fund special education at charter schools the same way the state distributes state funding for those students to districts. Currently, school districts pay charter schools an amount based on an assumption that 16% of students require special education.

Combined, those changes would save districts  and in turn, cut funding to charter schools by  $229 million a year, the Wolf administration said.

Last year, taxpayers spent $2.1 billion on charter schools, including more than $600 million on cyber schools. This year, that tab is expected to increase by more than $400 million due to the COVID-19-related transfer of students from district schools to cyber schools, according to the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials.

Representatives of the charter school community said cuts like that would be devastating to the programs and services their schools offer. And charter school leaders said just like traditional public schools, they are reeling from extra costs related to the pandemic.

Lenny McAllister, CEO of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, said This is now not the time to pick winners and losers when it comes to funding." Feb. 26, 2021 Screenshot from the coalition's virtual news conference

This is now not the time to pick winners and losers when it comes to funding, said Lenny McAllister, CEO of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, during a virtual conference held prior to the governors. Matter of fact, our public position has always been no cuts for any public school including public charter schools.

He said the governors proposal contributes to a toxic competition between charters and districts rather than a healthy one. The people that lose out the most are Pennsylvania families that are looking for school choice, McAllister said.

Some 169,000 students in Pennsylvania attend one of 180 or so charter schools  including over 60,000 who study at one of the 14 cyber charter schools. Over the last 15 years, those numbers have continued to climb, particularly this past year due to the pandemic.

Rich Jensen, CEO of Agora Cyber Charter School, said parents made the move to cyber charters to give their children hope and an opportunity for a brighter future. They made an educated choice on how to best meet their childrens needs. At the same time, he said cyber charters continued serving their existing students without interruption.

Jensen finds Wolfs charter proposal disappointing. He said it will actually create barriers of hope and opportunity to tens of thousands of Pennsylvania public school students.

This unfair barrier that is being proposed would only create greater disparities and inequities of opportunity between public school students that are enrolled in district schools and the public school students who choose to be enrolled in cyber charter schools, he added.

Jensen and other charter advocates emphasized that the reforms they see that need to be made are ones that empower families, expand opportunities for charter students, and move away from the status quo one-size-fits-all mindset.

While the charter advocates say the governors proposal cements the status quo, Ciresi, a former school board member, argued it would do just the opposite. Ciresi said Wolfs plan would challenge charter schools to do better while giving school boards insight they lack now into what is happening with the tax dollars that districts send to charter schools.

I think that this is moving us in a direction to be able to work together with our charter schools and improve whats happening, Ciresi said.

Numerous past efforts to reform the states 24-year-old charter school law have been made but have always fallen short of reaching the governors desk.But the lawmakers who joined Wolf during his news conference think this time could be different.

Williams said she has had conversations with Republican colleagues specifically about charter school funding. I think there is more than ever an appetite to deal with the problems that have been happening for years and get to a solution, she said.

Ciresi added that another factor is due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts that have been forced to initiate cyber programs, so they now know what they didnt before. They know what its like to be a cyber school.

So we have more insight than we ever had before because of the pandemic, he said.

Wolf indicated none of these changes can be made by him unilaterally. But he said he has directed the Department of Education to review how some cyber schools spent their federal emergency CARES Act funds to ensure the schools followed federal laws and regulations.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Yes, Theyre Open is a web series highlighting local bars and restaurants that are open for takeout, delivery, pickup or dining during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Live streams from the featured restaurants are broadcast on the Advance Facebook page every weekday at around 3 p.m.

On Friday, the Advance/ SILive.com visited Grand Sahara Mediterranean Grill at 1828 Hylan Blvd., which is open for indoor dining, pickup and delivery from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Visit grandsaharagrill.com or call 718-980-1968 to place an order.

YES, THEYRE OPEN: Grand Sahara Mediterranean Grill offers indoor dining, pick up and borough-wide delivery at 1828 Hylan Blvd. The restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Visit grandsaharagrill.com or call 718-980-1968 for orders. Posted by Staten Island Advance on Friday, February 26, 2021

Staten Island restaurant owners: If you would like your establishment featured for free as part of Yes, Theyre Open, email reporter Victoria Priola at vpriola@siadvance.com.

WANT MORE YES, THEYRE OPEN?

Check out the listings below or check out all of our previous coverage here.

Palermo Pizzeria & Restaurant, 95 Page Ave.

Ungaro Coal Fired Pizza Cafe, 1298 Forest Ave.

Bocelli Restaurant, 1250 Hylan Blvd.

Jimmy Max, 280 Watchogue Rd.

Trattoria Toscana, 4200 Hylan Blvd.
Amnesty International accused Eritrean forces on Friday of killing hundreds of civilians in northern Ethiopia over 24 hours last year, an incident it described as a potential crime against humanity.

Eritrea rejected the accusations. But an Ethiopian state human rights body issued a statement that also described such killings, though with fewer details. It was a rare official acknowledgment from Ethiopia that Eritrean troops participated in the conflict during the government's crackdown in the Tigray region last year.

Amnesty said it had spoken to 41 witnesses who described the mass killings of "many hundreds of civilians" by Eritrean troops in Axum, an ancient city in northern Ethiopia.

The killings took place during a 24-hour period from Nov. 28-29, Amnesty said. That coincides with the date that Ethiopian government forces separately captured Tigray's regional capital Mekelle from forces loyal to a local political party the central government had accused of rebelling.

Amnesty said the Axum killings were retaliation for an attack by local militia, and that Eritrean soldiers executed men and boys in the streets and engaged in extensive looting.

Eritrea has consistently denied that its troops participated in the conflict on its neighbour's territory. Eritrea's information minister, Yemane Meskel, rejected Amnesty's report.

"Amnesty made absolutely no attempt to seek any information from Eritrea," he said on Twitter.

Reuters spoke to an ethnic Tigrayan man working in construction in the capital Addis Ababa, who said this week that Eritrean soldiers had shot dead six members of his family in Axum on Nov. 28, including his 17-year-old brother and 78-year-old father.

Everything our family had - all the happiness - has turned to darkness, the man said in a phone interview. Reuters was not able to reach people in Axum itself.

CONTENTIOUS

The participation of Eritrean forces in fighting in Tigray is among the most contentious issues arising from the conflict. Many Tigrayans say the Ethiopian army drew on support from Eritrean forces, former enemies, in the campaign.

Ethiopia has long denied that it allowed Eritrea to send troops to assist the government's military campaign. But it avoided any direct denial of the Amnesty International report on Friday.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Office said in a statement that it welcomed "international technical assistance" in joint investigations into alleged rights violations in Tigray.

A confidential U.S. government report says Ethiopian officials and allied militia fighters are leading a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing in Tigray, according to the New York Times, which said it obtained a copy of the report.

Fighters and officials from the neighbouring Amhara region of Ethiopia are "deliberately and efficiently rendering Western Tigray ethnically homogeneous through the organized use of force and intimidation," the Times quoted the report as saying.

The Times did not say which U.S. agency prepared the report. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

The state-run Ethiopian Human Rights Commission released a statement timed to coincide with the Amnesty report, saying preliminary investigations indicated that Eritrean soldiers had killed an unknown number of civilians in Axum.

It said the killings were in retaliation for an earlier attack by soldiers of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the region's ousted ruling party.

Reports of the mass killing took months to confirm; communications to Tigray were down for many weeks and media access has been tightly restricted, although that is now loosening slightly.

Mulu Nega, head of Tigrays government-appointed interim administration, told Reuters: The police and the judiciary are investigating.

Axum is a UNESCO World Heritage site, famed for its tall obelisks and ancient churches, including one reputed to house the biblical Ark of the Covenant.

Short link:


The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Iraq and Turkey are working out the opening of a new border crossing between the two countries in view of enhancing the prosperity and quality of life of the Iraqi people, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reports.

Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister, Adil Karaismailoglu made the announcement Thursday during a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart, Hussein Bandar.

The next phase will witness meetings between the public and private infrastructure companies in the two countries, Karaismailoglu said.

The two officials did not say when the opening will take place.
Supporters of the losing candidate in Nigers presidential election burnt tyres, threw rocks and set several buildings on fire on Thursday, in a third day of violent protests in the capital Niamey.



Nigers electoral commission on Tuesday declared ruling party candidate Mohamed Bazoum the winner of Sundays runoff election with 55.75 per cent of the vote, but his rival, Mahamane Ousmane, a former president, has alleged fraud and claimed he won with 50.3 per cent.



The election is meant to lead to the first transition from one democratically elected leader to another following four coups since independence from France in 1960. President Mahamadou Issoufou is stepping down after two five-year terms.



The national prosecutor said late on Wednesday that several people had been arrested in the protests. Internet access has also been severely limited since Wednesday.



On Thursday, small groups of Ousmane supporters again took to the streets to lob rocks at police and national guard troops, who responded by firing tear gas.



Some protesters set private houses on fire, including that of Radio France Internationale (RFI) correspondent Moussa Kaka, a Reuters witness said.



RFI said in a statement that Kaka and his family were safe and condemned what it called a grave attack on freedom of the press.



Ousmane, who served as president from 1993 until 1996, when he was overthrown by the military, said on Wednesday that he reserved the right to appeal the election result in the courts.



An observer mission from the Economic Community of West African States has said the vote was held under free, fair, credible and transparent conditions.



However, it was marred by two attacks that killed eight election workers in parts of Niger where Islamist militants regularly target civilians and the military.

Source: reuters.com









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

Featured Video
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.
Gene Brady, 25 Truma Road, Granard, Longford

The death occurred, peacefully in Mullingar General Hospital, on Friday, February 26 of Gene Brady, 25 Truma Road, Granard, Longford and formerly of 20 Colmcille Terrace, Granard, Co Longford. He is predeceased by his mother and father, Patrick and Margaret and his siblings. Gene will be sadly missed by his son Owen (Australia), brothers Johnny and Peter (UK), sisters Bridgie, Mena (UK), Maggie, May, Rosie and Frances, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, extended family, neighbours and his many friends. Always in our thoughts, forever in our hearts. Rest in Peace Gene.

Gene's funeral cortege will leave Mullingar General mortuary at 11am to arrive at St Mary's Church, Granard, on Monday, March 1 for Funeral Mass at 12 noon, followed by burial in Granardkille Cemetery. Mass will be restricted to 10 people. Family flowers only. Please adhere to social distancing guidelines at all times. Anyone who wishes to leave a message of sympathy can do so, by using the condolence link on RIP.ie

John Murphy, Killasonna, Granard, Longford

The death occurred, peacefully in England, on Monday, February 1 of John Murphy, Sheffield, England, and formerly of Killasonna, Granard, Longford. Sadly missed and always remembered by his brothers and sisters Martha, Patrick, Mel, Eileen and Maureen, his good friends Julie and Christopher, and all his relations and friends. May He Rest In Peace.

Funeral Mass on Sunday, February 28 at St Marys Church, Granard at 2pm followed by christian burial in Granardkille new cemetery. All covid 19 regulations will be adhered to. Messages of sympathy may be expressed through the RIP.ie condolences. Johns Funeral Mass can be viewed on this link https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/st-marys-church-granard

Cornelius (Con) O'Sullivan, Monkstown, Dublin / Limerick / Longford



The death occurred, peacefully, in the wonderful care of the staff in the Aclare Nursing Home, Dun Laoghaire, on Thursday, February 25 of Cornelius (Con, Our Man in Havana) OSullivan, Monkstown, Co Dublin and formerly of Limerick and Longford. Predeceased by his dear twin sister Grace, brother Tim and sister Marie. Very sadly missed by his beloved daughter Asta and her mother Veeva, brother Paul, nephews Emmett, Paul, David and Paddy, nieces Erin and Emily, cousin Michelle, extended family, his best friend Max, neighbours and friends in Ireland and Cuba. Descanse en Paz (May he rest in Peace).

Due to the current government restrictions, a family funeral will take place privately, but can be viewed online on Tuesday, March 2 at 10am using the following link: https://vimeo.com/event/153499 . Messages in lieu of attendance can be left in the Condolences section on RIP.ie.

Brigid Catherine Gordon (nee Connaughton), Kilmovee, Mayo / Newtowncashel, Longford / Ballaghaderreen, Roscommon



The death occurred, peacefully at her home, surrounded by her loving family, on Sunday, February 7 of Brigid Catherine Gordon (nee Connaughton), Oldfield Road, London and formerly Elfeet, Newtowncashel, Co Longford. Sadly missed but remembered with love by her husband Andy, daughters Louise, Brenda and Hannah, granddaughter Evie, brothers Gerry, Pat and Fr. Vincent (Ardagh), extended family, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. May She Rest in Peace.

Catherine will be removed from The Sharkey Funeral Home, Ballaghaderreen on Monday (March 1, 2021) at 11.30am to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Kilmovee arriving for Mass of the Resurrection at 12noon followed by interment in Naomh Mobhi cemetery. However, in line with Government and H.S.E advice regarding public gatherings, a small private funeral will be held. The Gordon family would ask that over the coming days, everyone who knew her would take some time to light a candle or say a prayer in her memory.

For those who would have liked to attend the Mass but cannot due to the current restrictions, Funeral Mass can be viewed here  Kilmovee Parish church webcam or via Facebook. Family flowers only, please.

The Gordon family understands and appreciates that people would like to offer their condolences, we would suggest you use the private on-line condolence page https://www.sharkeyfuneraldirectors.ie/bgordon

In keeping with HSE, NPHET and Public Health guidelines, attendance at funerals is limited. Please respect the privacy of the family during this difficult time. If you would like to pay your respects along the way, please join the static Guards of Honour as the funeral cortege makes its way. Please ensure you maintain the recommended social distancing at all times keeping to the 2-metre apart guideline.

Sue Lynch (nee Gilroy), Lacken Cross, Ballinagh, Cavan



The death occurred, peacefully at Wexford General Hospital with her three girls by her side, on Wednesday, February 24 of Sue Lynch (nee Gilroy), Lacken Cross, Ballinagh, Cavan. Beloved wife of the late Mel and loving and much loved mother of Jackie, Sharon and Aoife. Sue will be sadly missed by her heart broken daughters, sons-in-law, Colm and John, Aoife's partner Cormac, her beloved grandchildren Eoin, Sean, Amy, Diarmuid and Liam, her brother, Sean, sisters Rose, Patricia, Bernie, Gabrielle and Geraldine, sisters-in-law, Bernadette, and Lily, her brother-in-law, P.J. nieces,nephews and her wonderful neighbours and friends. May her gentle soul rest in peace.

Sue will arrive home to her beloved Lacken on Thursday, February 25. Funeral Mass on Saturday, February 27 at 12 noon in St. Michael's Church, Potahee, Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only please. Those who wish to leave a message for Sue's family may do so on the condolence link on RIP.ie. In keeping with government guidelines Sue Funeral Mass will be family only please. and will streamed live on https://vimeo.com/516424573

If you wish to have a death notice published on www.longfordleader.ie you can email it to newsroom@longfordleader.ie

And if you wish to submit an obituary for publication in the Longford Leader, you can submit it along with a photograph of the deceased to newsroom@longfordleader.ie

To sign up for the FREE Longford Leader daily newsletter CLICK HERE or on the image below;
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Friday said the lawmakers from Lagos will push very vigorously to ensure a huge chunk of the COVID-19 vaccines arriving the country come to the state

Mr Gbajabiamila said this at the 16th Executive/Legislative Parley, with the theme: A Consensus Agenda for Rebuilding Lagos, organised by the Lagos State Office of Civic Engagement.

We are all expectant of the COVID-19 vaccines and I believe every member from Lagos State in the National Assembly will make sure we pursue very vigorously and make sure that a good large number of those vaccine come to Lagos, the speaker said.

This is not debatable, we are having yardsticks, Lagos is the most populated in terms of density and in terms of even the COVID-19 itself, being the epicentre when it broke. So, I believe we will push and push hard to make sure that the vaccine gets to every Lagosian.

As of Saturday morning, Nigeria has recorded a total of 155,076 Coronavirus cases, with 600 new cases reported from 21 states on Friday, according to NCDC data.

Lagos State remains the epicentre of the virus in Nigeria with 55,550 cases and 407 deaths.

Nigeria is set to receive four million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines as the first batch of vaccines expected in the country.

Meanwhile, the speaker said the Lagos representatives in the National Assembly would continue to exercise their privileges in attracting more federal presence in the various constituencies and senatorial districts.

We need one another to succeed in our electoral promises to our people.

Rebuilding Lagos

Mr Gbajabiamila also harped on the need to rebuild Lagos owing to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the mayhem that attended the #EndSARS protest on the state.

According to him, nation-building is a joint task, just like the pursuit of excellence, hence, the need for all to work together to build a greater and better Lagos.

We need unity across the arms of government. This unity does not mean subservience by one arm to the other and it is not a justification for failure to hold one another to the highest standards.

The way the Lagos State Government has come together to seek solutions to problems, confront and overcome challenges jointly is a testimony to what can be achieved when we work together.

The storm has gone but we remain. Surviving challenges and marching toward progress and prosperity is the story of Lagos State.

The governor, his cabinet members, state legislators and other departments of the state government are not alone in this rebuilding process. You have the unwavering support of members of the National Assembly from this state.

Lagos State is a trust placed in the hands of all of us who serve in government and we must show that we are worthy of the responsibility and honour and preserve that trust, he said.

Mr Gbajabiamila urged the executive and legislature to remodel the economy, social life, education, health, moral values and the way things were done, apart from rebuilding the infrastructure.

On his part, the Speaker of the Lagos State Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, urged the organisers to sustain the annual programme, as there was the need to engage policy makers and interact.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mr Obasa urged that the engagement should not be limited to public officers, adding that the civil society and the youth had a critical role to play in attaining the goal.

He said that the youth needed reorientation, in order to ensure that they were tailored in line with the desired values in the state.

(NAN)

While coronavirus deaths tend to fluctuate more than cases and hospital admissions, Dr. Walensky said the most recent seven-day average was slightly higher than the average earlier in the week. The seven-day average of newly reported deaths was 2,165, as of Thursday.

We at C.D.C. consider this a very concerning shift in the trajectory, she said, adding, I want to be clear: Cases, hospital admissions and deaths  all remain very high and the recent shift in the pandemic must be taken extremely seriously.

Dr. Walensky said some of the rise may be attributable to new variants of the coronavirus that spread more efficiently and quickly. The so-called B.1.1.7 variant, which first emerged in Britain, now accounts for approximately 10 percent of all cases in the United States, up from 1 percent to 4 percent a few weeks ago, she said.

The United States ability to track variants is much less robust than Britains. Even so, data gathered by the C.D.C. shows the number of cases with the variant in the country has risen from 76 in 12 states as of Jan. 13 to more than 2,100 in 45 states as of Thursday. But the actual infections may be much higher because of inadequate surveillance efforts.

I know people are tired; they want to get back to life, to normal, Dr. Walensky said. But were not there yet.

Dr. Walenskys strong and vocal warnings made clear that in the Biden administration, unlike the Trump administration, the C.D.C. director was being given a powerful voice. Under President Donald J. Trump, the agency was all but silenced after one of its top officials, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, told reporters almost exactly a year ago that the coronavirus would cause severe disruptions to American life.

At the same time, administration officials tried to spotlight their efforts to guide the nation out of the pandemic, including ramping up the national coronavirus vaccination campaign, acquiring new therapeutics and drawing the private sector into the fight.
IN the space of one month, the families of 326 people were left in shock and heartbreak after losing their loved ones to the Covid-19 virus.

May 2021 was the deadliest month of the pandemic in Trinidad and Tobago and the month with the highest number of Covid-19 cases.

Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
A teenager is facing a court date after an early-morning car chase that resulted in a Garda patrol car being rammed.

According to a post shared to An Garda Siochanas Laois Offaly Facebook page, a vehicle sped off as officers from Tullamore Garda Station attempted to make a routine traffic stop.

A Garda pursuit ensued involving numerous Garda units co-ordinated by Command and Control, Dublin during which one Garda patrol vehicle was rammed, Gardai posted on their social media page.

The driver was quickly apprehended in Tullamore town centre having lost control of the vehicle which crashed into a roadside barrier.

A spokesperson added The driver was arrested and charged with numerous offences including dangerous driving, driving without a drivers licence and driving without valid insurance.

Expand Close The teen evaded gardai but later crashed his car / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The teen evaded gardai but later crashed his car

Read More

An investigation file is now being compiled with a view to further charges.

The Garda Press Office confirmed that Gardai in Tullamore were investigating an incident of dangerous driving that occurred in the early hours of this morning, Saturday 27th February 2021.

A male, aged in his late teens, was arrested and taken to Tullamore Garda Station, a Garda spokesperson said.

He has since been charged in relation to this matter and is due to appear in Tullamore District Court next month.

Gardai are also preparing a file for the DPP in relation to further potential charges.


A full-page ad by a large coalition of Canadian Trade unions and community organizations in the Toronto Star newspaper in support for the struggle of Indias farmers

Statement of Solidarity with Farmers of India

The farmers agitation for the repeal of the pro-corporate farm laws has become the largest and longest sustained non-violent movement in Indian history, surpassing Mahatma Gandhis historic Dandi March against the abhorrent Salt Law of the British colonial regime.

The Modi regime rammed the farm laws stealthily through Parliament in September 2020, using its brute majority in the Lok Sabha, resorting to the questionable maneuver of a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha where it did not have a majority, and counting on the pandemic to muffle opposition outside Parliament. These laws were drafted without any consultation with farmers or their representatives, the farmers unions. The farmers have consistently opposed these laws, which go against the promises and commitments made to farmers by different governments over several decades. This is especially ironic given that Prime Minister Modis BJP campaigned on a pro-farmer platform, including making a minimum support price (MSP) mandatory and implementing the Swaminathan Report that is critical to saving Indias agriculture and farmers. The laws blatantly advance the interests of Modis crony corporate capitalists, such as Ambani and Adani, against those of the vast majority of the agricultural sector, effectively throwing farmers to the corporate sharks.

The government and its propaganda machines, acting in the interests of a narrower and more exclusively corporate elite than any government has in independent Indias history, have concentrated not on finding solutions but on delegitimizing the protests and all who support them as representing special interests (large and rich farmers) in prosperous states. Nothing can be further from the truth. This movement goes back to at least to 2017 and the unions associated with it represent a wide cross section of the farming community from across the country - from agricultural labour to marginal, small and medium peasantry. The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) represents 250 organizations from 20 states, a unique broad coalition, from Dalit agricultural laborers to small and middle peasants. In fact it is the AIKSSC which through a private members bill (supported by 21 political parties other than the BJP) introduced in 2018 a reform agenda towards making farming debt-free and sustainable.

For several months the hundreds of thousands of farmers protesting peacefully on the borders of the national capital have faced and withstood brutal repressive policing including water cannons, tear gas and barricades in the near freezing conditions of a Delhi winter. 220 farmers have died as a result of the harsh conditions, a few unfortunately by their own hands as despair overcame them. The full participation of women in the protests, whether as tractor drivers or marchers, is another notable feature of the farmers agitation. Denying and defying the patriarchal stereotypes of rural north India through their participation in the protests, the women have demonstrated their full status as farmers on par with men. Another feature is the participation of older farmers, some in their 80s, providing evidence of the determination of the entire farm community to defy the diktats of a repressive regime.

After the attempt of the regime to subvert the non-violent peaceful protest demonstrations on January 26, the farmers agitation has now entered a new phase. First, the already growing support for it from farmers across India is now even stronger, with vast gatherings or mahapanchayats of farmers held in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab. Second, with the states vilification and criminalization of the farmers and those who have come out in support of them, including youth, journalists and human rights defenders, the movement has now acquired the character of a broad-based attempt to defend the very democratic rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution, most importantly, the freedom of speech and assembly and the right of peaceful dissent from and opposition to the actions and policies of the government. Third, the recent declarations of support for the farm laws by the IMF and the US government indicate the range of forces backing them, adding an anti-imperialist dimension to the struggle against them.

As organizations that work to extend and defend democratic rights, we recognize that an attack on such rights anywhere is an attack on them everywhere. The farmers are literally sacrificing their well-being and putting their lives on the line to uphold these constitutional guarantees on behalf of all the people of India and are setting a glorious example to the entire world. Their heroism and their sacrifice deserve our strong support and our undying gratitude.

We salute the heroism of the farmers and pay homage to the departed souls who sacrificed their all to the larger cause. We demand that the Government of India stop vilifying the movement and criminalising the human and democratic rights defenders and others who are part of the widespread support for it from diverse sections of Indian people.

We support the farmers demands that the Government of India take the following actions:

REPEAL THE UNJUST PRO-CORPORATE FARM LAWS

REPEAL THE ELECTRICITY ACT

REPEAL THE POLLUTION PENALTY ON FARMERS

EXTEND MSP AT SWAMINATHAN COMMISSION RECOMMENDED RATE OF C2+50% TO ALL FARM PRODUCTS

PROVIDE WRITTEN GUARANTEE OF MSP

Signatories:

Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)/ Congres du travail du Canada (CTC)

Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL)

British Columbia Teachers Federation (BCTF)

Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)/ Syndicat canadien de la function publique (SCFP)

Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)/ Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses des postes (STTP)

Conseil central du Montreal metropolitain  CSN

Federation nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Quebec-CSN

Hospital Employees Union (HEU)

Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL)

Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL)

Saskatchewan Federation of Labour

Unifor National

United Steelworkers (USW)/Le Syndicat des Metallos, Canada

Toronto and York Region Labour Council

Vancouver & District Labour Council

Academics and Activists Against Hate, Canada

Alternatives, Montreal

Alternatives International

Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas (ABAT)

Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance, UK

Asian Canadian Labour Alliance (ACLA)

Les Artistes pour la Paix

Between the Lines Books, Toronto

Campaign Against Criminalising Communities, UK

Canadian Foreign Policy Institute

Canadians Against Oppression and Persecution

Caring for Social Justice Collective/Collectif Soignons la justice sociale, Quebec

CareMongering International

Centre de travailleurs et travailleuses immigrant/es/Immigrant Workers Centre (CTI/IWC), Montreal

Centre for Study and Research in South Asia (CERAS), Montreal

Collectif-CEDETIM, France

The Corner House, UK

Crescent Hub, The

Community Food Centres Canada/ Centres communautaires dalimentation du Canada

Dalit Solidarity Forum-USA

Democracy Equality and Secularism in South Asia, Winnipeg

Disha, Canada

East India Defence Committee, Vancouver

ETC Group, Quebec

Europe solidaire sans frontieres (ESSF), France

Federation des femmes du Quebec (FFQ)/Quebec Womens Federation

Femmes de diverses origines/Women of Diverse Origins (FDO-WDO), Montreal

Fernwood Publishing, Halifax and Winnipeg

Foundation the London Story Netherlands

Geopolitical Economy Research Group

Global Justice Ecology Project

Good Jobs for All Coalition, Toronto

Gursharan Singh Memorial Lecture Committee, Vancouver

Himalaya Seniors of Quebec (HSQ)

Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR)

Hospital Employees Union (HEU), Vancouver, BC

India Civil Watch International (ICWI)

India Civil Watch-Montrreal

India Solidarity, Germany

Indian Resistance Network, Norway

Indian Scheduled Caste Welfare Association UK

Indian Workers Association GB (COC), UK

Justice for All

Justicia for Migrant Workers (J4MW), Canada

Khanyisa Education and Development Trust, South Africa

Kurdish Peoples Assembly, UK

The Kurdish Womens Initiative in the UK

Makukhanye Rural Movement, South Africa

Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL)

Montreal Serai

Pakistan Organization of Quebec (POQ)

Pash Memorial International Trust

Peace in Kurdistan, UK

Peoples Health Movement Canada/Mouvement populaire pour la sante au Canada

Progressive Cultural Association, Calgary

Punjabi Cultural Association (PCA) Edmonton.

Punjabi Literary and Cultural Association, Winnipeg

Qualitative Research Lab-Global South

Quebec Movement for Peace

Respecting Elders Communities against Abuse/Ressources Ethnoculturelles Contre lAbus envers les Aine(e)s (RECAA), Montreal

Rete jin Milano and CISDA (Italian Coordination in Support of Afghan Women)

Ryerson Centre for Studies in Food Security, Toronto

Sarokaran Di Awaaz, Toronto

Secular Peoples Association, Edmonton

Shri Guru Ravidas Sabha Derby (UK)

Sikh Virsa International, Calgary

SOAS India Society (School of Oriental and African Studies, London, UK)

The Social Justice Centre, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, B.C.

Socialist Project, Canada

Society for Socialist Studies, Canada

South Asian Dalit and Adivasi Network (SADAN)

South Asian Womens Community Centre (SAWCC)/Centre communautaire des femmes sud-asiatiques, Montreal

Southall Black Sisters, UK

South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD)

South Asian Youth (SAY) Collective/Collectif jeuneusse sud-asiatiques (JSA)/, Montreal

South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, South Africa

Taraksheel Cultural Society of Canada

Teesri Duniya, Montreal

Unitarian Church of Montreal/Eglise unitarienne de Montreal

Voices Against Fascism in India

West Coast Coalition Against Racism (WCCAR), Vancouver

Women Defend Rojava, UK

Centre detudes et de ressources sur lAsie du Sud (CERAS)

cerasmontreal[at]gmail.com

South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD)

sansad[at]sansad.org
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
ADVERTISEMENT

The Nigerian Army in Cross River State has handed over two suspected drug dealers to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.

Effanga Effanga, 37, and Eno-Obong Udeme, 34, were arrested on Thursday and Friday by some soldiers attached to the Cross River Government security outfit called Operation Akpakwu.

The Officer Commanding 13 Brigade Provost Company, Stanley Ikpeme, a major, did the handing over to officials of the NDLEA on behalf of the Commander, Mohammed Abdullahi, a brigadier-general, in Calabar.

These suspects were arrested by our troops at Nelson Mandela Street in Calabar and Ekpenyong Ekpo in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River for peddling in substances suspected to be drugs.

Consequently, I am directed to hand over the suspects and the drugs to officials of the NDLEA for further investigations and possible prosecution.

You are, please, requested to furnish this office with the outcome of the investigation to enable us to update our records, Mr Ikpeme said.

Abubakar Mohammed, a principal staff officer operations, NDLEA, Cross River State, received the suspects on behalf of the agency.

Operation Akpakwu, set up by the state government to rid the state of crimes, has lately been demolishing buildings, including hotels, linked to crimes in the state.

(NAN)

This paper shows the statistical validity of the farm size and crop productivity relationship after five decades of the advent of the green revolution. The results indicate that the inverse effect of farm size on productivity is visible at an aggregate level, but the relationship varies across crops. After controlling the farm-specific characteristics, the inverse relationship is even stronger in the eastern and central states for cereals and oilseeds, but the relationship is either neutral or positive for non-grain high-value crops in Punjab and Haryana. The inverse relationship between farm size and productivity relationship is not significant in agriculturally advanced states because of the capital intensive use of land by medium and large farmers. From a policy perspective, larger farm size with a higher level of irrigation intensity and input use can explain the higher productivity level and variation in farm size and productivity relationship across states.

The most crucial concern of agriculture in India is the growing marginalisation and increased inequality in land distribution. The inverse relationship (hereafter, IR) between farm size and productivity is a stylised fact in many developing countries, including India (Bardhan 1973). The advantageous position of small farms was first conceptualised in the Chayanovian model of small is beautiful where family labour-led small farmers had relative superiority in terms of productivity (Chaianov and Cajanov 1986). In India, around 86% of total holdings are marginal and small constituting 46% of operated land (Agriculture Census 201516). In this context, agricultural productivity is a sine qua non for the economic betterment of a large section of farmers in India. With increasing urbanisation and transformation in land use patterns to non-farm activities in the countryside, an essential way to ensure food security and agricultural growth is augmenting the level of crop productivity.
Jordan Bradley Jake McClintock is accused of killing Jason Martin last June

A teenager has formally denied the murder of a Ballymena man.

Jordan Bradley Jake McClintock is accused of killing Jason Martin last June.

The 18-year-old, of Orkney Drive, Ballymena, appeared at Belfast Crown Court via videolink for arraignment yesterday.

When the charge was put to him that he murdered Mr Martin on June 27 last year, McClintock replied: "Not guilty".

Defence counsel Barra McGrory QC confirmed to Mr Justice O'Hara that McClintock was due to see a consultant psychiatrist next month.

He added that the defence would then consider the report to determine "what line of defence may be available".

Asked by the senior judge "is there any dispute that Mr McClintock did the act which led to Mr Martin's death?", Mr McGrory replied: "I don't think there is any dispute in that regard".

Mr Justice O'Hara said he was keen to "push on with the case".

The case was listed for review on April 28. No date for trial was set and McClintock was remanded back into custody.
Industry Minister Sung Yun-mo, third from left, poses with provincial governors during a meeting commemorating the establishment of five industrial clusters at the Four Seasons Hotel in central Seoul, Feb. 23. From left, the governors are North Jeolla Province Governor Song Ha-jin, North Chungcheong Province Governor Lee Si-jong, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, South Chungcheong Province Governor Yang Seung-jo and South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo. Yonhap



By Baek Byung-yeul



The COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges to the supply of goods around the world, and the government is rolling up its sleeves to boost the competence of Korea's materials, parts and equipment industries in order to lower the country's dependence on foreign suppliers.



The pandemic also demonstrated to the global industry the importance of global value chains as international trade suffered a severe decline. Even before being hit by the pandemic, the government has been trying to nurture the capabilities of local industries to cut off their heavy reliance on Japanese firms since Tokyo imposed restrictions on high-tech materials in 2019.



The government's efforts to help speed up the localization of domestic industries is still ongoing as the Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy designated five regions as industrial clusters specializing in materials, parts and equipment. Every manufacturing process, ranging from processing materials to completing a product, will be done at the clusters, the minister said.



The five places include Yongin in Gyeonggi Province, which will be specialized as a cluster for the semiconductor industry; Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province for secondary batteries; Cheonan in South Chungcheong Province for displays; Jeonju in North Jeolla Province for carbon materials; and Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province for precision machines.



The industry ministry said these clusters will help boost the competitiveness of each industry by cooperating closely with local research institutions as well as large companies such as chip giant SK hynix in Yongin, battery giant LG Energy Solution in North Chungcheong Province, display giant Samsung Display in Cheonan, materials company Hyosung Advanced Materials in North Jeolla Province and Doosan Machine Tools in South Gyeongsang Province.



To help small companies stay rooted in each cluster, the government will also provide subsidies. Core infrastructure facilities for electricity, roads, gas, sewage and wastewater disposal will also be provided, the ministry added.



Industry Minister Sung Yun-mo said the five industrial clusters must play a pivotal role helping Korean companies source more parts at home when industries are experiencing severe changes in the way they obtain key materials and parts.



"An industry can enhance its capability and achieve innovation when it is able to secure a stable supply chain of materials, parts and equipment. The industrial clusters will become a starting point of achieving that goal," the minister said.





Seen is a concept image of an industrial cluster for the semiconductor business, which will be located in Yongin, south of Seoul. Courtesy of Gyeonggi Province
World Uyghur Congress president Dolkun Isa is shown at the United Nations in an undated photo.

The United Nations lead official for human rights called on Friday for a full and independent investigation of human rights abuses in northwest Chinas Xinjiang region, where reports say over a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities have been held in a vast network of internment camps since 2017.

Speaking to the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said her office has been working with China without success for over two years to find mutually agreeable parameters for a visit to China.

In the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region [XUAR], information that is in the public domain indicates the need for independent and comprehensive assessment of the human rights situation, Bachelet said on Friday.

Bachelet added that her office is investigating reports of widespread abusesincluding arbitrary detention and sexual violencein the camps, which have been described by China as vocational training centers, though reporting by RFAs Uyghur Service and other media outlets shows that detainees are mostly held against their will in crowded and unsanitary conditions.

Reports indicate that the camps, in which detainees are subjected to political indoctrination by Chinese officials and guards, are used by China as punishment for signs of extremism, which authorities say include practicing basic forms of Islam, adhering to cultural traditions, and violating strict family-planning policies.

Speaking to RFA, Dolkun Isapresident of the Germany-based exile World Uyghur Congresswelcomed Bachelets call on Friday for an investigation into Chinese rights abuses in Xinjiang.

And we encourage High Commissioner Bachelet to visit East Turkestan to assess Chinas Uyghur genocide with unfettered access, Isa said, referring to Xinjiang by the name preferred by many Uyghurs for their historic homeland.

Bachelet should be cautious, though, and refuse any preconditions placed by China on her visit should it materialize, because China will manipulate her visit in order to deny the reality of the Uyghur genocide, Isa said.

Findings of genocide

The Dutch House of Representatives voted on Thursday to recognize Chinas abuses in the XUAR as genocide, becoming the first parliament in Europe to do so as pressure mounts on Western leaders to boycott the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

The move followed a similar resolution passed by Canadas House of Commons last week and an official designation by the U.S. of the situation in the region as genocide in January.

It is now imperative that the U.N. prioritize this 21st century genocide at the highest level and seriously address it at the U.N. Human Rights Council and U.N. Security Council, Isa said.

Its simply not enough to raise [this issue] once a year at the Human Rights Council and repeatedly accept Chinas ill-intentioned and hollow invitation to visit East Turkestan.

If Never Again means anything to the U.N., U.N. General Secretary Gutierrez should publicly denounce Chinas genocide of the Uyghur people and take the lead to stop this 21st century genocide, Isa said.

Or the U.N. will be seen in the future as complicit for having taken no meaningful action to stop Chinas genocide of the Uyghur people.

Reported and translated by Alim Seytoff for RFAs Uyghur Service. Written in English by Richard Finney.
President Joe Biden heralded the House's passage of his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill in brief remarks Saturday morning.

'For a few weeks now, an overwhelming percentage of American public has made it clear that they support my American Rescue Plan. And the House of Representatives took the first step toward making it a reality,' the president said.

He thanked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her 'extraordinary leadership' though didn't answer reporters' questions about the bill receiving no Republican support.

President Joe Biden gave remarks Saturday morning about the House's passage of his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi early Saturday morning at the moment the bill passed

Later Saturday, President Joe Biden (left) and first lady Jill Biden (right) headed to Wilmington, Delaware for the weekend

The House passed the bill in the early hours of Saturday morning with every GOP member voting against the plan and two Democrats, Reps. Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Jared Golden of Maine, joining Republican ranks.

The Biden White House has pointed to polling data, that showed Republican voters supportive of the bill, to argue that it actually did have bipartisan support.

With the House's Democratic majority's vote, Biden said the country was 'one step closer to vaccinating the nation.'

'We're one step closer to putting $1,400 in the pockets of Americans,' Biden continued. 'We are one step closer to extending unemployment benefits for millions of Americans who are shortly going to lose them.'

Overall, Americans within certain income brackets will receive $2,000 stimulus checks, as the previous COVID relief bill included $600 checks.

'We are one step closer to helping millions of Americans feed their families and keep a roof over their head. We're one step closer to getting our kids safely back in school. And we're one step closer to getting state and local governments the money they need to prevent massive layoffs for essential workers,' the president continued.

Biden then urged for the Senate to move the bill to his desk quickly.

The Senate parliamentarian ruled that a $15 minimum wage hike couldn't be included in the bill if it were to go through using the process of reconciliation.

Democrats plan to use reconciliation to get the COVID relief bill through because they don't have 60 votes - meaning the support of 10 Republicans - to get it through normal order.

The House passed the bill in the early hours of Saturday morning with every GOP member voting against the plan and two Democrats, Reps. Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Jared Golden of Maine, joining Republican ranks

'We're one step closer to putting $1,400 in the pockets of Americans,' Biden said

'We are one step closer to extending unemployment benefits for millions of Americans who are shortly going to lose them,' he added

While progressive Democrats have been pushing for the $15 minimum wage increase - and Biden has said he supports it - not having it in the Senate bill will make it easier to pass.

'We have no time to waste,' Biden said. 'If we act now decisively, quickly and boldly, we can finally get ahead of this virus. We can finally get our economy moving again. And the people of this country have suffered far too much for too long. We need to relieve that suffering.'

'The American Rescue Plan does just that. It relieves the suffering, and it's time to act,' he said.

Biden then peeled off.

He also didn't answer questions about whether he'll punish the Saudi crown prince for ordering the operation that killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Later Saturday, Biden flew home to Wilmington, Delaware, where he plans to spend the weekend.

Since being sworn in, this will be his second trip home and third weekend away, as he also spent a weekend with his family at the presidential retreat, Camp David.
By Lynn Warburton



The Globe and Mails Report on Business magazine is launching Changemakers, a new annual list of 50 emerging leaders changing business based on their ideas, accomplishments and impact. Four are from SFUs Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship, having participated in intersectional programs where students unleash their entrepreneurial mindset to make positive impacts. All have participated in Coast Capital Savings Venture Connection, the innovation hub and incubator where participants get unique support for their ideas often going on to create great organizations.

The Globe says, A global pandemic. Political uncertainty. Climate change. Economic volatility. The challenges facing Canadas business community are significant. They wont be solved by business as usual. Solving these problems will require people with bold notions. People developing new products, services and ways of doing business. People who know how to turn ideas into impact. Venture Connection Director, Janice OBriain says, Becoming a changemaker doesnt happen overnight. The winners have been on personal entrepreneurial journeys supported through various academic and applied entrepreneurship programs. Theyre all multiple award winners. All are breaking down barriers with their optimism and determination to make change. And were so proud to support them.

Introducing the SFU winners of the first annual G&M Changemakers awards:
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be hosting his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' on Sunday (February 28) at 11 am. This will be the 73rd episode of Modis monthly radio programme.

The programme is scheduled to come a day ahead of the Budget Day, when the Union Budget for 2021-22 will be announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

This episode also comes a month after the January 26 Republic day violence, when the agitated farmers protesting against the new farm bill clashed with the police and rushed to the historic Red Fort in the national capital.

Additionally, it has been more than two months since the farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh camped outside the boundaries of the national capital to protest against the new farm laws.

Earlier, the Prime Minister tweeted from his official social media account inviting thoughts and ideas for this months programme. "Through inspiring examples, January's #MannKiBaat highlighted diverse topics ranging from art, culture, tourism and agri innovation. Would love to hear more such motivating anecdotes for the programme in February, which will take place on the 28th," PM Modi tweeted and shared a link for the people inviting ideas for the next 'Mann Ki Baat'.

Through inspiring examples, Januarys #MannKiBaat highlighted diverse topics ranging from art, culture, tourism and agri innovation. Would love to hear more such motivating anecdotes for the programme in February, which will take place on the 28th. https://t.co/p0Xen3YXuC pic.twitter.com/dSlNqAf9Ut  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 15, 2021

Mann Ki Baat is a medium for the Prime Minister Modi's to connect with the people of the nation. In this monthly radio programme he shares his thoughts and views with the people of the country. The programme is broadcasted on the last Sunday of every month.

Live TV
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
WASHINGTON  The House approved a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill early Saturday in a win for President Joe Biden, even as top Democrats tried assuring agitated progressives that theyd revive their derailed drive to boost the minimum wage.

The new presidents vision for flushing cash to individuals, businesses, states and cities battered by COVID-19 passed on a near party-line 219-212 vote. That ships the massive measure to the Senate, where Democrats seem bent on resuscitating their minimum wage push and fights could erupt over state aid and other issues.

Democrats said the still-faltering economy and the half-million American lives lost demanded quick, decisive action. GOP lawmakers, they said, were out of step with a public that polling shows largely views the bill favorably.

I am a happy camper tonight, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said Friday. This is what America needs. Republicans, you ought to be a part of this. But if youre not, were going without you.

Republicans said the bill was too expensive and said too few education dollars would be spent quickly to immediately reopen schools. They said it was laden with gifts to Democratic constituencies like labor unions and funneled money to Democratic-run states they suggested didnt need it because their budgets had bounced back.

To my colleagues who say this bill is bold, I say its bloated, said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. To those who say its urgent, I say its unfocused. To those who say its popular, I say it is entirely partisan.

Moderate Democratic Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregon were the only two lawmakers to cross party lines. That sharp partisan divide is making the fight a showdown over who voters will reward for heaping more federal spending to combat the coronavirus and revive the economy atop the $4 trillion approved last year.

The battle is also emerging as an early test of Bidens ability to hold together his partys fragile congressional majorities  just 10 votes in the House and an evenly divided 50-50 Senate.

At the same time, Democrats were trying to figure out how to assuage progressives who lost their top priority in a jarring Senate setback Thursday.

That chambers nonpartisan parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, said Senate rules require that a federal minimum wage increase would have to be dropped from the COVID-19 bill, leaving the proposal on life support. The measure would gradually lift that minimum to $15 hourly by 2025, doubling the current $7.25 floor in effect since 2009.

Hoping to revive the effort in some form, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is considering adding a provision to the Senate version of the COVID-19 relief bill that would penalize large companies that dont pay workers at least $15 an hour, said a senior Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations.

That was in line with ideas floated Thursday night by Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a chief sponsor of the $15 plan, and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to boost taxes on corporations that dont hit certain minimum wage targets.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., offered encouragement, too, calling a minimum wage increase a financial necessity for our families, a great stimulus for our economy and a moral imperative for our country. She said the House would absolutely approve a final version of the relief bill because of its widespread benefits, even if it lacked progressives treasured goal.

While Democratic leaders were eager to signal to rank-and-file progressives and liberal voters that they would not yield on the minimum wage fight, their pathway was unclear because of GOP opposition and questions over whether they had enough Democratic support.

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal, D-Mass., sidestepped a question on taxing companies that dont boost pay, saying of Senate Democrats, I hesitate to say anything until they decide on a strategy.

Progressives were demanding that the Senate press ahead anyway on the minimum wage increase, even if it meant changing that chambers rules and eliminating the filibuster, a tactic that requires 60 votes for a bill to move forward.

Were going to have to reform the filibuster because we have to be able to deliver, said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., a progressive leader.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., another high-profile progressive, also said Senate rules must be changed, telling reporters that when Democrats meet with their constituents, We cant tell them that this didnt get done because of an unelected parliamentarian.

Traditionalists of both parties  including Biden, who served as a senator for 36 years  have opposed eliminating filibusters because they protect parties interests when they are in the Senate minority. Biden said weeks ago that he didnt expect the minimum wage increase to survive the Senates rules.

Pelosi, too, seemed to shy away from dismantling Senate procedures, saying, We will seek a solution consistent with Senate rules, and we will do so soon.

The House COVID-19 bill includes the minimum wage increase, so the real battle over its fate will occur when the Senate debates its version over the next two weeks.

The overall relief bill would provide $1,400 payments to individuals, extend emergency unemployment benefits through August and increase tax credits for children and federal subsidies for health insurance.

It also provides billions for schools and colleges, state and local governments, COVID-19 vaccines and testing, renters, food producers and struggling industries like airlines, restaurants, bars and concert venues.

Democrats are pushing the relief measure through Congress under special rules that will let them avoid a Senate GOP filibuster, meaning that if they are united they wont need any Republican votes.

It also lets the bill move faster, a top priority for Democrats who want the bill on Bidens desk before the most recent emergency jobless benefits end on March 14.

But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an incidental impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. MacDonough decided that the minimum wage provision failed that test.

Republicans oppose the $15 minimum wage target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs.

--The Associated Press
Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier?

Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop.

Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News

Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time.

Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up!

Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page.
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)  Delaware transportation work crews discovered a pickup truck with the body inside of a Pennsylvania man that authorities later determined had gone down an embankment on a busy highway more than a week earlier, police said.

Transportation workers on Interstate 495 in Wilmington noticed damage to a guardrail along the northbound lanes on Thursday. They later found the Ford truck at least 200 feet (61 meters) off the highway, Delaware State Police Cpl. Jason Hatchell said.

Police later determined the motorist, identified only by authorities so far as a 65-year-old man from Chester, Pennsylvania, had been traveling in the area just before midnight on Feb. 17, The News Journal of Wilmington reported.

Police said for unknown reasons the pickup veered off the driveway, ultmately overturning mutliple times along the embankment.
Congratulations, guidance4yoursoul.net got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

Guidance4yoursoul.net scored 94 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 4.5/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 24 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

guidance4yoursoul.net is very popular in Facebook. It has 28 twitter followers. Furthermore its facebook page has 583 likes.

The total number of people who shared the guidance4yoursoul homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the guidance4yoursoul homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the guidance4yoursoul homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the guidance4yoursoul homepage on Twitter + the total number of guidance4yoursoul followers (if guidance4yoursoul has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the guidance4yoursoul homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if guidance4yoursoul has a Facebook fan page).

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Guidance For Your Soul :: Quran Recites, Books, Articles, Videos, Software, Islamic Virtual Tours DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS quran, islamic, coran, quran in, books, your soul, guidance



The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English (United States) WINDOWS-1252English (United States) DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Type of server and offered services. The language of guidance4yoursoul.net as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0)

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for guidance4yoursoul.net by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/guidanceforyoursoul?ref=hl DESCRIPTION        LIKES 583 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 258 PAGE TYPE Education website TIMELINE PAGE TIMELINE

The total number of people who like website Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK FOUND TWITTER PAGE twitter.com/#!/GuidanceForSoul DESCRIPTION Learn more about Islam. ACCOUNT CREATED ON 10 Sep 2009 LOCATION Saudi Arabia TWEETS 698 FOLLOWERS 28 LISTED 0
New Delhi: The worlds renowned education institutes as well as numerous countries have hailed the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 of India.

Many institutes have called it the worlds biggest reform and has exhibited interest in implementing it, said Ramesh Pokhriyal "Nishank", Union Education Minister on Saturday (February 27).

The Union Education Minister while addressing the 97th annual convocation of Delhi University, revealed that the new education policy that has been introduced after "much deliberation" will see India "reform, perform and transform".

The minister went on to call the policy impactful, interactive, innovative and inclusive. He put emphasis upon the fact that the new policy enhances equity, quality and access to education.

"Cambridge, the UAE, Australia, Mauritius, Indonesia and many others have said India's National Education Policy is the world's biggest reform and that they want to implement it in their countries as well. It is both national and international, supports 'vocal for local' and also local for global. This will bring a new set of opportunities for students," said Nishank.

The Union minister encouraged Delhi University to be the "flag-bearer" of the policy and implement it in "mission-mode".

The National Education Policy 2020 will be replacing over 34-year-old national policy on education, farmed back in 1986. The mission of the new policy will be to make India the global knowledge powerhouse by paving the way for innovative transformational reforms in schools and educational institutions.

The Union minister also discussed statistics at the event to give an idea of how herculean the task will be. He said over 15 lakh schools, 50,000 degree colleges and 1,000 universities are kept in the umbrella of the new policy.

Live TV
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, September 8, 2020. Reuters-Yonhap




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.
Location: The CitizenM hotel will be close to St Patrick's Cathedral

Plans for two new hotels in Dublin with a total of almost 350 rooms have been appealed to An Bord Pleanala.

A unit of Dutch hotel company CitizenM received approval last month from Dublin City Council for a 247-bedroom development on a site fronting Bridge Street, close to St Patricks Cathedral. It will mark the companys first property in Ireland. It already operates hotels at locations across Europe, the United States and Asia.

Its proposed scheme was the subject of a significant number of objections.

Among them was one made by Councillor Mannix Flynn on behalf of local residents.

The development will have a negative impact on the community, he told the Council. He claimed it would be overbearing and oppressive to the houses in the vicinity.

He said bars at the hotel would bring all the noise and nuisance associated with drinking in the city into this quiet tight-knit community.

The site is occupied by an industrial warehouse that was formerly part of Jacobs biscuit factory, and Molyneux House, comprising the converted and extended 19th century Molyneux Church.

The Dutch firm was asked to supply additional information in relation to the development and to address some concerns raised by the Council in relation to its likely impact on nearby residential properties.

Subsequent amendments were deemed acceptable by the Council.

It is considered that the development will not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area, the Councils planning officer noted.

A number of appeals to the granting of permission for the scheme have now been made to An Bord Pleanala. A decision on the case is due by the middle of June, according to the planning watchdog.

Plans for a 98-bedroom hotel by Cathedral Leisure have also been appealed to An Bord Pleanala.

That project, on a site that formed part of the former Bolands bakery, was approved by the Council last month.

Cathedral Leisure is part of the Beannchor Group, which owns the five-star Merchant Hotel in Belfast.

Beannchor is owned by Bill Wolsey. The Dublin property, which would be the groups first in the capital, is to be branded as a Bullitt Hotel. Beannchor opened its first Bullitt Hotel in Belfast in 2016.

Mannix Flynn is also an appellant to the Capel Street hotel plan.

He told the Council that planned project is highly insensitive, almost in contempt of its surrounding and shows disregard for what the many are trying to achieve within Dublin as a living, sustainable city.

He claimed the hotel project would be an act of vandalism.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  An ammunition customer showed no sign of anger or agitation before he launched a sudden shooting rampage at a New Orleans area gun store, the local sheriff said Monday, two days after the attack left three people, including the shooter, dead.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto confirmed that Joshua Williams, 27, who had a legal permit to carry a gun, instigated the exchange of gunfire Saturday afternoon at the Gun Outlet in suburban Metairie.

I dont know why, Lopinto said. There are certain crimes that happen in your career and this is the one for me: Theres no reason that it ever should have turned into this event.

Seven other people, all firearms-trained employees of the gun store and shooting range, fired at Williams before he was killed outside the building, Lopinto said. Two people were wounded.

Lopinto said Williams had walked into the store with a loaded weapon and was told that was against store rules. Interviews with witnesses and reviews of video indicate Williams showed no sign of anger or agitation before he walked to the front door as though he were going to exit. But he then fired into the air outside before firing his gun as he went in and out of the building multiple times.

Video released by the sheriff's office during a live-streamed news conference in Gretna shows part of what happened. It shows Williams at the door of the store, firing in. At another point it shows Williams inside taking aim at one of those killed, Veronica Billiot, 59, of Belle Chasse, also a customer. It shows him aiming in the area where employee Herbert Noah" Fischbach, 47, of Jefferson, had taken cover behind a counter. And it shows him walking up and down a hallway in the building where a firearms class was underway.

It remained unclear Monday if the two people who were wounded were hit by gunfire from Williams or someone else.

Lopinto said Williams and his brother, Timothy Williams, had gone to the store with Timothy's two children to shop for ammunition. Joshua Williams had a loaded gun with an extended magazine. Noticing this, an employee told him that loaded guns were not allowed in the store.

Story continues

There was no argument between the two, Lopinto said.

Timothy Williams fled the store with his children after the shooting started. Lopinto said he cooperated with authorities and couldn't explain his brother's behavior. He gave authorities a statement and basically said his brother flipped out, Lopinto said.

Lopinto said Fischbach was one of the employees who returned fire once the shooting began. However, he had taken cover behind a counter and was on the floor with his back toward Williams when he was killed, likely unaware that Williams had reentered the store after going outside.

Fischbach's wife Nancy told The Times-Picayune(backslash)The New Orleans Advocate that her husband was a special effects specialist and an armorer who supervised weapon usage on film sets. She said had been working at the gun shop because of COVID-19 restrictions on the film industry. She believes he died helping people inside the store.

He bent over backwards for everybody. ... He would not hurt anybody unless they did something wrong," she said.

___

The name of the New Orleans newspaper has been corrected in this story.

Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Some clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds light and variable.
Washington, DC, Feb. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The first thing people often notice about you is always your smile. You can be self-conscious about your smile if you are struggling with crooked teeth, holes, or crowding.

Over 300 million people worldwide have teeth alignment problems that may benefit from orthodontics, Align Technology confirmed, but they are unlikely to visit a doctor's office for treatment.

This is where companies like Byte will make a major impact on-at-home aligners. With Byte, with results in as little as two months, you can get a package of aligners for even less than the cost of braces.

The Byte is the "Best Overall" invisible dental aligner firm. Byte has thousands of positive feedback from confirmed consumers online, including Best Company 4.8/5 stars, Trustpilot 4.7/5 stars, and Better Business Bureau 4.69/5 stars.

Byte has made providing a high-quality product and customer service their focus. Plus, to deliver faster performance than the competition, they have invented new innovations. But is Byte the best fit for your goals with your smile? Continue reading to find out!

Read this thorough overview of Byte Aligners to help you determine if the best option for your dental needs is to pick Byte.

What Is Byte?

The Byte is a company that specializes in straightening at-home teeth with simple, almost invisible custom fit aligners. Your teeth shift into the proper place over time, enhancing your smile.

Its straightening treatment process is quicker than its rivals, according to Byte, and it is much faster than conventional braces. Byte's aligners get results in two to four months instead of wearing braces for years.

In addition to greater affordability and quicker performance, Byte also reduces the need for visits to the office. Your care plan is overseen by dental specialists, but you never have to see an orthodontist in person.

Benefits of byte aligners

 No form of in-office visitation

 Remote treatment

 Refunds of the impression package to disqualified candidates

 There will be customer support seven days a week.

 Free review online

 Accessible payment plans

 Includes Aligner-safe whitening gel (BrightByte)

 The overall treatment time is 2 times quicker than that of rivals.

 To speed up dental movement, Hyperbyte technology is used on the customer.

 Aligners for day or night available

 Enclosed free retainer

 Warranty for lifetime

Pros and Cons of Byte Aligners

Pros:

 Treatment Time: Byte is the first company to deliver HyperByte, the exclusive high-frequency vibration system that can drastically minimize the treatment time if used for five minutes a day. This amazing technology is how, within as little as two months, Byte will produce results.

 Free-extras: Byte's prescription plans include teeth whitening and the original price of the first package of retainers. For retainers and added resources, other aligner firms charge extra.

 Lifetime guarantee: The outcomes are ensured for your lifetime with the Byte for Life guarantee. If your smile ever moves out of sync after the conclusion of your treatment plan, at no extra expense, Byte will supply additional impression kits and alignment treatment plans. It is important to remember that alignment adjustments that occur following an accident or wound are not protected by the guarantee.

 Flexibility: Byte gives you the option of All-Day Aligners (worn 22 hours a day) or Byte At-Night Aligners (worn 10 hours a night when you sleep), so you can fit your lifestyle treatment plan.

Cons:

 For mild or moderate alignment problems only: Byte is only for people with mild or moderate alignment problems. If your problems with teeth alignment are more serious, you may not be a candidate and may instead require more conventional orthodontic services.

 Higher monthly payment costs: While Byte has a funding option for monthly payments, it costs considerably more than if you paid for everything in advance. Specifically, for the monthly payment plan, you would end up spending over $800 in additional costs.

 Safety concerns: While at-home aligners are common and convenient, safety concerns about them have been raised by some dental professionals. Consumers were warned by the American Association of Orthodontists against using direct-to-consumer teeth straightening procedures, saying they could lead to dental health problems such as tooth or gum loss.

Are Byte Aligners Legitimate and Safe?

Yes, treatment with Byte is safe and reliable. They have an extensive network of physicians and orthodontists approved by the board, who oversee each treatment plan.

The same doctor or orthodontist who designs your aligner plan also records progress from start to finish in the straightening of your teeth. Throughout the recovery process, this means you get high-quality, personalized care.

Bear in mind that there is remote control of direct-to-consumer clear aligners. There is a marginally greater chance of suffering complications. Without in-person office visits, orthodontic care is less predictable. However, at-home aligner care is successful and secure when closely supervised by a specialist.

Why Are Byte Aligners So Popular?

Aside from the cost, the time commitment to conventional orthodontics is one of the main obstacles to pursuing a more relaxed smile. It might not top your priority list to make time to visit the dentist's office in between all of your other duties. It's not exactly a trip to the beach after allnevermind taking time off work to see the dentist every month and postponing your ventures.

Traditional orthodontic treatments are not always easy, aside from the monthly time commitment. Your changes will not be complete in time if you have a special event coming up this year (not two or three years down the road) and want to finish care ASAP.

By sending the aligners to your home, home aligner companies such as Byte make the system more convenient, so you spend less time in the patient's chair and more time enjoying life. In half a year, most home alignment therapies produce the desired results, far quicker than the normal 18 months for braces and 12 months for Invisalign. And with their 2-4 month treatment window, Byte brings it to the next level, the quickest among home aligner alternatives.

The Byte is unquestionably more comfortable than braces or Invisalign. But how does it match up against other businesses with home alignments? There are several distinctions that make some goods stand out as more or less convenient.

<Click here to get your own byte package directly from the official site now>

Does Byte Actually Work?

For more than 20 years, Simple Aligners have been around. With advances in 3D modeling, video conferencing technology, and digital cameras, it is safer and more convenient than ever to build an at-home clear aligner treatment plan.

It is necessary to note, however, that not everyone is qualified for direct aligners. For instance, if you have any of the following:

 Jaw problems or seriously misaligned teeth

 Gum disease, cavities, or other disorders of oral health that first need to be managed

 A lifelong retainer from previous treatment with orthodontics

 Dental replacements, such as teeth, dental implants, or a dental bridge.

How Long Are You Going To Wear Byte's Aligners?

Braces will take up to 24 months to make your teeth straighter. With regular use of Hyperbyte, byte aligners can straighten your teeth in 3 to 6 months (a teeth movement acceleration device).

Depending on the type of byte aligner that you pick, the treatment length can vary:

 All-Day Aligners: These aligners are worn for 22 hours a day. For Byte All-Day Aligners, the average treatment period is three months, which is around 2x faster than for other direct aligners.

 At-Night Aligners: These aligners straighten your teeth while you sleep and are worn for 10+ hours a day. For Byte's At-Night Aligners, the typical treatment period is 5 to 6 months. Aligners at night are licensed only for very mild cases of misalignment.

What Are The Procedures Involved In Using Byte Aligner Treatment Strategy?

In the Byte Aligners method, there are three steps:

 Byte's Impression Kit

The first step: on the Byte website, order an impression package.

Using the impression tray, smile stretcher, and putty, you can take the teeth impressions after getting the aligner kit in the mail.

Then, using the return shipping box given, send the impressions back to the orthodontist. Shipping is entirely free.

Note that if you are not a Byte Aligners nominee, you will obtain a complete refund for the impression package. There is no requirement to buy the aligners if you are a nominee.

 Aligners and Remote Monitoring

The Smile Science Method is used by Byte, which Dr. Jon Marashi, a cosmetic dentist in Hollywood, developed.

Using five points of review, Smile Science integrates cosmetic accuracy, which helps evaluate the best tooth positioning for your particular facial structure.

After analyzing your teeth experiences, using a completely interactive 3D model and the Smile Science device, the orthodontist can create a personalized treatment plan. This appointment is 100% online, which ensures that you don't have to go in person to see them.

Byte will send the aligners (with step-by-step instructions) straight to your door after you accept the treatment plan.

The custom set of invisible aligners, a little at a time, pushes the teeth securely. You'll switch onto the next pair after one set of aligners is worn for a week. When your new smile is reached, this cycle continues.

Throughout the care, you can still have online check-ins with your orthodontist to ensure your teeth are moving properly.

 HyperByte Technology

You'll also get the HyperByte, an FDA-cleared dental movement acceleration system, as a Byte user.

This system securely straightens teeth 2 times faster than other HFV aligners (high-frequency vibration).

The HyperByte helps minimize pain when used regularly, increases the precision of teeth movement, and cuts treatment time in half.

What You Get When You Buy Byte Aligners?

While many other companies provide consistent aligner care based on home, their dedication to delivering excellent customer service is what distinguishes Byte. Byte has also carried out a range of innovative solutions in the short period they have been in business to make care more convenient and affordable for their patients.

What's included?

 Impression trays

 Molding Putty

 Putty Gloves

 Smile Stretcher

 Return Shipping Box

 Free Shipping

 Orthodontist Review

 Your CustomTreatment Plan

 Impression Sessions

How and Where To Buy Byte Aligners?

There are two payment options provided by Byte:

 Single payment: The price for the Byte care package is $1,895 if you pay upfront. Your custom treatment plan, alignments, HyperByte unit, a BrightByte bottle, and your first retainer are included in the bill.

 BytePay: A monthly funding choice is BytePay. It needs a deposit of $349, and then for 29 months, you'll pay $83 per month. In total, if you select BytePay, you will pay $2,756.

The high price tag for braces and Invisalign has traditionally made teeth alignment a major financial burden. And since it's mostly a strictly cosmetic operation, it's not covered by certain health insurers, and when they do, they usually pay only a portion of the bill.

The price point, especially compared to conventional treatments, is a major advantage of home teeth straightening systems such as bytes. For a significant percentage of individuals, the advent of at-home teeth alignment technology has expanded access to orthodontic care. Usually, home aligner devices cost $1,500 to $2,000, much more economical than Invisalign, which can cost $3,000 to $8,000.

While Byte is much cheaper than braces or Invisalign, not everyone sits under their mattress or in a sock drawer for $1,895. Byte provides a few flexible payment options in an attempt to make care more financially available.

Interested in funding but worried about your loan score? The Byte is one of three providers with an acceptance rate of 100 percent. A $349 down payment followed by $83 per month for 29 months is required by their financing plan, called bytepayTM. However, pick Byte At-Night, and that increases to a down payment of $449, then $99 per month.

<Click here to get your own byte package now>

Customer Opinions About Byte Aligners

Lots of customers who bought Byte aligners were awed at how professional and efficient they are. In that case, many of the customers have taken to different rating platforms to commend the manufacturer of this product and recommend the same to other customers who are in need of aligners for their teeth.

"Super easy to use, and I noticed a difference by week 6. Teeth look perfect by week 10. Would definitely recommend it for anyone in need of teeth aligners!" (Sarah Johnson)

"I absolutely fell in love with this product! I was very impressed with how fast my treatment went by! It didn't take long to achieve my perfect smile with this treatment! I am so grateful!!" (Sydney Molik)

"Loving my new smile, and I'm only 5 weeks in! Byte has been absolutely amazing. The product itself is incredible. It's comfortable, easy, and completely clear! I can't even tell when they are in because they are so clear. Byte's customer care has also amazed me. They are with you through the entire journey. Byte aligners have been the best decision I've made." (Ovidia Adler)

From the minute I opened my wife's Christmas present of a Byte starter set, things couldn't have gone any better. They make it easy to get started, have great payment options, and check-in every step of the way. And 1/3rd of the way through my treatment, I already have a much straighter, brighter smile than I have had at any point in my adult life! (James Weck)

"This is a great product, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to avoid trips to the dentist and braces. Easy to use, easy to order, everything shipped straight to your door. Great prices and excellent customer service. Always available when I have a question. I am so happy we got this for my daughter. She has a bright, straight, beautiful smile now, thanks to Byte. (Pamela Ellis)

"I am beyond excited and grateful for Byte. The staff has been warm and accommodating. They make what would usually be an overwhelming process seem so effortless and efficient. A great price for an even greater outcome. It is highly recommended for you." (Shanalee Castillo)

"Great experience with this company. Their representatives have been wonderful, and my teeth are looking fantastic. Can't wait to see the end result!" (Nicole Lopez)

"I'm just at the end of week 4, and so far, so good! I can see the subtle change in my teeth already. I only experienced a little discomfort at the very beginning. I love the Bright Byte spray and haven't experienced any sensitivity like harsher tooth whiteners. And I love that HyperByte will get me my results in only 15 weeks! The customer service team has been great also!" (Mackenzie Schilling)

"Byte goes above and beyond in great customer service. My first mold set was too big, and so they sent me a smaller set right away. When I have questions and concerns, I communicate with the representatives through text messages, and they respond in a timely manner. That's pretty awesome in my book!" (Maixai Lisa)

Frequently Asked Question About (Byte Review)

After I purchase my modeling kit, how long does it take to receive my aligners?

About 5 - 7 weeks. To make it happen ASAP, send your impressions back quickly, fill out your consent form and upload your photos. This all helps us move it along.

What if I mess up my impressions or don't do them right?

Don't worry! Our Impression Kit gives you 2 chances to do your top and bottom impressions. However, if you do end up running into a problem with your impressions, we'll send out another kit. All you have to do is cover shipping. If you are worried about making your impressions, you can always contact our amazing byte patient care team for additional tips!

Can I see what I'll look like when I'm done with Byte?

Yes. After we receive your impressions and create your aligner profile, we'll send you before and after photos with a 3D visualization of what your smile will look like post-byte.

Is my Impression Kit refundable?

Your at-home impressions will give us the information we need to know if you are a good candidate for Byte. If you're not, we'll refund the full price of the Impression Kit.

How do I know if Byte is right for me?

The Byte is designed to work for minor to moderate alignment, including correcting spacing and crowding between teeth, rotation, and minor bite correction. Your at-home impressions will give us the information we need to know if you are a good candidate for Byte. If you're not, we'll refund the full price of the Impression Kit.

How long does it take for Byte to straighten my teeth?

It is different for everyone, but the typical program is five months, give or take.

How Often Do You Change Byte Aligners?

You will change your byte aligners every week with regular HyperByte use (with direction from your orthodontist). Every two weeks, remote checkups will occur.

Final Verdict On Byte Aligners: Why I Recommend It?

Orthodontic care is an expense, so without understanding that it will achieve the desired results, you don't want to commit to a specific firm or brand. Read on to see what sort of outcomes you can expect from a procedure with bytes.

The Byte is designed to overcome basic misalignment problems such as slight spacing and crowding, like other home-based transparent aligner treatment products. It does not have the potential to achieve substantial motions of the teeth and jaw with more serious conditions such as bite misalignments. This is why the impression kit is so valuable, and dentists from Byte will be upfront with you about whether or not their care will deliver the outcomes you want.

Byte's remote dental team can fix most mild to moderate dental misalignments, including crowding, spacing, and slight bite problems, safely and efficiently. The company offers a 3D preview of your "after" shot to ensure that Byte is a good choice for you, how your teeth will look aftercare. If you like what you see, they will automatically manufacture and ship your aligners. But there is no requirement to proceed if you have questions.

The use of technology to increase the efficacy of care is something that makes Byte stand out from other businesses, including Invisalign. In the industry, they are continuously trying to blaze new paths and have built two main innovations that no other business offers: Smile Science and HyperByte.

A big aspect of your facial features is your smile, so it's not a separate entity. To build your distinctive and beautiful appearance, your teeth, nose, eyes, cheeks, and chin all work together, and Byte understands this. Separate from your other facial attributes, other businesses handle your teeth on their own, but bytes do not.

The treatment development program for Smile Science is very special. Rather than just your teeth, it analyzes your entire facial structure (like most other companies, including Invisalign). Special training techniques that follow the treatment procedures outlined by Dr. John Marashi, the byte founder, and Chief Cosmetic Dentist, are also used.

But how does Byte accomplish these tailored and amazing improvements so quickly? They accomplish such improvements with HyperByte. It might sound like the name of a comic book, but HyperByte works and is validated by studies and findings. The HyperByte tool helps move your teeth faster using gentle, high-frequency vibrations for five minutes a day while maintaining relaxed, better-fitting alignments. The Byte is the only company providing a tool like HyperByte for home alignment.

<click here to get your own byte package directly from the official website now>

Contact Byte

Email: support@byteme.com

Washington, DC

Reviewer: Harry Johnson

Contact Harry Johnson at reviewzenith@gmail.com.





This news has been published for the above source. Harry Johnson [ID=17071]

KISS PR PRODUCT REVIEWER COMPENSATION DISCLOSURE

Pursuant to the Federal Trade Commission's guidance of the public in conducting its affairs in conformity with legal requirements comprised in 16 C.F.R.  255 et seq. on the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, this Product Reviewer Compensation Disclosure is provided by KissPR.com LLC and its affiliated entities (hereinafter referred to collectively as KISS PR). This disclosure applies to content displayed on all mobile, desktop, and other online versions of KISS PRs websites and to those of KISS PRs distribution partners (hereinafter referred to collectively as the Websites) and is provided for the purpose of disclosing the nature of the connection between KISS PR and product reviewers, advertisers, sponsors, endorsers, and other third-parties whose advertisements, sponsorships, endorsements, testimonials, opinions, or other product-related or service-related statements or reviews may appear on the Websites (hereinafter referred to as an "Product Reviewer").

This Product Reviewer Compensation Disclosure is intended to disclose to you that in consideration of payment of monetary and other compensation from a Product Reviewer, as described below, KISS PR sells various advertising, sponsorships, and marketing campaigns that are featured on one or more of the Websites.

There is a financial connection related to some of the products or services mentioned, reviewed, or recommended on the Websites between KISS PR and the Product Reviewer that owns, markets, or sells such product or service. If you decide to purchase a product or service featured on one or more of the Websites, KISS PR will not receive compensation related to that purchase from a Product Reviewer but may receive a one-time fee from the Product Reviewer for posting or distributing the product review on or via the Websites.

Further, KISS PR may post or otherwise promote on the Websites content, including editorial content, which may feature third-party products and services (a "Reviewed Product"). This content may contain weblinks to third-party owned or operated web sites where you can purchase Reviewed Product (Product Link). If you click on a Product Link and then purchase a Reviewed Product on the linked web site, KISS PR will not receive compensation from the third-party offering the Reviewed Product (the Vendor).

Weblinks on the Websites featuring a Reviewed Product may be added to posts or articles that are not identified on the Websites as comprising or containing paid or sponsored content. In such case, a disclosure statement about the Reviewed Product and the compensation that KISS PR might receive in connection with its purchase by you will be included in such posts or articles. Further, third-party advertisements may be posted on the Websites. Each time you click on such an advertisement, KISS PR may receive compensation from the third-party advertiser, even if you do not purchase any product or service from that third-party.

KISS PR will, subject to the disclaimer of liability set forth below, endeavor to ensure that product or service endorsements appearing in the Websites or in posts or articles distributed via the Websites reflect the honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences of the Product Reviewer as they relate to such product or service. If you have any complaint, concern, or question relating to the content of any such post or article, including alleged infringement of any intellectual property rights, you should address your complaint, concern, or question directly to the Product Reviewer or the Vendor.

NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ; NON-RELIANCE . EXCEPT FOR ANY EXPRESS REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES CONTAINED IN THIS DISCLOSURE STATEMENT, NEITHER KISS PR NOR ANY OTHER PERSON ON KISS PRS BEHALF HAS MADE OR MAKES ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, EITHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, WHETHER ARISING BY LAW, COURSE OF DEALING, COURSE OF PERFORMANCE, USAGE, TRADE, OR OTHERWISE, ALL OF WHICH ARE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED, AND YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE NOT RELIED UPON ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY MADE BY KISS PR OR ANY OTHER PERSON ON KISS PRS BEHALF, EXCEPT AS SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED IN THIS DISCLOSURE STATEMENT.

DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY . IN NO EVENT SHALL KISS PR BE LIABLE OR RESPONSIBLE TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST PROFITS OR LOST OPPORTUNITIES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES IN ADVANCE AND REGARDLESS OF THE CAUSE OF ACTION UPON WHICH ANY SUCH CLAIM IS BASED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY OF THE CONTENT, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, AUDIO, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND VIDEOS, OF OR THE ACCURACY OF ANY STATEMENT MADE IN OR OMITTED FROM ANY ADVERTISEMENT, SPONSORSHIP, ENDORSEMENT, TESTIMONIAL, OPINION, OR OTHER PRODUCT-RELATED OR SERVICE-RELATED STATEMENT OR REVIEW APPEARING IN THE WEBSITES OR IN ANY POST OR ARTICLE DISTRIBUTED VIA THE WEBSITES.

 2021 KissPR.com LLC



Media Contact Website: [KISS PR Brand Story PressWire] - Email: Media@kisspr.com







Attachment
Photo: (Photo : Getty Images: Tasos Katopodis / Stringer)

A paid leave incentive hidden deep in the $1.9 trillion COVID Aid Bill that promises to compensate government employees to stay home if at least one of their children attends a school that has not returned to full-time in-person service.

The U.S. House posted the Albatross 591-page document over the weekend. It is a first draft version of the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," which contains a $1.9 trillion emergency aid package to help America recover from the coronavirus pandemic and a unique government employee benefit is sure to draw fire from conservatives.

Currently, the amendment moves through Congress, but since its presentation in the House last Friday, it has been roundly criticized by Republicans as unnecessary and loaded with "bailouts, pork, and unrelated policy changes."

Meanwhile, it is essential to note that The "Emergency Federal Employee Leave Fund," illustrated on page 305 of the House version of the bill, supports the initiative. As stated, $570 million scheduled to be deposited into the fund is to keep government employees because of the pandemic who care for themselves or those "unable to work."

READ: Bridge Women's Center 2nd Annual Gala to Raise Funds for Unplanned Pregnancies



What does COVID Aid Bill offer to government employees?

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, federal employees already have up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. (A law enacted in 2019 gives most federal workers up to 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth, foster placement, or adoption of a new child-what the sponsors report is 2.1 million federal employees.)

Now with COVID Aid Bill, those federal employees who are "caring for a son or daughter" out of school due to COVID-19 precautions are among those eligible for the increased paid leave.

What's more, for the employee to obtain the paid leave payment, the school need not be entirely closed to in-person teaching. Instead, the school requires some form of instruction other than full-time, in-person education to "make optional" This is what the text of the bill states, specifically:

"Amounts in the Fund shall be available for payment to an agency for the use of paid leave by any employee of the agency who is unable to work because the employee ... is caring for a son or daughter of such employee if the school or place of care of the son or daughter has been closed, if the school of such son or daughter requires or makes optional a virtual learning instruction model or requires or makes optional a hybrid of in-person and virtual learning instruction models, or the child care provider of such son or daughter is unavailable, due to COVID-19 precautions."

ALSO READ: 10-Year-Old Boy's Legs and Hands Amputated After Developing Disease Linked to COVID-19

A simple estimate reveals that, under the recommended measure, federal workers will earn up to $21,000 in paid leave because under the currently drafted bill, full-time federal employees can take up to 600 hours in paid leave of up to $35 an hour until September 30. That's 15 weeks for a 40-hour employee. Part-time and 'seasonal' employees are eligible, too, with equivalent hours established by their agency.

With all that being said, the measure is labeled "a personal bailout for democrats" by the critics.

READ MORE: 8 Adults Just Found Out How This Sneaky 8-Year-Old Girl Skipped 3 Weeks of Zoom Classes
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-28 03:51:31|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ALGIERS, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Algeria on Saturday reported 155 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the North African country to 112,960.

The death toll from the virus rose to 2,979 after two new fatalities were added, said the Algerian Ministry of Health in a statement.

Meanwhile, 134 more patients recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries in the country to 78,036, the statement added.

A donation of Chinese Sinopharm coronavirus vaccines arrived in Algeria on Wednesday to help the North African nation combat the pandemic. Enditem
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Officials at Albuquerque Public Schools are celebrating the districts highest graduation rate in over a decade.

Looking at the data without charter schools, the 2020 graduation rate was 76.8%  a 3.1 percentage point increase over the year before. With charters, the most recent graduation rate was 74.6%, up from 70.1% in 2019.

The districts 2020 graduation rate increased by almost five percentage points in a year and 13 percentage points in six years, going from 61.7% for the class of 2015 to 74.6(%) for the class of 2020, a news release said.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

According to APS, 11 of the districts 13 comprehensive high schools had higher graduation rates than the year before and four magnet schools saw a boost in 2020.

Still, African American and Native American students graduation rates were lower than the districtwide rate at 68.5% and 67.5%, respectively. Students who are considered economically disadvantaged and those in special education were also notably below the districtwide number.

District data also shows improvements in every demographic group. The district emphasized that Native American students had an 11.4 percentage-point uptick and African American students improved by 9.3 percentage points.

Still, African American and Native American students graduation rates were lower than the districtwide rate, at 68.5% and 67.5%, respectively. Students who are considered economically disadvantaged and those in special education were also notably below the districtwide number.

When the pandemic closed our schools in March of last year, we didnt give up on our seniors, APS Interim Superintendent Scott Elder said in a statement. We did just the opposite  taking extra care to make sure our students got the education and support they needed to earn their high school diploma. The hard work paid off. We are very proud of our students, and thankful for the teachers and staff who stood by them.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors in the 2019-20 school year finished their high school careers with pass or fail grades  rather than A-F  and had modified coursework requirements, district officials previously told the Journal.

But APS did not answer questions about how those changes could have affected graduation rates.

The New Mexico Public Education Department is expected to release statewide graduation data late next week.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Wearing a mask now means fighting the spread of the coronavirus, but for some, wearing a mask on Friday had a whole different meaning.

The Jewish holiday, Purim, came to an end at sundown on Friday, but earlier in the day, wearing a mask symbolized perseverance for the Jewish community.

The Chabad of Huntsville had a Purim drive-thru celebration on Friday. Rabbi Moshe Cohen told WAAY 31 that the weather and the coronavirus couldn't put a damper on their festivities.

Celebrating Purim really brings out that Jewish people are passionate about Judaism," he said. "They want to connect with their heritage. They want to connect with God and it brings out the very uniqueness of the Jewish people, so that as long as we are connected and bonded and have unity following the Torah, well be able to survive forever.

People were encouraged to wear costumes and required to wear masks.
Kabul, Feb 27 : Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday said the international community has kept the country's citizens away from their fundamental rights of peace during the last four decades, reiterating that the people now want permanent and dignified peace.

Addressing a ceremony on Armed Forces Day, Ghani said Afghan security forces have played a prominent role in fighting international terrorism and that they can protect the values the country has achieved over the last 20 years, Tolo news reported.

Referring to his recent address to the UN Security Council, Ghani said: "My main sentence was that for the last 40 years, the international community has kept a massive nation away from their fundamental right which is peace and this is unacceptable." "We want peace and we want dignified peace and a peace that is ensured by the power of our security and defense forces and with the will of the people. This peace will come," he said.

Ghani said the violence must end and that there should be no more bloodshed and no one should remain deprived of education anymore.

He added that Afghans will decide on the next president and the next government.

"The people of Afghanistan have elected their government and president and they will elect the next president of Afghanistan," Ghani added.

"It is the right of the nation and the security and defense forces will prove that change will be legal and based on the nation's will; otherwise, the tenure of the Republic is clear." He said that the Afghan security and defense forces are conducting over 90 per cent of counterterrorism operations.

"Today's Afghanistan is not the one it was in the past, the one that was protected by others. Today, you are safeguarding it. We are very close to self-reliance," he said.
It may seem impossible to follow in the footsteps of Fleabags Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

But Emerald Fennell is poised to repeat her close friends success at the Golden Globes.

The British stars met a decade ago when they briefly appeared in a period drama and they instantly hit it off and became good friends.

Miss Fennell is nominated for best director and best screenplay for Promising Young Woman.

Miss Fennell  who played Camilla Parker Bowles in The Crown and Patsy in Call the Midwife  is nominated for best director and best screenplay for the black comedy Promising Young Woman.

Should she win, it will be another British triumph after Miss Waller-Bridge claimed a Globe last year for best actress in the critically-acclaimed BBC series Fleabag, which she also wrote.

And there may be further glory for Miss Fennell as The Crown is up for best drama series tomorrow night.

Miss Waller-Bridge must have faith in her old friends talents as she handed script writing duties for the second series of Killing Eve to Miss Fennell, while the Fleabag star worked on the James Bond film No Time To Die.

The talented pair  both 35  met while filming Albert Nobbs, released in 2011 and starring Glenn Close as a woman who poses as a man to become a butler in 19th-century Dublin.

Emerald Fennell and Phoebe Waller-Bridge met while filming Albert Nobbs, released in 2011

Miss Waller-Bridge had one line as Viscountess Yarrell, while Miss Fennell had a non-speaking role as Mrs Smythe-Willard. Before they met, the actresses were wary of one another according to Killing Eve producer Sally Woodward Gentle, who told the Times: They both saw each others name on the call sheet and thought, Theyre going to be horrible. And then they met each other and fell in love.

Born in 1985 to jeweller Theo Fennell and author Louise Fennell, her talent was obvious as a pupil at Marlborough College, Kate Middletons old school. Miss Fennells drama teacher Nigel Bryant said: Although its a bit embarrassing referring to A-level practical exams, she produced a performance so good that the examiner was blown away. They gave her an unheard-of 50 out of 50 and I remember saying, Id have paid to watch that.

Miss Fennell played Camilla Parker Bowles in The Crown and Patsy in Call the Midwife

Miss Fennell marked her TV debut in Trial & Retribution and starred as Patsy Mount in Call the Midwife and Camilla in The Crown. She is now making history as its the first time three female directors have been nominated for a Golden Globe award, pictured left. She is also up for a writing award for the feminist revenge thriller Promising Young Woman starring Carey Mulligan.

Miss Fennell will this year also try to match Miss Waller-Bridges stage success when the curtain lifts on Andrew Lloyd Webbers Cinderella, which she has written.
BARCELONA  It had all the markings of a free speech showdown: Pablo Hasel, a controversial Spanish rapper, had barricaded himself on a university campus to avoid a nine-month jail sentence on charges that he had glorified terrorism and denigrated the monarchy. While students surrounded him, police in riot gear moved in; Mr. Hasel raised his fist in defiance as he was taken away.

But Oriol Pi, a 21-year-old in Barcelona, saw something more as he watched the events unfold last week on Twitter. He thought of the job he had as an events manager before the pandemic, and how he was laid off after the lockdowns. He thought of the curfew and the mask mandates that he felt were unnecessary for young people. He thought of how his parents generation had faced nothing like it.

And he thought it was time for Spains youth to take to the streets.

My mother thinks this is about Pablo Hasel, but its not just that, said Mr. Pi, who joined the protests that broke out in Barcelona last week. Everything just exploded. Its a whole collection of so many things which you have to understand.
Chandigarh, Feb 27 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday launched four welfare schemes at a state-level programme organised here to mark the 644th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas.

The district-level virtual programmes were also organised in all 22 districts.

Khattar launched Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana under which selection of one lakh poor families residing in the state who are having lowest family income would be done through Parivar Pehchan Patra portal.

So far 65 lakh families have been identified, he said.

"Every possible effort will be made to increase the family income of such families' to at least Rs 8,000 to Rs 9,000 per month. For this, the government will emphasise on the skill development, besides providing employment opportunities and financial assistance," he said.

On the occasion the Chief Minister announced to increase a financial assistance under the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Awas Navinikarn Yojna to Rs 80,000 from Rs 50,000 for the repair of houses belonging to the Scheduled Caste families living below poverty line (BPL).

He also announced that the BPL families belonging to any category will be able to avail the benefits of Dr B.R. Ambedkar Awas Navinikarn Yojna.

Earlier, this scheme was limited to the BPL families belonging to the Scheduled Caste. He said from April 1 the annual income slab of the BPL families would be increased from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 1.80 lakh.

Also the legal aid given to the Scheduled Caste has been increased to Rs 21,000 from Rs 11, 000.

Khattar said in a bid to spread the message of social harmony, brotherhood, and removing the evils of casteism, a sum of Rs 11 crore has been allocated under the Sant Mahapurush Vichar Samman and Prasaar Yojana.

Under this scheme, a financial assistance from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh will be provided to the social and religious organisations for holding programmes on the birth anniversaries of the saint at the block and gram levels.

IN a case which exposes rampant sexual abuse of female subordinates by officials within government entities, two Immigration department directors are being charged for allegedly sexually abusing juniors, The NewsHawks can report.

The charges against Stephen Phinias Museki and Admire Herbert Makani were filed by three former employees who allege they were victimised on frivolous grounds after resisting sexual advances.

The matter was investigated by the Zimbabwe Gender Commission in 2018 under case ZGC/4/2018 and a report, whose copy is in the hands of The NewsHawks, was later presented to the parliamentary committe on Gender by the commissions chairperson, Margret Mukahanana Sangarwe.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) sexual harrassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature which makes a person feel offended, humiliated and or intimidated.

It includes situations where a person is asked to engage in sexual activity as a condition of that persons employment as well as situations which create an environment which is hostile, intimidating or humiliating for the recipient.

The commission held a full hearing in which all witnesses involved were given the opportunity to testify.

After the hearing, the two directors were found guilty of sexual abuse and recommendations were made to the ministry of Home Affairs, department of Immigration, Public Service Commission and ministry of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs in which they were ordered to take action against the two to restore the dignity of women employees within the Immigration department.

The abuse happened when Clemence Masango was still the principal director of the department.

Masango appeared before the hearing on 12 December 2018 where he denied the allegations of failing or refusing or neglecting to address complaints of sexual harassment which were lodged by the four complainants in the matter, saying the four never reported their cases when he was still in charge of the department.

Public Service Commission secretary Jonathan Wutaunashe told The NewsHawks that he is aware of the case and his commission was in the process of investigating the matter when the two accused persons approached the courts to challenge the process.

He said the commission is waiting for the court outcome before proceeding with investigations.

I am aware of the report by Gender Commission regarding two bosses from the department of Immigration. We operate differently with the Gender Commission so after receiving the report, we set our own board to investigate the issue according to our protocols. It was during that period when the accused persons approached the courts to challenge the process. However, we are still waiting for the court outcome so that we can proceed with our investigations said Wutaunashe.

Efforts to get comments from Museki, who is the director in charge of administration and Makani, the principal immigration officer, were fruitless as their mobile phones went unanswered.

An employee who answered the phone at the departments head office said she was not allowed to talk to the media but said she was aware of the case.

I am not allowed to speak to the media and it is also not my duty to give you their contacts. I am aware of that case which was investigated by the gender commission. Why cant you talk to the complainants for more details? said the employee.

Immigration Workers Union chairperson Nkosana Mthunzi told The NewsHawks that the department is run mafia style where married women are being abused on a daily basis without anyone being charged.

He said some managers in the department are corrupt, costing the government millions of dollars as they employ relatives and their runners into key positions.

It started during the tenure of Masango where the department was run like a family tuckshop. As l am speaking, l was suspended by the cartel for leading protests against the rot. I was fired retrospectively in 2018 for being absent from work for a day in 2012. I appealed at the Labour Court and the case is still being heard. They fired me after hearing that we appealed to the Gender Commission so my letter of dismissal came a few days before we appear in parliament. We are worried that these sex maniacs are still within the department after the investigations. People are promoted through nepotism depending on who is your relative. Vehicles are being abused with bosses using department cars at their rural homes, said Mthunzi.

According to the report, one of the complainants is a married 50-year-old Bulawayo woman who joined the department in 1991 stationed in Victoria Falls.

She was transferred to Harare where she worked at the then Harare International Airport. In August 2007 she was transferred to the departments head office.

She alleged that from the time she arrived at the head office, Museki used to look at her lustfully, showing sexual interest in her. Museki later ordered her to perform typing work in his office.

The advances by Museki continued and, when the complainant refused, he was offended and began to abuse her verbally.

In 2009, the complainant was promoted to the position of assistant regional immigration officer after passing the interviews and it was in that period when Museki proposed love but she advised him that she was married and not interested, but that led her verbal transfer back to Harare International Airport in 2010 with no official communication.

The abuse continued when she was later promoted to regional immigration officer and she was not advised by the bosses, which she viewed as hostile conduct in reprisal for turning down his love proposals.

The commissions findings point to a culture of workplace violence at the department of Immigration and a laissez faire approach to protection of women from violence in the workplace by the parent ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and the Public Service Commission which is the employer. It also emerged that there are inadequate legal protection mechanisms for women in workplaces since the existing laws such as the Labour Act and the Public Service Regulations do not comprehensively cover the issue of sexual harrassment in and at the workplace, reads part of the report. THE NEWSHAWKS
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked the toy manufacturers to use less plastic and more eco-friendly material, in addition, to focus on innovation.

Inaugurating the first India Toy Fair 2021, Modi said, "We have to become Aatmanirbhar in the toy sector and also cater to the global market".

PM Modi

He regretted that India's share in the USD 100 billion global toy market is very less, and about 85 per cent of the toys sold in the country are imported.

"We need to promote hand-made in India," he said.

The Prime Minister also interacted with traditional toymakers from Chennapatnam, Varanasi and Jaipur and exhorted them to innovate and make traditional toys more relevant keeping in view the changing taste of children.

Narendra Modi

He asked the toy manufacturers to make eco-friendly, attractive and innovative toys and use more recyclable material.

The Indian toy industry has tradition, technology, concepts and competence, Modi said, stressing that "we can give to the world eco-friendly toys".
South Dakotas Noem: COVID Didnt Crush the Economy, Government Did

ORLANDO, Fla.South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem told the audience at an annual conservative conference on Feb. 27 that lockdowns and other restrictions imposed by state and local governments were to blame for the economic crash in 2020, and not the pandemic which the constraints were intended to snuff out.

COVID didnt crush the economy. Government crushed the economy, Noem said, prompting applause from the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida.

Just as quickly, government turned around and held itself out as the savior, and frankly, the Treasury Department cant print money fast enough to keep up with Congresss wishes. But not everyone has followed this path.

Noem has become the target of establishment media and Democratic politicians for her approach to the pandemic. South Dakota was the only state that never ordered any businesses or churches to close, never imposed a lockdown or a mask mandate, and refrained from classifying businesses into essential and nonessential categories.

Noem is among a few governors, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who have bucked the national and global trend of imposing strict lockdowns on the populace in an attempt to limit the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19.

The lockdowns resulted in an economic disaster, paring the gains made during the Trump administration.

There is no historical precedent or controlled trials to support the argument for widespread lockdowns, and arguments over their efficacy have largely been split along political lines. Former President Donald Trump repeatedly accused Democrat governors and mayors of using the lockdowns to snuff out the economic boom set in motion by his low-tax, deregulation agenda.

Noem said that Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and one of the lead members of Trumps White House Coronavirus Task Force, told her that South Dakotas hospitals would be treating 10,000 patients at the worst point of the pandemic. She said the number was actually 600 patients at its worst.

I dont know if you agree with me, but Dr. Fauci is wrong a lot, Noem said, drawing raucous cheers from the crowd.

Even in a pandemic, public health policy needs to take into account peoples economic and social well-being, she said. People need to keep a roof over their heads, they need to feed their families, and they need their dignity.

In my administration, we resisted the call for virus control at the expense of everything else. We looked at the science, the data, and the facts, and then we took a balanced approach.

Noem said that as a result, South Dakota now has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation and that the states economy is booming.

Despite sidestepping lockdowns, South Dakota had fewer COVID-19 cases per million people over the past 30 days than some of the biggest lockdown states, including California, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Saturday that the federal government should be given time to improve its vaccine program in aged care, but would not rule out intervening in the scheme or in the mass vaccination of the population through general practitioners.

Mr Hazzard said there had not been any discussions about NSW stepping in to assist at this stage, and we need to give the federal government and our colleagues at the front line of the aged care facilities time to improve.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard. Credit:Cole Bennetts

Meanwhile, he indicated Sydney commuters should expect mandatory mask wearing on public transport for a quite some time to come, despite NSW notching up 41 days without any local COVID-19 cases, because its the safest thing to do.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt expects the aged care vaccine program to be back on track by the end of this week after a difficult start involving two patients in Brisbane receiving an incorrect dose and the rollout proceeding much slower than expected.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.

President Joe Biden speaks after the House of Representatives passed his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington on Feb. 27, 2021. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters)

Biden Praises House Passage of COVID-19 Relief Package, Calls on Senate to Quickly Act

President Joe Biden on Saturday thanked the House of Representatives for passing his COVID-19 relief package and urged the Senate to move quickly on the proposal.

The lower chamber in the early hours of the day took the first step toward making it a reality, Biden said in prepared remarks from the White House.

And with their vote, we are one step closer to vaccinating the nation. We are one step closer to putting $1,400 in the pockets of Americans. We are one step closer to extending unemployment benefits for millions of Americans who are shortly going to lose them.

Biden said he called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and expressed gratitude for her efforts on the $1.9 trillion proposal, which drew zero Republican votes and opposition from two Democrats.

Now the bill moves to the United States Senate, where I hope it will receive quick action. I havewe have no time to waste. If we act nowdecisively, quickly, and boldlywe can finally get ahead of this virus. We can finally get our economy moving again. And the people of this country have suffered far too much for too long. We need to relieve that suffering. The American Rescue Plan does just that: It relieves the suffering. And its time to act, Biden added.

Vice President Kamala Harris also commented on the bill during a separate event, telling a Black History Month virtual celebration that it would deliver a fresh round of checks to most Americans and at least $3,000 for nearly every child.

And why is that important? Because by doing that, we will lift half of those children living in poverty, out of poverty. And a disproportionate number of children in America who are living in poverty are black children. So think about that: Half of the children who are living in poverty now wont be if we get this thing passed, she said.

Harris alleged the proposal has bipartisan support, despite the lack of Republican backing in Congress. She appeared to be citing poll numbers.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the White House during a Black History Month virtual celebration in Washington on Feb. 27, 2021. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

The package, Democrats say, will help address struggles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and measures imposed by governors and other officials in bids to curb the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease.

Tonight, Congress is taking action to crush the virus with a national vaccination program, robust testing, tracing and treatment, more [protective equipment] and combating health disparities affecting communities of color disproportionately, Pelosi told colleagues on the House floor in Washington before voting on the package.

But Republicans and two Democrats in the House pointed to measures included in the package that appear to have little to do with crushing the virus, such as a minimum wage hike, and how funding for some areas, such as schools, are primarily backended, with only a small percentage lined up for this year.

This massive $1.9 trillion spending spree is nothing more than a fiscally irresponsible liberal wish list, Rep. Andy Barr said on the floor. Less than 10 percent of this bill actually responds to the pandemic in the form of vaccine distribution and other public health needs. The vast majority of this funding goes to misplaced priorities such as bailing out mismanaged state and local governments for pre-COVID liabilities.

Pelosi said the House was sending the package to the Senate and is still working on ways to keep the wage hike in the final product, after the upper chambers rules expert ruled it wasnt allowed because Democrats are using a budget process to pass the package.

That enables them to avoid needing any Republican votes in either chamber, provided all 50 Democrats in the Senate vote to approve the bill.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Ka'Mauri Harrison, 9 years old, right, answers questions as dad Nyron Harrison watches during testimony on HB83 concerning student discipline Wednesday Oct. 7, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. Ka'Mauri Harrison had a BB gun in the background of his room where he was taking an online class for distance learning. The nationally-watched case of the Harvey fourth-grader suspended in a BB gun controversy arrived at the State Capitol on Wednesday when a House committee approved a bill that would give students and families more appeal rights.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Marissa Saunders was screaming inside her house for help, but no one heard her.

So she ran outside, barefoot and pregnant, with a child in tow, and knocked on every door, she said.

No one answered until the last door on her block. That neighbor answered. She was the person who helped Saunders save herself.

She sat with me. And went to the hospital with me, Saunders said, remembering what happened two decades ago. What was important was that someone stood up, stood there for me.

Now, Saunders is that someone, along with Emad Rahim. The two are the faces of Vera Houses White Ribbon Campaign this year. Saunders is the first woman co-chair of the campaign.

It brings the voice of a woman to this conversation, said Saunders, who is also the vice-president of Vera Houses board of directors. As a woman, its always been that I have not been believed. It gives voices where our voices arent being listened to and believed.

Rahim, too, is a victim of domestic violence. He said he and his mother were abused and in their case, too, a neighbor was the one to help.

Rahim, whose family came to the U.S. after facing genocide in Cambodia, said that domestic violence is not openly discussed in the refugee community. Hes been working to open that conversation, he said.

Unlike past years, when the White Ribbon kick-off has started with a breakfast of whos who and then filled the streets with marchers, this event will be virtual.

But that has made it more accessible to people who may not have been able to make it in person, she said.

And she said some men she works with in Africa, through Nurturing Individuals Abilities Ministries Worldwide, will be able to attend and hear a conversation that is even more taboo in their culture than it is here.

Its creating more opportunities for more awareness, more engagement, Saunders said. More empowerment.

Marnie Eisenstadt writes about people, public affairs and the Syracuse City School District. Contact her anytime email | Twitter| cell 315-470-2246.
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will hold an emergency meeting of district collectors and senior revenue officials in a day or two to resolve issues being faced by people in carrying out transactions over the Dharani portal.

Although the CM launched Dharani on October 29 last year to make property transactions completely online and check corruption in the revenue department, people are continuing to suffer because of several procedural hurdles with regard to land transfers, mutations, errors in land data, land extent, ownership and so on.

Since its launch, several new features had been added to Dharani portal over the past three months. But some features had been removed abruptly without any notice, causing confusion and anxiety among property owners.

Even a feature to raise grievances was added on Dharani portal under Applications for Land Matters in January. Following this, over six lakh complaints had been made from all districts in the state. However, without any notice, this link was removed all of a sudden recently. As a result, people are now worried about the status of their grievances.

Those who want to raise fresh complaints are also tense and anxious as they find no scope to register their grievance. That more than six lakh complaints had been made within a span of three weeks shows the magnitude of problems being faced by property owners due to Dharani.

The CM is calling for the meeting at Pragathi Bhawan to guide district collectors and revenue staff on making Dharani more user-friendly.

As of now, the Dharani portal is dealing only with agricultural land transactions. There is no clarity over when non-agriculture properties will be brought under Dharani due to a case pending in the High Court. For the time being, non-agriculture property transactions are being done under the old method.
With the pandemic still impacting travel and live crowds, tomorrows Golden Globes ceremony is held on two US coasts, but will also cross to a number of international locations.

Producers for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association have confirmed Australia will sit alongside Ireland, Canada, the UK, Turkey, France, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands and the Dominican Republic in live crosses.

All presenters (save for those who are also nominees) will be live on stage in either the East or West coasts in the USA. There will be more than 100 feeds around the world.

Theres also a plan to replicate stars normally rubbing shoulders in the Beverly Hilton ballroom.

What were doing is were going to get candid shots of the people at home and as theyre getting ready for their category, Globes EP Barry Adelman has told Deadline. And we found a way, without giving away too much, where they can kind of talk to each other if theyre in the same category and communicate with each other.

So, it gives them a sense of camaraderie and it gives the audience a chance to see these wonderful actors and actresses communicating with each other like they wouldve done in the ballroom.

Nominated Aussies include Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett (both for Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television) while Sacha Baron Cohen, nominated for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm has also been in Oz.

Margot Robbie will present in the USA.

Dont be surprised if organisers of major Aussie awards, such as the Logies, are also looking to see how things are being handled in 2021.

Meanwhile, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. doesnt currently have any Black journalists among its 87-person membership. In fact, the organisation hadnt had a Black member since at least 2002, when former HFPA president and board chair Meher Tatna joined.

Variety reports on Thursday, the HFPA released a statement saying, We are fully committed to ensuring our membership is reflective of the communities around the world who love film, tv and the artists inspiring and educating them. We understand that we need to bring in Black members, as well as members from other underrepresented backgrounds, and we will immediately work to implement an action plan to achieve these goals as soon as possible.

Golden Globe Awards 2021: guide

Related

REGINA - A first-of-its-kind law in Canada meant to warn those at risk of domestic violence has had a slower-than-expected uptake in its first eight months.

Jo-Anne Dusel, executive director of the Provincial Association of Transition Houses of Saskatchewan, poses for a photo at her home in Moose Jaw, Sask., on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael Bell

REGINA - A first-of-its-kind law in Canada meant to warn those at risk of domestic violence has had a slower-than-expected uptake in its first eight months.

Legislation known informally as "Clare's Law" came into force in Saskatchewan last June. It allows police to warn someone that they could be in danger from their partner.

A committee with police and victims services recommends what should be disclosed. An advocate who sits on that committee says six requests for information were made between June and January.

Its hard to say at this point whether its because people dont know  or its because it really is geared at people who are just beginning a relationship and begin to notice red flags," said Jo-Anne Dusel, executive director of the Provincial Association of Transition Houses of Saskatchewan.

During a pandemic, people arent generally getting involved in new relationships, so that could be why we havent had many."

The legislation originated in the United Kingdom and is named after Clare Wood, a woman who was murdered in 2009 by a partner she didn't know had a violent criminal history.

Saskatchewan was the first in Canada to adopt the measure. The province has struggled with some of the highest rates of domestic violence per capita in the country.

Alberta expects to implement Clare's Law in April after consulting with victims advocates, Indigenous groups and new Canadians, a government spokesman said.

Newfoundland and Labrador has also been working on bringing similar legislation passed in December 2019 into effect.

The law allows people who feel they might be at risk from a partner  or know someone who is  to apply to police for information on an individual's past. Police can choose to warn potential victims if there has been abuse. Officers can also trigger a disclosure if they feel someone is in danger.

Critics say the law is well-intentioned, but won't reduce domestic violence rates. They say women trying to leave dangerous relationships need resources, housing and child care.

Dusel said it's meant for people who are early into a relationship before violence or abuse starts.

One case was an individual whod met someone quite recently and this person was pressuring them to move out of province and that wasnt quite sitting right with them, " she said.

In the six requests, those at risk were women and the partners were men, many of whom showed a pattern as serial abusers, said Dusel.

Dusel said what gets disclosed is a risk assessment, and in five out of the six cases, potential victims were deemed at high risk.

"There was actually one situation where the person got the call back from the police about the disclosure and they said, You know what? Thats all I needed to know. If you have something to share with me, Ive made my decision. I wont be continuing this relationship.'"

Dusel, along with the Saskatchewan Party government, believes another hurdle is the lack of participation by the RCMP, which is the police service for small towns in the primarily rural province.

"This has prevented a majority of rural residents from accessing Clares Law in their own community," wrote Ministry of Justice spokeswoman Margherita Vittorelliin an email.

"In light of the pandemic, it is important for people to know that they can access Clares Law through a remote application."

The Mounties have said their participation could risk violating federal privacy rules.

But that may change.

"The RCMP is developing draft amendments to the RCMP Regulations, 2014 that will expressly authorize disclosure of personal information under Clares Law," wrote spokeswoman Cpl. Caroline Duval.

"We are not able to, at this time, provide a timeline for when we expect the regulations will be finalized, but can confirm they are a priority for the RCMP."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2021
Ive called members of the state central committee to let them know why Im supporting Michelle Harris and how shes been an activist, somebody who has really built a ground operation to get Democrats out to vote, the first-term governor said at an unrelated news conference Friday. She has one of the most productive wards in the city of Chicago in terms of getting votes out, someone whos a listener and a leader. So, Ive made that case to people on the state central committee.

Advertisement

A legal order could see Alex Salmond publish secret WhatsApp messages which he claims show how senior SNP figures - including Nicola Sturgeon's husband - colluded with witnesses and 'constructed evidence' against him.

Mr Salmond said yesterday that he possessed messages showing that Ms Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell - the chief executive of the Scottish National Party - and others had plotted against him.

He said: 'In my opinion there has been behaviour which is about not just pressuring the police and pressurising witnesses, collusion with witnesses.

'We're talking about the construction of evidence because the police somehow were felt to be inadequate in finding it themselves.'

The former First Minister said the day he read the messages - which were revealed to him during the criminal sexual assault trial where he was cleared of all charges - was one of the most 'extraordinary' and 'distressing' of his life.

He had previously been threatened with prosecution if he published them, something which he described as 'unwarranted'.

But during Friday's witness session, it was confirmed a new legal order to access the messages had been issued to the Crown Office by the committee questioning Mr Salmond.

Mr Salmond had suggested that if a legal order was served upon his lawyers, he would comply.

The politician also alleged that the identity of a woman who accused him of sexual assault was passed by the Scottish government to his former chief of staff, Geoff Aberdein, who then told Mr Salmond.

This allegation is significant because Ms Sturgeon had denied the claim during First Minister's questions last week.

However, Mr Salmond claimed three witnesses would back the allegation up, saying 'three other people know that to be true'.

Mr Salmond repeatedly said, under oath, that Ms Sturgeon broke the ministerial code, but stopped short of saying she should stand down.

The claim was rejected on Saturday by the SNP leader in the House of Commons, Ian Blackford, who said the First Minister had 'made it clear' she did not breach the code.

Mr Salmond also claimed yesterday during the six-hour evidence session before the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints that Mr Murrell had put 'pressure' on police during the criminal case.

A legal order could see Alex Salmond could publish secret WhatsApp messages which he claims show how senior SNP figures, including Nicola Sturgeon's husband, put pressure on and colluded with witnesses and 'constructed evidence' against him

Mr Salmond said yesterday at the Holyrood inquiry into how allegations of sexual assault against him were handled that he possessed messages showing that figures including Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell - the chief executive of the Scottish National Party - plotted against him

Mr Salmond said Ms Sturgeon had been informed of the complaints against him by March 29, 2018 at the latest - rather than four days later as she originally claimed.

What are the key issues in the row engulfing SNP? How and why did the Scottish government mishandle allegations against Alex Salmond? The Scottish government launched an investigation in 2017 after two women made formal complaints against Alex Salmond. He launched legal action against the government's handling of the investigation and won a judicial review in January 2019, receiving 512,000 to cover his legal fees. The parliamentary inquiry is examining how ministers and civil servants conducted the probe. Mr Salmond was charged with 13 counts of sexual assault, including attempted rape, but was acquitted of all charges in March 2020. Mr Salmond has claimed he was the victim of a conspiracy by senior SNP figures to end his role in public life. What did Nicola Sturgeon know and when? Ms Sturgeon originally told MSPs she learned of complaints against Mr Salmond on April 2, 2018, when the pair met at her house. That meeting is crucial as it is unclear whether it was SNP business, or government business - which should have been officially recorded. Peter Murrell, the chief executive of the SNP and Ms Sturgeon's husband, initially said he was not at home, but later revealed that he arrived home during the discussion. He insists he did not ask what they were talking about. Ms Sturgeon has also admitted she 'forgot' about a discussion with Mr Salmond's ex-chief of staff four days earlier where they talked about the issue. The ministerial code says that 'ministers who knowingly mislead the parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the First Minister'. Ms Sturgeon is facing a separate independent investigation led by James Hamilton, who has to decide if she broke the ministerial code. However, it is thought that she is the final arbiter of whether the code has been breached. Does Mr Salmond have evidence of a conspiracy against him? Mr Salmond has said he is the victim of a 'prolonged, malicious' conspiracy by senior SNP and government figures. He has suggested Mr Murrell was part of efforts to damage him. Ms Sturgeon has demanded he presents hard evidence that is the case. However, he insisted that he is not in the dock and the government has already conceded it acted illegally. Why was Mr Salmond's evidence to the inquiry redacted? Mr Salmond's submission to the inquiry was released online on Monday, but the Crown Office raised concerns with Holyrood about it, asking for redactions. He has raised questions about why the step was taken and whether it amounted to inappropriate interference. Advertisement

He ridiculed a suggestion from Mr Murrell, that he just 'popped in' to their house on April 2 for a meeting where the issues were discussed. 'I just point out that I stay 200 miles away from Glasgow,' Mr Salmond said.

He said: 'What they speak to is behaviour which I would never have countenanced from people I have known in some cases for 30 years.'

Speaking of his claim about witnesses and police allegedly being pressured, he added: 'The point about this is that on the 25 of August I think it was 2018 a police investigation started, when a police investigation starts these matters are for the police. They have the investigatory function.

'They don't need assistance from Inspector Murrell... Whether people are in the Scottish government or the SNP they have no investigative function. It's a matter for the police.

'Not only shouldn't they be doing anything other than supporting the police in their activities but they certainly shouldn't be seeking to pressurise.'

Along with Mr Murrell, Mr Salmond alleges principal policy adviser Leslie Evans, chief of staff Liz Lloyd, compliance officer Ian McCann and chief operating officer Sue Ruddick were all complicit in efforts to damage his reputation.

Some messages from senior SNP figures have already appeared in the public domain, including one from Mr Murrell sent in January 2020, when Mr Salmond first appeared in court to face sex assault charges.

'Totally agree folk should be asking the police questions... report now with the PF on charges which leaves police twiddling their thumbs. According to The National , it reads:

'So good time to be pressurising them. Would be good to know Met looking at events in London.'

Another reads: 'TBH the more fronts he is having to firefight on the better for all complainers. So CPS action would be a good thing.'

Despite calls for Ms Sturgeon to stand down if she is found to have breached the code, SNP Westminster leader Mr Blackford has thrown his support behind his party leader.

'She's made it clear on a number of occasions that she does not believe she has broken the ministerial code,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Saturday.

'I believe that to be the case as well, this will be put to bed, and we will be able to move on from it to make sure we are dealing with the Covid crisis in the right way, and we're having that discussion about what Scotland's future is.

'I and my party have full confidence in the First Minister leading us to that destination of Scotland becoming an independent country.'

He added: 'Yesterday was supposed to be a seminal day in this inquiry where the former first minister was going to bring forward evidence of a conspiracy - by his own admission, there is no evidence of a conspiracy by the First Minister against him.

'I think we've had a number of false dawns in this whole spectacle and I do not believe under any circumstances, under any determination, that the First Minister has broken the ministerial code.'

Mr Blackford also refused to say whether Ms Sturgeon should resign if she is found to have broken the rules, describing the question as 'hypothetical'.

'Mud has been thrown around by political opponents over the course of the last few months,' he said.

'There is no evidence that has been brought forward that the First Minister has broken the ministerial code or indeed has engaged in any kind of conspiracy.'

When asked specifically about the accusation she misled parliament over when she knew about the allegations, Mr Blackford said there was 'no recollection' of the meeting with Geoff Aberdein and she corrected the record when she remembered.

Mr Blackford added: 'I think the public will look upon this and wonder what on earth is going on - we're talking about a minor difference in dates for that first meeting.

'I think anybody that is in senior office... is holding multiple meetings on a daily basis, and to be able to remember in minute detail the exact date of a meeting...

Alex Salmond (pictured taking the oath ahead of the committee session) said Nicola Sturgeon had cast doubt on the court process that cleared him over harassment allegations, and contradicted the idea he had to prove he had not done anything wrong

'The fact is there has been no conspiracy, the First Minister has not sought to mislead anybody over this whole saga, and that will be demonstrated next week when the First Minister appears before the committee.'

The former first minister had been due to attend a hearing on Wednesday, but dramatically withdrew after the Scottish Parliament redacted his written submission detailing claims of a conspiracy and that Ms Sturgeon misled Parliament about what she knew.

Allegations, discussions, denials and a 'forgotten' key meeting between Sturgeon and Salmond November 2017: Allegations regarding Alex Salmond's behaviour are raised with the SNP by Sky News. Nicola Sturgeon said she spoke to him about this  and he 'denied it'. No further action was taken. March 29, 2018: Ms Sturgeon meets Geoff Aberdein - Mr Salmon's chief of staff - in her Scottish parliament office where she has admitted they discussed the possibility of a meeting with Mr Salmond. Ms Sturgeon  after initially forgetting about this meeting  says there was 'the suggestion that the matter might relate to allegations of a sexual nature'. April 2, 2018: Ms Sturgeon and Mr Salmond meet at the First Minister's home. According to Ms Sturgeon, this is the first time she heard of the complaints made against him. Despite this, she has insisted that the matters discussed were party business. September 14, 2018: A judicial review is launched after complaints by Mr Salmond over the fairness with how the claims against him were handled. January 8, 2019: The Scottish government conceded defeat in the judicial review a week before it was due to launch. Mr Salmond wins 500,000 in legal fees. The court ruled the probe into Mr Salmond had been unlawful and tainted by apparent bias. January 2019: Ms Sturgeon tells MSPs that Mr Salmond first told her about a probe into him on April 2. March 23, 2020: Alex Salmond is cleared of all sexual assault charges and his supporters demanded a full inquiry into the Scottish Government's handling of the scandal. October 7, 2020: Ms Sturgeon claims she 'forgot' about March 29, 2018, meeting with Mr Aberdein. January 24, 2021: Speaking on the Andrew Marr show, Ms Sturgeon denies misleading the Scottish Parliament after 'forgetting' to tell MSPs about her meeting with Mr Salmond's aide on March 29, 2018. February 2021: The High Court in Edinburgh rules Mr Salmond's evidence claiming his former chief of staff met with Ms Sturgeon on March 28, 2018, to discuss sexual assault allegations against the former first minister can be released. Advertisement

Mr Salmond gave more than four hours of evidence in the Robert Burns Room in person rather than over video link, and delivered a series of brutal barbs at Ms Sturgeon under examination from MSPs.

He dismissed Ms Sturgeon's claim he needed to prove his allegations about failures, saying the courts had already concluded the Scottish government acted illegally.

'I note that the First Minister asserts I have to prove a case, I don't. That has already been done. There have been two court cases, two judges, one jury,' he said.

'In this inquiry it is the Scottish Government, a government which has already admitted to behaving unlawfully, who are under examination.'

He said he had 'watched in astonishment' as Ms Sturgeon cast doubt at a briefing earlier this week on the court finding him innocent. He added there had been 'calculated and deliberate suppression of key evidence' from the committee.

He said: 'I watched in astonishment on Wednesday when the First Minister of Scotland - the First Minister of Scotland - used a Covid press conference - a Covid press conference - to effectively question the result of a jury.'

Mr Salmond said the 'failures of leadership are many and obvious'.

But he said no-one had 'taken responsibility' for the way he was treated, adding there had been no resignations or sackings.

'The Government acted illegally but somehow nobody is to blame,' he added.

Mr Salmond said the previous two years and six months  during his investigation and criminal trial  had been a 'nightmare', but 'we can't turn that page, nor move on, until the decision-making which is undermining the system of government in Scotland is addressed'.

In a pointed swipe at Ms Sturgeon, he said: 'Few would dispute that our country is a better place for achieving our parliament.

'However, the move to independence, which I have sought all my political life, and continue to seek, must be accompanied by institutions whose leadership is strong and robust and capable of protecting each and every citizen from arbitrary authority.'

As the temperature rose again, there were complaints that SNP members of the committee might be dragging out the session in a bid to prevent it getting to key elements.

Ms Sturgeon has complained that Mr Salmond is spreading a 'dangerous conspiracy theory' by suggesting he was being censored to protect her.

The First Minister said her former political mentor now preferred 'creating an alternative reality' in which the 'organs of the state... were all part of some wild conspiracy' against him.

She also denied having any influence over the Crown Office's decision to request that his statement be redacted as her government faces growing accusations of corruption.

The huge row is threatening to derail Ms Sturgeon's push for another independence referendum with just two months until crucial Holyrood elections - and there are claims she will have to resign if Mr Salmond's accusations are backed up.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross - who has said Ms Sturgeon must quit if she misled Parliament - tweeted: 'I am no fan of Alex Salmond. He is not a man I respect.

'But he is right about at least one thing  truth and honesty in government matters. And we're not getting it from Nicola Sturgeon.'

On the claims about when Ms Sturgeon knew about the allegations he faced, Mr Salmond said: 'My position is that the meeting on the 2nd April was arranged on the 29th of March. I know this because Geoff Aberdeen phoned me on the 28th March the day before the meeting to say it was going to take place. And he phoned me the day after the meeting to tell me that the meeting had been arranged for the 2nd April

'Self-evidently the only person who can invite you to their home is the First Minister.

'I heard Mr Murrell saying several times that I was regularly popping in. I just point out that I stay 200 miles away from Glasgow.

'As far as I can remember I've been to Nicola and Peter's home six times in my life. Maybe slightly more but it's not a question of just popping in.'

Mr Salmond said the four day difference might not sound significant, but if Ms Sturgeon knew about the allegations on March 29 she could not credibly argue that the April 2 meeting had been for SNP business rather than government business.

Under the ministerial code she should have corrected the record much earlier, he suggested, and there should have been an official record.

He said he had no indication that Ms Sturgeon had been part of a conspiracy to damage him.

Labour's Jackie Baillie asked Mr Salmond to confirm the timeline of events and about Mr Murrell's previous comments that the April 2 meeting was a 'Government matter'.

'Clearly before the April 2, when you were going to visit the First Minister in her home, you knew that there were complaints against you and you knew the name of one of the complainants,' she said.

'You had already established with other colleagues that you weren't resigning from the SNP.

'So when Peter Murrell said it was a government matter, and Nicola Sturgeon said it was a party matter, it would appear that Peter Murrell was right on this occasion?'

Mr Salmond replied: 'It was a government matter, it was about the complaints against me.'

Mr Salmond said earlier: 'I have no incentive or advantage in revisiting the hurt and shock of the last three years from a personal perspective.

'Or, indeed, from the perspective of two complainants, failed by the government.'

The former first minister added: 'For two years and six months, this has been a nightmare.

'I have every desire to move on, to turn the page, to resist talking yet again about a series of events which have been amongst the most wounding that any person can face.

'But the reason I am here today is because we can't turn that page, nor move on, until the decision-making which is undermining the system of government in Scotland is addressed.'

Mr Salmond claimed his ability to give evidence had been 'severely hampered' by the Crown Office.

The former first minister pointed to two orders which restricted what could be said in front of the Holyrood committee.

He said: 'The application of these provisions and threat of prosecution made to me if I offered that evidence is, in my estimation, both extraordinary and unwarranted.'

Mr Salmond insisted: 'This inquiry is not about me, I have already established the illegality of the actions of the Scottish Government in the Court of Session, and I have been acquitted of all criminal charges by a jury in the highest court in the land.

'These are both the highest courts in the land, the highest criminal court and the highest civil court.

'The remit of this inquiry is about the actions of others, whose investigation into the conduct of ministers, the Permanent Secretary, civil servants and special advisers.

'It also requires to shine a light on the activities of the Crown Office.'

He went on to claim that the committee in its inquiry had been 'systematically deprived of the evidence it has legitimately sought'.

Mr Salmond said 'some consequences' should follow on from 'unlawful conduct'.

'I think the leadership of these institutions have serious questions to answer,' he told the inquiry.

'When you get to the stage that a government behaves unlawfully  I mean, this is not something that happens very often.

'I'm on the record politically, when governments have behaved unlawfully, of regarding matters a huge and heinous thing to have happened. It's not a slight matter.

'Some consequences should follow from unlawful conduct.'

Mr Salmond refused to engage with efforts by committee members to probe his behaviour while First Minister - insisting the courts had settled the matter by clearing him.

Maureen Watt, an SNP MSP, said: 'We've heard evidence on one of the matters which eventually resulted in a complaint against you was resolved by you apologising to the woman in question.

'Was it typical for issues like this to be resolved by apology?'

Mr Salmond said: 'I have had three years, Ms Watt, of two court cases, two judges, one jury.

'As far as these matters are concerned, I will leave it to the courts and the jury, and I'm not going to be drawn in further than that.

Salmond says evidence censorship would never have happened at Westminster Alex Salmond today insisted his evidence would have been heard in full at the House of Commons as he condemned censorship by the Scottish authorities. Mr Salmond, who was previously an MP, said the redaction of his written evidence would not have happened at Westminster. He told the committee: 'The normal response from the House of Commons, any parliament I would argue, would be to reject any such overtures and say the parliaments are there to serve the people, and the prosecution service, whether it be the Crown Office or the Crown Prosecution Service in England, is there under the same obligation. 'Obviously the parliament shouldn't be interfering in the independence of the prosecution services, but neither should the prosecution service be presuming to interfere in the legitimate business of the parliament.' And he questioned: 'What is it in the leadership of the Crown Office that is deficient that it is drawing itself in to what is properly the political arena?' Mr Salmond said he had received a letter to say 'what I was and wasn't allowed to talk about' at the committee. He said this stated he was not to speak to parts of his evidence which had been 'submitted in good faith to this committee' and which were readily available online. 'The idea that the only place that can't be discussed is in a parliamentary committee is the direct opposite of what should be true,' he said. 'Parliamentary committees should actually be able to discuss things that cannot be discussed elsewhere, because of the proper exercise of parliamentary privilege and the duties of members of parliament.' Not being able to discuss some parts of his submission was an 'intolerable situation', the former first minister added, insisting this should 'not be allowed to continue'. Advertisement

'The vast majority of issues were dealt with by informal procedures.'

Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton asked Mr Salmond: 'I want to ask, laying aside the charges of which you have been acquitted, and the allegations that you deny, of the behaviours that you have admitted to, some of which are appalling, are you sorry?'

Mr Salmond replied: 'In my statement I pointed out the Government's illegality has had huge consequences for a number of people, and specifically mentioned the complainants in my opening statement.

'Over the last three years, there have been two court cases, two judges and a jury, and I'm resting on the proceedings of these cases.'

Mr Salmond questioned the Scottish Government's decision to apply new anti-harassment procedures  drawn up in the wake of the MeToo movement  to former ministers.

Independent MSP Andy Wightman asked if Mr Salmond had challenged this aspect because 'you felt it was not competent ever to investigate complaints of historical sexual harassment as a matter of principle, or because you felt the allegations against you shouldn't be investigated?'

The former SNP leader told him that 'if nothing else had been wrong with policy, and as we both know there were many, many things wrong with policy, it may well have fallen on the question of retrospectivity'.

He insisted people to whom policies could be applied retrospectively would 'normally be consulted or give their approval in some way' about such a move.

Mr Salmond said: 'There was a letter, which emerged quite recently, which was meant to be sent to former first ministers, myself included presumably, but I know it wasn't sent to former first ministers.'

He claimed this letter asked former first ministers to consult ministers in their administrations about the change, saying this struck him 'as a quite extraordinary thing to be happening'.

He said he was 'not consulted' about making the new policy retrospective.

Mr Salmond was asked if, prior to November 2017, Ms Sturgeon had raised questions or concerns with him about what she would describe as sexually inappropriate behaviour.

'I have got points to make about what I believe the current First Minister has done or not done, and they will be made in response to relevant questions, relevant to the committee,' he told the inquiry.

'But I've seen it pursued on the committee that somehow Nicola Sturgeon was covering up something, that is not the case.'

Labour's Jackie Baillie asked the former first minister if the name of one of the complainants had been shared at a meeting attended by his then chief of staff, Geoff Aberdein.

Mr Salmond arrived for the hearing wearing a face mask, before taking it off to give his evidence to the committee

Alex Salmond's opening statement in full 'Three important points require to be made at the outset. Firstly, this inquiry is not about me. 'I've already established the illegality of the actions of the Scottish Government in the court of session, and I've been acquitted of all criminal charges by a jury in the highest court in the land. 'These are both the highest courts in the land; the highest civil court and the highest criminal court. 'The remit for this inquiry is about the actions of others. It's an investigation into the conduct of ministers, the permanent secretaries, civil servants and special advisors. 'It also requires to shine a light on the activities of the crown office, and to examine the unacceptable conduct of those who appear to have no understanding of the importance of separation of party, and government and prosecution authorities - and indeed of the rule of law itself. 'It was the government who were found to have acted unlawfully, unfairly and tainted by apparent bias. 'I note that the First Minister states that I have to prove a case. I don't. That has already been done. There have been two court cases, two judges, one jury. 'In this inquiry, as the Scottish Government, a government which has already admitted to behaving unlawfully, who are under examination. 'Secondly, my interest in assisting this inquiry is out of respect for our parliament. 'I have made no personal public comment on these matters of any kind, for 11 months. 'Not a single television interview, or press interview or statement. 'I have turned down hundreds of such offers, which as committee members will know, is not my normal policy. 'I have watched with growing frustration over the last six months, while this committee has been systematically deprived of the evidence that it has legitimately sought. 'And I'm just about your only witness who has been actively trying to present you with evidence, as opposed to withholding it. 'As we saw this week, even after it is published, it is then unpublished by intervention of a crown office who should not be questioning the will of Parliament. 'I watched in astonishment on Wednesday when the First Minister of Scotland - the First Minister of Scotland - used a Covid press conference - a Covid press conference- to effectively question the result of a jury. 'Still, I said nothing. Well today that changes. 'I have no incentive or advantage in revisiting the hurt and shock of the last few years from a personal perspective - or indeed from the perspective of two complainants failed by the government, and then forced directly against that express wishes into a criminal process. 'This now-admitted action, neither served the wishes of the complainants nor the interests of justice. 'For two years and six months this has been a nightmare. 'In fact I have every desire to move on, to turn the page, to resist talking yet again about a series of events which have been amongst the most wounding that any person can face. 'But the reason I'm here today is because we can't turn that page, nor move on, until the decision making which is undermining the system of government in Scotland is addressed. 'The competence and professionalism of the civil service matters. The independence of the crown office - as acting in the public interest - matters. Acting in accordance with legal advice matters concealing evidence from the courts matters. 'The duty of candour of public authorities matters. Democratic accountability through Parliament matters. Suppressing evidence from parliamentary committees matters. And yes, ministers telling the truth to Parliament matters. 'The day such things come to not matter would be a dark and dangerous one for Scotland. 'Collectively, these events shine a light on a government whose actions are no longer true to the principles of openness, accountability and transparency - which are the core principles on which the Scottish Parliament was founded. 'I remember - I was there. 'The failures of leadership are many and obvious. And yet convener, not a single person has taken responsibility. 'Not a single resignation. Not a single sacking. Not even an admission. 'Instead we heard promotions or extensions of contracts, and self serving defences. 'The government acted illegally, but somehow, nobody is to blame. 'Delay and obstruction in making evidence available. A committee has been asked to do its job with both hands tied behind its back and a blindfold on. Witness after witness later adjusting evidence delivered under oath. 'Were it not for the independence of the judiciary, the robust scrutiny of the court of session, and the common sense of the jury - made up of members of the public - the matters before this committee would never have come to light, and indeed no one would have cared about this inquiry. 'The Scottish courts emerge from these events with a reputation enhanced. 'Can those leading the government and the crown office say the same? 'Some people say that the failures of these institutions, the blurring of the boundaries between party, government and Prosecution Service, mean that Scotland is in danger of becoming a failed state. 'I disagree. The Scottish civil service hasn't failed; its leadership has failed. The crown office hasn't failed; its leadership has failed. Scotland hasn't failed; its leadership has failed. 'So the importance of this inquiry is for each and every one of us to help put this right. 'My final point is simply this. I'm a private citizen. 'Unlike just about every other person represented at this inquiry, I've had no one paying my legal fees, and I've had to contend with the resources of the Scottish Government being used to further tarnish my reputation. 'Just as they spent 600,000 pounds, defending thir illegal policy before collapsing in the judicial review, and just as enormous time, effort and public money has been devoted to the task of refusing to give this committee the documentation it requires, the pattern is undeniable. 'The government refused to hand over documentation in the civil case. It required a commission to extract it from them. The permanent secretary was brought to give evidence under oath, just to extract documents she had a duty to provide to the court. 'The government ignored the provisions of a search warrant in the criminal case, and despite the impact on the administration of justice, still withheld key documents which should have been put before the jury. 'This committee has been blocked and tackled at every turn, with calculated and deliberate suppression of key evidence. Even parliament, our Scottish Parliament, has been defied despite two votes demanding external legal advice that the public have paid for. 'My evidence has been published, then subsequently censured by intervention of the crown office - evidence that they had previously agreed was lawful. 'And even today, I appear before you under the explicit threat of prosecution, if I reveal evidence for which this committee has asked. 'Not to fulfil my oath and tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth would be a contempt. 'The Crown office says it might lead to prosecution. People should just stop and think for a moment about that. 'The ability of any witness, before any parliament, to tell the truth, and fulfil the oath is effectively being questioned by the crown office. 'The truth is that those who now demand to see evidence, have invested a great deal of time and public money in attempting to hide that evidence. 'When this inquiry ends, neutered though it may be, I'll consider that I've done my duty as a citizen and as a former First Minister. 'It will then be for others to consider their own positions in the light of what this committee decides. 'This inquiry, in my opinion, is a chance to assert what type of Scotland we are trying to create. 'Few would dispute that our country is a better place for achieving our parliament. 'However, the move to independence, which I have sought all my political life, and continue to seek, must be accompanied by institutions whose leadership is strong and robust and capable of protecting each and every citizen from arbitrary authority. 'Such a principle is a central component of the rule of law. 'That matters to every person in Scotland, as much as always has done. 'It is the bedrock of our democracy of justice and fairness.' Advertisement

Mr Salmond said it had, saying: 'My former chief of staff told me that.'

Ms Baillie then pressed him on the Daily Record story on August 23, 2018 in which news of the allegations against him first appeared.

Mr Salmond claimed the leak of that information was 'politically inspired' and called for further police investigation into the matter.

He said: 'If they (civil servants) do leak, they don't leak to the political editor of the Daily Record. Therefore I think the leak was politically inspired.

'I think the matter shouldn't be at an end, I think it's a hugely serious matter.'

He added: 'Where has been the police investigation ordered by the Crown Office into what has been for many people concerned, not least the complainers, a hugely distressing leak to the Daily Record in August 2018?

'As far as I know there has been nothing said or done by the Crown Office in terms of trying to determine where that leak came from.'

He added: 'I think it does require further police investigation  I do believe I know the identity but I'm not here to speculate on individuals that I cannot substantiate.'

Mr Salmond, who was previously an MP, said the redaction of his evidence would not have happened at the House of Commons.

He told the committee: 'The normal response from the House of Commons, any parliament I would argue, would be to reject any such overtures and say the parliaments are there to serve the people, and the prosecution service, whether it be the Crown Office or the Crown Prosecution Service in England, is there under the same obligation.

'Obviously the parliament shouldn't be interfering in the independence of the prosecution services, but neither should the prosecution service be presuming to interfere in the legitimate business of the parliament.'

And he questioned: 'What is it in the leadership of the Crown Office that is deficient that it is drawing itself in to what is properly the political arena?'

Mr Salmond said he had received a letter to say 'what I was and wasn't allowed to talk about' at the committee.

He said this stated he was not to speak to parts of his evidence which had been 'submitted in good faith to this committee' and which were readily available online.

'The idea that the only place that can't be discussed is in a parliamentary committee is the direct opposite of what should be true,' he said.

'Parliamentary committees should actually be able to discuss things that cannot be discussed elsewhere, because of the proper exercise of parliamentary privilege and the duties of members of parliament.'

Not being able to discuss some parts of his submission was an 'intolerable situation', the former first minister added, insisting this should 'not be allowed to continue'.

Mr Salmond claimed there had been a 'deliberate suppression of information inconvenient' to the Scottish Government during investigations arising from complaints made against him.

He told the committee: 'You can see that the pattern of non-disclosure goes right through the judicial review, right through the criminal case and right into this committee.

'It's not the odd document that's been missed out, it is a sequence of deliberate suppression of information inconvenient to the Government.'

He went on to speak about how the Scottish Government had acted in an 'irresponsible and unlawful fashion', saying the retrospective harassment policy had been an 'abject disaster'.

Ms Salmond said: 'The description that is most commonly made in the press about the Government's policy and what happened is 'botched'.

'Your committee is examining, as is often said, the 'botched policy'.

'The policy wasn't botched. The policy was unlawful, unfair and tainted by apparent bias. Botched doesn't cover it.'

When asked if he thought former ministers should have been included in the new policy, Mr Salmond told the inquiry: 'I would like to say about Fairness at Work, it was developed with the unions over an 18-month period.

'It was carefully considered, and above all, it was lawful. The policy which you're examining as part of your inquiry, it was the exact opposite. It was rushed through, and it was unlawful, and was an abject disaster.

'If you are going to apply a retrospective policy, then get a legal base for it.

'And if you're going to apply any policy, then do it in comprehensive, full discussion with the trade unions  as you found in this committee, that did not happen in this case.

'In my experience, it happened in every workplace policy, but somehow not in this policy.'

Mr Salmond said he thought that the Permanent Secretary and 'presumably' Ms Sturgeon had been behind the decision not to settle the case he brought against the Scottish Government earlier.

'This is people's lives we're talking about here, the complainants, myself, other people involved,' he said.

'And of course there is the cost to the public purse, because all that delay certainly from October, and I believe from before that, the decision not to accept arbitration when they must have known how weak the case was.

'The decision not to follow external counsel advice in October, when they knew probably on the balance of probability they were going to lose, the decision to continue on, all that runs up the clock, these extraordinary bills are run up.

'That cannot be just the Lord Advocate, because if that had been a legal matter surely he would have said 'time to settle'.

'That has to be a decision of the Permanent Secretary and presumably a decision of the First Minister.'

Mr Salmond criticised Ms Evans, Scotland's most senior civil servant, for her role in what happened.

He told the committee: 'People make mistakes, in terms of the civil service, just like anybody else, government ministers, politicians. It happens all the time. But in terms of the Richter scale of mistakes, this is right up there, this is a very big one.'

He added that 'you would have hoped, believed, that someone would have accepted responsibility' for this.

Mr Salmond continued: 'When I walked out of the Court of Session in January 8 (2019), I didn't say 'Leslie Evans should now resign', I did the normal language that perhaps the Permanent Secretary should now consider her position.

'I did that because I knew she had claimed ownership over this policy, she said in a letter to my lawyers 'it was a policy established by me'. That was her words.

'I thought therefore she had responsibility for the policy, for not conceding timeously in the judicial review and for a range of other things that could have been done. But somebody has to accept responsibility for a calamitous occurrence and defeat.'

Meanwhile away from Holyrood, a former deputy leader of the SNP accused Ms Sturgeon of breaching the ministerial code over the comments she made about Mr Salmond during a Covid briefing on Wednesday.

Jim Sillars said she appeared to question Mr Salmond's acquittal on sexual assault charges and therefore failed in her duty to uphold the 'highest standards of behaviour'.

On Wednesday Ms Sturgeon said the behaviour the women who accused Mr Salmond complained of 'was found by a jury not to constitute criminal conduct, and Alex Salmond is innocent of criminality'.

She added: 'But that doesn't mean that the behaviour they claimed of [sic] didn't happen, and I think it's important that we don't lose sight of that.'

Mr Sillars said 'any reasonable person would draw more than an inference from' Ms Sturgeon's 'weasel words' that the jury were wrong.

In a letter to Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans, he added: 'If as the First Minister states the jury's verdict means that the complaints they had before them in evidence did in fact happen, then the only logical conclusion you can draw from her words is that the jury was wrong in its verdict - 13 times.'

In an excoriating article for the Scottish Daily Mail today, Mr Sillars said the 'SNP today is a disgrace'.

'Bit by bit, the public and those who invested trust in it as the head of a great movement that would take us to independence, are seeing the truth revealed,' he wrote.

'We have seen willing, in my view, to ruin a man's reputation by a leak to a newspaper; followed later by the most senior civil servant in the country declaring they had not lost 'the war' after a judicial review concluded the Government's handling of harassment claims against Mr Salmond were 'tainted by apparent bias'.

'We have seen the chief executive of the governing party, the husband of the First Minister, appearing to support a police probe into Mr Salmond. And we have also seen Mr Salmond's written evidence heavily redacted by the Crown Office.

'Those of us who have a long, and I would claim honourable, record in fighting the cause of independence, and say that in all conscience we cannot vote for the SNP in May, are being called all sorts of names.

But the deplorable state the SNP is in is all the doing of the leadership. It is their egregious actions that have brought the party to the point that I and others cannot even contemplate holding our nose and voting for them.'

He pointed the finger at Ms Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, the SNP chief executive.

'This is a crisis for the independence movement caused by Sturgeon, Murrell and others in the top tiers of the party and government. There will be a cost in May,' he said.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said the brutal infighting and an 'obsession' with breaking up the union was 'distracting' from the response to the pandemic.

In a round of interviews this morning, Mr Buckland told Sky News: 'The priorities of the people of Scotland are fighting the virus and trying to live with it, and get back to normal along with the rest of the United Kingdom.

'I think they will be at best puzzled and at worst dismayed by this constant intrigue coming against the background of an obsessive mission by the SNP to call another independence or separation referendum.

'I am afraid it is showing a political establishment in Edinburgh that is increasingly out of touch with the reality of day-to-day life.'

At a ferocious Holyrood session yesterday, Scottish Tory Ruth Davidson accused Ms Sturgeon of trying to 'save her own skin' over the inquiry.

She said there was a 'culture of secrets and cover up that is only growing and it is all taking place on Nicola Sturgeon's watch'.

She asked Ms Sturgeon during First Minister's Questions at Holyrood: 'First Minister, is saving your own skin worth all the damage that you are doing?'

But Ms Sturgeon hit back and said it was Ms Davidson's reputation that was 'disintegrating before our eyes' as she accused her counterpart of speaking a 'litany of nonsense'.

The SNP leader also claimed that the 'reputation and the integrity of Scotland's independent justice institutions' was being 'sacrificed... on the altar of the ego of one man'.

Alex Neil, an SNP MSP and friend of Mr Salmond, has said Ms Sturgeon and other senior figures will have to step down if the former first minister can prove he has been the victim of a 'stitch up'.

Mr Neil said the redacted evidence is 'fundamental' to Mr Salmond's allegations 'against the Scottish Government and the people who he believes tried to do him down'.

Ms Sturgeon is due to appear before the inquiry next Wednesday.

Civil servants have so far refused to explain why they redacted the most explosive 474 words of Mr Salmond's testimony that could force the SNP leader to resign.

Politicians said the separation of power between prosecutors, the civil service and the SNP had become 'indistinguishable' and Scotland's public institutions were allowing themselves to be used for political purposes.

A new poll published yesterday suggested the SNP's bitter civil war is starting to harm the party in the eyes of voters.

The survey published by Ipsos MORI showed just over a third of Scots (36 per cent) say the inquiry into the Scottish Government's handling of accusations against Mr Salmond has made them less favourable towards the SNP, although 58 per cent say it made no difference to their view.

Ms Sturgeon said she expected to be 'fully questioned on all of these matters when I sit before that committee at long last on Wednesday of next week'.

She said: 'Scrutiny of me is, as I said earlier, it is important, it is necessary, it is entirely legitimate.

Alex Salmond arrived at Holyrood for his evidence session before a Parliamentary committee today

'What is not legitimate is to pursue a conspiracy theory, a scorched earth policy that threatens the reputation and the integrity of Scotland's independent justice institutions just because you happen to dislike this government and to sacrifice all of that, if I may say so Presiding Officer, on the altar of the ego of one man.'

Ms Davidson claimed there was a 'culture of secrets and cover up that is only growing and it is all taking place on Nicola Sturgeon's watch', as she added: 'There is just one further question I want to ask. First Minister, is saving your own skin worth all the damage that you are doing?'

Sturgeon's popularity drops 16 points amid SNP civil war as support for independence tumbles Support for independence and Nicola Sturgeon's leadership have plummeted in Scotland in the wake of the SNP civil war over Alex Salmond, new poll has revealed. A majority of Scots still support breaking up the United Kingdom, but its lead fell by 4 per cent to 52 per cent, according to a survey by Ipsos Mori for STV. At the same time, Ms Sturgeon's personal approval rating fell by 16 points to 32 per cent, among the ongoing turmoil involving sex abuse allegations made against her predecessor. More than a third (36 per cent) of those polled said that the row had made them think less favourably towards the SNP, including more than a fifth of those who voted for the party at the last general election. However, Ms Sturgeon's party still retains the numbers to seal an overall majority at Holyrood elections in May - if the furious argument does not blow any deeper chasms in party ranks. Advertisement

Ms Sturgeon replied: 'The most important thing to me is the reputation of our country, the integrity of our institutions and I will always act in a way that protects exactly that.

'There is a reputation here that I think is perhaps disintegrating before our eyes and it is not mine may I say. Ruth Davidson has just gone through there a litany of nonsense.'

The growing fury around the row is focused on a decision by the Scottish Parliament to redact Mr Salmond's written testimony against Ms Sturgeon after a request from prosecutors at the Crown Office - just a day before he was due to give evidence to an inquiry in person.

Ms Sturgeon was peppered with questions about the affair at her daily coronavirus press briefing on Wednesday and said the decision to censor Mr Salmond's evidence was not forced by the government and was taken 'independently' by the Crown Office.

But she dodged a question about whether she lied about when she knew of the sex assault allegations against Mr Salmond, as he claims.

She said: 'Any suggestion, any at all, that these are in any way politically influenced are downright wrong. I would suggest they go further than that, that they actually start to buy into what is a false and quite dangerous conspiracy theory that has no basis in fact.'

She said of Mr Salmond: 'Make whatever claims he wants to make, say whatever he wants to say, and bring whatever evidence he thinks he has there.

'There was no conspiracy theory and I sometimes think that the preference perhaps of Mr Salmond is to continue to make those claims without ever subjecting them to the proper scrutiny of the parliamentary committee looking into them.'

She later added: 'Maybe creating an alternative reality in which the organs of the state not just me and the SNP, and the civil service and the Crown Office and the police and the women who came forward were all part of some wild conspiracy against him for reasons I can't explain.

'Maybe that's easier than accepting that at the root of this might just have been issues in his own behaviour. But that's for him to explain if he ever decides to pitch up and sit in front of the committee.'

MSPs and Mr Salmond called for the Lord Advocate, the government's chief legal officer, to appear before parliament to explain why the evidence that has the potential to damage Ms Sturgeon has been censored - but were repeatedly refused.

Parliament chose to censor the most explosive 474 words of Mr Salmond's testimony which accuse the First Minister of lying to Parliament about her knowledge of an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Mr Salmond.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said the brutal infighting and an 'obsession' with breaking up the union was 'distracting' from the response to the pandemic

If she is proven to have lied she could be forced to resign, yet the censors left thousands of words of Mr Salmond's testimony that do not implicate Ms Sturgeon untouched.

The warning raises the prospect Mr Salmond could be prosecuted for contempt of court if he discusses the allegations at the Holyrood inquiry and on Tuesday night he pulled out of appearing because he said the curbs on his evidence would make it 'impossible' for him to address MSPs.

Crown Office prosecutors claim the redacted testimony risks enabling readers to piece together the identity of his sexual assault accusers  but the Scottish High Court previously ruled it does not risk jigsaw identification and the document has been public for two weeks.

There are currently two inquiries swirling in the Salmond/Sturgeon battle after he was cleared of 13 sexual assault accusations and his prosecutors were found to have been influenced by 'political bias'.

The first inquiry is into the Scottish government's handling of the allegations against Mr Salmond, and another into whether Ms Sturgeon broke the ministerial code.

The first is an SNP-led Holyrood committee set up last year, which has already heard controversial evidence given by the current first minister's husband and SNP chief executive Peter Murrell.

But the second inquiry, led by James Hamilton QC, is aimed at Ms Sturgeon and whether she broke the ministerial code by lying to parliament about when she heard of the allegations against Mr Salmond.

She told the Scottish parliament she first heard of the claims on April 2, 2018, but backed down later after 'forgetting' and admitted meeting Mr Salmond's former chief of staff Geoff Aberdein on March 29.

The part of Mr Salmond's testimony that has been censored explains how Ms Sturgeon met his chief of staff to discuss the sexual allegations four days earlier than she told Parliament she had.

Mr Salmond's camp say this is evidence that Ms Sturgeon orchestrated the investigation into sexual assault allegations and subsequent prosecution to stop his political comeback.

Before: Mr Salmond's testimony made claims against Ms Sturgeon and her office which have now been redacted

After: The Scottish Parliament redacted the most damning parts of Mr Salmond's bombshell evidence against Ms Sturgeon

When confronted with the discrepancies in her evidence, the SNP leader claimed she 'forgot' about the earlier meeting - despite it apparently being the first occasion on which she learned of serious sexual assault allegations about her political mentor.

Mr Salmond dismissed this claim as 'untenable' and has pointed out Mr Aberdein's evidence - which has not been published in full - that the sexual assault claims were raised in detail with the first minister during their earlier meeting.

The ministerial code says 'ministers who knowingly mislead parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the first minister', but Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly waved off accusations she did.

If the Hamilton inquiry - which has not announced when its findings will be released - concludes she did break the ministerial code, it would likely spell an end to Ms Sturgeon's career and potentially torpedo the SNP in the May elections and its hopes for another Scottish independence referendum.

Mr Salmond's evidence for the Hamilton inquiry was made public two weeks ago after a legal campaign by the Spectator.

It was posted on the parliamentary inquiry's website on Monday.

But the Crown Office immediately demanded it was swiftly removed and heavily redacted - removing claims against Ms Sturgeon by Mr Salmond - then republished.

The Crown Office - Scotland's version of the CPS - came under immediate fire as politicians of all colours called on the Lord Advocate and senior officials to make an 'urgent statement' to parliament on why it had advised Holyrood to make redactions.

Mr Salmond's lawyers have asked the Lord Advocate to explain the 'unprecedented and highly irregular' move by the Crown Office.

They said in a statement: 'What was the legal basis for the Crown's intervention, when lawyers and counsel have approved the submission as being fully compliant with Lady Dorrian's judgment? Their advice is that they can see no legal reason for this move.

'Why did the Crown not complain until now about the paragraphs they have asked to be removed from Mr Salmond's submission, given that they have known about these since before 15th January and they have been in the public domain since then too?

'The Parliament also approved the submission before publishing it on the Inquiry website.'

In an urgent question on Wednesday, Scottish Labour interim leader Jackie Baillie asked the Lord Advocate if he was consulted about the letter, to which he replied he was not and it was taken by senior senior professional prosecutors.

She followed up by asking if he was aware of the letter or Procurator Fiscal Kenny Donnelly or if Crown agent David Harvey were consulted. He replied: 'I received a copy of the letter for my information after it had been issued.'

The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body was forced to hold an emergency meeting early on Tuesday after the Crown Office raised concerns over Mr Salmond's submission.

Following advice from officials, Holyrood bosses agreed to censor the document  removing five of the 33 sections, totalling nearly 500 words.

The 36-page submission was initially published online on Monday evening by the Scottish parliament after weeks of manoeuvring over the former SNP leader's evidence.

It was removed in its entirety on Tuesday morning before being reissued with a series of redactions.

SNP Chief Executive, Peter Murrell arrives to give evidence to a Scottish Parliament committee at Holyrood in December

Liz Lloyd (left), Nicola Sturgeon's Chief of Staff, at an SNP event at which Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon set out the next steps in the SNP's campaign for Scottish independence, on January 31, 2020. Right: Leslie Evans, Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government, is pictured as she gives evidence at Holyrood to a Scottish Parliament committee examining the handling of harassment allegations against former first minister Alex Salmond

Sue Ruddick (pictured) was also complicit in efforts to damage his reputation, Mr Salmond says

Nicola Sturgeon's aides whom Alex Salmond accuses of being complicit in efforts to damage his reputation Nicola Sturgeon's husband and SNP Chief Executive Peter Murrell Peter Murrell has been chief executive of the SNP since 1999. The 56-year-old was educated at Craigmount High School and Glasgow University before moving into politics. He later worked in the Banff and Buchan constituency office of former First Minister Alex Salmond, who he now faces accusations from. He met Ms Sturgeon in 1988 at the constituency office and they became a couple in 2003. The pair got married in July 2010 at Oran Mor Glasgow. Chief of Staff Liz Lloyd Nicola Sturgeon's Chief of Staff Liz Lloyd is no stranger to controversy. Only last month the special adviser was blasted for tweeting criticism of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. As a civil service she is supposed to remain apolitical. The rules say she 'must not take public part in political controversy', including on 'social media'. Now she is also wrapped up in accusations she was part of a 'witch hunt' to destroy Alex Salmond. Ms Lloyd has been at the top of Scottish politics for nearly a decade - being a Spad for nine years and chief of staff for six years. Before that she was head of the SNP's media operations for four years and an adviser to MSP Jim Mathers for three years earlier. Edinburgh University educated Lloyd studied an MA in American studies and an MSc in European and comparative public policy before entering politics. Her LinkedIn calls for: 'a strong, successful and independent Scotland.' Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans The head of Scotland's civil service could be sacked from the role as MSPs prepare to 'throw her under the bus'. Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans is expected to be slammed in a report on Holyrood's handling of the Alex Salmond affair. There are reportedly plans underway to get Ms Evans out of office earlier than her scheduled leave next spring. A source told The Sunday Times MSPs on the special committee are 'preparing to throw her under a bus'. Ms Evans is a 62-year-old civil servant from Northern Ireland who moved to Sheffield as a child before studying music at Liverpool University. She started living in Scotland in 1985 and joined the government in 2000 after 20 years working in local authorities. She was the first woman to land the top civil service job - from May 2015 - and earns around 175,000 a year. Chief Operating Officer Sue Ruddick The mother of three is the chief operating officer for the Scottish National Party. She worked in London as chief of staff for the SNP Westminster Group before heading up to Scotland. Ms Ruddick had before that been a parliamentary press and research assistant after being a part time swimming teacher. The Aberdeen University educated politico has a master's degree in history and also took courses in German, Spanish, sociology, psychology and international relations. Her LinkedIn profile says: 'A pro-active and talented Communications Professional with extensive experience in corporate image development and business administration. 'Proven track record of successful design, implementation and management of innovative communication strategies leading to significant increases in efficiency and gains for the company.' Compliance Officer Ian McCann Ian McCann is the point of contact at SNP Headquarters in Edinburgh, according to the party's website. His Twitter bio says: 'Two kids, two chins, eclectic taste in film and music. I mostly avoid discussion of politics, but if I do, I reserve the right to joke.' He often retweets First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and is followed by SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford. Advertisement

In a letter to Holyrood officials, Mr Salmond's lawyers said that as a 'substantial' part of his evidence had been 'deleted without reference to him', there was now a 'significant legal impediment to his oral evidence'.

They added: 'It is now clearly impossible for him to attend tomorrow in these circumstances, but he remains willing to attend on Friday.

'He accepts that is entirely in the hands of the committee, to whom he has asked that we copy this correspondence.'

Mr Salmond's evidence alleges there was a 'deliberate, prolonged, malicious and concerted effort among a range of individuals within the Scottish Government and the SNP to damage my reputation, even to the extent of having me imprisoned'.

He called for some of them to resign and claims their conduct could amount to a 'conspiracy' at the highest levels in Scottish government.

He claimed in the submission the 'inescapable conclusion' was that there was a 'malicious and concerted' attempt to see him removed from public life in Scotland.

In his latest statement, Mr Salmond alleged that while probing sexual assault claims against him, SNP officials were also drafting the Fairness at Work Policy 2010.

He claims Ms Lloyd drafted an amendment in November 2017 to tweak a policy to include 'former Ministers, including from previous administrations regardless of Party'.

He makes the link between this email and the claims made against him by the female complainants - meaning he could be prosecuted.

He says there was also a political intervention when Ms Sturgeon and the Permanent Secretary agreed before December 2017 that she should be distanced from the policy and only told when it was done.

Mr Salmond claims: 'When the Permanent Secretary agreed with the First Minister that she should take over as key decision maker in terms of this new policy she was already aware of the developing complaints against me.

'Therefore she put herself at the centre of a policy in the full knowledge that I would likely be the first (and perhaps only given the subsequent declaration of illegality) subject of its implementation. Doing so from a position of already being tainted by bias is an extraordinary decision.'

He also says the Scottish government was advised by external counsel in October 2018 that the 'balance of probability' was that 'they were heading for likely defeat' in its case against him.

He said: 'And yet, despite that advice and the cost of hundreds of thousands of pounds of avoidable legal fees, the Scottish Government pressed on with a case they expected to lose.'

He added: 'However, underlying all of this and perhaps the most serious issue of all is the complete breakdown of the necessary barriers which should exist between Government, political party and indeed the prosecution authorities in any country which abides by the rule of law.'

He also accused the Crown Office of 'shielding some of the most powerful people in the country'.

In his submission to the Hamilton inquiry, Mr Salmond said had it not been for the jury system, a campaign to remove him from public life might have 'succeeded'.

In a different submission, Ms Lloyd ardently rejected being part of a conspiracy and said this was 'not substantiated by any evidence'.

She also denied leaking details of a Scottish Government inquiry into the allegations to the Daily Record newspaper.

According to Mr Salmond, the 'most obvious and compelling evidence of such conduct' is contained in materials the Crown Office 'refuses to release'. He said: 'That decision is disgraceful.'

Mr Salmond has called for evidence he obtained ahead of his criminal trial - but was not used in court - to be released by prosecutors, but they have refused.

He said such a move 'makes it impossible for the Committee to complete its task; and that the 'only beneficiaries of that decision to withhold evidence are those involved in conduct to damage (and indeed imprison) me'.

Mr Murrell has previously denied there was a conspiracy against Mr Salmond.

Mr Salmond also used his final submission before he appeared at Holyrood to demand resignations over the affair, hitting out at the 'real cost' to the Scottish people which he believes to be 'many millions' of pounds.

He said: 'No one in this process has uttered the simple words necessary on occasions to renew and refresh democratic institutions - 'I resign'.'

Mr Salmond's submission came after he received letters from officials warning he could face prosecution if he shared or referenced materials he had obtained for his criminal trial and had hoped to make public.

Mr Salmond faced 13 charges including one of attempted rape, one of intent to rape, nine charges of sexual assault and two of indecent assault.

The ex-SNP leader was cleared of all charges by a jury following an 11-day trial at the High Court in Edinburgh. The jury returned not guilty verdicts on 12 charges and returned a not proven verdict on a charge of sexual assault with intent to rape.

Mr Salmond was awarded more than 512,000 of taxpayer cash in legal fees.

A spokesman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said: 'We take seriously our responsibility to uphold the law and to protect the dignity and rights of all those who come into contact with COPFS.

'Scotland's prosecutors have acted independently and in the public interest at all times when considering matters related to this case.'

Whinging Australians returning from overseas are refusing to pay the bill for their two-week hotel quarantine stay - with debt collectors chasing more than 5,000 people over unpaid fees.

Some simply can't afford the $5,000 charge for a family-of-four, while others claim that the are facilities 'appalling', so they shouldn't have to pay.

Michael Ledsome told The Australian he's refusing to pay his quarantine bill even though he can afford to do so, after returning from Turkey with his family.

'It's a matter of principle, it's my right to refuse to pay.'

While he wanted to return home before the July 2020 deadline, he claimed he was advised by the Australian embassy in Akara to 'not risk international travel.'

Those who purchased flights before July 12, 2020 were not required to pay for hotel quarantine in New South Wales.

He also complained that his pregnant wife and three-year-old child, who left Turkey before him, had been given prior permission to quarantine at home, but when they arrived in Australia they were told to go into hotel quarantine with 'no opening windows or proper medical support'.

Those returning to Australia must undergo a mandatory 14-day period of quarantine at a hotel

Other Australians have argued that work commitments should make them exempt from paying.

A chef, who works on ships overseas for up to three months at a time, told the publication: 'I'm basically like a fly-in, fly-out. I need to keep the family fed and pay my mortgage'.

He said he supports hotel quarantine, but found it 'crazy' that it wasn't tax deductible.

'I've received three warning notices already and I'm not paying.'

Many others were struggling to pay after spending thousands of dollars on overpriced flights to get home.

Quarantine hotels in New South Wales are guarded by police to make sure no one escapes

Despite this, the NSW government has rejected most of the excuses and has debt collectors on the cases of those refusing to pay.

It has more than 5,264 debt recovery orders covering 7,214 returned travelers, amounting to more than $16.4million, as of February 19.

In Queensland 18,442 invoices had been issued by February 12, with more than 6000 people submitting waivers to try and get out of paying.

The Victorian government has only just begun its own invoicing process, while the South Australian government had issued more than $10million in invoices, with $6million still remaining unpaid at the end of December.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has reiterated Britain's support to Afghanistan in its fight against the Taliban, as part of the wider North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) alliance.In a phone call from Downing Street in London with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday, Johnson also agreed on the importance of making progress in peace talks to secure a sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan.

"He [Johnson] reiterated the UK's longstanding support for the Afghan government's fight against the Taliban as part of the NATO coalition, a Downing Street spokesperson said.

They agreed on the importance of making progress in peace talks to secure a sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan, and to preserve the gains made by civil society and women and girls, the spokesperson said.

Besides regional matters, both leaders also discussed the COVID-19 crisis and global efforts around access to vaccines to combat the pandemic.

The Prime Minister and President Ghani also discussed global efforts to tackle the pandemic and the rollout of vaccines in Afghanistan and the UK, Downing Street said.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)

To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
ADVERTISEMENT

The 42 persons kidnapped by bandits from Government Science College Kagara, Niger State have been released after 10 days in captivity.

The bandits seized 27 students, three staff and 12 members of their family in a raid on the school from Tuesday evening to early Wednesday morning last week.

One of the residents of Kagara, Yunusa Acha, told PREMIUM TIMES that the victims were released on Saturday morning.

A video clip in circulation shows a group of famished youngsters and women, which one of their military escorts described as the abducted students from Kagara being led into what appears like a deserted school.

According to the resident who confirmed the latest development in the saga to our reporter, the released persons were lodged at the mobile police base in the town but no one was granted access to them.

Some people saw them this morning around 7:30 a.m. As Im speaking to you, they are on their way to Minna (the state capital), Mr Acha said.

Earlier on Saturday, PR Nigeria reported that a top police officer involved in the counter-kidnapping operation confirmed their release.

The video clip circulated on social media shows some students, about 26, sitting on the ground, with security agents around them.

According to the background voice in the clip, they were released on Saturday morning.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mary Noel-Berje, did not pick calls or respond to the text sent by our reporter.

When this paper contacted the spokesperson of the police in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, he simply said, The government will brief the press.

However, Mary Noel-Berje, media aide to governor Abubakar Bello, confirmed the development to reporters in Minna, Niger State.

The official said students, staff and family members of the government science college Kagara have regained their freedom and received by the NIGER State government.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the students and staffs of the school were abducted on February 17, in Kagara, a community under siege by armed men.

More details later
ADVERTISEMENT

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his government is not deploying excessive force against armed bandits because of the fear of heavy casualties of innocent villagers.

The president stated this in response to the recent kidnap of schoolgirls in Zamfara State.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how at least 317 schoolgirls were abducted by bandits on Friday morning during a raid on Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Zamfara State.

Residents said the bandits woke up people in the neighbourhood as they raided the school, shooting into the air for over two hours.

The latest attack was the third mass kidnapping of schoolchildren in the last three months in the north raising fears among Nigerians in rural communities.

Well not succumb to blackmail

The president condemned the banditry, describing it as inhumane and totally unacceptable.

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu quoted the president as saying he was sending out a strong warning to bandits and their sponsors.

This administration will not succumb to blackmail by bandits who target innocent school students in the expectations of huge ransom payments.

No criminal group can be too strong to be defeated by the government, the only thing standing between our security forces and the bandits are the rules of engagement.

We have the capacity to deploy massive force against the bandits in the villages where they operate, but our limitation is the fear of heavy casualties of innocent villagers and hostages who might be used as human shields by the bandits, he said,

He said his governments primary objective is to get the hostages safe, alive and unharmed.

The president said, a hostage crisis is a complex situation that requires maximum patience in order to protect the victims from physical harm or even brutal death at the hands of their captors.

Let them not entertain any illusions that they are more powerful than the government. They shouldnt mistake our restraint for the humanitarian goals of protecting innocent lives as a weakness or a sign of fear or irresolution.

Mr Buhari appealed to state governments to review their policy of rewarding bandits with money and vehicles, warning that the policy might boomerang disastrously.

The president also advised states and local governments to be more proactive by improving security around schools and their surroundings.
Parents who favor reopening schools for on-campus learning demonstrate outside the Sequoia Union High School District headquarters in Redwood City, Calif., on Tuesday. (Jillie Kadivar / For The Times)

South of San Francisco, the Sequoia Union High School District serves some of the Bay Area's wealthiest communities, such as Atherton, Menlo Park and Woodside, as well as some of its neediest, including East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks and Redwood City.

On Tuesday, the school district learned it had risen into a state tier that would allow high school students, if they chose, to resume on-campus learning. At the urging of many parents, district leaders on Wednesday announced an April reopening plan.

That is when things got ugly.

"How many deaths will you accept as collateral for your two months of school? Can you live with that?" Allison Mok, a teacher at East Palo Alto Academy, asked the district's board of trustees in a contentious Zoom meeting Wednesday.

Reopenings of high schools in the Bay Area provide a window into conflicts sure to play out in Los Angeles and other parts of California as more counties move into less restrictive tiers. Schools in wealthier areas tend to be more willing  and better prepared  than their poorer counterparts to restart in-class instruction, at least in L.A. County, as The Times revealed in an investigation this month.

In the Sequoia Union district, some teachers feel the reopening process has been too rushed and urged students to apply pressure on their parents to stop it.

Expect a rant the next time u see me, a Menlo Atherton High School teacher wrote to his junior-level U.S. history class Thursday. If u dont want this to be happening, I will highly encourage you to encourage your parents to go full karen on the school and at the school board meeting.

Low coronavirus case counts and other factors led California to move San Mateo County from the purple tier  the most restrictive  into the red tier this week, allowing for high schools to reopen as long as they follow strict guidelines on distancing, classroom ventilation and reducing class sizes to 25% of capacity.

Story continues

In a deal negotiated between the district and the Sequoia District Teachers Assn., the students in the district's seven high schools could choose to return to campus April 5 for a term scheduled to end June 4.

The plan, as described Wednesday and seen in point-by-point slides provided to some students the next day, would involve a hybrid form of instruction in which four small cohorts of students would return to campus two days a week, every two weeks.

The students on campus would receive instruction in a classroom, where their teacher would be simultaneously instructing students at home or other remote locations.

Though negotiating teams from the district and union have agreed to the plan, it still requires ratification from union members. That vote will happen next week.

The plan's passage is anything but certain, given the response of many teachers this week.

Board President Alan Sarver noted that the district is unusual, with affluent and low-income families in proximity to each other.

"The extremes here are so great and so apparent," he said. The town of Atherton  which for the last four years has topped Bloomberg's list as the richest in the country  shares a border with North Fair Oaks, one of the region's less affluent. And they are in the same district.

As in much of California, each community's experience with the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped how parents and teachers view school reopenings. In East Palo Alto, where the median household income in 2018 was roughly $64,000, the coronavirus case rate as of Friday was five times higher than in Atherton, where the average annual household income in 2020 was more than $520,000.

Vaccination rates are also different: As of Friday, just 10.16% of East Palo Alto residents have received a shot, compared with 43.98% of those living in Atherton.

The average age of an Atherton resident skews higher than in East Palo Alto, which could explain some of the discrepancy in vaccination rates, but the historical inequities between the communities underscore the distrust expressed at Wednesday's meeting.

Its another reflection of the deep, systemic racism that exists within our district and that has existed within our district for decades, said Andy Robinson, a teacher at East Palo Alto Academy.

Parents and students were not among those voicing the most concern Wednesday. Of the 37 public comments made, 16 voiced disapproval of the plan to return  14 of those were from teachers.

Eva Tang, a teacher at East Palo Alto Academy, said she lost her father to COVID-19.

"But more heartbreaking than my own fathers death are the messages I got from students," she said, reciting a few: "'Can I take a break from class? Ive been crying because my great grandma just died,' and, 'My moms in the hospital and I got COVID, too, so I know that its real.'"

Sarver said he understood the fear and distrust, but "ironically, these are the communities faring the poorest with distance instruction."

Several surveys, studies and analyses have shown learning gaps and profound differences in outcomes for children during the pandemic, depending on whether they live in affluent or impoverished school districts.

"These are the communities where we have the greatest urgency," Sarver said.

Others argued the proposed hybrid model would provide substandard instruction for both those in classrooms and those Zooming in remotely.

Edith Salvatore, the president of the teachers union, said that although she understood the desire to have children back on campus for the social experience, the quality of teaching would deteriorate.

"You're going to have a handful of students in the classroom, sitting at their desks in front of their laptops with their headphones on watching their teacher, who is also sitting at a desk, in front of a laptop with headphones on," she said. "Emotionally and socially, sure, there are benefits. Pedagogically? It's no good."

Many, particularly parents identified with the Reopen SUHSD campaign, praised the decision. They noted that mental health issues have arisen among students unable to socialize or be around their peers, as well as research showing that few outbreaks have been tied to the resumption of in-person learning.

Several public middle and elementary schools in the area have been offering hybrid on-campus learning for students since fall.

"The science is clear that the benefits of reopening schools far outweigh the costs of returning," said Kari Mueller, a parent in the district and an active member of the Reopen SUHSD campaign. "There has been virtually no communal spread of the disease in the hundreds of school districts that have opened across the country and the world. If done properly, it is safe."

Others, including the board's student trustee, Sathvik Nori, agreed.

"It's not ideal," said Nori, a senior at Menlo Atherton High School. "But we should think of it as trial period. A time to iron out the kinks, so when school starts this fall, things will be smoother."

Ronald Sanchez, the 22-year-old teacher who sent the "karen" message to his students, said he regretted his "ill informed and emotionally charged response" and chalked it up to being a first-year teacher.

"I love my students," he said, adding that later Thursday afternoon, he cried on a Zoom call with his fifth-period class while commemorating the brave and intrepid teachers of earlier eras.

"I thought of all the teachers that came before me," he said. "Those that were asked to teach during the Cold War, under the threat of nuclear annihilation. The teachers that taught after 9/11. And those that went into classrooms with the threat of mass shootings. I just hope I can serve my students as well during this challenging time."

For the record:

7:13 PM, Feb. 27, 2021: A previous version of this story misspelled the name of East Palo Alto Academy teacher Allison Mok as Alison Mock and referred to Sequoia Union school board President Alan Sarver as Adam. It also said Sequoia Union had eight high schools. The district has seven high schools.



This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.


Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Fujitsu and University of Toronto develop technology to optimize radiation treatment plans

TORONTO, CANADA & KAWASAKI, JAPAN, Feb. 26, 2021 -- Fujitsu Laboratories, Ltd. in collaboration with researchers at the University of Toronto (U of T) today announced the development of a technology for dramatically streamlining the creation of radiation treatment plans for Gamma Knife (1) radiosurgery, leveraging Fujitsu's quantum-inspired computing technology, the Digital Annealer, which rapidly solves combinatorial optimization problems.

Gamma Knife radiation therapies are used to treat illnesses including brain tumors and arteriovenous malformations. The process of creating treatment plans using conventional methods is often laborious and time-consuming, and doctors must spend time making painstaking and detailed adjustments to determine how much radiation should be administered to a target while minimizing dose to surrounding tissue. With the newly developed technology, however, medical professionals can create treatment plans in roughly one minute, maintaining the same level of accuracy as conventional methods, while simultaneously calculating a huge number of possible combination patterns of where and how much dose to deliver with the Digital Annealer.

By easing the burden on medical professionals in creating fast and accurate treatment plans, the new technology frees them to devote more time and energy to ensuring patients receive the most effective and humane care possible. Going forward, Fujitsu Laboratories and U of T researchers will continue to test the effectiveness of this technology based on additional patient data, and ultimately develop technologies that actively contribute to improvement of medical science and society at large.

Background

Gamma Knife surgery is used to treat brain tumors and other conditions because of its relative non-invasiveness and highly precise method of delivery of radiation. By using 192 different sources of gamma radiation aimed at different points, the dose to the affected area can be maximized while the dose to the surrounding healthy organs is kept very low. Parameters including position, shape, and dose of radiation must be considered to achieve optimal dosage to the affected area. However, the number of potential combination patterns is enormous, and in current medical practice, doctors generate treatment plans by manually repeating parameter adjustments based on their previous experience. This process can take about 1.5 to 3 hours to generate a plan that meets the patient's individual needs, placing a heavy burden on medical professionals.

While the physician is preparing the treatment plan, the patient may also need to wait, frequently with a frame fixed to their head to limit movement, which may cause some physical discomfort. It is also necessary to secure medical personnel to help to prepare patients for treatment and make sure the frame remains in place.

Recent years have witnessed the emergence of new tools to help ease this process--for instance, software that automates the generation of treatment plans. In the field, however, it often remains the case that the generated plan still requires clinicians to manually modify and adjust the plans.

Since 2017, Fujitsu and U of T have been collaborating in a strategic partnership centered on research relating to quantum computing. With this latest initiative, the parties have collaborated in the development of technology to help apply the use of the Digital Annealer for the generation of treatment plans for Gamma Knife therapies. Researchers at U of T and its medical institutions studied and developed methods to translate the Gamma Knife optimization to combinatorial optimization, a format understandable by the Digital Annealer technology developed by Fujitsu.

Fig. 1 Overview of Gamma Knife Therapy

About the Newly Developed Technology

U of T researchers, through their methods and the use of Digital Annealer technology by Fujitsu, has developed the following technology to generate treatment plans at high speed while maintaining the same accuracy as treatment plans created by experienced doctors.

1. Using the physical properties of the human body (Dose Profile), the shot shape during gamma irradiation is modeled.

In the past, shots (Concentrated area of gamma rays) formed by multiple gamma rays were assumed to be perfectly spherical during the shot position determination process. However, it has been found that the sphere is not necessarily perfect due to the influence of moisture in the human body. The newly developed technology determines the position of shots utilizing shot shapes reflecting the physical characteristics of gamma rays in the human body. This can contribute to the generation of more accurate treatment plans.

2. Optimization of radiation parameters using the Digital Annealer

In the past, during shot position determination process, multiple gamma ray radiation positions (Position of the shot) were determined sequentially; the position of the first shot was determined and the position of the second shot was determined after that so as to include the remaining part of the affected tissue as much as possible. However, this may not result to the optimal number of shots or positions. By contrast, the Digital Annealer allows users to search for the positions of all shots simultaneously at the beginning, resulting in a more accurate overall optimized treatment plan. It is also possible to obtain an optimized solution for the parameters of the radiation shape, enabling the rapid generation of a treatment plan that optimizes dosage for each patient.

Fig. 2 Plan Flow with Conventional Method vs. New technology

In a study of 49 cases of auditory nerve tumors, U of T researchers compared the newly developed technology against the conventional method. Referring to an index of radiation delivery accuracy, it was found that the developed technology was as accurate as manual planning. Additionally, while it took 1.5 to 3 hours to manually generate a plan, it was possible to reduce this to about 2 minutes with the newly developed technology.

By supporting plan generation with the newly developed technology, the time required for Gamma Knife treatment, as well as the burden on patients and medical professionals can be drastically reduced. Reduction of personnel costs for hospitals can also be expected.

Future Plans

Going forward, Fujitsu Laboratories and U of T researchers will continue to verify the effectiveness of this technology based on data from more patients, and will continue to develop technologies that offer the potential to contribute to medical science and society at large. Future potential projects include shortening the time required for Gamma Knife treatment processes themselves rather than the treatment plans, or applying this technology to other radiotherapy methods.

###

(1) Gamma Knife therapy A noninvasive stereotactic radiation device that delivers gamma rays to the affected area. It is used mainly to treat the head, including brain tumors and cerebrovascular malformations. GAMMA KNIFE is a trademark or registered trademark of ELEKTA AB (PUBL) in the United States and other countries.

About Fujitsu Laboratories

Founded in 1968 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. is one of the premier research centers in the world. With a global network of laboratories in Japan, China, the United States and Europe, the organization conducts a wide range of basic and applied research in the areas of Next-generation Services, Computer Servers, Networks, Electronic Devices and Advanced Materials. For more information, please see: http://www. fujitsu. com/ jp/ group/ labs/ en

About the University of Toronto

Founded in 1827, the University of Toronto has evolved into Canada's leading institution of learning, discovery and knowledge creation. We are proud to be one of the world's top research-intensive universities, driven to invent and innovate. The university offers 700 programs of study at its three campuses in the Greater Toronto Area and has full affiliations with nine teaching and research hospitals. For more information, visit utoronto.ca

Press Contacts

Fujitsu Limited:

https:/ / www. fujitsu. com/ global/ about/ resources/ news/ presscontacts/ form/ index. html

University of Toronto

+1 416 978 0100

media.relations@utoronto.ca

All company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.

Moana Hope has broken barriers for the gay and lesbian community through her esteemed career in the AFLW.

And despite all the positive achievements she's made, the 33-year-old said she still deals with vile trolls on social media on a daily basis that target her sexuality.

The former Collingwood star told The Daily Telegraph on Saturday: 'Mostly, and I would put this at probably 99 per-cent, it is older men.'

Speaking out: AFLW star Moana Hope revealed this week how she deals with vile social media trolls who target her sexuality on a daily basis

She said doesn't take notice of the nasty messages she receives from the critics and 'deletes and blocks them'.

'I just delete and block them and I don't given them the satisfaction of a reaction.'

She added that the trolls just want 'to be validated,' so she finds completely ignoring them is best.

'I just delete and block them': She said doesn't take notice of the nasty messages she receives from the critics. Moana pictured with her wife, Isabella Carlstrom

Moana is married to model Isabella Carlstrom and pair have just welcomed a daughter, Svea, three months.

This comes after Moana revealed she had a cancer scare at the same time that her wife Isabella was going through her own health issues.

Last week, she 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.

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.'

Health concerns: This comes after Moana revealed she had a cancer scare at the same time that her wife Isabella was going through her own health issues

'I'm just so happy it came back OK': Moana 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'

Moana's cancer scare followed the birth of their daughter Svea in November, as well as Isabella's own health struggle.

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.

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

Isabella said of her pregnancy experience: 'You can't compare it to anything. It's unbelievable  I have nothing but pride for myself, even in my hardest moments.'

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. They welcomed daughter Svea in November.


Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
These verdicts are good news; but the questions they raise and the momentum they have generated need to be sustained and leveraged to trigger a public debate on judicial reforms. (Photo: PTI)

At a time when the peoples faith in key institutions is plummeting, judicial verdicts that seek to restore the citizens faith in justice and fair play are hugely welcome. In recent days, two court orders in particular have buoyed spirts because they emit a powerful signal  that the attempts to invoke the law to muzzle freedom of thought and expression and quieten disquiet will not always work.

A Delhi court has granted bail to 22-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi, arrested by the Delhi police on February 13 from her Bengaluru home in the by-now famous toolkit case, saying there was just not enough evidence to keep the young woman in custody. Additional sessions judge Dharmender Ranas order set Disha free on bail on the condition of her furnishing two sureties of Rs 1 lakh each and with the directive that she cooperate with the investigation into the FIR and not leave the country.

A few days earlier, there was another welcome verdict. The Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court granted interim bail on medical grounds to ailing 82-year-old poet-activist Varavara Rao.

These verdicts are good news; but the questions they raise and the momentum they have generated need to be sustained and leveraged to trigger a public debate on judicial reforms.

As citizens, reading both the verdicts is instructive. While granting conditional bail on medical grounds to Varavara Rao, an accused in the Elgaar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case, the Bombay high court pointed out that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had kept him in custody for a long period without framing charges.

Senior advocates Indira Jaising and Anand Grover, who argued on behalf of Mr Rao, pointed out that considering his age, medical history, and multiple health complications, the prison atmosphere was absolutely not conducive to his mental and physical well-being. Such well-being is a fundamental right of every prisoner, points out Leaflet, a legal website.

The NIA had opposed the bail plea citing a bar under Section 43-D (4) and (5) of the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act), which says bail cannot be granted to an accused under the anti-terror statute if the prosecution makes out a prima facie case against the accused. Ms Jaising argued that the fundamental right to health of a prisoner could never be ousted by Section 43(D)(5) of the UAPA.

The high court observed that it was a genuine and fit case for granting relief in view of the advanced age of Mr Rao and inadequate facilities at the Taloja jail hospital; it argued that if it denied relief to Mr Rao, it would be abdicating its constitutional duties as a protector of human rights and right to health covered under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The arguments undergirding the verdict related to Disha Ravi, arrested on the charge of sedition, are equally important. The court punctured most of the arguments of the Delhi police against Ms Ravi, including her alleged engagement with groups with dubious credentials, her links with banned organisations, her alleged role in incitement as well as the destruction of evidence and gave detailed reasons for doing so.

While taking the decision to grant bail to Ms Ravi, the court noted that mere engagement with persons of dubious credentials is not indictable. A key argument of the prosecution hinged on the charge that a group called Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF), which was allegedly pro-Khalistani and secessionist, and people associated with it, was involved in creating the toolkit document. The police alleged that two of Ms Ravis associates, Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk, attended a Zoom meeting in which activists of the PJF also participated along with many others and this somehow made Ms Ravi also culpable.

The court said that no real evidence had been put on record to establish a direct link between Ms Ravi and the PJF activists mentioned. In my considered opinion, it is not mere engagement with persons of dubious credentials which is indictable, rather it is the purpose of engagement which is relevant for the purpose of deciding culpability, the judge said.

The prosecution had sought to connect Ms Ravi with the violence that rocked Delhi on January 26. The court pointed out that there was no evidence of this. The judge noted that merely sharing a platform with people who oppose a law is not secessionist.

In the absence of any evidence to the effect that the applicant/accused agreed or shared a common purpose to cause violence on January 26 with the founders of the PJF, it cannot be presumed by resorting to surmises or conjectures that she also supported the secessionist tendencies or the violence caused on January 26, simply because she shared a platform with people who have gathered to oppose the legislation, the order said.

The crux of the matter, as the court pointed out, is whether Disha Ravi was merely involved in peaceful protest and dissent against the farm laws or if she was actually involved in seditious activities under the guise of protesting against these laws.

The courts view, as articulated in the order, is that citizens cannot be tossed behind bars simply because they disagree with the government of the day.

Difference of opinion, disagreement, dissent, or for that matter, even disapprobation, are recognised legitimate tools to infuse objectivity in state policies The offence of sedition cannot be invoked to minister to the wounded vanity of governments, the court said, citing a 1942 ruling.

Another critical observation by the court in the Disha Ravi case pivots around the right to dissent being firmly enshrined in Article 19 and that freedom of speech includes the right to seek a global audience.

These observations are welcome and will have far-reaching implications.

Young Indians, mostly women in their early 20s, have been arrested over the past few years merely for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression, by engaging in democratic protests with no intentions of perpetrating violence and with no intention of inciting violence, members of the Delhi High Court Women Lawyers Forum have pointed out in a public letter to the Chief Justice of India and other Supreme Court judges. The letter notes that Disha was brought from Bengaluru to the national capital by the Delhi police without following the prescribed legal procedures.

We feel that the Bar and Bench cannot watch silently as young people are forced into long incarceration, the letter said. The judiciary must take heed.
South Africa: Cabinet welcomes progress made by scientists, researchers

Cabinet has welcomed the efforts and progress made by scientists, researchers and medical experts towards a national initiative of developing the country's own vaccines to deal with current and future pandemics.

Addressing a Post Cabinet media briefing on Friday, acting Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said the countrys scientists, researchers and medical experts have been at the forefront of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and have led the genomic surveillance of COVID-19 virus which resulted in the discovery of the 501Y.V2 variant.

In this regard, Cabinet would like to congratulate all the South African scientists and researchers who managed to recreate the virus in the laboratory for purposes of enhancing research on the treatment of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cabinet believes that our national science and innovation system is a valuable resource that should be nurtured and developed, Minister Ntshavheni said.

Even beyond the research on COVID-19, South Africas world-renowned scientists and innovators have delivered cutting-edge technology such as the worlds first digital laser and the Lodox full body x-ray scanner, Ntshavheni said.

Ntshavheni said Cabinet also appreciated the commencement of the national roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, with the first doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine being administered to healthcare workers (HCWs) in both the public and private sectors.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our HCWs have been the shield that kept our nation safe. They have faced the virus head-on and have persevered against an unrelenting virus. Their selfless sacrifice has saved countless lives and our nation owes them an immense debt of gratitude.

Their vaccination will help protect them against infection and ultimately return our nation to normalcy. Cabinet is pleased that millions of additional vaccines procured from several sources will arrive at varying intervals in the coming months, beginning in March 2021, Ntshavheni said.

Once HCWs have been vaccinated as part of Phase 1 of the vaccination roll-out strategy, Phase 2 will focus on essential workers and vulnerable groups which include people over the age of 60 years, people with comorbidities as well as those living in places such as nursing homes and hostels.

Ntshavheni also reminded citizens that vaccination is free and voluntary and remains the best defence against the virus coupled with the continued adherence to the health protocols of avoiding large gatherings, wearing a mask in public, sanitising hands with water and soap or a 70% alcohol-based hand sanitiser and maintaining a social distance.

These measures are critical to the health of our nation, Ntshavheni said.

South Africa is to take delivery of its second batch of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine this weekend.

South Africa kick-started its first phase of the vaccination rollout programme using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this month.

To date, 52 000 healthcare workers have been vaccinated.

Healthcare workers were the first to receive the shot of the 80 0000 Johnson & Johnson vaccines which the department has described as a success.

According to the Department of Health, it was tested in a large trial of almost 44 000 people from four continents, of whom 7 000 participants came from South Africa.

The study also provided a good picture of how the vaccine works against the new 501Y.V2 variant, which is dominant in South Africa and currently responsible for around nine in 10 of all COVID-19 infections detected during the second wave.

The vaccines will be available at 17 hospitals throughout the country where teams of researchers and vaccinators will work together to deliver the vaccine to health workers up to 10 hours a day, seven days a week.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The head of a Canadian investment firm that owns 45pc of the Corrib gas field off the Mayo coast has resigned after he went to Dubai and received a Covid-19 vaccine.

Mark Machin quit as head of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), a state-linked investor, after defying Justin Trudeaus governments guidance to avoid international travel.

Mr Machin submitted his resignation as chief executive officer after discussions with the board, the pension fund said in a statement yesterday.

Canadas largest pension fund was thrown into crisis on Thursday when the Wall Street Journal reported Mr Machins travel to Dubai.

He drew a rebuke from the office of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who rarely comments on CPPIB matters in order to protect the funds political independence.

Although leaving the country isnt illegal, Mr Trudeau and his ministers have repeatedly warned residents not to do it and imposed strict rules to discourage international trips.

It isnt clear how Mr Machin  whos in his mid-50s  could have arranged to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Dubai, where officially its available only to people over 60, those who have chronic diseases or disabilities and to front-line workers.

Mr Machins trip threatened to become a political headache for Mr Trudeau as he reports to a government-appointed board.

However, Canadians are growing impatient with the pace of the vaccine rollout, which has been the slowest among Group of Seven countries except Japan.

Theres minimal public tolerance in Canada for officials who are caught jumping the vaccine queue or taking discretionary trips abroad.

CPPIB bought Shells 45pc stake in the Corrib project in 2018 a deal worth around 900m.

Accounts last year showed the Canadian fund has already taken out 700m in tax-free dividends.





Additional reporting: Bloomberg
Vietnam climbs up Brand Finances Global Soft Power Index 2021. Photo: Unsplash

Ranking 47th in the overall index, Vietnam (33.8) is a nation that objectively managed COVID-19 extremely well. Vietnam was spared a year of lockdowns and besieged hospitals, and has one of the lowest COVID-19 infection and death rates in the world.

Not only is the response to the pandemic impressive  given its shared border with China  but Vietnam also experienced one of the highest economic growth rates globally in 2020  one of a handful of countries with positive growth in 2020.

Commenting on the achievement, Samir Dixit, managing director of Brand Finance Asia-Pacific, stressed that the historical way of managing soft power through strong individual personalities and political diplomacy are no longer relevant. Soft power today is about a sum of perceptions across all stakeholders, be it consumers, corporates, media, global policymakers, investors, the leadership of other countries, and so on.

According to Dixit, economic growth in the 21st century is all about sustained collaborations amongst various stakeholders and the correlation of perceptions of the nation brand with the brands from the country, which can truly enhance the countrys soft power  both internally and externally. Vietnam seems to have managed all aspects of its perception quite well. Especially the integration and alignment of its nation brand and the brands from the country.

At a national level, Vietnam had established diplomatic relations with 187 out of 193 member states of the United Nations and completed the process of negotiating and signing new-generation FTAs  including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement  making the country an important factor in all regional and intra-regional economic links, which is a booster for Vietnams imports and exports.

The representative of Brand Finance said that the Vietnam Value programme management agency, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, has actively supported Vietnamese enterprises to improve their capacity through consulting business development, establishing information systems, and updating branding knowledge.

All these initiatives and efforts have helped increase the awareness of the public, international consumers, and customers about the programme and Vietnam Value products through various domestic and international media channels.

Thanks to the efforts of the Vietnam Value programme, Vietnams processed food industry now contributes upwards of $17 billion of Vietnams exports. The apparel industry makes up over $22 billion of Vietnams exports. These economic contributions are absolutely crucial for Vietnams overall growth, its reputation, and contribution to Vietnams soft power, he added.

IN a bid to get out of Headingley jail, Winnipeg businessman Peter Nygard has hired a prominent Toronto lawyer, who filed an appeal of the decision to deny him bail.

IN a bid to get out of Headingley jail, Winnipeg businessman Peter Nygard has hired a prominent Toronto lawyer, who filed an appeal of the decision to deny him bail.

Nygard, 79, has been in custody since Dec. 14 when he was arrested on a U.S. extradition warrant. Justice officials in New York have filed a nine-count indictment against Nygard for sex-trafficking and racketeering offences over decades.

In denying him bail on Feb. 5, Manitoba Court of Queens Bench Justice Shawn Greenberg said she had no faith Nygard would refrain from contacting the alleged victims, since he has a history of ignoring court orders.

In an application filed Thursday, Nygards legal team proposed severe limits on his phone calls, emails and text messages, were he to be released, and argued the judge was wrong to keep him behind bars, CBC reported.

The disgraced fashion magnate has retained Brian Greenspan to fight his appeal.

During his bail hearing last month, his Winnipeg defence team argued keeping Nygard in jail was equal to a death sentence because of his frail health and the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week, sources told the Free Press Nygard had been taken to the jail infirmary, although it wasnt clear why.

His Winnipeg lawyers, Jay Prober and Richard Wolson, wouldnt comment on the story.

Affidavits provided to court by Nygards doctors say he has coronary artery disease, Type 2 diabetes, and fluctuating blood pressure.

His health has deteriorated, he has lost weight and has had more difficulty breathing since coming into custody, Wolson said at the bail hearing.

Nygards age and health problems make him more susceptible to contracting COVID-19, should he remain in custody, Wolson and Prober argued.

Remaining in jail is "a horrible situation for a man who is compromised in so many different ways from a health perspective," Wolson said. "Nygard is a time bomb."

A source had told the Free Press Nygard is being held in protective custody on the main floor of Headingley Correctional Centre because hes unable to climb stairs.

A corrections officer escorts him to the main-floor medical unit for showers, the source said. He eats alone in his cell and has no contact with other inmates.
Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport declined by 78% to almost 7.4 million last year due to the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic taking the airport back in time to the level of passengers it was handling 27 years ago.

More than half of all those who travelled through Dublin Airport in 2020 did so in January and February, befove COVID restrictions hit, as passenger numbers increased by 2% to 4.1 million passengers the first two months of the year.

Between March and the end of December, passenger numbers fell by 89% to 3.3 million as the pandemic began to bite.

Dublin Airport lost 25.5 million passengers last year, which is equivalent to the entire population of Australia. The last time that Dublin Airport had fewer than 8 million passengers in a calendar year was in 1994, which is 27 years ago.

More than 400,000 passengers used Dublin as a hub during the year, which meant that just under 7 million people either began or ended their journey at Dublin Airport during 2020.

In line with Irish Government guidelines, Dublin Airport remained opened as an essential service throughout 2020.

Expand Close Pandemic has resulted in collapse of passenger numbers at Dublin Airport / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Pandemic has resulted in collapse of passenger numbers at Dublin Airport

According to the daa, the airport has played a vital role in the importation of PPE and other medical equipment, facilitating the arrival of 6.2 million tonnes of equipment on 357 separate cargo flights, operated by 16 different airlines.

Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport have fallen further since the end of last year, with January passenger numbers down by 90%. Daily passenger traffic is currently down by up to 98% compared to the same period in 2020.

Passenger numbers to and from continental Europe declined by 77% to 4 million last year. The number of passengers travelling to and from Dublin Airport and Britain was 76% lower at 2.4 million, while transatlantic traffic declined by 84% to almost 690,000 passengers. Passenger numbers on flights to and from other international destinations, which includes flights to the Middle East, declined by 76% to almost 237,000. The number of people taking domestic flights declined by 68% to just under 34,000.

Dublin Airport Managing Director, Vincent Harrison said: 'Aviation was one of the sectors of the Irish economy that was hardest hit by COVID-19, and this is reflected in the passenger numbers for last year.

'It was a hugely challenging year for Dublin Airport and for the entire Irish aviation sector, as the reduction in air travel and the introduction of travel restrictions in most markets had a very significant impact on passenger numbers during the year.'

In 2019, Dublin Airport had flights to more than 190 destinations in 42 countries operated by almost 50 airlines. In April 2020, Dublin Airport had flights to just 22 destinations in 11 countries operated by seven airlines.

'Aviation plays a vital role in Ireland's economy, and it will be a key sector in helping that economy to recover in the wake of the pandemic,' according to Mr Harrison.

Europe's airports lost a total of 1.72 billion passengers in 2020 compared to the previous year, as passenger traffic fell by just over 70%, according to data from airports group ACI EUROPE. Global air traffic fell by 60% last year, bringing air travel totals back to 2003 levels, according to ICAO, the UN agency for civil aviation.

Data from Eurocontrol, which co-ordinates the management of air traffic across Europe, shows that flights to and from Ireland were among the most affected by the pandemic last year. Flights to and from Irish airports fell by 63% in 2020, making Ireland the fifth worst affected country among the 41 member states within Eurocontrol. Only Armenia, Moldova, Morocco, Israel, and Georgia had larger air traffic declines than Ireland.

'It has been a year like no other for Dublin Airport, for our airline customers, our commercial partners and our employees, and for the entire aviation and tourism sectors,' Mr Harrison said.

'Whether working on campus or from home, our people faced significant challenges during the year, and they did so with a professionalism and pride that is at the heart of Dublin Airport,' he added.

From mid-March last year, the Irish Government advised against non-essential overseas travel, and there were similar guidelines in place in many other countries. In July, the Irish Government announced an initial travel Green List of 22 countries, which was reduced over time due to the changing health position across Europe.

In early November, Ireland adopted the EU traffic light system for travel. With the most recent wave of cases and new strains of the virus, Ireland and many other European countries have introduced stricter regulations in relation to international travel.

The safety of the small number of passengers who were travelling and of staff was a key priority for the airport during the year, and Dublin Airport followed all HSE and Government guidelines throughout the pandemic, according to the daa.

TORRINGTON  Middle school teacher Jason Lafreniere has led a group of students on a trip to Washington, D.C., each May for ten years.

But this year, for the second year in a row, the Board of Education again has canceled the trip.

Board members this year cited concerns about safety for students, faculty chaperones and parents, as well as refunds if the company providing transportation decided to cancel it.

Lafreniere sees the excursion as an opportunity for kids to spend quality time together outside of school.

The trip has run successfully for 10 years, Lafreniere said. Its the highlight of my school year, to be with the kids in D.C. People have always supported it, because of the benefits  not just educational, but social and emotional; and showing them that theres a world outside of Torrington.

During their meeting Wednesday, school board members talked about the impact of the trip this year. The transportation company set a date for cancellations, meaning that if anyone backed out they would lose their 25 percent deposit. If parents chose to buy insurance to cover the cost, that money also would not be refunded.

There also was the issue of losing faculty members who signed up to travel with the students. A number of parents also signed up to accompany the 68 students who were registered. In the past, more than double that number of students have attended.

The transportation company recommended that everyone taking the trip should quarantine for two weeks. Theyd also be expected to quarantine upon their return, per state recommendations.

The fact that the travel company wants people to quarantine two weeks ahead is an issue, said board chairperson Fiona Cappabianca.

According to Lafreniere, students would share hotel rooms in groups of four. The group would would be able to visit landmarks like the Capitol, but some of the tours and activities were unlikely.

The refunds also were a worry, Lafreniere said. We usually fundraise for the trip, but we werent able to do that during the (school) year.

The school board asked Lafreniere to provide a list of participants.

Well need to find out whos signed up and how much theyve paid, Faulenbach said. Its disappointing, I know.

Lafreniere was disappointed, too, but said he understood the boards concerns.

The board canceled the trip due to concerns about precautions and cancellations related to COVID-19, and requirements for travel, he said. The Board of Education just feels its too much of a risk.

Full payments were due by March 11. If we worked against that date and then had to cancel, the board members were concerned about the financial loss to families, Lafreniere said.

He told the families involved Thursday night. Its kind of hard, being in a hybrid situation, to talk to the kids, so I thought it was best to reach out to the parents, he said. The parents were very supportive; they were understanding, and disappointed.

There was trip insurance, but it was optional, and if they bought it, theyll be out that money, but everything theyve paid out of pocket for the trip, theyll get it back, minus 25 percent, he said. The Board of Education is going to determine how much that will be.

Lafreniere is hopeful for a trip in 2022. I hope it will be restored, he said.
Gov. Kay Ivey has issued $5,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction in two unsolved Selma killings.

Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson announced the rewards Friday in the 2015 slaying 37-year-old Taffine Smith Berry and the 2020 slaying of 48-year-old Christopher Murphy.

Law enforcement and the families are very thankful for the governor taking this action,' Jackson said. Hopefully it will help brig forth witnesses or evidence to help solve these cases.'

Berry and her husband, Tra Berry, were wounded by gunfire on March 15, 2015. Authorities said the victims were at a social gathering at a business at the intersection of Marie Foster Street and L.L. Anderson Avenue and were leaving when the shooting happened.

A group was gathered in the parking when someone approached from the Clinton Alley area and opened fire with an assault weapon. The couple both suffered serious injuries and were transported by a private vehicle to the hospital. Taffine Berry had been shot in the neck and the stomach. Her husband was shot in the leg.

Police said no one at the scene could provide investigators with any information about the shooter.

Tra Berry recovered from his injuries, but Taffine remained on life support until she was officially pronounced dead three days later, on March 18.

Murphy was fatally shot June 2, 2020 on Selmas King Street. Police and fire medics were dispatched to the scene on a report of someone shot. When they arrived, they found Murphy unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Witnesses told police that Murphy was in a few verbal altercations that night with several different people. A witness told police that a man wearing an orange shirt and mask shot Murphy while he was in a vehicle. Murphy exited the vehicle and collapsed to the ground. The shooter reportedly then stood over the victim and shot him at least once more.

Anyone with information is asked to call Selma police at 334-874-2137, the Dallas County District Attorneys Office at 334-874-2540 or Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP. Tips can also be submitted through the P3-tips app.
WASHINGTON - The House approved President Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus plan early Saturday and sent it to the Senate, as Democrats defied united GOP opposition to advance the massive relief package aimed at stabilizing the economy and boosting coronavirus vaccinations and testing.

The legislation, Biden's first major agenda item, passed 219-212. Republicans unanimously opposed the bill, a strikingly partisan outcome just a month after the new president was inaugurated with calls for bipartisanship and unity. All but two Democrats voted in favor.

The vote closed shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday after a long day of debate, with Republicans repeatedly decrying the legislation as a partisan boondoggle and Democrats defending it as much-needed relief. Even bigger fights await in the Senate, where Democratic unity will face greater tests.

The action in the House came after the Senate parliamentarian ruled that the $15 minimum wage in the legislation is not permitted under Senate rules. House Democrats included it anyway, and it's not clear how the issue will get resolved.

Ahead of the vote House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., pledged that even if the Senate takes out the minimum-wage increase - the No. 1 priority for many liberals - the House will "absolutely" pass the revised legislation and send it to Biden to sign.

"The sooner we pass the bill and it is signed, the sooner we can make the progress that this legislation is all about - saving the lives and the livelihood of the American people," Pelosi said at a news conference Friday.

Beyond the minimum-wage increase, the sprawling relief bill would provide $1,400 stimulus payments to tens of millions of American households; extend enhanced federal unemployment benefits through August; provide $350 billion in aid to states, cities, U.S. territories and tribal governments; and boost funding for vaccine distribution and coronavirus testing - among myriad other measures, such as nutritional assistance, housing aid and money for schools.

Democrats hope to push the legislation through both chambers and get it signed into law by March 14, when enhanced unemployment benefits are set to expire. It is uncertain whether disputes over the minimum wage or other issues could complicate that timeline, although Pelosi insisted Friday that the March 14 deadline would be met, adding: "I would like it well before that."

On Thursday night, the Senate's parliamentarian ruled the wage hike as written could not proceed under reconciliation, the budgetary maneuver Democrats are using to pass the stimulus bill through the Senate without GOP votes.

Liberals erupted, with some even suggesting the nonpartisan parliamentarian should be fired, but Pelosi and other House leaders indicated Friday they're ready to move beyond the dispute and save the minimum-wage fight for another day, while insisting they'd get it done one way or another.

As an alternative to the minimum-wage increase, Senate Democrats are exploring a tax hike on large corporations that do not pay a $15-an-hour minimum wage. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is considering a move to include the provision in the relief bill in the Senate, according to two Democratic aides who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal thinking. It was uncertain whether the proposal would prove viable or command enough support to advance.

The vote on the massive legislation came as the economy showed some signs of progress. Personal income rose 10 percent in January, the Commerce Department reported Friday, thanks largely to the December stimulus package Congress passed. New claims for unemployment insurance fell sharply last week as coronavirus cases continue to decrease and vaccine distribution becomes more widespread.

Still, only slightly more than half the 20 million jobs lost during the pandemic have returned, and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has said the real unemployment rate is closer to 10 percent, meaning the economy has a long way to go to recover to its pre-pandemic levels.

Congressional Republicans argued throughout hours of debate Friday and early Saturday that Biden's stimulus is poorly targeted and too expensive, and that it includes measures unrelated to the pandemic. Congress approved some $4 trillion to fight the pandemic last year, including $900 billion in December, and Republicans said that is more than enough, especially in light of signs the economy is improving.

"This isn't a relief bill. It takes care of Democrats' political allies while it fails to deliver for American families," said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. "We already know what is the best stimulus plan out there: It is to fully reopen our economy. To do that, we need our economy to go back to work, back to school and back to health."

Democrats, however, argued that more financial assistance is sorely needed for families, and more money should be directed to boost vaccine development and production and help the health-care system days after the country reached the grim milestone of 500,000 covid deaths.

"If you don't think Congress has more work to do here, then you either don't get what American families are going through, or you don't care. I don't know how else to say it," said House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth, D-Ky. "Well, we cannot wait, and we aren't going to wait."

Democrats and Republicans also sparred over the process, with Republicans complaining that they had been shut out of negotiations. Democrats argued that even if the legislation did not command support among Republicans in Congress, it was broadly supported by the public - and by many GOP mayors and some governors.

Biden made some efforts at bipartisan outreach after unveiling his proposal, including meeting with a group of 10 Senate Republicans who made a $618 billion counteroffer. He ultimately dismissed their ideas as too meager and made the decision to move forward without GOP support, repeatedly defending his proposal in recent days and challenging critics to tell him: "What would they have me cut?"

Republicans fumed over Democrats' go-it-alone approach, but Democrats countered that Republicans took the same tack when they controlled both chambers of Congress and the White House at the start of the Trump administration and pushed through an unpaid-for $1.5 trillion tax-cut bill.The two Democrats opposing the legislation Saturday were Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Jared Golden of Maine. Golden has argued that the House should have pursued a stand-alone vote on a vaccine-funding bill before turning to larger relief legislation.

While House passage of the legislation had been all but assured, the outlook is trickier in the Senate, where moderate Democrats have raised questions about a number of provisions, including the structure of the state and local aid. The Senate is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, so if Republicans remain opposed, Democrats can pass the legislation only if they stay united and Vice President Kamala Harris breaks the tie.

The budget reconciliation process allows legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority vote instead of the 60 votes usually required. But it also contains limitations, prohibiting certain measures that do not affect the federal budget in particular ways. The parliamentarian determined that the minimum wage did not pass that test.

If the Senate passes the bill without the minimum-wage increase and sends it back to the House, liberals will have to make peace with supporting it anyway. Raising the minimum wage from its current level of $7.25 an hour was some liberals' top priority in the bill, and they were irate over the parliamentarian's decision. Some called on Schumer to try to overturn it or move to eliminate the filibuster, the 60-vote threshold that protects minority rights in the Senate.

"Democrats are just going to have to make a choice about using, really going to the mat and really using every lever of power that we have to govern for the majority of the American people," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. "In two years, I don't think we can go back to voters and say, 'Look, I know Republicans, Democrats, independents support this, we promised it, but because of an unelected parliamentarian who gave us a ruling, we couldn't do it.' "

The White House, however, has indicated that Biden intends to respect the parliamentarian's ruling. And Democrats do not have the votes to overrule the parliamentarian or eliminate the filibuster in the Senate anyway, because of opposition from at least two moderate Senate Democrats: West Virginia's Joe Manchin and Arizona's Kyrsten Sinema.

- - -

The Washington Post's Paul Kane and Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
It could take years to help students in Massachusetts fully rebound from the emotional cost of spending months in virtual classes  some for nearly a year  away from teachers and friends, state Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley said Friday.

As we go forward this isnt just kind of a summer school thing that needs to be fixed. Its going to be a several year process to get our kids back to where they need to be, Riley said at a Friday press conference.

We have to work on the social, emotional needs of our students, make sure they have everything from the food they need to the counseling services to the special education supports, Riley said.

The pandemic forced most schools to transition initially to a virtual setting with students staying home and connecting to online classes  a change that has taken an emotional toll on many students suddenly denied the chance to interact with teachers and friends.

Weve got to make sure our students are in the right place mentally and then after that we can take care of the academics, Riley added. Thats what we are going to do.

Riley made the comments during a press conference at the Nock-Molin Middle School in Newburyport to highlight the states pooled COVID-19 testing program.

Under the program, 10 nose swabs from one classroom or cohort of students and staff can be collected into one tube to be tested together. If the pooled sample is negative, all the individuals are presumed negative. If the pooled sample comes back positive, all the individuals will be retested with the rapid test.

Gov. Charlie Baker said the program is one more tool local school districts can use to get students and teachers back into nonvirtual classrooms.

To get to the point where this thing is really starting to rock and roll is a real pleasure I think for all of us who were looking to find a relatively uncomplicated way for schools to implement a weekly surveillance program, the Republican said.

So far there are about 950 schools in about 159 school districts statewide that are administering the weekly tests to about 300,000 students, teachers and staff.

Riley said he expects the number to increase significantly in the next week and a half.

The number of newly confirmed coronavirus deaths in Massachusetts rose by 46 on Friday, pushing the states confirmed COVID-19 death toll to 15,703 since the start of the pandemic.

The number of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 increased by about 1,700, and its confirmed caseload rose to more than 547,000.

The true number of cases is likely higher because studies suggest some people can be infected and not feel sick.

There were about 800 people reported hospitalized Friday because of confirmed cases of COVID-19, with about 210 in intensive care units.

The average age of those hospitalized was 69. There were an estimated 31,000 people with current active cases of COVID-19 in the state.

The number of probable or confirmed COVID-19 deaths reported in long-term care facilities rose to 8,550.

More than 1.6 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Massachusetts, including more than 1.1 million first doses and more than 480,000 second doses.

More than 2 million doses have been shipped to the state.

Cape Cod is getting its own mass vaccination site that will at first work on getting shots to older residents of the region who havent been able to schedule an appointment at other sites, officials said.

The clinic at Cape Cod Community College in Barnstable is expected to dispense 4,000 doses next week, Michael Lauf, president and CEO of Cape Cod Healthcare, said Thursday, the Cape Cod Times reported.

The site is being run by Cape Cod Healthcare with county and local officials.

The goal is to reach eligible older residents and those with health issues who have been left out in the stampede to off-Cape mass vaccination sites and to regional clinics that have limited appointments that quickly fill.

If you just rely on these cattle call mass vaccination sites that rely on online registration, youre not going to reach these people, said state Sen. Julian Cyr, a Truro Democrat.

Members of the regions legislative delegation have been pressing the state for more vaccines for Cape Cod, where about 30% of the population is 65 and older.

Health agents from the Capes 15 towns are working to identify people who are able to travel to the community college site but need help making appointments, as well as those who require home visits, Cyr said.
Contrary to what youd hear if you listen to  well, just about anybody  theres no clearly right order of priority for COVID-19 vaccinations.

S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster and DHEC have insisted that people age 65 and up remain at the head of the line, along with health care workers and nursing home residents, because theyre statistically more likely to be hospitalized and to die from the virus.

But the CDC actually recommends  and several states agree  putting teachers and other essential workers in line ahead of the 65-75 cohort, in part because its so important to keep them on the job and many of them are in positions where theyre more likely than younger seniors to get infected and spread the virus to others.

Because theres no clearly right or wrong way to prioritize, we continue to believe that teachers should be next in line in South Carolina, ahead of all the other essential workers, even up there alongside those 65 and up. Not because theyre more vulnerable to death or even infection  they clearly are not, and in fact theyre less vulnerable to infection that most essential workers  but out of hard-nosed pragmatism.

Our children desperately need to be back in the classroom  for their own short- and long-term well-being, for their parents financial well-being and our states economic well-being. Yet a small portion of teachers are unwilling to return to the classroom before theyre vaccinated, were in the middle of a teacher shortage, where we cant afford to lose more teachers, and that is driving decisions by school boards to keep students in half the state's schools locked out of the classroom most or in some cases all of the time.

As state Education Superintendent Molly Spearman told a House panel Tuesday, she wants teachers bumped to the front of the next line because: My intent is to take away any excuse of a school person saying, We cant open up. They need to be open.

The good news, DHEC director Dr. Edward Simmer told that same panel, is that South Carolina could move into Phase 1B  which includes teachers and other essential workers  by mid-March. That's as early as teachers could be vaccinated if the House were to pass the Senate bill that would push others aside for a week of teacher vaccinations.

Although teachers wouldnt technically be at the front of that line, the schools have all worked with local providers on plans for mass vaccination events that likely will put them effectively at the front of the line.

Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email

Sign Up!

Whoever is at the front of the S.C. vaccination line, though, this much should be clear: Everybody administering the vaccine needs to obey the rules. So we applaud DHECs decision to cut off the supply of vaccines for Horry County Fire Rescue, which invited all full-time, part-time, and temporary (county) employees as well as volunteers and interns who work within the capacity of county departments to be vaccinated.

Contrary to the agencys arrogant denial of wrongdoing, nobody who speaks English could have thought that was allowed, and DHEC is right not only to insist that its rules be followed but to make a very public example of the agency. We hope other vaccine providers take note. This isn't a matter of giving an occasional dose to a younger person to prevent it from being thrown away because some seniors didnt show up for their scheduled shots; thats essential, and if anything providers should be punished for not doing that. This was a deliberate decision to disregard DHEC's rules.

Frankly, everybody on the receiving end of vaccinations needs a little perspective here. Even those of us last in line benefit every time a vaccination is given to anyone. Because that reduces the number of people who can spread the virus.

Its not an accident that the numbers of people infected, hospitalized and dying are declining across the nation and here in South Carolina. And its not because were suddenly doing a better job at wearing masks and keeping our distance  although we are doing better than we did over the holidays. Its because there are fewer hosts: A growing number of people are vaccinated, and the huge and still-growing number are at least temporarily immune because theyve already been infected.

But we have to keep driving down the number of hosts, not just to protect the unvaccinated but also to reduce the chance the virus will mutate into something vaccines wont stop. And for that to happen, we have to keep getting shots into arms, which means we have to avoid making people so frustrated that they give up on scheduling an appointment.

DHEC has done a good job of working out its early scheduling disaster, and Mr. McMaster was right to push hospitals to iron out their own scheduling kinks. But there's a difference between being aggressive and being reckless, and MUSCs announcement Monday that it has had to reschedule some appointments because the recent winter storms across the South delayed vaccine delivery should remind us that theres a downside to scheduling too aggressively.

Even Walmarts just-in-time delivery system results in empty shelves when weather disrupts the supply chain. It's better to have the vaccine remain in the deep-freeze a couple of extra days than to run the risk of having to turn away people with appointments.
AG Nessel Joins Fight in Support of States' Right to Enforce Laws Against 3D-printed 'Ghost Gun' Files

AG Nessel Joins Fight in Support of States' Right to Enforce Laws Against 3D-printed 'Ghost Gun' Files

Ryan Jarvi 517-599-2746 Attorney General

February 26, 2021

LANSING  Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of attorneys general from around the nation in fighting a lawsuit that seeks to stop states from enforcing their laws against a company disseminating dangerous 3D-printed gun files on the internet.

In an amicus brief in Grewal v. Defense Distributed before the U.S. Supreme Court, the coalition seeks to protect states efforts to stop Defense Distributed from unlawfully publishing easily-downloadable internet files that provide instructions to build dangerous 3D-printed firearms, including assault weapons.

"Despite law enforcement efforts, Defense Distributed continues to recklessly, and illegally, make 3D-printed firearms easily accessible to anyone with an internet connection, Nessel said. These so-called 'ghost guns are unregistered and untraceable, making them especially dangerous. States must have the ability to enforce our own laws and use the tools at our disposal to fight back against these illegal efforts in order to protect our communities.

For years, Defense Distributed has attempted to widely disseminate internet files that give individuals the ability to manufacture unregistered and untraceable 3D-printed firearms that can be extremely difficult to detect, even with a metal detector. A number of state and local officials sent the company cease and desist letters ordering the company to stop breaking state laws. Defense Distributed then sued the officials in federal court in Texas, but ultimately only pursued its case against New Jerseys attorney general. After the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit found that Texas courts had personal jurisdiction over New Jerseys attorney general, he petitioned the Supreme Court to take up the case.

In the amicus brief, the coalition argues that cease and desist letters are critical and cost-effective tools for enforcing state law, and, in the internet age, state and local officials increasingly must direct such letters out of their jurisdictions. Because out-of-state entities, like Defense Distributed, operate online and across state lines, state officials cannot protect their residents from violations of their own states laws by such entities without being able to send cease and desist letters out of state.

Additionally, the coalition argues that the Fifth Circuit failed to account for critical state-sovereignty and federalism considerations when it found that the Texas courts had personal jurisdiction over New Jersey  in violation of longstanding Supreme Court precedent set out in cases, such as World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. v. Woodson. Specifically, the federalism principles underpinning that precedent do not permit the recipient of a cease and desist letter from an out-of-state official to sue the official in the recipients home state when the letter was sent from the officials home state, and the official is simply enforcing his or her own states laws as applied to the recipients activities in the officials home state.

The coalition makes clear that permitting suits in such circumstances  as the Fifth Circuit did here  forces a state official to risk burdensome and expensive lawsuits in a foreign forum as the cost of protecting state residents from an entity that is reaching into the officials state and violating that states laws. Putting a state official to that choice undermines state sovereignty and harms the public interests of the officials state by chilling legitimate law enforcement efforts or else dramatically increasing the costs of those efforts, including by encouraging premature lawsuits against states in courts that lack expertise and a stake in the relevant states law.

The coalition asks the Supreme Court to review the Fifth Circuits decision, and ultimately order the dismissal of Defense Distributeds case in Texas for lack of personal jurisdiction.

Joining Attorney General Nessel in filing this amicus brief are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia.
YEREVAN.  Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: The statement of the Chief of the General Staff of the RA Armed Forces Onik Gasparyan and other members of the staff demanding the resignation of the RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the government continues to be a subject of broad discussion.

Until now, however, it is not officially known why the relations between the once mutually-trusted officials became tense.

One thing is a fact: it is not the first time that Onik Gasparyan opposes Nikol Pashinyan; their relations are strained for a very long time. Zhoghovurd daily had written back on November 26, 2020 that Onik Gasparyan submitted a resignation from the post of Chief of GS [i.e., General Staff], but both the government and the MOD generals asked him not to leave, and Gasparyan agreed.

Before that, Onik Gasparyan told Nikol Pashinyan on several occasions that the latter should resign and go if he wanted stability and development in the country, but Pashinyan did not listen to him. He also did not listen when Gasparyan said that there is no need to talk about the [Russian-made] Iskander [ballistic missile system] at all.

Pashinyan's statement about the defective Iskander was the point that forced Gasparyan and his colleagues to disseminate a public statement and demand his [Pashinyans] resignation.
Posted Friday, February 26, 2021 4:24 pm

You have not been forgotten, was the message state Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah offered to Southwest Washington residents, especially those in counties whose low COVID-19 vaccine allotments made headlines in the past week.

Shahs comments came after District 20 lawmakers and U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler went to bat with state officials over Lewis and Clark counties lagging vaccination rates  largely the result of allocation decisions by the state. State Department of Health (DOH) officials were able to further address the concerns during a Thursday update from the Coronavirus Response Joint Information Center.

When asked by reporters what calculations led to certain counties being shorted on vaccines  while others saw their vaccination rate soar well past the states average  DOH officials repeated that allocation decisions are not simply based on population, but on provider availability, throughput and storage capacity as well as several other factors that may not neatly align with county boundaries.

Acting Assistant Secretary Michele Roberts also pointed to the high demand in Moderna vaccines, which are easier to transport and store, as a central factor. In counties lagging behind the state, Roberts said, many providers were only requesting Moderna vaccines, which are in shorter supply than the Pfizer vaccines.

Part of DOHs efforts to catch up lagging counties  including Lewis, Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania  will include working with local providers and officials to see if they can pivot to handle a surge of Pfizer vaccines. Its exactly the approach Lewis County is now taking, having accepted 2,000 Pfizer doses this week.

I know its easy to want to have a preference to which vaccine you want  but when we have such a limited supply of product, we really do need flexibility in our provider community, Roberts said. We know that makes it harder on the ground level  But its absolutely the situation were in with limited resources.

Increased allotment from the federal level, including as many as 60,900 doses of the new one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week, will also help. The new vaccine is expected to be granted emergency use authorization by the FDA in coming days, and will then be vetted by the Washington States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup.
An aerial view of the ambush site at Cul na Cathrach, around 11 km west of Macroom on the road to Baile Mhuirne

A local history group in the Muscrai Gaeltacht has greeted with disappointment the publication of a 'digital story' giving an account of a key ambush in the War of Independence.

The centenary of the Cul na Cathrach ambush takes place today (Thursday, February 25) and this is being marked by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, which is responsible for the building of the N22 bypass of Baile Mhuirne and Macroom which controversially traverses the location of the engagement.

The Story Map sets out the historical context of the ambush and provides information on how the ambush site was selected, the ambush strategy and how the ambush unfolded, including suspected betrayal by a saboteur. The Story Map includes historical photographs, interactive mapping and links to further reading and resources, as well as a noteworthy vignette of Irish film history.

Cork County Council mayor, Cllr Mary Linehan Foley, welcomed the launch of the digital resource, saying it would provide people 'with a way to engage with our rich history from home' at a time when we can't be physically present at commemorations.

"Marking this centenary, this story map will help us to remember this historic event and will raise awareness of the ambush at Coolnacaheragh, both locally and internationally. resource provides us all," she said.

While the 'Story Map' gives an account of the happenings on February 25, 1921, and the context of time, Peadar O Riada of Acadamh Fodhla's Daimh Staire, a local history group which contested the decision to route the bypass through the site, said the group was disappointed not to have been consulted and that publishing an English language-only version only of the Story Map didn't take into consideration the area's Gaeltacht status both now and a century ago.

"This account downplays the importance of the Cul na Cathrach ambush in the context of the War of Independence."

The Daimh Staire has gathered a considerable archive of documents and recordings of accounts from participants in the ambush. With the aid of Cork County Council, it has erected a bilingual information board near the site of the ambush to give a full account of what happened and what resulted.

Mr. O Riada pointed to the omission of any reference in the Story Map to the reaction of the British Cabinet to the Cul na Cathrach ambush. According to records secured from the British archives, the ambush at Cul na Cathrach was top of the agenda at the next Downing Street Cabinet meeting.

It is understood that the Cul na Cathrach ambush led the British Government to change its policy by aiming at securing a truce and a permanent settlement.

A spokesperson for Cork County Council said the Cul na Cathrach story map had been published "to reach both a domestic and international audience, to raise the profile of the War of Independence event to as wide an audience as possible".

"Cork County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland are finalising the Irish Language version which will be published as soon as possible.

"The Story Map itself provides an account of the historical event based on published research, and acknowledges the many differing and often contradictory accounts of what happened on that fateful day of 25 February 1921.

"The specifics of the ambush will continue to be a matter of debate in the years to come and it is hoped that the Story Map will bring that debate to a wider audience. The Story Map provides further reading which offers the reader an easy way to engage with a far greater depth of information than can be contained within this brief format."

The Cul na Cathrach Story Map is at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/d7e5d00d05b842f58c87d176d5b9a192
A couple working on a remodeling project at their Wyoming home made a surprising discovery between a kitchen cabinet and the wall: a young girls' baptism certificate from 1964.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tricia Provence said she and her boyfriend, Billy Lytle, were working on a remodeling project in the kitchen of their Casper home when Lytle removed a kitchen cabinet and found an envelope.

"I don't know how it got back there because it was between the cupboard and the wall, because it was sealed off," Provence told the Oil City News.

The envelope contained a black-and-white photo of a young girl and a baptism certificate for Anne Elizabeth Ewing, who was born June 17, 1953, and was baptized at the First Christian Church in Casper on March 26, 1964.

The couple reached out to the church for help finding the certificate's owner, but all they were able to find were the names of the girl's parents, David and Caroline, and the names of her siblings, Robert Edward and Leslie. The family relocated to Oklahoma in 1965.

Provence posted photos of the discoveries on Facebook in the hopes of reaching someone who knows the family.

She said in an update Wednesday that online detectives think they may have found Anne Elizabeth Ewing living in Canada. Provence said she is now attempting to make contact to see if the items belong to the woman.
Sir Nicholas Soames has suggested that Cambridge Universitys Churchill College should not be allowed to use his grandfathers name if it continues to smear it.

The former Tory Ministers comments came after the college held an event called The Racial Consequences of Churchill, during which a panellist said wartime leader Sir Winston was the perfect embodiment of white supremacist philosophy.

The event also included claims that the British Empire was far worse than the Nazis.

Sir Nicholas, who stepped down as an MP in 2019, said: The college benefits enormously from Churchills name. If they traduce it, should they be able to have their cake and eat it?

Sir Nicholas Soames says Cambridge Universitys Churchill College should not be allowed to use his grandfathers name if it continues to smear it

His comments came in a foreword to a paper by the Policy Exchange think-tank, co-authored by Churchill biographer Andrew Roberts, who accused the college of clearly premeditated malice and character assassination of the former Prime Minister.

The Cambridge event, held this month, was billed as a critical re-assessment of Churchills life and legacy in light of his views on empire and race.

Panellists included Kehinde Andrews, professor of black studies at Birmingham City University, who said Churchill wasnt even that popular in his lifetime.

Mr Andrews added: White supremacy is still the politics of the day, it just looks a bit different.

Sir Nicholas criticised the idiotically sloppy event, which he said marked a new low in the current vogue for the denigration in general of British history and of Sir Winston Churchills memory in particular.

The college held an event called The Racial Consequences of Churchill, and made claims that the British Empire was far worse than the Nazis

He writes in the paper: If there was one academic institution in the world that one would hope and expect would give Churchill a full and fair hearing  rather than give a platform to those who overlook his astonishing contribution to the defeat of the most murderously racist regime in all history  it surely should be Churchill College Cambridge, named in my grandfathers honour and now home to his personal papers and one of the worlds most important archives.

It really seems to me that Churchill College should be defending his remarkable legacy, not allowing detractors to smear him unchallenged.

I am very worried, given these circumstances, about the direction Churchill College seems to be taking.

No one could ever have expected this latest trashing of Churchills reputation, he said.
(Newser)  Previously a person of interest in the death of Yale grad student Kevin Jiang, Qinxuan Pan now faces murder charges, NBC reports. In a Saturday Facebook post, the New Haven Police Department said that it had obtained an arrest warrant for Pan, a MIT researcher, in connection with the shooting death of Jiang earlier this month. Jiang, 26, was killed Feb. 6 while operating a vehicle. Police have speculated that he was the target of road rage after being involved in a car accident before his murder. Pan, 29, is at large, and authorities think he is in Georgia, per the New Haven Register. He was reportedly seen there Feb. 11 driving with family members. Pan should be considered armed and dangerous, Supervisory Deputy US Marshal Matthew Duffy told the AP. (Read more murder stories.)
Apple Inc. has come out swinging in its pitched battle with the government on its home turf.

But when it comes to its second-largest market, China, the Cupertino, Calif., company has been far more accommodating.

Since the iPhone was officially introduced in China seven years ago, Apple has overcome a national security backlash there and has censored apps that wouldnt pass muster with Chinese authorities. It has moved local user data onto servers operated by the state-owned China Telecom and submits to security audits by Chinese authorities.

The approach contrasts with Apples defiant stance against the FBI, which is heaping pressure on the company to decrypt an iPhone that belonged to San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook.

Advertisement

I cant imagine the Chinese would tolerate end-to-end encryption or a refusal to cooperate with their police, particularly in a terrorism case. James Lewis, senior fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies

The years-long strategy in China is paying off at a crucial time. While sales of Apple products have flatlined or declined in the U.S., Europe and Japan, business in the companys greater China region continues to soar  to a record $59 billion last year. The Asian giant surpassed the U.S. last year as the No. 1 buyer of iPhones and could one day be the largest market for Apple Pay, the mobile payment platform that was rolled out for Chinese consumers last week.

But theres no guarantee the good times will continue rolling for Apple. Beijing is increasingly tightening the screws on foreign technology companies, having introduced strict laws aimed at policing the Internet and digital hardware.

The environment will get even tougher, Apple says, if the FBI prevails in seeking a so-called backdoor to Farooks phone. That could set a precedent for Chinas authoritarian leaders to demand the same in a country where Apple has never publicly defied orders.

Whats driving this is Apples desire to persuade the global market, and particularly the China market, that the FBI cant just stroll in and ask for data, said James Lewis, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. I cant imagine the Chinese would tolerate end-to-end encryption or a refusal to cooperate with their police, particularly in a terrorism case.

The last time Apple was in the crosshairs of Chinese negative opinion was after the Edward Snowden National Security Agency leak in late 2013.

Chinese state-run media began raising national security questions about the iPhones location-tracking feature. Communist party cadres and other officials were also urged to ditch their Apple devices.

The controversy underscored how quickly nationalistic sentiment in China can turn on a foreign brand.

Advertisement

Amid the furor, Apple announced it was shifting local user data onto China-based servers.

The move was seen by some analysts as a concession to calm fears that Apples infrastructure was compromised by U.S. intelligence. It came four years after Google pulled its search engine out of China in an unprecedented stand against the Chinese government over censorship.

Apple, one of only a handful of U.S. tech giants that have flourished in China, said the move was necessary to improve services for its growing Chinese user base. It added that all data on the servers were encrypted and inaccessible to China Telecom.

Even so, some security experts say the servers could be vulnerable.

Advertisement

Whatever data is on Chinese servers is susceptible to confiscation or even cryptanalysis, a sort of code cracking, said Jonathan Zdziarski, a leading expert in iPhone security.

The same could be said about access to data in servers in the U.S., Zdziarski said, the only difference being you need a subpoena.

But its not just the servers that pose a risk. Apples source codes could be stolen from one of its Chinese factories or during government security audits.

Most of the hardware tools that have hacked iPhones in the past all came out of China, and thats probably for a reason, Zdziarski said. Itd be foolish to think that Apple could form a safe and healthy relationship with the Chinese government that didnt put the U.S. at some level of higher risk.

Advertisement

In the end, moving users to China Telecoms servers was followed by a rehabilitation of Apples image in China that continues today.

See more of our top stories on Facebook >>

On Monday, the state-run Economic Daily gave Apple Pay its stamp of approval, saying it complied with national security standards  echoing endorsements the iPhone 6 received more than a year earlier.

In January 2015, the government mouthpiece, the Peoples Daily, tweeted a picture of Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook shaking hands with Lu Wei, Chinas top cyberspace official.

Advertisement

Apple has agreed to Chinas security checks, 1st foreign firm to agree to rules of Cyberspace Admin of China, the tweet said.

Apple said this was nothing special; it accedes to security checks in all countries it operates in. And all companies that want to do business with China are required to submit to such checks.

Whats different, however, is how stringent the checks could be in the near future.

Despite criticism from foreign governments, including the White House, China is introducing security laws that are so vaguely worded some fear it will require technology companies to provide source codes and backdoors for market access. Regulators there have already demanded more foreign companies store data locally like Apple did with China Telecom.

Advertisement

How the new rules fare could depend on the outcome of Apples case with the FBI, experts say.

The problem is, depending on what happens with Apple in the U.S., the window for foreign companies to maneuver over encryption and other security requirements in China could shrink, said Samm Sacks, an analyst for Eurasia Group.

She said the ambiguity of Chinas security laws are designed to promote self-censorship.

Apple in the past has pulled apps from its China app store that mentioned the Dalai Lama and ethnic Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer  both considered enemies of the state. And late last year, it disabled its news app in China.

Advertisement

Virtually every foreign tech company doing business in China is going to have to make some concessions to the government, just as the price of entry, said Charlie Custer, a writer and expert on tech in China.

Id love to hold all global corporations to Googles moral standard, but its probably not realistic to expect that, especially from a company like Apple whose most important market is probably China.

david.pierson@latimes.com

MORE ON APPLE

Advertisement

FBI director calls Apple case hardest question in government

Apples shareholder meeting is on Friday. Heres what we know

How you might feel about Apple right now if your boyfriend died in San Bernardino

Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 11:15:06|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic offers inspiration and experience worth learning to other countries striving to revive their pandemic-hit economies, an expert said on Friday.

"Africa and the rest of the world can learn from China's recent experience in economic revitalization in many ways," Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, said in an interview with Xinhua.

Despite suffering a severe blow to its economy, China still achieved a 2.3-percent increase year on year in its gross domestic product (GDP), becoming the only major economy to grow in 2020. On Thursday, China officially declared the success of its poverty alleviation campaign.

Inspired by China's achievement in eliminating absolute poverty, Costantinos said that "nations need to bolster income and promote employment opportunities."

Costantinos, also former economic advisor to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, noted that it was the effective anti-pandemic measures and emergency relief for businesses that helped the Chinese economy to recover at a fast pace.

"China's recent GDP records show the economy has almost stabilized, even if this is the bottommost rate of annual growth in more than four decades for the miraculous economic titan," he said.

Even though the stringent lockdown of people and businesses led to contraction of the Chinese economy in the first quarter of 2020, China soon reinvigorated its economy by boosting investment and global trade after largely containing the pandemic, the scholar explained.

China's success indicated that to revive the economy, countries need to develop more value-added industries and focus on the more competitive and efficient service sectors, said Costantinos. Enditem
Now its time for another haute couture mix of the same kind, this time around taking place between a timeless British brand and (yes, you guessed it) another fine Swiss name from the watchmaking industry. Actually, come to think about it, this partnership is even more exclusive since, on this occasion, were dealing with Girard-Perregaux.After all, the latter is not only a manufacture, but its also a bit older than its rivaling Swiss company  Girard-Perregaux traces its origins back to 1791, as opposed to 1860 for Tag Heuer. Never mind the details, because both brands come up with many exquisite products for a discerning clientele and are appreciated by those in the know.Back to the Aston Martin/Girard-Perregaux association, we can only say that, for now, theres no timepiece to discuss, as the very first product born from the partnership will arrive later this year. On the other hand, we already know the Swiss manufacture will see its branding on the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One team cars, as well as the uniform used by the crew.2021 is an important year for both Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin. We are celebrating an astonishing 230 years of watchmaking, whilst Aston Martin celebrates its return to Formula 1 as a works team for the first time in over 60 years, Patrick Pruniaux, Girard-Perregauxs CEO, explained the decision to unite the two brands for an encompassing cooperation.As far as we can tell, the first watch jointly created by Aston Martin and Girard-Perregaux isnt going to be revealed at the start of the 2021 Formula One season, which kicks off with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28th, so it may not even be motorsport related For now, theres virtually no clue about its looks save for the official gallery because even the official teaser video for the partnership doesn't offer any hints. It mostly focuses on some dark action with the Aston Martin DBX sport utility vehicle.
HarbourVest Partners has beaten the $600m target for its Credit Opportunities Fund II by reaching an $833m final close. The oversubscribed fund is double the size of the firm's debut in the strategy, which it closed on $375m in 2017.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.


The U.S. Capitol dome is seen in Washington on Dec. 17, 2020. (Erin Scott/Reuters)

Republican Members at CPAC Voted by Proxy for the House Bill

About a dozen Republican members of the House of Representatives used new rules to vote remotely against the new COVID-19 relief package.

Reps. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Greg Steube (R-Fla.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), and Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) filed documents with the chambers clerk to vote remotely, and used proxies to lodge their dissent to the $1.9 trillion bill on Saturday.

The lawmakers cited House Resolution 8 in writing to clerk Cheryl Johnson.

I am unable to physically attend proceedings in the House Chamber due to the ongoing public health emergency, and I hereby grant the authority to cast my vote by proxy to the Honorable Patrick McHenry (North Carolina) who has agreed to serve as my proxy, Cawthorn wrote in his letter.

Every Republican who voted by proxy was attending the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida.

In a statement to news outlets, a spokesman for Budd said that Democrats rearranged the House schedule with extremely late notice, forcing the North Carolinian to vote by proxy for the first time.

Rep. Budd remains philosophically opposed to proxy voting, which is why he has already donated his congressional salary for the days he proxy-voted to the North Carolina Restaurant Workers Relief Fund to support restaurants who were shut down during the pandemic. Mentioning the pandemic in the letter is the standard language that both parties are required to use to proxy vote, he added.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) speaks to The Epoch Times at CPAC 21 in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2021. (The Epoch Times)

An Issa spokesman told outlets, Congressman Issa complied with all House voting rules in lodging his opposition to what the Democrats labeled as COVID relief, but that devoted more than 90 percent of its total to non-COVID spending.

Proxy voting was introduced last year by Democrats and opposed by Republicans, who attempted to block the change through multiple bills and at least one lawsuit. Every GOP member of the lower chamber voted against House Resolution 8 last month, which included authorization to vote by proxy, except for three members who did not vote.

Democrats accused Republicans of hypocrisy for voting by proxy on Saturday.

My Republican colleagues here called us cowards for voting by proxy during the pandemic, filed a lawsuit to stop it, and even introduced a bill to strip pay from Members who vote by proxy. Now they are in Orlando proxy voting from CPAC while we debate and vote on Covid relief, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said in a tweet.

Can you say hypocrite? Skipping session for CPAC and claiming pandemic as reason for proxy vote which they opposed allowing! added Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.)
Social media chatter among Australian anti-vaccination groups skyrocketed in the past week as the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine were delivered amid false claims that the jab would be mandatory.

A protester at Health Minister Greg Hunts Mornington Peninsula electorate office holds a sign claiming the COVID vaccine is a poison that will alter peoples DNA. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

An independent project monitoring online vaccine sentiment for the federal government has reported that comments and other interactions surged from about 200 a day to almost 6000, within 20 key Australian anti-vaccination Facebook groups open to the public.

It is only the second time since the pandemic began that such a notable jump has been observed, and the first time in almost a year.

But researchers from the University of Western Australia leading the Coronavax project say the number of people in Australias anti-vaccination community, while growing, was still relatively small. There are around 300,000 followers in the public Facebook groups.
A shortage of oxygen in Peru had forced people to line up for up to four days for a refill

A first shipment of medical oxygen sent by Chile has arrived in Peru, which will help relieve a shortage for Covid-19 patients, President Francisco Sagasti said on Friday.

Almost 200 people a day have died from Covid-19 in Peru in February, four times more than in December, and the shortage of oxygen has hampered treatment for thousands of patients.

"The first 40 tonnes of oxygen imported from Chile are already in our territory," the president wrote on Twitter.

"We appreciate the willingness of our sister country to the south to support us," he said, adding it would be a weekly shipment during the emergency.

The shortage had forced people to line up for up to four days for an oxygen refill.

Peru currently has nearly 100,000 people with Covid-19, according to official figures, of whom 15,000 are hospitalized, overwhelming the health services.

With 33 million people, Peru has about 1.3 million confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 45,000 deaths, according to official data.

fj/dga/mtp/qan
The Snow Moon will reach full size at 8.17pm today but will appear to be full through to early Sunday morning

Advertisement

Stunning images have captured the 'Snow Moon' lighting up the night sky over the UK ahead of the spectacle appearing at its brightest tonight.

The second full moon of 2021 is not as bright as 2020's Snow Moon, which was also a supermoon, but still makes for an illuminating sight across the UK.

Fascinating pictures show the huge moon sitting above the skyline in London, Bristol, Manchester, Lancashire and Cambridgeshire, and still shining brightly just before dawn.

The name 'Snow Moon' derives from Native American tribes and was given because February is the month for snowfall and colder temperatures.

The Snow Moon pictured dramatically sitting above The Shard in London just before dawn on Friday morning. The spectacle will reach its full size at 08:17 GMT tonight but will appear to be full through to early Sunday morning

The second full moon of 2021 setting over St Andrew's Church in Sutton-in-the-Isle, Cambridgeshire, on Friday. The second full moon of 2021 is not as bright as 2020's Snow Moon, but still makes for an illuminating sight across the UK

James Walsh erected this bike on the roof of his house in Bristol to replicate the famous scene in the Steven Spielberg movie where alien ET and his human friend Elliott fly above the treetops on a BMX spectacle

The full moon, also known in February as the 'Snow Moon', sets behind the Manchester skyline this morning. Astronomers advise photographers to download apps and maps to track the progress of the moon across the sky

To see as many of the surface details of the Moon as possible while out stargazing, viewers are recommended to give their eyes time to adjust to lower lights and turn off artificial lights sources.

February's full moon is also known as the 'Hunger moon' due to the brutal weather conditions that made it harder for tribes to go out and hunt for food.

The names have been compiled by the Farmer's Almanac, which first published a list of names for full moons inspired by Native American tribes in the 1930s.

It will reach its full size at 08:17 GMT tonight but will appear to be full through to early Sunday morning.

Astronomers advise photographers to download apps and maps to track the progress of the moon across the sky, in order to make sightings easier.

It should be possible to also view the planet Mars during the Snow Moon, depending on cloud cover. It appears on the west-southwestern horizon appearing as a bright dot in the sky near Orion's Belt.

According to NASA no other planets will be visible to the naked eye until March, when Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn should be visible.

EarthSky says the bright star Regulus will be visible close to the Moon as it reaches its brightest and fullest point.

The 'Snow Moon', also known as the 'Hunger Moon' due to the brutal weather conditions that made it harder for tribes to go out and hunt for food, is seen rising above the River Thames and the skyscrapers of the City of London last night

The Snow Moon setting over Blackpool Tower in Lancashire on Friday morning. It should be possible to also view the planet Mars during the Snow Moon, depending on cloud cover

The Snow Moon seen through the London Eye. Other names for the February full moon include the Bear or the Black Bear Moon as it is when bear cubs tend to be born, or the Goose Moon

The Snow Moon rises behind Rivington Pike near Bolton, Greater Manchester, on Friday. According to NASA no other planets will be visible to the naked eye until March, when Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn should be visible

Regulus is the brightest object in the constellation Leo and one of the brightest stars in the night sky. It is about 79 light years away and is a quadruple star system split into two pairs of stars.

'To the eye, the moon can look full for a few nights in succession. To astronomers, though, the full moon occurs in a single instant, when the moon is 180 degrees opposite the sun in ecliptic longitude,' wrote EarthSky.

The Old Farmer's Almanac says names for the full moons don't always come from Native American tribes, they also come from colonial America, European sources and other traditions, which is why there are often more than one name for them.

Other names for the February full moon include the Bear or the Black Bear Moon as it is when bear cubs tend to be born, or the Goose Moon.

As well as freezing temperatures and birth, scarcity is another name for the moon, due to hunting becoming harder - some tribes called it the Month of the Bony Moon or Hungry Moon to highlight how hard food is to come by.

The Snow Moon seen rising above St Paul's Cathedral in Central London (pictured left) and above the capital city's skyscrapers (right) on Friday. 'To the eye, the moon can look full for a few nights in succession', wrote EarthSky

Crowds of people cluster around the St Michael's Tower landmark on the summit of Glastonbury Tor on Friday evening to watch the sun set as the full Snow Moon rises in the East

The Snow Moon, also known as the 'Hunger Moon', rises above central London with birds seen in the foreground. Mars appears on the west-southwestern horizon appearing as a bright dot in the sky near Orion's Belt

A Londoner photographs the Snow Moon through the London Eye on Friday. EarthSky says the bright star Regulus will be visible close to the Moon as it reaches its brightest and fullest point

The first full moon of the year is known as the Wolf Moon, as that is the time of year when villagers in ancient America would have heard the wolf howl.

The full moon in March is known as the Worm Moon as it is when Earthworms begin to appear due to rising temperatures - this year there will be a wolf supermoon.

A supermoon appears brighter and larger than the Moon on any other night and occurs as a regular part of the Moon's orbit of the Earth.

The orbit isn't an exact circle, so there are points where the the Moon is slightly closer to the Earth than at other times - when this occurs it is known as a supermoon.

A supermoon occurs when the full moon nearly coincides with perigee - the point in the orbit of the moon at which it is nearest to the Earth.

This means it appears up to 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than normal, when viewed from Earth.
For the second year, tuxedoed men will not swap green paper chrysanthemums for smooches along Magazine Street, and crowds will not catch cabbages tossed from floats.

On Friday, the Irish Channel St. Patricks Day Club announced the cancellation of its annual parade, which typically takes place the Saturday before March 17. The procession that has been an Uptown institution for more than 70 years was called off due to coronavirus-era restrictions on large gatherings.

The announcement was no surprise. New Orleans City Hall's website makes it clear that no parades are permitted under the current social distance guidelines, and according to Sean Burke, a board member of the Irish Channel St. Patricks Day Club, the organization was simply abiding by the rules.

Burke said that the club leadership did not discuss postponing the parade until later in the year, when restrictions might be relaxed. Were just gearing up and getting ready for 2022, he said.

The popular parade usually includes 30 floats and roughly 1,000 riders and marchers. It annually draws an enormous audience to its Magazine Street route. Burke said he doesnt fear that a two-year hiatus will diminish interest in the event. However, he said, he wouldnt be surprised if the parade may be a bit smaller in future years, since some members may remain wary of crowds even after restrictions on parades are lifted.

Burke said he knows of 12 club members who have died from coronavirus complications, and that many more have probably been affected.

Parasols Bar, on Constance Street, is usually ground zero for the beer-fueled block party that accompanies the parade. But the bars doors will be closed this year, according to owner Mark Bruser, in order to avoid a repeat of last years horde of partiers.

If you dont (close), people will come, Bruser said, and its hard to control capacity. We dont want to be part of the problem, we want to be part of the solution.

The 2020 parade was among the first major public events canceled after cases of the coronavirus began appearing in the Crescent City. On March 10 last year, Louisiana had just six known cases of the illness, including five hospitalized in Orleans Parish. But the very contagious virus spread rapidly. As of Friday, the state had logged 8,906 deaths and 368,902 cases of the disease. Of those, 708 people died in New Orleans, where there have been 26,767 cases.

Though the need for social distancing seems obvious in retrospect, not everyone took the contagion seriously at first. Though the floats and marchers were absent, a shamrock-adorned throng appeared around Parasols and Traceys Original Irish Channel Bar, oblivious or defiant of City Halls pleas for self-quarantine measures.

Eventually the police appeared to scatter the swarm. Coincidentally, the first Louisiana resident died of COVID-19 that day in New Orleans, adding to the mayors irritation over the gathering.

"At the same time we were learning the sad news regarding the first fatality in our state, certain individuals were flouting the public health protocols and actively increasing the danger to their neighbors and their loved ones," Cantrell said in a statement that night.

Jeff Carreras, owner of Traceys, said the bar was not instructed to close on parade day in 2020, abided by the citys capacity guidelines and didnt cultivate the large crowd. We opened for business, thats all we did, he said.

In September, the city temporarily shut Traceys down, after a social media video revealed unmasked patrons at tables throughout the business cheering during a Saints game. Carreras disputed the citys claims that he violated COVID-19 restrictions.

+9 Tracey's bar was shuttered without warning or inspection, New Orleans City Hall records show The owners of Traceys Original Irish Channel Bar say they are being unfairly targeted by New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration, 

Carreras said he may simply close this year on March 13. The safety of our staff, patrons and neighbors will be our top priority, he said. But even if we close, they (the crowd members) may show up.

Burke said he doubts there will be a repeat of last years large renegade crowd. Last year people had already made plans (to be there), he said. I dont think that will happen this year.

A City Hall spokesperson emphasized that despite a recent relaxation in restrictions, large gatherings wont be tolerated. As with Mardi Gras 2021, the spokesperson wrote, we have to temper our celebrations this year to keep the virus from spreading and harming more of our people. There will be no parades this year, and no large block parties. Gathering limits will be enforced. Additional restrictions may be put in place if necessary.

The citys restrictions will apply to all other St. Patricks parades as well, the spokesman said.

The current limit on gathering sizes for parties and events is 75 people indoors and 150 outside. Bars may seat as many as 15 people at a table, up from 10.

Members of The Irish Channel St. Patricks Day Club still plan to attend Mass at St. Marys Assumption Church on St. Patricks Day, and the club hopes to find a COVID-safe alternative for their annual St. Patricks Day party benefiting St. Michael Special School, Burke said. The club usually donates between $15,000 and $20,000 to the school. Members are considering a virtual or drive-by benefit event in the upcoming weeks, Burke said.

myG to host celebrations that are of a different league on its 15th anniversary!

Rule on blocking contents not new, been around since 2009: Govt defends Indias new digital media rules

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Feb 27: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Saturday clarified that the provision in the new digital media guidelines to block internet content in a case of emergency nature has been around as a rule since 2009 and was not recently introduced.

Certain misgivings are being raised regarding Rule 16 under Part III of the guidelines which mention that in a case of emergency nature, interim blocking directions may be issued by the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, a ministry statement said.

"It is hereby clarified that this is not a new provision. For the past eleven years, since 2009, this provision has been exercised by the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT under the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009," it said.

Under the rules issued on February 25, this provision has only been replaced with Secretary, Ministry of I&B because Part III of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 would be administered by the I&B Ministry, the statement said.

Identify first originator, say govts rules to regulate streaming and digital content

"It is reiterated -- no change in provision has been made nor any new provision has been added on blocking of content under Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021," the I&B ministry said.

The government on Thursday had said a ''code of ethics'' and three-tier grievance redressal mechanism would be applicable for news publishers, over-the-top (OTT) platforms and digital media.

The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 were announced at a joint press conference here by I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad earlier this week.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 27, 2021, 20:58 [IST]
JACKSON, MI -- Its not often you walk into a party store and encounter a trained chef working in the kitchen.

But that is exactly what you have in Jacob Shepard and Cheffuns Food Factory. Shepard opened the business in the back of Home Town Convenience Store in October after working as a chef at Travis Pointe Country Club in Ann Arbor, and with a catering business. He has lived in Jackson his whole life.

I call it Cheffuns Food Factory because I am a chef and I can create anything, Shepard said. So I always have weekly specials and sometimes daily specials.

Shepard has created a deli, easy friendly menu. His feature is the Mealzone.

They are calzones but they are big enough to be a meal, Shepard said. They are specialty sandwiches. Basically not so much pizza but more of a sandwich. A big, fresh baked sandwich.

Examples of available Mealzones are a Cuban, Mama Mia Meatball, Reuben, Prime Rib Dip, Chicken Pesto or a Zesty Italian. (Check out the photos to see the Prime Rib Dip.) He also offers breakfast, including breakfast burritos, corned beef hash and biscuits and gravy.

Shepard found the kitchen space at Home Town after being laid off in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, The community has reacted positively, he said.

They are really digging it, Shepard said.

Shepard creates everything from scratch, including smoking his own meats like pork and chicken wings.

I think that is what individualizes a place, Shepard said. I love all food. I think the care of a chef can be put into all food. I am trying to bring the quality for the price that nobody does.

Cheffuns Food Factory, 1033 Cooper St., is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. DoorDash is also available. Call 517-748-7228. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/jakeshepard78

MORE LOCAL EATS IN JACKSON:

Local Eats: Wood-fired pizza is the star at Laughlins Slice of Spice in Spring Arbor

Local Eats: 20-year-old baker uses family paczki recipe for Fat Tuesday treats

Local Eats: Barneys BBQ in Grass Lake brings simplicity and freshness

Local Eats: Jacksons Grand River Brewery prides itself on craft food and drinks

Local Eats: JRs Hometown Grill and Pub in Brooklyn has something for everyone

Local Eats: Warm up with soup and hot drinks at the Oak Tree Lounge in Jackson

Local Eats: Vitos Espresso in Jackson takes the intimidation out of coffee

Local Eats: Pizza is the focus of C & J Family Pizzeria, but the Unicorn SMore is a sweet surprise

Local Eats: Prime Cuts is much more than a butcher shop

Local Eats: Jacksons Gilbert Chocolates has been sweet since 1900

Local Eats: Jacksons Chilangos Cantina Grill goes back to our roots with drive-thru taco menu

Local Eats: Jackson Candy & Fudge Factory is like stepping back in time

Local Eats: Mats Cafe and Catering in Jackson offers family-style meals during pandemic

Local Eats: Clark Lakes Luceros Mexican Bar & Grill serves up fajitas, margaritas in a lake theme

Local Eats: Jacksons Crazy Cowboy features burgers and Mexican cuisine

Local Eats: The Blue Julep brings the sweetness to downtown Jackson

Local Eats: The Dirty Bird in downtown Jackson is all about chicken and beer

Local Eats: HotRodz Smokehouse in Concord is all about the meat

Local Eats: Kibby Cobb Liquor and Deli offers up fresh bagels, soups and more in Jackson

Local Eats: Good food, views on tap at The Apron Restaurant and Spirits in Jackson

Local Eats: Steves Ranch celebrates 40 years in Jackson

Local Eats: Nite Lite strives to deliver big portions at a good price in Jackson

Local Eats: From-scratch cooking stressed at Annas Porch Cafe in Jackson

Local Eats: Wooden Spoon has been a longtime Spring Arbor gathering spot

Local Eats: City Crepes brings a touch of France to downtown Jackson

Local Eats: KeniKakes & More in Jackson provides unique mix of sweets, soul food

Local Eats: Jacksons Rocky Top Beer-BBQ & Grills innovative ownership provides something for everyone

Local Eats: WestEnd Farm to Table offers homegrown cooking in Jackson

Local Eats: There is a lot on the line with reopening, owner of The Deck Down Under in Jerome says

Local Eats: Opened in 1914, Virginia Coney Island is a Jackson tradition

Local Eats: Bella Nottes roots have allowed it to stick in Jackson food scene

Local Eats: The Hunt Club struggles, but leans on family-like workplace during reopening phases

Local Eats: OneNorth Kitchen & Bar approaches two year anniversary with different vibe

Local eats: A pandemic, ghosts and 50 years of service, Roadhouse Grill and Bar has stood the test of time
ROCKY HILL - In recognition of their contributions to the deployment of clean energy and demonstrated leadership in their industries in 2020, the Connecticut Green Bank has announced the honorees of their annual PACEsetter Awards and the Smart-E Loan Top Performers. Since 2012, the Green Bank has supported the creation of more than 23,000 job years and over 50,000 clean energy projects, thanks to our network of contractors, interested home- and building owners, and lending partners.

PACEsetter Awards Recipients: The Connecticut Green Banks PACEsetter Awards acknowledge contractors, building owners and other stakeholders who are advancing the green energy movement through C-PACE, and whose leadership establishes a pace for others in their field to follow. The award winners are a driving force behind the success of the Green Banks Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program, which has surpassed 330 closed loans and $184 million in total close project financing that are estimated to save $295 million in energy costs. These are the sixth annual PACEsetter Awards. The Green Bank acknowledged both contractors and building owners across multiple categories for their work in 2020:

Outstanding Projects, 2020

West Lane Inn, a boutique 17-room inn in Ridgefield, and Eastern Mechanical Services, Inc. of Danbury, an HVAC contractor serving Fairfield County since 1985, for their project that removed an old oil heating system and replaced with efficient electric heat pumps that harness renewable energy (heat) from the environment, reducing costs and increasing guest comfort. This was the contractors first C-PACE project.

Con Edison Solutions and Bridgeport Islamic Community Center, for a 75 kW solar installation at the Community Center, a Purchase Power Agreement repaid through C-PACE, which is producing electricity and helping to reduce costs.

Omega Church in New Haven and Complete Building and Mechanicals of Guilford, for an HVAC and lighting project - Complete Building and Mechanicals first C-PACE project - which will help the Church maintain safe, healthy operations year-round; Marriot Residence Inn in Stamford, for a new construction project, an outstanding example of the ability of C-PACE to support ground up new construction projects in the hospitality industry, according to a statement; and Marcus Communications, for a first-of-its-kind C-PACE project at their communications tower in Bolton.

Accelerating PACE, 2020:

Verogy, a commercial solar developer headquartered in Hartford that has integrated C-PACE into their business model and became the first developer to offer their own C-PACE-backed Power Purchase Agreement, demonstrating a transformative approach to the market.

Smart-E Loan Top Performers

For 2020, the Green Bank is recognizing 17 Smart-E Loan Top Performers. In 2020, the Top Performers helped more than 250 families across Connecticut make home energy improvements - allowing them to save money, reduce their carbon footprint, and live more comfortably in their homes. The Smart-E Loan offers homeowners no money down, low-interest financing for more than 40 qualifying projects that reduce energy use and lower utility costs. Since 2013, the Smart-E loan has enabled more than 4,000 families to make improvements with a projected lifetime energy cost savings over $70 million.

The 2020 Top Performers (in alphabetical order; * denotes 2019 Top Performer recognition): Absolute Air Services LLC* (Middletown), Benvenuti Oil* (Waterford), EcoSmart Home Services* (Berlin), Energy Unlimited, LLC (Bolton), Glasco Heating & Air Conditioning Inc* (South Windsor), Highland Window Co. (West Hartford), Home Comfort Heating and Cooling Solutions, LLC* (East Haven), Home Comfort Practice* (Stratford), Homestead Fuel and Energy Solutions (Ellington), King Energy, LLC (Willington), Link Mechanical Services Inc* (New Britain), Nutmeg Mechanical Services Inc* (Manchester), R&W Heating Energy Solutions LLC* (Salem), Ralph Mann & Sons Inc. (Ansonia), Ryan F. Murphy Heating & Cooling LLC* (New Milford), SolvIt Home Services* (Plainville), Viglione Heating & Cooling Inc* (East Haven).

For more information about the Connecticut Green Bank, visit www.ctgreenbank.com

Walgreens, Susan G. Komen partner to "Raise Hope, End Cancer"

Walgreens and Susan G. Komen have partnered together in the fight to end breast cancer. The funds raised by this partnership support the future of breast cancer research and the support we are providing to people facing breast cancer today during this historic period of uncertainty and economic distress, according to a statement.

Walgreens offers two ways for customers to donate to the Raise Hope, End Cancer fundraiser. During the months of February and March, shoppers may donate their Walgreens Cash rewards to the Raise Hope, End Cancer fundraiser directly from their myWalgreens account online or through the mobile app. Additionally, shoppers may visit stores until March 13 and make a pin-pad donation during check-out. All donations support those who need it today, while fearlessly searching for tomorrows cures. Learn more at https://komen.org

GHAR reports increase in single family home prices

HARTFORD  According to the Greater Hartford Association of REALTORS (GHAR), the median sale price of single family homes in Greater Hartford increased 20.72 percent (from $236,700 to $285,750), over January of 2020. Closed sales increased 7.69 percent (from 416 to 448). Pending sales increased 5.42 percent (from 424 to 447) and new listings decreased 34.68 percent (from 617 to 403). Inventory dropped 51.69 percent (from 1921 to 928) and days on market decreased 43.42 percent (from 76 to 43 days) during this same timeframe.

Condominium closed sales increased 45.83 percent (from 96 to 140) over January of last year. The median sale price decreased 17.24 percent (from $153,450 to $179,900) and inventory decreased 32.79 percent (from 430 to 289). New listings decreased 25.86 percent (from 174 to 129) when compared to January of 2020.

January showed the same strong housing numbers in our market that weve seen most of last year, stated GHAR CEO, Holly Callanan. The continued demand is a good sign for those looking to sell. Involving a Realtor early in the process is an important first step, she said.

In the national outlook, Lawrence Yun, National Association of REALTORS chief economist, stated: "Home sales rose in December, and for 2020 as a whole, we saw sales perform at their highest levels since 2006, despite the pandemic. What's even better is that this momentum is likely to carry into the new year, with more buyers expected to enter the market."

GHAR is largest local real estate trade association in Connecticut, serving over 4800 members in the Greater Hartford and Litchfield County real estate brokerage communities. The Association provides technology, training, networking and business support to members, and supports a healthy real estate market by upholding high professional and ethical standards through a Code of Ethics, ongoing education and certification programs. As the advocate for the real estate brokerage industry, GHAR is the Voice for Real Estate in the Northwest CT and Greater Hartford regions. For more information, call 1.860.561.1800 or visit www.gharonline.com.
New Delhi: Noting the completion of disengagement in the Pangong Lake area, the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has told his Chinese counterpart that both sides should now quickly resolve remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday (February 26, 2021), S Jaishankar and State Councillor and Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, discussed the situation along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh and also issues related to the overall India-China relations.

Jaishankar emphasized that once the disengagement is completed at all friction points, then the two sides could also look at broader de-escalation of troops in the area and work towards the restoration of peace and tranquillity.

During the 75-minute phone conversation, EAM Jaishankar referred to the meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister in September 2020 in Moscow where India had expressed its concern on provocative behavior and unilateral attempts of the Chinese side to alter the status quo.



He also noted that the bilateral relations have been impacted severely over last year and said that the Boundary Question may take time to resolve but the disturbance of peace and tranquillity including by violence, will inevitably have a damaging impact on the relationship.

EAM Jaishankar said that during their meeting in Moscow in 2020, both Ministers had agreed that the situation in the border areas was not in the interest of either side and decided that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage and ease tensions. EAM said that the two sides had maintained continuous communication since then through both the diplomatic and military channels and that had led to progress as both sides had successfully disengaged in the Pangong Tso Lake area earlier this month.

Spoke to State Councilor & Foreign Minister Wang Yi this afternoon. Discussed the implementation of our Moscow Agreement and reviewed the status of disengagement.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 25, 2021

Jaishankar also highlighted that both sides had always agreed that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in border areas was an essential basis for the development of bilateral relations and a prolongation of the existing situation was not in the interest of either side.

It was, therefore, necessary that the two sides should work towards early resolution of remaining issues and was necessary to disengage at all friction points in order to contemplate de-escalation of forces in this sector, that alone will lead to the restoration of peace and tranquillity and provide conditions for the progress of India-China relationship.

According to MEA, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on his part, expressed satisfaction at the progress made so far.

"It was an important step forward for restoration of peace and tranquility in border areas. He felt that both sides should make efforts to consolidate outcomes. It was also necessary to sincerely implement the common understanding reached at various levels. He spoke about the need to improve management and control in the border areas," the MEA stated.

Wang Yi also noted that the Indian side had proposed 'three mutuals' (mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests) as the approach to the relationship and agreed on the importance of taking the long view of India-China ties.

"The two Ministers agreed to remain in touch and establish a hotline," informed the MEA.

This is to be noted that last week, the armies of the two countries which have been locked in a standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 2020, concluded the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the north and south banks of Pangong Tso in the high-altitude region. On February 20, the two sides also held extensive discussions on the disengagement process in eastern Ladakh at the 10th round of the military talks. It reportedly lasted for nearly 16 hours on the Chinese side of the LAC.

Live TV



Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.

President Joe Biden looked straight into the eyes of Marvin Lovick and listened to him explain how he and others have been doing everything they can since the deadly winter freeze to get food to those in need.

As Biden toured the Houston Food Bank on Friday, he said the nation already had so many children who go to bed hungry each night and praised Lovick, a retiree, and other volunteers for working around the clock since the storms, which made the need even greater.

Thank you, man, Biden told Lovick.

It wasnt just Lovick. Biden, wearing a protective mask, walked up and down lines of volunteers assembling food distribution boxes and gave them hugs, fist bumps and elbow bumps.

For Biden, Friday was the first time he had been able to get on the ground in Texas to assess the devastation after millions in the state were left without power and water for days after frigid temperatures blasted the entire state. He and first lady Jill Biden toured the Harris County Emergency Operations Center just before meeting with volunteers at the food bank. He wrapped up his visit by going to NRG Park, where the Federal Emergency Management Agency has helped set up a mass vaccination site that can provide 6,000 shots a day.

Jill and I wanted to visit Texas today for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, to let the people of Texas know our prayers are with you in the aftermath of this winter storm, said Biden, now in his sixth week in office.

But the Democrat also said the federal government sees the dire need and will be a partner for the long haul.

We will be true partners to help you recover and rebuild from the storm and this pandemic and the economic crisis, said Biden, standing in front of a FEMA trailer near NRG Stadium.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a fellow Democrat, said theres a symbolic message in Biden coming to Texas and showing support. But she stressed that the state and the nations third most populous county are also getting real commitments from the federal government to be on the ground and help long term.

FEMA has already delivered food and millions of gallons of water and is providing direct assistance to help homeowners who lack insurance to repair damage from the storm, said Biden, who was accompanied by acting FEMA Administrator Bob Fenton.

Them coming gives hope, Hidalgo said. Its a community that needs hope. Its a community thats been, just been torn down so many times now. Its just disaster after disaster.

The region experienced major flooding in 2015 and 2016 and was affected by severe tropical storms or hurricanes in 2017, 2019 and 2020.

Collaboration stressed

But it wasnt just Houston leaders meeting with Biden.

Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. John Cornyn, both Republicans, spent part of Friday with the president. At the Harris County Emergency Operations Center, Biden said that when Abbott called him as the disaster was unfolding, he committed to helping with anything he needed.

He said yes before I even asked the question, Abbott said as Biden patted him on the back.

Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, told Biden that the damage from the winter storms is going to take much longer to fully determine. He said there are hundreds of school districts that are still assessing damaged buildings.

We have a lot of families and businesses and importantly schools that have not yet been able to submit their damage assessments to us, Kidd said. Weve got a long way to go. Mr. President, I know we can get through this together and weve just got to keep going.

For Biden, the presence of conservative Republicans such as Abbott and Cornyn helped him make a point that was a key component to his campaign for the White House last year.

Were not here today as Democrats or Republicans, Biden said. Were here today as Americans.

He said that while he differs on many issues with the states Republican leaders, there are also matters on which they can work together.

Biden said he was struck by all of the people who are volunteering their time to help their neighbors and pointed to the people at the Houston Food Bank as evidence.

An incredible operation, Biden said.

While every president is expected to serve as a comforter-in-chief during times of tragedy, advisers said Biden particularly craves the one-on-one experiences on the ground to understand the magnitude of problems.

Its important to him to hear directly from people on what their needs are, said Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary.

Bidens visit food bank

The Bidens visit to the food bank comes as Houston-area residents are recovering from a food shortage after the storm disrupted supply chains and power outages spoiled refrigerated food. Even before the storm, food banks around Texas had begun seeing food shortages after the state Department of Agriculture slashed funding for a program that sends farmers surplus produce to food banks and charities.

Jill Biden arrived at the food bank shortly before the president and was joined by Texas first lady Cecilia Abbott as she placed canned peaches into bags for the Backpack Buddy program, which distributes food on weekends to students who rely on school meals during the week. The first ladies also helped pack food for a federally funded program that distributes boxes of food to low-income seniors.

Katherine Byers, the Houston Food Banks government relations director, said officials are hoping the Bidens visit will lead to an uptick in donations, as was the case after U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, stopped by the operation last weekend.

Byers said she also hopes the visit signals Bidens presidency will bring increased funding for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, and an extension of the age limit for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

There are a lot of working families out there who really are struggling, and the donations help, but theres no way we can better peoples lives in the long term by just putting a box of food in front of them, Byers said.

As the president toured the food bank Friday, he at one point stopped to give a pep talk to a young girl who was sorting food into bins with her mom and brother, whom Biden had greeted moments earlier.

My sister has all brothers  me and my two other brothers, Biden told the young girl. Shes my best friend in my whole life. My best friend, really. Shes smarter than I am, better looking than I am.

The girl hugged Biden then ran over to hug her brother.

Vaccination efforts stressed

Biden is no stranger to Houston. During his final stop of the day, at the vaccination site at NRG Park, he recalled coming to the city when his eldest son, Beau, was being treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center for brain cancer. Beau Biden died in 2015. The president spoke of his determination to end cancer.

He also spoke of the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 500,000 people in the United States, including more than 42,000 Texans.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that about 47.2 million Americans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the New York Times reported. Biden stressed that mobile vaccination units are being launched in Houston and other parts of the state to get the vaccine to people who dont live near a vaccination center or local pharmacy, and that vaccines are being sent directly to community health centers that serve hard to reach populations including in the Black and Latino communities.

Were moving in the right direction, Biden said.

But Biden warned that cases and hospitalizations are still at risk of spiking again with new variants of the virus emerging. He urged people to continue to wash their hands, socially distance and for Gods sake, wear your mask.  Its not a political statement. Its a patriotic thing to do.

The worst thing we can do now, Biden said before returning to Washington, is we let our guard down.

Jasper Scherer contributed to this report

jeremy.wallace@chron.com

twitter.com/jeremyswallace
Firefighters in New Jersey brought in some heavy equipment to rescue a deer that was stuck between the bars of a metal fence.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Mantua Township Fire Department said firefighters responded to a request for assistance from the Mantua Police Department when a deer was found with the middle of its body stuck between the metal bars.

The fire department shared a video showing the Rescue 2218 crew using a hydraulic tool to separate the iron bars enough for the deer to squeeze its hind legs through the opening.

Firefighters said the deer did not appear to be seriously injured and ran off after being freed.


We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
At his wits end with the province and in fear for his most vulnerable people, David Chartrand, president of the Manitoba Metis Federation, is approaching COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers in the hopes of purchasing doses directly.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

At his wits end with the province and in fear for his most vulnerable people, David Chartrand, president of the Manitoba Metis Federation, is approaching COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers in the hopes of purchasing doses directly.

"Im sending a letter out to every one of them pleading with them to consider allowing me to buy direct, that my people are going to die and likely probably going to continue to suffer mental anguish and everything else that comes with it," Chartrand said.

David Chartrand, president of the Manitoba Metis Federation, is approaching COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers in the hopes of purchasing doses directly. (Winnipeg Free Press)

In British Columbia, Metis and other Indigenous people are eligible to get their shots sooner and at 15 years younger than the rest of the population, meaning they can get their shot at 65 when 80-year-old residents are being called.

Dr. Daniele Behn Smith, the deputy provincial health officer for Indigenous Health, said theyve been working hard to make Metis people "feel seen" during the vaccination process.

Alberta is taking a similar approach and the Metis Nation Saskatchewan is working with the provincial government to work out a vaccine rollout.

Here, in Manitoba, the age differential is 20 years  when eligibility for the vaccine is at 95 for the general population, it is 75 for First Nations. That does not include Metis.

When asked by The Brandon Sun for the rationale for Manitoba not engaging with Metis in similar ways, when the conditions, vulnerabilities and disproportionate effect in the Metis population are the same, if not worse, than First Nations, Dr. Joss Reimer spoke about data.

"Our initial decisions were based on the epidemiology and the data that we had in front of us. The data was very clear that our First Nations, the First Nations people in Manitoba, were experiencing worse health outcomes and at younger ages," said Reimer, medical lead for the vaccine implementation task force.

She said the province does not have the same access to data when it comes to the Metis population in Manitoba.

When asked if the task force would consider the same age differential for Metis, Reimer said nothing is off the table.

"If we have data to demonstrate that something is essential to provide the best possible care for Manitobans, we absolutely move in that direction. Right now, we dont have that data to depend on. But thats something that were trying to work on together," she said.

Chartrand said thats false. He said the federation has been making efforts to resolve the matter since the summer, to no avail. Further, he says the government is in possession of a four-year study that clearly shows the health vulnerabilities of Metis.

"We started asking, why are you not signing one (data sharing agreement) with us? They just basically said, well, well get back to you. And nobody had an answer. We had nowhere to turn. Everybody we turned to said, well get back to you. Well get back to you. I can go through emails and letters and meeting minutes. Theyre all gonna give you the same response, well get back to you," said Chartrand. "Nobody ever gets back to you. No reason whatsoever. Not to say, its complicated. Not to say, cant be done. Not to say, we dont have any data in our own health system."

Chartrand said the federation has plenty of data it can provide.

"We could provide you with ours, and give you a really good surface view of where were stating our position and even the health state of our people. We can share that with you. We have sufficient data that any statistician would have been embracing and kissing you for it, because it would (be) such a valuable tool of information. They still wouldnt work with us. They never provided an answer why," he said.

When Pine Creek First Nation, which is between the Metis villages of Camperville and Duck Bay, saw two cases of COVID-19 in January, Chief Karen Baston put the area on lockdown. Chartrand told his people to stay put for two weeks.

"We delivered hampers to every house whether they were First Nation, whether they were Metis, whether they were not Indigenous. We took hampers to every house. We told them, dont go out and shop. Stay locked up for two weeks, and well bring more supplies. Whatever you need, contact us. We delivered to 275 houses," Chartrand said.

"Those are some big families. Some are $400 hampers some $150 hampers for a smaller family."

Currently, the federation is delivering 40,000 pounds of fish through its partnership with Freshwater Fish.

These actions are possible with financial help from the federal government.

Chartrand said, while there have been COVID-19 cases and death in the Metis population, so far the federations pandemic action plan has been minimizing spread. There have been no outbreaks in Metis communities.

The federation even recently set up its own testing site for its citizens, to collect its own data.

Acquiring vaccines independently is the next step.

 with files from the Canadian Press

 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.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Sri Lanka has put the Chinese manufactured COVID-19 vaccine on hold and will use vaccine shots manufactured by the Serum Institute of India for its ambitious inoculation drive, ANI reported citing Cabinet co-spokesman Dr Ramesh Pathirana. The country kick-started its vaccination drive last month, administering vaccine shots on frontline workers. Starting March, the island is set to extend inoculation to the general public, prioritizing people over 60 years of age.

On February 26, Pathirana asserted that authorities have opted for the Indian manufactured Astrazeneca/Oxford vaccine jabs to vaccinate 14 million people. He stressed that the Chinese vaccine manufacturer Sinopharm has still not completed phase 3 of its vaccine clinical trials. Dr Pathirana further said that the complete dossier pertaining to the registration of the Chinese vaccine has also not yet been received.

Read: Pakistan PM Imran Khan's Sri Lanka Visit Expense Out; Team Claims It's 1/8th Of Ex-PM's

Read:COVID-19 Vaccination Drive In Sri Lanka Begins After India Gifts 500,000 Doses

"For the time being, we need to go with the AstraZeneca vaccine. The moment we receive full documentation from the Chinese manufacturer we can consider registering it," Pathirana was quoted as saying by ANI.

Placed orders for 10 million shots

Sri Lanka on Thursday, February 25 received 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines ordered from India. With Chinese and Russian vaccines still not approved by the country's regulators, it has opted to use Indian made vaccine shots. The government has placed an order for 10 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India at a cost of USD 52.5 million and a further 3.5 million doses directly from AstraZeneca Institute of UK under the COVAX programme. Health officials here said the next batch of the Indian order would be coming in March.

Read:Sri Lanka Receives 500,000 Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccines From India

Sri Lanka began its vaccination drives with 5 lakh vaccine doses gifted by India. Sharing images of the drive that began at the Army Hospital in Narahenpita, Indian Commission in Sri Lanka said that the jabs were administered on health workers in various hospitals across Colombo after the official launch. Several dignitaries including State Minister of Primary Health Services, Pandemics and Covid Prevention, Dr Sudarshini Fernandopulle, and India High Commissioner Gopal Baglay were present at the event. As per official records, the country has reported 82,430 COVID-19 cases and 459 deaths as of now.

Read: Sri Lanka Ends Forced Cremations Of COVID-19 Victims

Image: AP
London, Feb 27 : British Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a telephonic conversation with the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during which the former reiterated his country's continued support to the latter's fight against the Taliban, according to a statement by the British government.

"Johnson on Friday reiterated the UK's longstanding support for the Afghan government's fight against the Taliban as part of the NATO coalition," said the statement.

"They agreed on the importance of making progress in peace talks to secure a sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan and to preserve the gains made by civil society and women and girls," the statement added.

The Presidential Palace said in a statement that Ghani and Johnson discussed the bilateral ties and the Afghan peace process, Tolo news reported.

The British Prime Minister assured President Ghani of his country's continued support to the Afghan peace process, strengthened regional diplomacy, and UK's support to Afghan forces, the Palace said.

The statement further said that both of them also discussed the global efforts to tackle the pandemic and the roll out of vaccines in Afghanistan and the UK.
HarbourVest Partners has beaten the $600m target for its Credit Opportunities Fund II by reaching an $833m final close. The oversubscribed fund is double the size of the firm's debut in the strategy, which it closed on $375m in 2017.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Security experts claimed hackers leaked a Canadian spy plane's sensitive info on the Darkweb! As of the moment, reports stated that the accused ransomware gang has allegedly posted the details of a Swedish airborne early warning and control aircraft.

According to Popular Mechanics' latest report, the affected plane is specifically the Globaleye, which is an aircraft that combines the Bombadier 6000 long-range global business jet with Saab's Erieye airborne radar sensor.

The hacked spy plane is designed to act as the ears and eyes of the Canadian Air Force. It is specifically created to detect enemy missiles. drones, and aircraft at long ranges. It can also inform the Canadian Air Force so that it can dispatch its own fighter jets to check or counter the detected attack.

Is the new Darkweb hack that serious?

Globaleye is comparable to the United States Air Force's E-2 Sentry airborne control and warning aircraft. This means that Canada also heavily relies on this plane. Since the aircraft is important to the Canadian Air Force, this means that the hack is currently a serious one.

Also Read: Experts Say Hackers Now Use Cloud Apps to Deploy Malware! 61% Delivered Via SharePoint and Other Applications

Experts said that they a zero-day exploit in the Accellion FTA web server software, which is used by companies to host and share large files that can't be sent via email to customers and employees. After that, the cybercriminals allegedly posted the Globaleye info to the Dark website called "CLOP^_-LEAKS."

This site is where the Clop ransomware gang publishes the data they acquired from different companies. They tend to leak their info if the victims were not able to pay the required ransom.

What the leaked data contains

ZDNet previously reported that Globaleye's leaked data came from its developer, Bombardier. Security researchers confirmed that the leaked info contains the company's design documents for different planes. However, they said that the hackers were not able to acquire Bombardier's personal data. Although this is the case, the company said that it is currently worried that the hackers are now offering its private intellectual property on the Dark web for free. You can click here for more details.

For more news updates about new security breaches, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Arizona Department of Corrections Whistleblowers Say Software Bug Keeps Inmates From Getting Released

This article is owned by TechTimes.

Written by: Giuliano de Leon.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Profile: Isabell Sippli, Senior Technical Lead at IBM

Women are underrepresented in the tech sector myth or reality? Three years ago, we launched a diversity series aimed at bringing the most inspirational and powerful women in the tech scene to your attention. Today, wed like you to meet Isabell Sippli, Senior Technical Lead at IBM.

A research study by The National Center for Women & Information Technology showed that gender diversity has specific benefits in technology settings, which could explain why tech companies have started to invest in initiatives that aim to boost the number of female applicants, recruit them in a more effective way, retain them for longer, and give them the opportunity to advance. But is it enough?

Three years ago, we launched a diversity series aimed at bringing the most inspirational and powerful women in the tech scene to your attention. Today, wed like you to meet Isabell Sippli, Senior Technical Lead at IBM.

Todays Woman in Tech: Isabell Sippli, Senior Technical Lead at IBM.

During her computer science studies, Isabell Sippli already devoted herself to topics such as machine learning and artificial intelligence. After graduation she started her career as a software engineer at IBM, became team lead of an international team, lead developer, and speaker at various international conferences. Currently she is working as Senior Technical Lead of a larger development team at IBM.

When did you become interested in technology?

I discovered my interest in tech during my upper school studies  in a computer science company. Also, my parents were always very progressive about new technologies  I was one of the first in my class to have access to a computer at home and also had Internet access relatively early on. So, little by little I discovered the joy of trying things out.

I was attracted to studying computer science because I wanted to understand how my computer works in the background and because I wanted to learn how to program properly. But I was very unsure whether this would suit me. I dealt with this uncertainty openly  and explained to my parents that I was very keen to start studying, but that it was possible that I might choose a different path. But after the first internship it was clear to me that this is exactly my thing. 

How did you end up in your career path?

After several internships and working student activities I started working for IBM in 2007 in the Germany R&D laboratory as a software tester. After half a year I changed to the development department (at that time it was strictly separated), and spent 5 years developing mainly in Java/JEE. There I also had my first small management tasks, for example as implementation lead for features. When I had the feeling that I couldnt grow more, I switched to a customer-oriented position. There I was responsible as lead architect for the implementation of various private clouds for European customers and worked in both pre- and post-sales. The time was very travel-intensive and instructive.

After almost 2 years I got an offer to work in the staff team of a technical executive where I spent a year evaluating different technologies for their product maturity and suitability for the portfolio. Afterwards I changed into my current field of activity, as an architect for a new SaaS product. Gradually I took on more and more responsibility (more components, larger teams).

Since 2017, I have been a Senior Technical Staff Member and, as lead architect, I am responsible for a large development team.

I do believe that the socialization of boys and girls drifts in a certain direction at a very early age, and that there are too few female role models.

Do you have any role models?

Yes, some. I have 2 (male) mentors within IBM who have encouraged me to take certain steps and have always asked me the right questions to find my own way. There were also important door openers, and without them I would not be where I am today.

I was lucky to always have very supportive managers and mentors who encouraged and challenged me.

I have some role models, both female and male. These include female colleagues who have managed to combine family and leadership wonderfully, and one female colleague, a technical executive, who particularly impresses me with her foresight, friendliness, technical competence, and down-to-earth attitude.

A day in Isabells life

I am a Senior Technical Staff Member in IT Operations Management. I have the technical lead of a software product (more here), which means I give technical guidance to my development teams and discuss solutions with my peers and teams, create prototypes to analyze feasibility, talk a lot with customers to understand their requirements and analyze the market. I spend a lot of time in web conferences, but I also have quiet hours to get familiar with technical problems, to learn more, and just to play with technology.

At the beginning of my career, I exclusively programmed, but that lessened with my changed responsibilities. Nevertheless, Ill stay on. My last project was a small command line tool in Go to make it easier to use a REST API.

Why arent there more women in the tech industry?

I keep thinking about this, but I dont have an all-encompassing answer. But I do believe that the socialization of boys and girls drifts in a certain direction at a very early age, and that there are too few female role models. I think a lot of great things happen, like gender-neutral toys, Girls Day, this interview series, etc.

However, depending on their background, women need more courage to get involved in the tech industry, to take unusual paths, and to stand by themselves and their strategies.

Which cliches/stereotypes have you already encountered with regard to Women in Tech? What problems does this cause?

I would like to emphasize that I am in the lucky position to have been confronted with relatively few of them  but I am rather the exception.

What I have encountered:

Women and computers, what are you doing here?

You dont look like a computer scientist.

Youre only promoted because youre a woman.

Having children and an engineering career are not compatible.

This is all nonsense rationally, but emotionally, sometimes it doesnt feel that way. In my view, the problems that arise from this are above all deterrence and uncertainty, which thwarts young female talent.

On the subject of compatibility  in our industry, fortunately declining in my perception, there is always a workaholic hero culture. There is a myth of the constantly accessible techie who can solve any problem, no matter what time of day. In my opinion, some women are put off by this because they dont see any compatibility with family in advance.

There may be such requirements, but I know many more jobs that are perfectly compatible with a balanced private life.

I have a small son, and currently, I work 85% of the time, while my husband works full-time. In non-Corona times, a daycare centre works well. Its a bit more difficult and exhausting right now, but certainly much easier than in other sectors. Nevertheless, I will be happy when the daycare centres open again. 

Would our world be different if more women worked in STEM?

Its a great, constantly growing and changing industry  I couldnt imagine a more exciting place to work. There are so many opportunities to learn and develop. There are many studies that show that male-female mixed teams perform better, so more women are a win-win situation for everyone.

I dont know if the world would look different, but our industry would be more colourful, and the results would certainly be more diverse. Also, I cant tell how teams feel without women, because when I participate its not a pure mens team anymore. However, I have received feedback from colleagues that my presence brings more peace and quiet and that the overall atmosphere is more friendly. I see advantages for everyone  and especially for the women, who could tap into the great opportunities within our industry. But I dont believe that only certain areas can benefit from innovations. We should stop seeing certain areas as purely female or male.

The diversity debate will not end until everyone, regardless of gender, skin colour, sexual orientation, origin, has equal opportunities to enter and advance  and it will take time to achieve this across the board.

The diversity debate will not end until everyone, regardless of gender, skin colour, sexual orientation, origin, has equal opportunities to enter and advance  and it will take time to achieve this across the board. IBM is certainly a pioneer in this area and I have never felt disadvantaged, but if you look into the subject a bit, you will quickly find dark spots.

What advice (and tips) would you give to women who want a tech career?

Have guts and be curious! Find role models and mentors, and build up a network of trusted people. Never lose your curiosity and passion for learning. Be flexible, and invest in yourself through continuous education. Dont let anyone tell you that you cant do anything  try it out and see for yourself.

No one knows how to program from birth. I programmed for the first time in upper school, and then started my studies relatively cold. What I learned there (from the courses, in the cooperation with fellow students, and in internships) was enough for a great start into professional life. In my opinion, the prerequisite is pleasure in problem-solving and puzzles. A general affinity for computers and an interest in understanding how technology works are very helpful. For example, I rarely spend my free time in front of the screen  I prefer to spend it with my family, friends or doing yoga or horseback riding.

More Women in Tech:

For even more Women in Tech, click here
Conwoman Melissa Caddick, who is suspected of committing suicide while being investigated for ripping off dozens of investors, will likely have left her family homeless.

The 49-year-old counted her parents, husband and brother as her closest confidants, but now their luxury properties are likely to be seized by authorities.

After Caddick mysteriously disappeared from her Dover Height's home in Sydney's east in November, a group of 13 investors demanded receivers sell her mortgaged properties.

She is suspected of ripping off about 50 others.

The $6.2million property where she, husband Anthony Koletti and her son lived and the $2.55million Edgecliff home of her elderly parents are among Caddick's main assets that could be sold to repay swindled investors.

In chasing their money, some investors conceded her abandoned family were just as much 'victims' of her scamming as they were.

The 49-year-old (pictured left with husband Anthony on the right) has been accused of swindling at least $20million from clients, including friends and family, before disappearing on November 12

The route from Caddick's $6.1million home on Wallangra Road in Dover Heights (pictured) to nearby clifftops is believed to not have any CCTV cameras facing the road or street

Melissa Caddick's husband Anthony Koletti's $300,000 Audi R8 was seized by receivers last month and now its special feature number plates are up for sale

Barbara and Edward Grimley, Melissa's parents

Caddick is understood to have swindled $25million from investors to whom she flaunted her extravagant lifestyle and convinced she could deliver massive returns.

Caddick's parents Ted and Barbara Grimley moved into their luxury Edgecliff penthouse in Sydney's eastern suburbs to be closer to Caddick - a move which will now likely see their house sold from under them.

'They had explicit trust in her,' said a source who invested in Caddick's company and was acquainted with her family.

'And I think they're realising that they're as much victims to that trust as well.'

The investor noted Mr and Mrs Grimley faced possible eviction from their home to pay down Melissa's debts.

'Where are they going to go? They're 80 plus years old. They're not in good health.'

The investor noted Caddick's brother, Adam Grimley, had been left to clean up his sister's mess - both emotionally and financially.

Ms Caddick, wearing a $250,000 Stefano Canturi necklace, with her husband Mr Koletti on her birthday this year. He is not suggested to have played any role in her disappearance. On right, Ms Caddick is seen during a helicopter ride

Caddick (pictured centre) is survived by her husband Anthony (pictured right), a 15-year-old son, parents Barbara and Ted Grimley and brother Adam.

Caddick's brother, Adam Grimley, has been left to clean up the mess, as manager of her estate

He himself had only recently moved back to Australia from Singapore, where he worked as a governance consultant.

He was unable to travel back to South East Asia because of Covid travel bans - leaving his own financial situation in question - only to have the burden of a missing, and now deceased little sister, and her financial burdens placed on his shoulders.

By mid-December, a month after Caddick's disappearance he had already been hit with $55,000 in legal costs wading through her financial mess.

As part of his legal battles he successfully wrote to the Federal Court to convince them to increase his deserted brother-in-law and nephew's living allowance from $800 to $1700.

But Mr Koletti and her son will now also likely have their $6million Dover Heights property seized and sold by liquidators to retrieve at least part of the cash she stole.

The 38-year-old, and Caddick, 49, had been married for seven years. She fell for him while he was doing her hair close to a decade ago.

'It was about the way he massaged her head,' a source familiar with the family claimed.

Mr Koletti has a number of roles: he is a super-car enthusiast, DJ, Joh Bailey hairdresser, 'prawn farmer', step-dad, and dog lover.

And since November two more he would not wish for - deserted husband and now mourning spouse.

He is not suggested to have any involvement in his wife's disappearance or have any knowledge of her company's alleged financial misappropriation of investor funds.

However, there is little doubt he benefited from his wife's apparent wealth. He drove a $300,000 Audi R8 and they holidayed as a family each year in Aspen, Colorado.

Mr Koletti has been a DJ - producing a music video in 2015 - and a stay-at-home husband for the past year.

He put down his scissors at a Bondi Junction salon when the pandemic hit last March.

Caddick's disappearance left him broke. In the weeks after his wife vanished, Mr Koletti told the Federal Court he had just $1.95 left in his only transaction account.

He's living off a court ordered allowance of $1700, increased thanks to Mr Grimley, per week which is paid from Caddick's frozen assets.

Off to the races: The once happy couple attending an event together

They have said it is likely Caddick took her own life after her home was raided by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on November 11, 2020. Pictured: Map shows the distance between where Caddick's foot was found,where she was last seen and Friday night's latest discovery

His wife's disappearance had led Mr Koletti to have several conversations with police about his missing wife.

Last November, he publicly called for the 'communities of Australia' to come together, find Melissa and bring her home but has kept his counsel since.

'We just want her back,' he said.

There has been some intrigue over why it took 30 hours for Mr Koletti to report his wife's disappearance to police.

But Detective Inspector Gretchen Atkins told 60 Minutes that Mr Koletti was 'doing what he can to assist us when we ask for help.

'I think he's struggled to be what you would expect  to be proactive,' the police officer added.

Koletti had been spending a considerable amount of time at Ted and Barbara's Edgecliff home leading up to her disappearance - rather than the $6.2million mansion where he lives - sources said.

Some sources have said after her disappearance he turned to them rather than his own parents for support.

Mr Koletti's own family claim they only met Caddick a handful of times, his father previously slamming him as 'delusional' about her activities.

'If Anthony is guilty of anything, it is for being in love with his wife, wanting her safely back at home, and being delusional about the truth of what she may have done,' tax agent dad Rodo Koletti said.

The financial investigation into Caddick's pyramid scheme has uncovered she spent the millions she stole.

Scouring thousands of pages of documents on her computers, investigators learned Caddick spent most, if not all, of the $25million she is suspected of fleecing from 60 investors - who all fell for her sales pitch that she would make them huge returns.

Her lavish spending includes $229,277 on luxury fashion label Dior, $187,650 on Canturi Jewellers and nearly $50,000 on Chanel.

Campers found a decomposed foot and ASICS shoe washed up on Bournda Beach (pictured) on the NSW far south coast near Tathra

The decomposed foot of Melissa Caddick pictured in the shoe found by campers on the NSW South Coast on Sunday

Federal court documents also reveal Caddick used more than $17, 700 of investors' money to buy Louis Vuitton handbags and accessories - and also spent $52,584 at Cosmopolitan Shoes in Double Bay.

Her fashion budget also included more than $14,000 on Valentino items and nearly $40,000 she used for online shopping on designer label site Net-A-Porter.

Her travel was also excessive spending $63,002 on a holiday to Fiji and $37,283 on a trip to New York.

The documents show she also withdrew $108,586 which was then funneled into her own accounts to use on bookings with travel agents Flight Centre.

More than $55,600 was withdrawn with the note 'Qantas' which investigators believe was used on personal flights.

She also spent more than $5,300 on being driven around - $1,385 on chauffers, $1,164 on taxis and $2765 on Ubers.

A grim breakthrough in Caddick's case came earlier this week when teenage campers found the remains of her foot inside an ASICS runner on a New South Wales south coast beach.

A second crime scene has now been set up 150km away from where the foot t was found after police were called to Mollymook Beach about 9.30pm on Friday night when walkers found more human remains.

The group came across a large piece of stomach flesh which included a belly button.

DNA testing will be carried out to see if the new remains belong to the conwoman.
Prosafe has signed a contract with CNOOC Petroleum Europe Limited for the charter of the Safe Boreas to provide gangway connected operations supporting the Buzzard platform complex in the UK sector of the North Sea. The firm duration of the contract commencing mid-April 2021 is 100 days with three 30-day options.



The Safe Boreas will perform the gangway connected work scope using dynamic positioning, providing CNOOC Petroleum Europe Limited flexibility in operation.



Total value of the contract excluding the option periods is approximately USD 8.5 million.



Jesper Kragh Andresen, CEO of Prosafe says: "The Safe Boreas will strive to offer CNOOC the highest level of service. The Safe Boreas has operated extensively in the UKCS and will provide the safest working environment."



Prosafe is a leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with ticker code PRS. For more information, please refer to www.prosafe.com



Stavanger, 27 February 2021

Prosafe SE



For further information, please contact:



Jesper K. Andresen, CEO

Phone: +47 51 65 24 30 / +47 907 65 155



Stig Harry Christiansen, Deputy CEO and CFO

Phone: +47 51 64 25 17 / +47 478 07 813



This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

Rs 20 crore for Regional Centre for empowerment of physically challenged in Tripura: Thaawar Chand Gehlot

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

Agartala, Feb 27: Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Thaawar Chand Gehlot has said that Rs 20 crore would be allocated for setting up of a Regional Centre for empowerment of the physically challenged people in the state.

Addressing an event attended by the senior citizens and physically challenged people at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan here on Friday night, he said that the fund would be allocated within two months.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates The India Toy Fair 2021 via video conference

The programme was jointly organised by Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), a public sector enterprise and the Social Welfare Department of Tripura.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken initiative to empower the Divyangs. Similarly, the central government is committed to ensure the safety and security of senior citizens", a government press statement quoting Gehlot said.

On May 2, hold me to my last tweet: Prashant Kishor on West Bengal Assembly elections 2021

He said the state government following a survey in February and March 2020, has identified 7,729 senior citizens, who would be provided with spectacles, hearing apparatus and many other devices required for them. It was estimated that Rs 1.52 crore would be spent for the purpose.

"The central government has implemented the scheme in West and Khowai districts of the state. Tripura Chief Minister requested the central government to extend the scheme in the entire state, so we have decided to implement it in the remaining six districts. Senior citizens of all the districts of Tripura will get benefits under the scheme", Gehlot added.

Congress mocks Petroleum minister over his remark on fuel prices

"During my visit to Tripura last year, I had announced to set up a Composite Regional Centre in the state. The Tripura government has allotted six acres of land for the construction of a new building of the centre. A sum of Rs 20 crore will be allocated to Tripura for construction of the new building within next two months", Gehlot said.

Imran Khan says onus of further progress in ties on India | Oneindia News

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who was also present at the function said the state government is committed for the welfare of physically challenged and senior citizens of the state. He said four per cent of government jobs are reserved for the physically challenged people in the state.

BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee met on Friday to discuss the draft 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, as well as the draft government work report.

The documents will be submitted by the State Council to the upcoming annual session of the country's top legislature for lawmakers to review.

After five years of continuous efforts, China successfully reached the main targets of the 13th five-year plan, made historic progress toward completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and secured a full victory in eradicating absolute poverty, according to the meeting presided over by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

All the achievements fully demonstrate the advantages of the CPC leadership and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, said a statement released after the meeting.

The meeting stressed sound formulation and implementation of the 14th five-year plan and the long-range objectives, as it bears great significance to consolidating the outcomes of the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects as well as poverty alleviation, and embarking on a new journey to fully build a modern socialist China.

The meeting urged unremitting efforts in implementing the new development philosophy, pursuing a high-quality development, and accelerating the establishment of a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other.

The meeting also called for efforts to pool ideas and suggestions when the top legislature reviews the plan, in order to ensure the sound formulation and implementation.

The statement said as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across the world, factors of instability and uncertainty have increased globally, and the foundation for China's economic recovery is yet to solidify.

Regarding this year's government work, China should strive to keep the economy running within a reasonable range, adhere to the strategy of expanding domestic demand, strengthen the strategic support of science and technology, expand high-level opening-up, and maintain social harmony and stability to ensure that the 14th five-year plan has a good start, the meeting noted.

It emphasized better coordination between epidemic control and economic and social development, as well as continuity, stability and sustainability in macro policies.

Proactive fiscal policies should be more effective and sustainable, with flexible, accurate, reasonable and moderate prudent monetary policies, the meeting noted, underscoring strengthened job-first policies.

Friday's meeting also discussed the revision of the regulations on the work at primary-level Party organizations in higher education institutions, said the statement.

The revision of the regulations are of great significance to building a high-quality education system, the meeting noted.

The meeting stressed the need to unswervingly uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership over colleges and universities, constantly strengthen and improve Party building in colleges and universities, and promote the deep integration of Party building with the development of higher education.

The meeting underlined the importance of enhancing ideological and political work in colleges and universities, and improving the vitality of primary-level Party organizations there.

Primary-level Party organizations in higher learning institutions have been asked to earnestly carry out the education of Party history, consolidate the achievements in the education campaign themed on "staying true to our founding mission," and better study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The Foreign Office on Saturday said the government, armed forces and the people of Pakistan stood united against any threat or misadventure and would always "act with iron resolve to protect and preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity"

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2021 ) :The Foreign Office on Saturday said the government, armed forces and the people of Pakistan stood united against any threat or misadventure and would always "act with iron resolve to protect and preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity". The statement came on the day marking the second anniversary of Pakistan's befitting response to India's irresponsible military misadventure on February 27, 2019.

The Foreign Office said today, the entire Pakistani nation remembered with great pride Pakistan's befitting response to India's irresponsible military misadventure two years ago.

"Pakistan remained committed to peaceful resolution of the long outstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people," it said.

The Foreign Office mentioned that India's violation of Pakistani airspace was in complete violation of the United Nations Charter and international law.

"The valiant Pakistan Armed Forces swiftly responded and displayed exemplary professionalism," it said. On 27th February 2019, Pakistan Air Force shot down two Indian fighter jets and captured an Indian pilot.

The captured Indian pilot was returned as a gesture of peace.

"The whole world witnessed that Pakistan, once again, not only resolutely safeguarded its territorial sovereignty, but also acted with tremendous restraint and responsibility," the statement added.
NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 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 Cooper Tire & Rubber Company ("CTB" or the "Company") (CTB) relating to its proposed merger with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Under the terms of the agreement, CTB shareholders will receive 0.907 shares of Goodyear common stock and $41.75 in cash per share.

The investigation focuses on whether Cooper Tire & Rubber 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 transaction is properly valued.

Click here for more information: http://monteverdelaw.com/case/cooper-tire-rubber-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 Cooper Tire & Rubber 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.

Contact:

Juan E. Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

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.

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC

Related Links

http://www.monteverdelaw.com


You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
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.
Homemade tributes displayed in windows, flags flying at half mast and bell-ringing at churches were among the ways people across the UK paid their respects to Captain Sir Tom Moore on the day of his funeral.

With pandemic rules restricting the ceremony on Saturday to eight members of Sir Toms immediate family, the public were urged to find other ways to pay tribute to the charity fundraiser.

Alfie McAnespie, 13, rang the bell 100 times at a church in Chicksands, Bedfordshire, at midday on Saturday in Sir Toms honour.

I was able to ring the local church bell today 100 times (to) mark the life of the 100-year-old who inspired the nation, he tweeted.

Church bells across the county rang out in honour of Captain Sir Tom today to mark his funeral. I was able to ring the local church bell today a 100 times in mark the life of the 100-year-old who inspired the nation. #SirTomMoore @MillfieldPrep @itvnews @itvanglia pic.twitter.com/EMUeD2ZtVr  Alfie McAnespie (@_pintsizehero) February 27, 2021

Gloucesters city police Twitter account also shared a video of Gloucester Cathedrals bells being rung in tribute to the Second World War veteran.

Well done @GlosCathedral for your tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore, @GlosCityPolice tweeted.

Well done @GlosCathedral for your tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore.

Dont forget to turn the volume up  pic.twitter.com/LDN6cCUrvj  Glos City Police (@GlosCityPolice) February 27, 2021

Others paid their respects by flying their flags at half-mast, including Bedford Borough Council.

In honour of Captain Sir Tom Moore whose funeral takes place today we are flying our flags at half mast. Rest in peace Sir Tom, the council tweeted.

In honour of Captain Sir Tom Moore whose funeral takes place today we are flying our flags at half mast. Rest in peace Sir Tom. #WeSaluteYou A book of condolence has been opened online at https://t.co/d7dHgaBRp5 pic.twitter.com/eAarNpAAsW  Bedford Borough #HandsFaceSpaceFreshAir (@BedfordTweets) February 27, 2021

Meanwhile, the Arnold family from Hull filled their window with flags and pictures of Sir Tom.

Me and my family did this yesterday, in honour of Captain Tom! @Kupokuponut tweeted. He was so truly inspirational to us all. I hope you get to see this. Were all thinking of you today.

Me and my family did this yesterday, in honour of Captain Tom! He was so truly inspirational to us all. I hope you get to see this. We're all thinking of you today ai pic.twitter.com/jox53GekYj  HappyLisaYay/Cap/Here for Otso Berg. (@Kupokuponut) February 27, 2021

Sir Toms family paid tribute to him during the funeral, saying his message and his spirit lives on.

There are plans to plant trees around the world in his honour, with the hope that the Trees for Tom initiative will result in a wood in his home county of Yorkshire and the reforestation of part of India, where he served during the Second World War.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Andres Loera was found slumped over in the drivers seat of an SUV, a wad of money still in his hand, on Feb. 13, 2020.

The 19-year-old had been shot four times with two separate guns, and a dozen shell casings littered the scene.

Relatives told police Loera had gone to sell an ounce of marijuana to a girl he met on Facebook.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

The 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office announced Friday it has charged that girl, Serina Burks, 18, along with Markell Barnes, 21, Rashawd Duhart, 25, and Ryan Baca, 25, in Loeras death.

Kyle Hartsock, special agent in charge of the DAs Special Investigations Bureau, called it a crime of opportunity.

They hit up multiple people that night to try to set up a drug deal  to rob them. (Loera) was the one who agreed to first, he said.

The four suspects each face an open count of murder, armed robbery and conspiracy. They are also charged in the March 2020 armed robbery of a marijuana dispensary in Portland, Oregon. All four were pulled over in Sandoval County soon after and found with the marijuana stolen from the dispensary and the guns used in Loeras killing.

Barnes is jailed in Portland and Duhart is being extradited there. Baca  who was on probation in a 2014 homicide case  is in prison in Clayton, and Burks is at the Juvenile Detention Center in Albuquerque.

District Attorney Raul Torrez said the case is part of a growing, often deadly, trend of robberies set up over social media.

It involves a robbery in the course of a drug deal that ended this young persons life, Torrez said in a briefing Friday. That is overwhelmingly where our homicides start.

For Elijah Mirabal, it was Instagram. For Clifford Patterson III and Adrian Martinez, it was Facebook Messenger. For Collin Romero and Ahmed Lateef, it was Snapshat.

After advisement from the DAs Office, Albuquerque police are trying to crack down on that online drug market in the hopes of stopping the violence. Their first operation, in late January, resulted in four arrests and the seizure of two guns, 100 counterfeit oxycodone pills and five grams of methamphetamine.

APD interim Chief Harold Medina said Loeras death was one of five homicides cases handed over to Hartsocks bureau due to a lack of resources in APDs homicide unit.

Its no longer about egos of who solved the case, it was about getting the case to somewhere where it could be investigated and the resources could be devoted so we could carry on with the other cases that we already had, he said.

According to Journal records, 18 homicides from this year, 44 from 2020 and 37 from 2019 have not resulted in an arrest.

The DAs Office was able to get this over the finish line and make some arrests, Medina said.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court:

Police responded sometime after 2:30 a.m. to the 1800 block of Hoffman NE, near Pennsylvania and Indian School, after neighbors reported hearing gunfire, and found Loera dead in a sport utility vehicle. Video from a nearby home showed a white car pull up and two people get out and open fire on Loera before fleeing.

The Albuquerque police homicide detective requested a warrant on Loeras Facebook account, which was returned in April, and that concluded their involvement. In October, the DAs Office took over the case and looked at the warrant, finding a conversation between Burks  who was 16 at the time  and Loera about buying marijuana in the hours leading up to his death.

Agents found a March 3 incident in which Jemez Police pulled over Burks, Baca, Duhart and Barnes for speeding and found four guns and several pounds of marijuana  much of it stolen from a Portland dispensary  in the vehicle. Two of the guns  a rifle and pistol  matched the casings found at the scene of Loeras killing and also matched a drive-by shooting where an Albuquerque school teachers home was shot up five days after the homicide.

Barness girlfriend told agents he had borrowed her car  which matched the one seen in the video  the night of the homicide and on Valentines Day had given her a box of sweets and exactly one ounce of marijuana. Agents requested several more warrants on the Facebook profiles of the suspects and found messages that detail Burks asking multiple people to sell her marijuana.

Eventually, after multiple other prospects fell through, including one where Burks didnt want to travel to the West Side to meet the dealer, Loera agreed to meet Burks.

A month after the killing, a friend of Loera messaged Burks, asking why they had to kill him. Burks denied the shooting but wrote, Im sorry your boy had to get got with the 100% emoji.

Hartsock traveled to Portland on Feb. 22 to meet with Barnes, who was in custody for the robbery of a marijuana dispensary there, and he initially denied being involved in Loeras death. Barnes then told Hartsock that he picked up Burks, Baca and Duhart in his girlfriends vehicle the night of the killing.

He told Hartsock he didnt know it was a robbery until Baca and Duhart got out of the car and started shooting. Barnes wrote to Loeras family, apologizing for their sons death. During interviews with Hartsock, Burks, Baca and Duhart all denied any involvement in the crime.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The WBC Staffing Council  a workstream within the Women Business Collaborative (WBC), in partnership with executives representing staffing industry associations American Staffing Association (ASA), National Association of Professional Staffing (NAPS), Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) and TechServe Alliance, today announced the dissemination of their initial survey of 489 companies on gender diversity and equity within the U.S. Staffing Industry. The survey found that the percentage of women executives in the staffing industry is not above 20%

In late 2020, the WBC Staffing Leadership Council launched its efforts to accelerate diversity, equity and inclusion in staffing industry. Their initial efforts called for a coordinated approach to providing the awareness of the status of diversity across the industry, as well as subsequent efforts to guide efforts towards a more balanced environment. The initial survey results largely reinforce our perception of opportunity to improve both representation and compensation equity from a gender diversity perspective. Key observations from the survey include the following:

There is a profound pay gap between women and men  both within the industry and across the U.S. as a whole.

The staffing industry has a fair balance of men and women across its workforce, however imbalance occurs as leadership levels increase, with an underrepresentation of women in senior leadership roles.

Women CEO's bring a unique perspective to leadership  they are more likely to drive initiatives that create a stronger more balanced culture (including priorities around diversity).

There is a lack of racial diversity across this industry with people of color comprising well under 10% of all staff.

"The data in this survey and dashboard this represents a significant opportunity to drive opportunity for promotion and pay equity in leadership roles" states Edie Fraser, CEO of the Women Business Collaborative. "The staffing industry supports the employment of nearly 10 million job workers on an annual basis. By encouraging a more diverse and equitable workforce composition across those businesses supporting this industry, we will by default better represent the workers we employ."

The WBC Staffing Leadership Council has made the results of the survey available for review and analysis through a dynamic data analytics dashboard. Over the next several months the Council will begin to release a series of insights and observations resulting from our review of the survey results. This work will be done in collaboration with the work along the 9 Action Initiatives of the WBC which focus on ensuring equal position, pay and power for all women across all industries and throughout the pipeline.

To learn more about the WBC Staffing Leadership Council and how you can get engaged, please visit www.wbcollaborative.org or contact Kip Wright, CEO Genuent, and Co-Chair for the Staffing Council.

About the Woman's Business Collaborative

The Women Business Collaborative is an alliance of 44+ women's business organizations working together to achieve equal position, pay and power for all women in business. We are a business movement consisting of millions of diverse, professional women and men, business organizations, public and private companies and the media leveraging the power of collaboration to accelerate change.

SOURCE Women Business Collaborative

Related Links

https://www.wbcollaborative.org


ADVERTISEMENT

A female civil servant abducted by a four-man gang in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has been rescued by the police.

Two of the gang members were arrested on Friday, while they were trying to withdraw cash from the victims bank account.

The members of the armed gang disguise themselves as members of a government task force to abduct and rob members of the public.

The police spokesperson in Bayelsa State, Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the rescue, said the gang abducted the victim at Imgbi Road in Yenagoa and were moving around the city, seeking a POS point to make withdrawals when a police squad swooped on them.

The police identified the arrested gang members as Headman Eniyi and Ebi Tonbofa, and said a revolver pistol with three rounds of live ammunition were recovered from them, while two other members of the gang escaped.

You will recall that the Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command, CP Mike Okoli, had earlier ordered police detectives to fish out the armed gang when similar reports were made to the Police Command.

The suspects are cooperating with us in the investigation and they will be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation, Mr Butswat, a superintendent of police, said.

The gang, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), robbed the victim of cash and valuables and then used her phone to contact members of her family to demand that a ransom be transferred to the victims account.

The gang, however, ran out of luck as network hitches made withdrawals impossible at several ATM and POS points, before they were apprehended.

(NAN)
Feb. 26After nearly 40 years in business, a New Kensington family is ready to move its contracting business out of the basement of its founder's home and into its first offices with a new facility in Arnold.

In addition to a headquarters for the business, Shawn Whalen, the second generation owner of Michael F. Whalen Contracting, wants it to be a place where he can introduce young people to the possibility of a future in the trades.

Whalen, 34, a 2004 graduate of Valley High School, grew up swinging a hammer on job sites with his father, who began his career as a carpenter in the 1970s and started the contracting business bearing his name in 1982.

"Growing up, teachers tell you you have to go to college to make any money and have a good quality of life. That never suited me. I was never good at sitting at a desk all day," Shawn Whalen said. "You can learn a trade, and you can make great money. I have a pretty good life, and it's because of this."

The Whalens are proposing to build the hub for their business on vacant property owned by Arnold's Redevelopment Authority on Fourth Avenue at the New Kensington border.

The property, about a half acre consisting of multiple lots, is in Arnold's commercial-light industrial zoning district, where any use has to go before city council for a public hearing and approval, community development Director Rick Rayburg said. The hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. March 9 at the public safety building, 601 Drey St.

Rayburg said the city tore down houses on the property in hopes of commercial development.

"The city would love to have this. We would definitely want to encourage construction in the city, absolutely," Rayburg said. "Nobody wants to cut grass on vacant lots."

Council could vote on the use when it meets at 7 p.m. the same night at 1702 Fifth Ave.

"I welcome them to the city," Mayor Joe Bia II said.

A 50-50 partner with his father, who is retired from the trades, Shawn Whalen has been working full time in the family's business since 2011.

Story continues

As a general contractor, Shawn Whalen said most of their work is residential roofing, siding, windows and additions such as rooms and decks. They built an addition for Arnold's No. 2 fire department last year.

The company has six employees. In addition to being run out of Michael Whalen's New Kensington home, Shawn Whalen said they rent storage in the Parnassus area.

"We've hit a point of growth where we need to hire more people," Shawn Whalen said. "We need to hire some administrative and office personnel, and we need a place to put them. We'd like to do that in our hometown and bring more jobs to the area."

Shawn Whalen said they looked at properties in other towns, but moving out of the New Kensington-Arnold area didn't sit well with them.

"We wanted to stay here. We waited and waited and found that place," he said. "We've held off on pulling the trigger on other properties when the need was there and we could have because we wanted to stay local."

Shawn Whalen said the building would include offices, a customer showroom and the training area. It would be about 5,000 square feet plus outlying storage. Some storage units would be available to the public to rent.

He said they would operate during daytime hours, and no manufacturing would be done there, in case neighbors are worried about noise.

Shawn Whalen said they will be the general contractor on their own building. If the project is approved by the city, he said, they have funding in place and would like to break ground by April. He expects construction to take three to four months.

"It was my dream to get to this point. It's awesome to see it come to fruition," he said. "It's a little overwhelming. It's nervous energy there. It's necessary. We've hit the point where we can't grow any more where we're at. We need a facility to allow us to expand and do all the things we need to do."

Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Brian at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community.

Submit here
Experts Discuss China Tech Threat at CPAC Panel

Experts, through a primarily technological lens, discussed the national security threats posed by China and Russia during a panel discussion Friday afternoon at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)the largest annual conservative conference.

KT McFarland from the American Conservative Union Board and the moderator of the panel Big Tech Is for Sale and China and Russia Are Buying opened up the talks by noting that the topic of discussion wouldnt have even been seen as an issue just 5 or 10 years ago, as it wasnt widely recognized.

Rebeccah Heinrichs, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said China is now very open about its goals and how it wants to dominate the world technologically, militarily, and diplomatically.

It means we have to start competing, she said on the panel. It was the Trump administration who really oversaw this seismic shift and helped the United States to take the China threat seriously. We have to put money in our military to make sure we are deterring Chinese aggression in the western pacific.

The Chinese Communist party uses technology to censor and to steal, according to Heinrichs.

They do it by having these 5G, these next generation technology abilities, she said, adding that the previous administrations Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was the face of fighting against this through his Clean Network campaign.

The campaign at the time effectively booted Huawei Technologies Co. out of critical telecommunications infrastructure in many countries. The effort, while not well-publicized, secured an array of commitments from governments to exclude untrusted vendors from their fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks.

Its going to take effort on a federal, state, and individual level to counter CCP influence when it comes to technology, said Heinrichs, noting that a state representative in Florida has introduced legislation where Floridians have to concede to have their data handed over to technology companies.

You individually have to care that your data is not being sucked up by the Chinese Communist Party and by Big Tech, she said. You have to care enough because they can muscle us out, but they can also win by our acquiescence.

Do not buy commercial technology and drones off the shelf that are made in China, theres no distinction in China between the private sector and the military, she added. They take all of it, put it in artificial intelligence to sift through all of that information data, and weaponize it against us.

The Chinese are engaged in massive espionage to steal our technology, to be educated in our universities to learn what were doing here, she said.

Another speaker on the panel, Former U.S. acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, noted that the United States is still the global leader in innovation.

But he said the challenge is that the Chinese understand that and they want to be in a position that once we prove a concept they can steal it.

Thats why things like Huawei routers need to be taken out of the entire US communication system, Whitaker said. We cannot have a Huawei router in the United States. The Chinese were very involved in the development of the 5G protocol for the first time really in the world system of creating those protocols.

Its a scary time and if we dont wake up, and if our leaders dont wake up, I think we are in for a long-term struggle against the Chinese, he added.

The United States in 2018 banned Huawei technology from use by the government or any of its contractors, and in 2019, the company was added to the Department of Commerces Entity List, which effectively bars U.S. companies from selling components to Huawei without an export license.

While Russia is still a very serious problem, Heinrichs said the country doesnt have the same kind of engine that China has economically.

[Russia has] a lot of nuclear weapons so they have a serious competitor  but they dont have the engine and the ability like China has to carry out the amount of destruction that can to undermine the United States, she said.

The United States is going to have our lunch eaten, Joe Biden, if we dont do something about it, she added. And its going to happen by the Chinese Communist Party. We want to stand with our Taiwanese partners, great contributors to the free world, our South Korean allies, our Japanese allies, our Australian allies.

The U.S. has the moral high ground there, we want to put the United States influence on things like trade and global business, she said. We have to fight for that.
Chairwoman Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) gives her opening statement during a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing to discuss protecting scientific integrity in response to the CCP virus outbreak on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 14, 2020. (Greg Nash/Pool via Reuters)

House Democrats Attempt to Pressure TV Carriers Could Trigger Lawsuit: Dershowitz

The attempt by several House Democrats to pressure television carriers to deplatform certain news organizations could trigger a lawsuit, law professor Alan Dershowitz said Saturday.

When the First Amendment says Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, its been interpreted to mean, take no action, it doesnt have to be law. The First Amendment applies to presidents to governors to mayors to anybody who can abridge the freedom of speech. And I think these letters abridge the freedom of speech, Dershowitz said during an appearance on Newsmax TV.

Reps. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) and Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) sent a dozen letters to 12 different carriers this week urging them to deplatform or otherwise take action against Fox News, Newsmax, and One America News for allegedly spreading misleading information about the Jan. 6 Capitol breach and the COVID-19 pandemic.

They pointedly asked the carriers if they were planning on carrying the networks both now and beyond any contract renewal date.

Thats not a question. Thats a threat, Dershowitz said. And that comes within the First Amendment, and I think there is room for a potential lawsuit for declaratory judgment at least, saying that Congress has no authority to tell or suggest or imply to cable operators that they should take people off the air as the result of content. That would violate the First Amendment.

The offices of Eshoo and McNerney havent returned requests for comment.

A man walks with an umbrella outside of AT&T corporate headquarters in Dallas, Texas on March 13, 2020. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

They sent letters to AT&T, Verizon, Roku, Amazon, Apple, Comcast, Charter Communications, Dish Network, Cox Communications, Altice USA, Googles parent company Alphabet, and Hulu.

The letters were sent in advance of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing titled Fanning the Flames: Disinformation and Extremism in the Media.

Eshoo told the hearing that the First Amendment prohibits Congress from enacting laws abridging the freedom of speech, and Im an ardent supporter of it.

It does not, however, stop us from examining the public health and democratic implications of misinformation, she added.

Lawmakers heard from Emily Bell, director of the Tow Center for Digital Media at Columbia University, who claimed that Newsmax and One America News showed themselves willing to continue to repeat false narratives about the legitimacy of the election result.

They also listened to Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor, who called the deplatforming push similar to the Red Scare seen during the Cold War, when anyone suspected of being communist sympathizers were targeted.

Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) criticized the letters as an attack on the First Amendment.

Anyone who values free speech and a free press should be alarmed by these actions today, she said. Its an attack on the First Amendment when public officials use their power to coerce private companies to censor and silence viewpoints they dont agree with.

Janita Kan contributed to this report.
The pandemic has forced many businesses to grow, or indeed start, their online presence in order to reach more potential consumers. And along with having a website, this means that companies have also had to swiftly rethink how they reach and engage with people on their social media platforms in order to attract customers to their online offerings.

Social media and digital marketing expert Denise Whitmore is founder of The Social Media Department and has been working with many businesses in the south east over the past year, seeing how they have been altering their sales channels in order to survive the pandemic.

'From my own experience working with the Local Enterprise Office, so many more businesses were seeking support for websites, mentoring and training,' she said.

'Many businesses upgraded and pivoted their business so they could sell online while others who had never even considered using social media were now seeking advice and setting up social media accounts for the first time, seeing the benefits of having a good online presence.'

According to Ms Whitmore, 2020 also saw 'massive' increases in consumers using social media to seek out goods and services.

'The social media platforms are most definitely reacting in releasing more social shopping features to wider audiences such as tagging products in Instagram posts and Stories, as well as the launch of the Business Suite on Facebook, streamlining the Commerce Manager, allowing shops on Facebook to create catalogues and even a checkout feature on the app itself in the US, which we will eventually see being rolled out across Europe very soon.'

Pointing to how Facebook also reacted to the increase in usage by creating a new Groups tab as well as Watch Parties for group video chats, she said businesses have also been utilising such Groups and Events for online events.

Looking to 2021, it will bring more use of Groups and Events, according to Ms Whitmore.

'In 2020, the majority of users' notifications were actually from their contacts interacting in Groups and Events. We're also going to see a further increase in Live Video Streams after the pandemic and more interaction on the Stories feature of Facebook and Instagram.

'Believe it or not, we are also going to see an increase in VR experiences on Facebook. Take Facebook Horizon, for example; that's literally just been released to use with your Oculus VR Headset.'

Other things to watch out for, she said, include longer captions on Instagram, the use of hashtags on Facebook and a lot more social shopping, with businesses tagging their products in posts and stories.

In terms of 'influencers', Whitmore predicts the rise of the 'nano influencer'.

'This type of influencer has perhaps 1,000-3,000 followers instead of the much larger influencer that we're used to hearing about. The reason behind that is the smaller influencer has more of a personal relationship with their followers, getting up to 10 per cent engagement, compared to only 1 per cent engagement with those larger influencers with 60k-plus followers.'

Right now, then, what ways can businesses best capitalise on their social media platforms?

'Businesses need to be taking their social media marketing seriously and looking at it as part of their marketing and sales strategies. Their social media platforms should be consistent in terms of branding and the voice of the business.'

She said companies should also be ensuring their social media is connected properly to their website and both are 'talking' to each other.

'Businesses should be running retargeting campaigns using social media to move potential customers down through that sales funnel, from that initial bare interest to an actual conversion on the website. There are so many ways of utilising these platforms, from creating audiences for Facebook ads to Messenger Marketing and email campaigns.'

Her chief advice for businesses, though, is to think out their content and their campaigns, looking at what kind of goals they want to achieve, being consistent with their posting and branding their content.

'Take a look at the likes of Canva for creating professional and branded content and videos. Also, look at Later for scheduling Instagram posts. Be consistent in your posting as well as realistic with the time of day. Look at your insights and analytics and see what's working and what's not, when your audience is online.'

She said the Facebook algorithm will rank your post in terms of 'recency and relevance to your audience'.

'It will also rank native video content (video uploaded directly rather than a YouTube link) much higher than static images.'

Finally, she said the goal should be to create content that encourages long conversations in the comments section of the post.

'People want to engage with creative and unique content; it doesn't always have to be selling.

'Also, try using the extra features of the platforms, Instagram Guides, Reels and IGTV, and set up your Business Suite for Facebook and Instagram. These platforms like it when you use their new features, and it'll make you stand out amongst your competitors.'
Posted Friday, February 26, 2021 4:49 pm

After a bill to reopen public schools died in the state Senate this month, Republicans are following up with another attempt.

Instead of toning down the legislation, Senate Bill 5464, introduced on Tuesday, takes an even more aggressive approach.

Rather than creating metrics under which schools would have to reopen, the new proposal would effectively force schools to bring kids back into classrooms unless the governor, secretary of health or a local health officer explicitly prohibited in-person learning. Without those orders, fully virtual instruction would be allowed for no more than 10 consecutive days.

The state has not ordered school shutdowns since last school year, despite cases soaring this fall.

Does the new bill take away local control?

Im not sure Id characterize it as overriding local control. Maybe you could put it that way, Senate Majority Leader John Braun told reporters Thursday. Id just say we have a constitutional requirement to provide instruction.

Centralia Superintendent Dr. Lisa Grant had concerns about Brauns first bill to reopen schools, which would have forced in-person learning if communities met certain COVID-19 metrics. That measure was co-sponsored by one moderate Democrat, Sen. Mark Mullet, of Issaquah, who has not signed onto SB 5464. The new bill, Grant says, takes away local control even more so than the first.

They kind of reversed it. You have to be open unless someone tells you you cant. Now there are no metrics, she said.

Grant does, however, credit Brauns first reopening bill with pushing forward the conversation on schools, and perhaps convincing state officials  including Gov. Jay Inslee  to push harder to get kids back in classrooms. This month, Inslee expressed that he wants to incentivize schools to once again offer in-person learning, although the state continues to take a generally hands-off approach.

Centralia has opened up slower than other local schools, but has enjoyed success in bringing back elementary school students last fall. Middle and high school students are set to return in cohorts on March 15, the start of the next term.

Extra sanitation measures, plus trying to meet the needs of kids experiencing learning, social and emotional issues from the pandemic, have proven expensive, Grant said. And funding linked to the new school reopening bill could help.

Republican lawmakers were able to skirt the Legislatures Feb. 15 cutoff, which killed their previous school reopening bill, by connecting their new proposal to the state budget.

We recognize that because of the pandemic, there are added costs to operating our schools safely, and our Senate Republican budget proposal addresses that, Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, said in a press release. We also know from the past year that being in classrooms is best for our children. Under this new bill, very few people would be able to stand in the way of that.

Unlike with his previous bill, Braun hasnt yet consulted with Lewis Countys schools workgroup, composed of superintendents, pediatricians and health experts, according to Grant. And its clear that his focus is instead on schools outside District 20, where schools have been slower to reopen.

The Centralia Republican has commended Lewis Countys schools while castigating school districts in places such as Seattle, where instruction is still largely virtual. Those districts, unlike many in Lewis County, also complied with state guidance earlier this year by keeping students at home.

In a Thursday press conference with other Republican lawmakers, Braun again lambasted the states teachers union, the Washington Education Association, for stunting the reopening process.

Lets just be candid on this. Everybody, virtually every parent in the state, every teacher in the state, frankly, most administrators think in-person school is the right answer, and are pushing hard to get there. The governor has come around to this view. Really the only folks who are opposed to this now is the teachers union, he said. They certainly are a key stakeholder, but they are basically  the only group of folks who are stopping our children from having proper education in many parts of the state.

Top Republicans have praised Gov. Jay Inslee for urging more schools to reopen, although their philosophies differ vastly from the governor, whose reopening plan continues to hold businesses under relatively tight restrictions, partially due to more dangerous variants of COVID-19 spreading in the state.

Despite those concerns, Braun said Thursday hes very comfortable, knowing what we know today, opening up everything.

In presenting on the state Department of Healths most recent report modeling COVID-19 transmission in schools, Dr. Daniel J. Klein said this week that infection can be significantly reduced in classrooms through safety measures such as masks, hand hygiene, distancing and ventilation. So far, he said, outbreaks have been limited.

But the report also found that high schools are more likely to have large outbreaks, vaccinating all staff will not prevent COVID from entering schools and few tools are available to reduce introduction of COVID-19 into classrooms besides high-frequency diagnostic screenings of students and staff.

And with in-school transmission mirroring community spread, Klein and other state health officials indicated that COVID-19 variants may be a wild card in reopening.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.


People Who Get COVID-19 Vaccines Can Go Back to Life as Normal: Rep. Issa

People who are vaccinated against COVID-19 shouldnt be told to continue wearing masks and social distance, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said Friday.

For 100 years almost, since weve been developing immunity capability, people have always known if you survive smallpox, you dont get it again. You get chickenpox, you dont get it again. You get a vaccine; you stop worrying about polio, etc. For the first time ever, here is a series of vaccines, safe and effective, 95 plus percent effective, and whats happening? Theyre telling us to leave our masks on, to continue social distancing. Thats absurd, Issa told The Epoch Times American Thought Leaders at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida.

The reality is that the benefit of taking this safe and effective vaccine is so you can get about your life, go back to doing things as usual. And as a result, we should be celebrating, mask-free, he added.

Over 47 million Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to federal data last updated on Friday, with 22.6 million getting two shots.

A pharmacist prepares a syringe with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a COVID-19 vaccination site at NYC Health + Hospitals Metropolitan, New York, on Feb. 18, 2021. (Mary Altaffer/AP Photo)

The number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, meanwhile, are dropping sharply.

But federal officials are urging people to change little about their life if they get vaccinated.

There are things, even if youre vaccinated, that youre not going to be able to do in society: for example, indoor dining, theaters, places where people congregate, Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of President Joe Bidens top medical advisers, told reporters in a virtual briefing this week.

Officials say its still unclear if the vaccines prevent transmission of the virus. And for that reason, we want to make sure that people continue to wear masks despite the fact that theyre vaccinated, Fauci said.

Issa took issue with the recommendations, which some experts say are dampening enthusiasm for getting vaccinated.

Fauci is telling us to put a second [mask] on, he told The Epoch Times. The president of the United States was immunized back in December, and yet hes still pretending that the mask serves a purpose. It doesnt.

When the host noted Biden is perhaps wanting to model recommended behavior to Americans, Issa said that, in that case, Biden should never remove his mask.

Issa has received two vaccine doses and therefore chooses not to wear a mask. The reason Im not wearing a mask right now is Ive had my two shots; I am immune, he said.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials did say this week that people who have been vaccinated can take fewer precautions, such as not quarantining after being exposed to a COVID-19 case.

So we are starting to emerge with some guidance in this area, and more will be forthcoming, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDCs director, said in a recent briefing.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.
Three people were killed on Friday after a single-engine plane crashed into a ravine outside of Atlanta, the authorities said.

The crash occurred just after 6 p.m. on Friday about two miles from the Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in Gainesville, Ga., which is about 55 miles northeast of Atlanta, said Emma Duncan, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

It was not clear what led to the crash.

The Hall County Sheriffs Office released the names of those killed: Dan Delnoce, 44, of Gainesville; Courtney Flanders, 45, of Gainesville; and Matthew Delnoce, 39, of Ohio.

Zachary Brackett, a spokesman for Hall County Fire Services, said fire officials were first to arrive near Memorial Park Drive at Atlanta Highway and discovered that a plane had crashed into a ravine.
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 countrys leading construction companies are warning the ban on non-essential construction is damaging Irelands international reputation and putting future foreign direct investment at risk.

In a letter to Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Construction Industry Federation director general, Tom Parlon, asked the Government to reconsider the extension of the ban on non-essential building work.

The letter, signed by the countrys biggest construction firms, warned the extension of the ban will damage Irelands reputation and reduce foreign direct investment as no other country has locked down construction.

It said future housing supply will be reduced by 800 homes a week and the ban will wipe over 3bn of construction output from the Exchequer.

Read More

It also said the ban threatened the National Development Plan.

I urge you to consider the evidence of our ability to work safely and let the industry return to work so we can positively contribute to the economy, relieve the housing crisis, and build the infrastructure essential to Irelands recovery, Mr Parlon said.

Since last September, Mr Parlon said eight people have been admitted to hospital, five of whom were transferred to ICU, after becoming infected with Covid-19 due to construction work.

He said there have been 42 positive cases since January with 40pc of the industry operating due to Government restrictions.

The lack of cases and outbreaks on construction sites renders any concerns about mobility of the construction workforce moot. Due to our safety protocol, workers with symptoms are largely staying at home, he added.

Mr Parlon said voluntary testing regimes are catching low numbers of asymptomatic people on construction sites.

If mobility is a key concern, there are other sectors with larger workforces, and relatively minimal safety protocols, operating at full capacity. In comparison, the construction industry is inherently safe on a mobility basis as the lack of clusters and cases show, he said.

The letter was signed by Sisk chief operating officer Donal McCarthy, JJ Rhatigan managing director Padraic Rhatigan, BAM chief executive Theo Cullinane, John Paul Construction managing director Liam Kenny and Designer Group chief executive Michael Stone among others.
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously passed a resolution calling on all Member States to support a sustained humanitarian pause to local conflicts, in order to allow for COVID-19 vaccinations
Mumbai, Feb 27 : Actress Urvashi Rautela has shot her debut international music album titled Versace with Egyptian actor Mohamed Ramadan, and is naturally excited about it.

Since she was busy shooting, she had no time to celebrate her birthday on February 25. "I was busy shooting but the entire Versace team and Mohamed surprised me with an on-set celebration!" Urvashi said About shooting the song, she added: "We shot the music video at the Villa Casa Casuarina in the Former Versace Mansion. It was good working with my dear friend Ramadan and the entire team, I'm really excited about my first International music album." Urvashi is currently shooting for the upcoming web series Inspector Avinash, starring Randeep Hooda. She will also be seen in the upcoming bilingual thriller Black Rose, and a Hindi remake of the Tamil hit Thirutu Payale 2.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Heres the latest from the crossroads of faith, media & culture: 02/26/21

A comedy filmmaker gets deadly serious. Jared Lawrence Hess first exploded onto the movie-making scene with Napoleon Dynamite, the gently quirky 2004 teen comedy classic he directed and co-wrote with his wife Jerusha. Other comedies followed, including the 20o6s Nacho Libre (starring Jack Black) and a short-lived Napoleon Dynamite animated series that aired on the Fox Broadcasting Network in 2012. But anyone expecting laughs out of Hess latest project will be surprised.

Murder Among the Mormons (dropping next Wednesday/March 3rd on Netflix) is anything but a comedy. The three-part documentary miniseries Hess, a Mormon, co-directed with noted documentarian Tyler Measom, an ex-Mormon, tells the chilling true story of a murder/bombing mystery involving supposedly mystical documents that called into question the official Church of Latter Day Saints story of how Joseph Smith founded the Mormon movement. The case rocked the very foundation of Utah-based LDS Church in the 1980s.

My conversation with Hess follows the trailer below. Spoiler Alert: Certain twists and turns in the case, including the identity the killer (information available on the internet), are revealed in our conversation.

JWK: Youre background is in scripted comedy so how did you become involved in making a real-life documentary about such a serious subject?

Jared Lawrence Hess: Ive been a big Mormon history buff for a long time. Its just such a unique culture and religion. It has an endless amount of interesting stories.

I live in Salt Lake City right now and one of my good friends is this guy named Curt Bench. Hes in the film. Hes in the first episode. He ran the raresection of this church-owned book store called Deseret Book in the eighties. He had bought a number of documents and books from Mark Hofmann during that time. Over the years when I had lunch with Curt, he just told these stories about the Hofmann case and it just completely blew my mind.

Im also a big true crime buff and Ive always wanted to do some thingsin the documentary space. (This case) happened right in my community. Mark Hofmanns his home is just a few blocks away. Literally like a two-minute drive from my house (was) where he created his forgeries (and) where he assembled the bombs. So, its all right here kinda in my face. Its just a true crime story unlike anything thats out there  just as it relates to religion and belief and deception. So, yeah, theres a lot to it.

JWK: So, who knew? The co-creator of Napoleon Dynamite likes documentaries.



JLH: Ive always loved documentaries. I have a passion for documentary filmmaking. Kind of what I watch most, I guess, in my free time is nonfiction films or series. So, its something that Ive wanted to do for a long time and Tylers a good friend who also lives in Salt Lake City and also has a direct connection to the story. His cousin  who happens to be Mark Hofmanns college classmate  is in the film. He knew Mark quite well. So, Tyler(is) an accomplished documentary filmmaker. Weve known each other for years. When we found out that we both had a shared interest in and passion for this story we (just decided to do it).

JWK: The story almost plays out like a real-life version of The Da Vinci Code. Why were the documents involved so important to the LDS Church?



JLH: I think the origin stories of any faith are very important and sacred. For the LDS Church, their story of Joseph Smith trying to decide which church to join and having a theophany where he was visited by God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ and then laterby an angel who directed him to translate some gold plates. I mean thats the foundation of the faith, right there.

JWK: You know what strikes me as weird. Youd think, if you were going to fake documents like this, youd either create documents that backup the church version or somehow reveal Joseph Smith just to be a con man. But, instead, these documents create some kind of alternative mystical story.



JLH: YeahJoseph Smith, its documented, was like a treasure hunter in his early years. He did practice folk magic. Thats all confirmed  but in the eighties it wasnt really known to the larger population of members of the church (that) had been raised in a more kind of faith-promoting history which was the version that Joseph Smith himself had taught which was, you know, I was visited by an angel.

So, Richard Turley, who is a church historian whos interviewed in the film, says the familiar terms for Christianity like God and angel suddenly get twisted to like a more folk magic context (such as) a (magical) white salamander. So, suddenly (its like) a cult, right? And thats where it kind of threatened (the LDS Church). They had to kind of reassess. It was like Okay, this is threatening the founding story of us.

JWK: From watching the documentary series, I can say its a very interesting case. Why is it so relatively unknown? It happened around the same time as the Unabomber and people certainly know that case. Its not that long ago.



JLH: It was a very regional story but, at the time, it did make national news. It did go through the national news cycle  but then (after that) it wasnt talked about. I think it was something that, for a lot of people (who had) been deceived, was embarrassing to talk about and so they just kind of wanted to move on from it as quickly as possible. You had a number of big institutions whose reputations were called into question because they had authenticated these things that ended up being forgeries.

JWK: Despite all the embarrassment, the fact that the documents were eventually proven to be forgeries must have been seen as good news for the church.

JLH: It was great news for the church but, at the same time,(the LDS Church) had spent a lot of time  before it was known that they were forgeries  (trying to) provide a historical context to these documents. And then, when they found out that they were fake, I think that was embarrassing for a lot of people and they just didnt want to talk about it.

I dont know if you ever saw the documentary Wild Wild Country (about a controversial Indian guru) that was on Netflix. Its really great. That took place in Oregon and it was (also) a regional story that also made big news but it kind of came and went. It (now) lives in that place that, unless you were living in the community, youd never know about it or hear about it.

JWK: So, you were raised Mormon. Whats your relationship with the LDS Church today?



JLH: I live in Utah and my family is all Mormon. I come from Mormon pioneer ancestry which is cool. I definitely have a lot of my own beliefs but I consider myself Mormon  but a very, very nuanced member, I guess you could say.

JWK: Im sure the church was aware you were making this documentary. Did they try to influence you in any way?



JLH: No, they didnt. In fact, they were very helpful. Richard Turley Jr. was extremely helpful. When we interviewed him he was the head of public affairs for the church. He retired in March of last year, actually. But he was extremely helpful. Hes written a book on it called Victims which I highly recommend for people that are interested in learning more. His book is very comprehensive about what occurred. Being a historian, he was very instrumental in helping (us).

JWK: What do you think the takeaway from this story is?



JLH: Nobody is immune to deception. We all have to be careful  especially in this age of disinformation. We really have to be careful about the stories and things that we choose to believe in.

JWK: I guess with technology it becomes easier and easier to fake things.



JLH: It does.

JWK: What struck me about the docuseries is the dramatic quality of the story. It certainly could have been a scripted drama. Did you ever consider going that route?



JLH: No. For us the most important thing was telling this story from the perspective of the people that lived it and that experienced it. To try and execute that in a fictionalized way just felt like it wouldnt do the story justice. So many of the people that lived through it are still alive. We need to hear them tell their own story.

Note: Murder Among the Mormon premieres next Wednesday (3/3) on Netflix. My review will be posted here on Monday.

___

Anthony Hopkins takes audiences on a journey inside the mind of a man stricken with dementia in The Father premiering in New York and Los Angeles today (2/26). A nationwide rollout is to be announced for the emotional drama co-starring Olivia Colman (The Crown), Mark Gatiss (Doctor Who), Rufus Sewell (The Man in the High Castle), Imogen Poots (Castle in the Ground) and Olivia Williams (Counterpart). The film is based on the play of the same name by Florian Zeller. Zeller, who directed the movie, shares screenwriting credit Christopher Hampton. My review of the film follows the synopsis and trailer below.

SYNOPSIS: Anthony (Anthony Hopkins) is 80, mischievous, living defiantly alone and rejecting the professional caregivers that his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) encouragingly introduces him to. Yet help is also becoming a necessity for Anne as she cant make daily visits anymore and Anthonys grip on reality is unravelling.
Canadian regulators on Friday authorised AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine for all adults.It is the third COVID-19 vaccine given the green light by Canada, following those from Pfizer and Moderna.

This is very encouraging news. It means more people vaccinated, and sooner," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, adding that the nation of 38 million people will now get 6.5 million vaccines in total before the end of March, 500,000 more now with the new approval.

Health Canada approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for use in people 18 and over, expressing confidence it would work for the elderly even though some countries, including France, have authorised it only for use in people under 65, saying there is not enough evidence it works in older adults.With trials showing about 62 per cent efficacy, the vaccine appears to offer less protection than those already authorised, but experts have said any vaccine with an efficacy rate of over 50 per cent could help stop the outbreak.

It's a good option, said Dr Supriya Sharma, Health Canada's chief medical adviser.

Sharma said no one has died or become severely ill in trials of the vaccines now approved by Canada or in those of Johnson &Johnson and Novavax shots, which could be approved soon.Health authorities in Germany and other countries have raised concerns that AstraZeneca didn't test the vaccine in enough older people to prove it works for them, and indicated they would not recommend it for people over 65. Belgium has authorized it only for people 55 and under Health Canada said its decision was based on pooled analyses from four ongoing clinical studies trials as well as data in countries where it has been approved.

Based on the totality of the information, the benefit-risk profile of AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine is positive for the proposed indication in adults 18 years and over, Health Canada said in information posted online.

We're starting to get real world evidence. There is evidence that in older age group it would be effective,Sharma said.

Canada has now ordered 22 million doses of the AstraZeneca shot, which was co-developed by researchers at the University of Oxford. It will also receive up to 1.9 million doses through the global vaccine-sharing initiative known as COVAX by the end of June.

Trudeau said 2 million of those doses will come from the Serum Institute of India, which Sharma said uses the same recipe but a slightly different method and was also approved.

The AstraZeneca vaccine has already been authorized in more than 50 countries. It is cheaper and easier to handle than the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which needs deep-cold storage that is not widespread in many developing nations. Both vaccines require two shots per person, given weeks apart.Canada and many European countries have been struggling to vaccinate people as quickly as Britain, Israel, the US and elsewhere. Canada does not have domestic production and Trudeau's government has been accused of not obtaining vaccines fast enough even while also being criticized for ordering enough doses overall to supply its population 10 times over.

The AstraZeneca vaccine forms the bulk of COVAX's stockpile and concerns were recently raised by an early study that suggested it might not prevent mild and moderate disease caused by the variant first seen South Africa. Last week, South Africa scaled back its planned rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine, opting instead to use an unlicensed shot from Johnson & Johnson for its health care workers.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
(@FahadShabbir)

MONTEVIDEO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2021) Uruguay is ready to purchase Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus and waiting for the relevant documents from Moscow, Uruguayan Minister of Health Daniel Salinas told Sputnik.

"We would like this vaccine to be added to the portfolio [of vaccines available in Uruguay] because of its good quality, but we have not received any answer yet ... We are waiting for relevant documents," Salinas said on late Friday.

The minister said that Uruguay was interested in an opportunity to produce Russia's vaccine.

Salinas added that the Latin American nation also wanted to develop bilateral health cooperation.
RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bryn Pharma, LLC ("Bryn" or the "Company"), a privately held pharmaceutical company dedicated to finding a better way for patients and caregivers to treat anaphylaxis, today announced positive clinical results from its multi-dose study of BRYN-NDS1C (bi-dose epinephrine nasal spray). Results from the study demonstrated that administration of epinephrine with one spray/dosing from Bryn's two-dose nasal spray device resulted in a favorable release profile with both short- and long-term pharmacokinetic (PK) outcomes that were comparable to or greater than those seen with administration by a single 0.3 mg epinephrine auto-injector. No safety issues were seen and there were no serious or unexpected adverse events with either intranasal (IN) or intramuscular (IM) dosing.

Full results from the late-breaking poster were presented today at the 2021 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) virtual annual meeting. The study abstract is published in the February 2021 online supplement to The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and the poster presentation is available online.

"These clinical results show that a single spray from our bi-dose nasal spray device delivered epinephrine at levels equaling or exceeding those administered with a single 0.3 mg epinephrine auto-injector, potentially allowing patients to replace two auto-injectors with a single nasal device," said David Dworaczyk, Ph.D., CEO of Bryn Pharma. "Up to 30% of patients experiencing an anaphylactic event require a second dose of epinephrine, and our bi-dose nasal spray device meets this critical need along with other advantages including needle-free delivery, ease of use and portability. We will continue to work diligently to complete the required steps remaining to gain FDA approval."

About the Study

The open-label, randomized, 5-treatment, 5-way crossover study compared the pharmacokinetics of intranasal (IN) and intramuscular (IM) epinephrine administration in 25 healthy adults 19-45 years of age. Epinephrine administrations were as follows: 6.6 mg IN (1 x 6.6 mg), 4.4 mg IN (2 x 2.2 mg), 8.8 mg IN (2 x 4.4 mg), 13.2 mg IN (2 x 6.6 mg), and 0.3 mg IM (1 x 0.3 mg). Epinephrine concentrations and cardiovascular effects were measured (-30-360 minutes). PK parameters (AUC 0-10 , AUC 0-20 , AUC 0-30 , AUC 0-60 , AUC 0-360 , C max(10 min) , C max ; ANOVA analysis) and safety were assessed. Epinephrine bioavailability and cumulative PK data showed that the single 6.6 mg IN epinephrine was comparable to or greater than 0.3 mg IM epinephrine auto-injector, with similar epinephrine related pharmacodynamic effects. Other key results of the study were as follows:

At most time points, a comparable percentage of participants reached epinephrine plasma concentrations of 100 and 200 pg/mL at key time point intervals after administration of Bryn's IN as compared to IM administration.

There were no clinically significant differences in heart rate or blood pressure after administration of epinephrine IN or IM

Researchers in the study concluded that Bryn's bi-dose nasal spray is a novel therapeutic option in anaphylaxis treatment which allows patients to administer a second dose readily if the first dose does not abate symptoms.

BRYN-NDS1C Bi-Dose Epinephrine Nasal Spray

Bryn Pharma's Bi-dose Epinephrine Nasal Spray (BRYN-NDS1C) is a single, portable, needle-free device capable of delivering two therapeutic doses of epinephrine, ensuring compliance with clinical guidance while replacing the need to carry two epinephrine auto-injectors. The two therapeutic doses contained in each bi-dose IN device provides assurance that a second dose is readily available if another dose is needed for symptom control, a critical need that occurs in 30% of patients experiencing an anaphylactic event. In early 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track Designation to BRYN-NDS1C. The Company has completed three human clinical studies of BRYN-NDS1C and has put in place a commercial-scale, high-speed manufacturing line in preparation for the anticipated market launch. BRYN-NDS1C is not currently approved for sale by the FDA or any international regulatory authority.

About Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction. The most common anaphylactic reactions are to foods, insect stings, medication and latex.1 A major difference between anaphylaxis and other allergic reactions is that anaphylaxis typically involves more than one system of the body.2 Anaphylaxis requires immediate medical treatment, driving approximately 100,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. each year.1,3 Because 30% of patients who develop anaphylaxis will require a second dose of epinephrine to control symptoms, practice parameters recommend that physicians provide patients with two auto-injectors.4 If not treated properly, anaphylaxis can be fatal.2 However, studies have shown that the majority of people at risk for anaphylaxis often do not carry two epinephrine auto-injectors due in part to size and cost of the products, putting patients at greater risk of severe complications during an allergic reaction.

About Bryn Pharma

Bryn Pharma is a privately held pharmaceutical company founded by patients for patients. Bryn is focused on positively disrupting the existing market for epinephrine auto-injectors by delivering an accessible, easy-to-use alternative that better meets the needs of patients. Bryn Pharma seeks to provide this growing population at risk for anaphylaxis with A Better Way to be prepared for a life-threatening allergic reaction. For more information visit www.brynpharma.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements made in this press release that look forward in time or that express beliefs, expectations or hopes regarding future occurrences or anticipated outcomes or benefits are forward-looking statements. A number of risks and uncertainties, such as risks related to product development and commercialization efforts, results of clinical trials, ultimate clinical outcomes and benefit of the Company's products to patients, market and physician acceptance of the Company's products, intellectual property protection and competitive product offerings, could cause actual events to differ from the expectations indicated in these forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to put any undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to purchase any particular securities. Any such offer or solicitation will be made only pursuant to definitive legal agreements prepared specifically for such purpose. An investment in the Company's securities entails significant risks and is suitable only for sophisticated investors who can afford a loss of their entire investment; no assurance can be given that investment objectives will be achieved. In considering the performance information contained herein, you should bear in mind that past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results; there can be no assurance that the Company will achieve comparable results or that any projected returns will be met. The Company does not assume any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Available at https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/allergies/anaphylaxis. Accessed on December 21, 2020. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Available at: https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions-dictionary/anaphylaxis. Accessed on December 21, 2020 . Fromer L. Prevention of Anaphylaxis: The Role of the Epinephrine Auto-Injector. Am J Med. 2016 Dec; 129(12): 1244-1250. Anaphylaxis a practice parameter update 2015; Lieberman, Phillip et al.; Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, Volume 115, Issue 5, 341-384

SOURCE Bryn Pharma, LLC

Related Links

http://www.brynpharma.com


Some mentor because of the way they were raised and wished they had someone to look up to, others do it for the pure satisfaction of helping others.

Both Terry Grant and Syretha Murray take time out of their lives to make sure the youth of Jacksonville have what they need for present and future success.

Grant is part of a group called the Male Involvement Program which is part of the non-profit group Humble Horizons, with a mission statement of creating pathways from where you are to where you want to be.

For Grant, having an organization like this in Jacksonville is a blessing, especially with him being a product of the system.

More Information Here are some of the household items that resulted from African American inventors:  Three-light traffic signals (Garrett Morgan)  Refrigerated trucks (Frederick McKinley Jones)  Automatic elevator doors (Alexander Miles)  Carbon light bulb filament (Lewis Latimer)  Touch-tone telephone and caller ID (Shirley Jackson)  The pacemaker (Otis Boykin) See More Collapse

It all roots back to my own childhood, Grant said. I was adopted and I went through the foster system, a program like this would have been perfect, he said.

Grant feels stongly about teaching youth about life lessons from simple things like making the perfect knot on a tie to learning how to apply for jobs.

This is something I am really passionate about, Grant said, adding that he feels he is able to touch on things that maybe are not covered in schools. Its also a positive impact for the teachers, he said of the ultimate goal is to benefit the youth.

With the majority of the members being Black community kids, Grant said that the program is designed to help any kid who chooses to belong to the group.

Were open to anyone and everyone, Grant said, explaining that children learn best when doing things with mentors. When men fish, men teach, he said.

But what about the girls?

Sister Circle, which is also part of Humble Horizons, is where Murray gets to see girls aged 12 to 17 come out of their shell and bond with others.

We had a big diverse group of girls, Murray said of their first meeting last year. That first meeting was great."

Happy to see that the group was really receptive to learning about the Sister Circles goals of self-love, self-awareness and to build a sense of responsibility not only to themselves but to the community, Murray said that she has witnessed them really shine, especially her own daughter who is also part of the circle.

I have seen her blossom in ways that I havent seen before, Murray said of her daughter. I see a leader come out."

One aspect of the group that is important to Murray is having the young women see Murray, and her counterpart Lindia Holmes, have careers and how they can teach them how obtain their own goals.

We just talk with them and they get something out of it, Murray said. They want to know how to get there, she added about careers and that theyre trying to expand on those types of things.

Murray said that parents are also involved with the Sister Circle and welcome to even volunteer but with the COVID-19 pandemic, getting together has proven to be difficult.

We try to meet a minimum of once a month, Murray said, explaining that as everything opens back up they plan on having more time a groups.

We have been trying to meet in smaller groups, she said of keeping things safe during the pandemic.
Chennithala alleged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was lying about everything related to the recent controversy over the MoU between the CPI(M)-led government and a US-based firm. (Photo: Twitter @chennithala)

Thiruvananthapuram: Amid the row over signing of an MoU between the CPI(M)-led government and a US-based firm, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday said the Congress-led United Democratic Front will undertake a coastal rally from March 1 "to save fisherfolk" and fisheries department.

At a press meet here, Chennithala said former minister Shibu Baby John will lead the rally from Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram and T N Prathapan MP will lead the rally from Kasaragod.

Both the rallies will culminate on March 6 at Vypin in Ernakulam district, he said.

Chennithala alleged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was lying about everything related to the recent controversy over the MoU.

"I am astonished to hear that the chief minister did not know about the signing of an MoU. It was something that has happened under his ministry. Now even the ministers are saying they did not know about its signing," Chennithala said.

Recently, the Left government had decided to cancel a Rs 5,000 crore memorandum of understanding (MoU) between KSIDC and the US-based EMCC International, against which the Congress has been raising allegations.

The government had also cancelled another MoU worth Rs 2,950 crore between the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) and the same company to build 400 deep-sea fishing trawlers and new harbours and for port development activities.

On Friday, Vijayan had said the government was unaware of such an MoU.

"Normally when an MoU is signed, it should be informed to the department secretary concerned. However, the secretary concerned was not informed. The government was unaware of such an MoU. However, during the last leg of the Opposition leader's rally, they brought it up."

"We did not hesitate and directed to cancel the same as it was not informed to the government."

The government had also ordered a probe into the matter, which was raised by the Opposition "to tarnish the image" of the state government and mislead the fishing folk in the state, he had added.

Chennithala reiterated his demand for a judicial probe into the matter.

A day-long hartal called by various opposition outfits over the signing of MoU with the EMCC, on Saturday partially hit life in coastal areas of Kerala.
Apart from a few days last week, Wexford man Padraig Grant has been living life beyond lockdown in New Zealand.

Padraig left New Zealand last March just prior to the first Irish lockdown.

'That was nine months when I hadn't seen my son so I was going no matter what in January. Flying through airports is boring as hell but I flew through Dubai with Emirates. Everybody entering the airport has to take an antigen test unless it's for a connecting flight. There was absolutely nobody flying. It was a brand new Boeing 777 and I would say there were 30 people on it. The planes into Auckland were absolutely empty and the airport was completely empty; except for military personnel.'

The talented photographer arrived in Auckland on January 5 to 14 days' quarantine in a government run hotel.

'It's surreal really because everything is so normal. I got here and spent two weeks in a hotel in central Auckland in a quarantine facility which is owned by the New Zealand military. It was boring beyond belief. Thankfully Netflix is very good and I love crosswords and making my bed in the morning.'

Maintaining a routine was vitally important for Padraig in getting through those long days.

Expand Close Padraig states how New Zealands approach to Covid was very different / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Padraig states how New Zealands approach to Covid was very different

'It's a bit like a prison regime. You're waiting for a knock on the door for someone to leave your breakfast in a brown bag with your breakfast in it. You never see anybody because by the time you get to the door they're gone; now matter how quickly you run. You'd miss having the convivial chats which are a part of life.'

Mercifully Padraig would speak several times a day with his son Olly and family in Wexford, including his partner Emily Redmond and daughter Lottie.

'The wi-fi was very good. It was a luxurious prison and absolutely necessary and understandable because there were no cases in the country. I just followed the doctors' advice and listen to the scientists. I try to shut out the hysteria and nonsense. I have been in epidemics and I've seen what happens when things get out of control in a population. I would definitely err on the side of caution but caution is not a huge burden on anybody. You just have to keep your distance from people, keep washing your hands and wearing a mask. It's not the hardest thing you have to do.'

On his third day he had a nasal swab and once more on his 11th day at the hotel.

'In between them was like an absolute eternity. As soon as the second one was done it was fantastic. There was absolutely no way I wanted to leave my room until the 14th day as the only risky place in the entire country was the quarantine hotels because that is where potentially you can come into contact with the virus.'

As some cases have been detected in quarantine hotels in the country, Padraig said his room was a safe haven.

Among the realisations he came to during the 14 days watching the events at Capitol Hill unfold and Netflix, was that he was absolutely powerless to do anything. 'You just had to write off those 14 days. I had set up my camera and had it perched on the window but the view was terrible. It was really boring viewing day by day. I would not recommend it to anybody.'

Padraig, who spends on average four months a year in New Zealand, was welcomed with a big hug by his landlords when he arrived at his rental accommodation in Auckland.

'It was actually quite shocking. It caught me totally off guard. The first thing they did was hug me. It's been nine months since anyone (outside my bubble) did that! We definitely have put ourselves in a position where we have to think about every single thing we do physically when greeting and meeting people.'

The first thing he did was go to the cinema with his son Olly.

'I had been really looking forward to that.'

He said some people commented on his accent, one Kiwi going so far as to ask how he managed to get into the country.

'I told the girl in the supermarket that I am a permanent resident. My business is closed. When I left I thought I'd be back open in April.'

That initial shock was the first of many over the coming days as Padraig adjusted to life beyond lockdown.

'You have to wear a mask on public transport in Auckland, being a major population centre, and everyone uses an app where you scan a barcode every time you go into a premises in case there is an outbreak. Apart from that there are no restrictions. It's sunny, bright and warm. You can go to the pub, the cinema, the Super Rugby Season has started and the stadium has been sold out.

'I am a homebody when I'm in New Zealand. I like hanging out in my own space. I have an office here and I took a whole stack of film with me so I am busy working away on two book projects. I have a darkroom set up and I am printing.'

Describing Auckland as an expensive city to live in, Padraig said he really misses his family.

'I have a little girl (Lottie) who is five and I miss her terribly but we do our face time twice a day. She teaches me new Irish words. Her mom is doing a great job homeschooling. It's just incredible to think so many people are working their jobs from home and homeschooling kids.'

Padraig said the Irish government's approach was very different to that of the New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Arden.

'Retrospect and hindsight gives great clarity but in the moment a decision was made in New Zealand that was not only were they going to flatten the curve; they were going to get ahead of it and stay ahead of it. They are blessed with a great leader who really thought out a strategy very quickly whereas in Ireland we didn't take that approach. We have a Living With Covid-19 policy and we haven't done badly compared to other countries and we're doing way better in comparison to the USA and the UK and so many other places.'

He said the difference between New Zealand and Ireland is that they don't have a divided jurisdiction.

'That really does complicate things. Here there doesn't seem to be much joined up thinking between north and south.'

He covered the cholera epidemic in The Congo and said that opened his eyes to the importance of getting vaccinated.

'I literally saw 60,000 people die in front of me in a two week period; all because they didn't have access to water and cholera shots - so get vaccinated. Cancel out the nonsense and get that jab.'

The vaccination programme in New Zealand is only expected to be rolled out from June. 'Because they are doing so well they are quite behind in delivery dates. This is an insidious virus. You can't see it, smell it or taste it. It just takes that one rub of the nose after shaking hands with someone and you got it. In Ireland we had a massive surge in cases around Christmas time and it's directly related to opening up in December. Two weeks ago here someone tested negative twice in a quarantine facility and ten days later they were out and came down with symptoms and were Covid positive. There was huge panic to trace everyone the person was in touch with. They got on top of it but that was just one case. It's like the All Blacks. They're after a 100 per cent win record.'

Padraig doesn't know if he will be able to return to Wexford in April, as planned.

'The goalposts keep shifting as to when I can return to be with my family there. I will have to self isolate for 14 days. My legitimate reason is returning home to my family. This is going to continue until next winter.'
Saturday, February 27, 2021

Right at the end of the Clay Shaw trial, two surprise witnesses came forward for the prosecution. Nicholas and Mathilda Tadin took the stand on February 27, 1969. They had just come forward that very day with their story.

New Orleans Times-Picayune, February 28, 1969

They testified that their oldest son, who was sixteen in 1964, took flying lessons from David Ferrie. They claimed to have seen Ferrie at the airport with Clay Shaw. Here is some testimony from Nicholas Tadin:

Note the dialogue - Tadin says when seeing Clay Shaw - "Oh, Christ, look at this." His wife replied, "what is the matter?" And, Mr. Tadin then said, "Clay Shaw over there." As Vincent Bugliosi notes in his book, Reclaiming History:

"In 1964, Clay Shaw was not a suspect in the Kennedy assassination and was not a controversial figure in any way. In an obvious slip, Tadin was talking as if he had seen Shaw with Ferrie at some time after he became a suspect in the assassination. If Tadin were telling the truth about seeing Shaw with Ferrie, there was nothing about Shaw in 1964 that could reasonable have caused Tadin to say to his wife, "Oh, Christ, look at this."

New Orleans States-Item, February 28, 1969

Mr. Tadin had also seen Clay Shaw riding around town in his Thunderbird.

The only problem is that Shaw's Thunderbird was black.

Mrs. Tadin took the stand after her husband, and she commented to her husband after seeing Clay Shaw at the airport.

James Kirkwood, was immediately suspicious about the Tadin's son, who was supposedly taking flying lessons from David Ferrie (page 418 in American Grotesque). Their son was deaf, and it was highly unusual in 1964 for deaf people to pilot planes. Not so much today - there is even a deaf pilots association. To show how rare it was, check out this story from the Brattleboro Reformer of May 23, 1964:

This is from the Austin American of September 17, 1964:

And yet, it was true. Here is a picture of Noel Tadin with David Ferrie in the Clarion Herald on August 26, 1965:

However, there are some real issues with the testimony of Mr. and Mrs. Tadin.

First, here is the statement that Mrs. Tadin gave to the D.A.'s office earlier that day:

Now. how would Mr. Tadin know in 1964 that Clay Shaw was a "notorious degenerate?"

Secondly, Nicholas Tadin said he decided to testify because he was angry that Clay Shaw denied knowing David Ferrie. So, why did the Tadins only speak out at the end of the Clay Shaw trial? Why did they wait so long? Nicholas Tadin admitted that he had known about Clay Shaw's denial that he knew David Ferrie two years earlier, following the preliminary hearing.

Ok, so they didn't want to get involved in 1967, So why now?

Well, right after the trial, Irvin Dymond, Edward Wegmann and Clay Shaw visited the FBI to make a civil rights complaint against Jim Garrison. I'll be posting the entire memo in an upcoming post. But, here is the page about the Tadins (FBI# 44-41824-2; RIF #124-10089-10001).

And you can see there was some anger when Dymond cross-examined Tadin - at the end of his testimony, he asked him if he ever lied:

Because there was no discovery in Louisiana courts, Shaw's defense team was blindsided by the Tadins. They had no time for any investigation of their story, and no time to prepare for cross-examination.

After the trial, James Kirkwood talked to Judge Haggerty who told him, when speaking about the Tadins, that "But the jury, I asked one of them, they said they couldn't buy that because he waited too long." (page 635)
One couple broke up  maybe  and others worried about their compatibility on the Feb. 24 episode of Lifetimes Married at First Sight, How Do You Know if Youre in Love? Heres our latest Married at First Sight recap about the newest episode, filmed back in Atlanta just after the five Married at First Sight Season 12 couples eventful honeymoon in Las Vegas.

Briana Morris | Kinetic Content

Haley and Jacob spent time apart after their fight

When we last saw Haley Harris and Jacob Harder, they were arguing about Haleys visit down to the bar for a girls night. When Jacob showed up unexpectedly, he realized that Haley was actually hanging out with several of the husbands as well.

Feeling rejected, Jacob went so far as to accuse his wife of having a boyfriend back home. Jacob and Haley were so at odds that they spent time apart after their honeymoon. Still, the Married at First Sight couple apologized to each other for their respective roles in the fight  but their trust issues were still readily apparent.

When Haley and Jacob met with Pastor Cal Roberson, he urged them to keep at it and try to meet each other halfway. The Married at First Sight expert also urged Haley not to focus so much on what she didnt like about Jacobs quirks, like his intense nostalgia for the 80s.

RELATED: Married at First Sight: Chris Williams Claps Back at Jamie Otis on Social Media

Clara and Ryan moved in together and talked about their sex life

Clara Fergus and Ryan Oubre were excited about moving in together after their honeymoon. Still, when they visited each others apartments, Clara was a little worried about the amount of clutter stuffed into Ryans drawers and shelves.

During their meeting with Pastor Cal, Clara and Ryan said things had been going well so far. They revealed that they hadnt had sex yet  mostly because Ryan wanted to take things slow  but both Ryan and Clara said they had an intense physical attraction to each other.

Things got a little awkward when Pastor Cal questioned Ryan, who says hes never been in love, about whether he loved Clara. The Married at First Sight newlywed didnt think he was in love with his wife just yet, but he assured her that he was committed to the process and their marriage.

Erik and Virginia worried about their compatibility

Erik Lake and Virginia Coombs hit a few bumps in the road on the latest episode of Married at First Sight. Erik was worried about sharing a living space with Virginias cat due to his allergies. Meanwhile, Virginia wasnt too impressed by Eriks spacious but rather cold, empty bachelor pad.

Virginia and Erik revealed that theyd had sex already during their sit-down session with Pastor Cal. Things seemed to be going well in that department.

In other parts of their marriage, though, Erik and Virginia both had a few concerns. Virginia argued that Erik could be controlling at times, what with wanting her to ask for permission to go out and text him as soon as she arrived somewhere. Meanwhile, Erik thought Virginias no-big-deal attitude about passing out at a guy friends house after a night of partying was an inappropriate attitude to take into a marriage.

Briana and Vincent had a blow-up over her sarcasm

Briana Morris and Vincent Morales told Pastor Cal they were both happy in their marriages so far. Still, Vincent seemed to hint at trouble in paradise when he admitted he was afraid of saying the wrong thing if his wife got too bossy with him.

Indeed, things quickly heated up between Briana and Vincent on their first night in their new apartment. Vincent seemed increasingly irritated by Brianas sarcastic comments. After popping some champagne to celebrate their new life together, Briana joked that it was very Vincent of him to spill some on his shirt.

Vincent and Briana argued in bed together later, with Vincent accusing his wife of trying to belittle him. The Married at First Sight star was so put off by Brianas comments that he decided to spend the night in his own apartment instead of with his new bride.

Chris and Paige broke up  kind of

While the other couples moved in together, Chris Williams and Paige Banks separated just after their honeymoon. Chris flew to Chicago to visit his pregnant ex, only to reveal to Paige (off-camera) that he was still in love with his babys mother and wanted a divorce.

Paige sat down with Pastor Cal by herself and told him everything that had gone down between them  from Chris admission that he wasnt attracted to her, despite sleeping with her twice, to the revelation that he was still in love with his ex. Chris made a

Pastor Cal encouraged Chris and Paige to break things off and end the marriage for their mutual good. At first, they agreed. But Chris threw a wrench in those plans when, out of earshot of Pastor Cal, he whispered that he was scared he might fall in love with Paige.

The Married at First Sight couples fate was still open-ended at the end of the dramatic episode. Next week, with Chris ex in the mix, things are sure to be even more eventful.
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2021) - Avalon Works Corp. (TSXV: AWB) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to the news release issued by the Company on November 26, 2020, the Company has completed a consolidation (the "Consolidation") of all issued and outstanding common shares on the basis of 4.9362-to-1 effective February 25, 2021 followed by the acquisition on February 26, 2021 (the "Acquisition") of a mineral exploration property comprised of two mineral exploration properties respectively comprised of 24 and 25 contiguous mineral claims totaling 1,063,326 hectares in northeast New Brunswick known as the "Elmtree Gold Project" (the "Property"), pursuant to the terms of an agreement (the "Acquisition Agreement") dated November 18, 2020 among the Company and Kevin Vienneau, Roy Bonnell, Nick Stajduhar and John Williamson, who are businessmen resident in Canada (collectively, the "Vendors"). In addition, immediately following the Acquisition, the Company completed a concurrent financing (the "Concurrent Financing") for aggregate gross proceeds of $3,588,500 and a private placement (the "Private Placement") offering of common shares of the Company on a flow-through basis for gross proceeds of $1,452,000. The Company also received conditional listing approval for the listing (the "Listing") of its common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") pursuant to a Listing Application dated February 25, 2021 (the "Listing Application"), which is filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and expects to commence trading on Wednesday March 3, 2021 under the trading symbol "AWB" as a Tier 2 mining company.

In connection with the Acquisition and Listing, the Company has also filed on SEDAR under its profile, a geological technical report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101-Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") on the Property entitled, "NI 43-101 Technical Report, Geological Introduction to Avalon Works Corp.'s Elmtree Gold Project, Northeast New Brunswick, Canada" dated effective February 25, 2021 (the "Technical Report"). In addition, the Listing Application also provides more detailed information about the Consolidation, Bridge Financing, Acquisition, Concurrent Financing, Private Placement, and Listing (collectively, the "Transactions"), as well as additional information about the Company itself and the Elmtree Gold Project.

Bridge Financing and Consolidation

Pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement and prior to the closing of the Acquisition, Avalon received shareholders' approval to consolidate all of its issued and outstanding securities on the basis of 4.9362-to-1 (the "Consolidation") and completed the Consolidation on February 25, 2021. Prior to the Consolidation on February 1, 2021, the Company completed a bridge financing of $150,000 (the "Bridge Financing") by way of a non-brokered private placement offering of 400,000 special warrants (the "Bridge Special Warrants", and each a "Bridge Special Warrant") at an effective post-Consolidation private of $0.375 per Bridge Special Warrant of the Company. There were no commissions or finders fees paid in respect of the Bridge Financing.

Upon completion of the Consolidation and concurrent with the Acquisition, each Bridge Special Warrant was automatically exercised at no additional consideration into a unit (a "Bridge Unit") of a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, 1290012 B.C. Ltd. ("Fin Sub"). Each Bridge Unit was comprised of one common share and one-half common share purchase warrant of Fin Sub (a "FinSub Bridge Warrant"). Each FinSub Bridge Warrant entitled the holder thereof to acquire one common share of FinSub at an exercise price of $0.75 per share for 12 months after the date of issuance. After completion of the Acquisition, the Bridge Units were exchanged automatically at under the Amalgamation (as described below) on a 1-for-1 basis for like securities of Avalon, on a post-Consolidation basis, which securities are not subject to a hold or resale restrictions under applicable securities laws or the policies of the TSXV. However, 49,867 common shares and 24,933 common share purchase warrants of the Company issued to a principal of the Company in connection with the Bridge Financing are subject to a 36 month staged release Tier 2 Value Escrow pursuant to the policies of the TSXV.

The Acquisition of Elmtree Gold Project

Pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement, the Company acquired the Property on February 26, 2021 through one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, 1290015 B.C. Ltd. ("Property Sub") by paying a purchase price of $7,350,000 through: (i) payment of $350,000 cash to Kevin Vienneau; (ii) the issuance of 14,000,000 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.50 per share (the "Purchase Shares"), which Purchase Shares are allocated to Kevin Vienneau or his corporate nominee (2,400,000 Purchase Shares), Severin Holdings Inc. (3,866,666 Purchase Shares), 678119 Alberta Ltd. (3,866,666 Purchase Shares), and Jemseg Capital Inc. (3,866,666 Purchase Shares); and (iii) grant of a 2% net smelter returns royalty (the "2% NSR") on the Elmtree Gold Project to Kevin Vienneau or his corporate nominee pursuant to a Net Smelter Return Royalty Agreement entered into between the Company and Kevin Vienneau or his corporate nominee. The Company also paid an arm's length third party finder, Redstone Concepts Inc. of Montreal, Quebec (the "Finder"), a finder's fee of $100,000 by issuance of 200,000 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.50 per share (the "Finder's Shares"). The Purchase Shares were issued to the Venders and the Finders Shares were issued to the Finder pursuant to the Amalgamation and are not subject to a hold period or resale restrictions following the issuance thereof pursuant to applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSXV. However, the 13,999,998 Purchase Shares issued to the Vendors together with 49,867 common shares and a further 24,933 common share purchase warrants of the Company issued to a principal of the Company in connection with the Bridge Financing are subject to a 36 month staged release Tier 2 Value Escrow pursuant to the policies of the TSXV.

Concurrent Financings

Concurrent with completion of the Acquisition, the Company also completed a concurrent financing (the "Concurrent Financing") by way of a non-brokered private placement of special warrants of the Company (the "Concurrent Special Warrants" and each a "Concurrent Special Warrant") at a price of $0.50 per Concurrent Special Warrant for a total gross proceeds of $3,588,500 through the issuance of 7,177,000 Concurrent Special Warrants. Each Concurrent Special Warrant entitled the holder thereof automatically following completion of the Consolidation and concurrent with the Acquisition on a post-Consolidation basis, one unit of Fin Sub (each a "Fin Sub Concurrent Unit"). The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Concurrent Financing to fund exploration of the Elmtree Gold Project, and for working capital and administrative costs and expenses, as more specifically set forth in the Listing Application.

Upon completion of the Consolidation and concurrent with the Acquisition, each Concurrent Special Warrant was automatically exercised at no additional consideration into a unit (a "Concurrent Unit") of Fin Sub. Each Concurrent Unit was comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant of Fin Sub (a "FinSub Warrant"). Each FinSub Warrant entitled the holder thereof to acquire one common share of FinSub at an exercise price of $0.75 per share for 24 months after the date of issuance. After completion of the Acquisition, the Bridge Units were exchanged automatically pursuant to the Amalgamation (as described below) on a 1-for-1 basis for like securities of Avalon, on a post-Consolidation basis, which securities are not subject to a hold or resale restrictions under applicable securities laws or the policies of the TSXV.

In addition to the Concurrent Financing, the Company also completed following completion of the Amalgamation, a Private Placement offering of common shares (the "Shares") of the Company at a price of $0.55 per Share for total proceeds of $1,452,000 through the issuance of $2,640,000 Shares. Each Share was issued as a "flow-through share" as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act"). The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Private Placement to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" within the meaning of the Tax Act ("CEE") on its Elmtree Gold Project pursuant to the recommended work program in the Technical Report which forms part of the use of proceeds described in the Listing Application during the period from the closing date to and including December 31, 2022. The Company will renounce the CEE to the subscribers in the Private Placement with an effective date no later than December 31, 2021. The Shares are subject to a hold period until June 27, 2021 pursuant to applicable securities laws.

In connection with the Concurrent Financing, the Company paid a fee to certain finders, including Clarus Securities Inc., which is comprised of total aggregate cash commissions of $148,000 and 296,000 brokers warrants (the "Brokers Warrants"). Each Brokers Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.50 per share for a period of 24 months after issuance.

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company paid a fee to certain finders, including Clarus Securities Inc., which is comprised of total aggregate cash commissions of $87,120 and 158,400 brokers warrants (the "FT Brokers Warrants"). Each FT Brokers Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.55 per share for a period of 24 months after issuance.

Amalgamation

Pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement, Avalon completed a three-corned amalgamation with Property Sub and Fin Sub (the "Amalgamation") whereby: (i) Fin Sub and Property Sub amalgamated; (ii) security holders of Property Sub (other than Avalon) received like securities of Avalon on a one-for-one basis in exchange for their securities of Property Sub; and (iii) security holders of Fin Sub (other than Avalon) received like securities of Avalon on a one-for-one basis in exchange for their securities of Fin Sub. As a consequence of the Amalgamation, Fin Sub and Property Sub amalgamated under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) into a wholly owned subsidiary of Avalon retaining the name 1290015 B.C. Ltd. ("Amalco") with Avalon becoming the Resulting Issuer owning 100% of Amalco as registered owner of the Elmtree Gold Project.

Following completion of the Amalgamation, all existing directors resigned as directors of the Company and John Williamson, Roy Bonnell, Nicholas Stajduhar, and Kevin Vienneau joined as new directors. Management of the Company has also changed so that it now consists of John Williamson as President and Chief Executive Officer, and Justin Bourassa as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary.

The Company has also changed its head office from Ontario to Suite 300, 10545 45 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta and it is in the process of applying to change its Principal Regulator to the British Columbia Securities Commission.

The Acquisition and the other Transactions in connection therewith has resulted in a "reverse takeover" under the policies of the TSXV, and the Company has applied for listing of its common shares on the Exchange, has received conditional listing approval from the Exchange. The Company has also made the necessary submission for final approval of the TSXV, and trading of the common shares of the Company under the new symbol "AWB" is expected to commence on the TSXV on Wednesday March 3, 2021 as a Tier 2 mining company.

Upon completion of the Transactions at the time of Listing, the Company will have 26,217,000 common shares issued and outstanding with 14,049,867 common shares and 24,867 common share purchase warrants subject to a 36 month staged release Tier 2 Value Escrow Agreement.

About Avalon Works Corp.

Avalon Works Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on proving and developing the resource potential of the 1,063,326 hectare mineral property in northeast New Brunswick known as the "Elmtree Gold Project", approximately 20 km northwest of the City of Bathurst, New Brunswick and approximately 10 km west of the village of Petit Rocher, New Brunswick near the enhanced service areas of Alcida and Dauversiere, New Brunswick. For further details about the Elmtree Gold Project, please refer to the Company's website or current geological Technical Report dated February 25, 2021 available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. In addition, the Company's Listing Application dated February 25, 2021 also provides additional detailed information about the Company, its Elmtree Gold Project, and the Transactions, which is also publicly available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Avalon Works Corp.

"John Williamson"

John Williamson

President, CEO and Director

For further information:

Nick Stajduhar

Director

Telephone: 780-701-3216

Email: nickstaj24@gmail.com

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or listing application prepared in connection with the Acquisition, any information released or received with respect to the Acquisition may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Bridge Financing and Concurrent Financing, the expected timing for completion of the recommended work program pursuant to the Technical Report, and the future plans or prospects of the Company. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis which is available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75643
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 exodus of people leaving San Francisco and the Bay Area during the pandemic is well-documented, but more and more data shows that people are not fleeing for Austin or Miami, but for areas much closer where the cost of living isnt so high  like Sacramento.

That raises the question of what the real estate market in Sacramento looks like compared to San Francisco these days, especially on the more affordable end of the market, or what counts for affordable these days. What kind of house can you buy for under $1 million in each place?

Turns out, not a lot. As recent Zillow data shows, housing prices in both areas are at multi-year highs, and new inventory is low. Realtors in both locations say competition among buyers is fierce, especially for homes under the $1 million mark.

Here are two houses that exemplify that trend, both of which have generated plenty of interest given their price point below $1 million.

Courtesy of Bonnie Spindler / Corcoran Global Living

San Francisco carriage house with a small footprint, but prime location

1031 Divisadero St

List price: $799,000; Size: 1,015 square feet (lot size is 6,250 as a whole); Price per square foot: $787; Amenities: Private deck, parking

Courtesy of Bonnie Spindler / Corcoran Global Living

On one of the citys busiest thoroughfares, this NoPa home is a cozy Victorian carriage house tucked in the back of a double lot, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and parking spaces for two cars.

Courtesy of Bonnie Spindler / Corcoran Global Living /

It was built in 1888 by John White Morshead, an Englishman who came from England to start a livery business in Sacramento, after which he moved to San Francisco. Within 5 years of being in the city, he built an estate on the corner of Divisadero and Turk  complete with a main house (thats also on the market but selling as a duplex), and this carriage house, which has its own private deck and a washer/dryer. The kitchen and baths have been recently remodeled.

Courtesy of Bonnie Spindler / Corcoran Global Living

Courtesy of Bonnie Spindler / Corcoran Global Living

Corcoran Global Living real estate agent Bonnie Spindler, who is the listing agent for the entire property, says shes had up to 25 showings a day since the house was put on the market and has already put out dozens of disclosure packages. Theres just a lot of competition for that unit, she said. Theres just nothing like it.

Courtesy of Bonnie Spindler / Corcoran Global Living

She says homes like this one are in high demand in San Francisco, but low supply. In the under a million category, theres just a load of buyers and not a lot of sellers, she said.

Courtesy of Bonnie Spindler / Corcoran Global Living

When people ask her what they can buy in San Francisco for around $800,000, she says there are options  but how many options and in which areas depends on how much space a buyer wants. For $800,000 you can live in a closet on Nob Hill, or a studio in Pacific Heights, or, you can buy a 2-bedroom carriage house with parking in NoPa, she said.

Or, you could live in a Tudor in East Sacramento.

Four-bedroom fixer upper in a desirable Sacramento neighborhood

501 46th St.

List price: $829,950; Size: 2,031 square feet, lot size is 6,250 square feet; Price per square foot: $409; Amenities: Garage parking, front yard, back yard

During the pandemic, one of the top destinations for residents leaving the Bay Area has been the Sacramento area. Zillow data shows home prices in the region were up 9% in January from a year ago, and for-sale inventory was down 27%.

Which partially explains why this 1927 single-family home  a four-bedroom, two-bathroom with a spacious yard in the Fabulous Forties neighborhood  has seen such outsized interest.

Coldwell Banker real estate agent Rich Cazneaux, who is the listing agent, says the homes bedroom and bath count is excellent for that price point, but the house still needs a lot of work. Most likely someones going to come through and put a good chunk of money in that house, he said.

Courtesy of Rich Cazneaux / Coldwell Banker Realty

Courtesy of Rich Cazneaux / Coldwell Banker Realty

Despite that, hes already had about 30 showings in the last week. The house will likely shoot up in price even more, he says, which reflects the growing competition for buyers in Sacramento.

We are significantly low on inventory right now, he said. Anything $500,000 to $800,000 (is) flying off the shelves.

Courtesy of Rich Cazneaux / Coldwell Banker Realty /
The Cliff Road Chop House or Death at The Acropolis

by John Martini

In early 2012, the new Lands End Lookout Visitor Center began taking final shape on Point Lobos Avenue just east of Merrie Way. Few people, though, realize the site of the shiny new visitor center has a much darker history as the location of the ill-fated Acropolis Chophouse.

The chop house on Point Lobos Avenue was the largest of several vending stands located along what was then called Cliff Avenue between Sutro Baths and the steam train depot at 48th Avenue. These stands, originally built as informational and concession kiosks at the 1894 Midwinter Fair in Golden Gate Park, had been purchased by Adolph Sutro at the fairs end. He acquired at least twenty, many going into his new Sutro Baths to serve as display cases while others were re-erected around the grounds of Sutros mini-amusement park called (alternately) the Midway Plaissance, Merry Street, or Merrie Way.

The midways attractions included a Firth Wheel, a Scenic Railway, a Haunted Swing, and a Mystic Mirror Maze, all recycled from the 1894 Fair. [Read more on Merrie Way on this page and this page.]

Sutro had several of the recycled kiosks sited along the north side of Cliff Avenue, carefully positioned to intercept visitors walking downhill from the train depot to the Cliff House and Sutro Baths, or lingering at the Merrie Way rides. The 1899-1900 Sanborn fire map of Cliff Avenue reveals there were originally nine kiosks lining the street. 1

Sutro must have calculated that Merrie Way and the Baths would be such huge attractions that he could lease all nine kiosks to eager concessionaires. But his vision turned out very wrong. Adolph Sutro died in August 1898, and within a year the rides and attractions along Merrie Way began to shut down, possibly as a cost-saving measure ordered by his executrix-daughter Emma Sutro Merritt. Photos taken at the turn of the 20th century reveal an abandoned midway with several kiosks standing empty, marred by broken windows and To Let signs on their fronts. 2

By 1910 only two stands remained  the Chop House and a fruit stand located about 80 feet to its west. 3

The Chop House Owner

City Directories indicate the chop house opened around 1898 as The Acropolis Oyster Stand," operated by Manuel Varvare (also spelled Vavare, Varvaris, and Varvares in various documents) who ran the stand until his death in 1908. Over the years, he advertised it variously as an oyster stand, a lunch stand, a restaurant, and a chop house, the changing descriptions probably reflecting both the physical growth of the structure and its menu. 4

By the turn of the century, the Acropolis restaurant consisted of the original 1894 kiosk and a welter of lean-to additions that housed a kitchen and dining room and a standup oyster bar. Varvaris lived in a small room at the rear (north end) of the restaurant, close to the tracks of the abandoned Scenic Railroad and the empty midway.

Business must have been very bad following Sutros death and the ensuing demise of Merrie Way, and Manuel Varvare tried to sell his Acropolis Chophouse twice, first in 1899 and again in 1901, stating in the newspaper ads that he planned to go to Europe. But he apparently either changed his mind or couldn't find any takers. 5

Not only did the spelling of Varvares name change in the City directories, but so did the Acropolis address. At various times it was shown as Cliff Avenue near Sutro Heights, Cliff Avenue near the Cliff House, 5 Cliff Avenue, and 840 Point Lobos Avenue. Varvare couldnt seem to decide on the restaurants location either, describing it as Sutro Heights and half a block from the baths in advertisements.

Varvare also had exceptionally bad luck with his patrons. The San Francisco Call reported in February 1905 that a trio of soldiers refused to pay for their meals at the Acropolis, and when the proprietor demanded payment, They attacked Vavare [sic] with knives, cutting his clothing and body. They also beat him on the head and body with a club. 6

Things would get much, much worse.

Three years later, on February 7, 1908, an armed robber held up Varvare in his restaurant, forcing him at gunpoint through the dining room, kitchen and tiny bedroom, and taking $87 in gold eagles and pocket change. The robber then wrote down Varvaris name on a scrap of paper and threatened to return and kill him if he reported the crime to the police.

Varvare, a good citizen, immediately alerted the San Francisco Police Department about the robbery. 7

True to his word, the robber returned to the restaurant four days later. The Call reported what happened:

Friday night [February 21] Varvaris heard a heavy knock on the front door of his restaurant at 5 Cliff avenue, the scene of the first robbery. Believing it was a customer he opened the door. No sooner had he done so than the thug attacked Varvaris, beating him with the butt end of a 45 caliber revolver, fracturing his skull. Leaving his victim to die the robber disappeared, but not before the victim had recognized his assailant as the man who attacked him the previous occasion. 8

Manuel Varvare died at French Hospital on March 7, 1908. The police admit that as yet they have not the slightest clew [sic] to the identity of the murderer.

Following Varvaris murder, the Acropolis Chophouse was taken over by Nicholas Antipa, the owner of the neighboring fruit stand on Cliff Avenue. The Antipa family apparently continued to operate the Acropolis for a few more years, and then either closed it down or converted the restaurant into an expanded fruit and candy stand. (The old directories give conflicting addresses for the Antipa familys holdings.) No listings appear after 1917, and it's likely the old restaurant stood vacant for several years. 9

In 1922, the city widened and realigned the former Cliff Avenue, and in the process demolished the old Acropolis and Antipa Fruit Stand. 10

Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places!
Grand Jury Indicts 3 on Trafficking, Other Charges

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - A McCracken County Grand Jury indicted three people on Thursday.According to the McCracken Circuit Court Clerk, 35-year-old Jesse Leach and 33-year-old Jennifer Brimhall were indicted on charges related to their arrest on January 9. An arraignment date has not been set.Leach and Brimhall were originally charged with engaging in organized crime, trafficking in meth, conspiracy to trafficking meth, possession of a gun by a convicted felon, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Their arrests followed the search of a home on Woodward Street by Kentucky State Police and McCracken County Sheriff's deputies.A true bill for indictment was issued for 45-year-old David Martin related to charges stemming from his arrest on January 12. An arraignment date was not set.Martin was arrested following an investigation into drug activity at an apartment complex on South 9th Street. Martin, his vehicle, and a storage unit were searched, and McCracken Sheriff's detectives say they found methamphetamine, marijuana, hydrocodone, valium, suboxone, drug paraphernalia, eleven guns, and over $21,000 in cash.Martin faces drug trafficking, numerous possession charges and gun charges.On the Net:
Clodagh Grubb has the disconcerting habit of referring to herself as a 'jack of all trades'. The implication is that she humbly feels herself to be the master of none. On the evidence of her latest offering, the long-time Kilcoole resident has nothing whatever to be modest about.

Granted, 'Samplers, Sewing and Simplicity in Quaker Ireland' will never make the bestseller charts. But those who care to explore the immaculately presented 172 pages will be amply rewarded by her scholarship and expertise. The extensively illustrated book shines a light on two centuries of needlework, as seen through the lens of Quakerism.

Making the samplers referred to in the title was common among girls (nearly always girls) across all Irish religious groups for many decades. They were test pieces; training exercises intended to foster a practical skill which young ladies would later require in running a household.

To demonstrate their mastery of needle and thread, they stitched their way through the alphabet or re-produced simple verses. These were often framed and put up on display by proud families, in due course becoming heirlooms. Clodagh not only explores the designs and the craft involved in making samplers but mixes plenty of insightful history and geography into her text.

The publication also allows her scope to present the Quakers, a small community who have made a large contribution to Irish society. The Jacob brothers of cream cracker fame and the Bewleys who filled Grafton Street with the smell of roasting coffee were Quakers. Yet the numbers of those who identify themselves as members of the Society of Friends is small. Clodagh reckons that there are maybe 1,500 on this island, scarcely enough people to populate a small village.

Advocates of pacifism, they have been a constant in Ireland since mid-way through the 17th century. They cast themselves as mediators in the upheavals associated with the United Irishmen rebellion of 1798. They believed in a strong measure of gender equality, long before feminism or any modern sexual revolution.

Expand Close Clodagh Grubb in her garden in Kilcoole / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Clodagh Grubb in her garden in Kilcoole

Quaker schools - and the society was a pioneering force in education - catered for girls on a par with boys. Respect for all, irrespective of religious affiliation, was part of the tradition, allowing them to rise above sectarian division. Though generally classified as Protestant, their insistence on not having clergy made them (and continues to make them) outliers on the religious scale.

Grubb is a Quaker name but Clodagh, born to a sheep farming family in Tipperary 82 years ago, was brought up in the Church of Ireland tradition. While attending a boarding school in Waterford she decided to revert to the family's traditional fashion of worship.

She went on to become an undergraduate at Trinity College in Dublin (TCD), where she studied an academic smorgasbord of subjects including history, geography, French and English. It was at university that she first met husband-to-be John McCormick, a Dubliner and later a professor at TCD.

John was producing a play with a cast of students - it may well have been a piece called 'The Clandestine Marriage'. As it was set in the 18th century, John felt it would be best to have the cast attired in authentic 18th century dress. He looked around for someone to take responsibility for this aspect of the production and happened upon Clodagh, a dab hand with a sewing machine who volunteered to take charge of the costume department.

'I always loved fabric,' she muses looking back, 'and I had been interested in costume.' This proved to be the start of a lengthy spell back-stage before the newly wed Grubb-McCormick combination headed off to work abroad. They taught English in Finland and then had four years in Sweden before landing in Glasgow for five years.

It was with a large measure of relief that they eventually returned to Ireland as John landed a job back in Trinity. They set up home in Kilcoole 50 years ago and it was there on the Sea Road that they raised their children. She also found time to work as a teacher in a Dublin school.

In 1984, John, with a colleague, established the department of drama in TCD, once more turning to his favourite seamstress. The new organisation was started on a shoestring, so Clodagh did much of her work managing the costume section at first for free. It was her role to design and make the clothes worn by the actors in a series of plays with historical settings. Her approach, with the help of an industrial sewing machine, was to turn out clothes that matched the relevant period.

The links with Trinity were finally broken in 1991 when she and her husband embarked on an extensive study of 19th century puppetry.

This required travel across the continent, now recalled with pleasure, as well as desk work. This led in due course to the publication of 'The Victorian Marionette Theatre' co-authored in 2004 by husband and wife.

Then, 10 years ago, Clodagh began working at the Quaker library in Rathfarnham. Besides books, the library holds an archive textile material, including at least 60 samplers, as well as wonderfully preserved old dresses and bonnets.

On her arrival, Clodagh was disappointed to that the treasure trove in Rathfarnham was stored in a way that it was not readily accessible to visitors or researchers. She also noted that these wonderful artifacts had not been written up in any coherent way - and so the notion of writing a book took hold in her head.

The first step was to call in her Kilcoole neighbours, AJ's the office equipment firm, who provided a practical solution to the storage problem. Then 'Samplers, Sewing and Simplicity' was eventually finished during last year's lockdown, including chapters on clothing and household linen. However, the longest section is the 60 pages devoted to the sampler, to the simple, touching and intricate work of girlish (in just one case boyish) hands.

This particular interest was a sparked in large part by family experience. Clodagh reminds your reporter that she was brought up on a hill farm during World War Two and the austere times which followed. Drinking water had to be fetched in buckets from a well and there was no electricity or sewerage.

One of her duties was to turn the butter churn while sewing - darning, embroidering and repairing - came naturally. Only knitting defeated her, as she concedes with a laugh.

After their father died in 1972, his grieving offspring gathered back home, sifting through everything at the house in County Tipperary. Among the items in the farmhouse were two samplers, which Clodagh's brothers and sisters decided that she should be the one to inherit.

'They were made in the late 18th century and they had been cherished by the family, carefully hung on the wall out of the sunlight,' she recalls. She brought them to the Friends Historical Library in Dublin where they are retained to this day. A sampler created by Sarah Grubb, dated 1790, measuring 17 by 11 centimetres, its patterns executed in plain brown thread, is reproduced on page 142 of the book.

'Samplers, Sewing and Simplicity in Quaker Ireland' was designed and printed by the Central Press in Bray. Clodagh is loud in her praise of the company, reckoning that the glossy end product is as high in quality as anything run off by any of Europe's major museums.

She remains a devoted follower of the faith that drew her to the meeting house in Waterford when she was a teenager. She notes that Quakers used to gather at the Turkish baths in Bray but these days she must travel over the Dublin border to Monkstown on Sundays.

'I feel a strong affiliation,' she says, 'and John is of Methodist origin though he has now become a Quaker.

Any Quakers in West Wicklow may attend the long-established meeting house at Ballitore House once a month. At one stage in the 18th century, tycoon John Bewley ran a textile printing factory near Blessington.

Some of the first Quaker arrivals in Ireland settled in Wicklow town, according to Clodagh, where a man called Anthony Sharpe was a significant wool merchant.

Copies of Clodagh's book - a hardback snip at 40 or 30 in paperback - may be obtained by emailing jmccrmck@outlook.com. Stocks are also being held at the Friends Historical Library at Stocking Lane - email library@quakers.ie - but a reply from the library may be delayed as the building is closed during Covid lockdown.

In the meantime, the author declares her resolution for 2021: 'I am going to take up sewing again.'

The Albany NAACP is celebrating its Founders Day Sunday, Feb. 28.

The time will be 3 to 4 p.m. via Zoom.

The guest speaker is Senior Pastor of the First Israel AME Church, the Rev. Justin Anderson.

For further information contact albanynaacp1@gmail.com

Use this link, https://rb.gy/y2sncr to register.

According to its local members, the National Association for the Advancement for Colored People is a national organization founded on Feb. 12, 1909 in New York City, by a small group of white and African American activists in response to racial discrimination, lynching, brutality, and unequal education against Black people.

The Albany NAACP branch was founded in 1935 and held their meetings at the First Israel AME Church on Hamilton Street.
A federal judge in San Francisco approved a $650 million class-action settlement to be paid by Facebook, settling claims it violated privacy laws by storing biometric data, like facial scans, without getting users sign-off first.

By any measure, the $650 million settlement in this biometric privacy class action is a landmark result, District Judge James Donato wrote in approving the settlement. It is one of the largest settlements ever for a privacy violation, and it will put at least $345 into the hands of every class member interested in being compensated.

This settlement is a big win for consumer privacy, in line with global regulatory scrutiny over privacy-invasive practices and consumer sentiment in favor of privacy, Lourdes Turrecha, a professor who studies privacy technology and law at Santa Clara University School of Law, wrote in an email to The Chronicle.

Donato characterized the settlement as a win for consumers in the hotly contested area of digital privacy.

Facebook did not immediately respond to The Chronicles request for comment.

The case stems from a lawsuit filed in Illinois in 2015 that claimed the social media giant violated that states law around collecting and storage of biometric data through the use of a software it uses to tag and identify peoples faces in photos.

Facebook previously appealed the case to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and ultimately failed to have it heard by the Supreme Court.

The settlement also includes changes that Facebook must make to how it collects that kind of data. The company will automatically set its facial recognition scans on peoples profiles to off unless the users first decide to opt in. The company will also have to delete any stored face templates for the more than 1.5 million class members, who have so far claimed the payments as of December.

The company initially agreed to settle the claims for $550 million but another $100 million was added when Donato raised doubts that it was enough.

In 2019, the company was hit with a $5 billion penalty from the Federal Trade Commission over consumer privacy violations, the highest penalty paid over that kind of infraction at the time. That case accused the company of deceiving users into disclosing information through its privacy settings.

The company, with headquarters in Menlo Park, is currently embroiled in a public battle with another tech giant, Apple, over its advertising business. Facebook derives billions in revenue from targeted ads by tracking user behavior in its and other sites. Apple is planning to make that kind of data sharing optional on apps like Facebook in an upcoming software release which could threaten the social media companys revenue.

The company reported more than $28 billion in revenue during its most recent quarterly report, released last month.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice
Hasbro creates 'modern families' Potato Head with 2 moms, 2 dads

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Toy manufacturer Hasbro stirred controversy immediately after it announced the launch of a "modern version of its iconic Mr. Potato Head toy line that will drop the honorific Mr., to be more inclusive and to let kids create their own type of potato families, including two moms or two dads.

Hasbro is making sure all feel welcome in the Potato Head world by officially dropping the Mr. from the Mr. Potato Head brand name and logo to promote gender equality and inclusion, the company said in an announcement Thursday about the new line that will be released this fall.

Soon thereafter, in response to numerous responses on Twitter against the name-change and "inclusion," the toy giant updated the announcement: Hasbro is officially renaming the Mr. Potato Head brand to Potato Head to better reflect the full line. But rest assured, the iconic Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head characters arent going anywhere and will remain Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.

In a promotional video for the new line, Hasbro said it's offering a "modern look for modern families."

The new version will come with two non-gendered adult potatoes, one baby potato and 42 removable parts like eyeglasses, a mustache, nose and mouth, Bloomberg quoted a Hasbro spokeswoman as saying. That will let kids decide the parents gender, rather than being told they are Mr. and Mrs.

They are looking to broaden the franchise, The Associated Press quoted Robert Passikoff, founder of marketing consultancy Brand Keys, as saying. You take the focus of what is essentially one character and now allow it to be a platform for many characters.

The removal of Mr. from the name of the toy line is likely to encourage other companies to not assign genders to their toys, Ali Mierzejewski, editor in chief at toy-review site the Toy Insider, was quoted as saying.

Its a potato. But kids like to see themselves in the toys they are playing with, Mierzejewski added.

A prominent gay rights organization, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, welcomed the move.

Hasbro is helping kids to simply see toys as toys, which encourages them to be their authentic selves outside of the pressures of traditional gender norms, Rich Ferraro, the groups chief communications officer, said in a statement.

Mr. Potato Head was launched in 1952.

In 2019, GLAAD started pushing for 20% of all television characters to be LGBT by 2025.

In a report called Where We Are on TV, GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis noted that less than one-quarter of Americans have a close friend or family member who is transgender, meaning that many Americans learn about trans people from what they see in television, movies, and news.
LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MI  Livingston County commissioners claim the state of Michigan is distributing COVID-19 vaccines unfairly due to its use of social factors to determine allotment.

The state uses a Social Vulnerability Index, a metric from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to establish a communitys virus risk level based on health and economic factors. But Livingston County officials want the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to stop using this metric, and replace it with a scientific medical factor based plan that results in uniform distribution.

Possible scores on the SVI range from 0-1, 0 being the lowest vulnerability and 1 being the highest. Livingston Countys score of 0.0089 indicates a low level of vulnerability, according to the metric. Thats much lower than Oakland Countys score of 0.1331, or Wayne Countys score of 0.8682.

Partly because its median household income of $80,897 is among the highest of Michigans 83 counties, Livingston County scores low in social vulnerability, resulting in a lower allotment of the vaccine.

A Feb. 22 resolution passed unanimously by the Livingston County Board of Commissioners, calls for the state to stop using the SVI so more senior citizens in the county can get vaccinated more quickly, officials said.

Age is an overwhelming factor contributing to COVID-19 deaths, Republican county commissioner Mitchell Zajac said, adding the state should look at that instead of social factors, such as income.

While the boards decision to approve the resolution was unanimous, during the meeting, several Livingston County residents called in to voice their concern with the methodology behind the boards resolution.

Brighton resident Jessica Garcia, who works as a diversity and inclusion manager at the University of Michigan, encouraged the board to take into account communities that have been disproportionately hurt by the pandemic.

Because people in Livingston County generally receive good medical care and are able to socially distance more easily, the risk of spreading the virus is lower, Garcia said. She argues that Livingston Countys low score on the SVI is appropriate.

Zajac, who proposed the resolution, disagrees.

Per capita, were receiving less doses than practically every other county, especially if you look at the size of our county compared to others, we are in a tough spot and what were hearing from the state right now is its all based on this social vulnerability index, Zajac said.

Howell resident and attorney Tim Schnelle also called into the meeting to urge commissioners against adopting the resolution, calling board members assertions that the SVI isnt based in science incorrect.

Use of the social vulnerability index is designed to measure relative health risk to one geographic area to the next, Schnelle said. It is not social engineering, instead it is used to obtain the best outcome. It uses age as just one factor because there are many other factors which contribute to the relative levels of risk.

Explaining why the county is at the bottom of the states priority list for vaccine allocations has been a challenge, Zajac said. Livingston County currently has more than 40,000 citizens eligible for vaccinations, about half of them senior citizens.

Our residents see that theyre being unfairly treated, theyre voicing their opinions to us and so we had no choice but to escalate the issue to the state, Zajac said.

As of Feb. 24, health systems in Livingston County have administered 29,050 doses of the vaccine. As of Thursday, Feb. 25, 5,852 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine have been administered by the Livingston County Health Department.

READ MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:

Catholic priest told parole board his sexual misconduct with teen was shameful, inappropriate

23 Whole Foods grocery workers tested positive for COVID-19

Washtenaw County teachers finding more success getting vaccinated for COVID
PHILIPSBURG:---On February 5th, 2021 Member of Parliament (MP) Claudius Buncamper sent a letter to the minister of Justice, the honorable Anna E. Richardson regarding Anguilla Boats entering St. Maarten. In his letter to the minister, MP Buncamper pointed that it had come to his attention that boats registered in Anguilla are picking up and dropping off passengers at the pier at the Simpson Bay ferry, while boats registered in St. Maarten and other boats are prohibited by Anguillan authorities from taking passengers to Anguilla or on day trips to the uninhabited islands around Anguilla, such as Prickle Pear. The MP asked the Minister of Justice if she was aware of this practice and if there were plans to rectify it. The Minister of Justice in her response of February 19th, to MP Buncamper outlined that the works to formulate a document to regulate such practice started in 20212 with former Minister of Justice, Roland Duncan and former Minister of Tourism, Romeo Pantophlet. The work was finalized in December 2013 when the then Minister of Justice, Dennis Richardson, and Minister of TEATT, Thadeus Richardson signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Chief Minister of Anguilla, Hubert Hughes, and Minister of Home Affairs, Jerome Roberts, regulating the operations of passenger vessels transporting persons between Anguilla and St. Maarten via the Ferry Terminal in Simpson Bay. Due to the global pandemic, the government of Anguilla implemented stringent travel restrictions and closed their ports of entry to all foreign vessels. This differed from St. Maartens travel restrictions after the border closure was lifted.

As Anguilla has always been classified as a low risk country to Sint Maarten based on the COVID19 infections rate, passengers arriving from Anguilla are allowed to enter and transit Sint Maarten without need to quarantine, whereas passengers going to Anguilla must pay a sum of US$300 to US$500 to enter Anguilla and quarantine upon their arrival as well as administer 2 negative COVID19 test before being allowed to discontinue their quarantine.

Conversations are being arranged with the government of Anguilla to revisit the terms of the current arrangements and identify how both countries will benefit.

This must be done in conjunction with the Ministry of General Affairs, The Ministry of TEATT, and the Ministry of Justice.

MP Buncamper inquired if country St. Maarten benefits from the revenues generated from these boat trips and was informed that prior to the COVID19 pandemic the ferries that operated at the Simpson Bay pier did not pay any daily fees to SLAC, and that such payments are not regulated in the national ordinance (regulating the rate for the use of berths at the piers, wharves, moorings, and mooring buoys and anchoring fees). The Minister further explained that there is currently interest in creating a Sint Maarten/Anguilla terminal, which will result in generating income for the government of Sint Maarten.

When asked how long this practice is intended to continue, the minister responded that the government of Sint Maarten will arrange a meeting with the government of Anguilla whereby dialogue will be held to identify a new agreement beneficial to both countries.
(@fidahassanain)

Pakistan Air Force is celebrating Surprise Day today on second anniversary of Operation Swift Retort to pay tribute to valiant Shaheens for their brave defence of the motherland.

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Feb 27th, 2021) Pakistan Air Force is celebrating Surprise Day today on the occasion of second anniversary of Operation Swift Retort, to pay tribute to valiant Shaheens' for their brave defence of the motherland while retaliating to Indian Air Force violation of its sovereign territories on this day in 2019.

The celebration ceremony of Surprise Day will be held at PAF Headquarters in Islamabad.

The Operation Swift Retort was a rapid response to Indian Air Force strike in Balakot obliterating Pakistan's airspace that had merely harmed a few trees and a wild Crow.

PAF had shot down two Indian fighter jets namely MiG-21 and Su-30 where the former's pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was caught by Pakistan Army after his safe ejection and falling into the Pakistani side of the line of control.

More than 300 girls have been abducted from a boarding school in northern Nigeria in the latest in a series of student kidnappings in the country.

Gunmen abducted 317 students from the Girls Science Secondary School in Jangebe town, Zamfara state, on Friday.

Local man Musa Mustapha said the gunmen also attacked a nearby military camp and checkpoint, preventing soldiers from interfering at the school.

The attackers spent several hours at the camp, but there are no reports of any casualties.

Police and the military have since begun joint operations to rescue the girls, Zafara state police spokesman Mohammed Shehu said.

Nasiru Abdullahi, who said his daughters, aged 10 and 13, were among the missing, told reporters: "It is disappointing that even though the military have a strong presence near the school, they were unable to protect the girls.

"At this stage, we are only hoping on divine intervention."

Several large groups of armed men operate in Zamfara state, described by the government as bandits, and are known to kidnap for money and for the release of their members from jail.

Peter Hawkins, Nigeria's UNICEF representative, called for the immediate release of the schoolgirls, saying: "We are angered and saddened by yet another brutal attack on schoolchildren in Nigeria.

"This is a gross violation of children's rights and a horrific experience for children to go through."

Nigeria has seen several such attacks and kidnappings over the years, notably the mass abduction in April 2014 by jihadist group Boko Haram of 276 girls from a secondary school in Chibok in Borno state.

More than a hundred of the girls are still missing.

Friday's attack came less than two weeks after gunmen abducted 42 people, including 27 students, from the Government Science College Kagara in Niger State.

The students, teachers and family members are still being held.

In December, 344 students were abducted from the Government Science Secondary School Kankara in Katsina State before eventually being released.

Story continues

And in 2019, a British aid worker, Faye Mooney, was killed by kidnappers in the country.

Anietie Ewang, Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch, said on Twitter: "Strong action is required from the authorities to turn the tide & keep schools safe."

Amnesty International also condemned the latest "appalling attack," warning in a statement that "the girls abducted are in serious risk of being harmed."

Teachers have been forced to flee to other states for protection, and many children have had to abandon their education amid frequent violent attacks in communities, Amnesty said.
Yes, along most or all of the coast

Yes, but only places where an entry fee can cover their cost

No, people can continue swimming at their own risk

Vote

View Results

Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Her indifference to terror is not news: India hits out at UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Feb 27: India has told the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that it has shown utmost respect to the protesting farmers.

High Commissioner at the 46th Session of Human Rights Council, Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey, Permanent Representative of India, said that the India has set a goal of doubling the income of farmers by 2024. The purpose of enacting three Farm Acts is to enable farmers to realise better price for their produce and enhance their income.

"The Government of India has set a goal of doubling the income of farmers by 2024. The purpose of enacting three Farm Acts is to enable farmers to realise better price for their produce and enhance their income. It will particularly benefit small farmers and offer more choices to those farmers who opt for them. The Government has shown utmost respect for protests by farmers and has remained engaged in dialogue with them to address their concerns," he also said.

Farmers not considering any option, will not cave until farm laws are repealed

"It has given impetus to socio-economic development, end decades of discrimination and combat cross border terrorism, which has been the key hindrance in full enjoyment of human rights by the people. We have restored grassroots democracy, through District Development Council (DDC) elections, and provided good governance through the 'Back to Village' initiative," he said.

India's response comes as Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that charges of sedition against journalists and activists for reporting or commenting on the farmer's protests.

"Given these developments, we were perplexed to note some of the comments by the High Commissioner. She appeared as oblivious of the enormous efforts made by my Government to address the challenges, as indeed of many of the factors driving these challenges," he further added.

Imran Khan says onus of further progress in ties on India | Oneindia News

He said the unprovoked violence on our Republic Day in the name of farmers' rights, apparently, left her unmoved. Her indifference to terrorism is, of course, not new. Objectivity and impartiality have to be the hallmarks of any Human Rights assessment. We are sorry to see that the High Commissioner's oral update is lacking in both.
100 per cent - we will be definitely running a candidate in Cork North West. So said Sinn Feins Munster Cuige administrator John Buckley as he spoke to The Corkman about the partys expansion plans in the constituency in which it failed to run a candidate in last years General Election.

Shortly after that poll, when candidates from the Social Democrats, Aontu and the Green Party between them almost polled a quota, Sinn Fein set about righting the wrong felt by many of the partys supporters who resented not having a flag bearer for whom they could vote in what was an election which changed Irelands political landscape.

Were planning to hold a convention soon to select a candidate - we will hold it online so we wont wait for the restrictions to end, said Mr Buckley.

He disclosed that a number of candidates were considering putting their names forward to be the partys nominee in the poll which may not be due, under normal circumstances, until 2024 or 2025 - but politics can change those circumstances.

One of the reasons for the absence of a Sinn Fein candidate cited by a party source during last years election count was the lack of a local organisation.

However, since his appointment as Munster party organiser, John Buckley has set about the work of reorganising the party in the province and, as part of this work, hes had a role in encouraging and facilitating the establishment of party cumainn in Cork North West.

Theres a long established cumann in Ballincollig and, since Christmas, a Sinn Fein cumann has been established in Macroom while, in the past fortnight, a cumann has had its inaugural meeting in Kanturk to cover the town and nearby villages. According to John Buckley the cumann stretches as far as Charleville though he anticipates that a new cumann may have to be established in Charleville in the not too distant future.

Theres a great deal of interest in the party locally, he said.

While he was reluctant to describe as regret the feeling of the party following last years General Election when Cork North West was not contested, he did say the party was aiming to upend the existing regime in the constituency which has been dominated by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael for a century.

When asked whether the party had any further plans for additional cumainn in the area, he said: Very much so!

I cant go into too much detail on the phone with you but there are plans for more cumainn in the area, right across the constituency.

A possible obstacle in electing a TD in Cork North West is the failure to elect a councillor in the most recent local election, the 2019 poll. Ronnie Morley was the last councillor from the area but he had been co-opted on to the council prior to that election as a replacement for Cllr. Des OGrady.

That said, many of the partys current crop of TDs had been defeated council candidates in the 2019 poll, an election which saw a halving of the partys council representatives across the country and the loss of two of the partys MEPs, Lyn Boylan, now a senator, and Liadh Ni Riada who is living and working the Muscrai Gaeltacht.

Ms. Ni Riada, who was the partys standard bearer in the Presidential Election in 2018 and had topped the poll in the European Election for Ireland South in 2014, is now living and working in Baile Mhuirne, right on the doorstep of sitting Fianna Fail TD, Aindrias Moynihan. She would appear to be a likely contender to stand for Sinn Fein in a future poll and in an interview for The Corkman last Summer she wouldnt rule out standing for Sinn Fein again.

John Buckley said she would be an outstanding candidate for the party.

Her proximity to Aindrias Moynihan might complicate her candidature should she decide to run but the party may also look to locating a nominee in Ballincollig where the vast bulk of the constituency population lives and which is not represented by a local TD at present.

John Buckley sounded an ominous warning to the current TDs. The old regime is finished - were seeing it right through the constituencies, theyre absolutely sick of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and you can throw Labour in with those too.

Those brave - or foolhardy - words may come back to haunt Sinn Fein if they fail to break Cork North Wests FF/FG hegemony. But they will definitely those parties on alert!
MASON CITY, Iowa  A violent beating is sending a North Iowa man to prison.

Jared Michael Kropf, 31 of Mason City, pleaded guilty to willful injury resulting in serious injury. Law enforcement says Kropf attacked a man on September 26, 2020, in the 1200 block of N. Washington Avenue. Court documents state the victim was beaten so severely he suffered three broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a broken nose, and a cut that required stitches.

Kropf has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
When Tuandria Smith-Chambers first heard that chunks of the iconic Charity Hospital building were for sale, she didnt hesitate.

The nurse practitioner remembers planning as a teen to go to nursing school in New Orleans and to eventually work at the hulking building on Tulane Avenue. But then came Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and with it, the closure of a hospital that had been a lifeline for thousands across the region.

Smith-Chambers ended up training under former Charity nurses at University Medical Center before working at West Jefferson Medical Center. But she rushed this month to buy pieces of tile from Charity to ensure she has, as she put it, "a piece of history."

"I got one piece from Room 4, and two pieces from the chapel," Smith-Chambers said.

New Orleans trauma surgeons battle gun violence, alcohol-fueled accidents alongside coronavirus At University Medical Center, trauma surgeon Dr. Patrick Greiffenstein cracks open rib cages to fish out bullets and plugs slashed arteries. H

Room 4 was the Charity emergency department's trauma activation room, she explained. "I'd like to think that a lot of the lives that were saved in Room 4 had to do with what happened in that chapel."

Smith-Chambers is one of generations of people with fond memories of a structure that over the next three years will be transformed into apartments, classrooms and retail space. The developers, a group known as 1532 Tulane Partners, have begun to sell pieces of the building, after a contractor began fielding questions last year from people interested in taking keepsakes from the storied, art deco-styled hospital.

Sinks, toilets, chunks of tile, marble and other materials have all been sold in recent months. A group on Facebook has become a clearinghouse for people wanting their own slice of the 20-story Charity.

The proceeds, for the most part, are going back into the $300 million redevelopment, said Joe Stebbins, CEO of 1532 Tulane.

"The whole thing with the marble sales was kind of a serendipitous thing," he said. "People were walking by and asking about it, and it was kind of like, 'Well, why not?'"

He hasn't directly kept track of how much money the sales have brought in since they began around Thanksgiving, but said it's "probably more than anybody would have thought."

The project quickly gained a life of its own. A nurse who moonlights as a jewelry designer began fashioning chunks of marble into pendants. Renee Oncale said Friday she's sold 30 pieces so far, many with fleur-de-lis symbols inlaid into the marble. She's got 40 others ready to go.

+9 LSU approves Charity Hospital redevelopment in downtown New Orleans; here's what's next Fourteen years after Charity Hospital in downtown New Orleans was shuttered after Hurricane Katrina, the last hurdle to its redevelopment has 

People have flocked to take home parts of the building because they remember its significance in the city, she said. "When I was in nursing school, I had some clinicals at Charity," Oncale said. "And what you learn there is just invaluable. Because they were the best of the best, and they train the best of the best."

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

Leigh Saleh moved quickly to buy a pendant after she saw them advertised on social media. It was a way to remember the story her mother and father told her about the day she was born.

Her dad parked in Charity's emergency zone on a Saints game day, and the vehicle was towed while her mom was in labor, she said, laughing. That's why she picked the pendant with the fleur-de-lis decoration.

"That's where I started my New Orleans story, was Charity Hospital," said Saleh, who now lives in Pensacola.

By 2024, the hospital will include about 390 residential units, plus retail shops. Tulane University will serve as its anchor tenant, renting space for student housing and offices.

The developer is in talks with a high school that could use a portion of the space, along with an early childhood learning center, Stebbins said. Parking will be in the building's basement.

The hospital's Art Deco exterior will remain the same throughout the redevelopment, though the interior will be eventually be gutted.

Home front heroes: Charity Hospital nurse cadets stepped in to fill dire shortage in WWII In difficult times, Americans have always banded together to face a common challenge. In partnership with the National WWII Museum, this weekl

City and LSU leaders hope the redevelopment will be a catalyst for a broader revitalization of the portion of the Central Business District that is near South Claiborne Avenue.

Michael Ganis, of CPM Construction Management, who is managing the sales, said a few hundred mementos have been sold so far. As the construction site gets busier in the coming months, people may have to arrange to pick up tiles or chunks of walls at a separate location, though the logistics of that havent been finalized.

Smith-Chambers considers herself lucky to get the pieces she did. She plans to put the tiles in a display frame on a shelf at home.

I really do feel like although I never got a chance to set foot in Charity, so much of the nurse practitioner that I am today comes from the knowledge of the nurses at Charity, she said. Just to walk into the building and go into the threshold, was pretty overwhelming.
The House passed President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus plan on Saturday in an almost party-line vote. This marks a significant step for the massive COVID-19 pandemic relief plan. It aims to provide financial aid for unemployed Americans, grappling families, schools, businesses, and the dissemination of COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 Relief Bill Passed

The vote was 219 to 212. Democrats pushed the measure over unanimous Republican resistance.

The House approval is one step closer to disseminating $1,400 stimulus checks to United States citizens. This will also extend financial assistance for unemployment through the summer. No Republicans voted for the package. Two Democrats voted against it, Jared Golden, D-Maine, and Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore.

This will send the measure to the Senate as Democrats race to pass it into law before bolstered unemployment payments expire in March. It is also a significant step toward enacting the White House's first major legislative priority in the midst of dueling public health and economic crises, reported Politico.

With the coronavirus relief plan's passage, Democrats are still searching for a way to revive their derailed drive to bolster the minimum wage. The measure embodies President Biden's push to transmit cash to individuals, businesses, cities, and states.

According to Democrats, the still-faltering economy and the half-million American lives lost entailed a swift and decisive response. Republican lawmakers were out of step with a public that polling exhibits largely in favor of the bill, reported WJHL.

The opposition of the Republicans underscores the razor-thin margins by which Democrats have to pass Biden's legislative agenda. This is a 50-50 Senate majority and 10 House votes.

Also Read: $1,400 Stimulus Checks to Be Voted on Friday, Gets Unprecedented Push

According to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) in a statement in support of the sprawling measure, "This is a situation that calls for bold action." He stated this is not the time for small actions and that the American Rescue Plan meets this moment. He added it would extend vaccines and testing, keep families in their homes, and ensure food is provided on their table. He also said it would help schools reopen safely because in-person learning is important and will help small businesses keep their doors open. He said that history would record who stood for rescue and recovery at this point and or who stood for a "pause," reported NY1.

The Senate is slated to take up the legislation next week. This is after the chamber's parliamentarian decided that Democrats cannot include a $15 minimum wage in the proposal due to budgetary concerns.

The Democrat lawmakers who did not vote in favor of the bill also opposed a $3 trillion bill last May that ultimately failed. According to Golden in defense of his decision, "During challenging times, the country needs its elected leaders to work together to meet the most urgent needs in their communities." He added the bill addresses urgent needs and then buries them under a heap of unnecessary expenditure, reported Fox News.

House Democrats kept the measure in their version of the legislation. It will be taken up again before Congress could transfer it to the White House for Biden's signature by mid-March.

Related Article: House Democrats Reveal a $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill That Includes Minimum Wage Increase

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
If you've wandered around San Francisco much, odds are you've seen a few fish on the ground.

For 14 years, street artist Jeremy Novy has been stenciling his signature orange and black koi (a subtle nod to the San Francisco Giants) throughout the Bay Area, and across North America. Nearly as ubiquitous as fnnch's honeybears or Ricky the Rat, the swirling groups of koi make a playful addition to SF's vibrant street art landscape. But it may serve as a surprise that in addition to stumbling onto them in the wild, you can actually commission some koi for your own property.

The design is inspired by a college trip Novy took to China to study ancient and contemporary art. On a long bus ride, he learned that during the Chinese cultural revolution, the government tried to phase out older belief systems like Buddhism and numerology by destroying any written evidence of them. That led artists from the time period to hide Chinese lucky numbers in koi paintings.

"Depending on how many koi were in a painting and what the title was, they referenced Chinese lucky numbers so that the history could never be lost. And it became this visual iconography in these scroll paintings," says Novy. "I relate that into my street art. Whenever I place them into the world, they have a different number combination that means something."

Novy's interpretation is that one koi is a symbol of perseverance, two represents "double happiness" or good things coming in pairs, and three shows the meaning of life. Four sounds like death phonetically in Chinese, so you'll rarely see four. Five is transformation, seven is about relationships or community, and eight is for good fortune.

"These are numbers and ideas that have existed for thousands of years in China," says Novy."I really feel that the smile that comes to people's face when they see [the koi]; these other things are somehow translated through by the image and number combination."

Novy has lived in and out of San Francisco since 2008, and moved back into the city in 2020 with a sense of optimism despite the pandemic. His work can be seen across the city on boarded up buildings, as well as in galleries like Voss in the Mission, and iconic street art spots like Umbrella Alley in Fisherman's Wharf. He also teaches stencil workshops and sells art through Etsy, but lately what's been keeping him most busy is custom work.

For a surprisingly affordable rate ($70), Novy will travel to your home and stencil a few koi on the ground, which unlike many street artists, he's happy to do in broad daylight. That's based on guidelines from the Department of Public Works and the San Francisco Police Department, which he says assert that his public art is legal, with permission from the property owner.

"For the most part, the city of San Francisco and the people here really do like the koi," he says.

... As long as those koi aren't in a group of four.

Advertisement

Almost a quarter of frontline NHS staff in London, including some doctors and nurses, have failed to accept the Covid jab, shock Government figures reveal.

An investigation by The Mail on Sunday today exposes how the drive to inoculate health workers has stalled amid an alarming vaccine hesitancy, particularly among some ethnic minority employees.

More than 41,000 frontline healthcare workers, which includes medics, hospital porters, cleaners and laboratory staff, have not had the jab in the capital, equivalent to 24 per cent of the workforce.

London is dramatically lagging behind the rest of the country, with only six per cent of staff across Englands six other regions having failed to take up the vaccine.

Medics elsewhere in the UK, including Dr Nighat Arif, (pictured) a GP in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, are taking part in a social media campaign, supported by the UN, which sees experts using TikTok to encourage vaccine acceptance

With thousands of frontline staff still unprotected against the virus, health officials fear the low vaccine take-up could derail the Governments timetable for lifting lockdown.

Misplaced safety fears, conspiracy theories and a mistrust of Government have been blamed for the hesitancy among some ethnic groups and those in deprived areas.

In a historic intervention, the Queen said last week that those who refuse the vaccine ought to think about other people rather than themselves.

But last night, a nurse at an NHS centre in South London told the MoS how five of her colleagues were refusing to have their jabs, saying: There is a proportion of staff who, despite it being easily accessible, dont want to receive it. I have been talking to some of our staff, but I havent been able to persuade anyone.

Last week, the MoS asked Englands 20 biggest hospital trusts, as well as 11 others in London, to detail how many staff have received the first dose of the jab.

We also asked for figures on how many ethnic minority staff had been inoculated.

All of the trusts refused to release the figures, with some suggesting that NHS bosses were blocking them from disclosing the information.

A spokesman for a major hospital in northern England said that under a national protocol it had to refer all media enquiries to NHS England for advice and agreement.

A source at a major London hospital added: All the trusts have to cede communications control to NHS England and so we arent able to operate in the way we normally would.

The MoS, however, understands that more than 4,700 health care staff at University Hospitals of Leicester Trust, equivalent to 25 per cent of the workforce, have not yet been vaccinated.

An alarming study released earlier this month revealed that while 71 per cent of white staff had received the jab, the figures fell to 58.5 per cent for South Asian staff and 36.8 per cent for black staff.

Professor Kamlesh Khunti, one of the lead authors of the study, said take-up figures are improving but that it would take time to win sceptics around.

The alarmingly low vaccination figures among London NHS staff is reflected in the take-up rate among the rest of the capitals ethnically diverse population (pictured: Dr Faith Uwadiae is using TikTok to spread positive vaccine messages)

He said: I had a Muslim individual who came in today and said he wasnt sure about it. We sat for about 15 to 20 minutes and I think I convinced him. Its a matter of time really.

He said there was distrust among some black staff because of historic cases of medical research abuse in the USA, while some both white and ethnic minority female staff have told him of unfounded fears that the vaccine could affect fertility. Thats come up quite a lot  that it might cause infertility.

Ive got a white young nurse I was talking to and she just wouldnt have it.

It emerged last month that while overall 80 per cent of staff at Guys and St Thomas hospitals in London had been vaccinated, the rate was around a quarter among black staff and lower still for Filipino staff.

Meanwhile, the Royal Free Hospital in North London, which admitted Englands second Covid-19 patient on February 9 last year, is understood to be planning to release a podcast which discusses the benefits of taking the vaccine, while staff who have received the jab are using social media to appeal for others to come forward.

Medics elsewhere in the UK, including Dr Nighat Arif, a GP in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, are taking part in a social media campaign, supported by the UN, which sees experts using TikTok to encourage vaccine acceptance.

Gunju Ogunbiyi, consultant colorectal surgeon at the Royal Free, said having the jab was a no brainer after he spent five weeks in intensive care last year, including three weeks on a ventilator, with Covid-19.

Writing on Instagram, he said: I know the reasons why members of ethnic minority communities may be suspicious, particularly within the Black community, but these concerns are unfounded.

Dr Sarah Afuwape, a psychologist at the same hospital, said she decided to have the jab to protect patients after initially delaying her decision.

I didnt get the vaccine immediately when I was invited, I waited about three weeks. I like to be well-informed and wanted to see what other information became available.

I work in a dialysis unit, our patients are not able to self-isolate as they need to come in for dialysis three times a week. Working in this environment was certainly part of my decision to be vaccinated.

The alarmingly low vaccination figures among London NHS staff is reflected in the take-up rate among the rest of the capitals ethnically diverse population.

Of the 24 local authorities in England with the lowest proportion of over-70s vaccinated so far, 23 are in London, according to an analysis of NHS data by the MoS.

Luton, which has a large population of Pakistani origin, is 18th worst and the only place on the list outside London.

Across England as a whole a stunning 95.9 per cent of over-70s had received their first dose of Covid vaccine by last Sunday, the latest date for which such detailed information is available.

An alarming study released earlier this month revealed that while 71 per cent of white staff had received the jab, the figures fell to 58.5 per cent for South Asian staff and 36.8 per cent for black staff (pictured: Dr Meenal Viz encouraging the vaccine on social media)

But in London the average was only 85.2 per cent. In 11 of Londons 32 boroughs, more than a fifth of over-70s had not received their first Covid jab by last Sunday.

Members of the Governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) fear that local Covid flare-ups could develop in areas with low take-up rates, even as most of the country becomes largely protected thanks to vaccination.

Dr Habib Naqvi, Director of the NHS Race and Health Observatory  which was established to identify and tackle the specific health problems facing people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds  last night said he was deeply concerned about low vaccine uptake among some NHS staff.

This is not just an individual decision but one that has wider implications for protecting the health of patients, loved ones and colleagues, he said.

An NHS spokesman said: All NHS staff in London have been offered the vaccine and vaccinating staff has progressed faster in the capital over the past week than in any other region.

Care bosses: We want No Jab, No Job

By Holly Bancroft and Mark Hookham

Almost three-quarters of care providers want to impose a no job, no jab policy, it emerged last night.

A poll of 194 providers carried out by employment law firm Royds Withy King discovered that 73 per cent would like to make Covid vaccination a condition of employment for new staff, unless they had a good reason to refuse, such as pregnancy.

It comes as new NHS figures revealed that more than a quarter (28.5 per cent) of staff in care homes have not received the vaccine  despite the high risk faced by residents.

Alarmingly, the Royds Withy King survey found that a fifth of care providers are operating with more than 40 per cent of their workforce unvaccinated.

In another positive sign that Britain could be nearing the end of its pandemic nightmare, more than 19.6 million people have had their first dose of the Covid-19 jab - a rise of 504,493 on the previous day, data up to February 26 shows

Some providers, including Care UK which runs more than 120 homes, have already required its staff to be inoculated.

Barchester Healthcare, which runs more than 200 homes, told staff last week that they had until April 23 to be vaccinated unless they had a good reason not to be inoculated.

Almost 6,000 care home workers in Wales have not had their first jab, despite having been prioritised in the vaccination programme.

Mario Kreft, chairman of Care Forum Wales, which represents nearly 500 independent providers, said it was clearly sensible that care homes should be allowed to refuse to recruit anybody who has not been vaccinated. He added: Some homes are doing incredibly well; weve heard stories of 100 per cent take-up, but others are struggling.

It only takes one person to bring one of the new strains of the virus in to vulnerable people.

Mark Cunningham, chief executive of Heathlands Village, a residential care provider in Manchester, said that about 84 per cent of his 350 staff had been vaccinated  significantly higher than the national rate.

The hospital consultant who says: I dont need it

By Mark Hookham

A senior consultant at a major London hospital is among the NHS staff who have turned down the Covid vaccine, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The medic, who asked to remain anonymous, said he has already had the virus and is sceptical about vaccines.

His controversial views are out of step with the vast majority of scientists and medical professionals, as well as overwhelming evidence about the effectiveness and safety of Covid jabs.

But they illustrate the challenge the NHS faces in winning around its entire frontline workforce.

The consultant said he wants to see more evidence to convince him that the vaccine will be more effective than his own natural immunity.

Those who are a bit reluctant say, Do you know what, I have had Covid, I have survived it and Im going to take my chances on my own immunity,  he said.

And thats kind of where I am at the moment. Im not anti [vaccination], I just dont know if it is going to be a massive benefit for me compared to my own immunity.

The NHS, however, is clear that vaccination offers the best protection against coronavirus.

And Public Health England research has found that while people who contracted Covid are likely to be protected against reinfection for months, they may still carry the virus in their nose and throat and could therefore spread it to others.

The consultant said he has not come under any pressure from bosses to have the jab and has been careful not to discuss his scepticism with colleagues.

As a consultant you are OK. They offer you the vaccine but there is no you cant come to work unless you have it. Its a bit like religion. You have got to be so careful in talking to people about vaccines because they will just say, Ah, youre an anti-vaxxer.

All the conspiracy theorists were saying last year that we would be in and out of lockdown until the vaccine comes  and then we will be forced into health passports. And its all coming true.

He said he may take up the vaccine if it means he can travel abroad. Maybe come May or June time when I find I cant travel, then I might just get the vaccine, he added.

Jonathan Van-Tam said some parts of the UK were still 'burning hot' with high infection rates - places in dark blue on the map have the highest number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people

GP: My receptionist just wouldnt listen

In a stark illustration of the problems that the NHS is facing, a GP has told of his battle to persuade one of his surgerys receptionists to have the jab.

The doctor works at a busy group practice in the South of England which is co-ordinating vaccinations for the local area.

She said that she didnt want to have it, the GP said. So one evening I sat down with her and talked through her concerns for 20 minutes. I explained all about how rigorously the vaccine had been tested, how safe it was and how important it was that as many people as possible have it.

Not to mention the fact that she was working at a surgery where we are seeing lots of elderly and vulnerable people every day.

But there was just no convincing her. She told me the vaccine was something foreign and she didnt want it going in her body. And that was the end of that.
Copperas Cove, TX (76522)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 64F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Locally heavier rainfall possible..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 64F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Locally heavier rainfall possible.
The Ukrainian side intends at a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on March 3 to discuss the recent situation in Donbas, when Russian occupation forces are intensifying shelling and blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid from international organizations to the uncontrolled territory.

"The Ukrainian side notes that the shelling of settlements, blocking humanitarian convoys, the shelling of infrastructure facilities to create a humanitarian catastrophe, intensifying the shelling of the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which the occupying forces have been resorting to recently, testify to the attempts of their leadership to artificially complicate the situation on the front line and use this complication for political speculation," the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG said on Telegram.

"The Ukrainian side has sent appropriate notes to the OSCE SMM and intends to raise this issue for discussion during the next TCG meeting, which is expected on March 3. We are also waiting for the corresponding reaction of the partner states and the leadership of international organizations," the report says.

In addition, the Ukrainian side in the TCG informed that 11 trucks with UN humanitarian cargo, which the Russian forces did not allow to enter the territory not controlled by Ukraine, were sent to Severodonetsk.
Warming may promote spread of invasive blue catfish

A study by researchers at William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science suggests that continued warming of Atlantic coastal waters may enhance the spread of invasive blue catfish within the Chesapeake Bay and other estuaries along the U.S. East Coast.

The research, by Drs. Vaskar Nepal and Mary Fabrizio of VIMS, appeared in a recent issue of PLOS ONE. It builds on an earlier study by the two authors showing that blue catfish can better tolerate salinity spikes than most freshwater fishes, and thus may be able to expand their range downstream into mainstem Chesapeake waters, and from there into new Bay tributaries and even Delaware Bay. "Blue cats" were introduced to tidal freshwater stretches of the James, York, and Rappahannock rivers during the 1970s and 1980s to enhance recreational fisheries. They feed on vegetation, mollusks, and fishes, often out-competing native species such as white catfish. Their continued spread thus concerns fisheries managers.

The pair conducted their latest study to investigate the combined, long-term effects of salinity and temperature on catfish health and behavior. Nepal, now a post-doctoral research associate at VIMS, says "By manipulating both factors, we were able to address an important knowledge gap and more closely simulate real-world conditions, where salinity and temperature can and do vary over a range of time scales." East Coast estuaries are warmer and typically saltier during summer; colder and fresher during winter and spring. Their heat and salt content can also vary on shorter time-scales during rainy spells, drought, heat waves, or cold snaps.

The researchers studied the combined effects of salinity and temperature by monitoring the health and behavior of 160 juvenile blue catfish divided among two duplicate sets of eight tanks, each set with four levels of salinity (1, 4, 7 or 10 practical salinity units) and two temperature levels (54 F or 72 F). The salinity treatments represent a range from largely fresh (1 psu) to moderately brackish (10 psu) waters, as found in many Bay tributaries. The temperatures are typical of Chesapeake Bay waters occupied by blue catfish during winter and spring. All tanks and fish were monitored inside the VIMS Seawater Research Laboratory for more than three months.

Nepal and Fabrizio assessed how the eight salinity and temperature combinations affected the fish's growth, body condition, body composition, and food consumption. Their results show that warmer water temperature has a positive effect on the biology of blue catfish under salinity conditions often encountered in estuarine waters.

"At salinities up to 7 psu, mean growth rate, body condition, and consumption rates were all higher at 72 degrees than at 54 degrees," says Nepal. "We measured the highest growth and body condition at 72 degrees and 4 psu." Warmer, fresher waters--as projected by climate models in the future Bay due to increased trapping of heat and enhanced precipitation--would thus appear to favor the spread and establishment of blue cats.

The average rate at which blue cats consumed their food did decline significantly at salinities greater than 9 psu. This was not unexpected, as that is the internal salinity of most freshwater fishes. When bathed in waters saltier than their own internal tissues, fish must expend considerable energy to prevent osmosis from driving bodily fluids into the surrounding water. That extra energy expenditure decreases the fish's overall health. In Nepal and Fabrizio's experiments, blue catfish held at 10 psu showed low consumption rates, slow growth, and low body condition.

Fabrizio, a professor and chair of the Fisheries Science Department at VIMS, says "Habitats with salinities higher than 9 psu likely will not support the full life-cycle of blue catfish, but the fish may use salinities up to 10 psu for foraging, dispersal, and even growth."

"Many brackish habitats along the U.S. East Coast may thus be vulnerable to invasion by blue catfish," says Nepal, "particularly given increasing temperatures due to climate warming."

"Given these findings," he adds, "state and regional management agencies should pay close attention to habitats at these salinities, especially in areas that provide nursery habitat for native species of conservation concern."

Sea-level rise promises one bright spot for those concerned with the spread of blue catfish. "Our rising seas are projected to bring saltier waters farther up our estuaries and tributaries," says Nepal. "This salinity intrusion may serve to limit dispersal between tributaries and form discrete subpopulations of blue catfish that are only connected during periods of high freshwater flow."

###

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.


Baku, Feb 27 : Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has lauded China for upholding the Covid-19 vaccine supply commitment, as he expressed concern over an apparent disparity in global vaccine distribution.

"Despite all the statements about solidarity and combined efforts against the coronavirus, in practice, we see that the picture is completely contrary. For example, some countries buy vaccines three or four times more than they need ... This means that someone (else) would not (be able to) receive the jab," he said on Friday.

Azerbaijan joined COVAX, a multinational vaccine-sharing initiative backed by the World Health Organization, at the very beginning when it was launched, Aliyev said.

Noting that "Chinese partners have remained true to their commitments," the President said his country has yet to get any of the other vaccines it needs to receive, Xinhua reported.

He said that Azerbaijan has yet to receive AstraZeneca-Oxford, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Moderna vaccines under the initiative. "And we are not even told when we will get it," he added.

Azerbaijan kicked off the nationwide immunisation programme in January, with the use of the CoronaVac jab developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac.

Ibrahim Mammadov, a spokesman for the Cabinet of Ministers, said earlier this week that more than 207,000 Azerbaijani citizens had received their first dose, while more than 35,000 people had been inoculated with the second dose.
Virtual reality-style goggles that let doctors 'see' inside the body can spare patients with facial tumours from disfiguring paralysis.

The goggles reveal the exact layout of delicate nerves surrounding growths, helping surgeons avoid damaging them during surgery.

About 30 UK patients have already been among the first in the world to benefit from the cutting-edge technology  and thousands more could follow if the procedure is rolled out across the NHS in the next few years.

The goggles, which are fastened via a strap around the surgeon's head, are being trialled at University College London Hospital, where experts are deploying them as a treatment for parotid tumours.

Virtual reality-style goggles that let doctors 'see' inside the body can spare patients with facial tumours from disfiguring paralysis

These are abnormal lumps that grow on the parotid glands, which are located in front of the ears and produce saliva.

Parotid tumours are thought to affect about 5,000 Britons every year. The vast majority of tumours  at least 80 per cent  are benign. And although they can grow quickly, they do not spread to other parts of the body.

It's not clear what causes them. Smoking could be a risk factor and scientists are also investigating whether they can be inherited.

Your amazing body Colours can appear differently, depending on the position of your body. Scientists have shown that if you lie on your left side and shut your left eye, colours are slightly different in shade compared to if you shut the right eye and keep the left open. This is because lying on the side causes more blood to rush to the left side of the head, eye and body, improving the quality of signals sent between that eye and brain. This enhances the image projected from the eye to the brain. Try it for yourself and see if you notice a difference Advertisement

But surgery to remove them is potentially dangerous as the glands are intertwined with the main facial nerve, which controls all the movements in the face.

With conventional surgery, more than a quarter of patients suffer some facial paralysis that leaves them unable to close the eye on the affected side, or move their lower lip to speak, eat or drink properly.

Most regain complete feeling and movement after a few months. But in one in 50 cases, the damage is permanent.

The problem is that as the tumours grow, they displace the normal anatomy, so that the tiny nerve fibres are not necessarily where they should be.

This means surgeons have little or no idea where they are until they cut into the surrounding tissue, increasing the risk of them accidentally damaging or severing the facial nerve.

The new technology, called HoloLens, has been shown to reduce the injury rate from almost a third to as low as seven per cent.

Developed by software giant Microsoft, it works by producing a hologram through the high-tech headset.

The hologram is a 3D 'real-life' image that is projected in the line of vision of whoever is wearing the headset, allowing them to move it from side to side, up or down or completely rotate it, using a paired remote controller.

The goggles, which are fastened via a strap around the surgeon's head, are being trialled at University College London Hospital, where experts are deploying them as a treatment for parotid tumours

Nasa scientists have been using the technology to recreate a digital version of Mars, while some police forces use it to reconstruct crime scenes for further examination.

For facial surgery, the patient first has a detailed MRI scan of the tumour site. The scans are so precise that they can pinpoint the location of nerve fibres not much thicker than a human hair.

A radiologist then uses software to enhance the image, so the path that the facial nerve follows is clearly visible for the surgeon cutting out the tumour.

Weird science: Some people are allergic to water Roughly 35 people in the world are known to be allergic to water. Officially called aquagenic urticaria, the condition does not affect sufferers ability to drink water but causes unsightly rashes when the skin comes into contact with it. Having a quick shower, face wash or even just tears running down the face can result in an eruption of itchy, red patches  a bit like a stinging-nettle rash. Experts remain unsure as to exactly what the immune system views as a threat. Some suggest it could be an extreme sensitivity to some of the compounds, such as calcium, that naturally occur in water. Advertisement

This image is uploaded to the hologram goggles, allowing the surgeon to plan the operation in advance.

Software is in development to allow medics to project the tumour image directly on to the body itself during surgery  further improving accuracy.

'Until now, performing this surgery was like being a blind person trying to find the edge of a cliff in a snowstorm,' says Professor Mark McGurk, a surgeon who has pioneered use of the technology in head and neck cancer.

'You wouldn't find out where things were until you started the operation. Now, with the hologram headset, I can do a dress rehearsal the day before and work out a line of approach before we even start.'

However, the technology is not currently paid for by the NHS. All of the procedures at UCLH have been funded by the Head and Neck Cancer Foundation, a charity Prof McGurk helped establish.

Katherine Williams, a married grandmother-of-two from Worcester, was one of the first people in the world to benefit. The 66-year-old sought help in 2019 after noticing a lump either side of her left ear.

Her GP prescribed antibiotics in case it was due to an ear infection. But when that failed, she was referred for a biopsy, which confirmed she had a parotid tumour.

Although it was slow-growing and non-cancerous, Katherine, a flying instructor, said: 'I could feel it all the time and was worried that if it got any bigger it would be a much more complicated operation. So I contacted Professor McGurk for a second opinion.'

She had the hologram procedure in December and says: 'I consider myself very lucky. Without it I probably would have had nerve damage and could possibly have been disfigured.

'As it is, the scars are minimal and hidden in my hair, so nobody will even know I've had anything done. My advice to others is always seek a second opinion.'
WASHINGTON (AP)  U.S. health advisers endorsed a one-dose COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson on Friday, putting the nation on the cusp of adding an easier-to-use option to fight the pandemic.

The acting head of the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement that the agency will move quickly to follow the recommendation, which would make J&Js shot the third vaccine authorized for emergency use in the U.S. Vaccinations are picking up speed, but new supplies are urgently needed to stay ahead of a mutating virus that has killed more than 500,000 Americans.

After daylong discussions, the FDA panelists voted unanimously that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks for adults. Once FDA issues a final decision, shipments of a few million doses could begin as early as Monday.

Theres an urgency to get this done, said Dr. Jay Portnoy of Childrens Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Were in a race between the virus mutating  and new variants coming out that can cause further disease  and stopping it.

RELATED: Here's where you can get vaccinated in Texas

More than 47 million people in the U.S., or 14% of the population, have received at least one shot of the two-dose vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, which FDA authorized in December. But the pace of vaccinations has been strained by limited supplies and delays due to winter storms.

While early J&J supplies will be small, the company has said it can deliver 20 million doses by the end of March and a total of 100 million by the end of June.

J&Js vaccine protects against the worst effects of COVID-19 after one shot, and it can be stored up to three months at refrigerator temperatures, making it easier to handle than the previous vaccines, which must be frozen.

One challenge in rolling out the new vaccine will be explaining how protective the J&J shot is after the astounding success of the first U.S. vaccines.

Its important that people do not think that one vaccine is better than another, said panelist Dr. Cody Meissner of Tufts University.

The two-dose Pfizer and Moderna shots were found to be about 95% effective against symptomatic COVID-19. The numbers from J&Js study are not that high, but it's not an apples-to-apples comparison. One dose of the J&J vaccine was 85% protective against the most severe COVID-19. After adding in moderate cases, the total effectiveness dropped to about 66%.

RELATED: Can't get the COVID-19 vaccine? Sign up for a trial

Some experts fear that lower number could feed public perceptions that J&Js shot is a second-tier vaccine. But the difference in protection reflects when and where J&J conducted its studies.

J&Js vaccine was tested in the U.S., Latin America and South Africa at a time when more contagious mutated versions of the virus were spreading. That wasnt the case last fall, when Pfizer and Moderna were wrapping up testing, and its not clear if their numbers would hold against the most worrisome of those variants.

Importantly, the FDA reported this week that, just like its predecessors, the J&J shot offers strong protection against the worst outcomes, hospitalization and death.

While J&J is seeking FDA authorization for its single-dose version, the company is also studying whether a second dose boosts protection.

Panel member Dr. Paul Offit warned that launching a two-dose version of the vaccine down the road might cause problems.

You can see where that would be confusing to people thinking, Maybe I didnt get what I needed, said Offit, a vaccine expert at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Its a messaging challenge.

J&J representatives said they chose to begin with the single shot because the World Health Organization and other experts agreed it would be a faster, more effective tool in an emergency.

Cases and hospitalizations have fallen dramatically since their January peak that followed the winter holidays. But public health officials warned that those gains may be stalling as more variants take root in the U.S.

We may be done with the virus, but clearly the virus is not done with us, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said during a White House briefing Friday. She noted that new COVID-19 cases have increased over the past few days.

While its too early to tell if the trend will last, Walensky said adding a third vaccine will help protect more people faster. More vaccines are in the pipeline.

'IT JUST SHOCKED ME': Houston man survives double lung transplant after 4-month COVID-19 battle

On Sunday, a CDC panel is expected to meet to recommend how to best prioritize use of the J&J vaccine.

Other parts of the world already are facing which-is-best challenges. Italys main teachers union recently protested when the government decided to reserve Pfizer and Moderna shots for the elderly and designate AstraZenecas vaccine for younger, at-risk workers. AstraZenecas vaccine was deemed to be about 70% effective in testing. Canada became the latest country Friday to allow use of AstraZenecas vaccine.

___

AP reporters Carla K. Johnson and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report.

___

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.
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.
After portraying his villainous character in the drama "Flower Evil," Lee Joon Gi surprised his fans as he graced the March issue of The Star Magazine.

The pictorial took place in one of the famous and beautiful places in South Korea, Jeju Island. More than just the photoshoot, the actor impressed the members of the production with his amazing horseback riding skills despite the years gap since the last time he had an experience riding a horse. He learned how to ride a horse when he portrayed the character of Wang So in the hit 2016 Korean drama "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo."

Lee Joon Gi Enjoyed Working and Taking a Rest while in Jeju

After the photoshoot, the 38-year-old actor sits with the magazine team for an interview. Lee Joon Gi began by expressing it was his first time to revisit Jeju Island after almost 10 years due to his busy schedules.

He went on, "It feels like I am seeing a fresh and new atmosphere right now. Jeju becomes more beautiful and magical."

The "Lawless Lawyer" star went candid that because of the magazine shoot, he was able to work and rest at the same time.

Because of his portrayal in the 2020 drama "Flower of Evil" alongside actress Moon Chae Won, Lee Joon Gi was lauded for his acting performance. According to him, "I am beyond grateful to receive lots of love and praises. To be honest, the drama (Flower of Evil) left a big impact on me because it was my first time in a while that I had done a heavier character that still had a warm and soft side."

The actor added that he is carefully looking over the scripts and thinking of what characters and projects he'll do next.

Lee Joon Gi expressed, "For now, I don't know what project I will be doing next, but I hope that I can give people happiness, comfort, and hope through a good story that has lots of inspiring and uplifting messages behind it."

Meanwhile, when asked if he has a spring bucket list, Lee Joon Gi said, "Before Covid-19 happened, I was not that interested in traveling. I am worried that traveling alone would make me lonelier."

The actor continued by saying that every time he travels abroad to meet his international fans was one of the happiest trips for him.

The actor said, "Now that there are a lot of restrictions due to the current situation, and traveling seems impossible, I started to miss people and wanted to freely wander in the different parts of the world."

He also shared that if the situation improves, he would love to have a trip on his own and do the things he wasn't able to do before.

Lee Joon Gi Talks about His Personal Struggles and How Much He Values Himself

Lee Joon Gi shared how he manages to face his personal struggles, saying, "I spent time thinking about all the things that gave me the opportunities and people who helped me to get to where I am today. I always remind myself that before anything else, I need to value myself."

Before the interview ends, the Korean heartthrob shared some words of encouragement and talked about how grateful he was to his fans:

"We are all having a difficult time. But for me, not being able to meet my fans was one of my struggles today. That's why, this 2021 I want to give them more joy through exciting and good projects. I hope I can meet you all again and spend precious memories with you (fans). I will be forever grateful for your never ending support. See you all soon!."

What kind of drama genres do you want to see Lee Joon Gi in next? Let us know in the comments!

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars.

Kdramastars owns this article.

Written by Shai Collins
Ciaran McMenamin doesn't read reviews of his work which is a shame as his new novel The Sunken Road has been launched to widespread critical acclaim.

Hailed by critics as "astonishing", "tremendous" and the author himself as being "an exceptional talent", McMenamin is chuffed when told about the reaction but insists he learnt some time ago as an actor not to read reviews.

It's negativity that he can't stand and so much so that he shut down all of his social media accounts a few years ago - a massive step for anyone in the spotlight.

But the Fermanagh man insists his life is so much richer for it: "I learnt over the years as an actor to not look for the reviews unless someone sent me one and friends tend to only send you the good ones.

"It's bad enough as an actor when you're criticised but I'm very happy to hear that what people are saying [about the book] is positive.

"I binned social media a couple of years ago. I came off it as an experiment as I don't think it is good for your mental health and it is the best thing I've ever done.

"I wrote my book in half the time than if I had of still been on Twitter as it really allowed me to focus.

"You need to be mentally armed and happy to be able to stare at that [Twitter] all day. I think it was George Clooney who said that for people in the public eye to be on Twitter is insane.

"I didn't personally suffer any abuse on it but I would have fallen into the trap of getting into arguments with people. "Social media is full of angry people and it gives people a platform which they normally wouldn't have and that can be a good thing or be really negative.

"I just found it all wore me down and since I came off it, it's like a weight off my shoulders."

It's a refreshing and somewhat brave approach especially as he launches a new book and social media is no doubt a powerful platform for promotion. Ciaran is just relieved that his publisher agrees with his viewpoint and he lives in hope that the powerful modern day influence of social media will have dimmed by the time his two-year-old daughter Marnie is old enough to go online.

He says: "They are now of the opinion that self promotion is a negative thing and you are better off letting your agent take care of it. "I think deep down most people don't like talking about themselves.

"Social media just puts pressure on people and especially girls on Instagram who feel the pressure to look good.

"My wife is an actress and people keep asking her why she is not on Instagram because as an actress she is expected to be on there.

"Our daughter Marnie is two and we have these chats as parents about her being 14 and going online and we have the view that hopefully by then it will have died out."

Expand Close The Sunken Road has been launched to widespread critical acclaim. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The Sunken Road has been launched to widespread critical acclaim.

Ciaran (45) from Enniskillen is a graduate of RSAMD and has worked extensively as an actor in film, TV and theatre. He is perhaps best known for his title role in David Copperfield and for his award-winning turn in Saving the Titanic.

He married fellow actor Annabel Scholey (36) in a romantic ceremony in Lusty Beg in Fermanagh in 2017 and the couple settled in South East London. Annabel is also well-known as an actress having played Lauren Drake in the supernatural drama Being Human and more recently Nina in the hit BBC drama The Split. Although now focused on writing after the success of his debut novel Skintown in 2017, Ciaran continues to act and is due home to Northern Ireland in the spring to film a new series.

Currently though he is thrilled to launch his second novel The Sunken Road which was released on February 18. A powerful story of love, loyalty and obsession set during World War One and the Irish War of Independence, it means the world to him that one of his own favourite writers William Boyd has endorsed it. Boyd said of it: "Ciaran McMenamin confirms his exceptional talent with this admirably powerful and authentic novel about the First World War and the struggle for Irish independence. Tremendous.'

The story is centred round the main characters Francie, Archie and Annie who grew up playing together in the hills and rivers of Fermanagh.

But in 1914, the boys are seduced by the drama of the war in Europe and leave the village to join up. Before they leave, Francie swears to Annie that he'll keep her little brother safe. Six years later Francie is hiding out in the barn of Annie's house. He hasn't seen her since that day. He's on the run, a wanted man in the war for independence that is still igniting along the border. And the British officer who is obsessively pursuing him is his old commander from the Western Front.

To reach safety Francie will need Annie's help getting over the border, and that means he'll have to confront the truth about why Archie never came back. McMenamin took inspiration for the book from family stories which as a boy had fascinated him growing up. While the story is loosely based on what he unearthed about his relatives during extensive research, the characters themselves and the story are pure fiction.

He explains: "I spent a year just doing the research and it has two separate stories which I wrote separately and then edited together.

"My grandfather fought in the Battle of Pettigo and Belleek during the Irish War of Independence which is something I was always aware of but didn't know much about.

"My great grand uncle John Ferrie walked into the village one day in 1915 to buy creamery cans in Omagh and never came back.

"He must have used the money to get the boat to England.

"He joined the British army and died in France and no one knew why he decided to go, so I did a lot of research on him and found that he had joined the Coldstream Guards which you have to go to England to do.

"I just found it fascinating trying to imagine what his journey was like. "He came from a classic Irish Catholic family when the assumption at the time might have been that he would have been forced against his will [to join up] but he went of his own free will and I suppose at the time for a Catholic to join the British Army, there was some shame in that.

"He died in France, blown up by bombs the Germans had planted under the trenches in no man's land. "The book is historical fiction inspired by both stories."

As with Skintown, the film rights for The Sunken Road have already been sold. Ciaran is thrilled that both of his stories will make it onto screen: "We have a really great producer and director in Brian Kirk for The Sunken Road and

I will be working on the script for it. "Kieron J Walsh of Blinder Films in Dublin is another great director who is working on Skintown and it's good to go now and they should be starting filming in the next year or two." While he admits that writing is now his passion, he hasn't completely given up on his acting career. After almost a year of lockdown he is looking forward to getting back home to film a new BBC series called Hope Street in April, May and June.

He says: "It is being filmed around Donaghadee and Bangor and is about a made-up seaside town. I enjoy writing but I do miss people and the craic so I am looking forward to it."

He has also missed frequent trips home to see his mum and dad and two sisters during the past year. However with a lively two-year-old in the house, he says there was never a dull moment: "When people have asked me what I did in lockdown I say 'potty training'.

"It has been joyous too with Marnie. I don't think there is a good age for this scenario but given the choice I would rather have a two-year-old than an eight-year-old and the pressures of home schooling. "It is young people I really feel for, teenagers and people in their early 20s. They won't ever get that time back."

Marnie is no doubt the apple of her daddy's eye and even at two she is showing some signs of following in her parents' creative footsteps. Ciaran beams as he describes his daughter: "She is full of beans and she is always singing and dancing.

"My sister bought her a piano and microphone for Christmas and she is like Elton John sitting in the corner playing it. She is good craic and full of energy." Like most people, he is looking forward to things getting back to normal and says he is relieved his father and mother have both had the vaccine. He adds: "I go home a lot as I love to fish in Fermanagh so hopefully by the summer we all can look forward to getting back to some sort of normality and I can get back home to see my family."

The Sunken Road by Ciaran McMenamin, published by Harvill Secker, is available now.
A Virginia police officer was shot and killed by a driver during a traffic stop before he could get out of his patrol vehicle.

Officer Dominic 'Nick' J. Winum, 48, had stopped suspect Dakota Richards at around 3.30pm on Friday when the 29-year-old stepped out of his car and opened fire.

Winum died instantly while Richard fled before officers found him hiding in a barn.

He made a 'threatening movement' and was shot and killed, according to Virginia State Police. It was unclear what led up to the traffic stop.

Officer Dominic 'Nick' J. Winum, 48, had stopped suspect Dakota Richards at around 3.30pm on Friday when the 29-year-old stepped out of his car and opened fire

The scene of the fatal traffic stop in Stanley, a small town of around 1,689 people in central Virginia

Richards' body will be taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner, CBS19 reported.

Winum had been with Stanley police since 2016. Before that, he was a state trooper.

The local police department are now mourning Winum's death.

'Since joining our department in 2016, he proudly served and protected the Stanley community,' Chief Ryan Dean said in a statement posted to Facebook.

'I know the Stanley and Page County community are keeping Nick and his family in their prayers during this most difficult and tragic time.'

Winum (right) receiving an award from a colleague. He had served for five years

Co-workers and local people left flowers in tribute to Winum outside Stanley Police Department

Local people left tributes for the officer under the Facebook post.

Danielle Newcombe Horvath wrote: 'Praying God holds all of you, his family, friends, and co-workers in his arms during this difficult time. We are all with you.'

Casi Lee Zirk said: 'I'm so sorry for this immense loss! Praying for the police department and the citizens of this sweet community!'

And Joyce Virginia Henderson added: 'Prayers for you all my heart breaks for his family and friends Nick was a good man a wonderful cop and a kind person he will be remembered as this and a hero in our community Prayers comfort and understanding over this horrible tragedy.'
announced its approval of the use of the Covid-19 vaccine co-developed by the University of Oxford and on Friday, clearing the way for millions of more inoculations in the country.

" Covid-19 Vaccine is indicated for active immunisation of individuals 18 years of age and older for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019," said Health in its news release.

"The efficacy of the vaccine was estimated to be 62.1 per cent. Overall, there are no important safety concerns and the vaccine was well tolerated by participants," it added.

Canada, which began to assess the submission from and Oxford University for safety and efficacy since last October, has secured access to 20 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine before July, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The approval follows that of Pfizer and Moderna, both of which also require two doses.

Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines based on mRNA technology, AstraZeneca uses more conventional viral vector technology.

One major advantage is in logistics. The shot can be stored and transported at normal refrigerated temperatures, unlike its leading mRNA-based competitors, which require ultra-cold storage.

Health said it has no immediate safety concerns for those 65 and older.

France has restricted the vaccine to people under the age of 65 despite the World Health Organization's insistence that the product is safe and effective for all age groups.

As of Friday morning, more than 1,729,203 doses of approved Covid-19 vaccines have been administered across Canada, according to Health Canada.

Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government was "very confident" that it would meet its end-of-September goal of vaccinating every Canadian who wants to be inoculated.

Canada has a population of nearly 38 million.

--IANS

int/rs

(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.)

Through its volunteering activities at la Casa de las Mercedes over the years, members of Oliver Wymans Mexico City office noticed that the girls and young women receiving assistance from la Casa would greatly benefit from stronger English language skills to bolster the very minimal lessons they receive at public schools. The girls had questions and an eagerness to learn English so that they would be equipped to pursue professional careers that would enable them to financially sustain their families.
President Joe Biden was focused on several concurrent crises when he visited Houston Friday.

The White House planned the visit so the president could survey the damage caused by the recent winter freeze and the resulting breakdown of Texass electrical grid. After meeting with federal, state, and local officials at the Harris County Emergency Operations Center, Biden went to the Houston Food Bank, where first lady Jill Biden had helped volunteers pack boxes of canned peaches, and then traveled to NRG stadium to tour the mass vaccination site that federal officials opened Wednesday.

But several hundred miles away, in a dusty corner of Dimmit County, another crisis is unfolding, which also merits Bidens attention. The Biden administration on Monday opened an emergency facility for migrant children in Carrizo Springs  the first such facility to be opened since Biden took office last month, and almost certainly not the last.

The development caused consternation among Democrats, many of whom were galvanized into action by images of children kept in jail-like conditions at facilities along the southern border during the Trump administration as a result of its infamous family separations policy.

This is not okay, never has been okay, never will be okay  no matter the administration or party, tweeted U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York City Democrat.

What the actual f? asked Cesar Espinosa of FIEL Houston.

Conservatives, too, were confounded by the news that minors were being held en masse again at the Carrizo Springs camp, which briefly housed migrant children in 2019. That wasnt at all a popular move when former President Donald Trump was behind it.

Weve seen some photos, now, of containers, said Peter Doocy of Fox News at a White House press briefing Wednesday, referring to the shed-like manufactured buildings at the camp, which originally housed oil field workers. Is there a better description  is it kids in containers instead of kids in cages?

Quite different, explained the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki.

Let me give a broader description of whats happening here, she said. We have a number of unaccompanied minors, children, who are coming into the country without their families. What we are not doing  what the last administration did  is separate those kids, rip the arms from their parents at the border. We are not doing that. That is immoral.

We only have a couple of choices, she added, explaining that the Carrizo Springs facility is run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, rather than Customs and Border Protection. The aim is to release minors to HHS custody within 72 hours of their apprehension  a standard that was not met, in all cases, during the recent winter weather disaster.

When the issue came up on Air Force One, as Biden made his way to Texas Friday, Psaki again defended the administrations decision to open the Carrizo Springs facility.

I would describe it as a shelter, said Psaki, according to pool reports.

That might be a bit euphemistic. Detention is detention, and its never an ideal situation for children. But, according to advocates, camps such as the one at Carrizo Springs may be the least bad available option for minors in such a difficult situation.

Just in general, detention is not really a good idea under the pandemic, but still, there needs to be a process by which people can safely be routed to a better place, said Ruby Powers, a Houston-based immigration attorney.

That cant be rushed, she continued, when youre dealing with minors, who need to be released to sponsors  in most cases, a relative already in the country: They need to make sure theyre put in the right hands, not with just anybody; they need to be screened for health, mental, and physical issues.

The overarching issue is that the recent rise in apprehensions of unaccompanied minors  a reflection of the hope migrants have for more humane treatment under the new administration  is likely to continue. According to a report this past week on the Axios news site, officials are preparing for up to 13,000 children to arrive in May, as warmer weather makes it safer to travel from the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.

The problems that were happening in the Triangle did not go away with COVID, did not go away with Trump, said Powers. People are just looking for hope for their children.

Under Trump, whose presidency was defined by anti-immigrant rhetoric and orders, such hope was hard to come by. Biden, a moderate Democrat who vowed to take a different approach to immigration on the campaign trail, revoked some of his predecessors more draconian executive orders on the subject on his first day in office, and also called on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. And the new administration has ended the Remain in Mexico immigration policy that left many asylum seekers living in dirty, dangerous camps along the border; migrants are now allowed to cross and remain in the U.S. pending asylum court hearings.

The opening of the camp at Carrizo Springs this week isnt a sign of hypocrisy, on Bidens part. Rather, its a reminder of the urgency of the situation.

erica.grieder@chron.com
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP)  Police are searching for suspects after discovering a 14-year-old boy shot to death in a Davenport yard this week.

The Quad-City Times reports that someone found the body of Jamon Winfrey on the ground Thursday afternoon and called police. Investigators believe the shooting happened a day earlier, when police were called to the area for a report of shots fired. Police believe that three vehicles were chasing after one another Wednesday afternoon, with shots fired from at least one of the vehicles.

At the time, investigators found only shell casings in the area, but no damage or injuries. Now, police believe Winfrey was shot in the incident.
Some Tema Residents on Friday expressed divergent positions on calls for a review of retirement age for public service workers from 60 to 65 years This was proposed by Mr Mahama Ayariga Member of Parliament for Bawku Central.



Some Tema Residents on Friday expressed divergent positions on calls for a review of retirement age for public service workers from 60 to 65 years



This was proposed by Mr Mahama Ayariga Member of Parliament for Bawku Central.



Mr Yusif Alhassan, ex-soldier of the Ghana Armed Forces, touted the recommendation stressing, I think if the person is 60 years and strong and can work why not, he can be considered and be at post for the extra five years.



He however expressed concerns about age-cheating during the point of entry into the employment circles, some people reduced their ages before entering, official records indicate that the person is 55 years, but because one cannot cheat nature, where they used wrong age, so at age 55 the person is weak, looked sick and so on, then have to be retired.



Mr Alhassan, who is a student Minister of the Presbyterian Church, Prince of Peace Congregation, Community 2 therefore proposed that the recommendation should not be holistic, but conditional and optional.



Mr Edward Tetteh Debrah, a retiree, supported the recommendation, but suggested that measures should be put in place to ensure that people enter the public service with accurate age.



He said there were some retirees who were strong but idling in the house, wasting the energy, if given the privilege they would be productive to the nation.



Mr Debrah however noted that the Army and Police have age limit, which they depend on when applying, you might have the job all right, but during training one will be exposed and cannot cheat nature.



Mrs Vivian Owusu-Darko who is in active service, said the longer on the job, the more experienced the person becomes which is good for the job; we must therefore use the last five years between 60 to 65 years to tap from the men and women of experience.



Experience has nothing to do with academic qualifications, it is what a person has gathered from the job, trainings, meetings, solving problems and other encounters over the years.



It must not be taken away simply because the person is 60 years old, the organization must pull-out what it invested in the person before they finally leave at 65.



The youth on the contrarily told the GNA that the old folks are blocking our employment opportunities so when they hit 60 years, must give way for fresh modern ICT inclined, with youthful zeal to take over.



They described the senior citizens as old manually operated vehicle on the speed lane on the motorway, they cannot compete with the fast automatic modern carsthey impede the flow of traffic.



In this fast advancing technological world, Ghana needs the youth to build the country, in any case we give the elders the opportunity, they have finished the race and must hand over the button at age 60 not 65.



Mr Ayariga during the vetting process by the Appointments Committee in Parliament of the Minister-designate for Labour and Employment suggested, that the retirement age should be revised from 60 to 65 years for persons in the public service of Ghana to include; the prisons, Immigration, Fire Service, Judicial Service, Ghana Education Service among others.



He stated: I am sponsoring a bill which is proposing that we should amend the 1992 Constitution to extend the compulsory retirement age from 60 to 65.



We can also say that there should be a contract after 65, but the compulsory retirement age should be 65 instead of 60.

He said some sections of the 1992 Constitution provided some persons in some public services the opportunity of a five-year contract after retirement.



Article 190 of the Constitution sets out the public services of Ghana; prisons, Immigration, Fire Service, Judicial Service, Ghana Education Service, all those services and [Article] 191 says that the retirement age is 60.



Compulsory retirement age is 60 and there was an amendment to [Article] 191, which enabled five-year contract to be given to a retiree subject to certain conditions.



And also, judicial officers, Article 148 deals with judicial officers and [Article] 150 also says that judicial officers must retire at age 60. There is no amendment that gives a right to contract after age 60, he said.



The reason for this initiative according to him stems from Ghanas present life expectancy, which is 64.42 years and can be attributed to the provision of better healthcare.



Because in 1992 when we set the retirement age at 60, the life expectancy was 57.46 years. Today, life expectancy in Ghana due to improvement in health and infrastructure is 64.42 years.



We are losing a lot of experienced, healthy and capable people in the public service to retirement, he added.



Meanwhile, Minister-designate for Labour and Employment, Ignatius Baffour Awuah said thorough analysis must be made before passing a law to that effect.



If you are looking at the sustainability of pension when you have a shorter working period, it does not really augur well for the health of your pension scheme. When people stay more and work, they accumulate more funds; they are able to retire on a handsome pension than when their working period is short, he said.



He said review of the retirement age must address the pros and cons associated.





Source: GNA









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

Featured Video
The court said, the SEC was given the responsibility to conduct elections, and hence it was up to it to resume the suspended elections and fulfill its constitutional mandate.

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has allowed the State Election Commission to go ahead with the holding of urban local body polls as per schedule. The court dismissed a batch of petitions challenging the latters order to resume the conduct of polls on Friday.

A single judge bench headed by Justice D.V.S.S. Somayajulu heard the batch of petitions.

The court observed that Rule 7 conferred the power to the SEC to modify or alter the election programme for urban local bodies for valid reasons. The prevalence of Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant administrative issues were a valid reason for the SEC to defer the polls.

Moreover, the court said, the SEC was given the responsibility to conduct elections, and hence it was up to it to resume the suspended elections and fulfill its constitutional mandate.

The petitioners challenged the notification issued by the SEC on February 15 to resume the election process for municipal corporations and municipalities/nagara panchayats. The SEC had earlier issued a notification, on March 9 last, for conduct of polls and then deferred them due to the Covid-19 pandemic, on March 15.

Senior counsel Vedula Venkata Ramana argued that the SEC was not having the power, on its own, to either postpone the election or resume the election process.

Advocate general N. Ranga Reddy informed the court that the Supreme Court did not interfere with the postponement of the elections and said the postponed elections would need be resumed in consultation with the state government.

SECs counsel Ashwani Kumar said the Supreme Court approved the order of the SEC to resume the deferred the election process.

Earlier, the SEC issued a notification resuming the conduct of elections to 12 municipal corporations and 75 municipalities and nagar panchyats from the time of commencement of withdrawal of nominations on March 2, 2021. Date of polling is March 10 from 7 am to 5 pm and counting on March 14 from 8 am.
During a second day of legislative hearings on the states deadly outages last week, natural gas industry officials fought back against the notion that they were to blame, saying they lost critical power to fuel their pumps at the moment when it was needed most.

Power generators have testified that some of their plants went offline because they lost the gas pressure they needed to run. Meanwhile, natural gas operators and regulators have blamed loss of power to their facilities for problems delivering the fuel.

Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have made weatherization of the states power system a priority for this legislative session, and lawmakers continually asked questions during the hearings Thursday and Friday about how to make that a reality.

But it quickly became apparent that the natural gas industry, historically opposed to suggestions they equip their facilities for extreme weather because of the high cost involved, had identified an alternative problem and solution.

FAILURES OF POWER: Critics say Abbott appointees gutted enforcement of Texas power grid rules

Grant Ruckel, vice president of government affairs at pipeline company Energy Transfer, testified that the biggest failure during the disaster was cutting power to gas pipelines, many of which are not listed as essential services, a designation made for hospitals and other critical infrastructure.

About half of the gas pipelines use electricity in their compressors, about half use natural gas in compressors and a few use diesel fuel, said Christi Craddick, chair of the Texas Railroad Commission, which oversees the oil and gas industry.

How could we let those compressors be part of the blackout if there is a process for critical load and essential services? said Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D-Brownsville. How did that slip through the cracks and then allow generation plants to fail? That is just baffling to me.

Craddick said she was not aware before this week that operators could register as essential services through the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, known as ERCOT.

I didnt know that was an opportunity. Wed never been told that as an agency, to my knowledge, Craddick said. I will say we had a phone call (with ERCOT), and they said, Weve got a form. It took me 30 minutes myself, knowing that there was a form sitting there, to find it. So I think better communication (is needed) to understand that.

Some larger operators may have been aware, she said, but many small operators werent. By Tuesday afternoon, she had operators emailing and texting her coordinates of their facilities to try to get power restored.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Craddick questioned the need to require winterization of natural gas wellheads that froze because one-size-fits-all is always a challenge for us. Some may already do it, she said, but she could not provide any examples of operators that had.

If youre a prudent operator, to me, you would look at how you safely weatherize or do smart things with your facilities, she said.

Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil and Gas Association, also opposed a weatherization mandate.

Different systems have different needs, and it would be such a complex process to regulate what winterization means at the midstream level, the upstream level, Staples said.

State Rep. Joe Deshotel, D-Beaumont, floated the idea of requiring natural gas pipeline operators to keep backup power systems. Craddick said she didnt think the agency had the authority to mandate it, so later Deshotel proposed a state tax credit.

Deshotel said he had asked generators how many plants would have gone down if they hadnt lost gas pressure, and the answer was only a couple.

Were taking away that big excuse that generators are saying, We couldnt get the gas pressure because they couldnt deliver, Deshotel said. That would be gone.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, the benefits of weatherization were coming into view. Tom Hancock, assistant managing director at Garland Power and Light, said his utilitys internal fuel supply remained stable throughout last week, and attributed that to changes it made after the freeze in 2011. The company installed heated coils around its pipes and purchased other heating devices.

Hancock said he still needs to buy natural gas from the open market during the crisis, and the price of that gas rose from about $3 per cubic foot to as much as $500 per cubic foot. Terry Naulty, assistant general manager at Denton Municipal Electricity, said their expenses for gas went up to $700 per cubic foot.

Would you consider it an exorbitant price? asked Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio.

It was the price I had to pay, Naulty said. We were going to do whatever it took to keep the lights and heat on for our citizens.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com

jeremy.blackman@chron.com
Tehran, Feb 27 : Iranian minister of health and medical education Saeed Namaki said on Friday that Iran will turn into a major Covid-19 vaccine producer in the next Iranian spring which begins on March 20, official IRNA news agency reported.

"With the continual efforts of the Iranian youth, we will become one of the largest (Covid-19) vaccine hubs in the world in the next spring," Namaki said.

"Based on the plan, we will vaccinate vulnerable groups by spring," Namaki said, adding that and "we will hopefully be able to control the situation by utmost observance of health guidelines." On February 9, Iran started nationwide vaccination campaign against Covid-19 using Russia's Sputnik V jabs, the Xinhua news reported.

Iran's Health Ministry reported 8,103 daily Covid-19 cases on Friday, raising the total nationwide infections to 1,615,184.

The pandemic has so far claimed 59,899 lives in Iran, up by 69 in the past 24 hours, said Sima Sadat Lari, the spokeswoman for Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education, during her daily briefing.

Of the newly infected, 592 were hospitalised, said Lari.

A total of 1,379,922 people have recovered from the disease and been discharged from hospitals, while 3,720 remain in intensive care units, she added.

According to the spokeswoman, 10,734,379 tests for the virus have been carried out in Iran as of Friday.

Iran announced its first cases of Covid-19 on February 19, 2020.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Months after the Galwan Valley Clash, the actual details of the dead PLA troopers have been announced as four dead. This is contrary to the Indian estimate of 45 fatalities which Beijing denies up to now.

Last February 19, Chinese state media officially said that four of their soldiers died in the clash. This number, according to sources is not the actual but 45 instead.

Clash in the Himalayan Highlands

On June 15, 2020, at the Galwan Valley border, the fatal encounter ensued, and India says that 45 Chinese soldiers were killed. Until now, this is disputed by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), reported the Epoch Times.

Relative peace was kept for forty years at the China-India border in the Himalayan high country. Last June 20, the violence exploded, starting tension all over the border, the promise of new hostilities and bloodshed looms closed.

Soon after the bloody clash between Indian and Chinese forces, the Indian Army reported that 20 of its troopers were slain in the engagement. But China has kept its silence for eight months after the incident, ending on February 19.

An on-site video reveals in detail the four #PLA martyrs and other brave Chinese soldiers at the scene of the Galwan Valley border clash with India in June 2020. https://t.co/hSjP3hBnqr pic.twitter.com/g6zNpT1IrX  Global Times (@globaltimesnews) February 19, 2021

Both armies were in a standoff for several months in more than one location, along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that runs along the Ladakh region. The area is located in the Himalayan high country, when on February 10, both forces started disengagement from points on the LAC.

Military and government officials on both sides say they are leaving points in the disputed border. This is to start releasing tension from the Galwan Valley Clash to keep the conflict further escalating.

Also read: Border Flashpoint Between India and China Shows Chinese Camps Emptying in Satellite Images

Confusing death tolls

On February 17, the Indian General Officer Lt. Gen. YK Joshi released a statement about how many Chinese died. He told News18 India that China does not want to admit that it lost about 45 PLA members on the bloody plateau. Stressing that Chine got shamed with 45 killed, compared to 20 Indian Army service members.

For eight months, all the families of the Chinese soldier slain in the Galwan clash. They added that their relatives served in the PLA. But, Beijing is ignoring the reports and not revealing how many actually died on June 15. Although on February 10, the Russian TASS news outlet released a report that 45 was the death toll.

According to Yao Cheng, a former navy officer who talked to overseas Chinese-language radio Sound of Hope last February 23, he has information of the deaths. His unrevealed sources told him that the number of graves counted was 40, as those who died. Although some count 42 tombs in all, close to 45, it is very close to Indian Army claims.

He added both Delhi and Beijing choose to withdraw draws for practical reasons. Internationally either side has issues like Biden's flip flop on China that is not reassuring. Next is China needs more troops for more important concerns.

Yao says that several numbers were given on the death toll of the PLA. He added that 42 is the right one, with more than one source citing it. It must be noted that Beijing will always underreport the real number. According to the PLA, the Indians attacked first in the Galwan Valley Clash, but the other side says China did.

Related article: India's Commandos Ready to Face Martials Trained Chinese Army

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.


The Banteer Drama Group was established in 1990 by Seamus O'Keeffe, Dan Duggan, and Denis O'Connell who, while chatting over a pint came up with the notion of staging a play.

They gathered a group and produced two one act plays in the local Community Centre. Although the group was drawing capacity crowds to the centre, they realised that it was not the most suitable venue for drama, and began seeking a new home for the group.

Needless to say, the Drama Group settled in to their permanent home after the Glen Theatre opened in 1996.

The Banteer Drama Group has travelled to many places down through the years, in its first season, the group toured 'The Field' around the county, performing in Banteer, Killavullen, Doneraile, Cloghroe, Glanmire and Dromtarriffe.

Since then there have been many national and international trips with performances in Charleville, Castlelyons, Scartaglen, Listowel, Effin, Rossmore, Haulbowline, Leitrim, Armagh, Newtownards, London, Manchester, Luton, Bournemouth and High Wycombe.

The Drama group has also been a great supporter of charities and fundraisers, with proceeds from their plays benefiting numerous local causes over the years.

Expand Close The Cast of Banteer Drama Group's 2014 production of Wedding Fever. Photo: Sheila Fitzgerald / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The Cast of Banteer Drama Group's 2014 production of Wedding Fever. Photo: Sheila Fitzgerald

Drama Group Chairman Tadhg O' Keeffe sets the stage for the twice yearly productions that are eagerly anticipated by so many people.

"We were ready to go with our 2020 Spring Play 'The Maiden Aunt' and actually sold out for the Saturday and Sunday nights on the week we decided to close," Tadhg told The Corkman.

"It was hugely disappointing for all the cast who had put in so much work. I would be concerned about the prolonged closure because it's difficult to keep a group together and 12-months is a long time of not being on stage," he said.

An added disappointment both for the cast and audiences was the cancellation of 'The Cause', a play chronicling the burning of Cork penned by John Deady, a Banteer native now living in Douglas.

"We had rehearsed this great play during the summer months with a cast of seven when lock down was lifted, it was due to run last autumn on the centenary of the burning but of course had to be cancelled due to continuing restrictions," said Tadhg.

In anticipation of a brand new chapter in 2021, 'Don't Dress for Dinner' is on the groups spring drama menu.

For now, like everything else, it's on hold.

However, Tadhg indicated that this play and also 'The Cause' will also be staged when life returns to normal.

The Glen Theatre will reach its significant 25th Anniversary milestone in November and both Rory, Tadhg, and everyone involved in the running of this popular venue are looking towards a brighter dawn.

"We hope to be up and running by then and we'll be delighted to welcome all our patrons back for a feast of drama and music," said Tadhg.

Gilbertsville Man Charged with Sexual Abuse

By West Kentucky Star Staff

GILBERTSVILLE - A Gilbertsville man was arrested Friday, charged with multiple counts of first degree sexual abuse.The Marshall County Sheriff's Office reports that John W. Feagin was arrested as the result of an investigation that was opened Thursday.Warrants were issued for Feagin on Friday and he was taken into custody without incident.No bond decision has been set at this time.
Why study in Canada? ANALYSIS: A spotlight on post-graduation Canadian immigration options. Michael Schwartz Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

A

It should hardly come as a surprise that Canada ranks third in the world for numbers of international students, with our world-class educational system, friendly and welcoming culture, French and English learning options, and favourable living costs.

In fact, many new Canadians start their path to citizenship through post-secondary education. What begins as a search for adventure can end in falling in love with Canada.

By encouraging immigration schemes that support international students, Canada gains highly educated, productive members of society who make our country better by contributing to academia, working at our best firms, serving as doctors, science, etc. There are many reasons why, barely a year ago, Canada ranked third in the world for most international students, with more than 642,000 attending Canadian post-secondaries. Three major drivers for these numbers include: a world-class system of universities and colleges; a welcoming environment; and tuition and living costs favourable in comparison to the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Studying and working in Canada

There is tremendous value to studying in Canada. International student graduates can be eligible for work permits and immigration programs that lead to permanent residence.

Find out if youre eligible for Canadian immigration

While studying-full time in Canada on a valid study permit, students can work up to 20 hours per week during the school year, and full-time on scheduled breaks. After completion of a post-secondary program, graduates can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). These permits, which are valid for at least eight months and may last for up to three years, allow a great degree of freedom in working legally in Canada. PWGP holders can choose to work full-time, or part time. They have the option of working for themselves or an employer. Perhaps most importantly, they are exempt from the requirement of the Labour Market Impact Assessment. This exemption means that the employer does not have to first prove that there is no Canadian citizen or permanent resident available to take the job.

Pathway to permanent residency

Being an international graduate of a Canadian post-secondary institution is also valuable for gaining coveted permanent residency in Canada. Each of Canadas ten provinces has at least one immigration stream dedicated to the recruitment for permanent residence of foreigners who recently graduated from institutions in a Canadian province. Many provinces have more than one; Manitoba has three and British Columbia has four. Many streams are very broad in their focus while others are targeted for graduates with training in specific areas, such as natural or applied sciences. There are also pathways for those with entrepreneurial ambitions. Some programs are designed for specific levels of education like a Masters or Ph.D.

International students who want to immigrate through the Express Entry system can get an advantage for having Canadian work experience. Express Entry is a points-based application management system for Canadas three main federal permanent economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class. Candidates can get extra points toward their immigration application for having skilled work experience in Canada.

Why international students make excellent candidates for immigration to Canada

There are many good reasons why federal and provincial governments should prioritize the nomination of international students. International students who graduate from Canadian institutions, generally have many of the qualities that Canada values most in economic immigrants. These attributes include: Canadian study or work experience; high educational attainment; and relative youth. Studying in Canada also demands and develops strong skills in English or French, another key to gaining permanent residency and succeeding in Canada.

Such individuals, by their very nature, generally have many of the qualities, in addition to Canadian study and/or work experience, that Canada values most in its economic immigrants, particularly: high educational attainment; relative youth; and, strong proficiency in English and/or French. Research has identified each of these factors as promoting immigrant integration and success in Canada.

Continuing to welcome international students

Hosting international students is clearly a priority for Canada, and this year has been an excellent test case for finding innovative solutions to bureaucratic hurdles.

The federal government has invited post-secondary institutions to develop quarantine plans for arriving international students. If the government approves the institutions plan, it can welcome new international students. The federal government has also modified some of the rules regarding international students to accommodate people who through no fault of their own are currently unable to be physically present on campus. For example, distance or online learning normally cannot qualify as study for the purposes of a study permit or PGWP. The government has relaxed this rule to not penalize students away from campus due to COVID-19, and to make it clear that Canada still values them and hopes they will return when the situation stabilizes.

IRCC has also relaxed deadlines for PGWP applications and renewals. Circumstances have changed, but Canada remains committed to welcoming the learners of today and Canadians of the future.

Conclusion

Whether you are a Manitoba graduate with a job offer in the province, an Ontario Ph.D. graduate looking to settle permanently, or an International Graduate Entrepreneur seeking to build a business in Nova Scotia, study in Canada can be not only the start of an exciting and enriching educational experience, but also the launching pad to building your life in Canada.

Find out if youre eligible for Canadian immigration

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
When the Turkish government announced May 20 that it would launch a next generation fact-checking platform to counter misinformation on social media, the first reaction from the governments critics was ridicule.

A great app  get a reply from the government so that you know for a fact that the opposite is true, tweeted one user. Can Okar, a widely followed Turkish user based in Switzerland, tweeted an imaginary scenario: "An inquiry such as 'Let me check the presidents statement that Turkey has $95 billion reserves [while] all the economists say theyre gone' would yield the reply, '[The app] says those economists are terrorists and so are you for even asking.'

Turkeys Communications Directorates announcement of the new application was also followed with several sardonic references to George Orwells Ministry of Truth or Nazi propoganda minister Joseph Goebbels.

But for members of the media, the state stepping in to fact-check is no laughing matter, particularly in light of the moves of the government to control online platforms and tighten the grip on dissident media whenever they publish views, information or figures by nongovernmental sources.

With more than 80% of the traditional media in the hands of pro-governmental owners who toe the government line, Turks turn more and more into online news outlets and to social media for their information. According to a 2020 report by the American Progress Center, some 70% of Turks distrust the media and more than half believe that the media is not free. More and more Turks go online for their news, but they do not necessarily trust what they see there either. A 2019 survey by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found that 63% of Turks were concerned about false information on the internet. Part of the source of fake news is pro-governmental troll accounts that exploit national sentiments, sprouting hate speech toward Kurds, LGBTI+ and other minority groups, attack dissident voices or defame journalists. In June 2020, Twitter took down some 7,000 accounts from Turkey  a move that was reacted angrily by Fahrettin Altun, head of the Communications Directorate.

Dogru mu? [Is it true] is at testing stage and will be available on iOS and Android, Altun said, describing it as a means to counter lies and fake facts and one of our robust tools in the fight for the truth.

According to Altun, the app will deal with information online rather than specifically with news, but this is a blurred line.

At least two-thirds of the information we see online comes from a news source, Faruk Bildirici, a veteran journalist, told Al-Monitor.

If you want to see what a government-controlled fact-check would look like, take a look at TRT1s program What is the Truth? said Bildirici, referring to one of the channels of Turkeys public broadcaster that is under strict control of the government.

[This app] is likely to present everything that official sources say as true and anything else as false, Bildirici who previously worked as the ombudsman of Hurriyet daily until it was sold to pro-government Demiroren group.

Whats the Truth, an evening program on TRT, mainly focuses on news from Turkeys independent press and counters criticism of government policies or claims of corruption, overspending or suppression of rights and freedoms. The three-minute clips quote official statements, but hardly ever resort to independent sources or ask other parties involved to explain their side or support their claims.

A striking example is its fact-checking of the news that an official local governorate in Istanbul banned a play in Kurdish last October. The TRT clip denies that the play was banned because it was in Kurdish and trashes attempts to show this as government policy against Kurdish language and culture.

Under the Turkish law, it is perfectly legal to stage a play in Kurdish, Arabic or any other language, but illegal to carry out propaganda of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the voice-over in the program explains authoritatively, quoting statements from both the governors office and the Interior Ministry. However, it sheds no light on just how the play  which is the Kurdish translation of Nobel-laureate Italian playwright Dario Fos 1978 play Trumpets and Raspberries, carries out propaganda for the PKK  which Ankara and many other Western capitals consider a terrorist organization.

Neither does it make any reference to statements by the director of the play, Nazmi Karabas, who explained that the play was a direct translation of Fos play and that it has been staged across Turkey with no such charge since 2017.

It is yet too early to say what the new app would look like, said Can Semercioglu, communications director of Teyit.org, one of Turkeys most widely used fact-checking sites, along with DogrulukPayi.org and malumatfurus.org.

Teyit.org, established in 2015, is one of the two fact-checkers in Turkey that is part of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFNC), which has a largely accepted methodology on verifying. Teyit.org currently provides services to Facebook on accuracy of news and information from Turkey, which sometimes put the group at odds with Turkish media.

As a rule, states getting involved in fact-checking is a worrying development, Semercioglu told Al-Monitor. There are certain standards and principles of fact-checking, such as transparency on policy and funding.

Semercioglus view is shared by Baybars Orsek, director of Florida-based IFNC at Poynter Institute, who told the BBC Turkish Service that IFNC supports fact-checkers to adopt an editorial policy that is transparent and keeps its distance from political actors. Government projects are unlikely to meet those standards, he said.

For traditional journalists, the fact-checking of news should be done by the media organ itself with an in-house ombudsman and by the Press Council. The state trying to check the accuracy of the news by comparing them to its own official statements seems Orwellian, journalist Yusuf Kanli, director of European Union-funded Media4Democracy project, told Al-Monitor. Most of the time, it is the unreliable figures  from played-down numbers of COVID-19 patients to the number of the unemployed  that are the cause of false news. Unfortunately in Turkey, in-line ombudsmans in most papers are unable to function as papers owners bow to the government line and the Press Council has lost its teeth and capabilities.

Candan Yildiz, editor of online news website T24, told Al-Monitor, The best way to check accuracy of news is at the source  meaning in-house, by a well-trained editor. An external, non-journalistic group checking facts opens the path to other controls in the long run. And now the government steps in with a new application to fact-check. What next?

Yildiz penned a column Feb. 15 where she questioned the fact-checking criteria of Teyit.org. Both she and T24 Editor-in-Chief Dogan Akin accused Teyit.org of repeatedly ignoring false reports and fake news from pro-government media. Teyit.org, in turn, denied the claims of bias but announced that it has modified its reporting process after some oversights pointed out by T24. The fact-checker also says that it would create a new body, made up of journalists, academics and ombudsmans, to work better with online media.




This issuance took place in a challenging context after having overcome a short period of political instability, which later led to greater tranquility in financial markets and allowed the government to take advantage of windows of opportunity relying on good financing conditions.





Last November, Peru issued a total of US$4 billion by placing three new references in dollars, the 2032 Global Bond at a coupon rate of 1.862%, the 2060 Global Bond at a coupon rate of 2.78%, and the 2121 Bond Global at a coupon rate of 3.23%.





The placement of the bond over 100 years represented the longest-term bond ever issued in the country (the longest bond at the time was the 40-year bond) and in the world, at a minimum historical rate for that term.





Likewise, the coupon obtained for the 12-year bond was the lowest coupon for a dollar offer from a Latin American sovereign issuer.





Success





The success of the operation was motivated by the great demand from global investors, which amounted to around US$15 billion.





This made it possible to reduce the initial rate levels announced for the transaction and reflected the confidence of global investors in the macroeconomic fundamentals of the Peruvian economy, in the long-term prospects and the responsible management of public finances.





The demand came mainly from foreign investors, with a 93% participation.





The distribution of demand by region was 44% coming from investor accounts in the United States, 32% from Europe, as well as 24% from other regions such as Asia, North America, and Latin America.





The issuance responded to the need for financing at a competitive cost taking advantage of the windows of opportunity in financial markets, with the aim of financing expenses related to the prevention and containment of COVID-19, as well as the economic reactivation and care of expenses foreseen in the Public Sector Budget for the Fiscal Year 2020, in accordance with the approvals contained in the Urgency Decree No. 051-2020.









This issuance took place in a context of considerable uncertainty in global markets and with the beginning of the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.





The LatinFinance award was the outcome of a highly competitive process that includes various factors which influence the success of an operation, focusing on the Latin American capital market.
(Reuters) - McDonald's Corp is exploring selling part of Israeli artificial intelligence startup Dynamic Yield Ltd, which it acquired two years ago in an attempt to boost online marketing efforts, the company said on Friday. Dynamic Yield, run as a standalone company within McDonald's, personalises customers' experience by changing offerings on the chain's Drive Thru menu displays, according to time of day, weather, customer traffic and trending choices. The startup, whose customers include IKEA and Lacoste, has businesses with more than 300 brands ...
A third COVID-19 has moved one step closer to receiving emergency use authorization in the U.S.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administrations advisory group voted 22-0 on Friday, Feb. 26, in favor of granting emergency use authorization for the vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson.

The FDAs Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee determined that the vaccines benefits outweigh its risks if used in adults. The group features independent health and vaccine experts.

Now its up to the FDA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to authorize and recommend the vaccine for emergency use. The federal offices previously approved the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines within three days of receiving the recommendation from the FDAs advisory committee.

If granted, the J&J would be the third vaccine available in the United States to immunize against COVID-19. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines received emergency use authorization in December.

The J&J vaccine has two big advantages over the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines: It requires only one shot instead of two, and can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures for at least three months. The other two vaccines require storage at much lower temperatures and the Pfizer vaccine requires special freezers.

The downside of the J&J shot is that it wont boost vaccine supplies significantly right away. Only a few million doses are expected to be ready for shipping in the first week.

39% of Michigan seniors have gotten COVID-19 vaccine; see numbers in your county

Earlier this week, an analysis of Johnson & Johnsons data from clinical trials conclude the Johnson & Johnson vaccine protects against COVID-19 and is safe to use.

The report said the vaccine is about 66% effective overall at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, paving the way for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to grant emergency use authorization within the week.

The analysis also found the vaccine has a 86% efficacy rate against severe forms of Covid-19 in the United States, and 82% in South Africa. The effectiveness in South Africa is particularly significant because that country is experiencing a worrisome COVID-19 variant.

Early study results showed no hospitalizations or deaths starting 28 days after vaccination.

The analysis indicates the vaccine was safe, with noticeably milder side effects than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and without any reports of severe allergic reactions like anaphylaxis.

Read more on MLive:

Grocery store workers were once front line heroes, now they cant get a vaccine

For Michigans older population, navigating vaccination options is complicated

Dont fall for this this COVID-19 vaccine phone scam making the rounds in Michigan

Unchecked national security wont stop Americas long-standing domestic terrorism threat
Police say two men remain in custody assisting officers with their enquiries. (Niall Carson/PA)

Four men arrested by police investigating a large gathering of loyalists in east Belfast have been released, the PSNI said.

The men, two aged 53 and one 34 and one 36, were arrested on Friday on suspicion of terrorism and other offences.

The 34-year-old man has been charged with possession of a Class A controlled drug and is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court on Saturday morning.

As part of the investigation into the incident, officers carried out several searches in east Belfast on Friday.

Police have linked the February 2 gathering in Pitt Park, off the Lower Newtownards Road, to the East Belfast UVF.

The PSNI said investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Dr. Sherri Tenpenny is an American osteopathic physician who is making some disturbing claims about the dangers to human health from the new vaccines being produced by companies such as Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZenica  dangers she predicts will manifest themselves over the next three to six months or so.

These mRNA vaccines contain instructions for building antibodies to the spike protein that has been identified on the surface of the COVID virus. On her website, vaxterr.com, Dr. Tenpenny explains how there are two primary types of white blood cells called macrophages: type 1 (M1) kills the pathogen cells, and type 2 (M2) cleans up dead cells and promotes healing. She maintains that the antibodies produced by the vaccines increase the production of M1 cells, but they also degrade or kill off the M2 healing cells, which will result in the "destruction" of our lungs and the disruption of our immune systems.

Dr. Tenpenny cites a 2019 study from the Journal of Clinical Investigation conducted to test the possible effects of vaccine-induced spike proteins on the immune system. Twelve macaque monkeys were given two injections: all twelve were injected with a "modified vaccinia virus" (SARS-CoV); six of them were injected with a spike protein vaccine, and the other six were given a control vaccine made without the spike-producing antigen. The twelve monkeys were then sacrificed between 9 and 21 weeks after the injections. Dr. Tenpenny presents a summary of those findings on that same webpage:

We present evidence of a detrimental role of the anti-S-IgG (anti-spike protein antibody) and acute lung injury during a SARS-CoV infection. Vaccine-induced, spike-specific antibodies resulted in severe acute lung injury in SARS-CoV infected Chinese macaques

Anti-S-IgG antibody failed to prevent SARS-CoV lower respiratory tract infection (pneumonia) and amplify (increase) M1 macrophage infiltration and accumulation in the lungs.

Anti-S-IgG causes severe acute lung injury (ALI) when the lungs become re-infected and/or re-exposed to coronaviruses by removing the inflammation-resolving work of the M2 macrophages.

Animals who died of SARS-CoV infection had an accumulation of pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages and an absence of wound-healing M2 macrophages in their lungs.

Histological examination [the lung tissue of the sacrificed animals] in 6 of the vaccinated macaques revealed acute diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) with various degrees of severity. Most of the macaques in the control group given the non-spike protein vaccine showed only minor to moderate lung inflammation. ( Note: alveoli are the tiny air sacs in the lungs that oxygenate the blood.)

Without the presence of the anti-S-IgG antibodies, M2 macrophages began healing the lungs within two days of infection.

It is not clear if or how the vaccine given to those monkeys in 2019 may differ from the recently developed vaccines currently being distributed throughout the world, nor is it clear if the virus injected into those animals is identical to the COVID-19 virus. It's the nature of experimental vaccines not to know if there are long-term adverse effects. Did the pharma companies conduct similar animal studies during the development of these new vaccines? If the results of that 2019 experiment carry over to humans, then vaccinated individuals may suffer serious lung damage if they contract the virus a few weeks or months after having been vaccinated.

The pharma companies assert that the antibody production is temporary  for at least three months  but it's not known for sure. Dr. Tenpenny maintains that this antibody production doesn't stop, that it's an "on switch" without an "off button." Again, it's too soon to know.

So far, the adverse reactions to these vaccines are worse than those of flu vaccines, and some, mostly older people, have died within days of having been vaccinated. Promising new antivirals are being tested, and repurposed drugs such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, as well as cortical steroids, are proving to be effective treatments worldwide. This is to say we know a lot more about this virus now than we did one year ago.

Despite the fact that for the most part, this disease thankfully spares children and has a survival rate of 99.7% for people under 80, the inertia of universal mask-wearing and distancing (with the attendant damage to the economy and the human psyche) has set in with no end in sight. There has been a dramatic decrease in the number of cases since the end of December, yet governments the world over are making noises about requiring vaccine "passports" in order to board a plane, visit another country, or even hop on a bus.

It's time we let some dust settle and dial back this perpetual emergency mindset that has us rushing to vaccinate 300 million people as soon as possible.

Image: Triggermouse via Pixabay, Pixabay License.
Los Angeles, Feb 27 : Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow confesses binging on pasta and alcohol after she had Covid and blames it for her weight gain.

Paltrow, who has been battling long Covid, where symptoms for last weeks or months after the infection has gone, said: "I've noticed over the past couple of years that my metabolism is slowed down. I know a lot of that is perimenopause." "I'm 48 years old, and I know that women tend to lose up to 30 per cent of their metabolic speed once we enter this phase of life, etc. So I know some of it is that. "I think maybe some of it is because I got Covid. My physician in New York was saying that that was affecting a lot of his patients' metabolisms as well," she added.

"What I really noticed was the snap back that I used to have -- you know, if I gained some weight and I wasn't happy, I could quickly eat really well for a couple of days, exercise a lot, and it would all be gone," she said.

The actress said that she did not plan her eating after contracting the virus.

"I gained a lot of weight over Covid. Covid happened and I didn't do my eating plan. I just was like having alcohol and pasta all the time and then I sort of hit a wall," she explained.

Despite putting on weight, she shed 4.9 kilos after eating bone broth for a week, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Speaking on the podcast The Art of Being Well, Paltrow said: "You started me on the bone broth cleanse, which was incredible (and) hard, but that process of letting my digestive system rest and for the lining to start to heal a little bit over those first six days, I felt like I never could have found or started to listen to that intuitive voice about what I wanted to eat or not eat had I not kind of done something a bit drastic to kind of do that reset."

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Tourists walk around the forecourt of Australia's Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Oct. 16, 2017. (David Gray/Reuters)

Rape Allegation Against Australian Cabinet Minister

A letter has been sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison alleging a 1988 rape by a current cabinet minister.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is now dealing with allegations of a sexual assault in relation to one of his own cabinet ministers in 1988.

A letter was sent to Morrison, as well as Labors leader in the senate, Penny Wong, and Senator Sarah Hanson-Young on Friday, alleging rape by a senior minister before he entered politics.

The letter came with a detailed statement attached, prepared by the complainant for her lawyer, ABCs Four Corners has reported.

The complainant is no longer alive.

A spokesperson for Morrison on Friday evening said any allegations should be referred to the Australian Federal Police.

As per the AFP Commissioners instruction, any complaints or allegations of this nature made to anybodywhether theyre parliamentarians or journalistsshould be referred to the AFP, the statement said.

The AFP on Saturday issued a statement saying it would liaise with the relevant state authorities.

Further enquiries can be directed to the New South Wales Police Force, it said. The AFP will not be making further comment.

Senators Hanson-Young and Wong both released statements saying they had contacted the AFP about the letter.

Senator Hanson-Young said the information she had received regarded a disturbing and a very serious allegation of a criminal nature against a senior member of the government.

Senator Wong said it was her understanding the complainant, who was 16 at the time of the alleged attack in Sydney, reported the assault to NSW Police and South Australia Police.

Four Corners said the woman reported the alleged rape to NSW police in February 2020, but took her own life in June after informing them she no longer wanted to proceed with the complaint.

NSW Police said in a statement on Friday night that a report of alleged historic sexual violence was received in February 2020 and detectives commenced an investigation under Strike Force Wyndarra.

After strike force investigators were advised that the body of a 49-year-old woman was located at a home at Adelaide by South Australia Police (SAPOL) on Wednesday 24 June 2020, the investigation was suspended, the statement said.

The explosive revelations come a fortnight after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins rape allegation engulfed parliamentary sittings, prompting Australias major political parties to back a cultural overhaul.

The Morrison government has been under intense pressure over its response to the 2019 incident, in which Higgins alleges she was sexually assaulted by a former colleague in Parliament House.

There are four inquiries underway including a multi-party investigation aimed at ensuring parliament is a safe working environment.

Labors national executive on Friday adopted a code of conduct and three policies dealing with sexual harassment prevention and response, harassment and bullying, and complaints handling.

Higgins is pushing for change after feeling she wasnt supported when she first made the allegation, leading to her withdrawing her police complaint out of fear for her job.

She reinstated the complaint on Wednesday and an investigation is underway.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds was released from hospital on Friday after being admitted on advice of her cardiologist.

Senator Reynolds, who was Higgins boss at the time of the incident, was under extreme scrutiny about her handling of the complaint.

By Andi Yu
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunications, Ludmila de Weever, is very pleased that the Governor has signed off the national ministerial decrees thereby finalizing the outstanding concessions for the Sint Maarten TelEm Group of Companies.



On January 29, 2021, His Excellency the Governor and the Minister signed off on the aforementioned decrees to grant concessions to Sint Maarten Telephone Company N.V. (TelEm N.V.) and St. Maarten International Telecommunication Services N.V. (SMITCOMS N.V.).



I am very pleased to have been able to see this matter come to a conclusion with the signing of the national decrees. This is a significant development which will allow the TelEm Group of Companies to proceed with their planning and investments, an elated Minister of Telecommunications Ludmila de Weever said on Wednesday.



Both concessions are extended for a period of 15-years, subject to earlier revocation or termination, under the conditions as mentioned in the national decrees.



For more than five years, the concession agreements led to a stalemate between the telecommunications sector regulator Bureau of Telecommunications & Post (BTP) and TelEm. Minister De Weever in her planning related to outstanding issues, put this matter on the table as one of her main agenda points to have resolved within her first year as a minister.



Your diligence on this is very appreciated by TelEm and its subsidiaries. We have been working on this for years now and without your involvement, we were starting to get concerned. Again, our heartfelt thanks, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TelEm Kendell Dupersoy said to Minister Ludmila de Weever after the process came to a successful conclusion.

Workplace compensation law firm Gordon Legals senior partner, Peter Gordon, confirmed his firm was acting for Ms Miller. Gordon Legal recently won the Robodebt case that forced the government to pay a total of $1.2 billion in restitution and compensation to 400,000 people. Beyond confirming that we act for Rachelle Miller we have no further comment to make at this stage, Mr Gordon said. It is understood that Ms Miller and her lawyers have decided not to participate in the Finance Departments internal inquiry because of deep concerns about its integrity and lack of independence. A spokesman for Senator Cash said the minister strenuously rejects claims of any adverse treatment of Ms Miller by her, or her office, and strongly disputes Ms Millers version of events. Brittany Higgins says she was raped in Linda Reynolds parliamentary office. Credit:Facebook

At the time of her employment, between late 2017 and mid-2018, the Minister and the office understood Ms Millers personal circumstances which is why support, leave and flexible work arrangements were offered to her. Given the matter is subject to a formal process in the Department of Finance, the Minister will not be commenting further. Mr Tudge did not respond to requests for comment before deadline and nor did the Department of Finance. Ms Miller, a highly respected former staffer who worked for the Coalition for a decade and before that in the corporate sector for 10 years, is working through the details of the case with her lawyers in preparation for the legal action. Ms Higgins rape allegations have rocked the federal government and triggered four separate inquiries, including an independent inquiry into the culture of Parliament. The government is now also grappling with accusations a cabinet minister raped a woman in 1988. The ABC reported on Friday that Labor senator Penny Wong and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young received anonymous letters containing allegations of the rape. They forwarded these claims to police, including a statement from the alleged victim who killed herself in June 2020.

In another blow to the Coalition government on Friday, Liberal MP Nicolle Flint announced she was quitting politics at the next election after just two terms in Parliament. Ms Flint is regarded as a rising star in the party and has been outspoken about the misogyny and abuse she received as a female MP during the 2019 election campaign. Fellow South Australian MP and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham paid tribute to Ms Flint on Saturday and highlighted the attacks from the left, from Get Up! and others, [that] have threatened her and have threatened her office staff during her time in politics. Minister for Finance Simon Birmingham. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Senator Birmingham said it was his understanding that a copy of the letter alleging the historical rape had been sent to the Prime Ministers office and it was speedily transferred to the Australian Federal Police, who can bring appropriate experience, expertise and thoroughness to undertake any investigation that is necessary.

Asked if the unnamed cabinet minister should come forward, Senator Birmingham said that everyone is entitled to natural justice and its important to back the police to do their job. Senator Wong said on Saturday that she first became aware of the complainants allegation when the pair had run into each on the street in Adelaide in November 2019. The complainant alleged that she had been raped many years earlier by a senior member of the government. I said that making a report to the appropriate authorities was the right thing to do. I facilitated her referral to rape support services and confirmed she was being supported in reporting the matter to NSW Police, Senator Wong said. The woman spoke to NSW Police last year but did not make a formal statement and investigators suspended the investigation after she took her own life. Support services: Lifeline 13 11 14; beyondblue 1300 224 636; Domestic Violence Line 1800 65 64 63; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732
Chief Chris Moonias looked into a web camera as he prepared to get a COVID-19 vaccine just after precious doses arrived in his northern Ontario community.

Chief Chris Moonias looked into a web camera as he prepared to get a COVID-19 vaccine just after precious doses arrived in his northern Ontario community.

Im coming to you live from Neskantaga First Nation community centre where our vaccines will be administered, a jovial Moonias, wearing a blue disposable mask, said during a Facebook live video at the start of February.

Chief Chris Moonias of Neskantaga First Nation in northern Ontario was first in his fly-in community to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Moonias is seen in a handout photo published to Facebook. He shared the image to encourage others to get a shot. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Chris Moonias, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Moonias was first to get the vaccine in the fly-in Oji-Cree First Nation on the shores of Attawapiskat Lake north of Thunder Bay.

The vaccine had arrived by plane earlier in the day after weeks of planning, and the chief's video was part of a campaign to get community members on board.

Moonias said in an interview that he had done his own research, had spoken with medical professionals and wasnt concerned about getting the shot.

About 88 per cent of eligible on-reserve members have since received a first dose of the Moderna vaccine. Second doses are to arrive Monday.

However, earlier this week, the reserve declared a state of emergency due to a COVID-19 outbreak, with some cases linked to the Thunder Bay District Jail.

Moonias said four off-reserve members in Thunder Bay, all under the age of 40  including his nephew  have died. And he's worried about the 200 other members who live off the reserve  almost the same number as those on the reserve  and when they'll get inoculated.

I even thought about flying my peopleup... to get the vaccine, said Moonias, who added it's unlikely to be an option because of cost.

Canada is in the midst of the largest vaccine rollout in its history. The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has hit Indigenous populations much harder and Ottawa says they are a priority for vaccinations.

The actual distribution remains complex and varied across the country.

Neskantaga is one of 31 fly-in First Nations included in Operation Remote Immunity, part of the first phase of Ontarios vaccination rollout. The operation was developed with Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Ornge, the province's air ambulance service. The goal is to provide mass vaccinations by April 30 and it is having early successes.

There are challenges getting the vaccine to remote First Nations and questions about distribution for urban Indigenous populations.

The Assembly of First Nations says most Indigenous communities havent received sufficient supply to extend doses to their off-reserve members. The National Association of Friendship Centres says there is no national vaccination plan for urban Indigenous people.

There's also concern there is no national plan to tackle decades of mistrust created by systemic racism and experimentation on Indigenous people.

There are many examples throughout Canadian history of scientists sponsored by the federal government or the government itself doing medical experiments on Indigenous people, including children, who were the subject of a tuberculosis vaccine trial in Saskatchewan that began in the 1930s.

Ontario New Democrat Sol Mamakwa, who represents the electoral district of Kiiwetinoong, said some constituents tell him they are scared to take the vaccine. They dont trust it.

He has been travelling to communities to help promote it and received his first dose alongside members of Muskrat Dam Lake First Nation.

Community engagement has been key in vaccine uptake, Mamakwa said. Promotion begins weeks before vaccine teams arrive and includes radio campaigns, social media posts and live online question-and-answer sessions.

Its about giving people information, he said.

One of the only ways out of this pandemic is the vaccine, said Wade Durham, Ornges chief operating officer, who added it's key to have Indigenous people involved in vaccine planning.

Each First Nation in Operation Remote Immunity has a community member responsible for answering questions and setting up a vaccination site. Immunization teams are required to take cultural training and, when possible, include Indigenous medical professionals and language speakers.

Indigenous Services Canada said it is aware that a history of colonization and systemic racism has caused mistrust, so campaigns are being developed specifically for First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities.

Michelle Driedger, a Metis professor of community health sciences at the University of Manitoba, said experience has shown that stakes are high when it comes to Indigenous communities.

During the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, the Public Health Agency of Canada prioritized vaccines by geography. A main lesson learned was to increase Indigenous representation at decision-making tables, she said.

At the time, Indigenous people were over-represented in hospitalizations and intensive care stays, as well as in deaths. Those living in remote and isolated communities experienced worse outcomes.

Driedger said the vaccine response is better now, but there is rational skepticism. There needs to be a transparent vaccination plan for Indigenous communities  no matter where they are, she said.

The Matawa First Nations tribal council said its four communities reachable by road are not getting the same vaccine access as its five fly-in ones, and more needs to be done.

Provincial officials have said that remote First Nations received priority for the vaccine rollout because of less access to on-site health care and increased health risks. Chief Rick Allen from Constance Lake First Nation has said the vaccine needs to go where the outbreaks are.

Back in Neskantaga, Moonias said he'll do anything he can to protect anyone he can.

He continues to give updates about his vaccination. In another Facebook video posted soon after he received his shot, the chief gave a thumbs-up and said he had no pain or discomfort.

We need this. We need to beat this virus.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2021.

This story was produced through the Journalists for Human Rights Indigenous Reporters Program under the mentorship of The Canadian Press, with funding from the RBC Foundation in support of RBC Future Launch.
The House of Representatives passed a $1.9 trillion stimulus plan early Saturday morning in what was the first legislative victory for President Joe Biden and a show of unity among Democrats. The bill, which would provide money to the unemployed as well as businesses, states, and cities that have been hurt by the pandemic passed on a near party-line vote of 219-212. All but two DemocratsReps. Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregonvoted in favor of the bill and Republicans unanimously opposed it in what looks to be a preview of the partisan divide in Congress during Bidens administration. The measure now heads to the Senate, which is expected to take up the measure next week.

Advertisement

The vote, which took place shortly after 2 a.m., came after the Senates nonpartisan parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, ruled that the $15 minimum wage increase would have to be dropped from the coronavirus relief bill. The measure is still in the package that the House sent to the Senate in an effort to try to prevent divisions among Democrats considering the increase in the minimum wage is one of the biggest priorities of the progressive wing of the party. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi assured that if the Senate takes out the minimum wage increase Democratic lawmakers would once again approve the revised legislation. The sooner we pass the bill and it is signed, the sooner we can make the progress that this legislation is all aboutsaving the lives and the livelihood of the American people, Pelosi said.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Now that the bill reaches the Senate the real test for Democratic unity begins as every Democrat will have to back the measure. And there is little time for negotiations as Democrats want to make sure Biden signs it before March 14, when enhanced unemployment benefits are scheduled to expire. Even though Democrats largely agree theyll have to drop the minimum wage increase from the legislation, some are talking about workarounds. One idea that is being thrown around would penalize large corporations that dont pay workers at least $15 an hour.

The bill that Republicans criticized as too expensive would provide $1,400 direct payments to individuals earning up to $75,000, extend emergency unemployment benefits through August, and increase tax credits for children. It would also provide $350 billion in aid to states, cities, U.S. territories, and tribal governments, boost funding for vaccine distribution and COVID-19 testing, and provide billions in aid to schools and colleges, among others. This isnt a relief bill, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California said. It takes care of Democrats political allies, while it fails to deliver for American families. Rep. John Yarmuth, a Democrat from Kentucky who is the chairman of the Budget Committee, characterized the bill as an incredible piece of work that deals with the pandemic in all of its manifestations and in a way that will be truly effective.
Remember those remote workers we loved to hate before the pandemic? Bloggers posting from beach bars, entrepreneurs checking in from exotic Airbnbs, influencers and digital nomads ticking off their bucket lists well, now you too can be like them!

Well, not now exactly  but hopefully in the not-too-distant future, when infection rates come down, vaccination rates go up and its safe to travel once again. Remote working is a trend rocket-fuelled by the Covid-19 pandemic, and with tourism in collapse all over the world, destinations are racing to attract a new kind of visitor  the long-stay workationer.

From Barbados to the Algarve, destinations say its a win-win. Employees stuck at home get to ditch the boffice for the chance to explore beyond their four walls and 5k. And their presence (and cash) helps to sustain hotels, Airbnbs, car rentals and restaurants emptied of their tourists.

Some call them Digital Nomad Visas. Others have tweaked remote working rules. Typically, workers have to prove that they are employed and meet minimum income criteria. Quarantines may be necessary too. But the idea is a long stay makes all the hoop-jumping worthwhile.

Before you pack your bags, a quick dash of realism. Dont forget to familiarise yourself with travel restrictions at both ends, and check out any tax issues and what you need by way of health insurance. The Caribbean isnt going to cut it for everyone  your job may require you to be present, or you may be a parent of school-age kids, or have pets, for example. But for those that have spent a year logging on from tiny apartments or childhood bedrooms, WFH could be a golden ticket.

Bermuda

Swap the boffice for Bermuda? No need to be trapped in your apartment in a densely populated city with the accompanying restrictions and high risk of infection, Premier E. David Burt says on the islands Work from Bermuda website.

Come spend the year with us working or coding on the water. A $263 fee gets the application process going; to get a visa for up to a year, you must prove employment and income, among other criteria. Bermudas Covid control measures are super-strict, with visitors required to spend 14 days wearing wristbands paired to apps on their phones. That may be worthwhile hassle for a long stay, however. gotobermuda.com/workfrombermuda

Expand Close Ponto do Sol, Madeira / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Ponto do Sol, Madeira

Madeira

The Portuguese Island launched a Digital Nomads Village in Ponto do Sol this month  as postcard-pretty a WFH destination as youll find. Applicants need to register on its website, be employed and commit to a minimum stay of at least one month. Theyll get free workstations, but need to pay for flights and accommodation (what do you think this is, a charity?). Atlantic beaches, great hikes and (Covid-permitting) lively bars and restaurants and local food are a bonus in this Atlantic paradise. The pilot programme lasts to June 30. digitalnomads.startupmadeira.eu

Expand Close Traditional houses with grass on roof in Iceland / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Traditional houses with grass on roof in Iceland

Iceland

Iceland changed its remote-work visa programme this winter to allow foreign nationals from countries not requiring a visa to stay six months, as long as they are employed elsewhere and earn at least one million kroner, or around 6,400, a month. The visa lasts up to six months and costs a mere 50, providing what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the Land of Fire and Ice without the crowds. Downsides? This is one of Europes most expensive countries. work.iceland.is

Expand Close Luxury houses in Quinta do Lago, Algarve, Portugal / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Luxury houses in Quinta do Lago, Algarve, Portugal

The Algarve

With first-class healthcare and English widely spoken, it is a perfect place to work from for an extended period, says Joao Fernandes, the president of Algarve Tourism. Resorts like Quinta do Lago, well-known to Irish holidaymakers, have been targeting workationers (Work & Stay packages at its cottages cost from 2,400 a month), with GM Mark McSorley hailing the ideal destination for young professionals looking to work hard, play hard and experience a change of scene after nearly a full year of taking Zoom calls in their bedroom. 183 days is a cut-off in Portugal  after that you need to become a tax resident. visitalgarve.pt

Expand Close The old town square in Tallinn, Estonia / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The old town square in Tallinn, Estonia

Estonia

Estonias new Digital Nomad Visa allows location-independent workers to work and stay in the Baltic state, as long as they can prove employment, earn at least 3,504 a month before tax and pay an 80 fee, among other application criteria. Working while travelling as a tourist has long been a grey area in many countries, but as of last August, eligible workers have been able to legally work in Estonia remotely for up to a year. e-resident.gov.ee/nomadvisa

Expand Close Houses in Arrieta, Lanzarote / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Houses in Arrieta, Lanzarote

Lanzarote

The Canary Islands are hurting without holidaymakers, and several resorts have promoted long-stay rates. Lanzarote Retreats, for example, has a month in apartments or villas around Arrieta with fibre optic cable broadband from 35 a night for two. A workation offer with Seaside Los Jameos in Puerto del Carmen offers 10pc off for 22 nights or longer, with one evening tapas dinner, access to the gym and spa, 10pc off laundry and an all-important Espresso machine. As we publish, a twin room for the month of May cost 2,535. los-jameos.com; lanzaroteretreats.com

Expand Close Dubai. UAE / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Dubai. UAE

Dubai

A new one-year virtual working programme allows you to live and work by the beach in Dubai. Youll need to earn a minimum of US$5,000 a month, provide proof of employment and have your own health insurance, too. Dubai is currently on Irelands list of 20 high-risk places requiring mandatory quarantine on return, but there is a potential bonus: all citizens and residents of the Emirate are eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in line with the governments rollout programme. visitdubai.com
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.

Within the framework of the discussions initiated by him, President Armen Sarkissian on Friday met with the leader of the majority My Step faction, Lilit Makunts; the head of the opposition Bright Armenia faction, Edmon Marukyan; and the secretary of the opposition Prosperous Armenia faction, Arman Abovyan, of the National Assembly.

In a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am, MP of the Bright Armenia faction Taron Simonyan said that the current situation in the country was discussed. "Nothing special was discussed. It was discussed how the current situation can be resolved so that a more extreme situation does not arise," said Simonyan.

To the question whether the issue of the President not signing PM Nikol Pashinyan's petition to dismiss the head of the army General Staff Onik Gasparyan from office was discussed, Simonyan said. "All possible solution options have been discussed. We have looked at what possible options there are for solving this problem. One of the options is for the President to petition to the Constitutional Court.

In a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am, Prosperous Armenia Party MP Arman Abovyan said that he presented the respective position of his party. "The general situation in the country was talked about. I reaffirmed that nothing has changed within the Prosperous Armenia Party, and we remain convinced that there is only one way to resolve this serious crisis: the resignation of Nikol Pashinyan and this government. We exchanged thoughts, analyses."

Abovyan noted that the President did not make any proposals. "No arrangements were made. There was a clear impression that the President was trying to understand the real prevailing moods and whether or not his analysis corresponds to our opinion. (). The President was trying to understand in depth what is happening. I can only say that the President was confident; it was the impression of a confident person," Arman Abovyan added.


Democratic State Rep. Laura Hall filed a bill in Montgomery that would get rid of the requirement that asked people to give an excuse to cast an absentee ballot.

In the last election year, we know a historic number of people voted and there was a large increase in the number of absentee voters due to fear of coronavirus.

WAAY 31 spoke with Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, who's in support of this bill, on why it's so important this becomes law.

A record number of 38,000 people voted absentee in Madison County last year.

Secretary Merrill told us he's in support of the bill and even helped make Rep. Hall's argument stronger.

"Changing the time when absentee ballots can be open from noon until 7 a.m. each election day and also changing the period of time when absentee ballots can be returned," said Merrill.

Before, you had to check a box stating you have a physical illness or infirmity that prevented you from being able to come to the polls, to vote absentee. But, because of coronavirus, last year, Merrill secured an emergency rule to waive the excuse requirement.

"It just alleviates a stressor as it relates to trying to figure out 'am I going to be out of town on this day or will I be in the county?'" said Angela Curry.

Curry, who's the Executive Director of the group United Women of Color, hopes the bill pulls through as well. She, along with two other voter groups, helped many people understand how to fill out their absentee ballots.

On the other side, some think if the bill passes, it could promote voter fraud. Curry doesn't think so.

"No one wants to put themselves in a position where now, they're coming under punitive reaction from the law or breaking the law," she said.

Curry also believes without this measure, it opens up the possibility of voter suppression.

Whether someone has to work late and he or she wants to vote early or if coronavirus is still an issue, everyone will have a fair chance. That's exactly the message Merrill wants to let voters know.

"We have to make sure peoples' votes are protected and that their ballot will count for the candidate of their choice and we want them to be able to do that in a safe and secure environment," said Merrill.

An additional note in the bill includes allowing more staff at each site to help with the increased number of registered voters we've seen in the last year.

We've reached out to Rep. Hall to see when they may vote on the bill, and we're waiting to hear back.
A Shenzhen drone maker has commended two employees for supporting Chinese troops on the ground during last year's Himalayan border clash with India, giving a rare glimpse into how the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is using technology services from private companies to boost its capabilities.

Shenzhen Keweitai Enterprise Development Corp, which sells drones under the brand All Tech, published an article on its official WeChat account on Thursday, saying the company is very proud of its role in helping the Chinese army during the border clash. It then singled out what it called the brave actions of two employees at the conflict site.

According to the post, which was taken down on Friday but widely republished by other Chinese social media and news portals, Zhao Bo and Shi Zhilong supported the Chinese army in its surveillance of "illegal activities by the foreign force".

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

While helping the military handle the company's drones in Galwan Valley, 5,000 metres (16,000 feet) above sea level, Zhao and Shi aided the PLA's medical teams in tending to the wounded and "helped with cooking" for the troops when field kitchens were short-handed, Keweitai said its post.

Shi suffered from serious altitude sickness and lost 11kg (24lbs) during the process, according to the company, while Zhao suffered an accidental fracture in his left foot and a sprained right hand. Both said they were proud of their deeds.

"The environment at that time was bad, and it was impossible to get in touch with the outside," Zhao said, according to the post. "Only by flying the drone well and scouting every corner could I offer more help."

Shi said he was proud to have made a small contribution to his country's efforts despite the "hard and life-threatening" conditions.

The company confirmed the events to the South China Morning Post, but it declined to provide further details.

Story continues

The public commendation came a week after China revealed new video recordings from the conflict and issued a report saying four PLA soldiers had been killed and one seriously wounded during a bloody hand-to-hand battle with Indian troops along the disputed border last June.

Similar to Keweitai's treatment of its two employees, state media outlets lauded the soldiers in the videos for their loyalty and sacrifice. The PLA also described them as heroes and blamed India for the casualties.

India and China have both blamed each other for the conflict, each accusing the other of crossing the Line of Actual Control, an unmarked border separating controlled territories in the disputed area.

India said it lost 20 soldiers during the conflict and claimed China lost twice as many, which China denied. Last week's report was the first time the Chinese government put a number on its casualties.

In recent years, China has become a world leader in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and Shenzhen has become a hub for drone makers, including DJI, the world's largest drone brand.

Keweitai, established in 1997, makes enterprise drones, anti-drone devices and video transmission systems. The company's website lists border inspection and anti-terrorism activities among its main application areas.

It also specifies that the company helps border personnel with air surveillance and supply delivery in Tibet and Xinjiang, the far western region of China where the government's purported anti-terrorism efforts have drawn global scrutiny and criticism.

The United Nations estimates that about 1 million Uygur and other Muslim minority citizens are being held against their will in so-called re-education camps in the region.

Drones are now being used widely across industries such as agriculture, logistics and content production. They are also becoming increasingly important to the military.

China's coastguard, for example, could use cheap and advanced unmanned systems to defend contested seas, according to a recent report from China's Naval Research Academy and Northwestern Polytechnic University's School of Marine Science and Technology.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2021 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2021. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Attorney General Nessel Joins Coalition in Letter of Support to Congress for Election Reforms

Attorney General Nessel Joins Coalition in Letter of Support to Congress for Election Reforms

Ryan Jarvi 517-599-2746 Attorney General

February 26, 2021

LANSING  Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today joined a coalition of attorneys general in sending a letter to Congressional leadership urging support for H.R. 1/S. 1, the For the People Act of 2021. The bill is an omnibus package of democracy reforms designed to expand access to the ballot, protect elections from foreign interference, force disclosure of dark money in federal elections, and raise ethical standards for federal officials.

In the first two months of the 2021 legislative session, at least 165 bills in 33 states have been introduced to restrict voting access  four times the number of similar bills introduced last year, according to a report from the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. Despite confirmation that there was no evidence of widespread fraud or irregularity in the 2020 election, state legislators have seized upon baseless voter-fraud allegations to curtail mail-in voting options, impose stringent voter ID requirements, limit voter registration opportunities and allow even more aggressive purging of voter rolls.

"This package of reforms addresses a number of important items including voter suppression, election interference, and raising ethical standards of federal officials, said Nessel. I urge Congressional leadership to support this legislation for the benefit of our democracy. This could help ensure greater flexibility in how Americans can cast their ballots and greater transparency of how money and those with deep pockets attempt to influence our elections.

The Act includes several measures that would neutralize efforts to suppress the vote by making it easier to cast ballots, reducing the influence of dark money in elections, and codifying ethical standards for public servants. The Act would improve and modernize access to the ballot by:

Requiring states to implement online registration;

Establishing automatic voter registration;

Prohibiting unnecessary purges of the voting rolls;

Requiring states to permit voters in federal elections to submit a sworn statement to meet ID requirements;

Expanding access to federal elections through early voting and mail-in voting; and

Prohibiting the knowing dissemination of false information about elections and stiffening penalties for voter intimidation.

Additionally, the Act would close dark-money loopholes by requiring disclosure when wealthy donors give $10,000 or more to a group that spends money on elections and addresses the problem of partisan gerrymandering by putting redistricting in the hands of independent commissions.

Finally, the Act seeks to close legal loopholes that allow the president and certain federal officials to evade accountability for personally profiting from their office by:

Heightening disclosure requirements applicable to the president;

Requiring the holder of the Office of the President to divest from financial interests that pose a conflict of interest;

Providing the Office of Government Ethics with enhanced enforcement powers; and,

Prohibiting members of Congress from serving on the board of directors of for-profit entities during their terms in office and requiring the Judicial Conference to develop a code of ethics applicable to Supreme Court Justices.

Joining Attorney General Nessel in sending this letter are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 00:50:29|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa speaks at a press conference at the end of a two-day video conference summit of the members of the European Council on the COVID-19 pandemic at Centro Cultural de Belem in Lisbon, Portugal, Feb. 26, 2021. Emerging from the European Council meeting, which was held via video conference on Feb. 25-26, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said all participants agreed that, "to eradicate the pandemic, it is necessary to accelerate the vaccination process against the new coronavirus" in the European Union (EU). (Photo by Pedro Fiuza/Xinhua)

LISBON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Emerging from the European Council meeting, which was held via video conference on Feb. 25-26, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said all participants agreed that, "to eradicate the pandemic, it is necessary to accelerate the vaccination process against the new coronavirus" in the European Union (EU).

"There was a very constructive exchange of views on the need to collectively support an increase in vaccine production and streamline the vaccine licensing processes by the European Medicines Agency," he told journalists.

Costa confirmed that a bloc-wide vaccine passport will be created "in the coming months," which would allow vaccinated people to travel freely within the EU "without quarantine."

According to Costa, this so-called "green document" will "attest that a person is in one of the following circumstances: either he has already been infected with COVID-19, or he is properly vaccinated, or he has carried out a test that confirms that he is not currently contaminated."

"We are in favor of this as a measure for all Europe, and for this purpose we work as EU Presidency, in conjunction with the European Commission, so that by the summer this document can exist," he said.

Participants in the European Council's Friday session discussed the fight against the pandemic and exchanged views with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on defense issues.

As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in many European countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines.

Meanwhile, 255 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 73 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. 26.
franckreporter / Getty Images/iStockphoto

In 1971, long before the San Francisco Bay Area became a $2.8 trillion neighborhood, journalist Don Hoefler coined the term Silicon Valley. There were no social media networks then, no search engines and no e-commerce, but companies like Atari, Oracle and Apple made their homes there in the 1970s. By the 1980s, the Bay Area was ground zero for all things computers, and the region became a worldwide mecca for tech workers and entrepreneurs of all stripes.

Read: Americans Savings Drop to Lowest Point in Years

The regions unique relationship with tech, however, became a devils bargain  particularly in San Francisco. The industry brought the biggest, richest and most innovative companies in the world, and with them came high-paying jobs and the waves of educated professionals they attract. The industrys dominance, however, stirred intense disdain among many locals who found themselves priced out and sidelined by a never-ending influx of hip, young, rich tech geeks who didnt mind paying $7 for coffee and seven figures for a mortgage.

Find Out: Surprising Ways Gen X and Millennials Are Worlds Apart Financially

But it appears that those contemplating leaving their beloved San Francisco to escape the relentless onslaught of tech might not have to  thanks to the pandemic, tech is leaving them. The virus triggered a massive exodus of tech workers out of the Bay Area to destinations all over the country. First, well take a look at San Franciscos data, and then well see where these workers are going now.

Last updated: Feb. 22, 2021

San Francisco Downtown with the major skyscrapers includes Lumina, 181 Fremont, Salesforce Tower and more.

San Francisco

Year-over-year increase in inflow/outflow ratio: -35%

Median annual income: $112,449

Typical monthly rent for a one-bedroom: $1,983

Typical home value: $1,480,497

Cost-of-living index score: 269.3

Estimated population density (sq. mile): 18,128

Livability: 63

Like millions of people in all kinds of occupations all over the country, many San Francisco tech workers learned the hard way during the pandemic that they could do their jobs from anywhere. While many chose to stay put in the city that had been synonymous with their industry for years, plenty of others decided that the only reason they were living so close to Apple, Google, Pinterest and the rest was because thats where the action was. When the pandemic began turning techies into telecommuters, many used the opportunity to head for slower, cheaper, less politically charged cities  and they took their jobs with them.

Story continues

Learn More: These Are the 50 Best Cities for Gen Z To Live Well on a Budget

Downtown Richmond, Virginia skyline and the James River at twilight.

Richmond, Virginia

Year-over-year increase in inflow/outflow ratio: 11.6%

Median annual income: $47,250

Typical monthly rent for a one-bedroom: $1,022

Typical home value: $265,986

Cost-of-living index score: 95.1

Estimated population density (sq. mile): 3,618

Livability: 72

The influx of tech workers into Richmond is just one part of a seismic shift thats been transforming Virginias political and demographic structure. In recent years, the reliably conservative state turned blue as Virginias power base moved from the states declining rural areas to its ever-expanding suburbs and exurbs. Geographically liberated tech workers only reinforced that dynamic by pouring out of San Francisco and into Virginias capital city.

Did You Know: 50 Cities With the Most Overpriced Homes

Skyline of downtown Hartford, Connecticut from Founders Bridge.

Hartford, Connecticut

Year-over-year increase in inflow/outflow ratio: 15.1%

Median annual income: $36,278

Typical monthly rent for a one-bedroom: $875

Typical home value: $172,789

Cost-of-living index score: 93.9

Estimated population density (sq. mile): 7,153

Livability: 45

Its not just Hartford  the whole of Connecticut is experiencing a population boom thanks to pandemic-related relocation, with tens of thousands of newly minted telecommuters flooding the state during the second half of 2020 alone. The fact that many of them are tech workers should be a welcome relief. The states job market and economy were hit especially hard by the pandemic, in part because Connecticut spent so many years underinvesting in tech.

Read More: 35 Surprising Cities With Low Costs of Living

minneapolis,minesota,usa.

Minneapolis

Year-over-year increase in inflow/outflow ratio: 16.9%

Median annual income: $62,583

Typical monthly rent for a one-bedroom: $1,032

Typical home value: $312,845

Cost-of-living index score: 106.5

Estimated population density (sq. mile): 7,494

Livability: 65

It makes sense that San Francisco expats would feel at home in Minnesota, particularly the major population center of Minneapolis. The state  and the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in particular  were one of the countrys top emerging tech hotspots even before the pandemic. According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, minority tech professionals, in particular, have made the city home.

Did You Know: The Most Affordable Downtowns To Live In Across America

Sacramento, California, USA - September 19, 2017: These two women are walking downtown Sacramento on J Street past historic bank and view with a variety of with many different styles, this downtown area is now being know as DOCO for Downtown Commons many new shops and a hotel and Sports arena and unique older structures in the area on this September day the weather was comfortable.

Sacramento, California

Year-over-year increase in inflow/outflow ratio: 17.6%

Median annual income: $62,335

Typical monthly rent for a one-bedroom: $1,195

Typical home value: $399,709

Cost-of-living index score: 118.2

Estimated population density (sq. mile): 4,963

Livability: 58

For many tech professionals looking for greener, cheaper pastures, the exodus out of Silicon Valley only took about two hours to complete and never left California. As Californias population declines, Sacramento remains one of the Golden States last major population centers thats actually adding residents.

Read More: 30 Best Cities for Young Professionals

Cleveland, Ohio, USA downtown city skyline and harbor at twilight.

Cleveland

Year-over-year increase in inflow/outflow ratio: 19.9%

Median annual income: $30,907

Typical monthly rent for a one-bedroom: $597

Typical home value: $78,070

Cost-of-living index score: 72.6

Estimated population density (sq. mile): 5,009

Livability: 62

Although Cleveland became the destination for many of San Franciscos wandering tech wizards, that influx likely wont be enough to fuel positive population growth. Although Cleveland was Americas original tech hub in 1879 when it became the first city illuminated by electricity, today its one of the fastest-shrinking major cities in the country.

Find Out: Best and Worst Cities To Score Your Dream Job

Madison is the capital of the U.

Madison, Wisconsin

Year-over-year increase in inflow/outflow ratio: 74%

Median annual income: $65,332

Typical monthly rent for a one-bedroom: $1,109

Typical home value: $315,517

Cost-of-living index score: 100.6

Estimated population density (sq. mile): 3,195

Livability: 75

The pandemic only accelerated a trend that was already happening in Wisconsin. In 2019, Wisconsin Public Radio reported that despite steady population declines in Milwaukee, the state as a whole was gaining residents. Much of that gain was coming from Madison, where a booming tech industry was drawing young professionals from all over the world.

More From GOBankingRates

Methodology: GOBankingRates referenced LinkedIn data published by Big Technology to identify the cities that have increased their inflow/outflow ratio of tech workers (the percentage of tech workers moving into the cities compared to the percentage moving out) the most between 2019 and 2020. San Francisco has seen its ratio drop 35.3% as it went from gaining significantly more tech workers than it lost in 2019 with a ratio of 1.48 to a current ratio of 0.96. With the cities that have experienced (1) the biggest year-over-year percentage increase in inflow/outflow ratio identified, GOBankingRates took a closer look at some quality and cost-of-living factors that could be keeping workers away from the Bay Area and attracting them to new cities. GOBankingRates looked at each citys (2) 2019 median annual household income from the U.S. Census Bureaus American Community Survey, (3) January 2021 typical monthly rent for a one-bedroom unit from Apartment List, (4) December 2020 typical home value from Zillow, (5) cost-of-living index score from Sperlings Best Places where 100 indicates the typical cost of living in America, (6) estimated population density from AreaVibes and (7) livability score from AreaVibes. All data was collected on and up to date as of Feb. 8, 2021.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Tech Workers Are Fleeing the Bay Area  Heres Where Theyre Moving
Prior to the emergence of new mutants of the coronavirus, such as the British variant B.1.1.7, the SARS-CoV-2 variant named D614G had already mutated from the original SARS-CoV-2 pathogen that triggered the pandemic.

D614G has rapidly spread to become the most abundant variant worldwide and this D614G mutation remains in all the new emerging variants. An international team including researchers from Bern has now been able to demonstrate in both the laboratory and in animal models why the D614G variant was able to gain the upper hand over the original SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Our approach also allows us to characterize emerging mutations such as the British variant B.1.1.7 better and quicker." Volker Thiel, Study Lead Author, Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Bern

The findings are extremely important for assessing the risk of new mutants running rampant, as they show how a fitness advantage of virus variants can lead to higher transmission. First results were released earlier allowing for scientific discussion on what is known as a preprint server. The results of the study have now been published in full in Nature.

The D614G variant carries a mutation in the spike protein that makes it easier for the virus to dock onto human cells.

The researchers at IVI and in David E. Wentworth's laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta (USA) first demonstrated in human cell cultures from the upper respiratory tract, as well as from the nose, that the D614G variant binds more strongly and also replicates faster than the original virus.

The increased replication of the D614G variant was also confirmed in vivo, in a new mouse model first described in this study. These experiments were also carried out at the IVI in Charaf Benarafa's group.

The new mutation clearly prevails

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 viruses can be studied better in other animals rather than mice. Hamsters and ferrets are well established in infection research and are especially suitable animal models. To compare the two variants, a mixture of equal parts of the original version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the D614G variant was applied into the nose of each animal under light anesthesia.

After one day, experimentally infected animals were rehoused with another healthy sentinel animal of the same species, to evaluate the transmission of the two variants in direct competition with each other. The experiment was repeated with six pairs of animals in total. In virtually all sentinel animals, the proportion of transmitted SARS-CoV-2 viruses was massively dominated by the D614G variant early on.

The differentiation of the variants was carried out using the latest sequencing technology and PCR techniques by Martin Beer's team at the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, in Greifswald-Insel Riems (D). "Our study stands out because we were able to clearly discern the more efficient transmission of the mutated variant in direct comparison with the original variant," says Volker Thiel.

A fitness test for further mutations

This approach can even be used to test any single mutation or a specific combination of mutations that are present in a number of currently circulating viral variants. The IVI relies on a cloning technique developed in Bern a year ago, in which SARS-CoV-2 viruses can be exactly reproduced in the laboratory. The British virus, for example, is known to have not just one but often more than 14 mutations, eight of which occur in the spike protein.

Thus, with the help of the cloning technique, any number of mutations of variants can be reproduced and used to compete against each other in the established cell cultures and animal models. The results show how single mutations affect the fitness and transmissibility of new variants. "Our testing strategy allows us to rapidly examine why other, newly emerging virus variants have become established," says Volker Thiel.

Similar research projects on infectious pathogens could also be carried out in the future at the newly established Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases and Immunity (MCIDI) at the University of Bern.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 16:01:40|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

After the enactment of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Hong Kong's law and order is restored, and residents can resume their normal daily lives, a senior HK official told a UN rights body Wednesday.

Teresa Cheng, deputy head of the Chinese delegation and secretary for justice of the HKSAR government, said at the 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council that Hong Kong has now reverted to a safe, rational, inclusive and vibrant society.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
From Monday 1st March Sardinia passes into the white zone .

The confirmation comes from the councilor for health, Mario Nieddu, who spoke a little while ago with Silvio Brusaferro, president of the Higher Institute of Health (Iss).

Instead, Lombardy, Marche and Piedmont will pass in the orange area and Basilicata and Molise in the red area.

The Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, signed the ordinances on the basis of the data and indications of the Control Room.

The discussion table between the Ministry of Health, ISS and the Sardinia Region is underway in order to define the implementation procedures for the transition.

(Unioneonline)

- NEWS UPDATING -
By Kate Abnett and Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior officials from Europe have urged the World Bank's management to expand its climate change strategy to exclude investments in oil- and coal-related projects around the world, and gradually phase out investment in natural gas projects, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

In the six-page letter dated Wednesday, World Bank executive directors representing major European shareholder countries and Canada, welcomed moves by the Bank to ensure its lending supports efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

But they urged the Bank - the biggest provider of climate finance to the developing world - to go even further.

"We ... think the Bank should now go further and also exclude all coal- and oil-related investments, and further outline a policy on gradually phasing out gas power generation to only invest in gas in exceptional circumstances," the European officials wrote in the letter, excerpts of which were seen by Reuters.

The officials took note of the World Bank's $620 million investment in a multibillion-dollar liquified natural gas project in Mozambique approved by the Bank's board in January, but did not call for its cancellation, one of the sources said.

The World Bank confirmed receipt of the letter but did not disclose all its contents. It noted that the World Bank and its sister organizations had provided $83 billion for climate action over the past five years.

"Many of the initiatives called for in the letter from our shareholders are already planned or in discussion for our draft Climate Change Action Plan for 2021-2025, which management is working to finalize in the coming month," the Bank told Reuters in an emailed statement.

The Bank's first climate action plan began in fiscal year 2016.

The United States, the largest shareholder in the World Bank, this month rejoined the 2015 Paris climate accord, and has vowed to move multilateral institutions and U.S. public lending institutions toward "climate-aligned investments and away from high-carbon investments."

Story continues

World Bank President David Malpass told finance officials from the Group of 20 economies on Friday that the Bank would make record investments in climate change mitigation and adaptation for a second consecutive year in 2021.

"Inequality, poverty, and climate change will be the defining issues of our age," Malpass told the officials. "It is time to think big and act big in finding solutions,"

He said it was also launching new reviews to integrate climate into all its country diagnostics and strategies, a step initiated before the letter from the European officials, said one of the sources.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Washington and Kate Abnett in Brussels; Additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
As the Director of Public Prosecutions, I am acutely aware of the impact that the criminal justice process has on victims. Going to court and giving evidence in the court room can be particularly difficult for victims of sexual assault and family violence.

More often than not, the subject matter is of a highly personal and intimate nature. The Office of Public Prosecutions, which prepares and conducts prosecutions on my behalf, is continually looking at ways to make the experience less traumatic for victims of crime.

Going to court and giving evidence in the court room can be particularly difficult for victims of sexual assault and family violence. Credit:Illustration: Matt Davidson

One issue raised by witnesses who have given evidence at trial or committal is that the questions asked by defence lawyers can often be intimidating, repetitive and at times humiliating.

There are already protections in place designed to prevent such questioning of witnesses during cross-examination. The court has a duty imposed by legislation to disallow a question on the basis that it is, for example, misleading, confusing, unduly annoying, harassing, intimidating, offensive, humiliating, repetitive, belittling, insulting or otherwise inappropriate. The duty imposed on the court applies irrespective of whether or not an objection is raised to a particular question. Other legislative protections limit questioning of victims about their sexual history or matters revealed during confidential counselling.
New Orleans police have arrested a woman in connection with a double shooting in Gentilly Terrace on Thursday evening, and they are on the hunt for a man also accused of having a hand in the attack, according to officials.

Investigators on Friday booked Danisha Smith, 22, on two counts of aggravated second-degree battery in the shooting at the corner of Franklin and Dreux avenues that left two young men wounded. Meanwhile, police have obtained a warrant to jail Kijuan Smith, 19, on two counts of aggravated second-degree battery and illegally using a gun during a violent crime. He remained at large as of early Friday afternoon.

The shooting occurred about 5:20 p.m. Thursday, shortly after the two victims stepped off a bus and were fired on by a person in a four-door Hyundai. The shooter got out of the vehicle while continuing to fire, striking both victims in their backs. The car also hit both victims, a witness at the scene said.

The 18-year-old victim was also hit in the arm, police said. Paramedics took both of the wounded men to the hospital.

Police didnt specify how they identified the Smiths as suspects or whether the two were related.

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

Details about a possible motive havent been released for what was one of at least three shootings reported Thursday.

In one of those other shootings, about 11 a.m. at the corner of Vespasian Boulevard and Cypress Acres Drive in Algiers, a 28-year-old woman was hit in the back of her head and repeatedly stomped on after falling to the ground, police said. After regaining consciousness she realized that she had been shot once.

The other shooting reported Thursday left a 3-year-old girl with a bullet wound to her hand about 10:55 p.m. in the 6000 block of Downman Road in the Pines Village area of New Orleans East, police said. The girl was walking with her father when they heard gunshots and realized she had been hit in her hand as well as grazed.

Police havent named any suspects or released details about possible motives in Thursday shootings in Algiers or Pines Village.

Anyone with information that might be helpful to police may call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111. Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.
26 February 2021

Botswana Diamonds PLC ("Botswana Diamonds" or the "the Company")

Total Voting Rights

For the purposes of the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"), the Board of Botswana Diamonds hereby notifies the market of the following:

As at the date of this announcement, the Company's issued share capital consists of 781,721,902 ordinary shares with a nominal value of 0.25p each, with voting rights ("Ordinary Shares"). The Company does not hold any Ordinary Shares in Treasury.

Therefore, the total number of Ordinary Shares in the Company with voting rights is 781,721,902. This figure may be used by Shareholders in the Company as denominator for the calculations by which they may determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

ENDS

Enquiries:

By ANYA SOSTEK, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PITTSBURGH (AP)  For someone just listening in, the conversation sounded almost like small talk.

Before Pittsburgh you lived in ?

How do you say pizza in Chinese?

Did you eat a lot of that in Chicago?

But the conversation was anything but ordinary. Lingwei Cheng, 27, lay on an operating table last fall at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. Multiple screens showed images of her brain under a microscope, with doctors nipping away around a mass of purplish blood vessels  called a cavernous malformation  nestled in the part of her brain that controls speech.

To make sure that the surgeons didnt damage brain matter that would affect Chengs speech, they had to keep her awake and talking  answering questions in both English and Chinese.

For Cheng, a Ph.D. student in public policy and machine learning at Carnegie Mellon University, the trip to the operating table was months  and many miles  in the making. She grew up in China but has lived in the U.S. for a decade. Last spring during CMUs spring break, she flew to Norway to visit her boyfriend. COVID-19 travel restrictions hit while she was there, and she stayed in Norway through the summer.

Hanging out with friends there in June, she came down with a bad headache and lay down to rest. When her boyfriend started to talk to her, she could no longer understand him. Or reply.

It was really scary, she said. I could hear him very clearly  I just couldnt understand any of the words.

Her boyfriend called an ambulance, and in the hospital, unable to speak, she struggled to explain her medical condition.

The Norwegian physician, he was asking me to tell him what happened, she said. I was so frustrated ... this is exactly what I cannot do right now.

Doctors scanned her brain, discovering that a brain hemorrhage was causing her symptoms. It resolved several hours after they began. Cheng was put on anti-seizure medication and told that she couldnt fly for two weeks. After that two-week period, they urged her to get back to the U.S. to get the hemorrhage evaluated.

Returning to Pittsburgh in August, she contacted CMU student health, which referred her to UPMC neurosurgery. More advanced brain scans showed a cerebral cavernous malformation  a rare condition where blood vessels get tangled into a mass that resembles a mulberry. The malformations may sit harmless or may leak as Chengs did, causing symptoms that improve as the blood is re-absorbed.

They usually dont kill you, but they can cause damage, said Dr. Robert Friedlander, chairman of the department of neurological surgery for the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC, who evaluated Cheng and performed the surgery. They can bleed in clusters  sometimes once and not again for years and years, and sometimes two or three times in a year.

Some people are born with them and some develop them spontaneously, as Friedlander believes was the case with Cheng. He removes about 20 cerebral cavernous malformations per year, though most are not in the area of the brain that controls speech.

Friedlander used technology developed at Pitt called high-definition fiber tracking to pinpoint the exact location of Chengs malformation to a part of the brain that controls speech and comprehension.

Because of the threat of future bleeds and the possibility of permanent damage to her speech, Friedlander recommended that Cheng have surgery to remove the malformation.

And not just any surgery  he wanted her awake and talking so that he could make sure that her speech wasnt affected.

Cheng wasnt expecting brain surgery, and certainly not one that she would participate in. I knew that I didnt really have any other options, but it was hard to accept, she said.

To calm herself, she watched YouTube videos of other people undergoing similar surgeries.

With no family in Pittsburgh and COVID-19 travel restrictions in place, Cheng struggled to get support in place for her surgery and recovery. UPMC wrote a letter explaining the situation, a letter that her boyfriend used to get an exemption on humanitarian grounds to come for a week from Norway. Getting her mother to Pittsburgh from China required the pulling of every string imaginable.

Chengs mother was able to come and remains in Pittsburgh.

Through the fall, the patient was able to function and continue her Ph.D. studies, though she did get headaches if she talked consistently for a long time  such as during a three-hour recitation that she taught on Fridays. The surgery took place Nov. 17.

Cheng came into the surgery perfect, Friedlander said. She is a fully bilingual individual who uses speech and writing as part of her career.

Because of the location of the cavernous malformation, a slipup during the surgery could have devastating consequences.

In these regions of the brain I call hyper eloquent, theres no room for error, Friedlander said. Every millimeter counts.

In the months since, Ms. Cheng has recovered well, taking medication to try to prevent seizures that can be triggered by the surgery.
Missouri senator Josh Hawley, whose clenched fist salute to Donald Trump's supporters shortly before they stormed the Capitol made him a pariah among many of his colleagues, was given a standing ovation at CPAC on Friday as he told how he was labelled a traitor for challenging the election result.

In a sign of how firmly the gathering was allied with Trump's wing of the party, Hawley, one of the former president's most fervent supporters, was given a rapturous reception.

Hawley was among the fiercest critics of the November 3 election result.

Hawley said that his support for the overturning of the vote had resulted in a campaign against him in the media and among corporations.

He said he was the victim of a campaign to 'silence' him - a theme later echoed by Senator Tom Cotton, who lashed out at The New York Times following a controversy over Cotton's op ed, urging a military solution to quell the George Floyd protests.

Hawley, 41, was the first senator who said he would join a group of House Republicans to object to Electoral College results in key swing states.

Hawley, senator for Missouri, received a standing ovation at CPAC discussing election fraud

The 41-year-old saluted Trump's supporters on January 6 before they stormed the Capitol

Hawley's words following the November 3 vote fueled the anger that led to the insurrection

The process of certifying the votes had commenced on January 6 when rioters broke into and ransacked the Capitol for several hours.

Hawley told the crowd on Friday about his reasoning, and was greeted with wild applause, a standing ovation and a chant of 'USA'.

He said he had raised an objection to Pennsylvania's electoral votes to 'have a debate over election integrity.'

Hawley said: 'What was the result of that? I was called a traitor.

'I was called seditious, the radical left said I should resign.'

He added: 'Over the last six weeks the radical left, their corporate allies and the liberal media have tried to cancel me, censor me, expel me, shut me down, stop me from representing the people of Missouri, stop me from representing you, and guess what? I'm here today, I'm not going anywhere and I'm not backing down,' Hawley said.

'I did what my Democratic colleagues have done in every single election a Republican has won in the last 20 years.'

Mitt Romney is seen glaring at Hawley on January 6 after the riot, as he continued to claim fraud

Hawley is among a group of Republicans who pressed fraud claims even after the violence

In 2017, when then-Vice President Biden was presiding over the Senate, he dismissed half a dozen House Democrat objections to Trump's victory.

'I thought it was an important stand to take, and for that, the left has come after me,' Hawley said.

'They tried to silence me. They canceled a book.'

Hawley said he was working for 'a new nationalism, a new agenda, to make the rule of the people real in this country.'

'We're not the past, we're the future,' he said of Trump-style populist Republicans like him.

Hawley is believed by some to be contemplating a 2024 run, if Trump does not run again.

His theme of being 'silenced' was echoed by Cotton.

Cotton described The New York Times as having 'totally surrendered to a woke child mob from their own newsroom', using his speech to CPAC to furiously denounce the paper following a commotion over his op ed this summer.

The Arkansas senator mocked the paper's staff as 'little social justice warriors' who were 'marinated in the language of the campus seminar room' and were 'sitting on futons' claiming to be offended by his words.

Cotton, 43, infuriated many of the paper's staff with his article during the George Floyd protests, entitled: Send In the Troops.

Tom Cotton addressed the CPAC conference in Orlando on Friday afternoon

The article was published on June 3: many of the staff complained vociferously, and on June 7 James Bennet, the editorial page editor, resigned and the publisher, A.G. Sulzberger, apologized to staff for 'a significant breakdown in our editing processes.'

Cotton, a hardline supporter of Donald Trump, said on Friday that he stood by the piece.

'I wrote an op-ed, it had a very simple message, very simple, very common sense message. Grounded in American history and law, supported by a majority of Americans, arguing very simply that if the police cannot, especially if they are not allowed to restore order, then it is time to send in the troops,' he said, to applause from attendees at the conservative gathering.

Cotton said that his article sparked 'total meltdown with the little social justice warriors at The New York Times.'

Cotton's op ed was published by The New York Times on June 3, with a note added later

He continued, according to The New York Post: 'All these children, they've been marinated in the language of the campus seminar room.

'They said things like, 'Your words put my life at risk.'

'As if typing on their phones, sitting on futons was as dangerous as being a cop trying to stop rioters in the streets.'

The Conservative Political Action Conference, known as CPAC, is being held in Orlando this year.

Trump is due to speak on Sunday afternoon, and the annual gathering is dominated by his allies.

Mitch McConnell, Nikki Haley, Mitt Romney and Liz Cheney will not appear: Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump Jr will.

Cotton, widely seen as a rival to Trump for the 2024 nomination, was cheered by the audience as he heaped scorn on the journalists' concerns.

'I'm sorry kiddo, words are words,' he said, 'Violence is what your friends are doing out on the streets of America.'

Cotton on Friday mocked The New York Times reporters as thin-skinned 'children' on futons

Cotton said that the editors then 'caved and rolled over and apologized'.

He continued: 'Some people on the left even called for me to apologize. So let me say again, I will never apologize for defending America.'

Cotton, an Army veteran who served in the Iraq War and who's a potential 2024 Republican presidential contender, told the audience that 'when America is under assault and conservatives are under attack, we will never retreat. We will never surrender.'

During his CPAC speech on Friday, Cotton also criticized COVID restrictions still in place in Democrat-run cities such as Washington DC, which forced the annual gathering to move to Florida, instead of its usual site.

'Maybe if CPAC had promised to burn down buildings and tear down statues, they would have let us up there,' Cotton said, mocking the riots in DC over the summer.

He embraced CPAC's theme, which this year is 'America Uncanceled', and spoke out against what he described as Democrat 'cancel culture'.

'Many on the left have concluded that America is a fundamentally flawed, irredeemable, wicked place,' he said.

'They have a lot of names for it. But whatever banner it flies under, it gets back to that anti-American idea.'
Friday's U.S. air strikes against Iran-backed militias in eastern Syria encourage terrorism in the region, Irans top security official, Ali Shamkhani, said on Saturday.

Washington said the strikes on positions of the Kataib Hezbollah (KH) paramilitary group along the Iraq border were in response to rocket attacks against U.S. targets in Iraq.

Americas recent action strengthens and expands the activities of the terrorist Daesh (Islamic State) in the region, Shamkhani, the Secretary of Irans Supreme National Security council, said in remarks to visiting Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.

The attack on anti-terrorist resistance forces is the beginning of a new round of organized terrorism, the semi-official Nour News quoted him as saying.

Hussein, on his second visit to Iran in a month, later met with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Hussein is in Iran to discuss regional developments, including ways to balance relations and avoid tension and escalation with Iranian officials, according to an Iraqi foreign ministry statement.

An Iraqi militia official close to Iran said the strikes killed one fighter and wounded four. U.S. officials said they were limited in scope to show President Joe Bidens administration will act firmly while trying to avoid a big regional escalation.

Shamkhani said we will confront the U.S. plan to revive terrorism in the region, but did not elaborate.

The air strikes targeted militia sites on the Syrian side of the Iraqi-Syrian frontier, where groups backed by Iran control an important crossing for weapons, personnel and goods.

Western officials and some Iraqi officials accuse Iranian-backed groups of involvement in deadly rocket attacks on U.S. sites and personnel in Iraq over the last month.

Washington and Tehran are seeking maximum leverage in attempts to save Irans nuclear deal reached with world powers in 2015 but abandoned in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump, after which regional tensions soared.

Short link:


POTTSVILLE  The third time was a charm for Keith S. McFarland, as he walked out of Schuylkill County Court a free man Thursday following his acquittal on four sex-related charges involving his alleged contact with a preteen girl.

Jurors deliberated about 10 minutes before finding McFarland, 42, of Palmerton not guilty of rape of a child, indecent assault, indecent exposure and corruption of minors.

Two previous juries in separate trials had each deliberated several hours but had been unable to reach verdicts on any of the charges.

Tamaqua police charged McFarland with raping the girl on a single occasion between August 2013 and January 2016 on the dining room table of his house at 212 N. Greenwood St. in the borough.

The girl, who is now 10 years old, testified she and McFarland were alone in the house when he assaulted her. She said her mother and two sisters had gone to McDonalds in Hometown to pick up food for everyone.

He put his private part on me, she said. He pushed me. He pulled (my pants) down.

Did you tell him to stop? Assistant District Attorney Julie D. Werdt asked the girl.

No, because I was scared, she answered. I knew it was bad.

She said she drew a picture of what had occurred. The picture, which she drew at an October 2018 interview at the Childrens Advocacy Center in Scranton, showed her on the dining room table with McFarland, and each was wearing a shirt and pants, according to the girl.

When cross-examining the girl, Matthew J. Rapa, Lehighton, McFarlands lawyer, brought out several contradictions between what she said Thursday and what she had said in the previous two trials and in other statements.

Those included whether McFarland told her to stay while her mother and sisters went to McDonalds, whether she told him to stop and whether she went to her bedroom or the upstairs bathroom after getting away from the defendant.

When questioned again by Werdt, the girl reaffirmed her story.

Are you making this story up? Werdt asked her.

Nope, she answered. No one told me to make it up. Its the real story.

The girls mother testified she had dated McFarland starting in late 2013 or early 2014, and they moved in together in 2014.

We set up bedrooms for the kids, who got along well with McFarland, the mother said.

She said the alleged victim had developmental issues, including temper tantrums and speech difficulties.

Shes doing a lot better, the mother said. Shes made a lot of progress.

When cross-examined by Rapa, the mother said none of her children complained about McFarland.

Had there been any complaints, you would have taken action? Rapa asked.

Absolutely, she replied.

She said she and McFarland separated amicably in the summer of 2015 for reasons that had nothing to do with the alleged assault.

The mother said she became aware of the allegation in October 2018, the same year the alleged victim became more verbal, and since has had no contact with McFarland.

Dr. Marla C. Farrell, a pediatrician at the center, testified her examination of the girl showed everything was normal, although that did not necessarily preclude abuse having occurred.

Tamaqua police Cpl. Thomas C. Rodgers, the prosecuting officer, testified he believed the evidence he had was sufficient to prosecute the case.

Testifying on his own behalf, McFarland denied all the accusations.

Was there ever a time when you placed (the girl) on the dining room table? Rapa asked his client.

No, he answered.

Did you ever touch (her) inappropriately?

Never.

McFarland said he cooperated with Rodgers, submitting to an interview, but Rodgers did not seem interested in what he had to say. He said Rodgers even refused to go to his house to examine the scene.I made it very clear it never happened, McFarland said. I would never do that to any child. I have a kid of my own.

The defendants mother, Rebecca McFarland, testified the alleged victim seemed to get along very well with her son.

In his closing argument, Rapa saved much of his criticism for the police, whom he said did not investigate the case properly.

Theres no medical evidence. They never even asked to see the house, Rapa said. Nothing Keith McFarland said was going to make any difference. These matters should be investigated thoroughly.

In her closing argument, Werdt said only one thing mattered  what happened to the girl.

(She) said it hurt, Werdt said. Thats rape of a child.

Werdt said the girl was so embarrassed that she hid behind a chair while drawing the picture.

Shes my evidence, Werdt said. Do you think she wants to be evidence?

Thursdays trial was the third in the case. Each of the previous two, one Aug. 20, 2019, and the other Feb. 12, 2020, ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury.

Since there was no verdict in either one, prosecutors could retry McFarland without violating the constitutional ban on double jeopardy.
Noting the fact that pandemic's impact on the people of Gaza has been particularly severe due to fragile healthcare infrastructure, on Saturday assured of providing the second batch of medicines and also facilitate an early supply of vaccines to as COVID-19 assistance, said Nagaraj Naidu, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of India's Mission at UNSC on Saturday.

"We are in the process of sending the second batch of medicines as a grant to the Palestinian people in the coming weeks. We will also facilitate an early supply of vaccines to Palestine," he said at the UN.

"The pandemic's impact on the people of Gaza has been particularly severe due to fragile healthcare infrastructure. We note that COVID19 vaccines are being made available to people of Palestine, including in Gaza," added Naidu.

Asserting India's vital role in equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in the world, he said, " strongly believes that equity in access to vaccines across the world is important for mitigating the impact of the pandemic. had earlier provided critical medicines and medical equipment to as COVID19 assistance."

India also reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian cause. "India reaffirms its support to the Palestinian cause and establishment of a sovereign, viable and independent state of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We firmly believe that only a two-state solution will deliver enduring peace that the people of Israel and Palestine desire and deserve. This should be achieved from direct negotiations from both sides on final status issues. Both sides must avoid any unilateral actions which could prejudice these final status issues," said the Deputy Permanent Representative.

He also lauded the efforts of Quartet and Munich Group for initiating the stalled peace talks, "Recent diplomatic efforts to revive the stalled peace-talks are encouraging, the meeting of the Quart's special envoys is timely, we urge Quart's to initiate engagement with the Israeli and Palestinian leadership. In this regard, we also appreciate the Munich Group's recent outreach."

The Quartet comprises the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, and Russia. It was formed in 2002 to mediate the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Munich Group refers to a grouping of Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Jordan, France, and Germany to discuss Israel-Palestine peace efforts. It was formed in February 2020.

"India welcomes all efforts which are aimed at strengthening the collective commitment of the international community to resume direct negotiations and facilitate the peace process," said the Ambassador.

He said, "We acknowledge Egypt's efforts in facilitating this agreement. The high percentage of Palestinians who have registered to vote in the elections reflect the state's desire to take part in the democratic process."

"We are pleased to note that the preparations for the Palestinian elections are moving forward. The Cairo Agreement between the Palestinian parties on the conduct of Parliamentary and Presidential elections to abide by the electoral time-table accepts the results of the elections and other elections-related arrangements is a positive step in the right direction. The commitment undertaken by all parties to release political detainees will also help build trust between them," he added.

Further, Naidu expressed his delight over the opening of the Rafah border crossing. "The opening of Rafah border crossing is a significant development which will ease the humanitarian health situation in Gaza. The recent announcements pertaining to the gas-pipeline to Gaza is encouraging," said the Ambassador.

(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.)
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.
Eligible overseas Indian voters will not get the facility of postal ballots in the five assembly to be held in March and April as the government wants the Election Commission to consult various stakeholders before the facility is rolled out.

Responding to a question on whether the facility of Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) would be extended to overseas voters in the assembly to West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora replied in a negative.

"As far as NRI voters are concerned, the commission (EC) has sent a very empathetic and very positive note to the Law Ministry over a month-and-a-half back over finding a way out for that. The law ministry referred it to the Ministry of External Affairs. I spoke to the foreign secretary also. They have responded in detail and they have said we should have a broad spectrum meeting of the stakeholders," Arora said.

He said the meeting could take place within a month.

Asked if the facility would be available in the five assembly polls, Arora said, "No."



Arora was addressing a press conference to announce the dates of to the five assemblies.

As of now, overseas Indians are free to cast their votes in constituencies they are registered.

Unofficial data with the Election Commission (EC) shows that only 10,000-12,000 overseas voters have exercised their franchise.

The EC has proposed to the government to extend the ETPBS facility, so far available only to service voters, to eligible overseas Indian voters as well.

In a letter to the legislative secretary in the Law Ministry on November 27 last year, the commission said that with the successful execution of ETPBS in case of service voters, it is now "confident" that the facility can also be extended to the overseas electors.

"The commission is technically and administratively ready to extend this facility in general elections to legislative assemblies of Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry," the poll panel had said.

The EC said it has been receiving several representations from the Indian diaspora residing abroad to facilitate voting through postal ballots since such overseas electors are not in a position to be present in their polling area as travelling to India for this purpose is a costly affair, and otherwise also, they cannot leave the country of their residence owing to specific compulsions of employment, education or other engagements.

"Due to protocols associated with COVID-19, the problem further gets compounded," the letter to the Law Ministry said.

Voting for the five assembly elections will begin on March 27, with West Bengal having eight phases continuing till April 29, while counting of votes will be done on May 2, the Election Commission 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.)
Prisoners should be given cannabis to help deal with addiction problems and tackle violence, according to a police and crime commissioner (PCC) in Wales.

Arfon Jones, who is standing down from his role overseeing North Wales Police in May, made the suggestion, saying he wanted to see a trial to put the scheme to the test.

The suggestion follows a recent report by Swansea Universitys Global Drug Policy Observatory, which revealed 13 per cent of men in UK prisons reported that they had developed a problem with illicit drugs since being locked up.

Prison inspectors in Cardiff also found 52 per cent of prisoners said it was easy to get illegal drugs, according to the report.

Concerns have been raised by HM Inspectorate for Prisons about the rise in the use of synthetic psychoactive drugs such as spice.

It described it as the most serious threat to the safety and security of the prison system.

Mr Jones told BBC News the drug problem in prisons should be dealt with and that authorities need to be addressing the causes of addiction and violence.

He added that he was concerned about the levels of prescription painkillers given to prisoners, including opioid-based drugs.

If they are on opioids, why can't they be prescribed cannabis? he asked.

Opioids are a damn sight more dangerous than cannabis. Lets supply cannabis in controlled conditions and see if offences reduce.

A long-time campaigner on drug use issues, the Plaid Cymru PCC has previously supported calls for a heroin injection scheme for addicts.

However, his latest idea has provoked criticism from the candidates hoping to succeed him as PCC in Mays election.

Tory PCC candidate for north Wales, Pat Astbury, told BBC News: There may be other ways to treat prisoners, using alternative medicines which are legal and mimic illegal drugs.

One cant be seen to break the law at the expense of the force you are representing.

Labours Andy Dunbobbin added: There are lots of ways to prevent problematic drug use but this isnt one of them  prevention and treatment programmes in and out of prison should be strengthened and Ill work with partners, if elected, to do so.

A Prison Service official said it has a zero-tolerance approach to drugs.
More than 100 anti-vaccination demonstrators gathered at the outer-Melbourne electorate office of the federal Health Minister on Saturday to launch a democratic political movement founded on pushing conspiracy theories and reclaiming a vague notion of freedom they say has been stolen.

Dozens of police were also in the shopping centre carpark outside Greg Hunts Somerville office but there was no violence or repeat of last Saturdays city protest that blocked traffic, defied health orders and ended in 20 arrests.

An anti-vaccination protest at Health Minister Greg Hunts office on Saturday. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

Rally speakers variously accused Mr Hunt of being a stooge of China, committing public health terrorism and being responsible for what they have incorrectly, even if deliberately, interpreted as forced and fake COVID-19 vaccinations.

The movement, apparently soon to be a political party, does not yet have a name.
CPAC Participants Removed and Threatened With Arrest for Not Wearing Masks

At least two people were ejected from the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, for not wearing masks. One also claimed he was threatened with arrest.

Popular YouTube host Austen Fletcher aka Fleccas Talks was kicked out from CPAC, and was told that he was no longer wanted, and would be arrested for trespassing if he re-entered the building.

I was politely removed from #CPAC for not wearing a mask. They forced one on me for 30 seconds but then I ran into some fans and couldnt look them in the eye while wearing it, Fletcher wrote on Twitter.

Thats it. Thats just me. Im out.

I was politely removed from #CPAC for not wearing a mask. They forced one on me for 30 seconds but then I ran into some fans and couldnt look them in the eye while wearing it. Thats it. Thats just me. Im out. pic.twitter.com/PW1sKQppUz  Essential Fleccas  (@fleccas) February 26, 2021

CPAC states on their website that: Face coverings are required in the hotel lobby, all meeting space public areas such as foyers and hallways, meeting ballrooms and breakout rooms when not seated and socially distanced (or when not presenting in a session and socially distanced), restaurants and bars when not actively eating or drinking, fitness center, and while moving around in outdoor areas.

Rogan OHandley, a conservative commentator, was also removed and threatened with arrest.

I was just ejected from @CPAC and threatened with immediate arrest if I return for pulling my mask down to take pictures with dozens of followers, OHandley wrote on his now-suspended Twitter account. @Hyatt security had multiple police detain me. Selfies with fans not allowed at CPAC!

Conservative influencer @DC_Draino is being kicked out of #CPAC for violating the mask rule. He says he took of the mask just to take pictures. pic.twitter.com/SmjQQ2qUtn  William Turton (@WilliamTurton) February 26, 2021

Another conservative personality, Jaden McNeil, was also removed from CPAC, but its not confirmed if it was over mask-wearing.


Alexei Navalny has been getting under Putins skin for a long time, and recently things came to a head. In January 2021, the Navalny Channel on YouTube featured the protest film, Dvorets dlya Putina: Istoriya Samoy Bolshoy Bzyatki (Putins Palace: History of the Worlds Biggest Bribe), an immensely popular expose since viewed 113,654,953 times.

To counter the notable lack of reporting by the Russian press on Navalnys mistreatment at the hands of the Putin regime, the film begins with this precis: In August 2020, on the order of Vladimir Putin, Navalny was poisoned with Novichok chemical warfare agent. He survived, came back to Russia, and was arrested right at the airport. On January 18, 2021, the court unlawfully arrested Alexey Navalny and sent him to Matrosskaya Tishina Prison. An invitation to protest followed: For many years, Navalny has been fighting for our rights. Now, its time for us to fight for him. On January 23, at 14:00, take to the main streets of your cities. Dont stand on the sidelines. Marches to protest Navalnys wrongful poisoning, arrest, and imprisonment would indeed be held by his supporters on Saturday January 23, all over Russia. One pollster estimated the crowd in Moscow alone to number 35,000.

Next, Navalny himself appears saying, Hi, Navalny here. We came up with this investigation when I was in intensive care, but we immediately agreed that we would release it when I returned home, to Russia, to Moscow, because we do not want the main character of this film to think that we are afraid of him so that I would tell about his worst secret while I was abroad. One of the most devoted admirers of our work, the same one on whose orders I was poisoned, is Vladimir Putin. He is definitely watching this now, and his heart is filling with nostalgia. Navalny proceeds to take a trip through Putins past, beginning at the building on Radeberger Strasse in Dresden where the early corruption schemes of then-KGB agent Vladimir Putin and his cronies were conceived, by those who would later arrange the biggest robbery in the history of Russia -- simply, to steal all the national wealth. Navalny illustrates this point using material from Putins actual case file from Germanys Stasi archives.

The rest of the film consists of a flyover of Putins pleasure palace in Krasnodar Krai, accomplished by launching a drone from a boat offshore to film the legendary footage of the edifice, a massive, 190,424 square foot castle on a promontory in Gelendzhik, near Sochi overlooking the Black Sea. Navalny also homes in on numerous tarps and plywood and other humiliating proof that the building was badly constructed, leading to mold, leaky ceilings, and other problems. They literally threw billions into the trash and have now started over.

For all of the above reasons, Putin has been livid and intent on some sort of retaliation. In early February, videos in support of Putin suddenly began appearing on social networks. The footage was shot in numerous regions as instructed by the presidential administration and as organized by Putins political party United Russia.

The sites for these videos were carefully chosen. One location was Barnaul, a city in Siberia where their pro-Navalny protest on January 23 is said to have been the citys largest political rally in 15 years. The Instagram video supposedly showed an All-Russian Flash Mob in Support of Putin! The flash mob in question consisted of young workers of the Barnaul ATI chemical plant in matching bright blue overalls and face masks, standing at attention and waving Russian flags. Another supposed rally for Putin, this time of state employees and schoolchildren, was assembled to shoot a video in Volgograd. Both groups had been told they were to be part of a music video for the Russian rock group Lyube (IPA). They were not demonstrating for Putin, who was not even mentioned.

The students of Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSLA) were invited to participate in a flash mob in support of Russia as a leader in the fight against COVID on February 5, promised that the video would be shown on the internet and on TV, and that each participant would be awarded a letter of thanks before the State Duma legislature. According to the students who participated, shooting took place in a Moscow hotel. They were asked to wave flags while reading the following text from a teleprompter: We have one president. We will defeat the virus with him. We have one president. Together, we will win. Vladimir Vladimirovich, we are with you! Putin is our president! The Dozhd television channel published a photograph of the teleprompt slide. An MSLA graduate revealed that some students refused to participate but would not speak with the reporter directly for fear of sanctions from the university. They claim that the school administration was unaware that students were deceived by the organizers from the State Duma.

A third film clip was taken at Belgorods Institute of Arts and Culture (BGIIK). The BGIIK students were asked merely to dance with Russian flags to record a patriotic video. Later they were shocked to see their dance on Instagram with the hashtag #PutinNashPresident (#PutinOurPresident). According to the students, a song praising Putin followed by youthful voices, shouting Putin is our president! and Vladimir Vladimirovich, we are with you! were dubbed in. According to the students, they said no such things. The incident led to a scandal. Their parents complained that their children had not been warned that the video was being staged to show support for the president, and that they had not shouted the words in the video. On February 8, the local newspaper Belgorod No. 1 published a transcript of a conversation in which the BGIIK Vice-Rector Natalya Baranichenko and Rector Sergei Kurgan apologized to the students. Baranichenko, who had organized the filming, was made to resign. She has not worked at BGIIK since February 10 and the leadership page on the BGIIK website no longer mentions the former vice-rector.

This pathetic ruse on the part of Putin, his administration, and United Russia serves only to demonstrate the popularity gap between Navalny and Putin -- one, inspiring tens of thousands of ordinary Russians to risk arrest and take to the streets, and the other, reduced to fabricating bogus rallies of supposed supporters in lieu of same.

Lynn Corum is a translator of Russian who studies developments in the Russian press that affect Americas national interests. She has been researching and writing on Putins stated plans since 2009, and is a world expert on Project Russia, the Kremlins published state ideology.

Image: Mitya Aleshkovsky
Theres never a bad time to do the right thing. Yet for a country with an emigration record like ours, two decades is a very long wait to address glaring inequalities in the direct provision system.

That it has taken 20 years to address what was intended as a temporary emergency response leaves a stain on our human rights record.

The toll taken on all who came to our shores to be greeted with such indignities has been officially side-stepped for too long. We owe it to the millions who left our shores fleeing famine between 1799 and 1858, and who found a home on other shores, to do better.

We have a moral obligation to offer a more humane and compassionate approach. In the next four years the system is to be replaced with an international protection system.

The current, woefully inadequate arrangement was devised for asylum seekers in search of protection. But many found themselves trapped in a degrading limbo for years: unable to work or improve their circumstances, in crammed, confined conditions; their privacy, and quality of life, intolerably compromised. The new plan is to provide six centres which will be used for reception and integration. Owned by the State, they will be operated by not-for-profit organisations.

At the very least this ought to guarantee basic standards and quality of living are maintained consistently. Supports will be put in place and applicants will also have an opportunity to work.

According to the new government policy after a maximum of four months, those whose protection claims are still being processed will be housed in the community.

Accommodation will be own-door, in houses or apartments, under the plan.

This is hugely important in terms of independence. Writing in these columns during the week, the UNHCRs Enda ONeill, saw no reason why we cant develop a system that protects the rights and dignity of those seeking refuge. He also urged us to seize the chance to promote more cohesive and socially engaged communities as we do so. It can only be a win for all concerned.

But good intentions will not satisfy the needs of the 3,000 people already locked in the system for more than two years. However well meant, unless there is a transformation in our national housing policy we will continue to fail in our obligations.

It is vital we build enough homes to satisfy the needs both of refugees and local communities. The target date is 2024. Yet as Lucky Khambule, co-founder of the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland, said that is a long time away.

Speaking on RTE he also noted having seen the history of this Government he will not get too excited about the changes until they are implemented.

As the UNHCR has constantly argued, the damning years of over-promising and under-delivering on this issue must end.
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. High 73F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds overnight. Low 52F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.

Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 16:05:55|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Afghan security force members attend an event to mark the National Day of Armed Forces in Herat, Afghanistan, Feb. 27, 2021. Afghanistan on Saturday marked the National Day of Armed Forces as the security forces keep fighting a Taliban-led insurgency, the state-run TV channel reported. (Photo by Elaha Sahel/Xinhua)

KABUL, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan on Saturday marked the National Day of Armed Forces as the security forces keep fighting a Taliban-led insurgency, the state-run TV channel reported.

"The National Day of Armed Forces is the greatest day, it is the greatest honor for people of Afghanistan and the state government to celebrate this great day," Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani told a ceremony held at country's Defense Ministry and broadcasted live in Radio Television of Afghanistan (RTA).

"Your morale is unique. You are the real guardians of Afghanistan's Constitution and you are the guardians of this land, the great nation of Afghanistan stands behind you," Ghani said.

Earlier in the day, Ghani laid a wreath at a minaret inside the ministry's compound after inspecting guards of honor to pay tribute to security forces who have sacrificed their lives for peace and security.

The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) has been continuing cleanup operations across Afghanistan in recent months as daily violence and clashes remain in the country.

The ANDSF remains in control of most of Afghanistan's population centers and all of 34 provincial capitals, but the Taliban insurgents control large portions of rural areas, staging coordinated large-scale attacks against Afghan cities and districts from time to time.

Eligible military officers and soldiers received awards and medals from the president and other high-ranking officials during the ceremony. Enditem

Denton, TX (76205)

Today

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
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.
Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio has condemned the rioters who besieged the US Capitol, but will not cry about lawmakers who came under attack on the day.

Mr Tarrio, who was arrested two days before some members of the Proud Boys  and other Trump supporters  rioted at the US Capitol, told CNN that lawmakers did not need sympathy after the attack.

The remarks come despite concerns among members of Congress that they were targets of those who broke into the complex on 6 January, citing baseless claims the 2020 election was stolen.

Mr Tarrio told CNNs Sara Sidner in an interview published on Friday the crowds shouldnt have breached the Capitol with violence, but there was no sympathy for members of Congress who were seen cowering.

"I'm not gonna cry about people who don't give a crap about their constituents. I'm not going to sympathise with them," Mr Tarrio said.

Read more: The CPAC crowd will hail Trump for the mess he has created  and the prospect leaves me furious

Then, asked by Ms Sidner about a social media post in which he shared an image of members of Congress cowering during the attack, the Proud Boys leader admitted he was celebrating.

And Ill tell you, I was celebrating and I will celebrate the moment the government does fear the people, Mr Tarrio said, while adding that he was unaware why they [lawmakers] were cowering or anything.

The CNN reporter added: "They are still Americans, they are still human beings who felt that their lives were in danger. How can you not feel any sympathy or any empathy towards them like that?"

Mr Tarrio replied: "I'm not going to worry about people that their only worry in life is to be re-elected.

The Proud Boys leaders remarks come despite members of the far-right group  which authorities in Canada recently classed as a terrorist organisation  being among the more than 300 individuals who have been arrested and charged in connection to the Capitol riot on 6 January.

Those arrested include 30 year-old Ethan Nordean, who allegedly describes himself as the sergeant of arms of the Seattle chapter of the Proud Boys, and 34 year-old Nicholas Ochs, the founder of the far-right groups Hawaii chapter.

Investigations by the FBI suggest that Mr Nordean and several other Proud Boys took part in the riot as a possible act of revenge against police for the arrest of Mr Tarrio, and the stabbing of a member at anti-election protest in December.

Mr Tarrio, meanwhile, was revealed to have been an informer for the FBI in the past, raising concerns that the group had organised the assault on the Capitol in advance.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. Turkey has an explicit negative role in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, namely during the latest Azeri aggression, the Armenian FM Ara Aivazian said in an interview with RIA Novosti. He said that this became explicitly visible when during the war Turkey started to send terrorists and militants from the territories it controls in the Middle East to fight against Artsakh, as well as during its active arms supplies to Azerbaijan.

We expect a more targeted influence from the international community so that Turkey revises its explicitly aggressive attitude towards Armenia and the Armenian people, Aivazian said.

Asked whether or not a hypothetical Turkish involvement in the negotiations process could be acceptable for Armenia, FM Aivazian underscored that only the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs can participate in the negotiations process, and noted that Turkey, who overtly sponsored the activities of Middle Eastern terrorists in Artsakh, utilized its military personnel and combat drones against the peaceful population of Artsakh, has already proven not only the level of its involvement in the conflict but also how far away it is from the negotiations process.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
The cabinet secretary will chair a high-level review meeting on Saturday with eight states and union territories exhibiting a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Union Health Ministry said. The states showing a surge are Telangana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal.

India's total Covid-19 active caseload is 1,59,590 which is 1.44 per cent of the total infections. Six states - Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat have shown a surge in new cases in a span of 24 hours, the ministry underlined.

Maharashtra continued to report the highest daily new cases at 8,333. It was followed by Kerala that reported 3,671 new cases and Punjab with 622 new cases. The ministry said 85.75 per cent of 16,488 new cases registered in a span of 24 hours are from six states and UTs.

"Eight states are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new cases," the ministry said. "In the last two weeks, Kerala has shown the maximum decline in the number of active cases, from 63,847 on February 14 to 51,679 today, while Maharashtra has shown the highest rise in active cases in the same period, from 34,449 on February 14 to 68,810 currently," the ministry added.

The cabinet secretary will chair a high-level review meeting on Saturday with Telangana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, MP, Gujarat, Punjab, J&K and WB which are exhibiting a surge in cases, it said.

A total of 1,42,42,547 vaccine doses have been administered through 2,92,312 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am. These include 66,68,974 healthcare workers (HCWs) who were administered the first dose, 24,53,878 HCWs who were given the second dose and 51,19,695 frontline workers (FLWs) who took the first dose.

The second dose of Covid-19 vaccination started on February 13 for those beneficiaries who completed 28 days after receipt of the first dose. The vaccination of the FLWs started on February 2.

As on Day 42 of the vaccination drive (February 27), a total of 7,64,904 vaccine doses were given. Out of these, 3,49,020 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 13,397 sessions for first dose (HCWs and FLWs) and 4,20,884 HCWs received the second dose of the vaccine.

Eight states account for 62.75 per cent of the cumulative second dose vaccinations in India. Uttar Pradesh alone accounts for 12.64 per cent (3,10,058) of the total second dose vaccinations in India, the ministry said. Nine states and UTs have administered the first vaccine dose to less than 60 per cent of the registered healthcare workers. These are Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Telangana, Ladakh, Chandigarh, Nagaland, Punjab and Puducherry.

Twelve states and UTs have reported vaccination coverage of more than 65 per cent frontline workers. These are Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Rajasthan, Kerala and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The ministry said 12 states and UTs have reported vaccination coverage of less than 40 per cent of the frontline workers. These are Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Meghalaya, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Nagaland, Goa and Mizoram.

A total of 1,07,63,451 people have recovered so far, with 12,771 patients having discharged in a span of 24 hours. "India's Covid-19 recovery rate of 97.17 per cent is among the highest in the world," the ministry underscored.

It said 84.79 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 6 states and UTs. Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 4,936 newly recovered cases. As many as 4,142 people recovered in Kerala in a span of 24 hours followed by 642 in Karnataka.

Besides, 113 deaths were reported in a span of 24 hours. Six states and UTs account for 82.3 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties at 48. It was followed by Punjab with 15 daily deaths and Kerala reported 14 deaths in a span of 24 hours.

Seventeen states and UTs have not reported any Covid-19 deaths in a span of 24 hours, the ministry highlighted. These are Gujarat, Odisha, Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Manipur, Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Sikkim, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andman and Nicobar Islands, Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

Also read: India's port operations back to normal after COVID-19 disruptions
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ordered indoor worship services to resume at 20% capacity in Santa Clara County, overturning the countys ban on indoor religious gatherings.

Santa Clara County officials were disappointed in the decision, the countys attorney James R. Williams said in a statement Friday evening.

The Supreme Court order was issued without any analysis at all of the countys gathering rules, which have always been neutral and applied equally to all gatherings across-the-board, Williams said.

Earlier this month, the court rejected Gov. Gavin Newsoms ban on indoor worship services in California, ruling that the state had discriminated against religious groups by applying stricter standards to places of worship than to stores and businesses.

While other counties revised their health orders in accordance with the ruling, Santa Clara County continued to ban indoor religious services and allow only outdoor services. The county defended its ban, saying it applied to all large indoor gatherings, not just religious services.

On Friday, officials indicated they would allow worship services to resume at 20% capacity, but urged caution.

Bishop Oscar Cantu, head of the Catholic Church in Santa Clara County, spoke out against the ban on Feb. 16, condemning Santa Clara as the only county in the country to continue to artificially distinguish places of worship from businesses.

On Friday, Cantu said in a statement that he joins all Catholics and people of faith in Santa Clara County in expressing our satisfaction in the courts decision. He said that all parishes, missions and chapels in the Diocese of San Jose can resume indoor worship at 20% capacity, but only if and when each parish can safely do so following all masking, social distancing, and sanitization protocols.

As we continue to protect the most vulnerable among us, the dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass is still in effect, Cantu said. Parishes will continue to offer outdoor and livestream wherever possible for parishioners who are vulnerable to COVID-19 or hesitant about indoor worship.

The county cautioned against indoor gatherings.

Indoor gatherings of all kinds remain very risky, and we continue to urge all religious institutions to carefully follow the public health recommendations to avoid spread of COVID-19 among their congregations and the broader community, Williams said.

The county website, however, failed to reflect the revision. As of Friday evening, it continued to read: All indoor gatherings are currently prohibited.

With the exception of the Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches that celebrate communion, many Bay Area churches have continued to hold online-only worship services, citing health concerns for worshipers, who tend to be older and vulnerable.

One priest from Sts. Peter and Paul Church in San Francisco died last week after three priests contracted the coronavirus.

It is alarming that this Supreme Court continues to ignore scientists and public health experts  not to mention our Constitution  in order to grant religious privilege to a select few at the expense of the health and safety of everyone else, Rachel Laser, president of the advocacy group Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said in a statement Friday evening.

Nora Mishanec is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NMishanec
WASHINGTON  House Republicans were furious over the summer when the House made unprecedented changes allowing lawmakers to designate a proxy and vote on their behalf amid traveling concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

They held news conferences. They lobbied their members against using the proxy function. House Republican leadership even led a lawsuit over the change, calling it unconstitutional.

But now it appears quite a few members of the GOP have changed their tune. And a host of Republicans designated proxies, each citing the "ongoing public health emergency," to travel to Florida for the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Since Thursday, when CPAC began its annual conference, nearly two dozen House Republicans have written letters to the House clerk to notify they would be absent due to the COVID-19 pandemic and designated a proxy to vote on their behalf. Others, including several CPAC speakers, designated proxies to cast their vote before Thursday.

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.,, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, in Orlando.

Democrats railed about the move, criticizing what they call hypocrisy by Republicans.

"Apparently hypocrisy has become a tenant of the Republican Party," Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., wrote on Twitter, noting the months the GOP has complained about proxy voting. "Let me get this straight: these Members cant vote in person because of the pandemic, but they manage to attend CPAC?...They were even maskless at this super spreader event! Its outrageous."

Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., agreed, writing on Twitter that these Republicans were skipping a vote on a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package to be at the annual conservative conference.

"My Republican colleagues here called us 'cowards' for voting by proxy during the pandemic, filed a lawsuit to stop it, and even introduced a bill to strip pay from Members who vote by proxy," Beyer wrote. "Now they are in Orlando proxy voting from CPAC while we debate and vote on Covid relief."

Story continues

Members of both parties have taken advantage of the proxy rules, which the House established last summer as the pandemic ravaged the country  including spreading in the halls of Congress. Republicans for months had criticized Democrats for using proxies as a way to take a day off work, including attending a space launch in Florida over the summer.

"This isn't Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It's the United States Congress," Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., said in May as he railed against several Democrats who attended a launch after signing a letter saying their absence was due to the public-health crisis.

The list of Republicans who wrote letters appointing a proxy include speakers at CPAC on Friday, such as Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.; Greg Steube, R-Fla.; Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C.; and Ted Budd, R-N.C. Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., who is speaking Saturday at the conference, signed onto a lawsuit against proxy voting.

Several others speaking Saturday at CPAC also signaled they would vote by proxy, including Reps. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.; Devin Nunes, R-Calif.; Mike Kelly, R-Penn.; Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.; and Jim Banks, R-Ind.

Many of these lawmakers were among the Republicans who railed against the proxy rules when they were established and criticized Democrats for using them.

"Leaders show up no matter how uncertain the times are. The Democrats are cowards for hiding and not showing up to work," Cawthorn wrote on Twitter in July. "I guess we can label them as Nonessential personnel?"

Banks also voiced opposition on the policy, writing on Twitter last year that he wouldn't be using proxy rules to cast his vote. "I wont be passing off my constitutional duty and voting by proxy  especially when we expect millions of workers to get up each day and go to work to keep our nation moving," he wrote on Twitter in May.

Both Banks and Cawthorn did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Republicans sued over proxy voting, now use it to attend CPAC

The chair of a vitally important US congressional committee, the Democrats David Cicilline, said: Threatening to bring an entire country to its knees to agree to Facebooks terms is the ultimate admission of monopoly power. What does Cicillines committee do? It oversees US anti-monopoly law; the Democrats are itching to curb the monopoly power of the Big Tech firms in their respective specialisations. The whole point of the Australian regulatory effort is based on a finding by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that the US tech firms wield monopoly power, and that this power needs to be redressed by government action. The ACCC is part of the Treasurers portfolio, so that makes the digital media code Frydenbergs. The net result is that by Friday the code had passed Australias Parliament and become law; Facebook had switched its news flows to and from Australia back on; and hundreds of millions of dollars a year should start flowing from Google and Facebook into Australian media businesses, assuming they proceed to conclude the deals that are now signed or under contemplation. This action  this bully-boy action  that [Facebook has] undertaken in Australia will, I think, ignite a desire to go further amongst legislators around the world, said the chair of the digital policy committee in the British Parliament, Julian Knight. He called it one of the most idiotic but also deeply disturbing corporate moves of our lifetimes. The US, Canada, Britain, Germany, Spain, France and the European Union are among the governments that will now take account of the Australian outcome in setting their own rules.

In getting to this outcome, the Treasurer demonstrated four characteristics of Frydenbergs typical approach. First, he worked hard. No one questions his appetite for work. Loading Second, he negotiated shrewdly. In the end, he did concede points of detail to Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg, while keeping all the key features of the digital media code intact, as the ACCCs Rod Sims attested. Third, he made sure to promote his achievement widely. There is no sin here; this is politics. Fourth, he didnt invent the policy. It was the work of others. When Scott Morrison was treasurer, he initiated the ACCC inquiry that led ultimately to the code. Frydenberg was handed the brief, and he ran hard and successfully to prosecute it. Likewise, his first big piece of policy and political accomplishment was a brief handed to him by his then leader, Malcolm Turnbull. As energy minister, Frydenberg took charge of the process that led to the national energy guarantee, a serious effort to salvage a functional energy and emissions policy from the wreckage of the Liberals leadership strife.

It took great skill to negotiate the deal through a riven Liberal party room, and Frydenberg did it. It wasnt his fault that Tony Abbott decided to destroy it in the process of a new act of Liberal leadership wrecking to bring Turnbulls prime ministership to an end. And when the pandemic struck last year, the big policy responses were drafted by the Treasury. Thats not unusual  indeed, thats the way policy is supposed to work. Australia was a bit slow to act; other nations including New Zealand and Britain announced wages subsidies sooner. But Frydenberg ultimately did act boldly. The Treasury gave him a choice of three sums for the fortnightly wage subsidy: $1000, $1200 or $1500. He chose the biggest. It was an emergency, he said. Time to break the glass. The health responses were the indispensable front-rank defences against COVID-19. The economic response was the essential second rank. The Morrison government, with Frydenberg as its chief economic officer and with the energetic support of the Reserve Bank, can take credit for a successful national economic response to the pandemic. Some $240 billion in federal stimulus, buttressed by bank mortgage repayment freezes and more than $30 billion in early access to superannuation savings, did the trick. The inevitable recession was shallow and short and among the best emergency responses in the world.

Other big problems confront Frydenberg. Next week well see the report of the royal commission into aged care. The commission will demonstrate that the system is broken; it will present Frydenberg with a very big bill to fix it. Loading In the next few months he will have to decide whether to proceed with the scheduled increase in the superannuation guarantee levy from 9.5 to 10 per cent. Its already set in law. The increase is overwhelmingly popular with the people. But Frydenberg faces a hyperactive reactionary movement on his own backbench, determined to kill the rise. This will test Frydenberg. Should he please the electorate or appease his more feral colleagues? We saw his inclination this week with his decision on the new level of the dole  he announced that the daily base rate would increase from the pre-pandemic $40 a day to about $44. This is a level that will continue to consign many unemployed to poverty. The electorate was ready to accept a slightly less penurious level; even some of the more conservative elements of the system, including John Howard and the Reserve Bank, favoured something more liveable. But Frydenberg was guided decisively by the messages he was receiving from Coalition colleagues. One after another lined up to tell him tales of jobs going unfilled in their electorates. JobSeeker was obviously too generous already.

Frydenberg decided to side with the Liberal backbench. After all, its important for an aspiring prime minister to cultivate the support of his caucus colleagues. Loading Frydenberg makes no secret of his intention to be leader of the post-Morrison Liberal Party. On the current line-up, the contest would likely pit the centrist Frydenberg against the conservative Peter Dutton. Remember the Minister for Home Affairs? Hes still standing and with every intention of contesting the next election. Yes, Morrison defeated him for the leadership. But recall that it was a pretty close call with Morrisons 45 to Duttons 40. And once a senior politician has seen the vision splendid of his own ascension so close at hand, it doesnt easily evaporate. Of course, Morrison enjoys his job and is going nowhere. But a prime ministership can be a fickle thing, as the last decade demonstrated. Frydenberg is still relatively fresh in the job and, at 49, he has a great deal of time and energy yet. Will he be a great reformer, a Keating or Costello, whose boldness continued to deliver good economic outcomes for decades? Or a Wayne Swan, who spent big sums to get Australia through the global financial crisis but proved unable to rein in the spending when the crisis had passed?

Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 06:00:23|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LJUBLJANA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Slovenia has detected its first case of the coronavirus variant initially discovered in South Africa, Health Minister Janez Poklukar said here on Friday.

Poklukar told a news conference that the person from the area of Maribor in the northeast of the country has recently returned from Africa.

The minister noted that the infected person had been vaccinated against the coronavirus before traveling there.

"Epidemiologists have traced all highly risks contacts, and four persons have been referred to get tested and ten persons have been sent into quarantine. Two persons who returned from Africa with the first one have fallen ill," Poklukar said.

Since all highly risky contacts have been identified and sent into quarantine, no additional measures were required at this point, noted Poklukar.

"Today's case shows that the epidemic is not over yet," said the minister, urging people to abide by basic sanitary measures.

Slovenia on Friday reported 912 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the national tally to 188,676, according to the National Institute of Public Health.

To date, Slovenia has also confirmed 35 cases of the new coronavirus variant initially identified in the UK.

As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in many countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines.

Meanwhile, 255 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 73 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to the latest information released by the World Health Organization. Enditem



remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Plans are being made aimed at creating a bright future for the Westside neighborhood of Chattanooga. The area bordered by MLK Boulevard, Riverfront Parkway, Main Street and U.S. Highway 27 is the location of one of the oldest public housing developments in the city, College Hills, which was built around 80 years ago. Over the years, Boynton Terrace, Dogwood Manor and Gateway Towers have also been built which doubled public housing units in the Westside district.

The neighborhood is surrounded by others areas which are growing and changing such as downtown and along the river. Planners believe it is time for Westside to follow the lead. Three partners have joined forces to make this happen: The Chattanooga Housing Authority, the city of Chattanooga and The Chattanooga Design Studio, a nonprofit that promotes excellence in urban design, which is taking the lead. These groups will be guided by EJP Consulting Group.

The plan will be done through a process known as Westside Evolves, said Rhae Parks with EJP Consulting Group. She said the goal will be to work with the community to help develop a road map for the future of the neighborhood. There will be two areas of focus, the physical infrastructure and the people. Goals include replacing the existing housing units because of their age and to develop a mixed income community with a range of housing options. Now the area is 100 percent affordable units but the goal will be to add unsubsidized housing to the mix. The plan also aims to leverage existing partnerships to provide residents opportunities with businesses in the surrounding areas including downtown. The overall plan will include a creative piece, incorporating public art and landscape design.

Hunter Gee, a partner in EJP Consulting said the first stage was to determine a baseline by looking at existing conditions in the Westside district. This will help the planners to understand the past and present in the neighborhood. These elements include knowing that around 2,000 people live there currently. The character of the community, the history, the way land is being used, transportation connectivity, education, employment and crime and safety of the neighborhood has all been studied. In the close look, the planners found there are a lot of challenges but also some strengths.

As planners and architects, said Mr. Gee we want to understand how the community uses the neighborhood. The group had found that most housing is owned by Chattanooga Housing Authority with only a few privately owned properties. The proximity to downtown and the river are great assets and there is a significant amount of open space that is underutilized. There are a few commercial spaces, but most are vacant. Housing consists of relatively small units, with few having three-four bedrooms.

Connectivity by public transit is good but scheduling presents some problems and increases commuting time. Less than half of residents own their own vehicles, and transportation is seen as a problem to 25 percent of people who live there. The area is surrounded by some very busy roads, and Highway 27 isolates the neighborhood and creates a barrier to downtown, yet there are also quiet tree lined streets in the interior of the area. Topography creates challenges to connectivity, said Mr. Gee.

Kathy Carton, also with EJP Consulting, in helping to develop the plan, will focus on support and services needed and wanted by the people who live there. She said the median income is extremely low, about $12,000 a year and that most are employed in the low paying service industries. A lack of internet access hinders both remote learning and job searches.

There is good access to health insurance and care, yet premiums that people pay are high and most depend on hospital emergency rooms for health care. There are a lot of chronic health conditions that need to be addressed and the need for disability services. There is a high rate of food insecurity in the Westside neighborhood.

As for education, there is good participation in early childhood learning and there are five schools that serve the area. But, according to Hamilton County there is chronic absenteeism and a high rate of suspensions and a large failure to achieve proficiency in standardized testing. Despite being available, there is less than 40 percent participation in after school programs.

Crime and safety concerns show a high rate of violence and vandalism. In Gateway Towers, people perceive the police in a positive light. In College Hills, which has a younger population, people perceive police as a threat. There is a need for better lighting, community policing and anti-gang initiatives, she said.

Moving the plan forward will be done in four stages, and only the first has been done at this time, which is understanding the neighborhood. Stage two will be to hold community meetings and determine a shared vision for the future. During stage three, the planners will create a detailed plan for the buildings, services, infrastructure and public spaces. The different stages of the plan will be presented to the community for input. The fourth and last stage which should be done in around nine months, will to make an action plan to guide the implementation of the project.

The public is invited to ongoing workshops. Discussion of the buildings, places and connections will be held on March 6, 8, and 11. Meetings to discuss people, services and opportunities will be on March 8,13 and 15.

The program can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=xMP5C-FGbkM&feature=youtu.be

Detailed data about the plan and future meetings can be seen on the website www.WestSideEvolves.com.


The chairman and treasurer of the Hampden County retirement board cut a reimbursement check for nearly $2,000 this week after an audit questioned lodging expenses he claimed for conferences he attended on Cape Cod, according to documents obtained by The Republican / MassLive.

The documents include $1,825 in receipts Richard M. Theroux submitted for rentals on Hyannis Point Road in Mashpee between 2014 and 2017. Theroux has owned a condominium at 11 Hyannis Point Road since March 1998, according to the towns assessor records for fiscal 2021.

Two addresses listed in the receipts Theroux submitted  10 and 12 Hyannis Point Road  do not appear in the assessors database.

Three of the receipts, though, are signed Dan Somers. The assessors database lists Daniel P. and Anine Somers of Hopewell Junction, New York, as the former owners of 9 Hyannis Point Road. They sold the property in 2019, assessor records show.

Neither Theroux nor Somers could be reached for comment Friday.

The issue was flagged in an audit of the Hampden County Regional Retirement System released Feb. 16 by the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission. The commission is charged with oversight of the states public pensions.

Other issues identified in the audit  which examined a three-year period from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 31, 2017  range from questionable spending on scam website services to a highly unusual contract that paid over $250,000 in health insurance premiums to two part-time attorneys.

In its response to the audits questions about the rental expenses, the retirement board explained that all of the conference centers rooms were booked when the chairman sought a reservation, and that all attendees required lodging due to the distance of over 150 miles.

The requested reimbursement for lodging costs was not only consistent with the conference center but less expensive than the conference center and surrounding hotels, the board said in its audit response. This type of arrangement was used in prior years that had been audited by PERAC and no issues were found in the chair making this type of arrangement for lodging. For future conferences however, all efforts will be made to seek lodging of the Board members at the conference site. Prior board approval will also be sought to allow offsite lodging if necessary.

But the auditors, also citing assessor records, noted the addresses that do not appear in the assessor records  and the fact that both are one number away from a condominium which is owned by the Chair.

We also noted various discrepancies with the signatures on the lodging documents provided, the auditors wrote. The audit said the receipts raise serious concerns about the legitimacy of these expenses qualifying for reimbursement.

According to the receipts obtained by The Republican / MassLive:

Theroux submitted a $450 receipt for a rental at 10 Hyannis Point Road, Mashpee, for June 1-4, 2014. A signature on the receipt says Dan Somers and lists a payment date of June 26, 2014.

A receipt for Sea Side Rentals for May 31 to June 3, 2015, lists a payment of $450 received on June 29, 2015. No signature or address is included.

A receipt listing a June 29, 2016, payment of $475 states: Richard Theroux Sea Side rentals Cape Cod Mass June 5 6 7 2016. The receipt is signed Thank You Come Again! with the name Dan Somers.

A receipt for a rental unit 12 Hyannis Point Road states: Richard M Theroux June 4-June 7th rent $450. The receipt lists a payment date of June 14, 2017, and is signed, Thanks  Dan Somers.

The auditors, meanwhile, questioned the references to Sea Side Rentals, writing that the receipts listed a rental company which does not conduct their usual business in the area where the property in question was located.

In a statement earlier this week, the retirement board wrote, While the characterization of the audit report is disputed, the chair has submitting (sic) a payment of $1825 regarding the lodging expenses for conferences attended from 2014-2017.

The documents obtained by The Republican / MassLive show a check in that amount signed by Theroux and dated Feb. 22.

The two names appearing on the letterhead for the boards statement to The Republican / MassLive are Theroux and Executive Director Julianne Bartley. The other retirement board members are Laurel A. Placzek, Patricia C. Donovan, Karl J. Schmaelzle and Patrick E. ONeil, according to the organizations website. Schmaelzle is vice-president of the western district of the Retired State, County, and Municipal Employees Association of Massachusetts, and is on the executive board of the Massachusetts Association of Contributory Retirement Systems.

Theroux worked as Agawams city clerk from 1983-2015. He was elected to Agawams City Council when he was 19, and again after retiring as clerk. He mounted a brief campaign for state representative in 2016, dropping out of the race after Boston Herald columnist Howie Carr noted that, if elected to the Legislature, Theroux would be collecting four public salaries or pensions. Theroux said at the time that the negative attention led him to leave the race.

Letters obtained by The Republican / MassLive Friday show the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission voted Feb. 10 to forward the retirement board audit to Attorney General Maura Healey, Inspector General Glenn A. Cunha and State Ethics Commission Executive Director David Wilson.

Officials in several Hampden County communities this week called for members of the retirement board to resign in the wake of the audit.

Related Content:

Clarification: Citing the retirement boards website, an earlier version of this article said Karl J. Schmaelzles term ended in December 2020. Schmaelzle has been reelected to the board for another term.
One person is dead after an officer-involved shooting Friday night in Walker County, the sheriffs office said.

Deputies were responding to a domestic violence call when the person was shot and killed.

No other details were released; its unclear what transpired before the shooting.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, which investigates officer-involved shootings, was headed to the scene, the sheriffs office said.
Police officers and members of Vietnam Women's Union in Hanoi hold babies rescued from a China trafficking operation, February 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Tuan Anh.

The Hanoi police rescued four newborns who were set to be trafficked to China and arrested their mothers and another who is about to deliver.

Officers from the northern Cao Bang Province joined in a raid of a rented house where the suspects lived on Thursday night and took in five women who had agreed to sell their babies including one who is eight months pregnant.

They said three other mothers had been taken to China to deliver their babies for sale.

The police described it as a large trafficking gang comprising Vietnamese and foreign members.

They have detained Mai Minh Chung, 36, and two other Vietnamese suspects. Investigation found Chung joined the operation in April 2019, using social networks to look for pregnant women who wished to sell their babies. For each successful transaction, the mother would receive VND80 million ($3,460) and Chung VND30 million.

The babies rescued Thursday have been handed to the Vietnam Women's Unions Center for Women and Development and the police are continuing their investigation.

Vietnam is a human trafficking hotspot with the crime generating tens of billions of dollars annually, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

There have been over 3,400 victims of trafficking since 2013, over 90 percent of them women, children and people from ethnic minority communities.

Eighty percent of victims end up in China, which suffers from one of the worst gender imbalances due to its one-child policy and illegal abortion of female fetuses by parents who prefer sons, leading to increased trafficking of Vietnamese women and baby girls to that country.

.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The push to legalize marijuana use for adults in New Mexico won approval in the state House late Friday, sending the proposal on to the Senate for the final, crucial weeks of the session.

If signed into law, the legislation, House Bill 12, would allow the first commercial sales to begin Jan. 1 next year.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Rep. Javier Martinez, an Albuquerque Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill, said passage of the measure would be a blow to drug cartels and allow New Mexico to regulate the cannabis market to promote safety.

He described the legislation as a work in progress reflecting lessons learned in 14 other states that have legalized cannabis use.

This bill has been vetted, Martinez said. This is a big deal, and it should be.

Fridays debate came just two years after the House adopted a recreational cannabis measure 36-34 only to see it die in the Senate. But this years bill heads to a new-look Senate, where more than one-quarter of the members are new to the chamber.

The legislation ran into heavy opposition from House Republicans during Fridays three-hour debate. Republicans argued  without success  in favor of an amendment to allow local governments to opt out of marijuana sales.

I dont think the state of New Mexico is in the habit of forcing communities to do things against their will, Rep. Randal Crowder, R-Clovis, said.

But Democrats said allowing opt-outs would create a confusing legal checkerboard.

New Mexico already offers a medical cannabis program. But the House legislation would open up sales more broadly to adults 21 or older.

It would impose an 8% excise tax on sales at cannabis retailers, and cities and counties could impose taxes of up to 4%. The combined maximum tax rate in New Mexico could reach 21.4%  roughly in line with whats allowed in Arizona and almost 5 percentage points lower than Colorados max rate.

It could generate about $44 million in new tax revenue for the state government and $24 million for local governments a year by 2024, though legislators made changes to the bill Friday that might reduce some of the revenue. Recreational sales could begin as soon as Jan. 1 next year by certain companies, such as those with a medical cannabis license. Other license applications would be accepted starting in July next year.

The bill would allow New Mexicans to grow up to six mature cannabis plants.

Smoking in public would be prohibited, but retail stores could offer space for consumption.

Under the proposal, employers generally couldnt discipline an employee for cannabis use outside the workplace. But they could take action against someone who used marijuana, possessed it or was impaired at work.

The House passed the bill 39-31. Six Democrats voted no  Anthony Allison of Fruitland, Harry Garcia of Grants, Doreen Wonda Johnson of Church Rock, Derrick Lente of Sandia Pueblo, Patricia Lundstrom of Gallup and Candie Sweetser of Deming.

Democratic Rep. Andrea Romero of Santa Fe said legalization would help address the inequities of the war on drugs and destigmatize cannabis use. This gateway drug has been a gateway to eviction, to deportation, to arrests, to criminalization of addiction and more, she said.

The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
The widespread protests that followed the police slaying of George Floyd famously sent sales of titles addressing racial injustice and related topics soaring. As readers continue to seek context for the present moment, publishers are finding in their backlist catalogs titles that show the deep roots of the current reckoning.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa massacre, when white residents, many deputized and armed by police, attacked residents of a prosperous Black neighborhood. Estimates range from dozens to hundreds killed, with 35 square blocks of the district destroyed. Related backlist reissues include Jewell Parker Rhodess 1997 historical novel centered on the massacre, Magic City, which Harper Perennial will release in May. The new cover replaces the original character-focused artwork with images of smoldering buildings; Rhodes reflects on the anniversary in a new afterword. The St. Martins Griffin reissue of 2001s The Burning, a nonfiction title by Tim Madigan, also publishes in May and includes a new afterword by the author.

A year after the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which followed the police beating of Rodney King and the involved officers subsequent acquittal, Zondervan published The Coming Race Wars? by William Pannell. The Black theologians assertion that issues of race needed to be taken seriously by white evangelicals was dismissed as alarmist, according to InterVarsity Press, which is reissuing the previously out-of-print book in June. A new introduction by Jemar Tisby, author of 2019s The Color of Compromise and the recently released How to Fight Racism, should help the book reach younger readers, says Lori Neff, IVPs marketing manager. Theres also a key difference in the title: the publisher dropped the question mark, Neff notes, because its not tentative anymore.

At New Press, 85% of 2020 sales were backlist, a fact that publisher Ellen Adler says wasnt really a surprise. The press prioritizes its backlist, and topics that have dominated the news, including race and racial justice, are consistently our lead categories. Forthcoming reissues include 1998s Remembering Slavery, edited by Ira Berlin, Marc Favreau, and Steven F. Miller; 2001s Remembering Jim Crow, edited by William H. Chafe, Ramond Gavins, and Robert Korstad; and 2006s We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For by Alice Walker, with a new foreword by her daughter, Rebecca Walker.

Coffee House Presss May reissue of Echo Tree, a posthumous 2003 collection of Henry Dumass short fiction, had been in the works for years, says publicist Daley Farr. But Floyds killing was a catalyst to fast-track that project. Dumas, a civil rights activist and member of the Black Arts Movement, was shot and killed by a New York City Transit Authority police officer in 1968, at age 33. The 2021 edition will have a new introduction by 2018 MacArthur fellow John Keene as well as new cover art. We wanted to celebrate the significance of the work and Dumass vision with something vibrant that would catch the eye of a casual bookstore browser, Farr notessomething that would look more like contemporary fiction and less like a textbook.

Widespread discussions in 2020 of how diversity plays out in the workplace prompted Harvard Business Review to refresh 2003s Our Separate Ways: Black and White Women and the Struggle for Professional Identity by Ella L.J. Edmondson Bell (now Ella Bell Smith) and Stella M. Nkomo. The August release includes new suggestions for actions companies can take toward remedying racial inequality in the workplace. Marketing efforts, aimed at business and HR executives, will include original pieces by the authors posted on the publishers website and promoted via newsletters and social media.

Steerforth Press is reissuing 2008s Hard Driving, Brian Donovans biography of Wendell Scott, a Black stock-car racer who in the 1950s broke NASCARs color barrier, in August. Generally, booksellers and readers probably thought of this as a NASCAR book more than an American history book around social and racial justice, says publisher Chip Fleischer. As part of the effort to highlight Scotts broader significance, the book is being released under the publishers new Truth to Power imprint.

Return to the main feature.

FOR some of us, walking on dog waste in the street is an irritating inconveniences.

But for one Limerick 28-year-old, it immense physical pain, with a number of people having to suffer the consequences at times.

Mikey ODoherty, who lives in Lord Edward Street, uses a wheelchair since he has a form of cerebral palsy.

He took to social media this month to urge dog owners to please clean up after themselves.

In the appeal, he wrote: Lads, Im so annoyed. I was on a coffee walk tonight in my wheelchair. I rolled over s**t. I have to get on a bus five days a week with Enable Ireland, and its not fair on the staff that have to be putting my wheelchair on the bus, and having to clap the wheelchair down. Its very annoying when you bring s**t around with you, so please pick up your dog s**t.

While some of us, having trodden in dog poo would wipe it off our shoe at a nearby grass verge, for Mikey, its a lot more complicated than that, with his wheels caked in the defecation.

I have to get out of my wheelchair and get a bucket of water and clean the wheels with a cloth. You cant powerwash a wheelchair, because if you do this, all the electrical wires will get, and youd risk the wheelchair not running, he said.

Having to get out of his chair and onto sticks is an immensely painful experience, and the city man  who is currently studying at Mary Immaculate College  feels he shouldnt have to do this.

Its really embarrassing as I have to go everywhere in my wheelchair, and I dont want to be dragging crap in wherever I go. When my friend smells something on my wheels it makes me feel bad, Mikey said.

He feels dog owners who do not clean up after themselves are selfish, adding: Everywhere around Limerick this is an issue. I dont mind people having animals  I love animals. But it doesnt take two minutes to pick up their crap off the street. Its not nice. If you cant mind a dog properly, dont bother with a dog.

Mikeys comments come as councillors unanimously passed a motion calling for a public awareness campaign on the issue of dumping.

Labour member Conor Sheehan, who drafted the motion, told the metropolitan meeting: 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.


A new study by researchers at William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science suggests that continued warming of Atlantic coastal waters may enhance the spread of invasive blue catfish within the Chesapeake Bay and other estuaries along the U.S. East Coast.

The research, by Drs. Vaskar Nepal and Mary Fabrizio of VIMS, appeared in a recent issue of PLOS ONE. It builds on an earlier study by the two authors showing that blue catfish can better tolerate salinity spikes than most freshwater fishes, and thus may be able to expand their range downstream into mainstem Chesapeake waters, and from there into new Bay tributaries and even Delaware Bay.

"Blue cats" were introduced to tidal freshwater stretches of the James, York, and Rappahannock rivers during the 1970s and 1980s to enhance recreational fisheries. They feed on vegetation, mollusks, and fishes, often out-competing native species such as white catfish. Their continued spread thus concerns fisheries managers.

The pair conducted their latest study to investigate the combined, long-term effects of salinity and temperature on catfish health and behavior.

By manipulating both factors, we were able to address an important knowledge gap and more closely simulate real-world conditions, where salinity and temperature can and do vary over a range of time scales." Dr. Vaskar Nepal, Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Virginia Institute of Marine Science

East Coast estuaries are warmer and typically saltier during summer; colder and fresher during winter and spring. Their heat and salt content can also vary on shorter time-scales during rainy spells, drought, heat waves, or cold snaps.

The researchers studied the combined effects of salinity and temperature by monitoring the health and behavior of 160 juvenile blue catfish divided among two duplicate sets of eight tanks, each set with four levels of salinity (1, 4, 7 or 10 practical salinity units) and two temperature levels (54 F or 72 F). The salinity treatments represent a range from largely fresh (1 psu) to moderately brackish (10 psu) waters, as found in many Bay tributaries.

The temperatures are typical of Chesapeake Bay waters occupied by blue catfish during winter and spring. All tanks and fish were monitored inside the VIMS Seawater Research Laboratory for more than three months.

Nepal and Fabrizio assessed how the eight salinity and temperature combinations affected the fish's growth, body condition, body composition, and food consumption. Their results show that warmer water temperature has a positive effect on the biology of blue catfish under salinity conditions often encountered in estuarine waters.

"At salinities up to 7 psu, mean growth rate, body condition, and consumption rates were all higher at 72 degrees than at 54 degrees," says Nepal. "We measured the highest growth and body condition at 72 degrees and 4 psu." Warmer, fresher waters--as projected by climate models in the future Bay due to increased trapping of heat and enhanced precipitation--would thus appear to favor the spread and establishment of blue cats.

The average rate at which blue cats consumed their food did decline significantly at salinities greater than 9 psu. This was not unexpected, as that is the internal salinity of most freshwater fishes. When bathed in waters saltier than their own internal tissues, fish must expend considerable energy to prevent osmosis from driving bodily fluids into the surrounding water.

That extra energy expenditure decreases the fish's overall health. In Nepal and Fabrizio's experiments, blue catfish held at 10 psu showed low consumption rates, slow growth, and low body condition.

Fabrizio, a professor and chair of the Fisheries Science Department at VIMS, says "Habitats with salinities higher than 9 psu likely will not support the full life-cycle of blue catfish, but the fish may use salinities up to 10 psu for foraging, dispersal, and even growth."

"Many brackish habitats along the U.S. East Coast may thus be vulnerable to invasion by blue catfish," says Nepal, "particularly given increasing temperatures due to climate warming."

"Given these findings," he adds, "state and regional management agencies should pay close attention to habitats at these salinities, especially in areas that provide nursery habitat for native species of conservation concern."

Sea-level rise promises one bright spot for those concerned with the spread of blue catfish. "Our rising seas are projected to bring saltier waters farther up our estuaries and tributaries," says Nepal. "This salinity intrusion may serve to limit dispersal between tributaries and form discrete subpopulations of blue catfish that are only connected during periods of high freshwater flow."
New Delhi: Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday (February 27) said he is "actively pursuing" Airbus to begin manufacturing aeroplanes in India.

Addressing the CEOs session at the country's first Toy Fair 2021, the Commerce and Industry Minister said: "We are looking at world domination in the toy sector and anything short of that would be a terrible disappointment".

Narrating an experience from his childhood about a toy setup for planes that influenced him to aspire to become a toy manufacturer, the minister said, "It is another matter that I don't think I will be able to do it, but I'm actively pursuing Airbus to try and get them to come to India to start manufacturing aeroplanes in India".

He said that no stone will be left unturned to provide support to toy clusters, make the business environment easier, get the environment clearances, and compliances with quality regulations. The minister announced that wherever toy clusters are being set-up, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will establish laboratories for testing the quality of products.

He also assured that charges for testing will soon be significantly reduced, thereby bringing down the compliance cost of the industry. Piyush Goyal urged the industry to focus on improving the quality of their products, of component suppliers and meet quality standards, as this is the only way the cultural mindset will become quality conscious and we can engage with the world.

He said India as a manufacturer of products will have to provide quality products.

"The moment we start making good quality, we will naturally become a player in international trade. It is only the quality culture which will help us to engage with the world and help us to expand our own contribution to resilient supply chains & future businesses," Goyal said.

Observing that the Quality Council of India ran a sample test on a variety of Indian & imported toys, he said the toys were found to be unsafe and were of poor quality.

"This was the origin of the quality control order. I have taken it upon myself to upgrade the quality of Indian products in every sphere. We have to get quality as a defining feature in every work we do in India," Goyal said.

He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this government will work to change the present situation of 85 per cent imports and 15 per cent indigenous production of toys and turn it around 360 degrees.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of Textiles and Women and Child Development Smriti Irani expressed happiness that The India Toy Fair 2021 inaugurated by the Prime Minister, has received such an overwhelming response, with over 21 lakh registrations, and a large number of exhibitors.

Calling upon reimagining Indian toys, she said that they should reflect Indian legacy, heroes and landmarks.

Emphasizing on toys' role as a learning tool, Irani said that the industry should make in India for the global market. She said that India itself is a big Toy market and the Indian Toy industry has a bright future.

Live TV
Bay of Plenty

The civil season is about to kick off here in Tauranga and we have positions for 2 class 2 truck drivers who would be interested...



View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz

Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
China on Friday responded to media reports that India's huge capacity to make Coronavirus vaccine is helping New Delhi to take on Beijing in the 'vaccine diplomacy game.' China played down the reports and welcomed India supplying more COVID-19 vaccines to a number of countries.

'We welcome & certainly hope to see more countries...'

Responding to a question on a Bloomberg report that India has beaten China in its own game of vaccine diplomacy, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin during a media briefing said, "We welcome and certainly hope to see more countries pitching in to provide vaccines to the international community, in particular to the developing countries, as this will strengthen the global cooperation on defeating COVID-19."

"On top of overcoming domestic problems, China has been offering vaccines to other countries as a concrete step to deliver on President Xi Jinping's pledge to make vaccines a global public good. China has provided and is providing vaccine assistance to 53 countries, and has exported and is exporting vaccines to 27 countries," Wenbin said.

"China will continue to cooperate vaccine-wise with relevant countries in various ways to take the world closer to the final victory against the pandemic. We hope that capable countries will contribute to promoting vaccine accessibility in developing countries as well as equitable distribution and application worldwide," he added.

According to PTI, for its part, China has promised 10 million vaccines to the United Nations-backed COVAX initiative, but the first supplies of COVAX vaccines went from the Serum Institute of India to Ghana.

India on Wednesday dispatched the first batch of six lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses to Ghana under the COVAX facility, an international cooperative programme formed to make sure low- and middle-income countries have fair access to COVID-19 vaccines.

WHO lauds PM Modi's commitment

Besides neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Maldives where China competed with India in expanding its influence, New Delhi has delivered vaccines to numerous countries, a substantial amount of doses freely well ahead of Beijing's offers to supply the jabs.

READ | Mamata questions EC over West Bengal poll schedule; alleges dates dictated by BJP

READ | India exits technical recession as GDP grows by 0.4% in October-Dec quarter of FY 2020-21

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to supporting vaccine equity and sharing COVID-19 vaccines with over 60 countries across the world, hoping that other nations will follow his example.

Thank you @DrTedros. We are all together in the fight against this pandemic. India is committed to sharing resources, experiences, and knowledge for global good. https://t.co/nVwQKPUl38  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 26, 2021

India, the largest drug producer in the world, is currently manufacturing two COVID-19 vaccines- Covishield and Covaxin. While Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India in Pune, Covaxin is being produced by Bharat Biotech. India is expected to step up its vaccine diplomacy in a big way once the Covaxin of the Bharat Biotech gets the WHO nod in the coming weeks.

READ | EC announces Assembly poll dates for 4 States and 1 UT; 8-phase election for West Bengal

READ | Khalistani group planned to raise its flag on Red Fort a year ago, reveals chargesheet

(With PTI Inputs)
Police in Myanmar have escalated their crackdown on demonstrators against this months military takeover, deploying early and in force as protesters sought to assemble in the countrys two biggest cities.

Security forces in some areas appeared to become more aggressive in using force and making arrests, utilising more plainclothes officers than had previously revealed themselves.

Photos posted on social media showed that residents of at least two cities, Yangon and Monywa, resisted by erecting makeshift street barricades to try to hinder the advance of the police.

Expand Close Anti-coup protesters in Yangon (AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Anti-coup protesters in Yangon (AP)

Myanmars crisis took a dramatic turn on Friday when the countrys ambassador to the United Nations declared his loyalty to the ousted civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi during a special session of the General Assembly, and called on the world to pressure the military to cede power.

There were arrests in Yangon and Mandalay, the two biggest cities where demonstrators have been hitting the streets daily to demand the restoration of the government of Ms Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy party won a landslide election victory in November.

Police have increasingly enforced an order by the junta banning gatherings of five or more people.

Many other cities and towns have also hosted large protests against the February 1 coup, which came after the military alleged there had been irregularities during the November vote, and also criticised the handling of the pandemic.

Police in Dawei, in the sout-heast, and Monywa, 85 miles north-west of Mandalay, used force against protesters. Both cities, with populations of less then 200,000 each, have been seeing large demonstrations.

The takeover has reversed years of slow progress toward democracy after five decades of military rule.

Ms Suu Kyis party would have been installed for a second five-year term in office, but the army blocked parliament from convening and detained her and President Win Myint and other top members of her government.

Expand Close Myanmar Ambassador to the United Nations Kyaw Moe Tun (UNTV/ AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Myanmar Ambassador to the United Nations Kyaw Moe Tun (UNTV/ AP)

At the General Assembly in New York, Myanmars ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun declared in an emotional speech to fellow delegates that he represented Ms Suu Kyis civilian government elected by the people and supported the fight against military rule.

MRTV, a Myanmar state-run television channel, broadcast an announcement on Saturday from the Foreign Ministry that Kyaw Moe Tun has been dismissed from his post because he had abused his power and misbehaved by failing to follow the instructions of the government and betraying it.

He urged all countries to issue public statements strongly condemning the coup, and to refuse to recognise the military regime.

He also called for stronger international measures to stop violence by security forces against peaceful demonstrators.

He drew loud applause from many diplomats in the 193-nation global body, as well as effusive praise on social media, where people from Myanmar and further afield described him as a hero.

Expand Close A protester show bullets, shotgun shells and rubber bullets used by security forces in Mandalay (AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A protester show bullets, shotgun shells and rubber bullets used by security forces in Mandalay (AP)

The ambassador flashed a three-finger salute that has been adopted by the civil disobedience movement at the end of his speech.

In Yangon on Saturday morning, police began arrests early at the Hledan Center intersection, which has become the gathering point for protesters who then fan out to other parts of the city. Police took similar action in residential neighbourhoods.

Security forces also tried to thwart protests in Mandalay, where roadblocks were set up at several key intersections and the regular venues for rallies were flooded with police.

Mandalay has been the scene of several violent confrontations, and at least four of eight confirmed deaths linked to the protests, according to the independent Assistance Association of Political Prisoners.

Expand Close An anti-coup protester stands next to images of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi (AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp An anti-coup protester stands next to images of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi (AP)

On Friday, at least three people there were injured, two of whom were shot in the chest by rubber bullets and another who suffered what appeared to be a bullet wound on his leg.

According to the association, 771 people have been arrested, charged or sentenced at one point in relation to the coup, and 689 are being detained or sought for arrest.

The junta said it took power because last years polls were marred by massive irregularities. Before the military seized power, the election commission had refuted allegations of widespread fraud.

The junta dismissed the old commissions members and appointed new ones, who annulled the election results on Friday.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Authorities are investigating a shooting in Des Moines that fatally wounded a man.

The Des Moines Police Department and Des Moines Fire Department responded to the report of a shooting at about 11:20 p.m. Friday and arrived to find the man with a gunshot injury. Police said in a news release that despite lifesaving efforts at the scene and the hospital, he died at about 1:20 a.m. Saturday.

This is the citys first homicide of the year.
Central govt should cut its tax on fuel, says TN govt

India

pti-Madhuri Adnal

Chennai, Feb 27: The Centre should come forward to reduce its tax on petroleum products since the resources for State's own tax revenue is meagre, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam told the Assembly on Saturday. Panneerselvam, pointing to accusations by the main opposition DMK over the interim budget (2021-22), said a flawed view, holding the state government responsible for the petrol and diesel price rise, was being propagated.

"There is no iota of truth in such a view," he said replying to the general discussion on budget. Referring to aspects like global economic cyclical changes vis-a-vis the coronavirus pandemic, he said the state government last year modified the system of taxation on petrol and diesel anticipating abnormal changes in prices of petroleum products.

"If the old system had been followed there may have been a scope for the state government to get more revenue during price rise. However, to guard the people from price rise, the government changed the taxation system," Panneerselvam, who holds the finance portfolio, said. The ad valorem tax was brought to 15 per cent from 24 per cent in addition to a specific tax of Rs 13.02 per litre last year, he noted.

For diesel, ad valorem tax was fixed at 11 per cent from the previous 25 per cent plus Rs 9.62 per litre and the modified system was in vogue from May 4, 2020, he said. To protect its tax revenue from petrol and diesel notwithstanding a fall in global crude prices the Central government increased excise duty several times, he said. However, there was no change in tax sytem in Tamil Nadu from 2011 to 2017.

Bengal govt reduces tax by Re 1 per litre on petrol, diesel

"Additional cess and surcharges are being levied by the Central government," he said, adding, state taxes alone were not the reason behind the increase in fuel prices. In view of the Centre's additional cess and surcharges, the revenue to the state government has also been hit, he said.

While the Centre's excise duty mop-up increased 48 per cent during April-November 2020, the Tamil Nadu's government's excise revenue share slid by 39.40 per cent, he said. "We are duty bound to urge the Central government to come forward to reduce its tax on petroleum products as the resources for State's own tax revenue is meagre," he said.

Amid an outcry over record high petrol and diesel prices, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had recently said the Centre and state governments would have to together work out a mechanism to bring retail rates to reasonable levels.

Targeting DMK, the Deputy CM said members of the main opposition used to stage walkout after chatting in the House briefly and they had never respected their democratic duty of taking part in House proceedings.

Panneerselvam said, "DMK deputy leader Duraimurugan has said tdhat they would come to the House only after M K Stalin assumes office as the Chief Minister." "Stalin is not going to become the Chief Minister and DMK men are never going to visit the Assembly. They would face defeat in Assembly polls," he added. Tamil Nadu would go to polls on April 6 along with Puducherry and Kerala.

HarbourVest Partners has beaten the $600m target for its Credit Opportunities Fund II by reaching an $833m final close. The oversubscribed fund is double the size of the firm's debut in the strategy, which it closed on $375m in 2017.


Land Commission Secretariat Consultant, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Organization: FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Country: St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Closing date: Tuesday, 9 March 2021

2100387

Land Commission Secretariat Consultant

Job Posting: 23/Feb/2021

Closure Date: 09/Mar/2021, 10:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : SLC

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition : PSA (Personal Services Agreement)

Grade Level : N/A

Primary Location: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-St Vincent

Duration : Six months

Post Number : N/A

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

Qualified female applicants and qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member countries are encouraged to apply.

Persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Reporting Lines

The consultant will work under the guidance and supervision of the Regional Land Tenure and Natural Resources Officer.

Technical Focus

The project is aimed at scaling up the Pilot Land Commission Secretariat in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to a National Land Commission Secretariat to promote food and nutrition security and support sustainable management of rural lands, in particular idle and underutilized lands. The project also aims to benefit rural youth by facilitating access to land and means of production. The project will significantly contribute to increasing food production, sustainable land management and rural development in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The project will assist in the scaling up of an ongoing Pilot Land Commission Secretariat in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as stated before, and based on this experience, a draft Land Commission Secretariat policy will be prepared for the establishment and operation of the National Land Commission Secretariat. A multistakeholder process of consultation and validation of the draft Land Commission Secretariat policy will be conducted. Also, the project will establish a Land Commission Secretariat performance monitoring system, based on the draft Land Commission Secretariat policy, and based on the review of the functioning of the Pilot Land Commission Secretariat. A series of performance indicators for the Land Commission Secretariat will be prepared to be validated by the Land Commission Secretariat governance mechanism. Finally, the project will design and implement a comprehensive training program to rural youth to develop rural entrepreneurship, as well as a comprehensive communication tool for rural youth entrepreneurs.

Tasks and responsibilities

This consultancy will support the above-described projects implementation in coordination with the Lead Technical Officer and the National Project Coordinator. The consultant will carry out the following duties:

Provide support to the Project Steering Committee and ensure the implementation of the Work Plan and decisions relating to project activities decided by the Steering Committee. To this end, the consultant will liaise with the technicians of the different ministries and ensure delivery of the product(s) requested by the Project Steering Committee.

The consultant will be following the implementation of the Work Plan discussed monthly with the Lead Technical Officer and the National Project Coordinator.

The consultant will support the implementation of the call for applicants to the Land Commission Secretariat, and the application process.

Based on inputs provided by local stakeholders and international consultants, the consultant will support the production of the report on the Land Commission Secretariat policy proposal and monitoring and evaluation proposal, by expediting interviews or any other activity required by the international Land Management consultant.

The consultant will support the implementation of a Letter of Agreement for a training program to rural extension staff.

The consultant will provide a monthly summary report on activities.

Perform any other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

University degree in any recognized subject area (e.g. International Relations, Development Studies, Political Science, Social Sciences). An appropriate mix of vocational training and professional experience may be an acceptable alternative.

3 years of relevant experience in project management.

Tags access to land continuous improvement entrepreneurship food and nutrition food production international relations knowledge sharing land management land tenure monitoring and evaluation natural resources nutrition security political science project management rural development social sciences sustainable land management transparency vocational training

Working knowledge of English.

National of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines or resident in the country with a regular work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

Results Focus

Teamwork

Communication

Building Effective Relationships

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).

Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org

Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.

Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.

For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/

HOW TO APPLY To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered. Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile. If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
Perseverance made a perfect landing in the Jezero crater on Mars on February 18, following a journey several-months-long through the blackness of space. Soon after, and for the first time, the bulk of humanity got to enjoy footage recorded by the many cameras on the rover during landing. And now come the first images of the rovers alien surroundings on the Red Planet.What you see as the main photo of this piece is described by NASA as the first high-definition look of the planet from Perseverances perspective. It was taken with an instrument called Mastcam-Z - a panoramic and stereoscopic camera that will be used to determine the mineralogy of the Martian surface, and assist with rover operations ranging from driving to core-sampling.The panorama was taken by the rover on February 21, after Mastcam-Z completed a full 360-degree rotation. It comprises 142 images stitched together to show the Jezero crater, its rim, and what NASA says it is the cliff face of an ancient river delta.Were nestled right in a sweet spot, where you can see different features similar in many ways to features found by Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity at their landing sites, said in a statement Jim Bell of Arizona State Universitys School of Earth and Space Exploration. This organization is the one in charge with operating the Mastacam-Z.The Perseverance rover is equipped with seven instruments, including the camera responsible for this panorama. Theres the SuperCam to offer chemical composition analysis, PIXL to to detect and analyze chemical elements, and SHERLOC will be used to detect organic compounds.The list ends with MEDA, used to measure temperature, wind speed and direction, pressure, and relative humidity, RIMFAX to handle centimeter-scale resolution of the geologic structure of the subsurface, and MOXIE, a tool that will be used to try and generate oxygen.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 50 lakh, along with government job to a family member of Naib Subedar Parwinder Singh from 22 Punjab Regiment, who laid down his life in High Altitude Area of Batalik sector (Leh) along the Line of Control. The Junior Commissioned officer is survived by his father, wife and two sons aged 11 and 13 years.

Captain Amarinder Singh

Extending his sympathies to the family of the martyr, the Chief Minister said the state government would provide all possible help and support to them.

The mortal remains of the martyr will be reaching his native place in Jagraon on February 28 (Sunday) and the cremation would be held the same day.

In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, February 27, said the PM is scared of China. He added that China knows that PM Modi will compromise the country's interests. "Essentially the Chinese occupied certain strategic areas in our country. They first tested the idea in Dokhlam. They tested the idea to see how India would react and they noticed India did not react. And then they carried out the idea again in Ladakh and also, I believe, in Arunachal Pradesh," he said.

Launching his three-day tour of Tamil Nadu ahead of the April 6 Assembly polls, Gandhi spoke out in detail over Sino-India border issues. The Wayanad MP said that PM Modi's first reaction to the Chinese incursions was "that nobody has come into India."

"That indicated to the Chinese that the Prime Minister of India is scared of them. That is the message he indicated to the Chinese, that he is scared of them and the Chinese understood it. And since then, the Chinese have negotiated on that principle," he said.

"They know that the Prime Minister of India cannot stand up to them. Mark my words, our land in Depsang, which is the most important land, is not going to come back to under this government. The Prime Minister will not get that land back. He will pretend everything is sorted out, but India is going to lose that territory," Gandhi asserted.

Giving such a message to the Chinese was "very dangerous to the future because the Chinese are not going to stop with Ladakh," he alleged.

He said the government under Congress "always dealt with the Chinese without any hesitation."

"The Chinese understood very well that India cannot be pushed around. Even in 2013 when the Chinese entered India, we took action that forced them, forced them to compromise...we went and occupied other spaces," he said.

"They have now understood the Prime Minister doesn't have the courage...the Chinese know the Prime Minister is going to compromise," the Congress leader added.

Gandhi further spoke about how India's democracy is in danger and added that there has been a systematic attack on elected institutions and the free press over the past six years and blamed Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for it.

"Democracy doesn't die with a bang, it dies slowly. Institutions like Parliament, judiciary, press, etc hold the nation together. A nation is a balance between its institutions. If that balance is destroyed, then the nation is destroyed. RSS has penetrated into them," Gandhi noted.

Also read: Maruti Suzuki vehicle exports cross 20 lakh milestone

Also read: SBI Mutual Fund IPO slated for this year; gears to raise $1 billion
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot

An alternative route - that didn't impact on residents on country roads - would have to be identified before a full HGV ban is introduced in Duleek.

That's the view of Meath CC, responding to a proposal by Cllr Stephen McKee as part of the new Meath County Development Plan.

That said, Engineer Padraig Maguire did confirm that a proposal already existed in the plan that suggested levels of HGV traffic should be managed in the village.

Cllr McKee was seeking a ban on such vehicles.

Cllr Sharon Tolan said that such a ban was discussed at local level in the past but the big issue was the fear of 'rat runs' because of it.

Cllr Geraldine Keogan said it had been brought to the council in 2017.

Cllr McKee said he would bring the subject back to be reviewed at council level.

He also urged a bypass for the village due to the traffic volumes.

Council official Des Foley said the objective existed, but funding had been restricted and the council put forward Julianstown for a bypass, with traffic calming for Duleek.

Clr Paddy Meade said that the lorries were having a big impact on the quality of life of local residents.

He said during council meetings at the civic offices, they sometimes had to stop talking due to the noise levels outside.

'I support Julianstown, but Duleek needs a bypass too,' he said. 'Fixing one does not fix the other.'

Cllr McKee also sought to have a public park for Duleek as a local amenity space.

The council again said that such objectives already existed for an open space and public park.

Cllr Paddy Meade agreed with the suggestion and said a park would be a huge asset for Duleek and its growing population.


In a display of defiance against the Gandhis, some of the '23 dissenters' rallied in Jammu on Saturday, proclaiming that 'Congress had weakened'. With J&K's only Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad retiring, his colleagues - Manish Tewari, Anand Sharma, Vivek Tankha, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Raj Babbar, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kapil Sibal held a 'Shanti Sammelan', stating that they will 'strengthen, build and unite' the Congress. The 'G-23' leaders are on a 3-day visit in Jammu to chalk out the future course of action and hold several public meetings. The party has set a June 2021 deadline for electing a new Congress chief.

Ghulam Nabi Azad says 'don't sideline us' as 'G23' leaders do not wish to see Cong weak

G-23's defiance rally

Leading the charge, Azad lamented the loss of Jammu-Kashmir's statehood saying, "In the last 5-6 yrs, all these friends did not speak any less than me in the Parliament over J&K, its unemployment, stripping off of statehood, finishing off industries & education, implementation of GST. Be it Jammu or Kashmir or Ladakh, we respect all religions, people & castes. We equally respect everyone, that is our strength and we will continue with this".

Talking about their 'dissenting', Anand Sharma said that the group of leaders has grown in the Congress through the students' movement, the youth movement, reiterating that the G-23 were a part of Congress. Stating that Congress has weakened in the past decade, he added that the new generation of leaders must connect with Congress to strengthen it again. Lamenting the loss of Azad from the Upper House, Sharma said, " There has never come such an occasion after 1950 when there is no representative of Jammu & Kashmir in the Rajya Sabha. This will be corrected".

'No excuses left': Congress demands full statehood, elected govt in J&K at all-party meet

Lauding Azad's experience, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said, "What is the real role of Ghulam Nabi Azad Sahab? A person who flies an aircraft is an experienced person. An engineer accompanies him to detect & repair any malfunctioning in the engine. Ghulam Nabi ji is one such leader who knows the ground reality of Congress in every district of every state. We didn't him to go from Parliament. I can't understand why is Congress not using his experience" Echoing his peers, he too said that Congress has weakened, leading to their gathering in Jammu.

Ex-Congress UP chief raj Babbar proclaimed," People say 'G23', I say Gandhi 23. With the belief, resolve & thinking of Mahatma Gandhi, this nation's law & Constitution was formed. Congress is standing strongly to take these forward. 'G23' want Congress to be strong." Ex-Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda added, "Azad will come when J&K will be a state. He wont come to J&K as UT. This will happen when Congress will get strengthened."

Ghulam Nabi Azad takes 'G23' Congress delegation to Jammu; making point to Sonia Gandhi?

Congress squashes dissent

Quashing all internal dissent, after a stormy Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, the grand-old party retained Sonia Gandhi as party chief till elections are called for in the next AICC meeting. Moreover, it passed a resolution strengthening the Gandhis' leadership and not allowing anyone to undermine the party or the Gandhis (Rahul and Sonia). 23 senior leaders sought 'structural changes', internal election to the CWC even at state levels, the formation of an Independent Election Authority, and institutional leadership mechanism, full-time leadership at the helm at the party. The 23 signatories include Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tewari, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rajender Kaur Bhattal, M. Veerappa Moily, Prithviraj Chavan, P.J. Kurian, Ajay Singh, Renuka Chaudhary, and Milind Deora - belonging from the Congress' 'old guard ' and the 'young guard' (i.e Rahul Gandhi supporters). With a June 2021 deadline, most Congress leaders have rallied around Rahul Gandhi, but the G-23 has demanded a 'transparent election'.

Congress Working Committee sets June 2021 as deadline for electing new party chief
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
An elderly man is to face trial before Limerick Circuit Court in connection with a fatal road collision in County Limerick more than a year ago.

James Barrett, 77, who has an address at Glendown Court, Templeogue, Dublin first appeared before Newcastle West Court last December after he was charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Michael (Mickey) Hegarty.

The 47-year-old father-of-two from Rathkeale died following a collision on the N21 outside Croagh, between Rathkeale and Adare on November 27, 2019.

At Newcastle West Court this week, state solicitor Aidan Judge said the book of evidence had been completed and that a copy had been served on the defendant.

Judge Sandra Murphy noted this and having issued the 'alibi warning' to Mr Barrett, she formally returned the matter to the next sittings of Limerick Circuit Court.

Dublin-based solicitor John Browne was assigned to represent the defendant and legal aid was extended to include a barrister.

While the case will come before the circuit court next month, its unlikely to be dealt with for several months given the pandemic's effect on court lists.

Ethiopian officials and allied militia fighters are leading a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing in Tigray, the war-torn region in northern Ethiopia, according to a confidential US government report obtained by The New York Times.

The report, written earlier this month, documents in stark terms a land of looted houses and deserted villages where tens of thousands of people are unaccounted for.

Fighters and officials from the neighbouring Amhara region of Ethiopia, who entered Tigray in support of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, are deliberately and efficiently rendering western Tigray ethnically homogeneous through the organised use of force and intimidation, the report says.

Whole villages were severely damaged or completely erased, it adds.

In a second report, published on Friday, Amnesty International said soldiers from Eritrea had systematically killed hundreds of Tigrayan civilians in the ancient city of Axum over a 10-day period in November, shooting some of them in the streets.

The worsening situation in Tigray  where Mr Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, launched a surprise military offensive in November  is shaping up to be the Biden administrations first major test in Africa. Former president Donald Trump paid little attention to the continent and never visited it, but President Joe Biden has promised a more engaged approach.

In a call with President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya on Thursday, Mr Biden brought up the Tigray crisis. The two leaders discussed the deteriorating humanitarian and human rights crises in Ethiopias Tigray region and the need to prevent further loss of life and ensure humanitarian access, a White House statement said.

But thus far, Mr Biden and other US officials have been reluctant to openly criticise Mr Abiys conduct of the war, while European leaders and United Nations officials, worried about reports of widespread atrocities, have been increasingly outspoken.

On Tuesday, a European Union envoy, Finlands foreign minister Pekka Haavisto, told reporters the situation in Tigray was very out of control after returning from a fact-finding trip to Ethiopia and Sudan. The bloc suspended 88m (76m) in aid to Ethiopia at the start of the conflict, and last month the EUs foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, warned of possible war crimes in Tigray and said that the crisis was unsettling the entire region.

Ethiopia routinely dismisses critics of its campaign as stooges of its foes in Tigray. But on Friday afternoon, in response to the Amnesty International report, Mr Abiys office said it was ready to collaborate in an international investigation into atrocities in Tigray. The government reiterates its commitment to enabling a stable and peaceful region, it said in a statement.

Mr Abiys office also claimed that Ethiopia has given unfettered access to international aid groups in Tigray  in contrast with UN officials who estimate that just 20 per cent of the region can be reached by aid groups because of government-imposed restrictions.

The new US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, spoke with Mr Ahmed by phone on 4 Feburary and urged him to allow humanitarian access to Tigray, the State Department said.

Alex de Waal, an expert on the Horn of Africa at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, said it is time for the United States to urgently focus on the crisis in Tigray, before more atrocities are committed and the humanitarian crisis lurches toward a famine.

What is needed is political leadership at the highest level, and that means the US, he said.

When the United States assumes the chair of the UN Security Council in March, Professor de Waal said, it should use that position to bring international pressure to bear on the belligerents to step back from a ruinous conflict.

Mr Ahmed launched the Tigray campaign on 4 November after months of tension with the regional ruling party, the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, which ruled Ethiopia with a tight grip for almost three decades until Abiy came to power in 2018.

But many of the worst abuses of the war have been blamed not on the Ethiopian military or the TPLF  whose armed wing is now known as the Tigray Defence Forces  but on the irregular and undeclared forces that have rallied behind Prime Minister Ahmeds military campaign.

Within weeks of the start of the conflict came the first reports that soldiers from Eritrea  Ethiopias bitter rival until the two countries reached a peace deal in 2018  had quietly crossed into Tigray to assist Mr Ahmeds overstretched federal forces.

In western Tigray, ethnic fighters from Amhara, a region with a long rivalry with Tigray, flooded in, quickly helping Mr Ahmed to capture the area.

Now it is the Eritreans and Amhara fighters who face the most serious accusations, including rape, plunder and massacres that, experts say, could constitute war crimes.

The US government report about the situation in western Tigray, an area now largely controlled by Amhara militias, documents in vivid terms what it describes as an apparent campaign to force out the ethnic Tigrayan population under the cover of war.

The report, which is categorised by the government as sensitive but unclassified, documents how in several towns ethnic Tigrayans had been attacked and had their homes pillaged and burned. Some had fled into the bush; others crossed illegally into Sudan; and still others had been rounded up and forcibly relocated to other parts of Tigray, the report says.

In contrast, towns with a majority Amharan population were thriving, with bustling shops, bars and restaurants, the report said.

The US report is not the first accusation of ethnic cleansing since the Tigray crisis erupted. But it does highlight how US officials are quietly documenting those abuses and reporting them to superiors in Washington.

The looming spectre of mass hunger is also driving the sense of urgency over Tigray. At least 4.5 million people in the region urgently need food aid, according to the Tigray Emergency Coordination Centre, which is run by Ethiopias federal government. Ethiopian officials say that some people have already died.

A document from Tigrays regional government dated 2 February and obtained by The New York Times notes that 21 people starved to death in the eastern Tigray district of Gulomokeda. Such numbers could be just the tip of the iceberg, aid officials warned.

Today it could be one, two or three, but you know after a month it means thousands, Abera Tola, president of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, told reporters earlier this month. After two months it will be tens of thousands.

The political outrage over Tigray, though, especially among European lawmakers, is being fuelled by the growing tide of accounts of human rights abuses.

The Amnesty International report published on Friday asserts that Eritrean soldiers conducted house-to-house searches in Axum in November, shooting civilians in the street and conducting extrajudicial executions of men and boys. When the shooting stopped, residents who tried to remove the bodies from the street were fired upon, the report says.

Amnesty said the massacre was likely a crime against humanity. Eritreas information minister, Yemane G Meskel, rejected the report, calling it transparently unprofessional.

Axum, a city of ancient ruins and churches, holds great significance to followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox faith. When the Eritrean soldiers relented and allowed the bodies to be collected, hundreds were piled up in churches, including the Church of St Mary of Zion, where many Ethiopians believe that the ark of the covenant  said to hold the tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments  is housed.

Article courtesy of The New York Times
(Newser)  An official says 42 people, including 27 students who were abducted two weeks ago from a school in northern Nigeria, have been freed. Mary Noel-Berje, chief press secretary for the Niger state governor, told the AP on Saturday that those released have arrived in the state capital, Minna. "We have received them," she said. The students, teachers, and family members were abducted by gunmen from the Government Science College Kagara. Their release was announced a day after police said gunmen had abducted 317 girls from a boarding school elsewhere in northern Nigeria, in Zamfara state. One resident said the gunmen also attacked a nearby military camp and checkpoint, preventing soldiers from interfering with the mass abduction. Several large groups of armed men operate in Zamfara state, described by the government as bandits, and are known to kidnap for money and to push for the release of their members from jail.

story continues below

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said Friday the government's primary objective is to get all the school hostages returned safe, alive, and unharmed. "We will not succumb to blackmail by bandits and criminals who target innocent school students in the expectation of huge ransom payments," he said. "Let bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists not entertain any illusions that they are more powerful than the government." Nigeria has seen several such attacks and kidnappings over the years, notably the mass abduction in April 2014 by jihadist group Boko Haram of 276 girls from the secondary school in Chibok in Borno state. More than a hundred of the girls are still missing. In December, 344 students were abducted from the Government Science Secondary School Kankara in Katsina state. They were eventually released.

(Read more Nigeria stories.)
will keep supporting the Syrian government in the fight against terrorism, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a telephone conversation with the Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad on Friday.

Zarif reaffirmed that the Islamic Republic will continue its supports for Syria in various fields and in its efforts to ensure security and stability across Syria, the Xinhua news reported.

The Iranian foreign minister also stressed the need for a solution that preserves the interests, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Arab country.

For his part, Mekdad thanked for supporting the Syrian people in the economic arena with the purpose of mitigating the effects of unilateral economic sanctions.

The two sides also urged the western states to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions on Syria, said the report.

The conversation between the two senior officials of the regional allies followed US air strikes that killed at least 22 pro- fighters in eastern Syria on Friday morning.

--IANS

int/rs

(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.)
Feb. 26A former South Portland resident pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he shot two men, killing one of them, in Portland nearly five years ago.

Aristotle Stilley, 24, was indicted in Maine last August and arrested in Sacramento, California after a routine traffic stop in October. California officials insisted that he serve a sentence for misdemeanor methamphetamine possession in that state before allowing him to be sent back to Maine on the murder charge.

Stilley was brought to Maine this week and arraigned by a video appearance in Cumberland County Court in Portland Friday afternoon. He entered not guilty pleas to murder and aggravated assault and the court appointed a lawyer for him. He is accused of killing 36-year-old David Anderson and assaulting Abdirahman Abdullahi when he fired a gun through the door of a Portland apartment March 15, 2016.

While previous court filings had described the allged killing of Anderson, information about the shooting of Abdullahi was not disclosed before Friday's court appearance. The newly revealed assault charge said only that the Abdullahi shooting occurred in Cumberland County on the same date that Anderson was shot and killed, and was committed with a .40-caliber Hi Point pistol.

Leann Robbin, an assistant attorney general, said Abdullahi was hit with a bullet at the same time that Stilley allegedly shot through the door and killed Anderson. She declined to say what might have been the motive or whether Stilley, Anderson and Abdullahi knew each other, and how.

Portland Police officials said Friday they had no more information on the aggravated assault charge and they have disclosed little about the Anderson killing.

State officials at Friday's arraignment indicated they will probably seek a hearing that would allow them to continue to hold Stilley without bail, but a date for that hearing wasn't set Friday.

Anderson was shot after someone knocked on the door of an apartment at 88 Gilman Street shortly after 11 p.m. Several shots were fired through the closed door, killing Anderson, who was a guest at the apartment, and hitting Abdullahi. Two other guests and the resident of the apartment were unharmed, Robbin said.

Story continues

It's not clear why it took four years to identify Stilley as a suspect, or what evidence led to the charges.

Police said the apartment complex had video cameras, but the gunman covered his face with a mask and a hood. The gunman also picked up the brass shell casings ejected from the semi-automatic handgun used in the shooting, leaving little evidence at the site for police.

Stilley was indicted by a Cumberland County Grand Jury last August and a warrant was issued for his arrest. After he was stopped by police in California early last fall and served time there, Portland police went to California this week to bring him back to Maine.

The indictment was sealed and Police have not said what led them to suspect Stilley in the shooting or what the motive might have been. No further details on the shooting were released in court Friday.

Until recently, Anderson's killing had been listed among more than a dozen unsolved homicides in the city. There are now 14 cases with brief descriptions on a web site that police maintain and they ask anyone who might have information on the cases to call (207) 874-8575 or leave an anonymous tip at 207-874-8584.
A father-of-two who threw two knives at a garda who intervened as he held a knife to his partner's neck has been jailed for 18 months.

David Dwyer (37) was highly intoxicated when he threatened to stab two gardai who had to force entry into a house in order to apprehend him.

Dwyer, of Primrose Grove, Darndale, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to production of an article in the course of a dispute at Edenmore Avenue, Raheny, on February 22, 2018.

His previous convictions include arson, robbery, assault and possession of knives.

Garda Martin Cullen told Kate Egan BL, prosecuting, that on the date in question, he received a call regarding a domestic incident and attended the scene with another garda.

Gda Cullen said he looked through a window and saw Dwyer holding his then partner against a wall, shouting at her and holding a knife to her neck.

Dwyer then put his face against the glass and said he would stab the woman if the gardai came inside.

The gardai forced the door open, got the woman away from the accused and told him to put the knife down.

Dwyer refused, drew a second knife and threatened to stab the gardai again.

Gda Cullen said he deployed his pepper spray, but this had no effect and Dwyer threw the two knives at him.

The garda then used his baton on Dwyer who continued to resist and eventually succeeded in getting handcuffs on the accused.

The garda agreed with Jennifer Jackson BL, defending, that her client is no longer in a relationship with the woman.

He agreed that the woman did not give a statement to gardai.

Gda Cullen agreed that the accused was highly intoxicated at the time of the incident.

Ms Jackson said her client's father had died three years previously and this reactivated a difficulty he had with tablets and cocaine.

She said her client has no recollection of the incident.

Judge Martin Nolan said that while the incident was over in a short time it could have gone the wrong way.

He said putting a knife to the throat of the accused's then partner was a serious matter.

Judge Nolan said his convictions suggest the accused is bad-tempered at certain points and that he should not drink.

He said he thinks the accused is sorry and hopefully he can reform himself.

He sentenced Dwyer to 18 months imprisonment.
by Francis Khoo Thwe

The Mon march together with other ethnic groups in the economic capital. Three reporters detained. Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun calls on the international community to "stop the military coup". UN envoy Christine Schraner Burgener warns every country against recognizing the junta regime.

Yangon (AsiaNews) - Hundreds of ethnic Mon people were charged by police this morning, who fired rubber bullets to clear the streets. The Mon celebrate their national holiday today, but they wanted to publicly express their rejection of the coup. Other ethnic groups also demonstrated together with them, in a sign of national unity among all groups against military repression.

The area where the demonstration took place, the Myaynigone intersection, has become a key points of the gatherings. Yesterday there was another, in which a Japanese journalist was arrested. Today, three journalists are also among those arrested.

Today's demonstration takes place after the Myanmar ambassador (still linked to the democratic government), Kyaw Moe Tun (see photo), and the UN special envoy to Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, addressed the UN General Assembly.

Kyaw Moe Tun called for the commitment of the entire international community to "stop the military coup, stop the oppression of the innocent people, return the power of the state to the people and restore democracy".

Schraner Burgener said that it is important that the international community does not give any legitimacy or recognition to this regime. The results of the November 2020 elections are clear, with 82% of the votes in favor of the National League for Democracy (Ndl)".

The special envoy pointed out that the new junta did not grant her a visa to visit the country. According to her, the junta "wants to continue making large-scale arrests and forcing people to testify against the NDL government. All this is cruel and inhumane.
In a move that has triggered confusion across the nation's housing market, a federal judge in Texas issued a ruling on Thursday knocking down the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's eviction moratorium as unconstitutional.

"Although the covid-19 pandemic persists, so does the Constitution," Judge J. Campbell Barker of the Eastern District of Texas wrote in his 21-page order filed on behalf of landlords, arguing that the federal government overstepped its authority with the CDC order.

The latest development may complicate - not clarify - the situation for renters. Federal judges in Georgia and Louisiana have previously denied challenges against the protection.

Legal experts differ on how the Texas decision alters the landscape.

"The CDC order has been struck," said Robert Henneke, the general counsel for the Texas Public Policy Foundation and lead attorney representing the landlords in the Texas case. "It doesn't exist anymore. It's unconstitutional."

"The CDC moratorium is still active," countered Emily Benfer, a visiting professor of law at Wake Forest University. "Tenants can still exercise their rights under it across the country."

The federal government has yet to signal whether it plans to appeal the Texas decision. "In the meantime, that means uncertainty for renters," said Diane Yentel, president and chief executive of the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

The CDC eviction moratorium - signed by President Donald Trump in September and extended by President Joe Biden until March 31 - has had a rocky tenure.

As the coronavirus forced large swaths of the economy to grind to a halt in 2020 - with businesses shuttering, work hours slashed, and millions of Americans looking to local and federal safety net programs for survival - experts warned that the nation's residential real estate sector would face a reckoning.

In August, the NLIHC, the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program, and the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project released a report warning that as many as 40 million American renters could face eviction due to the virus.

State and local governments stepped in with their own eviction moratoria in the pandemic's early days. But in many states, such as Maryland and Virginia, those protections ran out by the end of summer. Combined with the expiration of the first round of Cares Act funding, experts warned that a wave of evictions could hit the country without unified policy action from the Trump administration.

The federal government acted in early September with the CDC moratorium. Framed in terms of public health, the Trump administration announced a freeze on all nonpayment of rent cases for tenants who signed a declaration. The order, however, did not wipe away a tenant's debt or supplement the landlord for delayed rent payment. It simply proposed to keep people in their homes while the virus's march continued.

"I want to make it unmistakably clear that I'm protecting people from evictions," Trump said in a statement when the CDC order was announced.

But the moratorium's own wording left room for legal interpretation, and state supreme courts issued their own guidance to judges about how to execute the order - guidance that often varied from state to state. Housing advocates complained that evictions continued because of loopholes in the order. Meanwhile, landlord advocates complained that the order also didn't include rental relief. Despite guidance issued by the CDC in October that attempted to clarify the moratorium, confusion continued, and a handful of cases were filed challenging the provision on behalf of landlords.

"They have continued to pay their property taxes and mortgages and the costs of their properties," said Henneke, the attorney in the Texas case. "They're not the villains in this story. They have been the ones struggling to get by."

In the Texas case, Barker did not issue a nationwide injunction with his order, a move that would have made it clear that it applied beyond the Eastern District of Texas. He did, however, suggest in his decision that he would issue such an injunction if the federal government does no abide by his ruling.

"If they do get an injunction, that would be disastrous," Yentel said. "That would mean overnight the protections from the order would not be there."

Regardless of how the Biden administration charts its next move, some owners are likely to take the ruling as a positive signal, at least for the moment.

"The protections still stand now, but I do think there will be landlords now taking cases to local housing courts and filing evictions by citing this case," Yentel said.

Private equity investment major Ardian has bought a majority stake in bio-analytical lab testing services business GBA Group.

Ardian has agreed to invest in the DACH region-focused business alongside Quadriga Capital and the companys management.

Never miss a story  click to sign up to AltAssets free daily PE newsletter

Quadriga has been an investor in GBA since 2016, when it bought the business from Adiuva Capital after a five-year hold.

GBAs core testing service focuses on what it says are the most attractive and resilient fields of food and beverage, pharmaceutical and environmental analytics.

Ardian said that under Quadrigas ownership the company had transformed into an institutionalised platform led by an entrepreneurial management team, which accelerated the companys organic growth and widened its geographic reach through several synergetic acquisitions.

A statement attributed to Ardians buyout team in Germany said, Given our dedicated sector focus, we followed GBA closely for many years.

This acquisition is a good example of how Ardian invests thematically alongside trends and in our four key sectors focusing on strong, non-cyclical businesses with a variety of future growth avenues.

We have been deeply impressed by the strong mix of entrepreneurial drive, business acumen and strategic vision of GBAs management team.

Philipp Jacobi, managing partner of Quadriga Capitals advisor, added, We would like to thank Steffen Walter and his team for the great and hard work over the last years.

The strong team effort has been fundamental to significantly increase the scale, improve the competitive positioning and to truly transform GBA into a fast growing institutionalized platform.

Other recent deals from Ardian have included teaming with BNP Paribas Developpement to invest in 109-year-old prosthetic and orthopaedic device specialist Proteor.

The France-headquartered company makes and distributes orthopaedic devices across a network of more than 70 orthopedic centers in France and across Europe.

Copyright  2021 AltAssets
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
5 things you need to know Monday

News
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
Ultimately, it was the finer details that tripped the fraudsters up, but not before their scheme had netted huge sums using multiple false identities and numerous accounts, writes Noel Baker

Keith Flynn is many things  a qualified chef, ex-solicitor, convicted fraudster  but it turns out that despite his penchant for disguise, he might fall short as a voice artist.

How do we know?

Detective Garda Alan McCarthy, who spearheaded the investigation into Flynn and his partner, Lyndsey Clarke, listened back to one of the online banking phonecalls in which Flynn is pretending to be someone else, and could clearly hear the join.

"Definitely on one of the phonecalls to Bank of Ireland," he says, "Keith rang in with an accent  but halfway through his own accent came through."

Thing is, dodgy accents and all, for a time he got away with it.

"One of the pictures I have is of a very unique male, wearing a disguise, taking money out of an ATM in Blackpool,"

Detective Garda McCarthy says.

The date was August 22, 2017. It was Flynn.

Flynn, 46, and his now-wife, 37-year-old Clarke, are now in Cork and Limerick prisons, respectively, following the handing down of sentences at Cork Circuit Court last Monday.

Yet, as that case comes to an end, some questions still remain.

Det Garda McCarthy, originally from East Cork, is happy to provide a few answers and is quick to share any praise with his colleagues  one detective sergeant and five detective gardai in the Economic Crime Investigation Unit in Cork.

By his own admission, he is an even-tempered man, well able to detach himself from the people he is investigating and certainly not someone given to hyperbole.

So when he says of the case, "two people from good backgrounds, qualified solicitors  it's just amazing", it must be amazing.

Bogus accounts

For Det Garda McCarthy, who has worked in the force for 20 years having started in Dublin before coming to Cork in 2006, last Monday's sentencing was the culmination of more than three years of work and waiting.

He was first alerted to possible irregularities across six different Bank of Ireland accounts in autumn 2017. Attached to the fraud unit in Anglesea St in Cork since 2013, he was well acquainted with lengthy cases and voluminous files, but this one was on a different level.

Det Garda McCarthy can now reveal the dates of when the first bogus bank account was opened by the couple. It coincided almost to the day with unrelated offences which later resulted in the Law Society striking them off the roll of solicitors.

The first bogus account, with Ulster Bank in Dublin, was opened on November 15, 2016, by Clarke, using a fake identity.

According to the outcome of a disciplinary tribunal held in July 2018, while the couple had failed to keep proper books of accounts across 2015 and into 2016, more substantive breaches followed in October and November 2016.

When contacted by the Irish Examiner last week, the Law Society gave a comprehensive response regarding their responsibilities and how they discharge them, but said it could not discuss individual cases.

However, as the Flynn and Clarke case was being discussed on last Tuesday's Liveline on RTE radio, the Law Society contacted the show to say that it had passed on concerns to gardai in April 2018, and later confirmed the same information with this newspaper.

That would have been after the couple had been suspended, but before the disciplinary hearing that summer, and well in advance of Clarke and Flynn being struck off at the end of 2018.

Det Garda McCarthy has confirmed that he was not aware of any previous Garda involvement with the couple and "there was definitely no linkage on the Garda pulse system to indicate it".

This week, the Garda Press Office offered some clarity: "An Garda Siochana attached to the Bridewell, Dublin, carried out an assessment on certain matters coming to their attention in 2018, as a result of that assessment no further action was taken."

The Law Society said that as the statutory regulator of solicitors, it does not discuss the nature of or provide detail on matters relating to individual regulatory cases, including specific reports made to An Garda Siochana.

It said it was fully committed to the upholding of the highest standards within the profession and also pointed out that since October 2019, the Legal Services Regulatory Authority deals with complaints against solicitors.

Prior to that, the Law Society investigated complaints and, if warranted, would then apply to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, which is independent of the Law Society and the members of which are appointed by the President of the High Court, for a full sworn disciplinary inquiry  the type of inquiry that led to the pair being struck off.

Pandora's box

But back to the main case.

Even as Alan Boland, working in Bank of Ireland's fraud division, spotted the strange pattern across six new accounts, the bank had no idea as to the extent of what would unfold.

While Section 19 reports go to sergeants, Det Garda McCarthy had been speaking with Mr Boland about a number of irregularities that had been spotted and he mentioned that one of them had gone to Cork. That turned out to be the pandora's box belonging to Clarke and Flynn.

Much was made in earlier court hearings about the website Flawless Fake IDs, which allows for the creation of fake driving licences.

But the couple also had sophisticated scanners that allowed them to create other documents, alongside items downloaded from the internet. It turns out they could have simply scanned a real Virgin Media bill, blocked out the name and address, and filled in their own details after. But instead, they downloaded one  and it had the fatal spelling error printed on it.

"It wasn't where they populated it," Det Garda McCarthy said.

"It was in the downloaded document. The mistake was in it, they didn't notice the mistake.

"That shows it wasn't their mistake."

Det Garda McCarthy earlier this week revealed that the spelling mistake which initially alerted Mr Boland in BOI was one that the couple failed to spot in a downloaded template for a Virgin Media bill. The Irish Examiner now understands that the VM bills had the line MEET THE TEAM on the very last line at the bottom of the page - but on the bills linked to the accounts, it read MEET THE TEAK.

Small details, fine margins, and enough to spin the false identities created by Flynn and Clarke out of their control, but not before they had scored huge sums using the various false identities and the associated 80 bank and credit union accounts.

That first Ulster Bank account opened in November 2016 was quickly used to secure a 15,000 loan, of which 5,000 was swiftly withdrawn.

The second account, also opened by Clarke in Dublin, was with a branch of AIB, opened on December 7, 2016. The next account, again opened in Dublin by Clarke, and with a different branch of Ulster Bank, went live on December 16, 2016, and a loan was secured on the account the following January.

The almost comedic deployment of wigs and disguises by the couple has certainly caught people's attention, but it turned out that, at least in some cases, it didn't make them invisible but instead made them stand out all the more.

Det Garda McCarthy explained that even though some credit unions were incredulous at the notion that they had been duped, one person said she could remember the day the bogus account had been opened, because she recalled the woman she now knows was Clarke quite clearly wearing a wig.

It also turned out that at least one official was tempted to ask that the wig be removed, but refrained from doing so out of causing embarrassment  something which could conceivably had led to a complaint.

Two aspects of the couple's behaviour, above and beyond the criminal enterprise, have sparked public scorn. One was their apparently cheery demeanour last October as they faced up to the circuit court for the first time.

"I saw that footage in October and it definitely resonated with me that the way they represented themselves did not do them any favours and I also thought if Judge [Sean] O Donnabhain saw that footage that it would be stuck in his mind too," Det Garda McCarthy said.

PPS numbers

The other unsavoury element was the abuse of PPS numbers belonging to rough sleepers and people known to homeless services, 'bought' for a mere 100 each.

Det Garda McCarthy believes it was a "straight transaction", with the couple approaching people on the street, pitching a story and getting the PPS number from a social welfare card.

Most of the victims were based in Dublin and one can only hope that their lives have recovered to the extent where past abuse of their PPS numbers isn't now causing them further difficulties.

On Friday's Liveline, a man contacted the show to say he feared he may have been targetted.

"I was homeless and sleeping rough at Cork City bus station. At some stage during the years 2016 to 2018, I was approached by a slim, blonde woman. It was in the very early hours of the morning. She asked me about my circumstances and offered me a sleeping bag. I thought she was a county councillor, out as a Good Samaritan, or working for the council housing department.

"She said to me: 'You wouldn't happen to have your PPS number on you, would you?' I said I did. I handed her either my medical card or my public services card and she took down the details on it. She then gave me a phone number and told me to ring it if I needed help in the future.

"I phoned the number on multiple occasions and it never connected. That's what spooked me at the time.

Lyndsey Clarke with former Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Facebook picture

"This week, I was looking at the picture of her and Enda Kenny together [when Clarke was on the local election campaign trail in 2014], that picture looks like the woman who tried to help me, but to be honest, I couldn't say for sure."

In a reponse to questions from Liveline, gardai said nine PPS numbers were used, and that gardai seconded to the Office of Social Protection had contacted all these nine persons.

The department said it is "satisfied that this case has not resulted in any impact on the PPS Numbers of the people concerned in respect of their entitlement or access to public services, including social welfare services. The Department is not aware of any other cases in which a vulnerable persons PPS Number may have been used in the manner described in the reports of this particular case".

While gardai were told by the couple that the criminal enterprise was purely for financial gain, Det Garda McCarthy suggests that when they began the fraud when opening the first bank accounts, the legal practice was shuttered and both Clarke and Flynn had been suspended from practising.

"They could see that their income was probably going or gone by then."

The trail

Their hopes of evading justice also disappeared the second gardai entered Flynn's apartment in summer 2018.

"The start of any investigation is gathering the evidence and there is generally a trail  a paper trail or an electronic trail  and in this case it was substantially proved because of the search warrant at Altus Apartments. All digital evidence was seized by guards and we were able to establish all aspects of the case."

At the first interview with gardai after more than 92,000 in cash and sundry false IDs and documents had been seized, the couple made no comment.

However, it was clear that, given the scope of the evidence gathered by gardai, the couple had little option but to cooperate.

The sheer volume of the fraud meant there was a lengthy period when a file was being prepared for the DPP and Clarke and Flynn had not been charged.

Det Garda McCarthy said he was in regular contact with them, particularly as he had to provide regular updates as to the freezing of various accounts. There was nothing to stop them leaving the jurisdiction, and they did, for a short holiday.

"When going on a short trip overseas, as soon as they came back, they made contact with me to say they had returned."

Clarke and Flynn are now getting used to life in prison, although Flynn's sentence was backdated to last October, when he first entered custody.

Clarke is said to be very subdued in Limerick Prison, while in Cork Prison, it is understood Flynn quickly got down to work, mixing and working with the staff chefs in the kitchen. A qualified chef who was working in Killarney in recent years, iti s understood his new role means he doesn't mix so much with the other prisoners.

The couple are able to communicate.

Former solicitor Lyndsey Clarke is said to be very subdued in Limerick Prison. Picture: Michael Mac Sweeney/Cork Courts Limited

Prisoners on basic levels of privilege can get three calls per week, with this rising two two calls per day on some other levels. The Irish Prison Service monitors these, and can facilitate calls between prisoners on the same level where requested.

Very much a couple, the crimes very much a joint endeavour, there was little to suggest that one had led and the other had followed.

Det Garda McCarthy points out that Clarke opened more accounts than Flynn did, and so applied for more of the loans. As for Flynn, he is briefly stuck for words: "He is definitely ... [a pause].. how would I say it... I would have said he was like a Walter Mitty character. That is how I explained him at one stage."

It's such an unusual case he finds it hard to imagine that someone else is out there right now committing similar fraud on a similar scale. He said his approach to the job was "very black and white", all focus on the task in hand. He believes they would have found him fair to deal with, but he has no residual sympathy for them. And, he said, there were no tears from the pair.

"They never showed any remorse to me," he says. "I think they were sort of black and white as well. Emotions never really came into it."
Akhil Gogoi first in Assam to win election from jail

Who will be the next CM of Assam? Sarbananda Sonowal or Himanta Biswa Sarma?

Bodoland People's Front to be part of 'Grand Alliance' in Assam assembly polls 2021

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Guwahati, Feb 27: The Bodoland People's Front (BPF), a part of the BJP-led Assam government, on Saturday said it will join the ''Grand Alliance'' helmed by the Congress to contest the upcoming assembly polls.

Welcoming the decision, the Congress exuded confidence that the party will come back to power again.

"To work for peace, unity and development, the BPF has decided to join hands with the ''Mahajath'' in the forthcoming Assam Assembly elections," its chief Hagrama Mohilary tweeted.

The BPF will no longer maintain any friendly relation or alliance with the ruling BJP, he added.

"The Asom Basao Ahok Yatra has had such massive impact across the state that our old friends, the Bodoland People''s Front, could see which way the wind is blowing.

RJD to contest Assam Assembly elections with like-minded parties

"Congress is coming and we are proud to partner with the BPF," Congress Campaign Committee Chairman Pradyut Bordoloi said.

The BJP had earlier said it will not have any alliance with its existing ally BPF in the assembly polls.

The relations turned sour during the recent Bodoland Territorial Council elections, with the saffron party dumping the BPF and forming the council government in alliance with the UPPL and GSP.

The Congress, which was in power for 15 years in Assam since 2001, has formed a ''Grand Alliance'' with AIUDF, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) and Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM) to contest the upcoming assembly elections.

Elections in the northeastern state will be conducted on March 27, April 1 and April 6.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, February 28, 2021, 0:12 [IST]
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.


Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-26 20:16:28|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ACCRA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 people were killed when two buses collided head-on in Ghana early Friday, a local official said.

A number of passengers were also seriously injured in the collision, which happened at around 1:30 a.m. local time on the Accra-Kumasi highway, Acting Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command Francis Gomado told local media.

It was not clear how many passengers the two KIA Granbird buses were carrying. Enditem
Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Saturday stressed support to the statement released by the Saudi foreign ministry on the United States intelligence report about the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In a statement, the Arab League chief said that only Saudi judicial authorities are responsible for holding those involved accountable.

The CIA is not an international decision-making body, he added.

Human rights issues should not be politicized, Aboul Gheit concluded.

The declassified report, based on CIA intelligence, claimed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

Saudi Arabia on Friday said it "completely rejects" a declassified US report that found that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved journalist Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 murder.

"The government of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia completely rejects the negative, false and unacceptable assessment in the report pertaining to the kingdom's leadership, and notes that the report contained inaccurate information and conclusions," the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia has previously described the murder as a rogue operation and has vehemently denied the crown prince was involved.

"It is truly unfortunate that this report, with its unjustified and inaccurate conclusions, is issued while the kingdom had clearly denounced this heinous crime, and the kingdom's leadership took the necessary steps to ensure that such a tragedy never takes place again," the foreign ministry said.

"The kingdom rejects any measure that infringes upon its leadership, sovereignty, and the independence of its judicial system," the ministry added.

Despite its anger over the report, Saudi Arabia also stressed that it was keen to maintain the relationship.

"The partnership between Saudi Arabia and the United States of America is a robust and enduring partnership," the foreign ministry said.

"We look forward to maintaining the enduring foundations that have shaped the framework of the resilient strategic partnership between the kingdom and the United States."

Short link:


More than 300 schoolgirls have been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen from a school in Nigeria's north-western Zamfara state, police say.



Security officers have been dispatched to the town of Jangebe where the girls were seized early on Friday morning.

Local officials have confirmed the attack but have not given more details.



This is the latest mass abduction targeting schools in recent weeks. Armed gangs often seize schoolchildren for ransom.



At least 42 people, including 27 students, who were kidnapped last week in Kagara, in neighbouring Niger state, are yet to be released.



The 2014 kidnap of 276 schoolgirls in the north-eastern town of Chibok by Islamist militants Boko Haram brought global attention to the scourge of raids on schools in Nigeria but the most recent attacks are suspected to be the work of criminal gangs.



How did the attack happen?



Friday's attack happened at 01:00 local time (midnight GMT) when a group of gunmen arrived at the Government Girls Secondary School in Jangebe town with pick-up vehicles and motorcycles, a teacher told news site Punch.



Some of the gunmen were dressed as government security forces, the report said, adding that they forced the schoolgirls in the vehicles.



But other witnesses have told the BBC that the armed men arrived on foot at the school.



The witness told BBC Hausa that more than 100 gunmen entered the school.



"They broke the school gate and shot at the security man. Then they moved into the hostels and woke up the girls, telling them it was time for prayers. After gathering all of them, the girls were crying and they took them away to the forest. They were also shooting in the air as they were marching to the forest," the witness said.



Distraught parents have gathered outside the school and some have gone out into the bush to look for their daughters, witnesses say.



A teacher told the BBC that of 421 students in the school at the time, only 55 had been accounted for.

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

Protests continue against the incarceration of rapper Pablo Hasel by the Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos. Hasel was jailed for insulting the state and the Bourbon monarchy in tweets and songs.

Anger is only mounting after another rapper, Elgio, received a six-month prison sentence on Tuesday. Like Hasel, his conviction is for a crime of glorifying terrorism for praising in an almost systematic way the long-defunct armed group GRAPO and its members. The High Court suspended his entry into prison, since the sentence is less than two years but reminded him that this decision is subject to not committing any crime over the next two years.

Demonstrators march during a protest condemning the arrest of rap singer Pablo Hasel in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) condemning the arrest of rap singer Pablo Hasel in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Hasel was jailed after he violated this condition by continuing to sing and tweet.

Over the past 10 days, tens of thousands of demonstrators have joined protests in cities throughout Spain, including Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao and Madrid. Most have concentrated in Catalonia, Hasels home region. Over the past four years, protests in the region have been violently repressed as part of the fascistic anti-Catalan campaign by successive Popular Party, PSOE and Podemos governments.

Most of the protesters are between 16 and 25 years old. They are organising through social media and Telegram channels, outside of the control of the official political parties and trade unions. Most are not affiliated with any parties, although members of the Catalan-nationalist Candidatures of Popular Unity (CUP) and other pseudo-left parties have attempted to coopt the protests to suppress social opposition to the PSOE-Podemos government.

Hasel himself is a Stalinist of the most repulsive kind, who has repeatedly proclaimed his support for the assassination of Leon Trotsky. Among the protesters there are many who are disgusted by Hasel's tributes to the murderer of the great revolutionary, whose memory is honored among broad sections of the Spanish and Catalan working class. However, the protesters are being animated beyond the Hasel issue and the attack on freedom of expression. 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, the PSOE and Podemos.

Youth face terrible social conditions. Over 40 percent of them are currently unemployed. For those with a job, 49 percent face precarious, temporary contracts. As of 2019, a year before the pandemic, the average age most young people left their parents home was 29.5 years.

The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated an already far advanced breakdown. The PSOE-Podemos governments criminal herd immunity policy has left over 100,000 dead, according to the latest National Institute of Statistics data, and over 2.5 million infected. Youth have faced the brunt of this policy, being forced to go back to schools so that profits can be extracted from their parents labour, work in precarious and unsafe jobs in supermarkets or as waiters and delivery staff, and take exams in person in universities.

On top of this, they are targeted and blamed each time the incidence rate of the virus hikes due to the criminal policies of the ruling class. The population is bombarded with the idea that illegal youth parties and poor mask usage are to blame for the spread of the virus, not the reopening of schools, job places and overcrowded public transport.

Alex Canton from Valencia, 24, working as a food delivery rider for Just Eat, told El Pais, Theres a lot of rage and an accumulation of injustices and problems that youth are facing that have spread to the rest of society. We cannot enter the labour market or we have very precarious jobs, although I dont think that this is an easy thing to do for a 50 year old either.

Laura said, We came to the protest, but Hasel is just another excuse. She said, We are protesting against evictions, in defense of people without protection, for the years of repression that we have had to endure. The jailing [of Hasel] was just the straw that broke the camels back.

Anthony Corey, a 23-year-old history student born in Honduras, said, There are jailed political prisoners, activists, rappers. ... On the other hand, nobody says anything about the ex-military men who said in a WhatsApp chat that they want to shoot millions of people or the barbarities that journalists like Federico Jimenez Losantos say every day, in reference to the right-wing pundit and radio host.

El Pais had to acknowledge the vast hostility it faced from protesters. It noted, In Barcelona, many protesters decline to speak to El Pais . It blames the influence of the Catalan nationalists, claiming that hostility towards the media has penetrated deep down, which, protest after protest, reflecting a proclamation that is repeated:  Manipulative Spanish press. Of those who speak, almost none give their surname. All justify this search for anonymity by citing the fear that the Mossos [regional police] could identify them with the riots.

The fact that many protesters view El Pais as a conduit of the Spanish state and refuse to provide their surnames, fearing they will be handed over to the police, says volumes about the journal. Many protesters view El Pais, not as a guarantor of freedom of expression, but one of its chief attackers on behalf of the PSOE-Podemos government.

Carme, 20-year-old philosophy student, told El Periodico, I don't care about Pablo Hasel. He has said many things that I don't like, but that's not why he has to go to prison. I come out more for criticizing the abuses of the police and how young people are criminalized for protesting than for Hasel.

Another protester, Marc, 23, said, "We want things to change. Those in power smell like Francoism, referring to the fascist regime set up by General Francisco Franco at the end of the Spanish Civil War in 1939 and that fell only in 1978.

Joan, 21 years old, said, "We are protesting Hasel's imprisonment because its unjust and because we young people suffer unemployment. We are already seeing what our future will look like."

Reis, 25, told Reuters, "I am not here only for [Hasel], but for the right to express ourselves, and because there is a lot of discontent for a lot of things that must change.

Students and young workers must assimilate the lessons of the past. It is now 10 years since mass youth protests erupted throughout Spain after the Egyptian Revolution in January 2011 over hardship, savage austerity measures and the PSOE-led government.

The so-called indignados movement, or 15-M movement, was characterised by a rejection of all major parties, the PSOE, above all, which has implemented cuts amid unemployment levels reaching 50 percent among 18 to 25 year olds. There was also enormous anger against the trade unions like the Stalinist Workers Commissions (CCOO) and the social democratic General Union of Labor (UGT) that have been the main vehicles in imposing these measures.

Pseudo-left groups like Anticapitalistas promoted diffuse assemblies and opposed calls to build a new political leadership, instead promoting autonomy, democratic self-organisation and no-politicsblocking any genuine debate and political challenge to the PSOE and the union bureaucracy.

Having suppressed the social opposition, Anticapitalistas along with a group of Stalinist professors and spokespersons for this movement then founded the Podemos party three years later. The party is now showering corporations and banks with billions of euros, implementing austerity, and clamping down on democratic rights, including the jailing of musicians.

The critical question today is the intersection of the radicalization of the youth, expressed in these protests with a worked-out perspective for opposing the drive by the ruling class to police-state rule. This underscores the urgency of building a section of the International Committee of the Fourth International, based on the Trotskyist strategy of permanent revoution, in Spain.
This originally appeared as part of our daily coronavirus newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

A quirk of Connecticuts decentralized vaccination appointment system means that one patient could make many appointments with different providers, a scenario that has state officials hopeful that people will cancel appointments once they've been vaccinated.

Unfortunately, that is the case that individuals can potentially make appointments on more than one scheduling platform, said Maura Fitzgerald, a state Department of Public Health spokeswoman.

On Monday, about 600,000 people in Connecticut will become eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19, including everyone over the age of 55, plus all teachers, educators and people who work inside schools.

Any one or all of those 600,000 people could, theoretically, make an appointment using Yale-New Haven Healths platform, and the site managed by Hartford Healthcare, Nuvance, CVS and Walgreens.

Theres no centralized scheduling process, said Ohm Deshpande, vice president for population health and a physician leader for Yale New Haven Healths vaccination program. The state has had something called VAMS, which obviously has not fully met the need.

Cornelius Ferreira, system chairman of primary care at Danbury-based Nuvance Health, leading the Nuvance Health Vaccines Task Force, said its an attempt to make sure patients actually get an appointment.

Individuals do sometimes schedule multiple appointments at different sites out of fear they will not get a vaccine, he said. We encourage folks to schedule one appointment only and to return to their first dose site for their second dose.

But the ability to schedule multiple appointments isnt necessarily a bad thing, Fitzgerald said. It means that people will be better able to make appointments. It means there is no centralized system that can crash, that there wont be a bottleneck on the user side.

As long as people cancel their appointments when they decide to keep one.

We would hope people who are shopping around for convenient times and locations would keep their fellow residents  who are also trying to secure appointments during a time when our supply of vaccine is dwarfed by the demand  in mind and would kindly cancel appointments that they dont intend to keep so that other people can fill those slots, she said.

Deshpande said Yale has maintained a philosophy to waste no vaccine, so when people do miss an appointment  perhaps because theyve made another appointment elsewhere and failed to cancel  staff members hit the phones.

Other patients, whose appointments might not be for days or weeks, are often thrilled to come in for the shot that day, Deshpande said.

Weve been wasting pretty much nothing, he said.

Though one patient making multiple appointments is an issue, its not a crippling one.

Its not something that is of such epidemic proportions that it impacts the process, Deshpande said.

On the other hand, states that have fully centralized vaccine appointment systems have had some significant issues.

When Massachusetts allowed residents older than 65 to make appointments, the states vaccine finder website crashed. David Eaves, a lecturer of public policy at Harvard Kennedy School, said while that wasnt predictable, its also not rare.

This outcome is more common than one would think, Eaves told the Harvard Gazette. What is particularly challenging is that government is still wrestling to acquire the new skills and processes the organization needs to launch a service.

Similar systemwide crashes and latency issues caused by demand were seen in Georgia, Indiana and Tennessee, among other places.

When the city of San Antonio, Texas, opened up appointments in January, 9,000 people signed up within six minutes. The centralized system did not crash, though officials were not prepared for that level of demand.

The registration system worked as designed, but there is far greater demand than available supply at this time, San Antonio Assistant City Manager Colleen Bridger said in a statement.

Though the states system is not centralized, Connecticut health care providers are working toward a solution in the coming weeks that will bypass any potential overload.

Many of the providers offering COVID-19 vaccinations use a medical records management system called Epic, which Deshpande said allows for interoperability through separate health systems.

So when a patient makes two appointments with separate health systems  with Yale and CVS, for example  the providers will be able to see that and decide which appointment stays on the books.

The goal, Deshpande said, is to minimize the possibility of a no-show, though the system is not yet ready to handle that application.

I think were still in the process of integrating that data, he said.
Much of the UK's beauty regime is suffering due to the closure of salons.

So Olivia Attwood was at risk of riling her more unkempt fans as she took to Instagram on Friday to reveal she had her hair dyed darker at a photoshoot despite still being in lockdown, however she apologised for the move.

The former Love Island star, 29, remorsefully told her followers: 'Sorry - I don't make the rules... but still feel guilty', as she gave a nod to the fact she was allowed to have her hair dyed due to the fact it was for work.

New Look: Olivia Attwood took to Instagram on Friday to apologise to fans for having her hair dyed darker for a photoshoot when hairdressers are closed for lockdown

During an Instagram Q&A, a curious fan asked: 'Have you had your hair done???', to which she replied: 'Just the front bit was coloured the other day on set at a shoot'.

She added: 'Sorry - I don't make the rules... but still feel guilty lol'.

Currently, UK hairdressers are closed as part of the national lockdown. For most people, they won't re-open again until April 12.

The influencer's hair was noticeably darker in sections as a sprinkling of lowlights had taken her from light blonde to more ashy toned tresses.

Apology: The TOWIE star remorsefully told her followers: 'Sorry - I don't make the rules... but still feel guilty' (pictured bright blonde earlier in February)

Olivia also revealed in the Q&A that she often used hair extensions to keep her mane looking full.

Sharing plans to move 20 minutes outside of Manchester and adopt a dog with her fiance, Bradley Dack, 27, it seemed as though the TOWIE star had a hankering for more rural life.

And, after numerous lockdown related wedding setbacks, the couple deserve something exciting to look forward to.

Hard to handle: 'Have you had your hair done???' questioned one envious fan on Olivia's Instagram Q&A

Olivia recently revealed that she had to pause her wedding plans amid the pandemic, and is even considering pushing her nuptials back to 2022.

The TOWIE star explained how the couple have done 'everything they can do' in terms of preparations, but their wedding planner is currently on furlough and their venue is shut due to lockdown.

Speaking on Vicky Pattison's The Secret To podcast, the blonde admitted the pair have discussed pushing the wedding back to next year because she is 'losing the whole build-up' to her big day, originally planned for June.

Settling down: Olivia and her fiance, Bradley Dack, are planning to move outside of Manchester and adopt a dog, the star revealed to fans in her Q&A (pictured in 2019)

The TV star said: 'It's a weird one, isn't it? Wedding planning is going well, I've got an amazing wedding planner, we're all systems go... all I can really say now is we're on a pause.

'We've done everything we can do to this point, so the wedding planner is on furlough, the venue is shut, we've kind of reached a point now where there's nothing more we can do, it's kind of a waiting game.'

The media personality and sportsman Bradley first announced their engagement in October 2019 after he proposed during a romantic trip to Dubai.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) commenced on Thursday, seven weeks and one day after former President Donald Trump sent a mob to rampage through the U.S. Capitol in a bid to overturn the presidential election. The yearly confab has become the central event of the year for Republican politics. It not only has no distance from the January 6 siege, but it is basically shaping up to be a celebration of both the man and the movement that ignited a fascist insurrection.

CPAC Celebrates Trump

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) voiced out against the cancel culture and conformity amid a speech on Friday at CPAC, the biggest annual conservative conference. He stated that the media is in dire need of witnessing a Republican civil war. He added that what could unite the party is the defense of liberty.

With the initial full day of the CPAC underway, there is already a remarkable star: an outrageously golden statue of Donald Trump wearing shorts and flip-flops. The over 6-foot-tall statue turned heads as it was wheeled into the Hyatt Regency on Thursday as CPAC attendees picked up their registration and went around the hotel, reported CNN.

Republican presidential hopefuls who anticipated to make their mark at the high-profile conservative political conference hit a last-minute hurdle. Trump decided to attend the conference, reported USA Today.

It has been almost one month since President Biden ousted Trump from the Oval Office. Prominent Republicans who addressed conservative activists on Friday at CPAC acknowledged this. They conveyed a series of stirring calls to action to oppose the Democratic agenda in Washington, DC.

Also Read: Trump Appeals to Rejoin Facebook, Instagram Oversight Board After Suspension

Donald Trump Jr.'s Speech

Donald Trump Jr. used his speech at the political conference in Orlando on Friday to rail against Biden's first actions in office. He also denounced establishment Republicans, including House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney (Wyo.).

The former president's eldest son mocked Cheney as "Lincoln Project Liz," referring to the anti-Trump GOP group. This was after Cheney was one of the House Republicans who voted for his father's impeachment on a charge of inciting the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He also condemned Biden's decision to end construction on the Keystone XL pipeline. He accused him of "caving" to China. Trump Jr. also denounced the new administration's decision to initiate airstrikes on Iran-backed militia targets in Syria on Thursday in a counterattack for recent rocket attacks in Iraq, reported The Hill.

On Friday, Trump endorsed a former White House aide who is running for an Ohio election. He is opposing one of the 10 House Republicans who voted in favor of his impeachment. Max Miller, 32, a Marine reservist and Trump loyalist, is the initial candidate he has endorsed since leaving the office.

The conference dedicated to the future of the conservative movement transformed into an ode to Trump on Friday. Speakers declared their allegiance to Trump. Attendees posed for selfies with the golden statue of his likeness.

Related Article: House Democrats Reveal a $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill That Includes Minimum Wage Increase

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
Now, with the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins horrifying the community and dominating Parliament, the pressure to act is impossible to withstand. But act how? What happens next is fundamental to the most basic objective for Potter, Higgins and others: stop it happening again. All the words in the world will be meaningless if Morrison does not manage three big tasks. First, changing the process. Second, changing the culture. Third, changing the people. The worst thing is just to get someone in to write a report  forget that, says Catharine Lumby, Professor of Media at the University of Sydney and a long-time gender adviser to the NRL on the treatment of women and sexual abuse. You know, the evidence is in. The way that you change cultures is you find out whats wrong, and you write a report, for sure. And then you implement education programs. And those programs have got to be evidence-based, ethics-based. They are not tick-the-box. Theyre not about telling people dos and donts. Theyre not shaming and blaming people.

Theyre about getting people to really sit through and look at scenarios and say: how would I do this differently? and what does that feel like for someone else? In other words, they are about retraining the Parliament. One immediate step is clear. Morrison promises an independent review to be set up by Finance Minister Simon Birmingham as soon as the week ahead but possibly the following week. Birmingham has consulted Labor, the Greens, independents and others about what the review needs to do. His office has spoken to women who have warned of bullying, harassment and worse. The leading candidate to run the review is Kate Jenkins, who has been the Commonwealths Sex Discrimination Commissioner for five years, but Morrison and Birmingham have not yet made this decision. The terms of reference have not been set but the scope will be broad. The review cannot be only about those who work in Parliament House. It has to include electorate officers, a point made clear by reports about harassment in the office of former Liberal MP Craig Kelly in south-western Sydney. It has to cover the behaviour of people who are constantly mixing with people around the country  travelling together, for instance.

Loading But the review is a mechanism, not an outcome. It is a crowbar to lift the lid on a dark pit in federal politics. Cleaning out that pit is the job of the countrys political leaders. This review should really be as wide-ranging as possible, says Kim Rubenstein, a professor at the University of Canberra and co-director of the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation, a gender equality initiative. You could see some regulation from it, and obviously better human resources frameworks, but those things to me are straightforward. If we only leave it at that then were only dealing with the tip of the iceberg rather than with more fundamental issues. First, the process.

Many Australians are used to a workplace where the human resources department has a clear pathway for complaints and a regular cycle of training. That is because employers are changing. Company chiefs are being sacked for harassment or abuse, and others are responding to make sure it does not happen to them. But that is not the way Parliament works. There is no induction for political staff. There is not even one for ministers  except, perhaps, a dry policy brief from the department. The building is populated by people chosen for their personal and political loyalty  whether in government, opposition or on the crossbench. The number of ministerial advisers has swollen under both sides of politics from 155 in 1972 to 449 in 2019. This is a growing layer of government staff who live outside the usual rules of the public service. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The advisers who walk the blue carpet  the colour chosen for the ministerial wing of the building  may get an occasional email about personal conduct, but not much more. And there are more of them than ever. The number of ministerial advisers has swollen under both sides of politics from 155 in 1972 to 449 in 2019. This is a growing layer of government staff who live outside the usual rules of the public service. The staffer ranks include the ministerial advisers as well as others who work for any MP or Senator, whether they side with Labor or Liberal, Nationals or Greens. These workers are hired under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act, which makes them MOPS staff. They do not have the protections offered to public servants in federal departments and agencies. They are hired and fired at the whim of the politician, whether he or she is a backbencher or minister.

The MOPS system has been failing for years. Those who work in it admit it. Right now, someone who experiences sexual assault in a ministerial office has no independent avenue for complaint inside Parliament House. The complaint would go through the Department of Finance and end up on the ministers desk. In the end, the decision-maker is the politician in charge of the office. In a bullying case, for instance, the final decision may be up to the very person accused of bullying. When a man is accused of sexual harassment, the final decision may be up to the mans best mate, the elected MP. Morrison is yet to acknowledge this unique structural flaw. This is an issue that every workplace deals with, and we have to make workplaces safe, he told journalists one week ago. I have no doubt it occurs in the media, in media workplaces, offices in law professions or whatever it might be. Yes, it does. But even media companies have independent HR units for their staff. So do law firms. The MOPS workers do not have this protection. Second, the culture. Potter saw the way Parliament House works: lots of pressure, hordes of young workers, long hours. The pay is generous: a senior adviser can earn up to $200,000 a year; a principal adviser can earn up to $270,000. But they must submit to a system that gives total power to those at the top.

Its a culture of people who are put together in a very stressful, unusual situation with very little support around them, she says. Its an environment where predators can easily gain power over other people. And its a place that is very much a boys club. Its very much a culture where you dont talk about the guy who hit on you at Public [a bar in Canberra] or you dont talk about the MP who made you feel a little uncomfortable. If you talk about it, she says, your colleagues will assume you cant handle the work. And thats really sad, because were losing a lot of good women off the back of it. Changing that culture is not something that can be done by law alone, although an independent complaints process could bring real accountability. Lumby says all sides of politics will have to embed change into the culture. She uses the analogy of teaching kindergarten children the basic rules of consent when borrowing toys  not an outlandish comparison given the way so many advisers go directly from school to university and Parliament House. What needs to happen is ongoing embedment of what it means to people to communicate and treat people with respect in the workplace and kindness and decency, she says. That includes rules on consent.

Finally, the people. The House of Representatives has more women than ever, but women make up only 30.5 per cent of the chamber. The numbers are roughly equal in the Senate. Women make up 47 per cent of the Labor caucus but only 23 per cent of the Coalition party room. Rubenstein thinks the political workplace needs to confront wider questions such as the barriers to diversity in Parliament and the reasons why women, such as those with families, feel they have to leave. She is also exploring the concept of co-representation  the idea that two MPs might share an electorate, and therefore share a job. These are things that we really do need to think about and theyre not just academic ideas, theyre actually really important practical ideas that can lead to influencing cultural change, she says. Potter misses some things about working in politics, but the culture is not one of them.
This week, and for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a small amount of off-reserve, urban First Nations people in Manitoba could book a vaccine appointment.

This week, and for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a small amount of off-reserve, urban First Nations people in Manitoba could book a vaccine appointment.

Its an encouraging new trend.

First Nations have been administering vaccines to on-reserve residents  mostly health-care workers, elders, and long-term care residents. A few have allowed elders living off-reserve to come home and be vaccinated, too.

But now, all First Nations citizens in Manitoba, born in 1948 or earlier (aged 73 or above), can book immunization appointments.

Other Manitobans must be born in 1928 or earlier (93 or above).

Vaccinating Indigenous communities must be a priority for all Manitobans because they are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and suffer more deaths. The virus is also difficult to eliminate due to chronic issues of poverty and a lack of adequate housing and health infrastructure.

Simply put: in order for us to win the fight against COVID-19, we must focus on eliminating it in the places it is hardest to eradicate.

Indigenous communities are those places.

Even Canadas national vaccine rollout lists "Indigenous adults where infection can have disproportionate consequences" a "Stage 1" priority.

Metis people face much of the same oppression, poverty and health issues as other First Nations, says Manitoba Metis Federation president David Chartrand. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files)

The problem is that provincial health agencies, which deliver the vaccines, are having trouble determining who is Indigenous.

While First Nations now appear to be fully included in Manitobas Indigenous vaccine rollout plans, Metis and Inuit are not.

This means that until something changes, nearly 41 per cent of Manitobas Indigenous population (around 90,000 Metis and 1,000 Inuit) will have to wait alongside other Manitobans to get the vaccine.

On Wednesday, David Chartrand, president of the Manitoba Metis Federation, called the omission "insulting" and pointed out that Metis face much of the same oppression, poverty, and health issues as First Nations.

A similar statement was made by Rachel Dutton, executive director of the Manitoba Inuit Association.

In a press release, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas called on the MMF to "produce a report on COVID-19 prevalence within the Metis population so that a similar process of evidence based vaccine prioritization can proceed."

Chartrand countered with complaints that provincial health authorities dont have a mechanism to adequately identify First Nations citizens, so the authorities are reliant on "self-declaration," encouraging people to "lie" and "deny their identity."

As Dr. Marcia Anderson, lead for the Manitoba First Nations pandemic response team, said Wednesday, it is "a violation of Indigenous rights" to require proof of Indian status.

Many First Nations people, Anderson points out, have lost their status due to Canadian policies that "enfranchised" women who married non-Indian men, soldiers, and children adopted into foster families.

While some laws have allowed the ability to get status back, this process takes years  even decades  and is based in proving blood quantum, violating Indigenous rights to determine membership based on their own values and traditions.

Dr. Marcia Anderson, lead for the Manitoba First Nations pandemic response team, says it is a violation of Indigenous rights to require proof of Indian status. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files)

First Nations peoples, Dr. Anderson said, should be determining who is First Nations  something she promised will happen "in the coming week" to shut out the "pretendians."

Identifying people who are pretending to be Indigenous isnt easy, though.

In January, billionaire Canadian casino executive Rodney Baker and his wife flew to a northern Indigenous community in the Yukon and posed as locals to get a vaccine shot.

There are countless other cases of non-Indigenous peoples claiming Indigenous identity to access treaty rights, money, and privilege in the film, literary, and art industry. Exposing fakes often takes years and much investigation.

Now, because the province excluded Metis and Inuit its vaccine rollout, we have a fight between Indigenous leadership over who should get it, who is Indigenous, and no clear process to determine Indigenous identity.

Want a solution? Its easy.

Let Indigenous peoples decide.

In B.C. this past week, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said all Indigenous people would be eligible to get their shots 15 years younger than the rest of the population.

Henry said she did this at the direction of Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond, a Cree woman and former provincial child advocate, who headed up an investigation into the B.C. health-care system that found widescale racism against Indigenous peoples.

Explaining why Metis were included in B.C.s vaccination plans, Dr. Daniele Behn Smith, deputy provincial health officer for Indigenous Health, said it was crucial to have Metis people "feel seen."

If Manitobas health leaders empowered Manitobas three Indigenous groups, treated them similarly, and let them lead the vaccine rollout, there would be far less conflict at a time when we need to all work together.

Instead of celebrating an encouraging new trend though, we got very old divisions, politics, and finger-pointing.

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca
Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, takes his seat to speak at the Fortune's Most Powerful Women's Summit in Washington, on Oct. 13, 2015. (Kevin Lamarque/File Photo, Reuters)

Stock Gains Power Higher Berkshire Profit, Buffett Presses On With Stock Buybacks

Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc on Saturday said stock market gains fueled a record quarterly profit, while the billionaire signaled investors are undervaluing his company by repurchasing another $9 billion of its stock.

Berkshires fourth-quarter buybacks boosted the companys overall stock repurchases to $24.7 billion in 2020, five times the record from a year earlier, and Berkshire appears to have repurchased another $4 billion or more in 2021.

The math of repurchases grinds away slowly, but can be powerful over time, Buffett wrote in his annual letter to Berkshire shareholders. The process offers a simple way for investors to own an ever-expanding portion of exceptional businesses.

Berkshire said quarterly operating income rose 14 percent to $5.02 billion, or approximately $3,252 per Class A share, from $4.42 billion, a year earlier.

Net income, reflecting gains in stocks such as Apple Inc, rose 23 percent to $35.84 billion. Buffett believes net income is a misleading performance measure because of the volatility from stocks ups and downs.

Broadly speaking, results were generally in line with expectations, said Cathy Seifert, an analyst at CFRA Research.

She said the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic was offset by decent top-line growth in Berkshires commercial lines and reinsurance businesses, and cost-cutting at the BNSF railroad.

For all of 2020, operating income fell 9 percent to $21.92 billion. Net income fell 48 percent to $42.52 billion, overcoming a nearly $50 billion first-quarter loss as the pandemic took hold.

Berkshires shares trailed the broader market significantly in 2019 and 2020, though they have outperformed in 2021. Its stock buybacks dwarfed Berkshires old record $5 billion from 2019.

Tom Russo, a partner at Gardner, Russo & Gardner in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a longtime Berkshire shareholder, welcomed the buybacks.

At a discount of 40 percent to intrinsic value, the repurchases looked extraordinarily compelling, he said. Repurchases capture forever the benefits of Berkshires businesses for the remaining shareholders.

Results benefited from improved quarterly performance at the Geico auto insurer, where the rate of accident losses declined as people drove less, helping offset rebates that were offered to encourage policyholders to renew.

Quarterly profit rose 5 percent at the BNSF railroad, as operating revenue and shipping volumes began to rebound from depressed pandemic-induced levels, while profit from Berkshires energy operations rose 12 percent.

A yearlong trouble spot was Precision Castparts, which shed more than 13,000 jobs, or 40 percent of its workforce, in 2020 as the pandemic drained aerospace industry demand for its parts.

Berkshire said Precisions margins began to improve in late 2020 and is likely to see further improvement in 2021.

But Buffett said that while Precision was a fine companythe best in its business, he made a mistake by overpaying when he spent $32.1 billion to acquire in 2016.

I was right in concluding that PCC would, over time, earn good returns on the net tangible assets deployed in its operations, he said. I was wrong, however, in judging the average amount of future earnings.  PCC is far from my first error of that sort. But its a big one.

By Jonathan Stempel
Los Angeles: Lady Gagas two French bulldogs, which were stolen by thieves who shot and wounded the dogwalker, have been recovered unharmed, Los Angeles police said on Saturday AEDT.

A woman brought the dogs to the Olympic Community Police Station, just north-west of downtown, around 6pm on Friday US time, said Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Captain Jonathan Tippett, commanding officer of the elite Robbery-Homicide Division.

The two bulldogs belonging to Lady Gaga. Credit:Instagram

Lady Gagas representative and detectives went to the station and confirmed the dogs were hers.

The singer is currently in Rome filming a movie.
The Michigan Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee is organizing educators, parents and students to oppose the reckless reopening of schools. Sign up today to get involved!

The drive to reopen schools in the state of Michigan has reached an advanced stage. In a press conference Wednesday, Democratic Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer announced that 85 percent of Michigan school districts are currently open to in-person learning and that she is pleased that 97 percent of the school districts will be reopened by March 1st."

In a photo provided by the Michigan Office of the Governor, Craig Carmoney, superintendent of the year and Superintendent of Meridian Public Schools in Midland County addresses the state during a speech in Lansing, Mich., Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021.(Michigan Office of the Governor via AP)

In listing her reasons that remote learning is not sustainable, Whitmer unwittingly revealed that the real purpose has little or nothing to do with the plight of children. Without schools, the economy is hamstrung, Whitmer said.[W]orking families are spread too thin, she added, in reference to parents who have left the workforce while their children remain safe at home in virtual classrooms.

Whitmer is responding in particular to the needs of the auto industry, which has been plagued with absenteeism and high turnover.

While feigning concern for the grim milestone of more than 500,000 deaths in US, with 16,389 in Michigan, Whitmer downplayed the continuing risks of the pandemic to the lives of teachers, school workers and students. The tragic case of ten-year-old Dae-Shun Jamison, for example, went unmentioned by Whitmer. The Grand Rapids child has had to have both legs and hands amputated due to complications from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), a syndrome which has affected thousands of children after they became infected with COVID-19.

In recent weeks, there has been an unexplained surge in cases and deaths among children suffering from MIS-C, with the proportion of those patients admitted to hospitals who need intensive care increasing to 90 percent. Over 2,000 children have suffered from MIS-C in the US during the pandemic, and 30 have died, according to CDC figures. Moreover, little is known about the long-term effects of COVID-19 on children, making school reopenings a medical experiment involving over 50 million students nationally.

Whitmer cited only one study to the claim that schools do not spread COVID-19, conducted by Michigan State University and published in December, which is riddled with caveats and reservations. In reality, studies have established that children contract COVID-19 at the same rate as young adults. Whitmers arguments are based on the rejection of science.

The governor only paid lip service to the looming catastrophe of contaminated water in school buildings that have not been used in eleven months, saying merely that steps must be taken to minimize the risk. As the World Socialist Web Site has reported, pipes that have held stagnant water for even weeks at a time can incubate bacteriasuch as legionellaand leach lead into the water.

Whitmer made no mention of the fact that Michigan has 157 confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 UK variant in twelve counties, the third-highest in the US. One of the main centers of the B.1.1.7 variant is in Washtenaw County, home to the University of Michigan, where graduate students went on strike last autumn to protest the dangers of not containing the pandemic. The Graduate Employees Organization strike was ended abruptly and betrayed through the collaboration of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Democratic Party, which feared that the strike could become a catalyst for a far broader movement of educators against the reopening of schools and colleges.

On the same day as Whitmer's press conference, the school board of one of the largest districts in the state, the Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS), reversed its decision the previous week to remain virtual for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. Meanwhile, the Detroit Public Schools began resuming some in-person learning this week.

The AAPS Board voted unanimously to force teachers back into the citys K-12 classrooms through planned stages beginning March 25. The Biden and Whitmer administrations push to reopen the schools, combined with virulent hostility to virtual learning in the local media and a right-wing re-open advocacy group were major factors in the reversal. The decision was justified by the new guidelines issued by the CDC on February 12, which are politically motivated by the Biden administration to create conditions to put the children in school buildings so that parents can return to unsafe factories and workplaces to pump out profits for Wall Street.

The procedure of Wednesdays AAPS School Board meeting, held in two portions, was entirely anti-democratic. Its purpose was to suppress any opposition to in-person classes and to stampede teachers and students back into potentially life-threatening environments. At the noon portion of the meeting the AAPS Board, prior to the evenings public meeting, voted to begin the reopening.

The format of the public discussion in the evening meeting was a farce. There was, in fact, no public discussion or possibility for real-time contributions from the public. Participants had to submit statements three hours ahead of the meeting, and board members limited the reading of each statement to only 15 seconds. The result was a string of about 150 sentence fragments from 205 written submissions. A full report, however, was read, from an AAPS advisory committee, which laid out only how best to return to in-person learning for special needs students.

No coherent case was heard in the meeting regarding the dangers of reopening schools. Moreover, comments were largely from those who supported the reopening and closely reflected the views of the so-called grass roots Ann Arbor Reasonable Return group, which had appealed on Facebook two days prior to the meeting for their supporters to flood the AAPS Board with written comments advocating an end to virtual-only learning.

Their comments packed the submissions, giving the false appearance that the majority of the Ann Arbor teachers, school workers and parents are in favor of a return to the classrooms. In fact, there is widespread opposition. One Detroit teacher told the WSWS that only 62 out of 700 students in her school returned this week.

The majority of the written submissions in the Ann Arbor meeting spoke only of the supposed unfairness of virtual learning to children and of the urgent need to reopen. Concern about COVID-19 was routinely labeled as fear, with one commenter going so far as to say that the mental harm to children caused by virtual learning went far beyond the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

In an email to the AAPS community Wednesday, Superintendent of AAPS Dr. Jeanice Swift characterized the boards vote as a response to the need to return to in-person learning, making much of the provision that every teacher will supposedly have the opportunity to be vaccinated by March 24, and that parents will retain the option of virtual or in-person learning for their children.

At the school board meeting, which Swift attended, no serious discussion was proposed on any significant matter related to public health and safety. One point of such a discussion would have been that even if teachers are vaccinated, students can still contract and spread the disease at school and bring it home to their families. Rather than engage with any of the public remarks, brief as they were, the majority of board members chose to sit silent throughout the meeting.

Educators and school communities throughout the country face well-funded and well-organized adversaries in the struggle over school reopenings. It is vital that teachers and support staff join together to build rank and file educators safety committees, independent of the class-collaborationist unions. Such committees are springing up in state after state. To join with your states rank and file committee, or begin such a committee in your school and your state, visit wsws.org/edsafety .
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.
Students were calling for personal finance education on where to invest money, how to budget, understanding interest rates, how to take out a loan, how to choose a credit card and how to choose a bank account. Photo: Getty

Some 89% of UK students have called for mandatory personal finance lessons in schools amid mounting issues about personal debt.

According to the annual young persons money index, published by money-saving app Student Beans, the majority of 16 to 24-year olds have admitted that they have never received schooling around how to better control and manage their finances.

Only 1 in 10 of the people surveyed last month, out of a total of 3,000 students, received lessons covering personal finance in the last year alone.

Students were calling for personal finance education on where to invest money, how to budget, understanding interest rates, how to take out a loan, how to choose a credit card and how to choose a bank account.

They also wanted to understand taxes, credit scores, how to avoid fraud, and comprehend financial jargon.

WATCH: How to live off a student loan

The research also discovered that more than one in three (39%) students are currently using credit cards and overdrafts but remain unaware of the interest rates associated with them.

The average young Brit within this age range has already accumulated almost 2,000 ($2,786) in overdraft and credit card debt, Student Beans said.

It revealed that three-quarters (74%) of young Brits are now worried about their finances, with stress cited as the biggest concern.

Half of these students reported that they are both attempting to save more and be more cautious with their money. However, two-in-three (69%) are unsure where to begin or how to start saving due to lack of education.

When it comes to sourcing financial advice, parents were the main go-to source,

with 84% of students turning to their parents for financial guidance, and 75% of those trusting the advice they are given.

READ MORE: More than half of university students say they are struggling financially

Almost a third (29%) said they prefer to go online, however, only 9% of students admitted to trusting advice they are given from online sources such as money websites and blogs.

Story continues

The data also showed that males were more than twice as likely as females to have debt between the ages of 16-to-24 years old.

Jessica Pinkett, head of youth insights at Student Beans, said: These findings reveal that young Brits need to be made more aware of the risks associated with using financial products.

Theres a hunger for young people wanting to use their money more smartly, and theres an opportunity for schools to be able to provide them with the information they need to do this responsibly.

WATCH: Easy budgeting tips for when you leave home
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu held a phone conversation to discuss the situation in the region, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a news release.

Issues related to bilateral cooperation, the current situation in the region and the territories of Nagorno Karabakh where Russian peacekeepers are deployed, as well as other issues of mutual interest were discussed during the phone conversation.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

New Delhi : With the Election Commission (EC) facing flak from some quarters for announcing eight-phase Assembly polls in West Bengal, officials on Friday said the polling had to be spread out due to festivals, the movement of security forces and an increased number of polling stations keeping in mind the Covid protocols.

Responding to questions on the increased number of phases in West Bengal, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said when the EC assesses the law-and-order situation, it is based on several factors.

"After all, the elections to West Bengal (Assembly) in 2016 were in seven phases. The Lok Sabha was in seven phases. So, seven to eight (phases) is not such a big deal because we also have to see the movement of forces, the current charges and counter-charges (by political parties).

"We have to kind of find a way out. That is why we are sending two expenditure observers to Tamil Nadu and two police observers to West Bengal," he explained.

In the 2016 West Bengal Assembly polls, the entire process, starting from the date of announcement till the date of counting, was completed in 77 days.

This time, the period has been compressed to 66 days.

In the 2016 polls, there were 77,000 polling stations with 11,000 going to polls per phase.

Due to distancing norms, the number of polling stations this time has gone up to 1.1 lakh.

On an average, over 12,000 poling stations would go to polls in each of the eight phases.

The total number of polling stations in West Bengal is 1,01,916, compared to 77,413 in 2016 -- an increase of 31.65 per cent.

Due to COVID norms, the number of voters per polling station has been restricted to 1,000 from 1,500, resulting in an increase in the number of polling stations.

Two former chief election commissioners justified the move, saying the decision must have been based on an assessment of the law-and-order situation, while another CEC advocated a single-phase election given that rumours fly thick and fast in this age of social media.

Referring to the seven-phase voting in West Bengal in the 2016 Assembly polls, former CECs O P Rawat and N Gopalaswami noted that whenever the EC feels that there are enhanced security requirements based on ground realities, it takes such decisions.

Though he noted that the EC's decision must be based on its assessment of the law-and-order situation and availability of security forces, S Y Quraishi, who was the CEC from July 30, 2010 to June 10, 2012, said in the age of social media, wherein all kinds of rumours fly thick and fast during elections, there should be an attempt to shorten the duration and reduce the number of phases.

"Ideally, it should be a single-phase election," he added.

The EC on Friday announced the poll schedule for five assemblies -- Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry -- with West Bengal to witness the maximum of eight phases of polling from March 27.
The district attorney of San Francisco has drawn outrage after tweeting that his father, who is a convicted murderer, received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while incarcerated at in a prison in New York.

'Amazing news,' Chesa Boudin tweeted Friday afternoon. 'My incarcerated father just got his first vaccine shot! I hope that once I get my vaccine, and the prison reopens for visitors, I will be able to see him again for the first time in over a year.'

Boudin's father, David Gilbert, 76, was convicted of felony murder in connection with the infamous Brinks' heist in 1981, which left two police officers and a guard dead, while his mother, Kathy Boudin, was also convicted in the crime and paroled in 2003.

The district attorney of San Francisco, Chesa Boudin, tweeting that his father, who is a convicted murderer, received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in a prison in New York

Chesa Boudin, second from left, is shown with his wife Valerie Block, far left, his father David Gilbert, and mother Kathy Boudin, right at Wende Correctional Facility in Alden, New York

Gilbert was sentenced to 75 years to life in prison for his role in the robbery which saw members of the Weather Underground and Black Liberation Army steal $1.6 million from a Brink's armored truck at a suburban Rockland County mall in upstate New York.

Sgt. Edward O'Grady and Officer Waverly Brown from the Nyack Police Department and Brink's guard Peter Paige were all killed.

Gilbert, who participated as an unarmed getaway driver, is not eligible for parole until 2056. He is among the last surviving people still imprisoned over the botched Brink's robbery.

His vaccination comes as millions of Americans either struggle to get appointments to receive the shot or wait to become eligible to receive the jab.

It led to wave of criticism online from people furious that a convicted criminal would receive the shot ahead of those in wider society.

Twitter users were quick to criticize Boudin's announcement that his father had been vaccinated against the coronavirus

'Yikes! A murderer gets the vaccine before the eleventy billion of us in the world that haven't been involved in any killings of another human being...Ahhh..Good ole Criminal Privilege,' wrote one Twitter user.

'Glad to see California is prioritizing people who contribute absolutely nothing to society, over people who do. Good work everyone,' added Jack Daley.

'Stand in line! Your father doesn't deserve a vaccine that could go to a law abiding citizen who values life. You shouldn't be proud, you should be embarrassed!' wrote T Marie.

'Nice to know convicts in prison for murder are being vaccinated before actual at risk citizens,' tweeted Teage.

'I hope one day you two can become cellmates - permanently,' stated Miguel Marqueda.

'Good to know we are vaccinating terrorists before front line workers,' wrote another Twitter user.

'How dare you celebrate a convicted murderer getting this vaccine before those of us working the front line. You make me puke!!' added another.

Many users were upset at how a convicted criminal serving life in jail had appeared to jump the line head of healthcare workers and others who were struggling to make and appointment

So far, around 45 million Americans out of more than 330 million people living in the U.S, have received their first dose of the two FDA approved vaccines.

Out of the 45 million vaccinated, less than half that figure have received their second shot.

Last week, Boudin appealed to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo asking for clemency for his father, in part because of his vulnerability to the coronavirus.

Cuomo's office has said the governor does not comment on active clemency requests.

Boudin was sworn in as district attorney of San Francisco last year and ran a progressive campaign in which he said visiting his parents in prison for decades showed him the criminal justice system was broken.

'As long as I can remember, I've known that the most likely scenario is that my father is going to die in prison,' said Boudin.

San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin (left) is seeking clemency from New York Gov Andrew Cuomo for his father, former member of a radical militant group David Gilbert (pictured right with his son during a prison visit in 1985)

Gilbert and his wife, who were members of the Weather Underground militant group, took part in a botched robbery of this Brink's armored truck in October 1981 in Nanuet, New York

As one of many voices lobbying New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, for the release of the Brink's robbers, Chesa Boudin's support for his father's clemency is personal, but the case also revolves around questions of justice the Democrat and former public defender deals with as a district attorney.

'No matter whether my father lives the rest of his life in a cage or whether he's released to spend his few remaining years with family, we can't undo the harm that his crime cost. And we can't bring back the men who were so wrongfully killed that day,' he said in a recent interview. 'At what point is enough enough? I don't know.'

Veterans of the Weather Underground, a militant group that grew out of the anti-Vietnam War movement, joined with members of the Black Liberation Army in a robbery they considered a justified 'expropriation' to establish a Black nation in the South called the Republic of New Afrika.

Victims: Police officers Waverly L. Brown (left) and Edward O'Grady (right) were two of the victims killed in a shootout during the robbery

Brink's security guard Peter Paige, a father, was also killed during the heist

Gilbert, who was an unarmed getaway driver, was convicted of three counts of felony murder. Pictured: Gilbert is being led from Rockland County Court in New York in November 1981

Gilbert and two co-defendants cast themselves as freedom fighters and deemed their trial illegitimate. At one court session, Gilbert and co-defendant Judith Clark raised their fists and shouted 'Free the land!'

Steve Zeidman, the lawyer and CUNY School of Law professor spearheading the clemency campaign, said Gilbert has a spotless prison record and has helped fellow inmates since running an AIDS education program during that epidemic.

Supporters of his release range from fellow inmates to former South African archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Pictured (from L to R) are Weather Underground members Judith Clark, David Gilbert and Katherine Boudin, who took part in the robbery

Kathy Boudin is pictured second from the right alongside other anti-Vietnam War activists during a press conference in Cuba

As a toddler, Chesa Boudin was dropped off at a babysitter before the robbery and was later raised by his parents' Weather Underground compatriots, Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn. Growing up, his relationship with his biological parents was defined by phone calls and prison visits.

Boudin recalls Gilbert telling elaborate adventure stories on the phone starring the boy and his friends sailing down the Amazon River or in some other exotic locale.

Each call would be an episode. Pictures taken at prison visits over the decades show a young boy with tousled hair grow into the bearded lawyer.

Boudin studied law at Yale University, later won a Rhodes Scholarship and worked as a translator for Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez before coming to San Francisco.

Kathy Boudin avoided a harsher sentence by pleading guilty to a felony murder and was paroled in 2003 after serving 22 years in prison.

She sparked a controversy in 2008 when she was named an adjunct professor at the Columbia University School of Social Work, where she is now the co-director and co-founder of the Center for Justice at Columbia University.

Chesa Boudin was raised by his parents' fellow Weather Underground members, but he regularly visited Kathy and David in prison (pictured left and right)

During his campaign for district attorney in 2019, Chesa released this video telling his family's extraordinary story

'I can't believe that a murderer can obtain a job at a university as a professor,' Michael Paige, the son of victim Peter Paige, told Fox News in 2013.

Clark was granted parole in 2019, three years after Cuomo commuted her sentence, noting her 'exceptional strides in self development.'

John Hanchar, O'Grady's nephew, asked why Gilbert's case was worthy of public attention when so many inmates with lesser convictions get none. Hanchar contends Gilbert helped plan a crime that left a lasting hole in the lives of the slain men's families.

'We've moved on with our lives. But fair is fair. If you want to say that this guy spent 40 years in prison and he's going to leave an old man, I don't care if he leaves tomorrow,' Hanchar said. 'But don't tell me that he didn't kill these people.'

There's a separate effort to secure the release of former Black Liberation Army leader Mutulu Shakur, the 70-year-old stepfather of slain rapper Tupac Shakur. He is at a federal medical center in Kentucky and has advanced-stage bone marrow cancer.

Shakur was convicted of leading a group responsible for a series of armed robberies in New York and Connecticut, including the Brink's heist.

Kathy pleaded guilty to felony murder and was released on parole in 2003 after serving 22 years in prison. In 2008, she was named an adjunct professor at the Columbia University School of Social Work. She is pictured on the right in October 2019 speaking at the Radcliffe Institute's 'Radical Commitments: The Life and Legacy of Angela Davis' in Massachusetts

Zeidman, who also handled Clark's case, said Gilbert's case 'kicked into high gear' with a clemency filing last year and they have since added supplemental material.

Advocates hope Cuomo intervenes as he did with Clark, though clemencies for more serious crimes are rare among the state's 33,000 inmates. The Democrat announced 14 pardons and seven commutations last Christmas Eve, a traditional time for announcements.

Zeidman said he has not received a formal decision from Cuomo's administration.

Zeidman and Boudin describe Gilbert as remorseful and no threat to society.

'This is just a question about how do we balance retribution against other social interests,' Boudin said.
Joe Biden warned on Friday that the United States could be faced with another surge in COVID-19 cases, as the virus continues to mutate and spread.

Speaking on a visit to Texas to both survey storm relief efforts and see vaccination progress, the president said he was pleased with the efforts to reach his vaccination targets.

Biden aims to administer 100 million vaccine doses in his first 100 days.

Joe Biden was in Texas on Friday to inspect storm relief efforts and vaccination centers

The U.S. has more than 2,157 COVID-19 cases where variants have been detected

On Thursday he commemorated the 50 millionth COVID-19 vaccination since he took office, and celebrated being 'weeks ahead of schedule'.

That celebration followed a moment of silence to mark the passage earlier this week of 500,000 U.S. deaths blamed on the disease.

On Friday, he warned that the country was not yet in the clear - even as the FDA approved another vaccine and 2.2 million people were vaccinated; a new record.

'It's true that while COVID-19 vaccinations are up, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are down,' Biden said.

'But I need to be honest with you.

'Cases and hospitalizations could go back up as new variants emerge, and it's not the time to relax. We have to keep washing our hands, stay socially distanced and for God's sake, keep wearing a mask.

'It's not a political statement. It's the patriotic thing to do.'

Cases of the virus in the US have started to increase in the past few days, up from 56,495 on Sunday, to 77,291 on Thursday.

Biden also said he was hoping the a Johnson & Johnson vaccine would be approved soon, to add yet more capacity to the system.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel unanimously backed the Johnson &Johnson single-dose vaccine on Friday.

'We've all seen the news about Johnson & Johnson vaccine today just the third safe, effective vaccine and its out,' Biden said.

'They've approved it today. Were going to use every conceivable way to expand manufacturing of the vaccine, the third vaccine, make even more rapid progress shots in peoples arms.'

Government health experts have been lauding the vaccine for its ability to stave off serious illness and hospital visits caused by COVID-19  plus its single-shot potency and ease of transport.

Joe Biden and his wife Jill are pictured en route to Texas on Friday

Biden is pictured speaking to a volunteer at a food bank in Houston on Friday

The United States has seen 28,486,111 cases as of Friday, and 510,458 deaths.

The number of new cases has risen steadily since Tuesday, when 69,105 were recorded.

On Wednesday it was 73,258; on Thursday 75,565.

On Friday the figure dipped slightly from the previous day, to 74,429.

The number of deaths was on a similar rollercoaster: Tuesday recorded 2,241 new deaths; Wednesday 2,447; Thursday 3,138, and Friday 2,137.

It comes as hospitalizations fell to their lowest level since November with fewer than 54,000 people getting inpatient care for COVID-19 in the U.S..

And fewer than 15,000 Americans died of coronavirus in the past week, a first for 2021.

The number of new COVID-19 cases have been steadily dropping, and are now at their lowest levels since November

The number of new daily COVID-19 deaths have also fallen to their lowest since November, with 2,137 fatalities recorded on Friday

New York is currently seeing the second highest number of cases per capita each day of any state in the US, with higher numbers only in South Carolina.

It diverged from the pack of most other states on February 11, and while declines have continued in other states, New York's infection rates are still falling, but have plateaued.

And a new variant reported there already accounts for 12.7 percent of cases in the city, has scattered across the East Coast and carries a concerning mutation seen in the South African variant, which may evade vaccines.

California, too, has its own homegrown variant that's become dominant already.

The US is now in a race: vaccinations versus variants.

Just shy of 14 per cent of the population has had one or more dose. But rates vary dramatically from state to state.

But even as fatalities fall and gatherings become a reality for vaccinated people, the rise of variants and an uptick in COVID-19 cases could be the warning signs of a fourth wave of infections, experts warn.

Biden on Friday met with the Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, and Senator John Cornyn, also a Republican.

'There's nothing partisan about this virus. It's too long that we've allowed this virus to divide us,' said Biden.

'I met today with Gov. Abbott, Sen Cornyn  conservative Republicans. I'm a Democratic president.

'We disagree on plenty of things and there's nothing wrong with that, but there's plenty of things we can work on together. One of them is represented right here today  the effort to speed up vaccinations.'
The United Kingdom Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Shamima Begum, who left Britain for Syria to join the ISIS terrorist group as a teenager, is not allowed to return and fight for her citizenship case. This is because she poses a security risk.

Jihadi Bride Refused Entry to UK

Begum has dual British-Bangladeshi citizenship. She traveled to Syria at the age of 15 years old, alongside her classmates, to join the so-called ISIS caliphate. As the caliphate was being whittled down to its last survivors by the United States and allied forces, she surfaced at a Syria refugee camp, she piqued the interest of Western journalists.

The Supreme Court ruled that Begum should not be enabled to return to the UK to pursue an appeal against the removal of her English citizenship. Her English citizenship was nullified on national security grounds shortly after she was discovered in the refugee camp in February 2019 while nine months pregnant.

In a unanimous ruling, according to the SC, England did not contravene Shamima Begum's rights when denying her a chance to return. Now that the Islamic State group has experienced a harsh military defeat and lost dominion of the areas it used to hold, Begum remains in Syria, in the al-Hawl refugee camp in the nation's north, reported i24 News.

When Begum traveled to Syria, which was then the IS stronghold of Al-Rakka, she married a jihadist. She asked in 2019 from a Syrian refugee camp to be granted the opportunity to return to Britain.

The decision is a triumph for home secretary Priti Patel whose department nullified Begum's UK citizenship. Patel has fought strenuously to alleviate the "jihadi bride" to return to the UK, saying the woman is a national security risk, reported Financial Times.

Also Read: Global Peace Index: Syria Is The World's Most Dangerous Country

The unanimous decision had all five top court justices in agreement. According to Lord Robert Reed, the President of the Supreme Court, "The Supreme Court unanimously allows all of the Home Secretary''s appeals and dismisses Ms Begum''s cross-appeal. The right to a fair hearing does not trump all other considerations, such as the safety of the public," reported Outlook.

Begum, 21, would like to come back to challenge the home secretary's ruling to revoke her British nationality. She currently resides in a camp controlled by armed guards in northern Syria.

In July 2020, a court of Appeal in the UK stated it was only just for her to return to Britain to fight for her citizenship. This was appealed by the Home office to the Supreme Court.

The apex court has also remarked her case against the government alongside her appeal should be paused. This is until they find another way for her to take part in her hearing.

Begum's family appealed against the decision. According to the legal team, Begum should be allowed to return to the UK so she could provide evidence in person. The government did not accept that in the courts.

The 21-year-old challenged the Home Office's decision to remove her UK citizenship. She wanted to be enabled to return to the UK to pursue her appeal.

Related Article: Russia Warns Assad Over 'Capturing All Of Syria' Plan

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A pregnant Afghan woman who set herself on fire in a refugee camp on Lesbos has been charged with arson and destruction of public property.

The 26-year-old, who has not been named, suffered burns to her hands, feet and head after the incident last Sunday on the Greek island.

The mother-of-three, who is expecting her fourth child next week, provided testimony to a prosecutor from her hospital bed.

She moved her two daughters and son, who are now being cared for by their father, outside the tent before setting it alight in the temporary camp set up after fires that destroyed the Moria site.

The 26-year-old suffered burns to her hands, feet and head last Sunday in the temporary camp (pictured above) on the Greek island, which was set up after fires destroyed the Moria site

Her lawyer, Teresa Volakaki, told The Guardian: 'Although she was in a lot of pain because of her burns and found it difficult to speak, the testimony at the hospital in Mytilene lasted for around two and a half hours.

'It was clear she was stressed and having difficulty remembering but the prosecutor took a very strict line and ruled she will now face criminal charges, trial and not be able to travel abroad.'

The woman has also been charged with endangering the lives of others at the camp.

It was earlier mentioned that the woman set fire to herself after finding out she could not travel to Germany with others that had been given asylum due to being in the final phase of her pregnancy.

Investigating magistrate Nikos Triantafyllos said: 'When she was told she couldnt travel, her distress and disappointment were such she attempted suicide.'

It follows a series of fires at a separate camp, Moria, last year that left more than 12,000 asylum seekers homeless in September.

A view of the new temporary refugee camp with tents. The Karatepe, Kara Tepe or Mavrovouni refugee camp was built after the fire in the Moria facility

A view of the destroyed Moria camp for refugees and migrants following a fire on the island of Lesbos in Greece in September last year

Drone images captured the extent of the damage caused to the Moria refugee camp when the blazes broke out.

Stelios Petsas, the Greek government's spokesman, previously told reporters in Athens: 'The camp was burned by refugees and migrants who wanted to blackmail the government in order to be rapidly transferred from the island (to the continent).'

Authorities erected a new camp of white tents in haste near the eastern port-village of Panagiouda to resettle asylum seekers in the temporary facility.

The facility was built by the Government of Greece, the Hellenic Army, UNHCR and the European Union.

Baker McKenzies managing partner Frederick Burke and special counsel Nguyen Thanh Hai

The contents of the decision circulated on January 21 is in draft form, while final contents are subject to further reviews by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), and consultations with other relevant ministries before the prime ministers final signature.

This draft decision would apply the selection mechanism on a long-term basis. Bidding rounds will be conducted based on a so-called Renewable Energy Development Plan formulated by the MoIT for each 5-year period. A more specific plan will be circulated on a biannual basis.

The main investor selection mechanism is a so-called competitive selection of investors based on project location, which means that: (i) project location will be chosen/determined by the governmental authorities; and (ii) investors must submit bids to compete for securing the project development right at that pre-selected project location.

Under this draft decision, the bidding mechanism would be conducted at the local level by provincial-level peoples committees, rather than by the MoIT at nationwide level.

As regards power sale/purchase price, the current draft provides that the ceiling price will be subject to a specific pricing framework, which will be prepared and issued by the MoIT on a biannual basis.

In addition, the draft decision proposes detailed regulations on eligibility requirements for investors participating in this mechanism, bidding procedures and requirements for selected investors. Notably, it also makes a reference to a model power purchase agreement (PPA) template, but as the full text of such template has yet to be completed, it remains uncertain as to whether there would be any or significant improvements to the risk allocation and bankability of this proposed template for new renewable energy projects under this reverse auction mechanism.

The prime ministers draft decision includes a bidding mechanism conducted at the local level rather than by the MoIT at nationwide level, Photo: shutterstock

Recommended considerations

There are specific intentions under this draft which relate to overall legal mechanisms and for renewable projects in Vietnam, such as upcoming regulations related to the solar auction/competitive bidding programme; necessary legal considerations for existing and newly proposed solar farms to best prepare for participation in competitive selection mechanisms; specific selection procedures as proposed under the draft decision; and specific opportunities and challenges, as well as legal and practical solutions for development and investment in greenfield solar power projects in Vietnam.

The investor selection mechanism proposed under this decision applies to all solar power projects directly connected to the national power grid. Under the draft, a solar power project may be approved for development through either competitive selection of investors based on the projects location, or investor approval.

Most parts provide guidelines for the former method. On the other hand, no specific guidance on the latter method was provided, but as a general rule of law, the method must be subject to the new Law on Investment as well as the investor appointment mechanism under the current bidding regulations.

It is also worth noting that all of these will be subject to more guidelines specific to the solar and renewable energy sector to be provided in the final draft.

Eligibility requirements

The draft decision does not impose any restriction on participation by foreign investors. However, participating investors must be independent from each other. This requirement may limit the number of proposed projects and chance of success in the bids of certain investors.

For example, an investor must not be named in technical proposals for two or more proposed projects whether as an independent investor or as a consortium of multiple investors; and an investor must not own more than 20 per cent capital of another investor participating in the bids.

In addition, the participating investors must submit, together with the bid proposals, certain documents demonstrating their experience and financial capability, such as financial statements in the last two years and evidence of the capability to mobilise investment capital (both equity financing and debt financing).

Power sale tariff

For selected projects, the electricity tariff is set at the rate proposed by the winning investors in the bidding process. Among the investors that have met all eligibility and technical requirements, as a general rule, the investors proposing the lowest power tariff will be selected to sign a PPA with Electricity of Vietnam (EVN).

The applicable tariff will apply for 20 years from commercial operation date (COD) of the project and will be subject to the USD-VND exchange rate fluctuation based on the central exchange rate announced by the State Bank of Vietnam on the invoicing date.

To ensure the feasibility and enforcement of the proposed tariffs, the draft decision requires that the electricity tariff formulated by participating investors must take into account, among other things, project development costs determined in compliance with the construction law and solar power regulations; and grid connection costs.

For selected projects, if the project fails to reach COD as proposed during the bids, under the draft, the electricity tariff under the project PPA will be reduced by a cumulative portion of 4 per cent after each 90-day period of delay/falling behind the originally proposed schedule.

Selection procedures

The draft decision sets out the following key procedures:

- The MoIT prepares/adopts the 5-year renewable energy plan based on (among other things) the power development master plan and the status of the local power grids. This plan specifies a total capacity for each type of renewable energy source for a 5-year period; and a list of transmission lines and substations (with voltages from 220kV) coming into operation during the 5-year period.

- In each 2-year period, based on the 5-year renewable energy plan, the MoIT prepares/adopts a 2-year periodical solar development plan, which specifies the total solar power capacity to be developed in each province/city; and a list of 110kV/220 kV/550 kV transmission lines and substations that are capable of absorbing power generated from renewable energy projects.

- On a biannual basis, provincial peoples committees (PPCs) prepare solar investor selection plans under their local management for the province based on (and no later than six months from issuance of) the MoITs 2-year periodical solar development plan. This selection plan must specify the project locations that will be opened to bidding.

- PPCs submit the draft solar investor selection plan to the MoIT and EVN for their appraisal/comments, prior to PPC adoption and publication of their selection plan.

- Participating investors submit proposals to relevant PPCs, with a separate technical proposal and a separate commercial/electricity tariff proposal.

- PPCs evaluate the submitted proposals, select projects, and sign PPAs for selected projects/winning investors.

There are other notable requirements for investors. The draft decision requires a bid guarantee of 0.5 per cent, the total investment capital of the participating project. Forms of bid guarantees to be submitted, as well as conditions for returning bid guarantees have yet to be specified at this stage under the draft.

For selected projects, it also requires investors to sign a project development commitment letter based on the contents of the bid proposals. Investors must also deposit an investment project implementing security in the bank accounts of the local authority or other forms in accordance with the new Law on Investment.
Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday as India donated 2,00,000 doses of the Covishield to help the North American country battle COVID-19. Giammattei thanked PM Modi for donating the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and manufactured India rather than selling it. He added that the Government of India did not 'hesitate' to support Guatemala after Modi's administration learnt of difficulties it faced in battling the virus.

"I would like to start by thanking Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi and the External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar for accepting our call for assistance for supply of Covishield vaccines, manufactured in India. It has been a grand surprise for us to know that India, rather than selling the vaccine, has donated 200 thousand doses to us that will help us immunize frontline health workers," Giammattei said in a video shared by the Indian Embassy in Guatemala on Twitter.

"Before concluding, I would like to once again thank the government, the people of India for this gesture of donating these vaccines, as they learned about the difficulties that we have gone through in the process of obtaining the vaccines from international suppliers. The Government of India did not hesitate to support us and in record time, we completed the necessary paperwork and sent them to India. The Prime Minister instructed to expedite the process of sending vaccines to Guatemala," the Guatemala President added.

READ | Guatemala: US Ending Accord That Sent Asylum Seekers Back

India's Vaccine Maitri initiative

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's donation of 2,00,000 Covishield vaccines to Guatemala marks the extension of India's 'Vaccine Maitri Initiative'. Under the initiative, India has already started exporting COVID-19 vaccines manufactured in India to several countries across the globe upholding the country's stature as 'the World's Pharma'.

READ | India At UNGA Seeks Int'l Community's 'constructive Support' To Save Myanmar's Democracy

So far, India has exported the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech's indigenous vaccine to more than 15 countries while another 25 countries are queued at different levels to receive supplies. These include Brazil, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Both the vaccines are already in circulation in India with healthcare workers receiving the jabs in the first phase of the immunization drive.

India has supplied 361.94 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccines to various countries so far, the Ministry of External Affairs revealed on Thursday. While 67.5 lakh doses of the total vaccines have been supplied as grant assistance, 294.44 lakh are on a commercial basis, according to MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava.

READ | Ghana Receives 6L Doses Of Made-in-India COVID Vaccines Under 'Vaccine Maitri' Programme

WHO thanks PM Modi

The WHO chief had thanked the Prime Minister and India for sharing the Covid-19 vaccines which are the most essential commodity across the world in pandemic-ridden times. Dr Tedros said India's commitment to COVAX and sharing COVID-19 vaccine doses is helping more than 60 countries to start vaccinating their health workers and other priority groups. He also expressed hope that more countries will follow India in sharing the vaccines.

Thank you @DrTedros. We are all together in the fight against this pandemic. India is committed to sharing resources, experiences, and knowledge for global good. https://t.co/nVwQKPUl38  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 26, 2021

READ | All Together In Fight Against Pandemic: PM Modi Responds To WHO Chief's Vaccine Gratitude


As reported by a global stocktake, the world will become hotter by more than 1.5C except that nations produce tougher policies. Governments must bisect emissions by 2030 if they want the Earth to stay within the "safe" threshold of 1.5C. But the recent set of national policies tabled to the United Nations showed emissions will merely be balanced by 2030.

The Red Alert

Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General called it a red alert for our planet because it shows that governments are not even close to the level of ambition needed to restrict climate change to 1.5 degrees in order to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. So, therefore, the major emitters must advance with much more ambitious emissions reduction targets.

Dr. Niklas Hohne from the New Climate Institute reported to BBC News that there is a great hole to fill if we are more concerned about 1.5C that threshold nations have agreed not to pass. Global emissions have to be split but with current proposals they can only be stabilized which is really not good enough.

Some nations such as Australia have not even submitted a climate plan, and they are judged based on previous proposals, to have offered no substantial improvement. Emissions from those countries doing little or nothing extra amount to 10-15% of global emissions while Brazil and Mexico have allured comment for not doing more.

ALSO READ: New Five-Year Carbon Market Pilot Program Gives Conservation Funding for Land Trusts

Positive Signs Based On 1990 Levels

Though, there are some positive signs. The European Union, based on 1990 levels, for instance, made the biggest bounce from a target of a 40% cut to a 55% cut. Dr. Hohne said it could have been more, but it is also a good step in the right direction. He (Dr. Hohne) also applauded Nepal, the United Kingdom, and Argentina, whose objective based on 1990 levels, is to reduce emissions by 68% by the target date of 2030.

He deferred the United Kingdom's governance of climate policy to serve as an example to the rest of the world. Britain has a Climate Change Act which lays ambitions into law and supervised by an independent body.The United Kingdom targets to be producing practically no emissions by 2050 known as the Net Zero target which Dr. Hohne said is a robust system that helps give longer-term certainty and send strong signals to investors.

Emission Proposals Show a Productive Competition

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), for emissions proposals, show a productive competition between Japan and China over the Net-Zero target. Originally, Japan had no mid-century target but China proposed Net-Zero by 2060, and Japan was roused into a counter-bid of Net Zero by 2050. But the United Nations is yet to formally confirm China's proposal.

The United States, under President Biden, has promised an ambitious submission, and India which preserves that its poverty should spare it from emissions cuts is said to be pondering a target.

The United Kingdom is also ducking out from the strict targets enforced by its climate advisors. On the other hand, the United Kingdom is cutting out coal from power generation and investing heavily in renewables, thereby mandating that no more petrol or diesel should be sold after 2030.

RELATED ARTICLE: Renewable Energy Provides Lower Carbon Emissions Compared To Nuclear Energy

For more news, update about climate change and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!

Tensions appeared to dissipate Friday between progressive Democrats and Gov. Ned Lamonts administration on what an adult-use marijuana bill should look like.

Criticism from minority Republicans indicated their steadfast opposition to full legalization, though the House Republican leader offered ideas for modifications. If Democrats can agree on how to craft a bill  something that has not happened in several tries over the last few years  they dont need any GOP votes to make it happen.

Three main issues remain to be worked out: Who exactly would receive licenses under the bill; how the revenue from adult-use legalization would be spent to undo past drug war harm in targeted communities; and how, exactly, past marijuana arrest records would be expunged.

Lamonts bill and a bill advanced by the legislatures Labor Committee remain works in progress.

State Rep. Robyn Porter, D-New Haven, the co-chairwoman of the Labor Committee, said during an extensive question-and-answer session with more than a dozen Lamont administration officials that she is satisfied that her bill, which emphasizes the ability of affected communities to get into a future retail-cannabis industry and rid themselves of the stigma of criminal records, will be considered in an eventual compromise bill.

The first four hours of the online hearing by the Judiciary Committee centered on Lamonts plan, which was included in his budget proposal. Revenue projections are modest, $33 million in fiscal 2023 with projections of about $95 million a year  in contrast to some in the industry who say Connecticut could reap more than $200 million a year.

Lamonts advisers said they are eager to incorporate Porters proposals and stressed that a task forces recommendations on social equity and business opportunities were not included in the legislation because of the late-January budget deadline.

What cannabis and the war on drugs has done to our communities is unconscionable, said Paul Mounds, Lamonts chief of staff, the point man in prolonged testimony. We have to take steps to not only right those wrongs, but take steps to make sure that individuals are not only among the marketplace, but are the marketplace. The war on cannabis did little to protect public health and safety. Instead it has caused significant injustices for many of our residents, especially people in our Black and brown communities.

State Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, co-chairman of the committee, said before the hearing that Lamonts bill is a source for discussion and compromise as lawmakers plan for adult use.

While Massachusetts voters approved a retail law after petitioning in a statewide referendum in 2016, Connecticut does not have such a popular mechanism short of a Constitutional amendment process. That might become a fallback position this year if the full legalization effort fails again in the General Assembly. The earliest such an amendment could reach Connecticut voters would be 2024.

I think the governors office has sought to bring folks together to further the conversation on equity, Stafstrom said. I think we all recognize the bill we are reviewing today will not be the same that passes the committee.

House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said he is concerned that the issue of legalization debate seems to have shifted to the commercialization of cannabis.

I think this bill should be looking at the age of 25 if its going to be done, he said. Referring to the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, he said, I think we should have a conversation about setting the THC levels to something lower, to prevent all the societal ills were heard being testified. I think we should be limiting the products that are going to be offered.

Candelora suggested that the state lead in a different direction, compared to Massachusetts, California and Colorado. I think some of these states are going to find that they need to put the genie back in the bottle, he said, adding the so-called homegrown model that Vermont started out with seems to be more sensible.

Republican criticism of the bill was led by Rep. Craig Fishbein, R-Wallingford, ranking Republican on the committee. He complained that Lamont was not among the administrations experts in regulation, law enforcement and revenue, along with policy experts including Jonathan Harris, a former state senator and commissioner of the state Department of Consumer Protection.

Harris oversaw the states nationally known medical marijuana program, which now serves more than 50,000 patients.

There is a representation from the administration that this is a working document, Fishbein said. So Im trying to figure out what parts are workable and what parts are not workable. Fishbein also criticized the Department of Public Health for not appearing with the governors team.

During questioning from Porter, Harris said the governors bill includes a $75,000 study on equity issues, including a new Cannabis Equity Commission. Harris stressed that the governor is eager to continue discussions on equity revisions, including business opportunities in affected neighborhoods.

The discussions will happen and there will be, Im sure, changes, Harris said.

I appreciate that, Porter replied.

Harris said that part of the discussion on equity for Black and brown communities is to lower the barriers for entry into the market, including so-called micro-cultivators, food-and-beverage developers and delivery services. Under the bill, the equity panel would focus on a wide range of opportunities and funding streams.

These are the details that will be fleshed out by the equity commission and will also be on the table in the legislative discussions, Harris said to Porter. This bill, 163 pages, presents a comprehensive market structure. There are other bills out there, as you know, that have maybe less market structure, but have more detail on equity. These bills are complementary and will be the basis of our discussion going forward.

I definitely agree with that statement and wholeheartedly look forward to working collectively because I believe that both bills have some really great stuff, including the governors bill, Porter replied.

The administration feels that the regulatory portion of this bill is the most-comprehensive regulatory bill for marijuana structure thats currently in the legislative process, Mounds said. This governor and this administration respects the deliberative process of the legislature. This is us putting forth a bill for the committee.

Mounds described the apparent gap between the governors bill and various levels of criticism from his fellow Democrats as chatter.

Republicans, however, were less conciliatory.

Sen. Dan Champagne, a retired police officer, criticized the whole concept. We have a major problem right now in the state of Connecticut, with drug use and stuff, Champagne said, stressing the need to put most future cannabis revenue into rehabilitation services, rather than the inner-city equity programming envisioned by Lamont and Porter.

As a father, I am petrified of what this will do to the teens, said Rep. Tom ODea, R-New Canaan.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
Crown Prince of Bahrain holds first major briefing since appointment as Prime Minister

Crown Prince of Bahrain holds first major briefing since appointment as Prime Minister

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister held his first wide-ranging briefing since his appointment as Prime Minister.

HRH Prince Salman responded to questions on the subjects of the Kingdom of Bahrains COVID-19 response, the dynamism of the Bahraini economy and people, planned reforms in Government and the judicial system, foreign policy and the broader direction the Kingdom will take under Prince Salmans leadership.

On Bahrains COVID-19 response, Prince Salman said:

Whilst the pandemic has presented the Kingdom with unique challenges, the success of the National COVID-19 Taskforce has positioned Bahrain favourably to benefit early from the global recovery. We expect by the middle of this year, we will have turned the tide and be well on the way to recovery.

We are proud of what the Kingdom of Bahrain has achieved thanks to the unity and commitment of Team Bahrain.

On the economy, Prince Salman said:

The world is facing unprecedented economic challenges and we must convert these challenges into opportunities

Treating our economy as if it needed protecting from competition and market forces would be a far cry from unleashing its full potential, built on competition, innovation, adaptation and growth.

We will pursue an open and free economy that consolidates the rule of law to stimulate economic output while protecting and preserving the fundamental rights and security of our people.

We will foster an open competitive environment with access to the global economy that rewards creativity and excellence.

And we will seek an effective, efficient, and appropriately sized government that meets our genuine future needs.

On reform in Government & the judicial system, Prince Salman said:

Bahrains social make-up and diversity are a source of strength, not weakness and Government appointments must reflect that diversity, based on competence and loyalty to the nation. Future Cabinet composition should be more based on competency and further aligned with the age profile of parliament, which reflects the will of the people.

We will continue to develop our legal and judiciary system, as well as reinforce our integrated human rights system and we continue to stress the importance of expanding our alternative sentencing program.

It is important to move beyond reliance on confessions before the court and shift towards requiring the use of conclusive forensic evidence.

In the coming period, we look forward to adopting further programmes for reform centres and prisons, to include open prisons to help protect the social fabric of our community, as well as adherence to the rule of law.

And on Regional stability and international relations, Prince Salman said:

The GCC is an essential cornerstone in maintaining and protecting the regions individual and collective interests and must remain central to any negotiations regarding the security and stability of the region moving forwards.

We highlight the Kingdom of Saudi Arabias pivotal role in ensuring regional stability and strengthening cohesion among Arab and Islamic nations, as well as ensuring regional and global economic stability. We value our strong bonds with the Kingdom.

We continue to strengthen the work with our strategic allies such as the US and UK to combat terrorism and provide enhanced stability for the region.

We will work closely with the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China and other nations to further our relations in areas of common interest.

Any improvement in relations with Qatar must have individual and mutual respect at its core. Respect for fellow nation-states and respect for the rights of the citizens of those states. A successful outcome can only be achieved through the genuine protection of the interests of all concerned.

Prince Salman concluded by saying:

Accountability and responsibility are the foundations of government work

Evaluating the progress of this journey will be measured through delivery and results, not intentions

We must work in the spirit of one national team so that Bahrain can consolidate its rightful place as a standard-bearer for security, stability and opportunity in the region and beyond.

Leading Cuban dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer was released late Friday after 10 hours in police custody and ordered by a judge to end his political activities, he said.

Ferrer denounced his "violent and arbitrary detention" in a video posted to the YouTube channel of the banned opposition organization he leads, the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU).

Ferrer, one of the most recognizable dissidents who has chosen to stay in Cuba rather than go into exile, had been under house arrest before being taken into custody.

He was jailed in 2003 after leading calls for democratic political reforms.

Released in 2011 following pressure from the Roman Catholic Church, he formed UNPACU.

An activist said police had entered Ferrer's house -- the organization's national headquarters in Santiago de Cuba, around 550 miles (900 kilometers) southeast of Havana -- and taken him out through the back door.

Ferrer had painted the phrase "Patria y Vida" ("Fatherland and Life") on the facade, the title of a protest song by Cuban rappers denouncing the Communist government.

Ferrer and three other members of his organization were imprisoned from March 2019 to April 2020 but their sentences were commuted to between four and five years of house arrest.
The family of the man accused of killing his aged wife with a belt at their Gold Coast house have stood by his side with unwavering love and support.

The pairs daughter, who visited the Varsity Lakes home on Thursday to check on the couple, found her mother, 82-year-old Robyn Beever, dead in the garage.

Max Beever, 82, is accused of killing his 82-year-old wife, Robyn, at their Gold Coast house.

Emergency services were called and the womans husband, Max Beever, 82, was taken from the scene under police guard to the Gold Coast University Hospital.

A belt and an axe were found at the scene.
ICH and Agencies

February 27, 2021 " Information Clearing House " - Syria condemned in the strongest terms the US attack in eastern Syria that killed at least 17 people yesterday, stressing it demonstrates the aggressive policies by the new American administration.



Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said in a statement that In a flagrant violation of the rules of international law and Charter of the United Nations, the US warplanes on Thursday, February 25, 2021, launched a cowardly aggression by bombing some areas in Deir Ezzor province near the Syrian-Iraqi borders.

Foreign Ministry stated that this blatant aggression is a new chain in the series of repeated attacks by the Israeli occupation forces, the so-called international coalition, the Turkish occupation, and the crimes of armed terrorist organizations against the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic under illusive pretexts.



 The Syrian Arab Republic condemns in the strongest terms the US aggression against its sovereignty, which contradicts with the terms of international law and the United Nations Charter and with its role as a permanent member of the Security Council, the statement said.

It warned that this aggression will lead to repercussions that escalate the situation in the region, as well as it gives a negative indication to the policies of the new US administration, which is supposed to adhere to international legitimacy.



Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, affirmed that US troops presence in Syria is illegitimate, adding the US presses other countries to prevent humanitarian aid from reaching the country and bstruct reconstruction.

Lavrov said  US troops" presence in Syria illegitimate, violates international law and UN resolutions  and we have repeatedly expressed our reservations from the measures taken by Washington on the Syrian territories, including al-Tanf region and northeastern Syria.



Lavrov added that the US occupies lands in Syria, plundering Syrian oil, and supporting separatist militias, in flagrant violation of Security Council Resolution No. 2254.



China on Friday called for respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.



We call on all parties concerned to respect Syrias sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and to avoid additional complications to the situation, Xinhua news agency quoted Foreign Ministrys Spokesman Wang Wenbin as saying to reporters .
A parklet belonging to Haight-Ashbury bar The Alembic was vandalized with graffiti Thursday in what the bars owner characterized as an unsolicited piece of street art calling attention to San Franciscos homelessness crisis.

The city sweeps people, but not these? a vandal spray-painted across the exterior wall of three separate dining pods outside the Haight Street bar. The vandal also installed pink curtains, a television, a welcome mat and a makeshift table set with dried flowers and a salt shaker.

The bar painted over the graffiti within hours, but later took to Twitter to embrace the vandals message  if not their method.

We absolutely agree with you, read a Twitter post addressing the incident that was accompanied by a photo of the graffiti and housewares arranged inside the parklet.

Rather than file a police report, The Alembic opted to proactively address it as a community institution, said owner Christin Evans, who characterized the vandals handiwork as a street art installation.

The need is to address the lack of affordable housing for homeless and low income folks that have been displaced, said Evans, who also operates Booksmith and an events space called the Bindery.

The graffitied message, which appeared just hours before the parklet opened for its inaugural night of service, comes amid a citywide debate over the use of public space and the lack of affordable housing. Curbside dining pods are a boon for struggling businesses, but a lighting rod for critics who say they are emblematic of city policies that prioritize commercial interests over housing.

Its unclear whether the vandal was aware of Evanss past advocacy on behalf of Proposition C, the ballot measure to raise taxes on big businesses to fund services for homeless people, or her efforts to overturn a ban on lying on sidewalks.

No one had taken credit for the graffiti as of Friday afternoon.

Nora Mishanec is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NMishanec
Established in 1831, Generali is present in 50 countries around the world with total premium income of more than 69.7 billion ($85.2 billion) in 2019

To mark this occasion and leave a tangible and lasting recognition of the bond between the company and the regions where it was born and has prospered, Generali announces Fenice 190, a 3.5 billion ($4.2 billion) investment plan to support the recovery of the European economies impacted by COVID-19, starting in Italy, France, and Germany and to then targeting all European countries in which Generali operates throughout the five years of the plan.

Fenice 190 will make the extraordinary initiatives launched in 2020 to tackle the effects of the pandemic permanent, which included investments in support of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the real economy already surpassing the established objective of 1 billion ($1.2 billion).

The more than 70,000 employees of Generali will play a leading role in celebrating the milestone of 190 years of the group's history.

To add to this initial amount, Generali is pledging an annual commitment of 500 million ($611 million) per year, over the next five years, for sustainable growth through international investment funds focusing on infrastructure, innovation, and digitalisation, SMEs, green housing, healthcare facilities, and education.

Generali is one of the few companies in the world that can boast such a long history. It possesses an extraordinary wealth of knowledge and experience, thanks to which the group is able to face the challenges of today while contributing to a better future for the communities in which it operates, both as an insurer and a social innovator, said Philippe Donnet, CEO of Generali Group.

The 190th anniversary falls in a decisive year in which we must overcome the most serious global crisis of the post-war era and lay down the foundations for a wide-scale global recovery. With Fenice 190, we want to be a leader in this journey, leaving a concrete legacy for the future, with significant support for the most innovative, sustainable, and strategic sectors for the restart of the European economy, while at the same time encouraging the inclusion of those most heavily impacted by the crisis.

The Fenice 190 plan is implemented through the Generali Investments multi-boutique platform and is open to third-party funds and institutional investors as well as all companies of the group, that can participate in investment allocation based on their own objectives.

The selection of initiatives is guided by an investment committee of the Asset & Wealth Management Business Unit, led by CEO Carlo Trabattoni, with experts in real assets, sustainability, private markets, credit, and equity. The CEO of Generali Real Estate, Aldo Mazzocco, is in charge of the committee which uses an approach based on compliance with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the specific objective to generate a positive impact on the economic recovery and the real economy in Europe.

To date, 10 investment opportunities have already been identified for a multifaceted commitment of 1.05 billion ($1.28 billion), ranging from support to European SMEs, green housing, and infrastructure with a particular focus on digital, health, and energy transition that share a strong focus on environmental and social sustainability.

Continuing with the tradition of exploring contemporary issues through the language of advertising posters, Generali will give five young Italian and international artists the task of interpreting five key areas for the group with the This is Tomorrow project, creating posters capable of representing reality in a new way.

The more than 70,000 employees of the group will also play a leading role in celebrating the milestone of 190 years of history. Through a global initiative they will be asked to tell their personal story of Generali on a dedicated platform, combining personal experience with the companys rich heritage.

The contest will select the best stories, identifying 190 Lions who will be able to actively participate in Generalis 190th anniversary initiatives.

On the groups institutional website, generali.com, a new section dedicated to the anniversary will display the main initiatives as well as a series of editorial content related to the history of Generali.
5 things you need to know Monday

News

Two men were being held hostage in a Bronx apartment. They had been threatened at gunpoint, tied up and tortured for hours by two other men who pretended to be plumbers to get inside, the police said.

One of the victims managed to escape and called the police, who showed up early Tuesday morning at the apartment on East 227th Street, unsure if the armed men were still inside.

The police decided it was time to deploy Digidog, a 70-pound robotic dog with a loping gait, cameras and lights affixed to its frame, and a two-way communication system that allows the officer maneuvering it remotely to see and hear what is happening.

The police said the robot can see in the dark and assess how safe it is for officers to enter an apartment or building where there may be a threat.
Posted Friday, February 26, 2021 4:32 pm

Lewis Countys very own toy store, Lets Play Something, has just reopened in a new downtown Centralia location inside a glorious historic building storefront.

This great playground for all ages began online in 2010. It has slowly been migrating northward since originally opening in the former Napavine City Hall building in 2015.

It moved to the Fairway Center between the Twin Cities in 2018, and now is at home in the heart of the Hub City. Check them out at 109 N. Tower Ave. or at www.LetsPlaySomething.com.

If youve never visited Lets Play Something, do yourself a favor and stop in. Whatever your age, whatever excuse you need to make for going into a toy store, just do it.

Your inner child will leap for joy at all their toys, games and general fun-in-a-box.

While weve all gotten used to shopping online over the past year, theres some shopping thats just better in person. Buying toys tops the list.

Congratulations to the good folks of Lets Play Something for their new storefront, and congratulations to all of you who decide to visit in person. The 9-year-old who still lives inside you will be glad you did.

Honoring Our States George Bush

When I was learning about Centralias founder, the African-American pioneer George Washington, I often heard another presidential name attached to a similar Northwest homesteader named George Bush.

Bush, like Washington, lived under increasingly harsh racist laws in Missouri. Bush came west in 1844 and Washington came in 1850 to find freedom, but both discovered upon arrival that the Oregon Territory had its own problems for them  Black exclusion laws.

Both men independently came to a similar conclusion  cross the Columbia River and find a remote area where they could hunker down out of the effective reach of the territorial government.

Bush and his wife, who was white, settled in the area that we now know as Tumwater, establishing a homestead in 1845 along the Deschutes River.

He and his family found success as farmers, loggers and mill operators. As more settlers came into the territory, the Bushes were generous with those in need.

In 1852 (just as George Washington was starting to build his claim shanty down along the Chehalis and Skookumchuck Rivers), George Bush found himself surrounded by new American immigrants who were in desperate need during a famine.

Bush wouldnt sell to speculators, but he gave food and seed to folks who were truly in need. Another famous settler, pioneer Ezra Meeker, wrote about this in a book on Washingtons early history.

Pay me in kind next year, Meeker recounts Bush saying to those in need. To those who had money, he said, Dont take too much  just enough to do you.

He gave away his whole crop to help his new neighbors become established.

In a bitter irony, just a few years earlier Congress had deprived Bush of security on the land he had settled. The 1850 Donation Land Claim Act specifically excluded Black settlers like George Bush and George Washington.

George Washington found a way around this law by having his white foster parents take out the homestead in their names. Bush didn't have that option, but he had other friends who rose to his defense.

George Bushs grateful neighbors circulated a petition on his behalf, writing, he has contributed much towards the settlement of this Territory, the suffering and needy never having applied to him in vain for succor and assistance...

Eleven months later, on Feb. 6, 1855, Congress passed a specific exemption for George Bush. A decade after he was one of the first Americans to settle south of Puget Sound, his 640 acres were legally his at last.

Bush died eight years later, in 1863. His oldest son, William Owen Bush, became a member of the very first Washington state Legislature.

Now the Legislature is honoring the Bush family with a new informational monument on the Capitol grounds, near the winged victory World War II monument.

It will also be near a flourishing tree that is another long-lasting legacy of Bushs pioneer days.

That butternut tree on the Capitol grounds grew from the seed of an original tree that Bush planted in 1845. Bushs tree still lives on his homestead, and it provides another enduring link between George Bush and George Washington.

During our bicentennial celebration of Centralias founder, arborist Ray Gleason  who planted that Bush butternut tree at the state Capitol a decade ago  also planted one at Fort Borst Park in Centralia. Our Bush butternut tree is also growing well. You can see it near the pioneer church replica at the Borst homestead.

Its heartening to see Washingtons pioneer legacy celebrated and thriving in Tumwater, in Centralia, and in the self-reliant yet generous spirit that our forebears brought with them and planted deeply in the soil of the Pacific Northwest.



Brian Mittge explores our yesterdays and tomorrows each Saturday in The Chronicle. Contact him at brianmittge@hotmail.com.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
New Delhi:

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Rajasthans Ajmer and former Union Minister Sanwar Lal Jat passed away in Delhi on Wednesday.

Last month, Sanwar suffered a cardiac arrest during a meeting chaired by BJP president Amit Shah and other party MLAs and MPs. He was rushed to a local hospital and was in a critical condition.

Blood pressure, cardiac rhythm and hemodynamics of MP Sanwar Lal Jat are properly maintained, but he is unconscious, critical and on the ventilator, Sawai Man Singh (SMS) hospital said releasing his medical bulletin.

ALSO READ: Renowned Indian scientist PM Bharagva passes away at age of 89

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, MI  A hydropower company will begin dredging impoundment sludge from a Kalamazoo River side channel on Monday and says its planning to expand efforts to remove excessive sediment from a reservoir drawdown to other areas of the river.

Eagle Creek Renewable Energy says it will dredge a small oxbow section of river next to Comstock Townships Wenke Park starting March 1. The side channel has been filled-in with sediment from Morrow Lake that was allowed to wash downriver last year during a reservoir drawdown.

The company says it plans to remove about 3,000 cubic yards of sediment  a small fraction of the 114,000 cubic yards of impoundment sludge the company estimates is choking the river between Morrow Dam and Cooper Township.

More: 11,400 dumps trucks worth of sludge befouls river

State regulators consider that an underestimate.

Eagle Creek, which announced the information through its subsidiary, STS Hydropower, said the dredging should last until mid-May. An excavator arrived at the park Thursday.

The state gave Eagle Creek a March 1 deadline to begin dredging the oxbow in a Feb. 12 letter instructing the company to also start making plans to excavate other areas.

In a news release, Eagle Creek said its concurrently developing plans for additional sediment removal projects in consultation with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is overseeing a separate Superfund cleanup downstream this year.

Eagle Creek licensing and compliance David Fox told the Kalamazoo River Superfund Citizen Advisory Group (CAG) on Thursday that the company has developed a short list of additional areas its eyeing for dredging and it would be showing that to state regulators next week.

I think that the best analogy here is were trying to peel an onion, Fox told the citizen group, describing Eagle Creeks efforts to investigate the downstream sedimentation.

Because of the answers that we have, were able to start simultaneously working on removal projects, said Brian Mastin, an AECOM consultant working for Eagle Creek.

Bathymetric surveys and core sampling found sediment deposits more than an acre in size, ranging from two to 10 feet thick in some areas downstream of Eagle Creeks Morrow Dam in Comstock Township. Investigation maps show deposits more than 9-feet thick near downtown Kalamazoo and more than 11 feet thick next to the city wastewater plant.

One deposit stretches nearly 2,500 feet from the wastewater plant to Mosel Avenue, measuring about 136,700 square feet in size with about 14,300 cubic yards of mud.

Deposits nearly 4-foot thick were found at the border between Parchment and Cooper Township, the furthest downstream that sediment totals were surveyed.

Biologists and state natural resources officials say the sediment has smothered wildlife habitat and likely caused long-term harm to the rivers fish and mussel population.

The impoundment sediment began flowing through the dam in November 2019 after Eagle Creek unexpectedly drew the reservoir down for an emergency spillway gate repair project that the company did not begin installing until December 2020.

Eagle Creek restricted river flow volumes four times last fall while it replaced the gates. The 1,000-acre Morrow Lake reservoir has since been refilled.

A November 2019 photo from the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office shows a 1967 Chevrolet Impala found buried in the Morrow Lake mud after the reservoir was drained by Eagle Creek Renewable Energy.

The company hopes the oxbow near Wenke Park can trap additional upstream sediment once its been cleared  although the bulk of Morrow sludge has likely deposited further downstream already.

Kenneth Kornheiser, vice president of the Kalamazoo River Watershed Council, thinks Eagle Creek of focusing on the oxbow because it offers ready access.

To go into the river, they need a place they can get to it, Kornheiser said. This is a place they can get to the sediment easily. Youve got public land they can use. They are not having to gain easements on peoples property or create a road to pull heavy equipment across.

Advocacy groups like watershed council and the Kalamazoo River Alliance have been pushing Eagle Creek to remove the sediment before river flows increase with a spring thaw and move it further downstream into areas around Plainwell, Otsego and Allegan.

When that occurs, some of the sediment is going to be washed downstream, Kornheiser said. We dont know where it will go, how much of it will go. Thats a big concern.

Where those sediments are now may not be where they are going to be in six months, he said.

Dredging work plans filed with state regulators show that Eagle Creek plans to cut river flow into the oxbow with a sheet-pile wall at Wenke Park and truck the dried sediment to a secondary staging area near the dam next to the decommissioned coal fired power plant.

Map showing plans by Eagle Creek Renewable Energy to dredge Morrow Lake sediment from an oxbow section of the Kalamazoo River in Comstock Township.

Where the dewatered sediment goes from there has not been determined, Fox told the citizen group.

Fox said Eagle Creek is exploring several options such as using the material to shore up dam embankments or create a new permanent landfill at the dam. The company is exploring beneficial re-use opportunities for the material.

Im hoping within the next couple months well have a much better idea where we can put this, Fox said, adding that reducing sediment landfilling costs means Ill have more ability to remove material from the river.

Related stories:

Sludge to be dug from river oxbow section

Morrow Lake refill begins after dam repair

Kalamazoo River to be lowered twice for dam repair

County board upset by Kalamazoo River mud mess

PCB cleanup begins on river stretch choked by lake mud

Kalamazoo River looks like a mudhole amid drawdown

Michigan hazard dams something were going to wrestle with

A grave situation awaits Michigan without dam safety fixes
DAMASCUS, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. military air strikes in eastern Syria have killed at least 22 pro-Iran fighters before daybreak Friday, a war monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the fighters were killed when the strikes hit a shipment of weapons belonging to Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi force and the Iraqi Hezbollah group.

The strikes were carried out as the shipment from Iraq was entering into Syria through the al-Qaem border crossing in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour, the watchdog group said, adding that the death toll is likely to rise considering the number of critically wounded fighters.

Syrian state media reported the attack but have not provided more information so far.

The Pentagon confirmed earlier that the U.S. military had conducted airstrikes against infrastructure utilized by Iranian-backed militant groups in eastern Syria, the first to hit the Middle East country since the arrival of the Joe Biden administration.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  An Australian man and his Southern California business partner who ran a network of online charter schools pleaded guilty Friday to felony charges tied to a massive fraud scheme that siphoned $50 million in education funds from the state to invest in start-up companies and real estate.

Prosecutors called it one of the nation's biggest fraud cases involving education dollars. The scheme involved buying the information of unwitting students it found through other schools and youth programs to falsely beef up its enrollment numbers and collect public funds.

Sean McManus, 46, entered his plea from Australia via a video call to San Diego Superior Court. He agreed to voluntarily return to the United States as part of his plea agreement.

He and his business partner, Jason Schrock, 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to misappropriate public funds and to stealing more than $500,000.

Schrock also pleaded guilty to one count of conflict of interest. Both face up to 10 years in prison. The defendants nor their attorneys could be immediately reached for comment.

Their company, A3 Charter Schools, operated 19 online-only charter schools across California, according to a 235-page indictment filed in San Diego County Superior Court.

As part of their plea agreements, the two men agreed to assist in the return of more than $210 million in assets, which included 13 houses and various shares in third-party companies.

With these guilty pleas, the defendants now admit they engaged in a devious, systematic public corruption scheme on the backs of students, their parents and the public that diverted millions of taxpayer dollars into their own pockets, District Attorney Summer Stephan said. This is one of the largest fraud schemes targeting education dollars for K-12 students in the nation.

The company paid sports leagues, camps and others as little as $25 per student for information it then used to inflate enrollment, unbeknownst to the students. McManus and Schrock then claimed these students were being served by the A3 Charter Schools and being taught public education from licensed teachers, when the students had no relationship with the charter school, according to prosecutors.

Story continues

School districts are funded by the state based on the number of students.

The company also manipulated school calendars to falsely demonstrate that children were engaged in educational activities for the entire summer, according to the San Diego district attorney's office. The A3 Charter Schools earned as much as $4,000 for each summer school student.

McManus and Schrock transferred millions of dollars in public school funds to private companies they owned and controlled under the guise of providing educational services, according to prosecutors.

The case has led to a review by the state of the way it funds schools and the lack of oversight. Lawmakers put a two-year pause on new online charters as a result of the case.

The California Charter Schools Association said it raised concerns about A3 with the state education department and urged an investigation.

Three co-defendants, who worked under McManus and Schrock at various charter schools, already pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy and have been cooperating with prosecutors.
Nearly a third of the 35,000 international travellers who arrived in Australia in December were visitors rather than returning residents, including thousands of Australian expats returning to spend Christmas with their families.

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show 10,640 incoming passengers marked visitor on their entry card in December. That included 2480 Australian citizens  or one in seven of the 17,610 returning Australians that month.

Grace, John and Lucy Morrell at their home in Hokkaido, Japan, digging out their storage shed in preparation for moving back to Australia.

Meanwhile, about 39,000 Australians are stranded overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the number registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as seeking help to return, with about 5000 considered vulnerable.

International airlines are repeatedly cancelling seats for passengers with economy tickets but those who can afford to pay for first or business class tickets are more likely to get flights.
United Airlines to Pay $49.5 Million to Settle US International Mail Contract Probe

WASHINGTONUnited Airlines agreed to pay $49.5 million to resolve criminal charges and civil claims relating to fraud on Postal Service contracts for transportation of international mail, the U.S. Justice Department said Friday.

United defrauded the U.S. Postal Service by providing falsified parcel delivery information over a period of years and accepting millions of dollars of payments to which the company was not entitled, the Justice Departments acting criminal division chief Nicholas L. McQuaid said.

United did not immediately comment.

The Justice Department said between 2012 and 2015, United defrauded the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) by submitting false delivery scan data. The government said United submitted automated delivery scans based on aspirational delivery times. The government said some individuals at United sought to hide the automation practices included efforts to revise the falsified delivery times to make the automated scans appear less suspicious to USPS.

United agreed to strengthen its compliance program and to submit yearly reports to the Justice Department detailing the status of remediation and implementation of Uniteds compliance program and internal controls.

The government cited Uniteds prior history, including a 2016 non-prosecution agreement relating to potential criminal bribery violations arising out of Uniteds establishment and operation of a non-stop route between Newark Liberty International Airport and Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina.

In 2019, American Airlines paid $22.1 million to settle claims it falsely reported the times it transferred possession of U.S. mail to foreign postal administrations or other intended recipients, the U.S. Justice Department said.

USPS contracted with American to take possession of receptacles of U.S. mail at six locations and then deliver it to numerous international and domestic destinations. The settlement resolves claims American Airlines falsely reported the times it transferred possession of the mail. American did not immediately comment Tuesday.

By David Shepardson
The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Saturday said it has achieved the milestone of 20 lakh cumulative exports.

The auto major achieved the milestone as a batch of products comprising S-Presso, Swift and Vitara Brezza left for South Africa from the Mundra Port in Gujarat.

"The company has been exporting vehicles for past 34 years much before India became a prominent player in the global automobile business. This early global exposure helped the company enhance its quality and attain global benchmarks," MSI MD and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said in a statement.

The automaker currently exports 14 models comprising nearly 150 variants, to over 100 countries, he noted.

"Vehicles manufactured at our facilities in India have found high acceptance owing to global standards of quality, safety, design and technology," Ayukawa said.

Going forward, the company has aligned itself with the evolving needs of customers in African and Latin American nations, he noted.

"With a flurry of new models in pipeline, Maruti Suzuki will attract customers in new segments to enable the company to accomplish bigger milestones at a much faster pace," Ayukawa said.

MSI commenced export of vehicles way back in 1986-87 and the first large consignment of 500 cars was shipped to Hungary in September 1987.

In 2012-13, the company achieved the milestone of one-million exports with more than 50 per cent of the shipments going to the developed markets in Europe.

The company achieved the subsequent million in over eight years with special focus on emerging markets in Latin America, Africa and Asia regions.

"With concerted efforts, the company has been able to gain sizeable share in markets like Chile, Indonesia, South Africa and Sri Lanka," the automaker said.

Models such as Alto, Baleno, Dzire and Swift have emerged as popular choices in these markets, it added.

In January this year, the company started production and export of Suzuki's celebrated compact off-roader Jimny from India.

With India as a production base for Jimny, Suzuki aims to leverage MSI's global production stature, the company said.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott recently explained on these pages why he voted in committee against Miguel Cardona, President Joe Bidens nominee for secretary of education, and would also do so on the Senate floor.

Sen. Scott commended Mr. Cardonas compelling life story and likened it to his own  before saying that he could not vote for him because he would follow the Biden plan to pit teacher unions against parents and students. He then spoke of what he thinks is needed for better schools: public funding for charter, parochial and private schools.

Sen. Scott expressed the obligatory GOP rhetorical desire to rescue children from failing schools, took a swipe at the elites in Washington who send their children to private schools and said  in reference to public schools  that we shouldnt throw good money after bad.

Theres an honest debate to be had about the merits of public, private, parochial and charter schools, but responsible scholarship has shown no major difference in outcomes. There are good and struggling schools in all of those categories.

The present conservative love affair with choice actually echoes a 67-year-old battle that began when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against separate but equal public schools.

Two of the attempted strategies to combat school desegregation were private-school scholarships and obliterating public-school attendance lines so parents could send their children to the public school of their choice.

One could argue that weve evolved into a nation where race is no longer an issue. Thats not true. The violent desecration of our nations Capitol on Jan. 6 reminds us of that. The Civil War officially ended in 1865, but the cold Civil War goes on, and demeaning public schools is a part of the cold Civil War effort to woo the GOP base  regardless of the color or culture of the messenger.

I dont say that to denigrate Sen. Scott. I respect his right to share his opinion, although it intrigues me that some of his talking points had already been shared by many in the GOP.

Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email

Sign Up!

I checked the White House website and couldnt find the Biden plan to pit teacher unions against parents and students, and Im intrigued by the fact that a senator from a state that doesnt have teacher unions would find that to be a concern.

Im also amazed that the Washington elites that Sen. Scott derided for sending their children to private schools included two black Democrats and two white Democrats. I dont think that it would be hard to find Republicans who do the same.

I agree with Sen. Scott that all children deserve a high-quality education. But I believe that begins with seeing that every public school is well-funded and well-equipped. Thats not throwing good money after bad. Thats correcting chronic, bigotry-driven inequities.

Some children will never go to charter, private or parochial schools because of the cost of such extras as transportation and extracurricular activities. The best solution is to see that every public school is an excellent choice.

I understand the GOPs ideological aversion to fully funding public schools; I wish Republicans felt the same way about funding tax breaks for the wealthy. I understand market economics and the idea that the market decides who succeeds and who fails, but I dont believe that should apply to our childrens schools, because children arent commodities and because every child deserves a chance to achieve.

Let me also correct something that Sen. Scott said about one of the Washington elites who send their children to private schools. Congressman Jim Clyburns daughters, and my oldest son, are graduates of Keenan High School in Columbia  a public school.

The Rev. Joseph A. Darby is senior pastor at Nichols Chapel AME Church and first vice president of the Charleston Branch NAACP.
The Junior League of Birmingham has been promoting a 100 Acts of Service campaign throughout February to honor the passing of one of its leaders.

Junior League Community Vice President Lee Ann Petty, 41, died on Dec. 30. She was also vice president and volunteer services coordinator at Regions Bank.

Lee Ann was the epitome of servant leadership and demonstrated her love for Birmingham through acts of community service whether planting flowers in front of the Ronald McDonald House, serving a meal at Firehouse Shelter, or through her service on numerous nonprofit boards in town, said Toni Leeth, president of Junior League of Birmingham. She inspired us to serve, and I know her story shared through 100 Acts of Service will do the same for others.

The Junior League has been coordinating service opportunities for members and the wider Birmingham community.

Its our privilege to take the project she put her heart behind and use it as a platform to honor her legacy and the impact of the Junior League through service, Leeth said.

Petty served Junior League for nine years in various leadership roles. As community vice president, Petty worked with more than 30 agency partners to offer support. About 650 volunteers worked on projects in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Petty was also on the Board of the Firehouse Shelter, the Advisory Board of the Alabama Governors School, the Finance Committee for Dawson Memorial Church and served as Roundtable Past President for the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama.

Lee Ann Petty was community vice president for the Junior League of Birmingham.

Current service opportunities for the 100 Acts of Service initiative can be found below and will be updated as new opportunities are added:

Tackle Food Insecurity with JLB and Youth Towers:

The Junior League of Birmingham is collecting shelf-stable food for Youth Towers, a local non-profit supporting homeless and high risk youth ages 19-26. Purchase items from the Amazon wish list and have it shipped directly to the JLB, or bring your donation to the JLB between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Throughout February, the JLB is collecting pantry goods (small bags of sugar and flour, cooking oil, peanut butter), individual snacks (crackers, breakfast bars, fruit bars), dry goods (pasta, noodles), and snap-top non-perishable foods (soup, canned meats, fruit, vegetables). The link for the Amazon wish list can be found here.

Help Fight COVID-19 with JLB and UAB:

The JLB is organizing volunteers to help at the community vaccination sites in Jefferson County. Volunteers work outside in 5-hour shifts as runners, vaccine staff assistants and helping with registration. The schedule is updated weekly, so if all slots are full, patrons can check back at the end of each week. The link to Sign Up Genius can be found here.

Other community service opportunities include providing a meal at Firehouse Shelter with Firehouse Ministries, Stocking the Shelves with a purchase from the Pathways Shelter Amazon wish list, volunteering to be a mentor for one hour each week through East Lake Initiative, volunteering to help with a restoration project to restore and revitalize indoor or outdoor areas of the Foundry Ministries property and more.

With a goal to inspire the community to Live Like Lee Ann, the JLB hopes that those in the community would roll up their sleeves like Lee Ann would do and get involved in giving back to their city and truly building a better Birmingham. The JLB encourages using hashtags, #100Acts4LeeAnn and #LiveLikeLeeAnn to show your support and participation.

With nearly 2,200 members providing 55,000-plus volunteer hours annually across 40 community projects and $1 million in direct funding to the Birmingham community, the Junior League of Birmingham works to promote volunteerism, develops the potential of women and improves the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

For more information on 100 Acts of Service or the Junior League of Birmingham, visit jlbonline.com/community-services/100-acts-of-service.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Border Force officers wearing PPE escort a group of people thought to be migrants (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Four small boats carrying 87 people including children made the dangerous Channel crossing into the UK on Saturday.

The Home Office has said all adults who arrived in Dover were tested for Covid-19, and one person tested positive.

The department could not confirm the nationalities or ages of those involved.

French authorities also prevented two attempted crossings involving a further 51 people on Saturday.

Expand Close The Home Office said all adults who arrived in Dover were tested for Covid-19 and one tested positive (Gareth Fuller/PA) PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The Home Office said all adults who arrived in Dover were tested for Covid-19 and one tested positive (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Following the incident, the Home Office said: People should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and not risk their lives making these dangerous crossings.

We are continuing to pursue the criminals behind these illegal crossings.

Police patrols on French beaches and enhanced intelligence sharing between our security and law enforcement agencies has helped to prevent crossings.

The Government is also returning illegal migrants who have no right to stay in the UK to safe countries.

In January, new rules were introduced which make asylum claims inadmissible where people have travelled through safe countries to get to the UK through illegal routes.
One driver was killed in a crash that closed the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near Woodburn for several hours Friday night, troopers said.

The Oregon State Police responded about 5:30 p.m. to a three-car crash that caused the death of 59-year old Keizer resident Norma Palacios. The crash occurred near milepost 270 outside of Woodburn.

Palacios was driving a Toyota Corolla northbound in the center lane. While changing lanes, Palacios crashed into Arnold Brown, a 52-year-old Albany resident, who was driving a Nissan Rogue. Palacios then collided with Paul Tallman, a 57-year-old Eugene resident, who was also driving a Nissan Rogue.

Troopers said Palacios suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead. No one else was seriously hurt.

-- Jaimie Ding

jding@oregonian.com; 503-221-4395; @j_dingdingding
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is back home in the Dallas area and he, like many in Texas, was affected by the winter storm that passed through and left many without power and safe water to drink recently.

However, he has stepped up in a huge way to help people survive.

Murray has donated 60,000 meals to the North Texas Food Bank.

It means the world being able to give back, Murray said, according to AZCentral Sports Katherine Fitzgerald. Its really bigger than anything that I could do. Obviously, sports is my thing, football is my thing, but I think I have a bigger purpose.

He dealt with the effects of the storm, noting he went without power intermittently and didnt have hot water.

They didnt have power, they didnt have water at all. So for me, it was being blessed and having the ability to give back  it was a no brainer for me.  I was just trying to give back and make sure people were safe.

This isnt the first time he has stepped up and made a difference financially.

Because he was named the Hungriest Player of the Year by Snickers, he donated the chain, worth more than $60,000 to benefit heroes on the frontlines in Arizona, including nurses and other essential workers.

Last year in April, after the pandemic hit and schools were shut down, he donated $25,000 for childrens meals in schools.

The franchise quarterback is doing what a leader should do. He impacts the field and uses what he has been given to improve life for those around him.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wires Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Latest show:





Previous shows:





and




President Joe Biden said on Saturday that his administration would make an announcement on Saudi Arabia on Monday.

It follows a U.S. intelligence report that found Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had approved the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

The Biden administration has faced some criticism that the president should have been tougher on the crown prince, who was not sanctioned despite being blamed for approving Khashoggi's murder.

Asked about punishing the crown prince, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, who is also known as MBS, Biden said: 'There will be an announcement on Monday as to what we are going to be doing with Saudi Arabia generally.'

Biden did not provide details.

President Joe Biden said on Saturday that his administration would make an announcement on Saudi Arabia on Monday. He is pictured stepping off Air Force One on Saturday

Pictured, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman arrives at Diriyah E-Prix 2021 in Riyadh on Saturday. Biden has faced criticism for not being tougher on MBS

Khashoggi, a U.S. resident who wrote opinion columns for the Washington Post critical of MBS policies, was killed and dismembered by a team of operatives linked to the prince in the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul in October 2018.

The intelligence report released Friday, which had been withheld after being completed under Trump, said it was 'highly unlikely' that Khashoggi's murder could have taken place without his green light.

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi pictured in 2012. He was last seen on October 2, 2018

The report points to the crown prince's 'absolute control of the Kingdom's security and intelligence organizations,' where his authority is already well established.

The killing of Khashoggi also fits a pattern of 'the crown prince's support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad', it added.

But Saudi observers dismissed the highly anticipated report, with Ali Shihabi, a government adviser close to the kingdom's royal court, saying the 'thin' assessment lacked a 'smoking gun'.

The Saudi government, which has denied any involvement by the crown prince, on Friday issued a statement rejecting the U.S. report's findings and repeating its previous statements that Khashoggi's killing was a heinous crime by a rogue group.

Soon after the report was made public, the Arabic hashtag 'We are all MBS' began trending on Twitter, with pro-government cyber armies tweeting in support of the Saudi heir apparent.

The Saudi leadership is 'untouchable', screamed a front-page headline in the pro-government Okaz newspaper, which also denounced the report.

On Friday, Biden had said in an interview with Univision that he would hold Saudi Arabia 'accountable', adding that he had spoken with King Salman about the decision.

'I spoke yesterday with the king ... Made it clear to him that the rules are changing and we're going to be announcing significant changes today and on Monday. We are going to hold them accountable for human rights abuses,' Biden said.

'If they want to deal with us, they will have to deal with it in a way that the human rights abuses are dealt with,' he continued.

The president added that once he got his hands on the report, he worked to 'immediately' read and release it.

'It is outrageous what happened,' he asserted.

Pictured, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on Saturday. A U.S. intelligence report that found the crown prince had approved the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman waves on Saturday just days after the report was made public in the U.S. claiming he had authorized Jamal Khashoggi's killing

Despite the unequivocal conclusions of the assessment, the administration stopped short of imposing any diplomatic or economic sanctions on the heir to the throne of the influential ally.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained that Biden wants to 'recalibrate' but not 'rupture' its relations with Riyadh, a longstanding Middle East partner.

'This is not the Saudi smack-down that many expected,' said Varsha Koduvayur, a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think-tank.

It indicates 'Biden's overall Saudi stance: put values at the heart of US foreign policy, emphasize human rights, and reverse the transactional approach of last four years (under Trump) -- while preserving the relationship,' Koduvayur added.

Among the punitive steps the United States took on Friday was the imposition of a visa ban on some Saudis believed involved in the Khashoggi killing and sanctions on others, including a former deputy intelligence chief, which would freeze their U.S. assets and generally bar Americans from dealing with them.

Biden has now said he will deal with Saudi Arabia on Monday. He is pictured above with First Lady Jill Biden as they walk to board Marine One on Saturday afternoon

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden exit Marine One as they walk to board Air Force One on Saturday. Biden said he read and released the Saudi report as soon as he could

President and First Lady are pictured on Saturday stepping off Air Force One

Blinken released a statement stating the world was 'horrified' by Khashoggi's killing and announcing a new 'Khashoggi ban' visa restriction on people linked to 'counter-dissident activities.'

He said the government has acted against 76 individuals but did not identify Khashoggi.

The public censure of the prince along with US sanctions marks a sharp departure from the policy of former president Trump, who sought to shield the kingdom's de facto ruler.

Biden had pledged during his campaign to make the kingdom a 'pariah' after it got a free pass under Trump, but observers say he is instead adopting a middle path.

While scrutinizing human rights, his new administration is working to preserve a valuable security partnership as it moves to reboot nuclear talks with Riyadh's arch-enemy Tehran.

Biden also needs to deal with the top crude producer on the highly fraught issues of energy, counterterrorism, and efforts to end the conflict in Yemen.

'The Biden foreign policy team is comprised of seasoned experts who are not so naive as to think that they can achieve their goals in the Middle East without dealing with a Saudi state that still anchors, though in a less totalizing way, both oil and security in the Gulf,' said Kristin Diwan of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

'For this reason, they have ruled out the sanctioning of Mohammed bin Salman, preserving space to deal with the Saudi state and its top leadership.'

The office of the Director of National Intelligence released a declassified report on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi that identified the crown prince approved the killing

Recent official statements from Washington have called Saudi Arabia a 'security partner', instead of what the Trump administration highlighted as an 'ally' and a key buyer of US military hardware.

In an apparent snub earlier this week, Biden insisted on making his first Saudi phone call to 85-year-old King Salman, even as Saudi pro-government supporters insisted that his son, Prince Mohammed, was the kingdom's day-to-day ruler.

'Washington realizes that MBS could go on to rule Saudi Arabia for the next half century, so it cannot afford to completely alienate him,' a Western diplomat told AFP.

'But it is also making clear that it will no longer give him a free pass.'

The crown prince has denied involvement in the October 2018 murder of Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident.

MBS did accept responsibility for the assassination as the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. And Riyadh eventually admitted that Khashoggi was killed in a 'rogue' extradition operation gone wrong.

Five men were given the death penalty for the journalist's murder but had their sentences commuted to 20 years in prison after being forgiven by Khashoggi's family.

Khashoggi fled Saudi Arabia in September 2017 to live in self-imposed exile.

He was writing columns critical of the Saudi government - including of both King Salman and MBS - for The Washington Post when he was killed.

In October 2018, Khashoggi visited the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, to pick up the paperwork required for his marriage to a Turkish citizen. He was never seen leaving.

A New Brunswick man was shot and killed in a shooting early Saturday morning in Middlesex County, authorities said.

At 1:18 a.m. Saturday, New Brunswick police officers who were on patrol found Jose Medero, 51, with a gunshot wound near Seaman Street and Remsen Avenue in New Brunswick, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said in a statement. Medero was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the statement.

Police continue to investigate the shooting. As of late Saturday morning, no further information was released.

Authorities ask anyone with information to call Detective Elfi Martinez of New Brunswick Police at 732-745-5200 or Detective Sean Sullivan of the Prosecutors Office at 732-745-4060.

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.
It looks like the Shelby family will be embroiled in more drama in series six of Peaky Blinders.

And Paul Anderson, who plays Arthur Shelby in the BBC period crime drama, could be in trouble as he was seen hiding from a rival while filming on Friday.

The actor, 43, stood flush against a wall with his gun in hand as he sported the eldest Shelby's signature flat cap and moustache during the shoot in Manchester.

Guns blazing! Paul Anderson, who plays Arthur Shelby in the BBC period crime drama, could be in trouble as he hides from a rival during filming in Manchester on Friday night

During the sequence, Paul (Arthur) was spotted concealing himself from what appeared to be the enemy, who was on the other side of the wall.

The pair were pictured outside The Garrison tavern in what looked like a shoot out as they shielded themselves.

The rival, who also held a gun, reportedly shouted in Italian during the filming.

The crew kept fans of the show at a distance behind the railings and fencing at Manchester's Castlefield so filming could continue.

Shoot out: The actor, 43, stood flush against a wall with his gun in hand as he sported the eldest Shelby's signature flat cap and moustache

In trouble? During the sequence, Paul (Arthur) was spotted concealing himself from what appeared to be the enemy, who was on the other side of the wall

The final tweaks were made to the Manchester-based sets earlier this week, after the cast had been filming in Scotland.

The sets, however, are portraying Birmingham, the actual setting of the hit gangster drama.

Peaky Blinders centres around its eponymous gang which is run by the ruthless Tommy Shelby [Cillian Murphy] and his family, and sees them build their power and influence over Birmingham and beyond.

Enemy: The pair were pictured outside The Garrison tavern in what appeared to be a shoot out during the filming of the sixth series

Bringing out the big guns: Another man was also filming while several crew members followed through the mist with cameras

It's all kicking off: Sparks were seen flying as the actors shot the scenes in Manchester

What's going on here? Another character was seen wearing a gas mask as they held out a gun

The fifth season ended on a cliffhanger, with Tommy seeing visions of his late wife Grace and turning a gun on himself following his botched assassination attempt of British Union of Fascists leader Oswald Mosely (Sam Claflin) at a rally.

Production on the show was delayed last year by the Covid-19 crisis, but shooting was able to begin last month with cast and crew adhering to strict coronavirus restrictions.

The BBC drama has been running for eight years and has enjoyed huge popularity but the sixth season has been confirmed as the final one, with creator Steven Knight confirming the story will return 'in another form'.

Hiding: Arthur appeared to be shielding himself from bullets during a tense confrontation during the scene

Shooting: The eldest Shelby brother was pictured with his gun in hand as he hid from his rival on set

Rival: The enemy, who also held a gun as he hid, reportedly shouted in Italian during the filming

Safety first: Three members of security were seen escorting a curious man away from the location while the actors got to work on series six

Steven believes the programme can be extended, possibly as a feature length spin-off, as he said in a statement: 'Peaky is back and with a bang. After the enforced production delay due to the Covid pandemic, we find the family in extreme jeopardy and the stakes have never been higher.

'We believe this will be the best series of all and are sure that our amazing fans will love it.

'While the TV series will be coming to an end, the story will continue in another form.'

On set: Although set in Birmingham, the cast were seen filming in Castlefield, Manchester
Amid a rise in attacks on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in Balochistan, Pakistan has beefed up its security in the province to protect the facilities.

The information about the strengthening of security in Balochistan province was shared by Pakistan Military, reported Xinhua.

"We have raised two division-size security settlements which are dedicated to providing security to CPEC, besides that, we have increased the number of paramilitary troops' units from one to two in the province to ensure security," said Major General Babar Iftikhar, Director General of the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations.

The security for the CPEC has been beefed up directly and indirectly by providing more security to CPEC projects and enhancing security in the whole province to ensure smooth work at CPEC projects after recent attacks on the facility, reported Xinhua.

Though Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan with ample natural resources, it remains the poorest and least populous. The Balochs have often raised the issue of under-development, but Pakistan has responded to it with forced abduction, torture, and harassment.

The Balochs also oppose China's increasing involvement in the province. The CPEC has not benefited the people of Balochistan while people of other provinces enjoy the fruits of the mega project. This has led to widespread protests as the Chinese are viewed as encroachers who are squeezing out all the wealth from the region.

This has resulted in a surge in the deadly attacks by Baloch separatists on CPEC facilities.

In 2015, China announced the project in Pakistan worth USD 46 billion, of which Balochistan is an integral part. It would link Pakistan's southern Gwadar port in Balochistan on the Arabian Sea to China's western Xinjiang region. It also includes plans to create road, rail and oil pipeline links to improve connectivity between China and the Middle East.

(ANI)

Some security operatives attached to Operation Burst, a joint police-military outfit, in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday, attempted to arrest a self-styled warlord, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Igboho was accosted on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway while on his way to meet an elder statesman, Ayo Adebanjo.

News of the arrest was posted on social media by Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation and ally of Mr Igboho.

I just spoke to my brother Sunday Igboho. He told me there was a violent attempt to arrest him this afternoon by a joint team of soldiers, DSS operatives & policemen numbering about 40 on the Ibadan/Lagos Expressway whilst he was on his way to see Baba Ayo Adebanjo in Lagos.

I condemn this attempt to ambush and abduct him. It is not only reckless but also very dangerous. If the security agencies want to see him, all they need to do is to invite him to their offices. I am not aware of any crime that he has committed and I urge restraint on all sides, he said on Twitter.

He also attached a short clip of the scene to his tweet.

DSS denies arrest attempt

When contacted, the states police spokesperson, Olugbenga Fadeyi, did not respond to calls and text messages.

But the spokesperson of the State Security Service, Peter Afunanya, said its officers were not part of the operation.

The Department of State Services wishes to refute the news that it attempted to arrest one Sunday Igboho, today, at Ibadan, Oyo State. The said news is misinforming and should be taken as fake and therefore be disregarded, he said in his short statement.

When contacted on Friday evening, Mr Igboho told PREMIUM TIMES he would speak with the press later.

He, however, told Punch newspaper that authorities should go after Boko Haram leader, Ibrahim Shekau, and Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, who has been holding meetings with bandits before coming for him.

Go and ask them to invite Gumi and Shekau first before disturbing me. Let them face the bandits instead, he was quoted.

Nigerians react

Many Nigerians on social media have, however, reacted to the latest development with many saying Mr Igboho is not Nigeria problem.

Below are some of the reactions on Twitter:

Why this harassment of CHIEF SUNDAY IGBOHO by agents of a government that knows the whereabouts of bandits who live inside remote forests and won't go near them but have the temerity and shamelessness to terrorize a man who lives in his own beautiful home in Ibadan city!!! pic.twitter.com/70fHCm3VI5  Dele Momodu Ovation (@DeleMomodu) February 26, 2021

This guy right now is the least of your problems. Not even a Sunday Igboho Fan. All efforts should be directed inside the Forests occupied by TERRORISTS, the one wrongfully tagged as BANDITS. Terrorists with enough amo to wage a war against multiple States in Nigeria. https://t.co/WfEwiYqVzn  Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) February 26, 2021

The reason Government lost control of the Boko Haram situation is because they killed Mohammed Yusuf, the only man able to call Boko Haram to order. If @MBuhari kills Sunday Igboho, who will control his boys? The solution will become worse than the problem! #BuhariTormentor  Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) February 26, 2021

The army and DSS knew where bandits are hiding they didn't invade and arrest them (at least Gumi is available to help) but it's Sunday Igboho they preferred to arrest this afternoon if not for the people that rebel against it. This country is sick.  Ayemojubar (@ayemojubar) February 26, 2021

ADVERTISEMENT

President of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Yerima Shettima in 2017 issued a 3 months ultimatum for all Igbos in Northern Nigeria to vacate. What he did is not any different from Sunday Igboho. The DOUBLE STANDARDS in Nigeria is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf.  Dr. Dipo Awojide (@OgbeniDipo) February 26, 2021

Sunday Igboho is the least of the problems the Federal Government of Nigeria should be dealing with right now.  Dr. Dipo Awojide (@OgbeniDipo) February 26, 2021

While Terrorists Were Busy Kidnapping Over 300 Students In Zamfara, A Joint Team Of DSS, Soldiers And Police Tried To Arrest Sunday Igboho This Afternoon. Yet, Sheikh Gumi Is Working Around Freely Negotiating With Terrorists And Killer Fulani Herdsmen. Welcome To One Nigeria! pic.twitter.com/CRKkTVTR3x  Somto Okonkwo (@General_Somto) February 26, 2021

Mr Igboho was in the news recently for issuing an eviction notice to Fulani herdsmen in South-west Nigeria, over reported cases of kidnappings and killings allegedly perpetrated by herdsmen.

His action is against Nigeria law which forbids eviction of citizens from any place of their choice.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  As executive director of the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives, George Bayard is one part archivist and one part storyteller.

He tells those stories through thousands of items he displays at the museum, ranging from books, albums and pins to magazine articles and more, that highlight the life and achievements of prominent African Americans from West Michigan and beyond.

There are familiar faces such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and former President Barack Obama. But there are also displays highlighting the stories of local African American men and women and their push for equal rights.

Were an information fountain for people wanting to know more about Grand Rapids African American history, Bayard said. If we didnt have it, people would come into the city and not really know that there was African American history here in Grand Rapids.

That history includes the stories of people such as William J. Hardy, who in 1872 was elected supervisor of Gaines Township in suburban Grand Rapids. The achievement made him the first African-American elected to a public office in Michigan.

Theres also Hardys son, Eugene.

Information on file in the local history collection at the Grand Rapids Public Library indicates he was the first African American student in Michigan to graduate from high school.

The museum also has a display on Cleo Cross, who as a student at Grand Rapids South High School in the 1960s landed in the spotlight after he and other Black students refused to shave their mustaches as part of a grooming code that was enforced more heavily on students of color, Bayard said.

The facial hair ban was eventually rescinded, and Cross returned to school.

Bayard is passionate about sharing these stories.

He says its rewarding when his guests tell him that they learned something new, whether its a painful lesson about hardships endured by African Americans or an uplifting tale about Black men and women overcoming obstacles and standing up to oppression.

It makes you know that youre in the right place doing the right thing, Bayard said.

He officially opened the museum, 87 Monroe Center St. NW in downtown Grand Rapids, in December 2015. Prior to opening the museum, he operated art galleries specializing in African American art for the past 30 years. He has also collected oral histories from older African Americans in Grand Rapids and West Michigan.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., according to its website. Admission is free and open to the public.

While the museum is in a small, storefront shop with only about 2,000 square feet, Bayard has packed the space with more than 2,000 pieces, including paintings, books, pins, buttons, photographs, records, pamphlets, newspapers and more.

The displays arent limited to items from the civil rights era.

One exhibit includes signs carried last spring and summer during protests in Grand Rapids in response to the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. The display includes signs with statements such as I cant breathe and Black lives matter.

We collected them from people who were going to trash them, Bayard said. We said no, no, no. Well collect them because we want to tell that story to people in the future.

He said its important that these stories and others be preserved.

Its a part of American history, Bayard said. We say African American history or Black History Month. Its really part of a longer, wider panoramic view.

Read more:

Catholic priest told parole board his sexual misconduct with teen was shameful, inappropriate

Allegan County deputy sees house on fire, helps woman and dog escape

In Kalamazoo County, COVID-19 vaccine has reached nearly 19% of those eligible
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- A senior official with China's top procuratorate has called for procuratorates nationwide to enhance their capabilities in solving cybercrime cases.

Procurators should sharpen their skills in reviewing electronic data involved in cybercrime, Sun Qian, deputy procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said on Friday.

Sun called for greater scrutiny to be applied to the objectivity and legality of electronic data while identifying the connection between electronic data and other evidence to facilitate corroboration.

The SPP issued a guideline on handling cybercrime cases in January, which emphasized the need to establish a system to allow professionals with expertise in dealing with cybercrime, both in and outside procuratorates, to participate in cracking cybercrime cases.

Sun also noted that the SPP will regularly publicize typical cybercrime cases to guide local procuratorates in handling such cases and serve as a warning for the public to curb the high incidence of cybercrime.
Married At First Sight bride Booka Nile was pictured getting a Covid-19 test in Sydney earlier this month.

The 31-year-old could be seen being attended to by a masked up nurse in a drive-through clinic on February 7.

The rocker got the test done upon her arrival into Sydney from her hometown of Perth, with the test believed to have been done before filming the MAFS reunion.

Safety first: Married At First Sight bride Booka Nile looked uncomfortable while getting a COVID test in Sydney earlier this month, on February 7, before filming the reunion

According to The Wash, Booka got the test in a chauffeur driven car before filming the reunion.

The blonde beauty was seen in the back of the car, getting swabs taken.

Participants were regularly required to get tested for COVID-19 while filming the Channel 9 dating show.

She rolled down her window to let the nurse probe her nasal passage with the swab.

Ready for the test: The 31-year-old rolled down her window to let the nurse probe her nasal passage with the swab

The stunner rocked a bold red lip and a chic hat, and made sure to keep calm during the test.

At one point, she couldn't help but make an uncomfortable face as the swabbed was pulled out.

Booka was likely driven back to her accommodation where she would be self-isolating until she received a negative result.

Earlier this month, on February 12, Daily Mail Australia revealed that after the reunion wrapped, the show's cast and crew were told to self-isolate as a precaution, after a crew member woke up 'feeling unwell'.

A spokesman confirmed the incident and told Daily Mail Australia at the time: 'Endemol Shine Australia takes the health and safety of our cast, crew and the community extremely seriously.'

Stay calm: The stunner rocked a bold red lip and a chic hat, and made sure to keep calm during the test. Booka was likely driven back to her accommodation where she would be isolating until she received a negative result

'We will work in line with current government guidelines to ensure their safety and wellbeing.'

The cast were required to self-isolate in their hotel rooms for at least 24 hours as a safety measure, and were forced to postpone all media commitments.

The reunion was filmed over two days at Sydney's Ground of Alexandria in mid-February after the usual Lilyfield warehouse location was booked out.

Meanwhile, throughout production of the show, the cast and crew were all required to undergo mandatory testing for coronavirus.

Perth brides Booka Nile, Beth Moore and Rebecca Zemek, and Melbourne-based Jake Edwards, were all tested for Covid-19 ahead of the show's reunion.

Couples from Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Queensland were all required to self-isolate for 14 days upon their arrival in New South Wales.

Initially, Victorians were excluded from the casting process due to concerns over the spread of coronavirus in the state.

However, producers backpedalled on this decision after receiving applications from several Melburnians who 'appeared to be there for the right reasons'.

Relationship expert John Aiken recently told Pop Sugar how the show incorporated government's regulations and had a COVID manager available during filming.

He said that restrictions were taken seriously, participants were tested twice a week and there were regular temperature checks on set.

'It really changed the way we were on set, and we had to adjust the format as well and bring in new concepts like a Couples Retreat.

'It really changed the way we were on set': Relationship expert John Aiken recently told Pop Sugar the show incorporated government's regulations and had a COVID manager available during filming

'We have communications, we have intimacy but you couldn't do things like meet the parents or have homestays,' he added.

Musician Booka tied the knot with electrician Brett Helling this week on Married At First Sight.

The chemistry between the pair was palpable at the wedding ceremony and continued on into their honeymoon on the NSW South Coast where they enjoyed a steamy bath together.

Just married: Musician Booka tied the knot with electrician Brett Helling this week on Married At First Sight

Steamy scenes: The chemistry between the pair continued on into their honeymoon on the NSW South Coast where they enjoyed a steamy bath together

Booka admitted to producers she already felt 'weirdly' comfortable with Brett, despite having only just met him.

'I have a good gut feeling with Brett, and I think that that means something. And I just feel very safe with him, which is great,' she said.

'And in this experiment, you've got to fast-track things a little bit, so I guess just knowing that we do get along really well helps me to let down some of those walls that I would normally have up.'

However, there are already rumours that the pair have split since filming the show late last year.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Booka and Channel Nine for comment, in relation to this story.


Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Tomball police stopped a Houston motorist in a stolen car early Friday with what they suspected were bombmaking materials, according to court documents.

Lakent Shrode Daniels, 30, was being processed Friday evening at the Harris County Jail, according to the sheriffs website. He has been charged with possession of a stolen rental vehicle and knowingly and intentionally possessing an unregistered explosive.
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
President Joe Biden looked straight into the eyes of Marvin Lovick and listened to him explain how he and others have been doing everything they can since the deadly winter freeze to get food to those in need.

As Biden toured the Houston Food Bank on Friday, he said the nation already had so many children who go to bed hungry each night and praised Lovick, a retiree, and other volunteers for working around the clock since the storms, which made the need even greater.

Thank you, man, Biden told Lovick.

It wasnt just Lovick. Biden, wearing a protective mask, walked up and down lines of volunteers assembling food distribution boxes and gave them hugs, fist bumps and elbow bumps.

For Biden, Friday was the first time he had been able to get on the ground in Texas to assess the devastation after millions in the state were left without power and water for days after frigid temperatures blasted the entire state. He and first lady Jill Biden toured the Harris County Emergency Operations Center just before meeting with volunteers at the food bank. He wrapped up his visit by going to NRG Park, where the Federal Emergency Management Agency has helped set up a mass vaccination site that can provide 6,000 shots a day.

Jill and I wanted to visit Texas today for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, to let the people of Texas know our prayers are with you in the aftermath of this winter storm, said Biden, now in his sixth week in office.

But the Democrat also said the federal government sees the dire need and will be a partner for the long haul.

We will be true partners to help you recover and rebuild from the storm and this pandemic and the economic crisis, said Biden, standing in front of a FEMA trailer near NRG Stadium.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a fellow Democrat, said theres a symbolic message in Biden coming to Texas and showing support. But she stressed that the state and the nations third most populous county are also getting real commitments from the federal government to be on the ground and help long term.

FEMA has already delivered food and millions of gallons of water and is providing direct assistance to help homeowners who lack insurance to repair damage from the storm, said Biden, who was accompanied by acting FEMA Administrator Bob Fenton.

Them coming gives hope, Hidalgo said. Its a community that needs hope. Its a community thats been, just been torn down so many times now. Its just disaster after disaster.

The region experienced major flooding in 2015 and 2016 and was affected by severe tropical storms or hurricanes in 2017, 2019 and 2020.

Collaboration stressed

But it wasnt just Houston leaders meeting with Biden.

Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. John Cornyn, both Republicans, spent part of Friday with the president. At the Harris County Emergency Operations Center, Biden said that when Abbott called him as the disaster was unfolding, he committed to helping with anything he needed.

He said yes before I even asked the question, Abbott said as Biden patted him on the back.

Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, told Biden that the damage from the winter storms is going to take much longer to fully determine. He said there are hundreds of school districts that are still assessing damaged buildings.

We have a lot of families and businesses and importantly schools that have not yet been able to submit their damage assessments to us, Kidd said. Weve got a long way to go. Mr. President, I know we can get through this together and weve just got to keep going.

For Biden, the presence of conservative Republicans such as Abbott and Cornyn helped him make a point that was a key component to his campaign for the White House last year.

Were not here today as Democrats or Republicans, Biden said. Were here today as Americans.

He said that while he differs on many issues with the states Republican leaders, there are also matters on which they can work together.

Biden said he was struck by all of the people who are volunteering their time to help their neighbors and pointed to the people at the Houston Food Bank as evidence.

An incredible operation, Biden said.

While every president is expected to serve as a comforter-in-chief during times of tragedy, advisers said Biden particularly craves the one-on-one experiences on the ground to understand the magnitude of problems.

Its important to him to hear directly from people on what their needs are, said Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary.

Bidens visit food bank

The Bidens visit to the food bank comes as Houston-area residents are recovering from a food shortage after the storm disrupted supply chains and power outages spoiled refrigerated food. Even before the storm, food banks around Texas had begun seeing food shortages after the state Department of Agriculture slashed funding for a program that sends farmers surplus produce to food banks and charities.

Jill Biden arrived at the food bank shortly before the president and was joined by Texas first lady Cecilia Abbott as she placed canned peaches into bags for the Backpack Buddy program, which distributes food on weekends to students who rely on school meals during the week. The first ladies also helped pack food for a federally funded program that distributes boxes of food to low-income seniors.

Katherine Byers, the Houston Food Banks government relations director, said officials are hoping the Bidens visit will lead to an uptick in donations, as was the case after U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, stopped by the operation last weekend.

Byers said she also hopes the visit signals Bidens presidency will bring increased funding for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, and an extension of the age limit for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

There are a lot of working families out there who really are struggling, and the donations help, but theres no way we can better peoples lives in the long term by just putting a box of food in front of them, Byers said.

As the president toured the food bank Friday, he at one point stopped to give a pep talk to a young girl who was sorting food into bins with her mom and brother, whom Biden had greeted moments earlier.

My sister has all brothers  me and my two other brothers, Biden told the young girl. Shes my best friend in my whole life. My best friend, really. Shes smarter than I am, better looking than I am.

The girl hugged Biden then ran over to hug her brother.

Vaccination efforts stressed

Biden is no stranger to Houston. During his final stop of the day, at the vaccination site at NRG Park, he recalled coming to the city when his eldest son, Beau, was being treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center for brain cancer. Beau Biden died in 2015. The president spoke of his determination to end cancer.

He also spoke of the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 500,000 people in the United States, including more than 42,000 Texans.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that about 47.2 million Americans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the New York Times reported. Biden stressed that mobile vaccination units are being launched in Houston and other parts of the state to get the vaccine to people who dont live near a vaccination center or local pharmacy, and that vaccines are being sent directly to community health centers that serve hard to reach populations including in the Black and Latino communities.

Were moving in the right direction, Biden said.

But Biden warned that cases and hospitalizations are still at risk of spiking again with new variants of the virus emerging. He urged people to continue to wash their hands, socially distance and for Gods sake, wear your mask.  Its not a political statement. Its a patriotic thing to do.

The worst thing we can do now, Biden said before returning to Washington, is we let our guard down.

Jasper Scherer contributed to this report

jeremy.wallace@chron.com

twitter.com/jeremyswallace

The US, the world's largest economy, owes India USD 216 billion in loan as the country's debt grows to a record USD 29 trillion, an American lawmaker has said, cautioning the leadership against galloping foreign debt, the largest of which comes from China and Japan.

In 2020, the US national debt was USD 23.4 trillion, that was USD 72,309 in debt per person.

We are going to grow our debt to USD 29 trillion. That is even more debt owed per citizen. There is a lot of misinformation about where the debt is going. The top two countries we owe the debt to are China and Japan, not actually our friends," Congressman Alex Mooney said.

We are at global competition with China all the time. They are holding a lot of the debt. We owe China over USD 1 trillion and we owe Japan over USD 1 trillion," the Republican Senator from West Virginia said on the floor of the US House of Representatives as he and others opposed the latest stimulus package of USD 2 trillion.

In January, US President Joe Biden announced a USD 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package to tackle the economic fallout from the pandemic, including direct financial aid to average Americans, support to businesses and to provide a boost to the national vaccination programme.

The people who are loaning us the money we have to pay back are not necessarily people who have our best interest at heart. Brazil, we owe USD 258 billion. India, we owe USD 216 billion. And the list goes on the debt that is owed to foreign countries," Congressman Mooney said.

Americas national debt was USD5.6 trillion in 2000. During the Obama administration, it actually doubled.

Since the eight years Obama was President, we doubled our national debt. And we are adding anotherprojected herea completely out of control debt-to-GDP ratio," he said urging his Congressional colleagues to consider this national debt issue before approving the stimulus package.

So I urge my colleagues to consider the future. Dont buy into thethe government has no money it doesnt take from you that you are going to have to pay back. We need to be judicious with these dollars, and most of this is not going to coronavirus relief anyway," he said.

Congressmen Mooney said that things have gone completely out of control. The Congressional Budget Office estimates an additional USD 104 trillion will be added by 2050. The Congressional Budget Office forecasted debt would rise 200 per cent.

Today, as I stand here right now, we have USD 27.9 trillion in national debt...That is actually a little more than USD 84,000 of debt to every American citizen right here today," Mooney said.

We have actually borrowed USD 10,000 per person in one year. I mean, that is out of control," he said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
While Joe Biden has signalled his willingness to return to the Iranian nuclear deal, his first military operation as president on Thursday targeted pro-Iranian militias in eastern Syria. The strikes were a response to the recent attacks against US interests in Iraq, and above all a strong signal to Tehran.

US President Joe Biden gave the go-ahead on February 25 for air strikes against facilities in eastern Syria that the Pentagon says were run by Iranian-backed militias. The action was a response to recent rocket attacks against US interests in Iraq.

The Pentagon has been careful to note that the strikes, Bidens first military action since entering the White House, were defensive and proportionate.

In a sign of Washington's caution, a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that these calibrated strikes were intended to punish the militias without causing an escalation of the military situation.

Several options were presented to Biden, who chose the one least likely to ignite the situation, the official said.

Tehran and Washington remain focused on essentials

Apart from their tactical purpose, the strikes seemed to be, above all, intended to send a strong message to Iran, which has a tradition of testing each new American administration.

"Experts concur in seeing this operation as a message from Joe Biden, who thus lets the Iranians know that he is the new president of the United States, that he is certainly not Donald Trump, but that he is ready to respond to attacks against American interests and to make Iran bear responsibility," said Reza Sayah, FRANCE 24s correspondent in Iran.

It remains to be seen whether the militias that were targeted in Syria will respond. The balance of power is not in their favour, as an escalation could impact the current steps of the US administration to revive the Iranian nuclear deal.

So far, Iran has not reacted to the operation. But the United States has let it and its allies in the region know that, despite its willingness to revive the 2015 agreement -- designed to prevent the Iranians from acquiring the atomic bomb and abandoned by Donald Trump in 2018 -- it will not leave attacks against its interests unchecked.

Story continues

"The stakes are too high, both for the Islamic Republic and for the United States, for the situation to get out of control to the point of jeopardizing the priority issue of the 2015 agreement," Sayah said. In recent weeks, there have been many positive signs around this issue, and it is unlikely that these regional frictions will divert Tehran and Washington from the essential."

Indeed, the operation in Syria was carried out in the context of a recalibration of American diplomacy in the Middle East after the Trump years, one of the main thrusts of which is Bidens stated desire to return to the Vienna Agreement.

If the defeat of Trump, a hardliner on Iran, was greeted with relief in Tehran, the Islamic Republic has not reached detente with the Biden administration. This is despite some of the gestures the US has made in the region, such as ending its support for the war in Yemen and the apparent marginalization of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed ben Salman.

The United States has also made direct moves in Tehrans favour, in particular with its February 18 cancellation of the September 2020 unilateral sanctions taken against Iran by the Trump administration. But the initiatives have been seen as insufficient by the Iranian government, which will not pardon Washington for the assassination of the influential General Qassem Soleimani, ordered by Trump, and which, since 2018, has gradually freed itself from the previously accepted limits on its nuclear program.

Power struggle

While the US demands that the Iranians return to full compliance with the commitments they made in 2015, Tehran is raising the stakes and waiting for guarantees from Washington. In particular, it is demanding that the United States "unconditionally lift all sanctions imposed, reimposed or revamped by Trump", said Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif.

"There is a mismatch in form and in words under Biden, who has a policy of reaching out to the Iranians but has not yet reversed Donald Trump's decisions, since the strong sanctions imposed by the Republican billionaire on Iran, which are strangling the country's economy, are still in place," Antoine Mariotti, a journalist specializing in the Middle East, said on FRANCE 24.

So far, the United States and Iran have remained stuck in their positions and mired in a power struggle over who will give in first. "Thats the case, even though both sides have an interest in being able to move forward on this issue," Mariotti added.

Recently interviewed on FRANCE 24, Iran's ambassador to the UN, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, stated that it is up to Washington, which has withdrawn from the agreement, "to take the first step" and "restore the confidence of the Iranians".

Time may be running out for Biden. The June presidential election in Iran could see a conservative president succeed Hassan Rohani, one who might be less inclined to negotiate with Washington.

This article has been translated from the original in French

The Spanish government has presented vehicles and computer accessories to the Ministry of the Interior to aid the operations of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and the Ghana Police Service (GPS).



The items include four pick-up vehicles, four All- Terrain Vehicles and computer accessories.



One of the pick-up vehicles will be presented to the Ghana Police Service.



Mrs Christiana Gallach, the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Spain, on behalf of the delegation, said the presentation was to support the fight irregular migration and cross-border crimes.



She said Spain would continue to show her full support and commitment to Ghana because of the deep relationship between the two countries.



"We will work together to promote efficiency and goodwill between the two countries to address irregular migration and other border related challenges, "she said.



She said Spain and Ghana shared a vision of handling illicit migration and border related issues through a comprehensive approach because of the care and love for human rights and socio-economic development.



Mrs Gallach said "we are proud of the cooperation between the two countries because when Ghana is safer, we also in Europe will be safer in that security issues cannot be taken for granted".



Mr Ambrose Dery, the Minister of the Interior designate, who received the items on behalf of government, thanked Spain for the gesture and pledged to use the items for its intended purposes.



He commended the government of Spain for supporting the Ministry as well as building the capacity of staff of the security agencies to perform its duty efficiently.



"The gesture is a show of true friendship between Spain and Ghana. Spain is a good example of partner of the Ministry to achieve the government's vision of making our country a safer place", he said.



Mr Micheal Amoako-Atta, the Head of Public Affairs, GIS, said the vehicles would help strengthen patrols of the country's borders as well as help intensify public education against irregular migration.





Source: GNA









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

Featured Video

The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Guidance: Graham Gault said politicians should make use of their own advice

Teachers have reacted angrily to new guidance from the Department of Education about certain words and phrases they should avoid.

Ahead of the proposed return of pupils, they were advised not to use terms like "catch up", "missed work" and "lost time" to minimise anxiety to children.

Advice sent to schools ahead of the March 8 return of P1 to P3 said certain phrases could increase anxiety. Instead, schools have been asked to enable pupils to have "recovery conversations" about their experiences.

But one principal hit back at the Department. Diane Dawson, principal at Braniel PS, said she was livid, adding: "How dare the Department make our amazing staff the perpetrators of this language. It is totally unacceptable.

"The advice is sound but it's politicians and the media who use this language to scare monger and politick and need to take this advice. Not teachers. I'm really disgusted at the lack of appreciation of what teachers really do and how and why we do it."

Dr Graham Gault, the president of the National Association of Head Teachers, said he hoped those in the political arena would make use of their own advice. But he said the engagement was still encouraging.

"Whilst some teachers will irk at being told how to suck eggs, it is, in fact, an affirmation that the department are now on the same page as the profession in relation to what our children will need when they emerge from lockdown," he said.

"The message about avoiding the narrative of 'catch-up' and 'lost learning' is one, of course, that needs to go to our politicians, some of whom would like to harness the fear that it generates to support empty populist gimmickry.

"A very healthy development would be if our politicians and our profession held dialogue about what is actually of value at the heart of education."

The Department's advice to schools, reported by the BBC, said "children will want space to talk about their Covid-19 experiences but they also will need time to think about other things and get away from the Covid-19 outbreak," but added the "current unprecedented disruption on learning is difficult to estimate".

"We equally recognise that the 'catch-up' narrative can place unnecessary pressure and anxiety on children."
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
The Canadian Press

As COVID-19 vaccine supplies ramp up across the country, most provinces and territories have begun planning to give second doses in the coming weeks. More than 23 million people across Canada have now had at least one dose of a vaccine. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says by the summer, Canada will have enough vaccines so that every eligible resident will have gotten their first dose, and by September, it will have enough doses for everyone to be fully vaccinated. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended that Canada turn toward the ultimate goal of fully immunizing the population, now that supplies of COVID-19 shots are increasing. The advisory panel said those at highest risk of dying or becoming severely ill should be prioritized for second shots, either after or alongside first doses for anyone else who is eligible for a vaccine. Since the novel coronavirus is still circulating in Canada, NACI is still recommending that the second dose be received up to four months after the first dose, in order to maximize the number of people who get at least one shot. Here's a list of the inoculation plans throughout Canada: Newfoundland and Labrador All people in the province aged 12 and older can now book an appointment for a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. So far 2.19 per cent (11,446) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Nova Scotia Appointments for an initial COVID-19 vaccine shot are now open to people 12 years of age and older. Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for use in children aged 12 and up. The Moderna vaccine is only available for those 18 and older. Under the province's accelerated vaccine plan, someone who received their first dose of vaccine on March 22 and is due for a second dose on July 5 will now be able to reschedule their second appointment for as early as the week of June 20. The province has stopped the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine as a first dose. The Health Department says the decision was based on "an abundance of caution'' due to an observed increase in the rare blood-clotting condition linked to this vaccine. The department also says it will reschedule anyone who was to receive AstraZeneca to instead be inoculated with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna "in a timely manner." --- Prince Edward Island In Prince Edward Island, residents as young as 16 can book a COVID-19 vaccine. People 16 years and older who have certain underlying medical conditions, pregnant woman and eligible members of their household can also get a vaccine. So far 8.11 per cent (12,868) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- New Brunswick Residents in New Brunswick aged 12 to 17 are now eligible to book an appointment for a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Officials also say residents 55 and older who received an Astra-Zenaca vaccine for the first dose at least eight weeks ago can now get a second dose of the vaccine with informed consent. So far 5.08 per cent (39,633) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Quebec In Quebec, all residents 12 and older can book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. The province's health minister says Quebecers 12 to 17 years old will be fully vaccinated by the time they return to school in September. Quebec also says it will shorten the delay between first and second doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to eight weeks from 16 weeks. The province says more than 5.8 million doses of vaccine have now been administered, with more than 58.1 per cent of the population having received at least one dose. --- Ontario All adults in Ontario can now book COVID-19 vaccine appointments. People turning 18 in 2021 can book Pfizer-BioNTech shots. Youth aged 12 and older can also book appointments across Ontario. They can book through the provincial online portal, call centre and through pharmacies offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the only shot authorized by Health Canada for use in youth aged 12 and older. Ontarians, meanwhile, are getting the option to shorten the interval between COVID-19 vaccine doses. Most people are being scheduled for doses four months apart, but officials say the new interval could be as short as 28 days. The plan will start with seniors aged 80 and older this week and the province will later offer second shots based on when people received their first. People will keep their original appointments if they dont re-book. The province aims to see all eligible Ontarians fully vaccinated by the end of September. Ontario is also resuming use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine but only as a second dose. Those who received the first dose of AstraZeneca between March 10 and March 19 during a pilot project at pharmacies and some doctor's offices in several Ontario communities will be first in line to receive their second dose. Ontario says more than 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered across the province. So far 4.68 per cent (687,894) of the population has been fully vaccinated --- Manitoba Manitoba is using the Pfizer vaccine for everyone aged 12 and up, and the Moderna vaccines for people aged 18 and up. These are available through a few channels including so-called supersites in larger communities. The province is also allowing anyone 40 and over to get an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine through pharmacies and medical clinics, subject to availability. People 30-39 can get a shot if they have certain underlying health conditions such as chronic liver failure or severe obesity. The province has opened up second-dose appointments to all Indigenous people aged 12 and up, to people with certain medical conditions such as severe heart failure and Down syndrome, and anyone who received their first dose on or before March 29. Provincial health officials say they now expect 70 per cent of Manitobans aged 12 and older to get a dose by the end of June. So far 7.75 per cent (106,678) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Saskatchewan Saskatchewan says it reached the step two threshold of its reopening roadmap released last week, with over 70 per cent of residents age 30 and older having received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That means restrictions will begin to be relaxed June 20, which includes easing capacity limits on retail, personal care services, restaurants and bars, although they must still maintain physical distancing among occupants or have barriers in place. The rules also raise caps on private indoor gatherings to 15, while capacity limits jump to 150 for both public indoor gatherings and all outdoor assemblies, whether public or private. Premier Scott Moe says once 70 per cent of the entire adult population is vaccinated, Saskatchewan can move to the third step of its plan and remove almost all of the remaining public health orders. Saskatchewan residents aged 12 and older are now eligible to book their first COVID-19 vaccine appointment. A school immunization program for those aged 12 to 18 will be introduced in June, but eligible residents of that age can also be immunized at clinics offering the Pfizer vaccine. Anyone 85 and older or anyone who received their first vaccine dose before February 15 can now book their second dose. Anyone diagnosed with cancer and solid organ transplant recipients will be receiving a letter of eligibility in the mail which will allow them priority access to a second dose. There are drive-thru and walk-in vaccination clinics in communities across the province. The province says 6.60 per cent (77,767) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- Alberta Every Albertan aged 12 and older is now eligible for a vaccine. As of May 27, 60.3 per cent of Albertans over the age of 12 had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The milestone means the province's second stage of easing restrictions can begin on June 10. It is subject to hospitalizations being below 500 and trending downwards. Some of the restrictions that would be lifted include allowing outdoor gatherings  including weddings and funerals  with up to 20 people. Restaurants would be allowed to seat tables with up to six people, indoors or outdoors. Retail capacity would also increase, and gyms could open for solo or drop-in activities with three metres of distancing. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, has said people who are immunocompromised can book a second dose three or four weeks after their first shot. All other Albertans are eligible to get their second dose three to four months after the first. For the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the province lowered the minimum age to 30. They are, however, reserving the remaining supply for second doses when people are eligible. More than 250 pharmacies are offering immunizations. So far 8.82 per cent (388,200) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- British Columbia British Columbia is setting an end-of-summer target for everyone in the province to receive their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has also announced a decrease in the time between the first and second dose of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, cutting the interval to eight weeks from 16 weeks. But the interval for people who received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as a first dose and are waiting for their second AstraZeneca shot may take longer. Henry said the province is waiting for results from international data on AstraZeneca, including the effectiveness of mixing vaccine shots and ongoing concerns about rare blood clots. Henry said the rollout of second doses will be similar to the first dose, with those at the greatest risk at the top of the list. Seniors, Indigenous people and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable were to start getting their invitations to book a second shot by the end of May. The province will try to ensure that everyone gets the same vaccine they were first administered, but a shortage of the Moderna vaccine may mean people will have to substitute it for a Pfizer shot. Henry said the National Advisory Committee on Immunization has reviewed the evidence on using different vaccines and has updated the guidance, confirming that while it is preferable to have the same product, it's not always possible. Pfizer and Moderna are the same type of vaccines. Families can get vaccinated together in B.C. as the government allows youth between the ages of 12 and 17 to get their COVID-19 shot. The shots will be administered at community clinics instead of in schools based on feedback from families, with 310,000 children in B.C. eligible to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has been approved for that age group. As of Friday, about 3.1 million doses of Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines had been administered in B.C., which means about 63 per cent of those eligible have got their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. So far 3.14 per cent (160,885) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Nunavut Chief public health officer Dr. Michael Patterson says Nunavut has placed an order for doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with the federal government to vaccinate people ages 12 to 17 in the territory. The Moderna vaccine is currently the only one available in Nunavut. Nunavut has opened vaccinations to anyone 18 and older. It is also offering shots to rotational workers coming from Southern Canada. In the territory, 36.44 per cent (14,113) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is now offering vaccinations against COVID-19 to young people between 12 and 17. The territory, which has only been using the Moderna vaccine, recently exchanged some of that for doses of the Pfizer product, which Health Canada has now approved for anyone as young as 12. So far 51.74 per cent (23,344) of the territory's population has been fully vaccinated. --- Yukon The territory is now vaccinating children aged 12 to 17. The government says clinics in most communities will be held in schools, while those in Whitehorse can get their shot at the Coast High Country Inn Convention Centre. The children will be getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The territory says because of limited supply and stricter handling requirements, the vaccine will only be available for a short time. It says second doses for those 12 to 17 will start on June 23 and medical travel will be supported for youth who aren't able to make the clinic date in their community. The Moderna vaccine is available to adults 18 years of age and older. The government says 59.34 per cent (24,763) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2021. The Canadian Press
New Delhi, Feb 27 : Ahead of Assembly elections in four poll-bound states and a Union Territory beginning from March end, the BJP has kick-started its process to identify and select potential candidates.

All the party units in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry have started directing their district level groups to prepare a list of potential candidates for the polls.

The party has asked observers in these states and the UT to find out and prepare a list of candidates from grassroots workers to office-bearers who have reach in the public, based on demography of the concerned constituency and its voter composition.

Popularity of candidates with higher chances of securing victory will be the focus of the party with its stress that the candidate should not be involved in any criminal activities.

The process began soon after the Election Commission on Saturday announced a detailed schedule for Assembly polls in the four states and Puducherry.

The BJP which has fully engaged in a high-stake fight in West Bengal to dislodge ruling Trinamool Congress's Mamata Banerjee led government and trying to form its government in Assam for the second consecutive term. The party, meanwhile, has been working hard to make inroads in Tamil Nadu, and Kerala assembly.

A BJP leader said that the district unit of the party in poll-bound states will recommend names of all potential candidates from each assembly constituency falling in its area.

"All the criteria for winnability will be discussed first at district level before forwarding names of the potential candidates to state leadership," the leader told IANS requesting anonymity.

The selection of candidates will go through a three-layered scrutiny -- district, state and national --before the final announcement of their names from particular constituencies in the states and the UT going to poll in from March 27 to April 29.

The candidates will be first shortlisted at state district level and then the list will be observed by an internal committee of senior leaders. Later, the list will be forwarded to the high command of the BJP here. The BJP's central election committee, chaired by party chief J.P. Nadda, will then take a final call and announce the names of the candidates.

During the whole process, the feedback of workers and ground report will be paid attention while selecting the candidates.

Feedback will also be taken for the sitting MLAs of BJP especially in Assam, where party is in power since 2016 before allowing party's re-nomination for assembly polls, another party source told IANS.

"Local anti incumbency against sitting BJP MLAs if any will also be taken into account before finalizing his or her candidature for another term," the source said.

Pointing out the local anti incumbency against sitting MLAs, the leader said it will be considered as an important factor in Assam where the BJP is already in power.

BJP has no MLA in Tamil Nadu and has three nominated MLAs in Puducherry Assembly. In Kerala, O. Rajagopal is the lone BJP MLA in the current state assembly.

For the West Bengal Assembly election where the BJP won only three seats for the first time in 2016, the party is learnt to consider the names of political bigwigs of other parties who recently joined themselves with the saffron party.

"Names of popular leaders with mass appeal, who joined us, will be given priority," he said.

Recently, several senior TMC leaders including ministers joined BJP giving boost to its campaign in West Bengal.

Megyn Kelly has told how she removed her three children from their private Manhattan schools after the teaching took a 'hard left' turn.

Kelly and her husband, novelist Doug Brunt, are parents to Edward Yates, 11; a nine-year-old daughter, Yardley; and son Thatcher, seven.

In November Kelly revealed she was taking her children out of school and leaving New York City.

Her sons attended the $55,900-a-year Collegiate School on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Her daughter is believed to have attended the $57,385-a-year Spence School on the Upper East Side.

On Friday night she explained that decision to Bill Maher on his HBO show, Real Time.

Megyn Kelly, 50, appeared on Bill Maher's show on Friday night and discussed education

Kelly and her husband Doug Brunt are parents to two boys, 11 and seven, and a girl, aged nine

'We loved our schools,' she said, explaining that the boys went to all-boys schools, and her daughter an all-girls school.

'Loved our teachers, loved the students and faculty and parents.

'They were definitely leftist - we are more center right - but that was fine; my whole family are Democrats.

'But then they went hard left, and then they started to take a really hard turn toward social justice stuff.'

She said her sons' school in particular troubled her.

When he was in third grade, she said, they 'unleashed a three-week experimental trans-education program.'

Kelly said it was difficult for her son to understand, and not helpful.

Kelly told Maher that she and her husband were reluctatant to remove the children from school

New York City Collegiate School on Manhattan's Upper West Side, which her sons attended

Her son was in a class where the children were eight and nine at the time.

'It wasn't about support  we felt that it was more like they were trying to convince them,' she said. 'Like, come on over.'

She also said her kindergartner, Thatcher, 'was told to write a letter to the Cleveland Indians objecting to their mascot.'

Kelly said: 'He's six. Can he learn how to spell Cleveland before we activate him?'

She added: 'If he's going to be activated, Doug and I should do it.'

Kelly said it was a question of 'reason and unreason'.

Collegiate School is ranked as one of the best private schools in the country and also claims to be the oldest.

It counts JFK Jr., his nephew Jack Schlossberg, and Game of Thrones co-creator David Benioff among its alumni.

Roman Abramovich and CNBC broadcaster Andrew Ross Sorkin are among those who sent their children there.

Kelly and Brunt trick or treating near their Manhattan home with their sons Edward, 11, and Thatcher Bray, 7; and nine-year-old daughter, Yardley Evans at Halloween in 2019

'After years of resisting it, we're going to leave the city,' Kelly tweeted in November

Maher read from a letter which was circulated among a diversity group at the school that said things like 'there's a killer cop sitting at every school where white children learn.'

The letter, written by the executive director of Orleans Public Education Network, Nahliah Webber, also claimed 'white kids are being indoctrinated in black death'.

Maher continued reading: 'I'm tired of white people reveling in their state-sanctioned depravity and snuffing out black life with no consequences.'

He added: 'There [are] racist problems problems in this country, but this is hyperbole. And this is making people crazy. This is not the way we get to the Promised Land.'

Kelly agreed, saying: 'It's divisive, it's racist, and it's had exactly the opposite effect of the one they intend.'

Kelly cited the rhetoric was 'divisive and counterproductive', and it was not just her children's schools but all the schools in the city.

It was unclear where her three children were now enrolled.

Kelly has since September been hosting her own podcast.

The former Fox News anchor spent a year at NBC with a daytime chat program, Megyn Kelly Today - leaving in October 2018 following a controversy over her remarks about blackface at a Halloween party.

'When I was a kid, that was okay as long as you were dressing up as like a character,' she said at the time, in comments that precluded her departure.
Bharat Biotech International Limited, on February 26, said that it has inked a deal with Brazil to supply 20 million doses of its COVAXIN. Brazil, which has called India a great partner against global obstacle earlier, received two million doses of Covishield -another vaccine being produced under Narendra Modi administration. India has received global accolades for dispatching lakhs of vaccine jabs to countries across the world under its vaccine diplomacy programme.

In a later statement, the vaccine manufacturer revealed that the agreement required the company to deliver the vaccine jabs between April to September this year. Additionally, it also revealed that many countries, apart from Brazil, are showing strong interest in the vaccine.

The company has signed an agreement for delivery of COVAXIN during Q2 and Q3 2021. The company is delighted to partner with Brazil in its battle against Covid-19 and aid its immunization program against the virus. There is a strong interest in COVAXIN from many countries around the world, and the company is fully committed to ensuring supplies promptly and efficiently, the company said in a statement.

About COVAXIN

COVAXIN is a highly purified and inactivated 2 dose SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, manufactured in a Vero cell manufacturing platform with an excellent safety track record of more than 300 million doses. It is India's indigenous COVID-19 vaccine by Bharat Biotech is developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - National Institute of Virology (NIV). The Phase III human clinical trials of COVAXIN began mid-November and are currently ongoing in ~26,000 volunteers across India.

Read: COVID-19: Brazil Signs Deal With India's Bharat Biotech For 20 Million Vaccine Doses

Read: Brazil Signs Vaccine Deal With Indian Company

As of now, Brazil has vaccinated just 4 per cent of its population. Some cities had to stop the vaccination process due to shortages. Brazils second-largest city, Rio de Janeiro halted its mass vaccination campaign after it ran out of COVID-19 shots and scrambled to demand assistance from Brazils federal government. The country had earlier pledged to manufacture 100 million doses of the AstraZeneca, domestically, amid the supply shortages and the vaccination shipment delays from the manufacturers.

Read: Gun Ownership Debate Heats Up In Brazil

Read: Debinha And Julia Score To Send Brazil Past Canada 2-0 In The SheBelieves Cup

Image: AP
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
A Murrayville man is facing a felony charge stemming from an investigation into the reported battery of a 2-month-old infant.

Joseph E. Wardell, 31, of Murrayville turned himself into authorities at 10:38 a.m. Thursday. He was booked into the Morgan County jail on a charge of aggravated battery of a child. He has since been released on a $1,000 bond.
In a rare event, a new Russian warship entered service more or less on schedule. The first of the new Gremyashchiy class corvettes was accepted by the navy in 2020, as planned. Construction of this ship began in 2011 at the Amur shipyards in the Pacific coast. The ship was launched six years later in mid-2017. Gremyashchiy was completed in early 2019 and began sea trials that revealed no major problems that might have delayed entering service for years, as has been the case with some other new ships. The Gremyashchiy sea trials were extensive and intense, ending with an extended cruise to northwest Russia where it carried out exercises in the White Sea. Gremyashchiy then travelled south to the Baltic Sea where it will be based. While it was initially hoped that Gremyashchiy would enter service at the end of 2019 but sea trials took longer because the ship was using engines from a new supplier, an unfortunate side-effect of the Russian 2014 invasion of Ukraine.

There are currently plans for six Gremyashchiy (Project 20385) class corvettes, with some built at a shipyard in northwest Russia. Displacing 2,500 tons, Gremyashchiys have a top speed of 50 kilometers an hour, a crew of 100, endurance of two weeks and a range (without refueling) of 7,400 kilometers. Armament consists of one 100mm gun, two AK-630 autocannon for close-in defense against missiles and small craft, eight VLS (Vertical Launch System) cells for Kalibr or Zircon anti-ship missiles plus sixteen smaller VLS cells for Redult short-range anti-aircraft missiles. Here are also eight torpedo tubes for lightweight 330mm anti-submarine torpedoes and two pedestals mounted 14.5mm machine-guns. There is a landing pad and hangar for a helicopter.

The first Gremyashchiy was delayed four years because a Russian firm had to design and build a new engine. These corvettes were originally designed to have German engines. That was no longer possible after 2014 because of Ukraine-related sanctions. A capable Russian manufacturer had to be found and that took time. The new Russian maritime diesel engines for the corvettes required more time at sea during sea trials to ensure that the new engines were as reliable and durable as the ones built in Germany.

Gremyashchiy complements the slightly smaller Steregushchiy (Project 20380) class corvettes. Six of these are in service and six more are being built with the ultimate goal of having 24 of them. With access to resupply ports or an accompanying replenishment ships these corvettes can travel to anywhere on the planet.

These corvettes are replacing larger Cold War era frigates and destroyers that Russia can no longer afford to build or operate. Russia has been successful at designing and building these new, smaller warships. For example, at the end of 2018 the Russian Navy achieved a rare feat, it put into service the first of two classes of new warships and did it on time. The first of 22 Karakurt (Project 22800) Corvettes entered service in the Baltic Sea. Nine more are in various states of construction in three shipyards. This is a new type of coastal corvette that is more capable on the open seas. Some of them are being built in the Crimean shipyards Russia acquired in 2014 when they basically took Crimea from Ukraine. Russia has been building more of the smaller corvette-type ships since the 1990s for a number of reasons. First, the Russian shipyards have proved more effective in building these small (under 1,000 tons) ships. Then there is a great need for heavily armed corvettes to serve as low-cost patrol vessels that can handle just about anything they run into during coastal patrols and can even be useful in wartime. Finally, there is a growing export market for this type of ship.

The Russian navy, because of budget cuts, has suspended or canceled work on many new subs and large surface ships. That enables the Navy to apply all its procurement efforts to obtaining smaller ships on budget and on time. Not only are the smaller ships cheaper but they can be built quickly and are easier to monitor for quality control. The shipyards producing these smaller ships know they are fortunate because so many other years have had construction contracts canceled or suspended.

While the first Gremyashchiy was armed with the widely used Kalibur missile, in late 2019 it was announced that Kalibur would be replaced in the corvette with a radical new kind of anti-ship missile, one employing a scramjet engine. This 3M22 Zircon missile would be the first operational cruise missile using scramjet propulsion. It is not certain that the Zircon is really operational and works reliably. To make that happen Russia would have had to overcome some formidable technical problems with regard to design and manufacturing of such a missile. Scramjet tech has been around for decades but the problem has always been controlling a scramjet propelled missile moving at over 900 meters a second. Thats faster than most rifle bullets and a scramjet moves at more than twice that speed, as in up to 6,000 kilometers an hour.

The specs for Zircon sound like a scramjet weapon. It is a two-stage missile with the first stage using a rocket to get the missile up to a high enough speed (at least 3,000 kilometers an hour) for the scramjet to work. Once that speed is achieved the scramjet takes over for the last minutes of flight. Despite the high speed the Zircon must remain very maneuverable to hit the target ship. Description of the Zircon have lacked a lot of detail but the missile is fired from the same type of VLS cell used by the Kalibr cruise missile, which is similar to the American Tomahawk. In theory, a workable scramjet missile could fit in the VLS cell. Zircon is described as having a max range of up to 2,000 kilometers and a 300 kg (660 pound) warhead. Even without a warhead exploding, getting hit by a Zircon, traveling twice as fast as a rifle bullet, would create devastating impact damage on a ship.

What makes scramjets work is the compression of the incoming air, without the use of a fan system (as in conventional jet engines). But while scramjets have been in development for half a century, the lack of adequate materials to handle the high heat and pressure as well as adequate design tools, frustrated attempts to build workable, and reliable scramjets. Scramjets have few moving parts but must cope with very extreme conditions and the design challenges have proved very frustrating.

The materials problems have been overcome. The most recent documented (made public) scramjet program was the American the X-51A Waverider project that was halted in 2013 but recently resumed. In the past the main problem with X-51A was that it could not be made reliable enough. The X-51 tests, like all previous ones, ended with the aircraft crashing. The next step was to get longer hypersonic engine use, de-acceleration, and landing via parachute (and eventually an auxiliary engine.) A 2010 flight test had the 8 meter (36 foot) long, cruise missile-like X-51 aircraft boosted to 3,300 kilometers an hour, using a solid-fuel rocket, at which point the scramjet engine took over, and successfully operated for over two minutes, achieving speeds of nearly 6,000 kilometers an hour. This was the longest a scramjet had ever operated. The previous best was ten seconds. By 2013 the 4th test got the liquid fuel engine going for five minutes. Going beyond the 2013 test proved too expensive and time consuming to continue when there were cheaper alternatives available, and these depended more on getting into orbit and letting gravity provide and maintain the high speed. Russia, China and India (which collaborated with Russia on the Brahmos missile) have all said future models of some existing missiles (like Brahmos) would have a scramjet second stage. No one has yet delivered a verifiable working scramjet missile but Russia has revealed several successful tests of the Zircon and, if the missile is installed and used in ships like the Gremyashchiy, the new hypersonic missile will be considered a success. X-51 is supposed to be ready for service by 2025.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 27)  As people start being "complacent" despite the presence of new COVID-19 variants, a health expert on Saturday warned that the capital region may record "2,500 or more" new cases a day before end-March.

Dr. Guido David of OCTA Research said the situation in Metro Manila was "very concerning" as the region has been recording 900 cases of the virus a day for the past two days.

"The last time we were getting 900 cases per day [was in] October," he said during a virtual briefing, noting that the rate of increase was similar to Cebu City, Mountain Province, and Benguet.

RELATED: Metro Manila sees rise in new COVID-19 cases; Pasay logs over 200% increase  OCTA

OCTA is expecting to record "2,500 or more cases" a day in the region before the end of March if the capital fails to dampen the spike in cases, Dr. David stressed.

If this will happen, he warned that the healthcare system may be overwhelmed anew.

The increase in cases was not attributed to holiday gatheringssuch as Christmas Day, Valentine's Day, and even Chinese New Yearbut to the public's complacency despite the threat of new COVID-19 variants.

Dr. David reiterated that Filipinos still have to observe minimum public health standards

"Ganyan din sinabi natin nung December. Hindi tumaas nung holiday because sumunod 'yung mga tao. Pero ngayon, mas complacent na ata 'yung mga tao kaya nagco-contribute 'yun sa bilang ng mga kaso," he said.

[Translation: We said the same thing in December. The number of cases did not rise during the holidays because the people complied. But now, the people are more complacent so that contributes to the increase in cases.]

He also noted that the presence of new variants may have caused the surge.

"Pero may isa pang possibility, 'yung UK variant, or iba pang variants. May possibility na may variant na nag-spread dito dahil 'yung rate of spread ay masyadong mabilis," Dr. David said.

[Translation: But there is another possibility, the UK variant, or other variants. There is a possibility that there is a variant that spreads here because the rate of spread is very fast.]

RELATED: 18 new cases of B.1.1.7 variant first found in the UK detected in the PH

RELATED: DOH confirms new COVID-19 mutations in Central Visayas

With a deadly missile strike against an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia position on the Syria-Iraq border Friday, the Biden administration has spelled out in blood the real meaning of the Democratic presidents incessant declarations that America is back.

The attack, executed in blatant violation of international law and with no legal authorization from the US Congress, signals that the Biden White House is embarking upon a highly aggressive American foreign policy, escalating the militarism and confrontations pursued by its predecessor, in the Middle East and internationally.

President Joe Biden listens as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks to Department of Defense personnel at the Pentagon, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

According to Syrian medical sources quoted by Reuters, the US air raid, carried out at dawn on Friday, killed at least 17 Iraqi militiamen. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the strike had killed 22 fighters from the Hashed al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilization Forces, an official arm of Iraqs military, which was sent into Syria to combat ISIS. More fighters were wounded, and the death toll is likely to rise.

Ostensibly, the missile strike was in retaliation for a February 15 rocket attack on a US base in Iraqi Kurdistans capital Erbil that killed a single Syrian contractor. There is no evidence that the attack on the US base was the work of the Iranian-backed militia that the US struck on Friday, which had not only denied responsibility, but denounced the attack on the Erbil base.

Pentagon officials indicated that President Joe Biden was given a menu of targets and levels of US military destruction to choose from and signed off on the Syria missile strike.

Asked on Friday what message Biden was sending with the strike, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told MSNBC television news, The message is clear and unambiguous; were going to protect our national interests in the region.

The decision to attack Syria has unmistakable strategic significance. It marks the first time that the US has attacked targets in the war-ravaged country since December 29, 2019, when Donald Trump ordered an air strike, also ostensibly in response to a rocket attack on a US base in Iraq.

Five days later, on January 3, 2020, Washington carried out the drone missile assassination of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Suleimani, considered the second-most important political figure in Iran. The missile attack marked a dramatic escalation of the Trump administrations maximum pressure campaign against Iran.

Washington backed down from the confrontation, which had brought the Middle East, and potentially the entire planet, to the brink of a catastrophic new war that would have rapidly eclipsed the death and devastation wrought by the decades-long US interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The strike ordered by Biden marks an end to the little more than a year-long pause in US air strikes in Syria that followed the Suleimani assassination. This has been a year in which the US has been dominated by the criminal policy that has led to over half a million COVID-19 deaths, as well as by a bitter internecine struggle within the US ruling political establishment leading to two impeachments of Trump. Much of that conflict centered on differences over foreign policy, with Democrats denouncing Trump for being too soft on Russia and China, both nuclear-armed powers.

The attack in Syria is widely and rightly seen as a dangerous escalation of US aggression that can once again threaten a regional and even global conflagration. It is a concrete manifestation of the shift in policy that is developing under the new Democratic administration.

The Syrian government denounced the missile strike as an act of cowardly US aggression and accused the Biden administration of following the law of the jungle. Russian, Chinese and Iranian officials also condemned the attack.

The one source of international praise for the US attack was Israel, which has carried out its own airstrikes against Syria while generally refusing to confirm or deny its responsibility. The Iranians didnt realize that Biden is not Obama, and that if they will continue down this road of miscalculation they will eventually get hit, an unnamed senior Israeli official told the Walla news website.

Iran is among the most immediate targets of Fridays missile strike. The Biden administration came into office vowing to rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 agreement struck between Iran and the major powers in which Tehran traded sharp restrictions on its civilian nuclear program for the lifting of punishing economic sanctions. Trump abrogated the agreement in 2018, launching a maximum pressure campaign of redoubled unilateral sanctions tantamount to a state of war.

Washington has made no move to lift these sanctionsnor, for that matter, any of the others inflicted by the US upon countries constituting over one third of humanitysince Bidens inauguration. Instead, the US has insisted that Tehran first return to full compliance with the terms of the JCPOA, rolling back limited increases in its enrichment of uranium carried out in response to Washington's ripping up of the deal and the failure of the European powers to effectively challenge American sanctions.

Bidens secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has repeatedly declared that any agreement with Iran will have to be longer and stronger than what was negotiated when Obama was in office. In addition to imposing permanent restrictions on Irans nuclear program, this means the dismantling of Irans conventional missile program as well as the rolling back of its influence throughout the Middle East. What Washington wants is to return Iran to the status of a defenseless semi-colony. The attack on Syria is an opening salvo in a renewed campaign of aggression to achieve this aim.

The Syrian missile strike was also aimed at both Russia and China and their influence in the region. China, identified by the Biden administration as Washingtons number one strategic competitor and the target of extreme competition, after two decades of US imperialist military interventions in the Middle East, has emerged as the regions largest investor and the top trading partner for many of its countries.

It is more than a coincidence that the latest US missile strike in Syria comes in the immediate wake of joint exercises by Iranian, Russian and Chinese warships in the strategic waters of the Indian Ocean. The last such exercise, the joint Iranian-Russian-Chinese Maritime Security Belt naval drills, was held in December 2019, on the eve of the murder of Suleimani.

Even as Washington is escalating its aggression in the Middle East, the Pentagon is staging provocative naval exercises in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, while directly threatening Russia with the deployment of B-1 bombers in Norway.

The missile strike also serves as a shot across the bow of Washingtons erstwhile NATO allies, particularly Germany and France. This follows the noticeably cool reception by Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron to Bidens speech to the Munich Security Conference last week, in which he proclaimed not once, but three times, that America is back, while demanding that the European imperialist powers subordinate themselves to US interests.

The attack on Syria received broad support within the Democratic Party leadership and was praised by leading Republicans. Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, declared, Responses like this are a necessary deterrent and remind Iran, its proxies and our adversaries around the world that attacks on US interests will not be tolerated.

The attack has made clear that agreement on escalating military aggression to offset the decline of US imperialist global hegemony will serve as the foundation for the Biden administrations pursuit of bipartisan unity with the fascistic elements within the Republican Party who sought to overturn his election.

There is also a powerful domestic political motive for the escalation of US militarism. This is the need to divert outward the immense and unsustainable social contradictions of American capitalism.

The crisis of US and world capitalism is producing not only a drive to war, but also an international upsurge in the class struggle in the face of the mass death produced by the murderous pursuit of a herd immunity policy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the continuous growth of social inequality and escalating attacks on basic social and democratic rights.

It is only this struggle that can provide the foundation for genuine opposition to the war drive of US and world imperialism. The urgent task is the building of an international and socialist movement in the working class to end the threat of world war by overthrowing the capitalist system which is its source.
EnWave Announces 2021 First Quarter Consolidated Interim Financial Results

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/) is pleased to report the Company?s consolidated interim financial results for the first quarter ended December 31, 2020.

EnWave?s interim consolidated financial statements and MD&As are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company?s website www.enwave.net.

Key Financial Highlights for Q1 (expressed in ?000s):

Reported consolidated revenue for Q1 2021 of $7,533 compared to $8,609 for Q1 2020, a decrease of $1,076 or 12%. EnWave Canada had revenue of $2,676 in Q1 2021 compared to $4,555 in Q1 2020. NutraDried had revenue of $4,857 in Q1 2021 compared to $4,054 in Q1 2020.

Gross margin was 23% for Q1 2021 compared to 37% for Q1 2020. The gross margin compression in Q1 2021 was due to a one-off discount offered by NutraDried on a national Moon Cheese? promotion at Costco.

Consolidated net loss after taxes was $1,371 for Q1 2021 compared to a net loss of $1,426 for Q1 2020, an improvement of $55.

EnWave reported a segment loss of $25 for Q1 2021 compared to a segment loss of $790 for Q1 2020, an improvement of $765. The improvement in EnWave?s segment results is attributed to the cost containment measures implemented in fiscal year 2020 and improved operating leverage with new REV? machinery orders.

NutraDried reported a segment loss of $1,346 for Q1 2021 compared to a segment loss of $636 for Q1 2020.

Adjusted EBITDA(*) was a loss of $911 for Q1 2021 compared to a loss of $743 for Q1 2020, an increase of $168.

SG&A expenses (inclusive of R&D expenses) for Q1 2021 were $3,216 compared to $4,236 for Q1 2020, a decrease of $1,020 or 24%. SG&A expenses were lower as a result of a cost containment plan implemented to reduce costs and eliminate non-essential and discretionary expenses while remaining focused on commercialization growth across the business.

Generated cash from operating activities in Q1 2021 of $4,228 compared to cash used in operating activities in Q1 2020 of $2,796.

Maintained a strong balance sheet with a working capital surplus of $22,221 and a cash balance of $17,401. Our cash position has notably increased from Q4 2020, giving the Company a robust treasury to further the expansion of the global deployment of REVTM technology, which includes the build-out of the REVworx? toll manufacturing facility and furthering the research and development in using REV? for the rapid, gentle drying of cannabis products.

Significant Corporate Accomplishments in Q1 2021:

Significant accomplishments made during Q1 2021 and to the date of this report include:

Confirmed an order for a 100kW REV? machine from Patatas Fritas Torres, a royalty partner of the Company producing cheese snack products in Spain. The purchase of the 100kW machine marks the scale-up from a 10kW machine of another global dairy partner for the large-scale production of shelf-stable cheese snacks.

Secured a purchase order to deliver two 10kW REV? machines to Natural Nutrition, a royalty partner of the Company in Chile, to increase its royalty-bearing processing capacity for premium dried fruit and vegetable products.

Secured a purchase order to deliver the second 10kW REV? machine to the US Army for the development of unique and nutrient stable food ration products for their soldiers.

Secured a purchase order for a 10kW REV? machine from Responsible Foods, a royalty partner of the Company producing premium dried snacks using healthy Icelandic ingredients. The purchase of the 10kW machine doubles Responsible Foods? royalty-bearing manufacturing capacity in Iceland.

Signed an exclusive royalty bearing license with Nippon Trends Food Service, Inc. (?Nippon Trends?) for the use of EnWave?s dehydration technology for the commercial production of ready-to-eat ramen noodle products. Nippon Trends purchased a 10kW REV? machine to initiate commercial production in Canada.

Signed the first royalty-bearing commercial license agreement for cannabis dehydration in the United States with HHC Holdings, LLC d.b.a. GentleDry Technologies. GentleDry Technologies will initiate commercial production with a 10kW REV?

Advanced the joint development agreement with GEA Lyophil GmbH (?GEA?) for the development and scale-up of GMP-pharma machinery for the global pharmaceutical industry. GEA has purchased a lab-scale REV? machine for installation at its pilot facility in Hurth, Germany, and plans to utilize the machine to showcase the capabilities of microwave-assisted lyophilization technology to prospective target customers.

Developed Terpene Max?, a proprietary drying protocol for cannabis that dries cannabis material at temperatures lower than 40 degrees Celsius. The first quantitative analysis performed by an independent testing facility shows that flower dried using Terpene Max? retained 88% of the terpenes when compared to the fresh flower and when compared to room dried cannabis flower, the Terpene Max? process yielded 10% more terpenes than the room dried flower.

Completed the installation of two 100kW REV? machines for royalty-bearing commercial production in Costa Rica and Peru respectively for the processing of premium shelf-stable fruit and vegetable products.

Completed the fabrication and shipped two 120kW machines to Aurora Cannabis. EnWave has received full payment for these two machines from Aurora Cannabis.

Business Transformation at NutraDried:

The Company previously announced on February 18, 2021, a restructuring and cost reduction plan implemented at NutraDried, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. As part of the restructuring, certain management and production staffing positions were eliminated to realign the cost structure of NutraDried to realize material savings. The reductions to staffing are expected to lower annual personnel costs to the Company by approximately CA $2 million; the Company will incur a severance charge in Q2 2021 of approximately CA $600,000 as part of the restructuring. The total monthly FTE expenses at NutraDried will be reduced by approximately 30% following the organizational changes.

The changes announced are part of a plan to reduce expenses across NutraDried?s operations, regain focus on the core competencies of the business and to return the business to meaningful profitability through the use of REV? technology.? The objective is to return NutraDried to positive EBITDA and cash flows as quickly as possible while continuing to innovate and launch new REV? products that align with consumer preferences.

Part of the new strategy will include proactively seeking contract manufacturing opportunities to leverage the installed REV? capacity. Recently, NutraDried secured a major contract manufacturing opportunity with a leading global snack company to supply REV?-dried cheese. There are several additional private-label and contract manufacturing projects in NutraDried?s pipeline.

?

(*) Non-IFRS Financial Measures:

Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under IFRS. We define Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before deducting amortization and depreciation, stock-based compensation, foreign exchange gain or loss, finance expense or income, income tax expense or recovery and non-recurring impairment, restructuring and severance charges and government assistance. This measure is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies and should not be construed as an alternative to net income or cash flow from operating activities as determined in accordance with IFRS. Please refer to the discussion included in the Company?s interim MD&A for the three months ended December 31, 2020.

About EnWave

EnWave Corporation, a Vancouver-based advanced technology company, has developed Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REV??) ? an innovative, proprietary method for the precise dehydration of organic materials. EnWave has further developed patented methods for uniformly drying and decontaminating cannabis through the use of REV? technology, shortening the time from harvest to 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 spanning twenty countries and five continents. 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, as well as co-manufacture for third parties.?

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.

EnWave is also active in the pharmaceutical industry through a joint development agreement with GEA Lyophil, a leader in GMP drying machinery.

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.


For years, Alabama has shielded the numbers of private and church school students from being collected by state officials.

Since deregulation in 2014, Alabama has leaned back even further from licensing private schools or trying to collect data about the number of students in private, church or home school learning statewide.

Alabama law does require private schools to report enrollment, including student names, to the superintendent of local school districts  but officials said that requirement is not enforced, leaving the system ripe for the abuse that allowed six Alabama educators to allegedly inflate public school enrollment with private school students.

A lack of information also hinders programs designed to help private schools address coronavirus concerns. Alabama must distribute $45.5 million in federal coronavirus aid to non-public schools, but the state is struggling to even know how many schools qualify for aid, much less how many students that aid might help.

When I talk with my colleagues in other states, they already know how (to distribute the aid). In Alabama, we are still grasping, Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey said. We dont even know how many private schools are in the state. We dont know where those private schools exist.

Mackey said he cannot discuss anything related to the federal investigation that led to the indictments announced Tuesday, but both state officials and school advocates have said they want more information about private school enrollment.

Otherwise, there is nothing to stop superintendents again allegedly falsifying student enrollment numbers and raking in state money for personal gain.

Read more: 6 school officials charged with fraud, conspiracy in virtual schools scheme

Read more: Athens school official placed on leave

There are lots of loopholes, Alabama Association of School Board Public Relations Director Dana Vandiver said, about the reporting requirements. Previous attempts to close those loopholes were killed by lawmakers, she added.

Lack of comprehensive state oversight

Alabama, unlike other states, does not require private schools to report enrollment data to the state department of education. The law does require private schools report enrollment, including student names, to the superintendent of the school district where the private school is located. Parents of children attending church schools, not the church schools themselves, also are asked to tell the local superintendent.

Advocates say they are not sure whether that law is enforced. And even if local school districts get that information, the department does not have access to it, Mackey said.

We believe that there is a legal stipulation that we not aggregate any of those (local reports) at the state level, Mackey said.

Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, chairs the House Education Policy Committee and has championed many education-related bills in the legislature.

Collins told AL.com she was not aware of data loopholes.

She said she is in favor of collecting basic information on school-age children, regardless of where they are getting an education.

I have no problem with parents having choice over where their children are, Collins said, but we need to know that everyone is safe.

Whether the state department could have prevented those charged with fraudulently enrolling private school students into public virtual schools if it had private school enrollment information is unknown, but the problem of not having that information is evident throughout the 80-page indictment.

According to the indictment, when state department officials wrote to private school officials in March 2018 asking for enrollment records, then-Athens City Superintendent Trey Holladay, who now is charged with fraud and conspiracy, told private school officials that they were not required legally to provide that information to the state department.

In a statement through his attorney Thursday, Holladay and his wife, Deborah Holladay, who also is facing federal charges, said, There is absolutely no way that we would do anything detrimental to the school system. The charges against us are unfounded and will be vigorously defended.

Mackey said hed like to be able to collect at least some basic information on private schools in Alabama.

A listing of private schools in Alabama in the U.S. Department of Educations Private School Survey, where participation is voluntary, includes information on 273 private schools. The website Noodle lists information for 507 private schools statewide.

He said it would be beneficial to have a registry of non-public schools and homeschool umbrellas in the state and how many people are enrolled. Mackey said theres currently no way to guarantee private school students arent dual-enrolled in public schools.

He said state department officials have made tweaks to internal mechanisms to flag suspicious activity but did not elaborate on what those processes are.

You have to constantly be looking at numbers, Mackey said. If numbers jump up, if a school district increases their enrollment by 30% or 40% or 100% in a school year, that should raise some flags. It does not mean that somebody has done something wrong, but it should definitely raise some flags.

Internally, I feel good about our processes, he said. I think weve got the right process in place to control the flow of money, to watch after things, but at the same time, Im not going to be a fool and say weve got this all handled, and nothing will ever happen again.

Non-public schools and federal coronavirus relief

Mackey said a federal mandate to distribute $45.5 million in federal coronavirus aid to non-public schools highlights the need for the state to collect at least basic information about Alabamas non-public schools. The money will reimburse private schools for PPE, remote learning and social distancing costs.

Without basic information, distributing that federal aid is proving difficult.

Weve had calls from people claiming to run a private school, but theyre not accredited, they dont have a board of directors, theres no accountability system. They cant give us any information on their students other than I have 200 students enrolled in my school and I want part of that federal money.

And they apparently qualify for the (federal) money, he added, though the department is still working through federal requirements.

Private schools wanting federal aid must complete an application and have until April 2 to do so.

Mackey said he doesnt want control or authority over private schools, just basic information.

As chief educator in this state, I feel like its my moral responsibility  its not my legal responsibility  that every child that lives in this state has access to an education. And yet I know that theres somewhere between 5% and 10% of kids that I dont know for sure if thats happening.

And Im restricted by law from getting even rudimentary information.

The old R132 into Dunleer which has become a danger due to speeding vehicles. Photos: Colin Bell / pressphotos.ie

Calls have been made for a major review of road safety from the Collon junction with the old R132 on the outskirts of Dunleer right down to the garda station in the town.

The road continues to be busy with traffic - especially heavy goods vehicles - and there is a fear that a tragedy could be on the horizon as a result.

With both the Woodlands and School Lane exits on the stretch of road, and badly impacted by partial vision of approaching vehicles, it's felt that rumble strips or speed ramps are now needed.

Local resident Tommy McCabe says he comes across close shaves all the time and something will happen. 'We can't be lucky all the time,' he said.

'Vehicles come out from the Collon Road junction and seem to just speed up as they head down the hill into Dunleer.

'There is a blind entrance at Woodlands and people use the exit at School Lane to turn and that adds to the problem,' he said.

Expand Close The Woodlands estate junction, where exiting and turning right towards the Drogheda Road can be a real danger / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The Woodlands estate junction, where exiting and turning right towards the Drogheda Road can be a real danger

'I see it every day and it is getting worse. There are slow signs, but the traffic just speeds up.

'I think we need rumble strips or ramps, like the ones in Kilsaran, to tackle this. I know people don't like ramps outside their homes, but we have to get to grips with this before we are talking about a tragedy. It will be too late for some family then,' he said.

Cathaoirleach of Louth CC Dolores Minogue raised her concerns at the recent JPC meeting, asking for the area to be looked at to see if added safety measures are needed.

'There are concerns and we need to look at them,' she said.


Following the alleged nexus between TRS leaders and police, the petitioner, Gattu Kishan Rao expressed fear that crucial evidence collected in the murder case could be tampered with and the real culprits would be left to go scot-free. (Photo: AP)

HYDERABAD: Expressing apprehensions that the police may not probe the murder of the lawyer-couple Gattu Vaman Rao and P.V. Nagamani in a fair manner, his father, Gattu Kishan Rao, has filed a writ petition seeking a direction to the state government to transfer the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The couple was killed in broad daylight near Manthani on February 17. The case was registered with the Ramagiri police.

In his petition, Kishan Rao stated that Vaman Rao and Nagamani were eliminated by anti-social elements in collusion with TRS leaders and police officials as the couple was questioning the illegal activities resorted to by Putta Madhukar, the zilla parishad chairman of Peddapalli, and his wife Shailaja, chairperson of Manthani municipality.

The petitioner informed the court that Madhukar and his wife developed animosity towards Vaman Rao and Nagamani as their illegal activities were questioned by the advocate couple.

Nagamani had filed an election petition challenging the election of Madhukar in a lower court in Karimnagar and brought to light the lock-up death of Sheelam Rangiah, who had information regarding the sand and mining mafia in Manthani. Nagamani had previously addressed a letter to the Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court, praying that the alleged lock-up death be taken up suo motu.

Following the alleged nexus between TRS leaders and police, the petitioner expressed fear that crucial evidence collected in the murder case could be tampered with and the real culprits would be left to go scot-free.
Days after the military in Myanmar allegedly opened fire at pro-democracy demonstrators killing at least three protestors, India on Friday called on the international community to extend its 'constructive support' to the people in the Southeast Asian country. Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations TS Tirumurti was speaking at the UN General Assembly's informal meeting on Myanmar where he said that 'the rule of law and democratic process must be upheld'.



He was referring to the pro-democracy drive that Myanmar has witnessed time and again in past one decade. Calling it to be 'India's close friend', Tirumurti asserted "Bringing back the democratic order must be the priority of all stakeholders in Myanmar. India is closely monitoring the situation and discussions will be on with the like-minded nations so that the hopes and aspirations of people in Myanmar are preserved and respected," he conveyed.

PR @ambtstirumurti speaks at the General Assembly Informal Meeting on #Myanmar



Highlights Indias position  pic.twitter.com/evG0FRpDGH  India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) February 26, 2021



In an attempt to force the pro-democracy demonstrators back to work on February 21, the military along with rubber bullets and tear gas used live bullets on the shipyard workers in Myanmar. The protestors are demanding that their leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the NDL who remain to be detained, be released. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had condemned the 'deadly violence' and had said "I call on all parties to return to civilian rule. Everyone has a right to peaceful assembly." The military detained the ruling party leaders in Myanmar after the opposition had alleged that the elections were 'rigged and the results were unfair'.

READ | On Myanmar, UN Chief & US Govt Condemn Police Brutality On Agitating Shipyard Workers

In the latest development on the issue, New Delhi in the UN called for an early resolution for displaced persons from the Rakhine state of Myanmar. Tirumurti appealed that the international community must financially or otherwise, support the efforts being made by the Bangladesh Government to 'resolve issues relating to radicalisation in the camps and other security challenges. This he pointed must include "provisions for providing education, skill development, and adequate medical assistance."

READ | Myanmar's New Election Commission Annulled The 2020 Election Results: Report

The UN considered that over 300,000 civilians are internally displaced in Myanmar including 129,000 Rohigyans who were confined to camps in Rakhine, in 2012, ANI reported. Tirumurti in the UN also appealed "A collaborative and consensus-based approach is key to arrive at a meaningful and practical outcome. We must work together to resolve the humanitarian issues in a timely manner."

READ | Myanmar Coup: CRPH Appoints A Special Representative And A Special Envoy To UN

READ | Myanmar Youth Get Word Of Rebellion Out; Will Fight Military Dictatorship 'till The End'
Harare health facility with links to controversial tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei has taken over a section of the Bulawayo United Hospitals (UBH) where it will open a Covid-19 treatment centre.

The deal between Arundel Hospital and UBH has, however, raised eyebrows as it was not put to tender since it involves a public asset. Arundel Hospital has already started recruiting health staff for the UBH Covid-19 facility.

In the job advertisements, it said it was opening a Covid-19 centre at United Bulawayo Hospital in partnership with the government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Health.The centre will be an extension of Arundel Hospital, it added.

Arundel Hospital will be responsible for remuneration and welfare of staff. We are, therefore, looking for suitable qualified and experienced candidates to fill the following positions on a one-year fixed term contract.

Arundel Hospital in Harare was officially opened by President Emmerson Mnangagwa last year where he heaped praises on Tagwirei.

The oil tycoon has been accused of unfairly dipping into state coffers through murky government contracts ranging from command agriculture to fuel deals.

Observers say the government decision to hand over part of a critical public facility, such as UBH, opened avenues for corruption.

Tagwireis takeover of a section of the UBH follows a year of dithering by government over the setting of Covid-19 treatment centres in the southern region.

Political analyst Effie Ncube said the health facility will only benefit the elite, leaving the poor struggling to attain quality health services.

Ncube said priorities should have been placed on availing outstanding resources to the already allocated facilities before embarking on new projects.

One would have hoped that the priority would be to equip the already existing facilities which are crying for help, like Thorngrove and Ekusileni. Facilities such as Thorngrove has the ability to accomodate the most ordinary residents of Bulawayo and Matabeleland region, he said.

By neglecting these centers and opting to finance a different center, it would affect the rest of the struggling majority. This shows that the poor people in the region and the country at large are on their own. There is an urgent need to reconfigure the priorities by those that are responsible for the provision of health services.

Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) programmes manager John Maketo said the government should desist from privatising critical services.

Overally speaking I think the concern would be the deteriorating state of our health service delivery in the country and privatization of public service such as health and education, those are the major concerns from the citizen perspective, he said.

According to an investigation carried out by CITE, Bulawayos quarantine hospitals have poor facilities that do not meet World Health Organisations (WHO) minimum standards. The designated health centres are Ekusileni Medical Centre, Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital and UBH.

Bulawayo City Council-run Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital is partially open and has no ventilator to support critically ill patients.

Ekusileni Medical Centre is also yet to open its doors. The Roman Catholic Church owned Mater Dei charges at least US$3 000, which is beyond the reach of most Bulawayo residents. Acting UBH acting chief executive officer Narcisious Dzvanga defended the Arundel Hospital deal.

Dzvanga said although they were still in the process of finalising the memorandum of understanding with Arundel Hospital, equipment for the Covid-19 centre had already been delivered.

They will bring in all the needed equipment and will pay all members of staff while providing free treatment for the people of Bulawayo, he said.

UBH will only be overseeing (the project). At the moment they have brought 40 intensive care unit beds.

The drafting has been done and there are only a few corrections that need to be done to finalise the memorandum of understanding. However, the corrections will not stop the deliveries from being done.

Questioned on the differences between the Arundel Hospital centre at UBH and the Old Bartley Memorial Block, Dzvanga said: Arundel is going to be run by philanthropist, on a philanthropic bases, they will bring everything from equipment, staff and yet still provide free treatment services to the people of the region.

Meanwhile, Ekusileni Medical Centre acting chief executive officer Absalom Dube said the facility, which has failed on several occasions to open, is likely to become open its doors anytime from now.

An initiative by Bulawayo residents known as IAM4BYO has been mobilising resources from locals and those from the diaspora to help reopen the place.

There has been progress of late, the only hold up is the infrastructure development,  Dube said. Once that is completed, we will be able to open our doors.

Our contractor has given us up to February 28 to finish up then after that we will then be only left with establishing how many beds and monitors we can put up. cite.org.zw
Some 250 miles above the Earth, reliability is more prized than speed or power.

But soon the International Space Station, which has been tooling along with outdated but trustworthy computers, will have a potent and fast addition as Hewlett Packard Enterprise boots up its new offering.

HPE, which is moving its headquarters to Spring in 2022, sent its Spaceborne Computer-2 into microgravity to help accelerate research, such as DNA sequencing or pulling insights from data collected by satellites, and to lay the groundwork for trips deeper into space.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Nearly 20 years after Compaq-HP deal, HPE makes Houston home

Its like going from iPhone 1 to iPhone 12, said Mark Fernandez, HPEs principal investigator for Spaceborne Computer-2. There isnt anything onboard the space station that has nearly the compute capability that we do.

The HPE computer was launched into space Saturday from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. It was among 8,000 pounds of science investigations and cargo tucked inside a Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft.

This spacecraft reached the International Space Station on Monday, and Fernandez expects the computer will be operational in early March.

Spaceborne Computer-2 is the second system sent into space by HPE. Its predecessor, Spaceborne Computer, was launched in 2017 to prove off-the-shelf hardware can survive the rigors of space. It used software coding to monitor for radiation-caused errors and then self-correct when errors were identified.

In contrast, most computers are hardened before being launched into microgravity. They have electronics specifically designed to survive higher levels of radiation, and they have packaging that provides protection from the shake, rattle and roll of liftoff.

Such computers can cost $200,000, Fernandez said. Spaceborne Computer-2, which is not hardened for space, costs less than $20,000.

The HPE computer will be available on the space station for the next two or three years.

Spaceborne Computer-2 provides a powerful on-board computer for space station researchers, Bryan Dansberry, associate program scientist for the International Space Station Research Integration Office, said in an email. Scientists previously had to either integrate their own dedicated computer into their experiment hardware, transmit data to the ground for analysis, or store data on a hard drive and wait for it to be physically returned to the ground months later aboard a spacecraft.

He said computers on the space station are used to monitor and maintain essential systems, in the event ground communications are lost, and to support experiments being conducted in orbit. They were chosen more for reliability than computational capabilities.

As such, Fernandez said these onboard computers arent powerful enough to process large amounts of data. As Dansberry indicated, the ISS computers collect data and then send that data to Earth where more powerful computers extract insights.

Due to the file size of raw data, it can take hours to weeks to send this information to Earth.

Spaceborne Computer-2 will be able to process data from the International Space Station, obtain the needed insights and then just send the useful information down to Earth in significantly smaller files. Smaller files dont take as long to travel.

For example, an Earth-observing camera taking an hour of 4K ultra-high-definition video might produce a 100 GB file. With current ISS computers, Fernandez said this could take up to 1/3 of a month to download to Earth. Depending on the processing required, HPE anticipates Spaceborne Computer-2 will reduce that to less than a day.

Similarly, a 725 MB human genome data file could currently take up to 2 hours to transmit to Earth  thats without processing the data. Spaceborne Computer-2 could process the data in space in roughly 10 minutes and then send the processed data to Earth in about 1 minute.

You dont want the raw data, Fernandez said. You want the results.

On HoustonChronicle.com: NASA's Perseverance rover lands safely on Mars

This capability will become especially important as humans travel farther from Earth. There was an 11 minute one-way lag in communications when the Perseverance rover landed on Mars last week.

As exploration missions move further out into the solar system, communication delays make relying on Earth-bound computing impractical, Dansberry said. On the moon, those delays will be measured in seconds, but on Mars they grow to many minutes. Future exploration missions must be able to take all the computing power they will need with them.

Dansberry said Spaceborne Computer-2 will inform NASAs planning for on-board computing as it seeks to reach the moon and Mars.

andrea.leinfelder@chron.com

twitter.com/a_leinfelder
Hitlers megalomaniac plans for Germany included a monumental new railway. This railway was supposed to connect the most important cities in Greater Germany with trains 7 meters high, carrying up to 4,000 passengers, at speeds of 200 kilometers per hour.

Breitspurbahn, or broad-gauge railway in German, was typical of every project the small-mustached sociopath had ever dreamed ofmassive in scope and cost. The origin of this dream can be traced back to the 1930s when Adolf Hitler asked the young and dashing architect Albert Speer to lead the design and rebuilding of his new capital city. The fiercely ambitious architect impressed Hitler with a grandiose plan for the Reich Capitala huge domed assembly hall over two hundred meters high, a great triumphal arch large enough to fit the Arc de Triomphe inside its opening, and a 350,000-square-meter plaza surrounded by the grandest buildings of all.

The idea of a new railway, however, was not of Speers, although the architect did propose two new grand terminals for Berlin that were larger in size than New Yorks Grand Central Station. The plan to modernize the rail network and increase transport capacity was put forward by German engineer Fritz Todt. Todt believed that the standard gauge of 1,435 mm was limiting the construction of bigger trains with more capacity, and should be replaced by a broader variety. Railway experts sharply criticized the idea on the grounds that it would leave the German rail network incompatible with the rest of Europe, but Hitler quipped that the rest of Europe was going to become a part of Germany anyway.

So ignoring the voices of reason, Hitler asked his engineers to design a new high-capacity railway with an increased gauge. A gauge of 4,000 mm was proposed, but the width was quickly cut back to a more practical 3,000 mm, which was still more than twice as large as the standard gauge.

Comparison of Breitspurbahn gauge with Russian gauge and Standard gauge. Image by Dmitry Sutyagin/Wikimedia Commons

Several wide-gauge railway lines would have started from Berlin networking across Europe and going far beyond into India and Russias far east. Hitler saw Ukraine and the Volga Basin as important targets, as these areas were viewed as the future granaries of the Nazi empire. Eventually, this plan was also cut back and Hitler agreed to focus only on Europe.

Proposed route map of the Breitspurbahn. Image by Ralf Roletschek/Wikimedia Commons

From the beginning, the broad-gauge railway was considered a personal "toy of the Fuhrer". Hitler wanted his mega railway to rival ocean liners in amenities and comfort. He wanted the trains to be spacious and lavish, fitted with restaurants, cinema, swimming pool, barbershop and sauna. Industry partners submitted dozens of designs ranging from steam locomotives to gas turbine to diesel-electric. Their power ranged from 11,400 to 18,400 kW. By comparison, a typical diesel-electric locomotive in use today generates about 2,200 kW. Each carriage were to have a length of 42 meters, would have been 6 meters wide, and 7 meters high with two floors. The whole train would have been half a kilometer long, allowing a capacity of between 2,000 and 4,000 passengers.

But then, everything fell through. The war diverted funds and other resources away to the front lines, and all development projects, other than military constructions, were shelved. Any hopes of reviving the Breitspurbahn dashed when the Allied invaded Europe.

A model of a Breitspurbahn carriage at the Nuremberg Transport Museum. Photo: Ralf Roletschek/Wikimedia Commons
At CIIE, businesses can showcase their Asian and global product debuts. The third edition unveiled 411 new products, technologies and services, 73 of which made their global debut. Tentative deals worth $72.62 billion for one-year purchases of goods and services were agreed to at the event.

Among the six exhibition sections of last year's CIIE, the Consumer Goods Exhibition Area was described as the most beautiful and the most popular, according to the "Report on the Media Coverage and Influence of the Third China International Import Expo" released in January 2021.

The biggest names in the global consumer goods industry, such as the Swiss luxury brand Richemont, New York-based luxury house Tapestry, world-renowned jewelry and accessories brand Swarovski, and Italy's fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana attended the CIIE last year.

Over the past three editions, catering to the increasing demand from global businesses, the scale of the exhibition area has continued to grow, from 30,000 square meters in 2018 to 90,000 square meters in 2020.

Many companies report seeing solid results through attending this global trade fair. It was through the expo that third-time exhibitor L'Oreal introduced its new brand, which was ranked No 1 in the international popular makeup category during the 2020 Tmall 618 Mid-year Shopping Festival.

The Consumer Goods Exhibition Area of the fourth CIIE is expected to span 90,000 square meters. Themed "Create a Better and Healthy Life Together", the area will be divided into five sections - Intelligent Life and Household Appliances, Sporting Goods and Events, Beauty and Cosmetics, Household Articles and Decoration Design, and Fashion Trends and Works of Art.

Following the three objectives of offering new lifestyle products, introducing smart technology, and exhibiting the latest fashion items, the area aims to gather brands from across the world to launch new products and create global fashion trends.

Register now at

https://www.ciie.org/ciie/f/book/register?locale=en

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1445506/CIIE_Consumer_Goods_Area.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1077995/CIIE_Logo.jpg

Contact: Nie Qingxin

Tel.: 0086-21-67008870/67008988

Related Links

https://www.ciie.org/



SOURCE CIIE
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
I look back on that weekend as an anniversary of sorts, the anniversary of the last normal weekend, because even though I went out to dinner and to the gym the following weekend, it was with virus-induced anxiety. Since anniversaries are a nudge for reflection, today its worth reflecting on what we didnt know a year ago, what we couldnt allow ourselves to believe and what our ignorance then might teach us thats helpful today.
Managing director and national head of Healthcare Luke Treloar and Vo Thi Kim Ngan, associate director at KPMGs Global Strategy Group

Over the past two decades, Vietnam has achieved laudable improvements in key quality of life metrics such as life expectancy, infant mortality, and access to affordable medicines. This success is the result of the governments concerted effort to modernise the health system and expand access to affordable care.

Up to now, Vietnam has expanded its universal health coverage to 90 per cent of the population, and targets to reach a 95 per cent coverage ratio by 2025, while maintaining a commitment to sustainable healthcare financing. This coverage ratio and ambition leads comparable regional markets.

The countrys potential is nevertheless still constrained by a relatively high out-of-pocket ratio, while spending the most in-region on healthcare as a share of GDP. If Vietnam wishes to continue to expand access to quality care and maintain sustainable health financing, the health system will need to find a way to provide more services to more patients, at a lower incremental cost.

Digital health is one way to achieve scale of access, improve clinical outcomes, and lower incremental costs. To do this, the government needs to expand market access, and encourage international business and clinical partnerships to drive innovation.

Vietnam is rapidly transitioning from a paper-based medical records system to a digital system. Government-funded hospitals of 24 provinces have committed to deploy electronic health records, with six leading as pilot provinces. At least 80 per cent of patients will have access to digital health records services at national and provincially-controlled hospitals in the near-term, and this access should be extended to at least 95 per cent of the nation by 2025.

Though still on a small scale, telemedicine is expected to serve as a stepping stone to the wider adoption of digital health in Vietnam. During the pandemic, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has piloted telemedicine to encourage social distancing and reduce nosocomial infection risks.

At the same time, the government worked with several hospitals such as Hanoi Medical University to enable remote care in satellite facilities and even patients homes.

Vietnam is now seeing the slow but gradual application of AI and big data in healthcare. IBMs supercomputer Watson is now operating in several Vietnamese hospitals on complex cancer diagnoses and treatment recommendations. Also, the Stanford University machine learning AI platform RAPID is now deployed by hospitals like Peoples Hospital 115 to diagnose and treat stroke victims.

Digital health can help address capacity constraints faced by most public hospitals  and from a health-economics viewpoint, telehealth and electronic health records will help healthcare providers cut costs by reducing paperwork, improving safety, eliminating duplicate tests, and improving health outcomes and lowering readmittance.

The government is encouraging investors to participate in the development of digital health in Vietnam, and the steps above are a testament to this. We will likely see a further expansion of both domestic and international investors eager to enter the market in line with the governments commitment to the digitisation of the healthcare system.

However, to fully realise growth potential, remaining issues around technology infrastructure, reimbursement, and regulatory framework should be first addressed.

In 2018, the MoH issued a circular which set the regulatory groundwork for telemedicine by allowing doctors to remotely consult patients, subject to certain IT infrastructure and license requirements. It also provides guidelines for a range of telemedicine activities such as consultation, radiology, and even remote surgery.

However, it does not provide guidance on digital health payment schemes from Vietnams Social Security or private insurance providers. Also, there is no legislation specifically governing big data and AI health applications yet, which will slow the implementation of these technologies.

The government can take concrete steps to accelerate digital health adoption through several methods.

First is developing regulations  clarifying regulations governing paying for digital health and using technologies like AI to diagnose and treat patients. Second is expanding health infrastructure digitally in rural clinics to improve access to quality care.

Next up is providing overseas scholarships, by developing collaborations with overseas institutions to train doctors, nurses, and researchers in digital health best practices.

Finally, incentive packages such as tax credits must be created to target the development of digital health infrastructure, in order to promote industry development.

Should these steps be achieved, Vietnam can unlock the full potential of the Vietnamese workforce by promoting the foundation of a digital health ecosystem. Doing so will fuel economic and social development, and further distinguish the country as a regional leader in access to quality medical care.
A lone gray wolf crossed the Oregon border into California earlier this month, traveling further south than any lobo that wildlife officials have previously tracked.

The male wolf, known as OR-93, is known to have originated from Oregons White River pack, southeast of Mt. Hood. He was fitted with a GPS tracking collar last year by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

OR-93 passed through several counties before arriving in Mono County this week, wildlife officials announced Thursday. The sojourn puts him hundreds of miles away from the Oregon state line and his natal territory.

This is the farthest south that any wolf has come since they came back to the state in 2011, said Jordan Traverso, a spokeswoman with the state department of Fish and Wildlife.

Gray wolves disappeared from the state in the 1920s, until an individual known as OR-7 crossed into in California wilderness in 2011. His return was applauded by conservationists, but horrified many ranchers already grappling with populations of coyotes and mountain lions.

While officials do not have precise location data on OR-93s travels through remote wilderness, they do receive periodic GPS updates on his whereabouts, Traverso said, adding that no public sightings have been recorded.

Stealth is one of their features, she said.

The male wolf has likely struck out in search of a mate, never to return to his natal territory. He is now far south of the states known wolf packs, officials said. The Lassen Pack, occupying parts of Lassen and Plumas counties, has produced pups for the past three years. Biologists recently documented a pair of wolves in Siskiyou County that they believe could produce pups this spring.

While the Trump administration lifted federal protections in October, gray wolves remain a protected endangered species in California. OR-93s presence is proof that the states conservation efforts are working, Traverso said.

We have a burgeoning population, she said. Its exciting.

But not everyone is excited about the wolves moving south from Oregon, Traverso acknowledged, as many ranchers remain wary of the encroaching predator.

There are diverse constituencies with varying viewpoints  we do our best to walk that tight rope, she said.

Nora Mishanec is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NMishanec
A senior adviser in the U.S. Department of Interior on Friday rescinded the January decision by former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to grant Hammond Ranches Inc. a 10-year grazing permit and directed the Bureau of Land Management to further consider the matter.

The maneuver came as Congress was moving to confirm President Joe Bidens pick of Deb Haaland as the new Interior secretary and followed a day after four environmental advocacy groups filed a federal lawsuit to block the grazing permit for the Hammonds.

It also came just days before the cattle were expected to be turned out on the more than 26,000 acres of public lands neighboring Malheur National Wildlife Refuge about 45 to 70 miles south of Burns.

The action marked the latest twist in a yearslong saga surrounding the grazing rights of Dwight Hammond Jr. and son Steven Hammond after they were convicted of setting fire to public lands and served prison time.

The new memo from the Interior secretarys office found that the Trump administration hadnt allowed for sufficient time to receive and consider public challenges to the permit.

A proposal to grant the permit was dated Dec. 31 but the public wasnt immediately alerted to it until days later resulting in confusion about how the department would calculate an authorized 15-day protest period, according to the memo from the Interior secretarys office.

Fridays memo was signed by Laura Daniel-Davis, a senior adviser to the secretary exercising delegated authority of the assistant secretary of land and minerals management.

Because the protest period had not properly concluded before the final Jan. 19 decision was issued, I am rescinding the January 19 Decision and remanding the matter to the BLM to allow for full consideration of the timely protests received by the BLM, the memo said.

She directed the Bureau of Land Management to pursue additional opportunities for public involvement and a careful and considered review of any challenges. She also instructed the Bureau of Land Management to post notice of the rescission online and mail copies to all applicants and other interested stakeholders.

W. Alan Schroeder, the attorney representing Hammond Ranches Inc., declined comment on Fridays development.

Four environmental advocacy groups on Thursday sued the Interior secretary and Bureau of Land Management, alleging last months permit approval on the final day of the Trump administration was tainted by political influence and that a rushed and truncated public process cut out opportunities for public participation required by law.

The suit further accused the federal government of granting the permit to the Hammonds over other applicants who were qualified and bypassing an administrative appeal process.

Were grateful that the new administration saw right away that Bernhardts decision to grant the grazing permit without the proper public participation could not stand, said Greta Anderson, deputy director of Western Watersheds Project, one of the four groups that filed the suit. We believe when they reconsider the proposed action, theyll realize there were major substantive problems as well.

Yet the Oregon Farm Bureau argued that the Hammonds grazing permit should be restored and not issued or taken away based on ever-changing regulatory whims, according to farm bureau spokeswoman Anne Marie Moss.

The Hammond family are long-standing pillars of the Harney County community who have been subjected to continued government overreach while sustainably managing their ranch for the benefit of the local community, local ecosystems, and generations of their family, the Oregon Farm Bureaus statement said. The decision to issue their grazing permit should be a criteria-based process, and one that BLM approaches objectively. The Hammonds have demonstrated several times that all applicable factors favor them being restored their permit, including the familys record of stewardship, their ownership of intermingled private land and several range improvements, and their contributions to the local economy. It is fundamentally unfair to continually subject this family to ever-changing regulatory whims, and in the process, jeopardize their livelihood, proper rangeland management, and ability to fully utilize their private lands. The Hammonds permit should be restored, and the family should be allowed to move forward with their lives in peace.'

The grazing permit covers four land allotments called Hammond, Mud Creek, Hardie Summer and Hammond Fenced Federal Range and allows cattle grazing on more than 26,000 acres of public lands neighboring Malheur National Wildlife Refuge about 45 to 70 miles south of Burns, near the town of Frenchglen.

In February 2014, the Bureau of Land Management rejected the Hammonds renewal application, citing the Hammonds criminal convictions.

In early 2019, former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke issued a renewal of their grazing permit on his last day in office.

The renewal followed six months after Trumps pardon of the Hammonds in July 2018. Dwight Hammond Jr. and Steven Hammond had been convicted of arson and were serving out five-year mandatory minimum sentences for setting fire to public land where they had grazing rights. Both were convicted of setting a fire in 2001, and the son was convicted of setting a second fire in 2006.

In December 2019, U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon of Portland revoked the grazing permit finding Zinkes renewal was an abuse of discretion.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian
The Canadian Press

As COVID-19 vaccine supplies ramp up across the country, most provinces and territories have begun planning to give second doses in the coming weeks. More than 23 million people across Canada have now had at least one dose of a vaccine. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says by the summer, Canada will have enough vaccines so that every eligible resident will have gotten their first dose, and by September, it will have enough doses for everyone to be fully vaccinated. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended that Canada turn toward the ultimate goal of fully immunizing the population, now that supplies of COVID-19 shots are increasing. The advisory panel said those at highest risk of dying or becoming severely ill should be prioritized for second shots, either after or alongside first doses for anyone else who is eligible for a vaccine. Since the novel coronavirus is still circulating in Canada, NACI is still recommending that the second dose be received up to four months after the first dose, in order to maximize the number of people who get at least one shot. Here's a list of the inoculation plans throughout Canada: Newfoundland and Labrador All people in the province aged 12 and older can now book an appointment for a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. So far 2.19 per cent (11,446) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Nova Scotia Appointments for an initial COVID-19 vaccine shot are now open to people 12 years of age and older. Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for use in children aged 12 and up. The Moderna vaccine is only available for those 18 and older. Under the province's accelerated vaccine plan, someone who received their first dose of vaccine on March 22 and is due for a second dose on July 5 will now be able to reschedule their second appointment for as early as the week of June 20. The province has stopped the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine as a first dose. The Health Department says the decision was based on "an abundance of caution'' due to an observed increase in the rare blood-clotting condition linked to this vaccine. The department also says it will reschedule anyone who was to receive AstraZeneca to instead be inoculated with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna "in a timely manner." --- Prince Edward Island In Prince Edward Island, residents as young as 16 can book a COVID-19 vaccine. People 16 years and older who have certain underlying medical conditions, pregnant woman and eligible members of their household can also get a vaccine. So far 8.11 per cent (12,868) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- New Brunswick Residents in New Brunswick aged 12 to 17 are now eligible to book an appointment for a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Officials also say residents 55 and older who received an Astra-Zenaca vaccine for the first dose at least eight weeks ago can now get a second dose of the vaccine with informed consent. So far 5.08 per cent (39,633) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Quebec In Quebec, all residents 12 and older can book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. The province's health minister says Quebecers 12 to 17 years old will be fully vaccinated by the time they return to school in September. Quebec also says it will shorten the delay between first and second doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to eight weeks from 16 weeks. The province says more than 5.8 million doses of vaccine have now been administered, with more than 58.1 per cent of the population having received at least one dose. --- Ontario All adults in Ontario can now book COVID-19 vaccine appointments. People turning 18 in 2021 can book Pfizer-BioNTech shots. Youth aged 12 and older can also book appointments across Ontario. They can book through the provincial online portal, call centre and through pharmacies offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the only shot authorized by Health Canada for use in youth aged 12 and older. Ontarians, meanwhile, are getting the option to shorten the interval between COVID-19 vaccine doses. Most people are being scheduled for doses four months apart, but officials say the new interval could be as short as 28 days. The plan will start with seniors aged 80 and older this week and the province will later offer second shots based on when people received their first. People will keep their original appointments if they dont re-book. The province aims to see all eligible Ontarians fully vaccinated by the end of September. Ontario is also resuming use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine but only as a second dose. Those who received the first dose of AstraZeneca between March 10 and March 19 during a pilot project at pharmacies and some doctor's offices in several Ontario communities will be first in line to receive their second dose. Ontario says more than 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered across the province. So far 4.68 per cent (687,894) of the population has been fully vaccinated --- Manitoba Manitoba is using the Pfizer vaccine for everyone aged 12 and up, and the Moderna vaccines for people aged 18 and up. These are available through a few channels including so-called supersites in larger communities. The province is also allowing anyone 40 and over to get an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine through pharmacies and medical clinics, subject to availability. People 30-39 can get a shot if they have certain underlying health conditions such as chronic liver failure or severe obesity. The province has opened up second-dose appointments to all Indigenous people aged 12 and up, to people with certain medical conditions such as severe heart failure and Down syndrome, and anyone who received their first dose on or before March 29. Provincial health officials say they now expect 70 per cent of Manitobans aged 12 and older to get a dose by the end of June. So far 7.75 per cent (106,678) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Saskatchewan Saskatchewan says it reached the step two threshold of its reopening roadmap released last week, with over 70 per cent of residents age 30 and older having received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That means restrictions will begin to be relaxed June 20, which includes easing capacity limits on retail, personal care services, restaurants and bars, although they must still maintain physical distancing among occupants or have barriers in place. The rules also raise caps on private indoor gatherings to 15, while capacity limits jump to 150 for both public indoor gatherings and all outdoor assemblies, whether public or private. Premier Scott Moe says once 70 per cent of the entire adult population is vaccinated, Saskatchewan can move to the third step of its plan and remove almost all of the remaining public health orders. Saskatchewan residents aged 12 and older are now eligible to book their first COVID-19 vaccine appointment. A school immunization program for those aged 12 to 18 will be introduced in June, but eligible residents of that age can also be immunized at clinics offering the Pfizer vaccine. Anyone 85 and older or anyone who received their first vaccine dose before February 15 can now book their second dose. Anyone diagnosed with cancer and solid organ transplant recipients will be receiving a letter of eligibility in the mail which will allow them priority access to a second dose. There are drive-thru and walk-in vaccination clinics in communities across the province. The province says 6.60 per cent (77,767) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- Alberta Every Albertan aged 12 and older is now eligible for a vaccine. As of May 27, 60.3 per cent of Albertans over the age of 12 had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The milestone means the province's second stage of easing restrictions can begin on June 10. It is subject to hospitalizations being below 500 and trending downwards. Some of the restrictions that would be lifted include allowing outdoor gatherings  including weddings and funerals  with up to 20 people. Restaurants would be allowed to seat tables with up to six people, indoors or outdoors. Retail capacity would also increase, and gyms could open for solo or drop-in activities with three metres of distancing. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, has said people who are immunocompromised can book a second dose three or four weeks after their first shot. All other Albertans are eligible to get their second dose three to four months after the first. For the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the province lowered the minimum age to 30. They are, however, reserving the remaining supply for second doses when people are eligible. More than 250 pharmacies are offering immunizations. So far 8.82 per cent (388,200) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- British Columbia British Columbia is setting an end-of-summer target for everyone in the province to receive their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has also announced a decrease in the time between the first and second dose of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, cutting the interval to eight weeks from 16 weeks. But the interval for people who received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as a first dose and are waiting for their second AstraZeneca shot may take longer. Henry said the province is waiting for results from international data on AstraZeneca, including the effectiveness of mixing vaccine shots and ongoing concerns about rare blood clots. Henry said the rollout of second doses will be similar to the first dose, with those at the greatest risk at the top of the list. Seniors, Indigenous people and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable were to start getting their invitations to book a second shot by the end of May. The province will try to ensure that everyone gets the same vaccine they were first administered, but a shortage of the Moderna vaccine may mean people will have to substitute it for a Pfizer shot. Henry said the National Advisory Committee on Immunization has reviewed the evidence on using different vaccines and has updated the guidance, confirming that while it is preferable to have the same product, it's not always possible. Pfizer and Moderna are the same type of vaccines. Families can get vaccinated together in B.C. as the government allows youth between the ages of 12 and 17 to get their COVID-19 shot. The shots will be administered at community clinics instead of in schools based on feedback from families, with 310,000 children in B.C. eligible to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has been approved for that age group. As of Friday, about 3.1 million doses of Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines had been administered in B.C., which means about 63 per cent of those eligible have got their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. So far 3.14 per cent (160,885) of the population has been fully vaccinated. --- Nunavut Chief public health officer Dr. Michael Patterson says Nunavut has placed an order for doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with the federal government to vaccinate people ages 12 to 17 in the territory. The Moderna vaccine is currently the only one available in Nunavut. Nunavut has opened vaccinations to anyone 18 and older. It is also offering shots to rotational workers coming from Southern Canada. In the territory, 36.44 per cent (14,113) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is now offering vaccinations against COVID-19 to young people between 12 and 17. The territory, which has only been using the Moderna vaccine, recently exchanged some of that for doses of the Pfizer product, which Health Canada has now approved for anyone as young as 12. So far 51.74 per cent (23,344) of the territory's population has been fully vaccinated. --- Yukon The territory is now vaccinating children aged 12 to 17. The government says clinics in most communities will be held in schools, while those in Whitehorse can get their shot at the Coast High Country Inn Convention Centre. The children will be getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The territory says because of limited supply and stricter handling requirements, the vaccine will only be available for a short time. It says second doses for those 12 to 17 will start on June 23 and medical travel will be supported for youth who aren't able to make the clinic date in their community. The Moderna vaccine is available to adults 18 years of age and older. The government says 59.34 per cent (24,763) of the population has now been fully vaccinated. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2021. The Canadian Press
Loading But now Cuomo is mired in scandal and under attack on multiple fronts. His political rivals have accused him of covering up COVID-19 nursing home deaths, as well as behaving like a bully and a wannabe dictator. Hes been accused, in some detail, of sexual harassment by a former aide. Fresh allegations emerged on Sunday when a second aide told the New York Times that Cuomo had sexually harassed her with a series of personal questions about her sex life. Crucially, the attacks are coming not just from Republicans. Fellow Democrats are calling for Cuomo to be stripped of his emergency powers and even for him to be impeached. The FBI is reportedly circling his administration. Muzzio says Cuomo is facing his biggest crisis since becoming governor in 2011: Hes getting hammered. His stock has gone down considerably.

Cuomos current woes can be traced back to a decision in March to send an estimated 9000 COVID-19 patients back into nursing homes. Cuomo has since blamed the protocol on Trump administration guidelines. A month later Cuomo signed a law granting hospitals and nursing homes immunity from lawsuits and criminal prosecutions relating to care provided during the pandemic. Cuomos critics point out that the law followed intense lobbying from some of the states most prolific political donors. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video It was one of the biggest and deadliest mistakes in the history of the state, Kim, the Democratic assemblyman, tells The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. It gave them a licence to kill. Kim, who is chair of the New York state assemblys committee on ageing, says the issue is personal for him given he had an uncle who died in a nursing home during the pandemic, presumably from COVID-19.

Concerns over Cuomos nursing home policies bubbled away until January, when New York attorney-general Letitia James released a scathing report saying his administration had under-counted nursing home deaths by up to 50 per cent. It was a devastating development for Cuomo - his allies had pointed to the states relatively low number of nursing home deaths to defend his controversial policy of returning COVID patients to long-term care facilities. Richard Gottfried, the Democratic chairman of the state legislatures health committee, said the reports revelations were shocking and unconscionable. Kim accuses Cuomo and his allies of engaging in a co-ordinated cover-up by under-counting nursing home deaths. If lawmakers had that information in real time we could have repealed those provisions and saved peoples lives, he says.

After the reports release, Cuomos secretary Melissa DeRosa told state legislators the administration had withheld the true death toll among nursing home residents because they feared it would be used against them by federal prosecutors. The FBI and the US attorney in Brooklyn have reportedly begun a preliminary investigation into the Cuomo administrations handling of nursing home death data. Kim publicly said it appeared that Cuomo was trying to dodge having any incriminating evidence, prompting a heated phone call from the Governor. He threatened my career, he said I would be ruined, that he would come out in public and say all these nasty things about me, Kim says. Indeed, Cuomo berated Kim at a press conference the next day and accused him of harbouring resentment over a previous dispute about the regulation of nail salons.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio - who has clashed spectacularly with Cuomo for many years - said such behaviour was classic Andrew Cuomo before adding: The bullying is nothing new. Andrew is Machiavellian, Muzzio says. He believes it is better to be feared than loved. The stoush triggered a series of unflattering articles about alleged bullying and other toxic behaviour by Cuomo and his office. The New York Times reported that Cuomo had threatened to compare a political foe to a child rapist. The New York Post ran a piece by journalist Morgan Pehme headlined Cuomos office terrorised me for doing my job as a journalist. Former Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan accused Cuomo of subjecting her to pervasive harassment when she worked with him, including kissing her on the lips, making inappropriate comments and asking her to play strip poker. Im compelled to tell my story because no woman should feel forced to hide their experiences of workplace intimidation, harassment and humiliation  not by the Governor or anyone else, Boylan wrote in an essay posted on the Medium website on Thursday (AEDT). Cuomo has denied the allegations.

Long-time Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf, who has worked for and against Cuomo, defends the governors style by saying: Hes a tough guy and thats part of the culture in New York. He is not acting any differently to long-term incumbent mayors, governors and senators in the past. Kim has called for the state legislature to peruse impeachment against Cuomo and has joined Democratic colleagues in calling for the Governor to be stripped of his emergency COVID-19 powers. He has engaged in criminal conduct and we need to hold him accountable, Kim says. We need to show that we dont have a demagogue as governor who can do whatever he wants. For his part, Cuomo has acknowledged that he made mistakes but has stopped short of apologising. We should have provided more public information sooner, he told reporters last week when asked about the nuring home death count.

Loading I understand the public had many questions and concerns ... and I understand that they were not answered quickly enough. Cuomo, who is regarded as a moderate Democrat, has long been loathed by his partys progressive wing. In 2018 Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon ran against him in the Democratic primary, accusing him of being a corrupt corporate Democrat. Cuomo easily defeated Nixon by almost 30 percentage points in the primary and later crushed the Republican candidate for governor by 24 points. Until recently, Cuomo seemed set to cruise to a fourth term in 2022 - eclipsing his father Mario, who lost re-election after three terms as New York governor.

A poll released by Siena College last week showed Cuomos approval ratings among New Yorkers had fallen from 77 per cent at the height of the pandemic last year to 56 per cent. Sheinkopf says Cuomo remains absolutely favoured to win re-election given his skills as a fundraiser and his mastery of the local political machinery. Muzzio says Cuomo should feel relieved that an outstanding challenger - either from the left of his own party or a Republican - has yet to emerge. The rule in politics is very simple: you cant beat somebody with nobody, he says. He will now face a serious primary challenge - more serious than he did the last time. Time will tell if he can win again but hes certainly wounded.
But, she said, the fact is, it does exist, and we need to start recognizing this as a serious problem.

In one 2019 study of 79 depressed 3- to 6-year-olds and 60 healthy 4- to 7-year-olds, Dr. Whalen and her colleagues measured how well the children understood death by asking them a series of questions: Can you tell me some things that die? When a person is dead, do they need, food, air, water? Can they move around? Do they have dreams? If a person dies, and they havent been buried in their grave for very long, can they become a living person again?

Not only do they understand what it means to die, Dr. Whalen said, but the kids who have suicidal thoughts have a more advanced understanding of death than those who dont. (All of the children in this study who had suicidal thoughts also had depression, but not all those with depression had suicidal thoughts. And while suicidal ideation is more common in kids who have depression, Dr. Whalen said, it can also occur in those who arent depressed.)

In other words, my Lego-obsessed 8-year-old could conceptualize his death as final.

People have one of two extreme reactions when children talk of self-harm, said Dr. Joan Luby, a professor of child psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who was a co-author on the 2019 study with Dr. Whalen and who has researched brain and emotional development in young children for three decades. They either dismiss the threat, assuming the child doesnt know what theyre saying, or they freak out. Experts say a better response lies somewhere in between.

According to Alison Yaeger, who directs a youth outpatient dialectical behavior therapy program at McLean Hospital in Cambridge, Mass., it is critical to validate your childs right to their emotions.

Never say just, Dr. Yaeger advised. Parents think Just take a deep breath helps, but it might escalate the emotion. The same rule applies to, Its not a big deal and Why are you so upset?

In my family, this small change made a big difference. When our sons engine starts to rev, even if hes being unkind, we notice. I see youre hurting, I say. We stopped sending him to his room (which Dr. Luby said translates to, Go deal with it on your own).


The comedian says he approves of the relationship, before declaring that Jordan is not the sexiest man alive

Steve Harvey has given fellow actor Michael B. Jordan his stamp of approval when it comes to dating his daughter, Lori Harvey.

In an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live Thursday, the comedian and game-show host acknowledged the effort Jordan is putting toward the relationship, but cautioned it could be hard to match.

Jordan, who starred in the 2015 sports film Creed, rented out an entire aquarium to celebrate Valentines Day with Lori Harvey just to show how much he cares about her.

Steve Harvey (left picture), Michale B. Jordan and Lori Harvey (right picture).

When late-night host Jimmy Kimmel highlighted the date, Steve Harvey responded in his usual comedic tone.

Read More: Steve Harvey says hes got his eyes on Michael B. Jordan

Good luck homie, because you know, Valentines comes every year, he quipped. I dont know if you know how this works or not, but I dont know how youre gonna top that. But good luck, partner.

As far as Jordan being dubbed Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine, Steve Harvey suggested he can give Jordan a run for his money, but not because of the looks department.

Lets be clear about something. He is a nice guy, but he is not the Sexiest Man Alive to me, at all, Harvey said.

When asked who is the sexiest, Harvey exclaimed, me.

Steve Harvey (right) appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for an interview with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel (left) on Thursday, Feb. 25. (via YouTube screenshot)

All these people Im paying for, hell, if that aint sexy, what is? he said. Ive never been attractive, I knew that. Thats why I had to come up with these damn jokes. But this kid, I like him. Im pulling for him.

READ MORE: Michael B. Jordan named 2020s Sexiest Man Alive

Steve Harvey also admitted he is a hard dad to please, especially when it comes to his daughters and dating.

Jordan appears to have set the standard with Lori Harvey.

Im just happy that I can at least approve of one [of their boyfriends], Steve Harvey said.

When asked if he approved of any previous suitors, the comedian responded in deadpan, Nothing ever. Pure hatred.

Story continues

In order to get on his good side, he doesnt suggest that guys who want to date his daughters read his best-selling book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, but he said he wouldnt mind if his daughters learned a few things from it.

Catch the full discussion between the two TV hosts below:

Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now!

TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!

The post Steve Harvey dishes on Michael B Jordan, Lori Harvey relationship: Im pulling for him appeared first on TheGrio.




"What I have always been clear about and thought is that when the moment comes, and it has come, I would be free. This is the battle I have fought throughout this time. It is not that I want to die or make statements justifying death but, on the contrary, continue until the last chapter of my life, with the way I think, with the way I develop, as I have always done, taking my own decisions," she told RPP radio and TV station.





Estrada who has an irreversible terminal disease that keeps her in bed with artificial respiration demands authorities to allow her make use of assisted dying, given that it is impossible for her to have a dignified life.





This desire was fulfilled by the Ombudsman's Office, through a protective action, which made its first pronouncement on Thursday.





"I feel that a great door has been opened for me (...) that I am being told 'you are the owner of your body, of your decisions, of your life.' The fact of recognizing that I have a right over my life is a great achievement. There are many people who are still unable to understand it, who say 'well, if she wants to die, let her die;' but they did not understand that it is a right," she added.





The Eleventh Constitutional Chamber of the Superior Court of Justice of Lima ordered the Ministry of Health and the Social Health Insurance System (EsSalud) to respect Estrada's decision to end her life through the technical procedure of euthanasia, with the assistance of a doctor who would administer a drug (orally or intravenously) or perform a medical procedure to that end.





The court stipulates that Article 112 of the current Criminal Code shall not be applied in the case of Ana Estrada, so those who assist her throughout the process will not be prosecuted as long as it is practiced in an institutional manner and subject to the control of legality and during the time and opportunity stated by her, as she cannot do it herself.





(END) DOP/SRE/RMB/MVB

Activist Ana Estrada said she feels free, owner of her body and rights, after been informed of the decision of the Eleventh Constitutional Chamber of the Superior Court of Justice of Lima, which ordered the Ministry of Health (Minsa) and the Social Health Insurance System (EsSalud) to respect her decision to end her life through the technical procedure of euthanasia Published: 2/25/2021
Reverend Arthur Young is rector of St Paul's Church of Ireland parish, Lisburn.

Q. Can you tell us something about yourself?

A. I'm 55 years of age and single and I was brought up in Bangor. My mother, Sarah, died at 40 from cancer and my father, Arthur, died at 64 with heart complications. I have a sister, Diane, and two nieces and a nephew. Just one week after leaving school, I was fortunate to be employed as a trainee wood machinist and cabinet-maker. After three years, I left to work in DIY and eventually trained and progressed to management.

I studied at Belfast Bible College and later moved to England, where I worked in a church in Leeds, eventually moving to do youth work at South Chingford in London. I returned to Northern Ireland in 1996, where for three years I worked in a church in east Belfast. Then, in 1999, I was accepted to train for ministry within the Church of Ireland.

When I completed my studies in Dublin, I became curate assistant in Donaghadee parish for three years before being appointed rector of All Saints, Tullylish, where I ministered for nine years until my appointment to Kill O' The Grange in Dublin. Then, in 2016, I received a call to St Paul's, Lisburn, where I am now into my fifth year of ministry.

Q. How and when did you come to faith?

A. As a child in Bangor, the only Church connection I had was attending Sunday School and in my teenage years I had no desire to be around Church attachments. That all was about to change at the age of 16, when one day out of the blue, I made a decision that I was going to go to Church that coming Sunday.

Looking back now, it was a desire God had planted within my heart, because, after six weeks of attending Church and listening to the Good News of Jesus, I surrendered my life and came to a real and living faith experience in Him. Life was never the same again.

Q. Have you ever had a crisis of faith, or a gnawing doubt about your faith?

A. There have been many good days and not so good days and, whether I feel God's presence or not, I know that He has always been present with me. Looking back through my prayer journals, I am deeply grateful that I recorded my prayers through those difficult and faith-stretching times. Re-reading those journals strengthens my faith and anchors me in Jesus's faithfulness, whatever the future may hold.

Q. Do you ever get criticised for your faith and are you able to live with that criticism?

A. Seeking to be real in my faith journey each day is vitally important. To live authentically, not perfectly, is what I seek to do. So, on those occasions that I may be criticised for being a follower of Jesus, I seek to show that I struggle, but I seek to be authentic and real.

Q. Are you ever ashamed of your own Church, or denomination?

A. I'm not ashamed of my denomination, but have been enriched by it and through it.

Q. Are you afraid to die, or can you look beyond death?

A. I'm not afraid to die, because I know that my Saviour will be waiting at death's door to welcome me. The cross and resurrection has robbed death of its sting for me and I am completely sure of that.

Q. Are you afraid of hell?

A. I am. And it's what motivates me to point people to this beautiful Saviour, Jesus. It is what inspires me to preach, teach and pray and share this message of the Saviour, who stepped onto planet Earth to rescue us from such a place.

Q. Do you believe in a resurrection and, if so, what will it be like?

A. With every fibre of my being, I believe in the resurrection of Jesus and that it will also be the reality for all believers when Jesus returns to wrap up human history.

Q. What about people of other denominations and faiths?

A. I respect those who have a different viewpoint and perspective on faith, but for me it's all about Jesus.

Q. Would you be comfortable in trying to learn something from other people?

A. Throughout my Christian life, I have encountered people from other religious backgrounds and have listened and learned things which have been challenging and have stretched me in my theology and thinking. On occasions, I have been pushed out of my comfort zone and yet I always had something to learn from them.

Q. Do you think that the Churches here are fulfilling their mission?

A. I do. We are still witnessing and having a presence in our communities. Even in these difficult days, I have found an increasing heart hunger in people for meaning and purpose to their lives. It continues to thrill my heart that the Good News of Jesus is still satisfying and transforming those lives.

Q. Why are so many people turning their backs on organised religion?

A. Maybe because people are looking for the "real deal". My heart's desire has been - and is - to point people to a real, living experience and relationship with Jesus Christ.

Q. Has religion helped, or hindered, the people of Northern Ireland?

A. It hasn't always been helpful, but there is always something positive to take from it.

Q. What is your favourite film, book and music, and why?

A. The film is Chicken Run - the great escape, plus it's funny. Book? J I Packer's Knowing God - it draws you into the heart of God. The music would be songs from the 1980s'. So many good memories are stirred when listening to music from this period.

Q. Where do you feel closest to God?

A. When I'm walking along the shore at Crawfordsburn.

Q. What inscription would you like on your gravestone, if any?

A. To love Jesus and had the privilege of making Him known.

Q. Finally, have you any major regrets?

A. I cannot think of anything greater to do with my life than to glorify God and really enjoy Him forever. That, for me, is living the dream.
Wanda Howard Battle, who spoke at Illinois College on Feb. 16, feels blessed that she has the talent of singing while giving tours at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama  where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.preached from 1954 to 1960.

When visitors sing, we sing songs of freedom, Battle said Friday.

Battle is tour director at Memorial Church and said she tours people from all over the world from all types of cultures.

Singing brings everyone together, its life changing, she said, adding that in 2019 the church had 200,000 people come through.

People come in one way and the leave feeling another way, she said.

Spreading the word of love and unity, Battles talk with IC students about civil rights was something that reminded her of why she loves to talk on such topics.

They were very engaging, Battle said of the students. Thats why I love these conversations.

During her talk, Battle wanted to make sure the message that King preached about unity and being one as a society still vibrates today in modern times.

I hope they continue these conversations, Battle said. We must continue to educate ourselves.

Battle, who studied vocal performance at Spelman College in Atlanta, started giving tours at the church May 1, 2014, and since then has loved every second of what she does.

People are engaged with Dr. King and my goal is to encourage people to love, she said. We also need to know how we love and appreciate ourselves.
It appears a screwdriver was the ball-handled object with a stake at the end that figured in the fatal shooting of an unarmed Black man by a Clark County deputy during a traffic stop earlier this month, new information made public Friday indicates.

Investigators released a series of photos of what investigators found in Jenoah Donalds car during a search, including a screwdriver on the console in the front seat, a drill with a bit protruding, several pairs of pliers, other tools as well as a hat and food containers.

Donald, a 30-year-old Clark County resident, had been stopped by deputies Feb. 4 over a faulty taillight after they responded to a report of a suspected drug house and two cars circling the area in Hazel Dell, an unincorporated area of the county.

He died Feb. 12 at the PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center after being shot in the head by one of the deputies and spending several days on life support, according to Mark Lindquist, a lawyer for Donalds family.

Investigators said Deputy Sean Boyle fired twice at Donald when he and another deputy tried to get him out of his Mercedes and Donald struggled against them. Donald pulled Boyle into the car by grabbing his ballistics vest and turned on the car, according to the Vancouver Police Department, which is leading the investigation of the shooting.

The photos show the items taken from the front passenger side, center console and drivers area of Donalds car. One of the photos also shows the front passenger side of the car before any items were removed.

Investigators previously said Clark County Sheriffs Deputy Holly Troupe reported seeing a ball-handled object with a three-to-four inch sharpened stake at the end and was concerned Donald could quickly pick it up.

Detectives believe the object Troupe described is likely a screwdriver, said Vancouver police spokesperson Kim Kapp.

The search warrant filed by Vancouver Detective Dustin Goudschaal noted that investigators looked for any ball-handled tool or implement with a sharpened end or any other sharp-edged tool in Donalds car.

But the list of items in the initial search warrant return didnt include a screwdriver, and Vancouver police declined to say what item Troupe saw.

Lindquist initially said he thought it was the drill based on the search warrant return.

On Friday he said the photos show a messy car and nothing matching what the deputy described as a ball-handled weapon.

Further, Jenoah never reached for anything, Lindquist said. He never threatened the deputies.

Donalds family held a private memorial service for him Friday, according to Lindquist.

A group of Clark County organizations wrote to local authorities condemning Donalds killing and calling for a state and federal investigation of the Clark County Sheriffs Office.

-- Jaimie Ding

jding@oregonian.com; 503-221-4395; @j_dingdingding
Farmers' meetings will be held in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana

Tikait, the national spokesperson of the BKU and a prominent face of the farmers' protest, will begin the tour from March 1. (Photo: PTI)

Ghaziabad: Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait will be touring five states in March to drum up support for the ongoing farmers' protest against Centre's new agriculture laws, a Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) office-bearer said on Saturday.

Tikait, the national spokesperson of the BKU and a prominent face of the farmers' protest, will begin the tour from March 1, the office-bearer said.

"Farmers' meetings will be held in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana, while two meetings will also be held in Uttar Pradesh in March," BKU media in-charge Dharmendra Malik said.

Two meetings will be held in Rajasthan and three in Madhya Pradesh. The last three meetings will be held on March 20, 21 and 22 in Karnataka, Malik said.

"One event is scheduled on March 6 in Telangana, but we have not got permission for it yet due to some election in the state. If permission is granted, the meeting in Telangana will be held as per schedule," he told PTI.

Thousands of farmers are camping at Delhi's border points at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur since November with a demand that the Centre should repeal the contentious farm laws enacted in September last year and frame a new one guaranteeing the minimum support price (MSP) on crops.

Tikait is leading the protest at Ghazipur.

The government, which has held 11 rounds of formal talks with the protesting farm unions, maintains that the laws are pro-farmer.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian says Armenia has returned all Azerbaijani captives pursuant to the all for all principle enshrined in the 2020 November 9 Karabakh armistice, but Azerbaijan is creating artificial and ungrounded obstacles and is refusing to return the Armenian servicemen and civilians held in their custody as PoWs.

The Azerbaijani side is manipulating the list of Armenian captives and is refusing to accept the fact that it is holding Armenian servicemen and civilians captive. Moreover, Baku is initiating fake criminal proceedings on fabricated charges against several prisoners of war. Azerbaijans behavior not only contradicts the norms of international law, but is also a breach of the trilateral statement, Aivazian said, referring to the Karabakh armistice, officially known as the Statement by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and President of the Russian Federation signed overnight November 9-10, 2020.

The immediate and safe repatriation of all Armenian captives is a priority, he said.

Aivazian praised Russias efforts as a responsible and unbiased mediator in this regard. It was possible to return a part of the Armenian captives thanks to joint efforts."

Aivazian said that Azerbaijans delaying of returning the POWs is also a challenge for Russia, as the guarantor of the trilateral statement, as well as for the entire international community.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
Several thousand Russians and Western diplomats paid tribute at a Moscow bridge on Saturday where opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was shot dead six years ago, as the United States said it was "deeply troubled" by the Kremlin's growing intolerance of free speech.

Nemtsov was one of President Vladimir Putin's loudest critics until he was killed on a bridge near the Kremlin on February 27, 2015.

The sixth anniversary of his murder comes just after Putin's current most prominent critic Alexei Navalny was sent to a penal colony to serve a nearly three-year term he denounces as politically motivated.

The move has heightened already tense relations with the West, with the European Union moving to sanction Moscow.

From Saturday morning, a steady stream of Russians and Western diplomats took turns laying flowers at a makeshift memorial at the spot where Nemtsov was felled with four bullets.

"We come together in this place on this day every year to show the authorities that we have not forgotten and will not forget," former prime minister and opposition politician Mikhail Kasyanov told journalists at the rally.

"I am sure that what Boris fought for -- freedom for Russians, their well-being and a dignified life -- will soon come about," he said.

The anniversary is usually marked by a march through central Moscow by the opposition.

But they chose to rally this year at the makeshift memorial, which is regularly dismantled by the authorities, as restrictions on mass gatherings are still in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The White Counter monitor, which tallies attendance at rallies, said 7,800 people had gathered by 5:30 pm (1430 GMT).

"He spoke the truth and for this in our country you get killed," Irina Drozdova, a 44-year-old lawyer, told AFP before laying flowers at the memorial.

Navalny's wife Yulia Navalnaya was there as well and brought a bouquet of red carnations.

Also laying flowers Saturday were the US, British and EU ambassadors to Russia among other Western representatives.

Story continues

- 'Inspiration to many' -

US Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Ross said US Ambassador John Sullivan had paid tribute to a man who was "dedicated to pursuing a better future for his country".

"He remains an inspiration to many who strive for justice, transparency, freedom," she tweeted.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken released his own statement, saying he was "deeply troubled" by Russia's growing intolerance of free speech.

He called Nemtsov a man who "dedicated his life to building a free and democratic Russia."

In 2017, a court found a former security force officer from Chechnya guilty of Nemtsov's murder and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Four other men were found guilty of involvement in the killing.

But the slain opposition politician's family and supporters insist the authorities have failed to bring the masterminds to justice.

More than five years after Nemtsov's death, Navalny in August suffered a near fatal poisoning attack with the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok that he blames on Putin. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied the claim.

After spending months in Germany recovering from the poisoning, the 44-year-old opposition politician was arrested upon his return to Russia last month, sparking mass protests that resulted in some 11,500 demonstrators being detained.

The European Union has agreed to sanction four Russian officials over the crackdown on Navalny and his supporters, and Blinken Saturday referred to the attack on him.

"Those who would speak out in defense of their freedoms and democracy in Russia continue to be targeted for attack and assassination," he said.

"The Russian people deserve better."

bur-emg/ach
Ahmedabad, Feb 27 : The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), welcomed Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman as she joined MBA students of the globally recognized, premier management institute, for an interactive session on the theme 'The Economic Rebound and the Indian Economy in 2021 and Beyond with its students.

Hosted by IIMA's JSW-School of Public Policy, was the first on ground event held at the Institute since the pandemic. The session threw light on various aspects of the Indian economy including return of consumer confidence, robust financial markets, an uptick in manufacturing, education sector and the decrease in the budget allocation this year, PSU disinvestment target, health expenditure, skill India, fuel prices reduction, savings and borrowing scheme, upskilling: for automation and gig workers, investment in infrastructure, agriculture and many more.

Speaking on the occasion Prof. Errol D'Souza, Director, IIMA Programmes said, "It is our honour and an encouragement to have the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman at the Institute. We are grateful for her presence, in spite of her commitments. I am happy to share that IIMA and its faculty have been supporting the government with their expertise on various aspects of policymaking, which is our way of contributing to the growth of the country. Today's interaction with the Hon'ble Minister will become a memorable and inspiring moment for our students, who are at the threshold of beginning their journey into the real world." Sitharaman is an inspiration for all, especially the young people of the country. As the first woman leader to hold the portfolios of Defence and Finance at the Centre, she has become an aspirational model for the young women in the country. During the session, the Finance Minister encouraged the students to expand their boundaries and said, "You all are fortunate enough to be in an institution like this [IIMA]. My only request to you is spare sometime for the country and the nation to get stronger. India needs your support. Concentrate on yourself but also concentrate on making India brighter and smarter" Acting as co-chairs, Prof. Errol D'Souza, with IIMA students Arunabh Saxena and Sonakshi Agrawal, among other points discussed about disinvestment targets of PSUs and government's approach towards it. They also addressed the concerns of consumers bearing the high costs of fuel today and how is the government resolving these challenges.

When asked about the rationale and steps taken by the government to ensure quality education, Sitharaman said, "That the desire for encouraging twinning programmes in hopes of getting a world class university certificate and technologically driven tools like optical fibres even at the panchayat level will add to the betterment of education in the country. Hence there has been a conscious attempt in improving the funding of education. I would want to underline the fact that the New Education Policy, the schemes under it, and the long term vision under which the NEP looks at making the Indian education a lot more vibrant has received due consideration in the budget making process." Sitharaman further addressed that the Indian economy was on a rebound and she expects to see an economic recovery in the coming year. While the budget gave a due consideration to the national education policy and its schemes, she also believes that there is a huge potential of digital learning in the country across states, especially for the ones who have lesser access to it. She also threw light on the need for skilling and up skilling across industries and its success rates with a focussed approach.

The institute has a unique model of a convivial combination of the union, state and the business community. IIMA research programmes are the most coveted and prominent in the areas like Strategy, Economics, Finance, Operations and Marketing. IIMA also set up a number of sector or mission-oriented thrust groups termed 'Centres' to apply management science to other sectors of the economy. These Centres are led by faculty members from different inter-disciplinary areas that come together to pursue research and consulting.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the Joint Entrance Examination (Main), has said that 95 per cent of candidates appeared in the first phase of the JEE Main 2021 exam.

The NTA held the JEE (Main)  2021 for February (Session 1) between February 23 and February 26, in which, a total of 6,61,776 candidates were registered.

As of February 26, 95% of candidates appeared in Paper I BE/ BTech and 81.2 % appeared in Paper 2A/ 2B. About 95% of candidates were allotted their first choice of centre and city.

The Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said that he hopes that NTA will conduct the exam successfully in future also.

"Happy to note that the attendance in JEE first phase exam was 95%. I hope NTA will conduct the exam successfully in future also," he said in a tweet.

Happy to note that the attendance in JEE first phase exam was 95%. I hope NTA will conduct the exam successfully in future also. @DG_NTA pic.twitter.com/EKD3VqMg9R  Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) February 26, 2021

The examination was conducted in 331 cities including 9 cities outside India in Colombo, Doha, Dubai, Kathmandu, Muscat, Riyadh, Sharjah, Singapore, and Kuwaiti.

It was also conducted in 13 languages for the first time. The languages were English, Hindi, Gujarati, Assamese, Bengali. Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.

Starting this year, the exam is scheduled to be conducted four times a year to offer flexibility to students and a chance to improve their scores. The next phases will be held in March, April and May.

For the smooth conduct of the examination, the following preparations were made:

a) A Control Room was opened and two National Co-ordinators, 19 Regional Co-ordinators, six Special Coordinators, 261 City Coordinators, and 700 (approx.) Observers were positioned.

b) A third-party audit of examination centres was done.

c) Live CCTV surveillance was planned in all examination centres to curb malpractices in the examination. The NTA made arrangements for live viewing at any remote location and recording CCTVs Systems of all examination centres from the Control Room located in the NTA premises of New Delhi.

d) In order to stop cheating using mobile networks, jammers were installed in all the Centres.

e) NTA also used AI to identify potential impersonators.

Live TV
16:34 | Lima, Feb. 27.

The tests will be distributed among the Regional Health Directorates (Diresa) in Loreto, San Martin, and Tumbes regions and the Regional Health Management Offices (Geresa) in Lambayeque region.





These areas have been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.









"Often, there is a lack of laboratory infrastructure to detect the virus (...) Therefore, Germany supports its partner countries with SEEG experts, PCR test reagents, laboratory equipment, and training for laboratory personnel," he expressed.





Thanks to the increase of testing capabilities, the virus can be detected early. Thus, the infected people can be isolated and avoid infecting others.





In June 2020, the German Epidemic Preparedness Team (SEEG) provided training to laboratory staff in Loreto, San Martin, Tumbes, and Lambayeque regions in order to improve their diagnosis capabilities.









On that occasion, the initial 100,000 PCR reagents were delivered to the Peruvian State.





(END) NDP/SRE/MVB
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
ADVERTISEMENT

The State Security Service (SSS) on Friday arrested Salihu Tanko, the media aide of Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, hours after calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to check Nigerias worsening insecurity or resign.

Mr Tankos father, Tanko Yakassai, told PREMIUM TIMES Saturday morning that he was being taken to Abuja from Kano.

Mr Yakassai also debunked an earlier speculation that his son was kidnapped.

It was not a kidnap incident. I have confirmation that he was arrested by the SSS, the elderly politician said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported Mr Tanko, on Twitter, saying the All Progressive Congress (APC) has failed Nigerians over the worsening insecurity.

On Friday, following the abductions of 27 schoolboys in Kagara, Niger State and 317 schoolgirls in Zamfara, Mr Tanko took to social media to express his anger.

He said the APC government at all levels have failed to deliver on its primary responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians.

Mr Tanko, in a series of tweets, called on President Buhari to deal with the escalating insecurity or resign.

Clearly, we as APC government, at all levels, have failed Nigerians in the number 1 duty we were elected to do, which is to secure lives & properties.

Not a single day goes by without some sort of insecurity in this land. This is a shame! Deal with terrorists decisively or resign, he wrote on his verified Twitter handle, @dawisu.

The spokesperson of the SSS, Peter Afunaya, did not respond to calls and a text message requesting clarification on Mr Tankos whereabout.

Also, the Kano State government is yet to comment on the development. the states commissioner for information, Muhammad Garba, could not be reached as of Saturday morning.

Mr Ganduje had, last year, suspended Mr Tanko for two weeks after taking sides with the #EndSARS protesters, who were demanding an end to police brutality in Nigeria, among others.
The town is continuing to battle safety problems and traffic congestion along West Putnam Avenue and its side streets in the area where many auto dealerships are located.

Town Director of Planning and Zoning Katie DeLuca updated the Board of Selectmen on Thursday on efforts to work with auto dealerships about safe loading and unloading of vehicles from large car carriers.

Even though the car carriers have designated spaces to off load, its not managed, DeLuca said. As a result, it causes serious traffic concerns. Weve had zoning enforcement out there trying to control it, and its literally a full-time job. We asked the police to help, and they dont have the resources to sit there and manage the space.

Currently, there is one designated loading and unloading zone used by the Porsche dealership, and the other dealerships have space on their properties.

A plan for a possible second zone on Edgewood Avenue was abandoned, DeLuca said, because the town could not provide the needed management.

It could potentially cause more problems and issues there, DeLuca told the board. Instead, the town has told the car dealerships to only use the designated areas on their own properties for loading and unloading vehicles.

The problem stopped temporarily after a dealership paid a security guard to enforce the rules. But the dealer stopped using a security guard and neighbors have told the town that the problem has returned to a smaller degree.

The problem will continue to creep back until a permanent solution is found, DeLuca said.

Some blame the third-parties that operate the car carriers, saying they dont know where to go, she said. But DeLuca said she was not sure that was the case based on her departments site visits.

DeLuca has been working for a solution with the Greenwich Police Department and the Department of Public Works as well as some of the dealerships. The Porsche dealer submitted a proposal, she said, but she has not had time to fully review it.

We are working on it still, and the ultimate goal is to eliminate the loading zone but still have Porsche have a dedicated space to load and unload, DeLuca said.

Downtown

Greenwich residents can get a jump on the latest spring fashions while helping the residents of Parsonage Cottage.

From March 5 through March 7, the J.McLaughlin clothier shop at 55 E. Putnam Ave. will donate 15 percent of all sales to the independent senior living residence on Parsonage Road.

Shoppers must mention Parsonage Cottage when the cashier rings up their purchases.

We are highly appreciative of the continued support of J.McLaughlin, Parsonage Cottages Executive Director Penny Lore said. Our staff is focused on always giving our residents a variety of experiences that will enjoy and enable them to thrive and flourish. We are extremely grateful for the community support for Parsonage Cottage, enabling us to deliver first-class amenities and attention to our residents.

Kristin Kidder, store manager at J.McLaughlins Greenwich location said, The culture of J.McLaughlin as a company is one of being good neighbors by giving back to the community. Its at the core of our corporate mission. We are happy to be part of supporting such a treasured community asset as Parsonage Cottage.

Residents can hop in person at J.McLaughlin or call their orders into the store. The store is providing curbside pickup, home delivery and complimentary shipping. The store can be reached via email at stctgreenwich@jmclaughlin.com or by phone at 203-862-9777.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Old Greenwich

Want to cook more and waste less? The Perrot Memorial Library in Old Greenwich is teaming up with Waste Free Greenwich for a free virtual class that will teach participants how to transform often discarded food scraps into delicious and surprising culinary creations.

On Wednesday, March 3, at 7 p.m. they will present a Zoom book discussion and cooking demonstration with Lindsay-Jean Hard, author of Cooking with Scraps: Turn Your Peels, Cores, Rinds, and Stems into Delicious Meals.

Waste Free Greenwich founder Julie DesChamps said, 40 percent of food in the U.S. is wasted from farm to fork, which has huge impacts on climate change, biodiversity and natural resources. But each of us can take easy, actionable steps to cut our food waste at home, which is, surprisingly, the main source of this waste. Prevention through smarter food planning, shopping and storage is key.

The presentation will include an opportunity to cook along with Hand as she makes carrot top pesto. The recipe can be found at www.fullcircle.com/recipes/1766/carrot-top-pesto. The program can be found online at perrotlibrary.org/events.html.

The program will also include waste-reducing tips for storing and preparing meals, which Waste Free Greenwich said it fits perfectly with its new Save the Food Challenge. Its goal is to empower residents to reduce household food waste by 25 percent through prevention, donation and composting.

Glenville

Abilis, a Glenville-based nonprofit that provides services for individuals with special needs and their families, will hold a free virtual information session on Maximizing Government Benefits for Young Adults with Special Needs Entering the Workforce.

The presenters will be Michael Beloff, a wealth adviser at Stratos Wealth Management, and Jennifer Tenney, a program manager at West Virginia University.

The virtual webinar is designed to help parents, caregivers and young adults with special needs to learn to maintain their government benefits while having a job, Abilis said. A job is important for young adults with a disability, for money, a sense of purpose, and responsibility.

But entering the workforce can prompt many questions and concerns about how earnings from working may affect their government benefits such as with Medicaid (HUSKY), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and SNAP, Abilis said.

Beloff, who has a son with autism, has more than 15 years of financial services experience. He is a chartered special needs consultant and has extensive training on the complex topics and particular challenges of caring for a dependent with special needs.

A town resident, he is a member of the First Selectmans Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities.

Tenney has worked in the field of employment for people with disabilities for more than 17 years and is an expert in the area of working while receiving Social Security benefits.

The Zoom webinar will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 4, and is open to the public. Registration is required at www.abilis.us/calendar.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
An Auckland National Party MP says it's 'unhelpful' and 'counterproductive' for people on social media to point fingers at the family caught up in the latest Covid-19 community outbreak.

Health officials have discovered that two - now-positive - cases of one family went to work and visited a vape store when they were supposed to be isolating at home.

The family also hosted a private home viewing.

Botany MP Christopher Luxon says would-be critics should focus their efforts on keeping the virus at bay.

"We don't know the full facts of the situation, that's really the government and the health officials that will be aware of all of those," says Luxon

"At this point what we should be doing is showing some compassion and some understanding, what we can focus on is what we can do and how we choose to respond to that."

Papatoetoe High School principal Vaughan Couillaut agrees saying the family at the centre of Auckland's latest Covid-19 cluster needs to be left alone to recover.

He is also urging people to be more compassionate.

"Until you know somebody's story, until you've walked in their shoes, you should not be so quick to judge.

"Those people making negative comments on social media just need to stop because these people didn't get sick on purpose, this is not a deliberate effort by them to disadvantage everybody or be inconvenient."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is emphasising the need to avoid lambasting people who may not have followed all Covid-19 rules.

Her comments come after a new community case of the disease in Auckland was announced on Friday.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo: Supplied

That person is a household contact of earlier cases and developed symptoms at the Jet Park hotel, where they had been moved with other members of their family.

The new case worked at KFC in Botany Downs last Monday, and anyone who was in the store during the same time is considered to be a contact.

Ardern was keen to avoid a pile-on on anyone who might not have followed requests to isolate. There needed to be an environment where, even if people had made a wrong choice, they followed that by doing what was needed, says Ardern.

The nurses union have raised concerns about dozens of children, some as young as 12, going through managed isolation on their own. Caring for children was adding more pressure to already overworked nurses, the union says. Psychologist Dr Jane Millichamp says many older children could cope with the MIQ process, but it could cause a perfect storm for a vulnerable young person.

New Zealand's Covid-19 vaccine campaign has been under way for a week and pressure is mounting for residents in south Auckland to be put up the priority list. Not only is the country's main international airport in the area, so are many MIQ facilities, proponents of prioritising the area. Another point is that south Auckland is high on the deprivation index, and that means overcrowded housing increasing the risk of virus transmission.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson says he is confident progress will be made in coming months on creating safe travel zones with Australia and Pacific Island nations.

This country's Covid-19 vaccine campaign is essential for that to happen, Robertson says.

Closed borders are a significant economic and social cost for many, and no one is more anxious to see them open than he is. But that would only happen when it was safe to do so.

Global toll

The global number of confirmed cases was nearing 113.3 million on Saturday morning, and more than 2.5m people have died of the disease, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The US has been the worst hit by the pandemic, with more than 28.4million cases and nearly 509,000 deaths. Brazil has the second-highest number of deaths at nearly 251,500, followed by Mexico with about 183,700 deaths attributed to Covid-19.

India has the second-highest number of confirmed cases of the disease, topping 11m, with Brazil third with nearly 10.4m.

What should I do?

Anyone who wants to get tested can find their local testing centres by visiting the Ministry of Health website.

New Zealand, including Auckland, is at Covid-19 alert level 1, with masks still mandatory on public transport. People should continue to use the Covid-19 Tracer App.

If you are sick, call your GP before you visit, or Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

To avoid contracting and spreading the virus, wash your hands properly, cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow and throw tissues away immediately.

Reach out, find support from people who care, connect with your community or help a neighbour in need.

RNZ
Google is expanding an effort to spotlight black-owned businesses this month.

Last summer, the company launched a feature allowing businesses to identify as black-owned on Google Maps. Google made the distinction available on the Shopping tab at the start of February, marking the start of Black History Month.

Businesses with a Merchant Center account can set up the black-owned attribute in the settings of the profile. Doing so will place an orange icon with a black heart beside the business listing.

RELATED: H-E-B updates store hours, implements more product limits in wake of winter weather

San Antonio is home to about 20 businesses which have opted into the feature, ranging from restaurants to jewelry stores.

Google shared how company data shows a spike in interest for black-owned businesses. The company's blog post said the goal is to make supporting these businesses easier.

RELATED: Spurs legend Tim Duncan giving Black Restaurant Week San Antonio an assist

"In the past 12 months, Google search interest for 'black owned businesses' has skyrocketed 600% based on Google Trends data comparing January-December 2019 to January-December 2020," the blog post said.

See the San Antonio map of black-owned businesses participating in the feature below:
When the first edition of Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul published in 1997, todays teenagers werent yet born and the book included, among other passages, a poem that referred to Dear Abby and Billy Graham as sources of advice in 20 newspapers. The updates made for the August release of the books 25th anniversary edition point to some of the considerations childrens publishers take into account when revamping older titles to better appeal to modern readers.

August also brings a 20th-anniversary edition of Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul. Sales of that book doubled in 2020 compared with 2019, says Amy Newmark, publisher and editor-in-chief of Chicken Soup for the Soul, as parents sought titles for their kids to read while home during the pandemic. Teenage Souls sales also enjoyed a bump, and Newmark saw the interest as auguring well for revised editions. Each book received a new cover and updated interior design, with some of the more dated stories swapped out for new ones: 20 for the preteen book and 25 for the teen title.

Other publishers treating older childrens books to makeovers include Random House, which in March will release a 25th-anniversary edition of Christopher Paul Curtiss The Watsons Go to Birmingham1963 (ages eight to 12) under its Yearling imprint. The reissue includes a new cover, a new foreword and afterword by the author, a map of the Watsons journey, and essays on the books legacy by 10 authors, including Jason Reynolds and Elizabeth Acevedo, plus five librarians. Melanie Nolan, v-p and publisher at Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, says the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 gave the novel, set at a pivotal point in the civil rights movement, new relevance, and takes the issue of racial justice out of the headlines and makes it accessible to children and parents.

In June, Knopf is publishing a new illustrated edition of The Golden Compass, which in 1996 launched Philip Pullmans His Dark Materials series. Nolan says the HBO adaptation has boosted the books popularity among adult readers, and the new edition, with more than 100 illustrations by Chris Wormell, is a way to reach the younger readers who were its original audience.

Candlewick is marking anniversaries of two popular series this year: the Stink middle grade books by Megan McDonald are celebrating 15 years, and for younger kids, the Maisy books by Lucy Cousins are turning 30. Though both series are getting new looks, Karen Walsh, executive director of publicity, points out that anniversaries are more attractive to retailers when theyre supported by a marketing campaign with a consumer-facing component vs. simply a revamped cover.

To that end, says Karen Lotz, group managing director, president, and publisher, the press will focus on summer reading for Stink, with McDonald creating videos highlighting the books STEM themes. For Maisy, the publisher is offering Maisy playhouse displays for bookstores, and giveaway items that include a growth chart and temporary tattoos.

Return to the main feature.
In an expression of extending support to Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council as at least six member states signed a resolution raising concerns over human rights situation in the island country, Beijing on Friday said that 'use of human rights issues to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries is not acceptable.'

The statement by Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry comes after Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena's reaction to a resolution to hold Sri Lanka accountable for their human rights record. He was referring to issues raised by the UN Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet last month, who had demanded an 'international criminal court probe into Sri Lanka's Tamil separatist conflict, and sanctions against the top generals and others accused of war crimes.

We must all speak out against measures that silence civil society: working to defend our rights  and standing up to support human rights defenders  is vital to humanity's future.#StandUp4HumanRights  Michelle Bachelet (@mbachelet) February 26, 2021



Allegations raised by Bachelet include actions to be taken against violators of rights' during the last phase of the 37-year-old armed conflict in Sri Lanka, with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), that ended in 2009. She further alleged that 12 years after the conflict ended, the Sri Lankan government has failed to deliver justice for war victims and promote reconciliation.

READ | 12 Japanese To Suspend Business Deals Involving Forced Uyghur Labour In China's Xinjiang

Gunawardena was addressing the 46th regular session of the UNHRC earlier this week where he denied the allegations raised by Bachelet and said that the accusations against Sri Lanka were 'politically motivated'. China's Wenbin addressed a query on Sri Lanka's rights record and was quoted by PTI as saying "We appreciate Sri Lanka's efforts to encourage human rights and economic development, to conserve vulnerable groups and advance national reconciliation, and fight against terrorism."

"We are against applying double standards or utilising the same to interfere in the affairs of the other nations," Wenbin added. He then referred to the UN charter that urges member states to respect a nation's sovereignty and political independence' and demanded that member states mustn't interfere in the internal matters of the island nation.

China is facing global outrage for its alleged 'brutality on Uyghurs, a religious minority settled in the Western province Xinjiang. While last year China got elected in the 47-member UNHRC, the member states along with the UN have repeatedly condemned the way China has treated the Uyghurs, in the "detention centers that it calls re-education camps to correct the Uyghurs".

READ | UK Wants UN Investigators To Be Given Urgent Access To Uyghur Camps In China's Xinjiang

However, the Foreign Minister of China Wanh Yi addressed the UNHRC on February 23 and claimed that there are no oppressed classes in China. Reacting to allegations over 'genocide in XinJiang', Yi added "Genocide, forced labour, and religious oppression was never there in China. These are claims sensationalised and rooted in ignorance, prejudice and are purely slanderous political hype. The UN human rights chief can come to visit the region himself," Yi had said.

READ | US 'deeply Disturbed' With Reports Of Rape, Sexual Abuse Against Uyghur Women In Xinjiang

READ | Uyghur Refugee Gulbahar Haitiwaji Recalls Her Tormenting Days In Chinese Camps
We never refuse meetings. However, any meeting, if it is not organized only for the purpose of recording its holding, must meet certain criteria. Armenias Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian stated this in an interview with RIA Novosti.

"First of all, we are talking about creating an appropriate atmosphere, a clear agenda, and, no less important, it must be done if the other side is able to adhere to the agreements.

The exchange of prisoners of war, captives, and other detainees is envisioned by the November 9, 2020 tripartite statement. Systematic interdepartmental work is being done in this direction at the national level. Armenia has fulfilled its obligations to hand over prisoners of war on an all for all basis. Contrary to that, Azerbaijan creates artificial and unfounded obstacles to the immediate repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and detained civilians. The Azerbaijani side manipulates the list of Armenian captives and refuses to accept the fact that Armenian servicemen and civilians are being held captive. Moreover, Baku is initiating criminal cases against some prisoners of war on false charges.

Such behavior of Azerbaijan not only contradicts the norms of international humanitarian law, but is also a direct violation of the provisions of the trilateral statementthus calling into question the implementation of its provisions in general.

Prompt and safe return of all prisoners of war is a priority. We commend the efforts of the Russian Federation as a responsible and impartial mediator in the full implementation of the agreement on the return of prisoners of war. Thanks to joint efforts, it was possible for some of the Armenian captives to return to their homeland. The further delay in resolving this humanitarian issue, of course, not only deepens the pain of the Armenian society, but at the same time is a direct challenge to the Russian Federation as a guarantor of the implementation of the November 9 trilateral statement and to the international community in general," the Armenian FM added.

With lambing season just weeks away Chairman of Wicklow Cheviot Sheep Owners Association John Malone is appealing to all dog owners to keep their dogs on a leash and under control at all times when out walking them.

While the vast majority of dog owners are very responsible, the reckless and irresponsible behaviour of a minority has resulted in dog attacks on sheep continuing to be a huge issue in County Wicklow.

Mr Malone said: 'The whole issue of dogs roaming free and not under control was highlighted in this county recently when a dog was allowed off it's leash spending two weeks loose in the Wicklow uplands before being rescued.

'This is totally unacceptable to sheep farmers in Wicklow who are extremely annoyed and frustrated over this very careless behaviour.'

Wicklow Cheviot Sheep Owners feel that sheep farmers livelihoods are being put at risk with huge financial losses incurred because of the thoughtless approach of certain dog owners.

'The message simply isn't getting through to people to keep their dogs under control at all times, and not just when out for a walk. Dogs simply cannot be let to roam free at anytime, especially at night-time or when people are going off to work during the day.

Expand Close John Malone of the Wicklow Cheviot Sheep Owners Association / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp John Malone of the Wicklow Cheviot Sheep Owners Association

'There has been a spate of dog attacks on sheep in the county in recent months. The injuries inflicted on sheep by dogs are appalling and horrific. Those not killed often must be put down due to severity of the injuries inflicted. This is extremely traumatic for the farm family involved,' added Mr Malone.

He pointed out that sheep farmers are entitled under law to protect their livestock. This allows for the shooting of the dog worrying or about to worry their sheep. The dog owner can be held responsible for any losses involved with serious financial and legal consequences.

'All dogs are legally required to be microchipped and have a licence. Unfortunately, these requirements are not being enforced,' said Mr Malone.

'Our association has continuously lobbied Government Departments for a better funded dog warden service to allow them carry out their duties in a more effective manner.

'There must be very strict sanctions in place to act as a deterrent for allowing dogs roam free and resources to enforce these sanctions. The current sanctions in place are simply not sufficient. We would also like to see a single national database for microchipping so that owners can be traced at all times.'

Cllr Shay Cullen has also lent his voice in support of Wicklow sheep owners and the threat of dog attacks, especially during the current busy lambing season.

He said: 'At this time of year sheep farmers are on tender hooks looking after their flocks during lambing season. It is crucial that pet owners are in control of their dog at all times, including at night.

'They also shouldn't be walking their dog around the uplands area or near to sheep farms without having their dog on the lead.'

The Wicklow Cheviot Sheep Owners Association encourages any farmer who has suffered a dog attack to contact their local Garda station immediately who will work very closely with them and offer guidance and advice.

'We are very grateful to our local Guards for their support on this matter. We also work closely with our elective representatives to highlight the issue of dog worrying at every opportunity,' said Mr Malone.

President of ICMSA Pat McCormack has said that it would be unfortunate if the Irish public were to treat the recent accounts of hikers rescuing a lost dog in the mountains as a simple 'feel-good' story and not understand the threat that unsupervised dogs represented to both wildlife and farmers stocks in these circumstances.

While Mr McCormack said he didn't want to appear 'meanspirited' and he too shared the joy at a beloved family pet being found and rescued, it was vitally important the reality of dogs escaping walkers and owners to worry sheep flocks and other livestock was at least acknowledged and recognised.

Mr McCormack said: 'We're very conscious of people's need to get out and go for walks to escape the sense of confinement - and we're also very understanding of their desire to bring family dogs with them - but we have to say that we'd have reservations about the way this latest story is being presented as exclusively a matter for the specific dog owners concerned.

'Dogs breaking away and criss-crossing the countryside or hills often have very serious consequences for local farmers - particularly sheep farmers.

'Farm organisations and local papers are inundated at this time of year with reports of sheep kills and livestock being attacked and chased by dogs so it's very important that the message goes out that dogs being taken on walks into areas where livestock might be grazing should always be kept on leashes or otherwise controlled. Deer will outrun chasing dogs - sheep and cattle just won't.'
Loading But now Cuomo is mired in scandal and under attack on multiple fronts. His political rivals have accused him of covering up COVID-19 nursing home deaths, as well as behaving like a bully and a wannabe dictator. Hes been accused, in some detail, of sexual harassment by a former aide. Fresh allegations emerged on Sunday when a second aide told the New York Times that Cuomo had sexually harassed her with a series of personal questions about her sex life. Crucially, the attacks are coming not just from Republicans. Fellow Democrats are calling for Cuomo to be stripped of his emergency powers and even for him to be impeached. The FBI is reportedly circling his administration. Muzzio says Cuomo is facing his biggest crisis since becoming governor in 2011: Hes getting hammered. His stock has gone down considerably.

Cuomos current woes can be traced back to a decision in March to send an estimated 9000 COVID-19 patients back into nursing homes. Cuomo has since blamed the protocol on Trump administration guidelines. A month later Cuomo signed a law granting hospitals and nursing homes immunity from lawsuits and criminal prosecutions relating to care provided during the pandemic. Cuomos critics point out that the law followed intense lobbying from some of the states most prolific political donors. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video It was one of the biggest and deadliest mistakes in the history of the state, Kim, the Democratic assemblyman, tells The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. It gave them a licence to kill. Kim, who is chair of the New York state assemblys committee on ageing, says the issue is personal for him given he had an uncle who died in a nursing home during the pandemic, presumably from COVID-19.

Concerns over Cuomos nursing home policies bubbled away until January, when New York attorney-general Letitia James released a scathing report saying his administration had under-counted nursing home deaths by up to 50 per cent. It was a devastating development for Cuomo - his allies had pointed to the states relatively low number of nursing home deaths to defend his controversial policy of returning COVID patients to long-term care facilities. Richard Gottfried, the Democratic chairman of the state legislatures health committee, said the reports revelations were shocking and unconscionable. Kim accuses Cuomo and his allies of engaging in a co-ordinated cover-up by under-counting nursing home deaths. If lawmakers had that information in real time we could have repealed those provisions and saved peoples lives, he says.

After the reports release, Cuomos secretary Melissa DeRosa told state legislators the administration had withheld the true death toll among nursing home residents because they feared it would be used against them by federal prosecutors. The FBI and the US attorney in Brooklyn have reportedly begun a preliminary investigation into the Cuomo administrations handling of nursing home death data. Kim publicly said it appeared that Cuomo was trying to dodge having any incriminating evidence, prompting a heated phone call from the Governor. He threatened my career, he said I would be ruined, that he would come out in public and say all these nasty things about me, Kim says. Indeed, Cuomo berated Kim at a press conference the next day and accused him of harbouring resentment over a previous dispute about the regulation of nail salons.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio - who has clashed spectacularly with Cuomo for many years - said such behaviour was classic Andrew Cuomo before adding: The bullying is nothing new. Andrew is Machiavellian, Muzzio says. He believes it is better to be feared than loved. The stoush triggered a series of unflattering articles about alleged bullying and other toxic behaviour by Cuomo and his office. The New York Times reported that Cuomo had threatened to compare a political foe to a child rapist. The New York Post ran a piece by journalist Morgan Pehme headlined Cuomos office terrorised me for doing my job as a journalist. Former Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan accused Cuomo of subjecting her to pervasive harassment when she worked with him, including kissing her on the lips, making inappropriate comments and asking her to play strip poker. Im compelled to tell my story because no woman should feel forced to hide their experiences of workplace intimidation, harassment and humiliation  not by the Governor or anyone else, Boylan wrote in an essay posted on the Medium website on Thursday (AEDT). Cuomo has denied the allegations.

Long-time Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf, who has worked for and against Cuomo, defends the governors style by saying: Hes a tough guy and thats part of the culture in New York. He is not acting any differently to long-term incumbent mayors, governors and senators in the past. Kim has called for the state legislature to peruse impeachment against Cuomo and has joined Democratic colleagues in calling for the Governor to be stripped of his emergency COVID-19 powers. He has engaged in criminal conduct and we need to hold him accountable, Kim says. We need to show that we dont have a demagogue as governor who can do whatever he wants. For his part, Cuomo has acknowledged that he made mistakes but has stopped short of apologising. We should have provided more public information sooner, he told reporters last week when asked about the nuring home death count.

Loading I understand the public had many questions and concerns ... and I understand that they were not answered quickly enough. Cuomo, who is regarded as a moderate Democrat, has long been loathed by his partys progressive wing. In 2018 Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon ran against him in the Democratic primary, accusing him of being a corrupt corporate Democrat. Cuomo easily defeated Nixon by almost 30 percentage points in the primary and later crushed the Republican candidate for governor by 24 points. Until recently, Cuomo seemed set to cruise to a fourth term in 2022 - eclipsing his father Mario, who lost re-election after three terms as New York governor.

A poll released by Siena College last week showed Cuomos approval ratings among New Yorkers had fallen from 77 per cent at the height of the pandemic last year to 56 per cent. Sheinkopf says Cuomo remains absolutely favoured to win re-election given his skills as a fundraiser and his mastery of the local political machinery. Muzzio says Cuomo should feel relieved that an outstanding challenger - either from the left of his own party or a Republican - has yet to emerge. The rule in politics is very simple: you cant beat somebody with nobody, he says. He will now face a serious primary challenge - more serious than he did the last time. Time will tell if he can win again but hes certainly wounded.
In new TN assembly DMK has most MLAs with pending criminal background, crorepatis

Tamil Nadu elections 2021: AIADMK-BJP begin seat sharing talks

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

Chennai Feb 27: The ruling AIADMK and BJP commenced the talks for sharing seats for the April 6 assembly election in the state. Both the parties are likely to arrive at a consensus soon.

A delegation from the BJP which included Union Ministers Kishan Reddy, Gen VK Singh, BJP national general secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu CT Ravi, state party chief L Murugan, held discussions with Chief Minister and AIADMK co-coordinator K Palaniswami and AIADMK coordinator and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam, on Saturday.

Madhya Pradesh CM predicts 'spectacular' win for BJP in West Bengal polls

BJP state organising general secretary Kesava Vinayagan was also present during the talks. The parleys, according to a BJP senior, were cordial and the deal is likely to be clinched soon.

"Our expectation is for 60 assembly constituencies, which we have identified as winnable seats. They (AIADMK) may have their plans. The numbers which will be agreeable to both the parties will be announced," BJP senior M Chakravarthy told reporters.

Congress mocks Petroleum minister over his remark on fuel prices

The AIADMK will hold separate talks with a delegation from the PMK this evening. Actor-politician Vijaykanth-led Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and GK Vasan's Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) are the other allies of the AIADMK.

Meanwhile, R Sarath Kumar, founder of All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) who had been in alliance with the AIADMK for a decade, called on Kamal Haasan, founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam party here on Saturday to discuss the possibility of forging electoral ties for the upcoming election. Speaking to reporters here, he said his party had a chunk of vote bank in Tamil Nadu.

"AISMK was in the AIADMK alliance for 10 years. We waited for a call from the AIADMK, but there was no word. We have decided to move on," Sarath Kumar said and added that he would strive for a change in Tamil Nadu.

On May 2, hold me to my last tweet: Prashant Kishor on West Bengal Assembly elections 2021

Imran Khan says onus of further progress in ties on India | Oneindia News

He had called on Haasan as it was nice for like-minded people to meet, said Sarath Kumar who earlier this week, called on V K Sasikala, the ousted AIADMK general secretary at her residence hereafter she returned to Chennai from Karnataka.

Announcing alliance with Indhiya Jananayaka Katchi (IJK), a political party floated by Lok Sabha MP Paarivendhar, who heads the SRM group of institutions, Sarath Kumar said he has joined hands with IJK to contest the elections "with good people."
NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) commends the Biden Administration's release of a declassified intelligence report on the murder of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

This report establishes the role played by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) in Khashoggi's murder. Per the declassified report, MBS ordered the killing. Khashoggi, a peaceful advocate for democracy, freedom of expression, and universal human rights in Saudi Arabia, was brutally murdered on October 2, 2018, inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, on direct orders from MBS.

"We expect nothing less than justice for Jamal Khashoggi and all of Saudi Arabia's brave dissidents," said HRF President Thor Halvorssen. "MBS has proven that he is unfit to represent the Kingdom on the global stage and we applaud the Biden administration for choosing to engage directly with King Salman. Now the United States and the European Union must urgently place sanctions on MBS himself, along with those within his direct chain-of-command who were involved in the murder."

Today's intelligence report, provided by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, confirms the truths first revealed in HRF's film, THE DISSIDENT , specifically, the accusation that MBS was behind the murder of Khashoggi, and meticulously shows the involvement of MBS' close associates in the killing.

As part of its global campaign to bring attention to the abuses committed by the Saudi regime, HRF produced the critically-acclaimed documentary (directed by the Academy Award-winning director of ICARUS). THE DISSIDENT, released shortly after the second anniversary of Khashoggi's murder, features a wealth of damning information that had never before been available to the public.

Khashoggi was a member of HRF's global community, and he attended the Oslo Freedom Forum hosted by HRF in 2018, just months before his murder. Since then, HRF has led calls for Saudi Arabia's leadership to be held accountable on the world stage for the assassination.

"THE DISSIDENT both preserves Khashoggi's memory, as well as provides credible evidence about the role of the Crown Prince in his murder," said film's producer Jake Swantko. "I am grateful for the Biden Administration's overdue release of the intelligence report, and I hope this is just a first step in establishing real accountability."

The Biden Administration has already begun to recalibrate its relationship with Saudi Arabia; this report illustrates how critical it is that the United States continue to stand against egregious human rights violations, regardless of who is responsible.

"The murder of Jamal Khashoggi is a chilling illustration of the destruction that can result when extreme power goes unchecked," said HRF President Thor Halvorssen. "Dictatorships can be undone through public exposure, and we are committed to sharing this story globally to ensure that MBS and his henchmen face justice. At last."

TAKE ACTION and SIGN THE PETITION to join the global campaign to demand justice for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

About THE DISSIDENT

THE DISSIDENT is a 2020 United States documentary film directed and produced by Bryan Fogel. It follows the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi Arabia's effort to control international dissent. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020.

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. For interview requests of further comment, please e-mail [email protected].

SOURCE Human Rights Foundation
The suspect in the stabbing of an Asian man in New York City's Chinatown walked into the New York County District Attorney's Office and admitted he had just "stabbed a guy up the block," according to Manhattan's Assistant District Attorney Adam Johnson.

According to a criminal complaint, the suspect told authorities, "I stabbed that guy. If he dies, he dies. I dont give a f---," during his arrest processing.

"This is a strong case with video evidence, eyewitnesses, and a confession from the defendant," Johnson said in a statement.

The suspect has been identified as Salman Muflihi, 23, of Brooklyn. Muflihi is facing assault charges as well as one count of attempted murder in the second degree and another count of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree.

"We are continuing to investigate and may bring additional charges if warranted," Johnson said. Muflihi faces a minimum of 5 years in state prison and a maximum of 25 years.

Muflihi is accused of stabbing a 36-year-old man who was walking on the sidewalk at the intersection of Worth and Baxter streets, near federal courthouses. The incident occurred around 6:20 p.m. on Thursday, the New York City Police Department said.

"Without any prior interaction, the Defendant approached the victim from behind, grabbed his shoulder, and plunged the knife into his lower back," Johnson said. As Muflihi ran away from the scene, he said "I'm sorry," an eyewitness told investigators.

The injured man said he "never saw the Defendant and had no idea why he attacked him," according to Johnson.

The man sustained substantial injuries. His liver was punctured and he suffered major internal bleeding. Doctors at Bellevue Hospital removed one of his kidneys and his adrenaline gland, Johnson said, adding that the victim "is currently still in the hospital in critical condition and he may not survive."

Story continues

"This case is every New Yorker's worst nightmare....to be attacked by a complete and total stranger with a large knife for no reason at all," Johnson said.

Muflihi's bail has been set at $500,000.

The stabbing incident came two days after Mayor Bill de Blasio and the commander of the police department's Asian Hate Crime Task Force spoke about crimes targeting Asians in the city and elsewhere.

Since the pandemic, there have been 28 incidents of Covid-related hate crimes against Asians, and all but one involved Asian victims, said NYPD Deputy Inspector Stewart Loo, who heads the Asian Hate Crime Task Force, which was formed last year.

There have been two this year, he said. The year before the pandemic, there were three anti-Asian hate crimes. Loo and de Blasio said hate crimes are often underreported, and they encouraged victims to report them.

Generally, for a violent act to be considered a Covid-related hate crime, there has to be something said or a statement by the assailant, Loo said.

Prior to Muflihi's confession at the New York County District Attorney's Office, the New York City Police Department's hate crimes unit was investigating the attack but their probe ended when Muflihi turned himself in and said that the stabbing was not motivated by race or ethnicity, according to NBC New York.

Update March 3, 2021: Since this story was published, online court records show that Muflihi has not been charged with a hate crime. The Manhattan District Attorney's office did not immediately return a phone call and email for comment on Wednesday.
When the media reported that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had flown to Utah with his wife in the middle of the states power crisis last week, Paxton called it a business trip that had been planned in advance.

Now a group of whistleblowers from his office who sparked an FBI investigation of Paxton are casting doubt on Paxtons explanation.

In court records filed Friday, the whistleblowers say the attorney general had told a Travis County judge he could not appear at a hearing in their case because he was scheduled to be in Austin on Feb. 18 for a House appropriations committee hearing. The committee later canceled the hearing because of the states weather disaster.

Instead, the spokesman for Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said Paxton met with Reyes on the afternoon of Feb. 19 and again on Feb. 21, as first reported by The Dallas Morning News. Paxton has not said when he arrived in Utah; he returned on Feb. 23.

This begs the question: did Paxton pre-plan his Utah trip with plans to skip his legislative testimony, the hearing before this Court, or both? the whistleblowers attorneys wrote in a filing Friday. Or was Paxton simply lying to Texans about his trip to Utah having been pre-planned?

BACKGROUND: AG Ken Paxton and wife Sen. Angela Paxton went to Utah during Texas freeze

Paxtons attorney and his office and campaign spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday night.

In the whistleblower suit, four former aides of Paxton claim that he fired them in retaliation for reporting him to law enforcement on allegations that he committed bribery and abuse of office by helping his friend and campaign donor Nate Paul. Paxton has denied those accusations.

In an unrelated case, Paxton has been under criminal indictment since 2015 for felony securities fraud, but the long-delayed case has yet to go to trial. Hes denied wrongdoing in that case as well.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com
Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In .

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In.
Piers Corbyn has again been arrested for deying orders banning public gatherings in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

The coronavirus conspiracy theorist, 73, was pictured in handcuffs being led away by Metropolitan Police officers in Bishops Park, Fulham, West London, on Saturday.

The brother of former Labour leader Jeremy was among dozens of people who had gathered in defiance of the current lockdown, to march in promotion of his campaign to be elected mayor of London.

Other images showed people dancing in front of a banner which read, 'Let London Live' which is Corbyn's anti-lockdown slogan for the mayoral election.

And a video filmed as police intervened showed protesters shouting 'shame on you' at officers as they surrounded Corbyn, who was holding a microphone. One woman can be heard repeatedly shouting 'You're stopping an election campaign!'

Corbyn has been arrested at least five times since the start of the coronavirus pandemic for defying lockdown restrictions.

The pensioner's latest brush with police comes less than a month after he was detained over leaflets which compared Britain's vaccination programme to the Auschwitz Nazi death camp.

Piers Corbyn has again been arrested after deying orders banning public gatherings in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured: Corbyn is seen being led away by Metropolitan Police officers in Bishops Park, Fulham, West London

At Saturday's protest, another woman was photographed being held face down on the ground as officers handcuffed her

Corbyn has been arrested at lease twice in 2021 for repeatedly protesting in defiance of the current lockdown which was put in place with the aim of slowing the spread of Covid-19 and preventing the NHS from being overwhelmed.

At Saturday's protest, another woman was photographed being held face down on the ground as officers handcuffed her.

The Met has previously warned that protest is not a permitted exemption to the prohibition on gatherings under current coronavirus regulations in England.

While individual activists will be able to campaign outdoors in a COVID-secure way from 8 March - on a one-to-one basis initially - public gatherings in support of an election campaign also remain currently prohibited.

On January 2, Corbyn was among 17 people who were arrested for breaching Health Protection Regulations at the demonstration at Speaker's Corner, in Hyde Park.

A crowd of between 200 and 300 people gathered to protest against lockdown restrictions and their civil liberties being curtailed.

Other images showed people dancing in front of a banner which read, 'Let London Live' and was supportive of Mr Corbyn's campaign to become London mayor

The Met has previously warned that protest is not a permitted exemption to the prohibition on gatherings under current coronavirus regulations in England. Pictured: Marchers on Saturday

It came after Corbyn was fined and arrested on New Year's Day after leading a New Year's Eve anti-lockdown protest near the London Eye, in the centre of the capital.

Corbyn posted a video of what was dubbed the 'NYE Party of Parties' on his Twitter feed, proclaiming: 'TOTAL SUCCESS! #NYEPartyofParties by London Eye.

'Over 1000 defied all threats +chanted #LetLondonLive! & #Corbyn4London after I announced I will stand for Mayor! Thank you +well done all!'

The conspiracy theorist has now been arrested at least five times since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and has received fines totalling more than 10,000.

And at the start of the month, police said Corbyn was detained for 'malicious communications and public nuisance'.

The brother of former Labour leader Jeremy came up with the 'concept' for a pamphlet which features a cartoon drawing of the Nazi death camp.

Above the gates leading into Auschwitz - where 1.2million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust - a sign reads 'vaccines are safe path to freedom'.

Below was an Evening Standard article with the same headline and a caption reading: 'This cynical newspaper headline is in the tradition of the Nazi slogan "Arbeit Macht Frei" (work sets you free) whereas in reality, the truth is the opposite.'

Corbyn is credited for the 'concept' and Alexander Heaton - who was charged with breaking restrictions during protests in May - for the drawing.

The pensioner's arrest comes less than a month after he was detained over leaflets which compared Britain's vaccination programme to the Auschwitz Nazi death camp

Corbyn said officers also searched his flat but did not remove any leaflets, The Evening Standard reported.

He said the police asked him whether the leaflets had 'malicious intent' - but didn't question whether handing them out during lockdown broke the rules.

Corbyn confirmed his arrest but said it was 'completely absurd' to call him anti-Semitic because he was 'married for 22 years to a Jewess'.

The term 'Jewess' is highly-outdated and has accumulated negative connotations - but it is not widely considered a slur.

He told The Jewish Chronicle: 'Obviously her mother's forebears fled the Baltic states just before the war because of Hitler or the Nazis in general.

'I've worked with Jewish leading world scientists over the last 30 years.

'I've also employed Jewish people in my business Weather Action, one of whom was a superb worker.'

Auschwitz-Birkenau (pictured) was a concentration and extermination camp used by the Nazis during World War Two

A police spokesperson said about his previous arrest: 'A 73-year-old man was arrested in Southwark on Wednesday, 3 February on suspicion of malicious communications and public nuisance.

'A 37-year-old man was arrested earlier the same day in Bow, east London, on suspicion of a public order offence.

'Both men were taken to a south London police station. They have since been bailed to return on a date in early March.

'The leaflet contained material that appeared to compare the Covid-19 vaccination programme with the Holocaust.'
Manitoba said it will be ready to dramatically ramp up COVID-19 immunizations, with an online booking system and pharmacy appointments, as it prepares for the arrival of the newly approved AstraZeneca vaccine.

Manitoba said it will be ready to dramatically ramp up COVID-19 immunizations, with an online booking system and pharmacy appointments, as it prepares for the arrival of the newly approved AstraZeneca vaccine.

"Everyone on the team right now is feeling anxious to get going," said Dr. Joss Reimer, the medical lead for Manitoba's vaccine rollout, on Friday.

"As soon as we have those doses, we want to roll them out as quickly as possible."

Earlier, Health Canada announced it had approved the AstraZeneca vaccine, including the version manufactured in India, both of which are much easier to store than the Pfizer and Moderna doses.

Ottawas independent advisory body should soon provide medical guidance on whom provinces should inoculate with the AstraZeneca vaccine, and when to administer second doses. That will include whether to give AstraZeneca doses to people aged 65 and older, who were studied less than other age groups in official trials, but have been immunized in several countries, including the U.K.

The vials should arrive within weeks, and Reimer said there are 250 clinics and pharmacies on the list to administer shots.

"When we have those doses here in Manitoba, were going to ship it to those facilities as quickly as possible," she said.

Doctors Manitoba confirmed its physicians are waiting for the doses to arrive, and encouraged people with questions about the vaccines to contact their family doctor.

"We care about the health and well-being of Manitobans, and we want to support everyone on their personal vaccine journey," wrote spokesman Keir Johnson.

Reimer also said the online booking system already exists, but is being limited to a small pool of people who are currently eligible for a vaccine, so the province can work out any bugs before thousands of people log on.

She anticipated an update on the booking system next week.

Reimer also said the province is trying to figure out how to get doses to people who are infirm.

This week, the Free Press wrote about a 95-year-old Winnipeg man who will need to use a stretcher service to get his vaccinations at the downtown super site.

Taxpayers will likely cover the $1,000 cost for the two return trips, through Veterans Affairs Canada, but the family would prefer everyone have access to transportation or have a nurse visit peoples' homes.

Reimer said Friday the province is looking at transportation options that community organizations could provide, and she noted home visits might be possible with either the AstraZeneca vaccine, or the anticipated changes to storage requirements for Pfizer and Moderna doses.

Also Friday, the province expanded its eligibility criteria to people born on or before Dec. 31, 1928, as well as First Nations people born on or before Dec. 31, 1948.

The Manitoba government also announced its new southern super site will be located at the Access Event Centre in Morden, and should open during the week of March 12, "subject to vaccine availability."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
NEW HAVEN  Police have secured an arrest warrant charging Qinxuan Pan, an MIT graduate student with murder in the shooting death of Kevin Jiang earlier this month.

Matthew Duffy, a U.S. Marshal, confirmed the service is attempting to take Pan into custody on that warrant. The 29-year-old is still believed to be in Georgia, according to Duffy.

New Haven police had previously only named Pan as a person of interest in the fatal Feb. 6 shooting, saying that he was in the area on the night Jiang was killed.

New Haven police have not confirmed the warrants existence. A police spokesman did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Friday night.

Police were called to Lawrence Street near the Nash Street intersection around 8:30 p.m. that evening. There they found Jiang, a 26-year-old Yale graduate student, gunned down.

The marshals office is offering a reward of $10,000 for information leading to Pans apprehension by law enforcement. The U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force has also been asked to assist in finding him.

The television station Fox 61 reported the warrants existence earlier in the evening, citing unnamed police sources.

Authorities believe Pan stole an SUV from a dealership in Mansfield, Mass., swapping out the dealer plates before coming to Connecticut. Pan is wanted by Massachusets authorities for charges related to that theft. New Haven police also have a warrant out for his arrest in the stolen vehicle matter.

Ziang was engaged to be married to his fiancee, Zion Perry. Photos have emerged online that appear to show Perry and Pan together at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology dance in March of last year. New Haven police said they have not ruled out the possibility of a prior relationship between the two.
A war of words has erupted over the timing of Prime Minister Scott Morrisons first coronavirus vaccination, with the federal government fiercely denying claims from Labor and the Greens that the jab was brought forward at the last moment after a difficult political week.

Mr Morrison and Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly were among the first 20 Australians to receive the Pfizer jab at about 11.30am last Sunday morning in a medical clinic in Sydneys Castle Hill.

The first person in Australia to receive the first Pfizer dose was aged care resident and World War II survivor Jane Malysiak, who is pictured with Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Edwina Pickles

The Prime Ministers office said Mr Morrisons first jab was booked in on February 10 at 2.23pm - before the vaccines arrived in Australia on the 15th - and was scheduled for Sunday February 21. They also shared a partial screen shot to back this up.

But multiple Labor and Greens sources - who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to speak publicly - said they had verbal confirmation from Health Minister Greg Hunts office that the initial plan had been for Mr Morrison, Labor leader Anthony Albanese and Greens leader Adam Bandt to all receive their Pfizer jab last Tuesday February 23 at 8.30am in Canberra.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 27, 2021 - 23:51 | World, All

A woman who was participating in a demonstration against the Feb. 1 coup was shot dead Saturday in Monywa in the central part of the country, local media outlets reported.

However, there was confusion about her condition after another media outlet corrected an earlier report, and now says that the woman is alive but seriously injured.

According to reports, in addition to the woman, several other demonstrators were injured. The woman is believed to have been shot by security forces, who were reportedly dispatched to disband demonstrators in the area and repeatedly discharged a water cannon.

At least three other protesters have been shot dead by security forces in the capital Naypyitaw and the second-largest city Mandalay during the sweeping demonstrations against the military takeover that began Feb. 6.

Security forces have stepped up their crackdowns on the protests, detaining about 200 people nationwide on Saturday, including about 140 in the largest city Yangon, according to the reports.

Three journalists, including a Myanmar photographer from The Associated Press, were among those detained in Yangon, the reports said.

Tensions have also been mounting as uncertainty remains over the whereabouts of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was moved from her home in Naypyitaw last Saturday to an undisclosed location, a local news outlet reported Friday, citing sources within her National League for Democracy party.

The military had been keeping Suu Kyi at her home since it detained her and other top government figures in early morning raids as part of its coup.

Meantime, Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations, has expressed opposition to the military coup.

In a speech to the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Friday, the ambassador implored the international community to "use any means necessary" to stop the military from continuing to crack down on civilians.

The United Nations, however, is unlikely to take in-depth measures, such as introducing sanctions on Myanmar, partly because China, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council with veto power, continues to avoid leveling criticism against the coup.

A diplomatic source said the likelihood that the Security Council will slap sanctions on the Southeast Asian country is "unrealistic."

Related coverage:

G-7 foreign ministers rap violence on peaceful protests in Myanmar

Myanmar sees largest-scale protests since coup
the Kelly Clarkson show/ youtube Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson opened Thursday's remote episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show with a particularly special song for her guest, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.

The three-time Grammy winner sang a slowed down version of "Get Together" by the Youngbloods, before she sat down for her hour-long chat with the first lady in the White House's historic East Room.

"I actually did not know this song," Clarkson, 38, told Biden, 69, afterwards. "I always get excited when people pick songs I didn't know before and I get to learn them."

"I love this song!" Biden replied. "I think it's so perfect for today, because our country has been so divided. Now, if we could just come together and solve our differences."

Clarkson and Biden sat down for an interview in front of the same fireplace where former President Franklin D. Roosevelt began his famous "fireside chats" in 1933.

RELATED: Jill Biden Gets Right to Work While Still Teaching: The New First Lady Talks White House Plans

The pair discussed a range of personal and national topics, as Biden gave Clarkson advice on healing after divorce, shared details about her nightly dinners with President Joe Biden, and talked about the issues she and other educators are experiencing while teaching virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And as for the first lady's plans once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted?

"Maybe go have a martini and some french fries," Biden said with a laugh.

Chandler West/ White House First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Kelly Clarkson

Adam Schultz/White House President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, and Kelly Clarkson

But while Clarkson and Biden struck a positive note throughout their interview, the two did not ignore the crippling global health crisis or the divisive point the U.S. is at historically.

Pausing for a moment to think back to the country's divisions during the 1960s, amid the Vietnam War and the birth of the Civil Rights movement, Biden said the message behind The Youngbloods' song is still one that resonates today.

Story continues

"[The '60s were] a similar time when people were divided," the first lady told Clarkson. "The Youngbloods came out with this song and everybody would be singing it and everybody would come together. It's a strong message."

RELATED: First Lady Dr. Jill Biden Gives Kelly Clarkson Advice on Managing a Divorce in New Interview

Clarkson replied, "That's why I love being a part of music so much."

"Because we're able to create something that, even if you're from different walks of life, you can come together and love a song together and sing a song together," the host said.

"Well, I could listen to your voice all day!" Dr. Biden then told Clarkson, who joked that she only had four-and-a-half hours sleep before their interview.

"You got my raspy, Janis Joplin version," Clarkson laughed.
A civil sexual abuse lawsuit brought against longtime Southern Baptist Convention leader Paul Pressler will be allowed to proceed, a Texas appellate court decided last week in a reversal of a lower courts ruling.

The case was put on hold because the lower court ruled that Presslers accuser, Duane Rollins, missed the statute of limitations deadline to file a claim. In Texas, courts give victims of child sex abuse five years to file civil lawsuits against perpetrators.

We are pleased with the court of appeals decision, which will finally give Duane his long-awaited day in court, said Michael Goldberg, an attorney representing Rollins.

The court reversed the decision because it found Rollins was barred from reporting the abuse sooner by limitations, including post-traumatic stress disorder.

The courts opinion recognizes the impact that childhood trauma can have on individuals like Duane and provides a sensible exception to the legal barriers that so often prevent sexual-assault victims from having their allegations heard by a jury of their peers, Goldberg said.

Pressler, a retired justice of the Texas 14th Circuit Court of Appeals and a leader in the conservative movement within the Southern Baptist Church, is accused in the lawsuit of repeatedly raping one boy begining at age 14 in 1980 and continuing for 24 years. Several others have accused Pressler, now 90, in other lawsuits of sexually abusing them as children and adults over a span of 40 years.

Pressler was a youth pastor at Houstons Bethel Church, First and Second Baptist churches, a state representative and served as an appellate judge for 14 years. Pressler has denied the allegations of sexual abuse. Attempts to reach him for comment Friday were unsuccessful.

Rollins said that Pressler manipulated him so that he would not report the abuse by saying that the rapes were divinely approved and had to be kept secret because no one but God would understand, court documents say.

An altercation between Pressler and Rollins in 2003 in a Dallas hotel room resulted in a simple assault lawsuit settlement. Pressler agreed to pay Rollins $450,000 if Rollins didnt publicly disclose the cause of the fight or details about the settlement, court records say. Rollins said these payments kept him from filing a sexual abuse claim sooner.

Rollins said he first realized what Pressler had done was abuse after a psychiatric counseling session in 2015. Rollins was in prison at the time and filed the lawsuit when he was released in 2017, court documents say.

Attorneys for Rollins argued he was of unsound mind to make the allegations until his 2015 breakthrough in therapy.

Dr. Harvey A. Rosenstock, Rollins psychiatrist, submitted affidavits stating that the man had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as well as drug and alcohol abuse.

The psychiatrist said Rollins was of unsound mind which rendered him incapable of making diligent inquiry as to the reasons for his repeated intoxication followed by appropriate action.

The abuse Rollins suffered was sufficiently traumatic to cause these overwhelmingly painful memories to be defensively repressed and dissociated until a safer time in the name of survival, Rosenstock said in an affidavit.

Attorneys representing Pressler argued Rollins was of sound mind in 2004 when he filed the simple assault lawsuit and questioned Rosenstocks credibility.

However, the court ruled in favor of Rollins appeal and said in its opinion that post-traumatic stress disorder and memory loss associated with it can legally qualify as unsound mind.

The case can now return to the trial court. Rollins claim demands $1 million for damages.

hannah.dellinger@chron.com
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Fine Gael Senator, Regina Doherty told the Seanad last week of the 'heartbreaking' story of an elderly retired couple in Fingal whose house is 'beginning to crumble around them' due to pyrite.

Calling for the expansion of supports for homeowners whose dwellings are affected by pyrite, Senator Doherty said the Minister of State was 'well aware' that the pyrite remediation scheme eligibility conditions - specifically the construction date - limit the remediations to dwellings built after 1997 and before 2014.

Senator Doherty said she has been corresponding recently with the Pyrite Resolution Board over a particular Fingal couple and was told by the board that the reason for these dates was because the earliest identified cases related to 1997.

While that might have been the case during the development of the pyrite panel in 2012, she said, homeowners of dwellings built prior to 1997 are now noticing serious 'pyritic heave' and associated damages to their homes.

While this elderly couple 'fit nearly all the other eligibility criteria', the construction date restriction is making sure that they cannot get access to this scheme, she said.

Senator Doherty said: 'I recently moved to the constituency of Dublin Fingal. I have had a number of families from Lusk and Rush contact me, including one particular family. There should not be a hierarchy but the situation for this family is heartbreaking because they are an elderly retired couple.

'They are deeply frustrated and upset. I would go so far as to tell the Minister of State that their mental health is being seriously damaged because they see no resolution or way out and that the entire process is affecting them in a serious way.

'They became so concerned that their house, which was constructed in 1990, was beginning to crumble around them that they commissioned their own chartered engineer's report to do a full investigation....The findings noted that the blockwork used in the construction of the house contained the deleterious material pyrite and it caused an eventual gradual breakdown and a total loss to their structural integrity.'

Senator Doherty noted the Department last year launched the new defective concrete blocks grant scheme for Mayo and Donegal.

That scheme might be relevant now in North County Dublin, she said.

Senator Doherty said politicians have all seen the 'deep distress' people living with pyrite are under, and she has been 'lucky enough' to see the relief when a house is remediated.

The Fine Gael Senator said she did not know whether the solution is to amend the pyrite remediation scheme or to include these in the other scheme, and noted the issue is not unique to North County Dublin.

She asked the Minister of State to request the extension of either the pyrite remediation scheme or the defective concrete blocks grant scheme to allow people with houses built prior to 1997 to access the supports they need.
Blinken announces the 'Khashoggi Act' that will ban foreigners' entry into US who threaten dissidents or harass reporters and their families

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (L) during a press conference in the Bahraini capital Manama and a file photo taken on April 12, 2018 of Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman poses at La Moncloa palace in Madrid. (AFP)

WASHINGTON: The United States on Friday for the first time publicly accused Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of approving the gruesome murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but stopped short of targeting the powerful heir apparent.

The prince, who is de facto ruler of the US ally and oil provider, "approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," said an intelligence report newly declassified by President Joe Biden's administration.

The report said that given Prince Mohammed's influence, it was "highly unlikely" that the 2018 murder could have taken place without his green light. The killing also fit a pattern of "the crown prince's support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad."

Khashoggi, a US resident and critic of Prince Mohammed who wrote for The Washington Post, was lured to Istanbul's Saudi consulate in October 2018, then killed and cut into pieces.

The Treasury Department announced it was freezing assets and criminalizing transactions with a former intelligence official as well as the Rapid Intervention Force, an elite unit the report said "exists to defend the crown prince" and "answers only to him."

Biden said Friday that "we are going to hold (Saudi Arabia) accountable for human rights abuses. This report has been sitting there, the last administration wouldn't even release it... it is outrageous what happened."

But the United States stopped short of directly targeting the 35-year-old crown prince, known by his initials MBS.

In honor of the slain writer, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the "Khashoggi Act" that will ban entry into the United States of foreigners who threaten dissidents or harass reporters and their families and immediately placed 76 Saudis on the blacklist.

"We have made absolutely clear that extraterritorial threats and assaults by Saudi Arabia against activists, dissidents and journalists must end. They will not be tolerated by the United States," Blinken said in a statement.

- Not seeking 'rupture' -

Blinken, questioned by reporters, said "this is bigger than any one person," explaining Biden was trying "not to rupture the relationship, but to recalibrate to be more in line with our interests and our values."

An advocacy group founded by Khashoggi, Democracy for the Arab World Now, called on the president to impose sanctions on Prince Mohammed -- with a number of lawmakers from Biden's Democratic Party also pushing for more action.

"We must also ensure that there are real consequences for individuals like MBS; if not, autocrats around the world will get the message that impunity is the rule," said Bob Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The Saudi foreign ministry in a statement denounced the "negative, false and unacceptable assessment" and rejected "any measure that infringes upon its leadership."

The Saudi government, which initially said it had no information on Khashoggi, says it accepts responsibility for the killing but casts it as a rogue operation that did not involve the prince.

Biden's decision to release the report -- first completed under Donald Trump -- was a sharp departure from his predecessor, who had vowed to keep working with Saudi Arabia due to the kingdom's lavish purchases of US weapons and shared hostility toward Iran.

Biden spoke late Thursday with 85-year-old King Salman after the White House made clear he had no intention of speaking to the crown prince, who by contrast had formed a friendship with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

- Fatal consulate appointment -

A veteran Saudi journalist who had gone into self-exile, Khashoggi was told by Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States to go to the kingdom's Istanbul consulate if he wanted to obtain documents for his forthcoming marriage to a Turkish woman, Hatice Cengiz.

Within minutes of entering the building on October 2, 2018, the 59-year-old was strangled and his body dismembered by a 15-member team allegedly sent from Riyadh under the direction of a top aide to Prince Mohammed, Saud al-Qahtani.

The intelligence report said seven of the 15 Saudis came from the Rapid Intervention Force, which it said had earlier acted to suppress dissent in the kingdom and abroad.

The Central Intelligence Agency had quickly concluded that Prince Mohammed ordered the assassination but Trump refused to release the report.

A US official said it was "obviously reality" that the new administration will still have to deal with the prince, who is also defense minister, on issues including oil, Iran and Yemen, where Biden has cut support for Saudi's devastating offensive.

Few observers of Saudi Arabia believe the murder could have taken place without the knowledge of Prince Mohammed, a calculating strongman who has jailed critics and locked up competing factions in the royal family.
A welcome change in national leadership in the U.S. means little for the scourge of racism infecting the nationunless words are matched by action.

by Sonali Kolhatkar

There is a scene in the new film Judas and the Black Messiah, directed by Shaka King and produced by Ryan Coogler, in which Chairman Fred Hampton of the Illinois Black Panther Party explains to a group of Black students that just because their school was allowing them to change its name to Malcolm X College did not mean they were now free from oppression. Hampton, who is played by actor Daniel Kaluuya in the film, clarified that there is a difference between revolution and the candy-coated facade of gradual reform. Hampton, a real-life revolutionary who was murdered by the state in 1969 at just 21 years of age, was ultimately seen as the greater danger to American society than white supremacy and racism.

Indeed candy-coated reform is all that most politicians have offered Black communities in America for decades. Evidence of it abounds in the form of damning statistical measures showing racial discrimination against Black Americans in health (including from the novel coronavirus), law enforcement, criminal justice, voting rights, education, employment (including during the pandemic), housing, and life expectancy before and especially during the past year.

The starkest symbol of how little the lives of Black people mean to the state are the ongoing reckless killings by police that almost always go unpunished. In one of the more recent and widely covered instances, the brutal police killing of Daniel Prude in Rochester, New York, that took place nearly a year ago as he lay naked, hooded, and handcuffed in the middle of the street, has gone unpunished after a grand jury declined to press charges. Although a medical examiner ruled that he had died from complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint, and the police initially refused to release the incriminating and deeply disturbing video of his last conscious minutes of life, it seems that there will be no justice for Prude.

Prude, like countless other Black people killed by policewhether they were women like Breonna Taylor, or children like Tamir Riceare sacrifices to the altar of white supremacy. They are daily reminders of the bottom-rung status that Black people occupy in the American consciousness. Even George Floyd, whose deadly videotaped encounter with Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was so egregious and widely viewed that even Donald Trump, among some of the nations most vociferous white supremacists, could not immediately deny the injustice that unfolded, is yet to receive justice. Floyd would have likely been alive today had Chauvin only been held accountable for the previous incidents in which he attempted to use fatal force, including at least one in which he placed his knee on the neck of a Black suspect.

Meanwhile, all that is offered up in response to widespread anger over police killings are more examples of candy-coated reform. No matter how much money is spent on training police to not be so violent, they routinely kill on average about 1,000 Americans a year, with stunning consistency. Their victims are disproportionately Black.

White supremacists emboldened by Donald Trumps presidency want to ensure that justice will remain ever elusive. In a stunning exchange between Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) and Judge Merrick Garland at a recent hearing for Garlands nomination as attorney general, Kennedy spent more than five minutes attempting to trap the judge over his position on racism. The white Southern conservative senator who voted to acquit Trump of responsibility for the January 6 Capitol riot, who cast doubt on the results of the 2020 election, and who denounced four congresswomen of color (the Squad) as whack jobs tried vainly to test Garlands understanding of the definitions of systemic racism and implicit bias.

Kennedy was clearly hoping he could get the judge to claim that entire agencies in the U.S. government were racist because there might be some evidence of systemic racism in their ranks. The senatormore invested in being protected against accusations of racism than actually not being racistis a powerful elected official representing a state with the second-largest percentage of its population that is Black in the nation.

The nations standard for tackling racial discrimination in the United States is so low that the fact that Garland, the man who would be the nations top cop, was able to clearly explain systemic racism and accept that it does indeed exist has been hailed as a triumph. What went less noticed is Garlands absurd defense of the extraordinarily generous funding that police departments enjoy because Capitol police officers were attacked by white supremacist Trump supporters on January 6. He told senators that he is of the same mind as the current liberal president: Biden has said he does not support defunding the police, and neither do I. Garland said he believes in giving resources to police departments to help them reform and gain the trust in their communities. In other words, he understands there is deep racism in American society but is unwilling to take the hard steps to dismantle it.

The main difference between white supremacist supporters of police and liberal reformist supporters of police centers on rhetoric. The former group wants to claim American racism is over while the latter wants credit for admitting it is still a problem. Regardless of who is making decisionsKennedy, Trump, Garland, or Bidenpolice are free to keep killing Black people with impunity.

Rather than be distracted by pretty words, following the money offers a much clearer picture of liberal priorities. American cities, including those run by Democrats, spend inordinately large percentages of their budgets on police. The central demand of Black Lives Matter, to defund the police, has largely gone unmet. It matters little how much lip service politicians, institutions, corporations, and others paid to the notion of equality last year when mass protests rocked the nation over Floyds killing. If offenders are not held legally accountable and money is not moved to reflect a priority for racial justice, empty words are nothing more than candy-coated reform.

Judas and the Black Messiah reminds Americans that just a few decades ago, law enforcement officials from the city, county, and federal level collaborated to brutally murder Fred Hampton, a charismatic revolutionary leader of the Black Panther Party. While law enforcement painted the killing as a justifiable response to shots fired at them during a raid of Hamptons apartment, in the end it was determined that only one shot was fired by the Panthers while police unloaded nearly 100 bullets, killing Hampton and one of his colleagues and injuring others. No officer was ever held accountable, but the survivors of the attack were instead charged with attempted murderas stark an example as one might find of the racism of American justice.

Having just experienced a dramatic change in leadership from an avowed and dangerous white supremacist to a more traditional liberal leader, the nation has understandably breathed a sigh of relief. After four years of openly racist rhetoric, policies and actions, even the diverse demographics of President Bidens Cabinet appointments are enough to inspire excitement for a better future. But weve been here before. Reforming the police is simply not as good as defunding the police. The symbolic hallmarks of reform are no substitute for revolutionary change.

This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute.

Sonali Kolhatkar is 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.
Several Cauchetier photos from Breathless are classics. One has Mr. Belmondo and Ms. Seberg strolling on the Champs-Elysees, a broken-nose tough-guy with a dangling cigarette and a girl in a New York Herald Tribune T-shirt, chased by Mr. Godard and a canvas-covered mailmans trolley cart with a hole for the camera. Another, of Ms. Seberg kissing Mr. Belmondo tenderly on the cheek, became a cult favorite.

Im always surprised when one of my photographs is seen as emblematic, symbolizing not just the New Wave but also a whole era, even sometimes France itself, Mr. Cauchetier said in his art book. Yet over the course of time, it is the photograph that constitutes the principal memory of a film.

Another famous Cauchetier photo, for Jules and Jim, caught Jeanne Moreau and her lovers, Oskar Werner and Henri Serre, running across a railway bridge, a wave of joy on each face drawn in the split second of an f-stop.

Mr. Cauchetiers photographs documented two dozen New Wave films, including Mr. Godards A Woman Is a Woman (1960), Jacques Roziers Adieu Philippine (1962), Agnes Vardas Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962), Chabrols Bluebeard (1963), Demys Bay of Angels (1963), and Truffauts The Soft Skin (1964) and Stolen Kisses (1968).

The Wave continued into the early 1970s. But by 1968 Mr. Cauchetier, approaching 50, had tired of the paltry wages of movie-set photography and quit French cinema altogether. His career extended into his 90s, though many critics regard his New Wave work as his finest.

His photographs, John Bailey wrote in American Cinematographer in 2010, consistently tell a story that gives much insight to both the formal style of the New Wave, and to the up-from-the-bootstraps camaraderie and hardscrabble improvisations of these no-budget movies that today have become chapter headings in film history.
After weeks of upheaval, tears, shock and anger, the decision to relocate the Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School to a site at St Oliver's CC was finally reversed last week.

What appeared to be a snap decision to build a new 500 student school on the Rathmullen Road in the space of a few months caused outrage amongst everyone concerned with the Mill Road school.

But students began their own campaign to stay in their present home and the pressure eventually brought its reward - with a hint of common sense thrown in.

Educate Together confirmed that the Department of Education had reached agreement in principle to purchase a permanent site for the school which incorporates its current temporary site on Mill Road, so that a permanent building can be constructed at the school's current location.

'Educate Together, as patron of the school, has been in regular contact with the Department of Education and the Drogheda ETSS board of management in relation to the school's location and accommodation in recent weeks.

'Educate Together would like to acknowledge the significant efforts of all those who have worked to find this solution for the school, and in particular the Department of Education; the purchase of this site will facilitate the development of the school in its current location and benefit the local community in East Meath for decades to come. Educate Together is also grateful to Louth and Meath Education and Training Board and the management of St Olivers Community College for offering to provide space for the temporary relocation of Drogheda ETSS, which will not now no longer necessary,' they stated.

'Thanks are also due to the school's Board of Management, and to the families, students, staff, public representatives and members of the community who made their voices heard on the need to keep Drogheda ETSS in its local community.'

Educate Together CEO Emer Nowlan said the school can now continue to grow and develop in its current location, becoming a thriving school serving the community in East Meath.

' It is particularly welcome news for students in the school and their families, for whom the uncertainty of recent weeks has been unsettling,' she said. 'Educate Together continue to call for a cross-departmental review of the wider planning processes around school buildings and school sites.'

The parents building committee reacted with relief over the whole thing.

' We are extremely grateful to all of our local TDs who worked tirelessly over the past weeks to ensure our school remains on the Mill Road. Thank you so much - Fergus O'Dowd, Ged Nash, Imelda Munster & Thomas Byrne. We also really appreciate all the support given to us by the local community and representatives over the last three weeks, including the over 3600 people who signed our petition,' Rory Scott and Liz Donnelly said.

'We would also like to thank Meath County Council for their trojan work in helping get this over the line in partnership with the Department of Education and the landowner. Most importantly, thank you to all our parents, students, our amazing school principal Susan Campbell, teachers and staff for so passionately supporting our school and rejecting the move. Your voice to ensure our wonderful school remained at the heart of our community was heard loud and clear and was instrumental in creating a strong, united message to government.

'We want to acknowledge and thank all our local media for amplifying our united voice during the past weeks - LMFM, DroghedaLife, Drogheda Independent, Meath Chronicle and the Drogheda Leader.'

They say students could enjoy midterm and 'they know the school staff can't wait to welcome their students back to Drogheda ETSS on the Mill Road very soon.

'Whilst we very much appreciate that the decision to relocate our school has been reversed we call on the relevant departments to engage with key stakeholders, in particular students and parents before decisions such as this are taken in an arbitrary manner. This has been an incredibly stressful time for students, parents and the schools staff and we do hope that no other school and community has to endure what we just experienced.

'We trust all key parties will ensure that building works begin as soon as possible and we look forward to seeing our permanent school flourish on the Mill Road as a key part of our powerful, united community.'

Department could not walk away from 2m

Local political figures welcomed the decision to keep the school on its present site.

'Information released to me last week by the Department that the State spent 2.12m already on the site was, I believe, the straw that broke the camel's back. The Department could not walk away from the site and justify this level of spending,' Ged Nash TD said.

' I want to congratulate all the students, parents & guardians and staff who campaigned on this important issue, but it was sad to say the least that so much unnecessary distress was caused along the way.'

Fergus O'Dowd TD said that the overall site will be 11 acres and agreement in principle had been agreed on the future development

'None of this could have been achieved without all of your support, I would also like personally thank your Principal Susan Campbell who has managed the situation professionally and assuredly at all times in what has been a very difficult couple of weeks.

'Of course a massive thank you must go to the parents and lead campaigners including Rory Scott and others who made the decision to say no in the face of such an unjust and unacceptable proposal,' he said.

Imelda Munster TD also raised the matter with Tanaiste Leo Varadkar and had previously written to Minister Norma Foley TD and the planning section at the Department of Education requesting a site visit.

'The Department made the wrong decision here. Decisions of this magnitude have consequences, and those who are taking those decisions need to be fully informed.' she said.
 Flash

China welcomes foreign people from all walks of life to visit and take a look at Xinjiang, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.



Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a press briefing when responding to a question on China inviting representatives from the EU and its member states to visit Xinjiang.

"In the past few years, more than 1,200 diplomats, journalists and religious figures from more than 100 countries have visited Xinjiang," said Wang, adding that through field visits, they have learned the actual situation in Xinjiang and held that what they have seen in Xinjiang is completely different from the reports of some Western media.

China welcomes diplomats from the EU and its member states to visit Xinjiang and has sent out multiple invitations, said Wang, adding that China tried its best to make thoughtful arrangements for them in accordance with their wishes and has shown the greatest sincerity and flexibility.

However, it is regrettable that the European side has kept delaying the visits and made some unreasonable demands including meeting with criminals sentenced for engaging in separatist activities, Wang said.

"It makes people feel that as long as China does not follow what the European side asked, they are not interested in visiting Xinjiang," said the spokesperson.

"This is obviously a provocative move that ignores Chinese law and interferes in China's judicial sovereignty," said Wang.

The door of Xinjiang is wide open, and China's invitation and sincerity remain unchanged; however, a visiting mission should not be an "investigative mission" based on the presumption of guilt, Wang noted.
A U.N. investigation into the attack on a humanitarian convoy in Congo that killed the Italian ambassador, his bodyguard and driver will look into whether the long-planned security protocols were followed and whether information might have leaked to the armed group blamed for the ambush.

The deputy communications director of the World Food Programme, Greg Barrow, told an online briefing Friday that the February 21 mission to bring Ambassador Luca Attanasio to a WFP school feeding programme in eastern Congo had been in the works since 2020.

Advance planning and security meetings as well as security briefings took place up to the moment the seven-member team took off from Goma, in Congo's east, in a two-car convoy bound for the program in Rutshuru, he said.

"Very careful planning went on ahead of this visit," he said.

Italy's ambassador to Congo, Luca Attanasio, his security escort Carabiniere paramilitary officer Vittorio Iacovacci and the WFP's Congolese driver Moustapha Milambo were killed Monday when an armed group stopped them and ordered them out of their cars.

Milambo was killed instantly, and Attanasio and Iacovacci were fatally shot in an ensuing shootout after a nearby ranger patrol arrived on the scene.

Italy has formally asked the U.N. for an inquiry into what happened amid questions about whether the U.N. security arrangements were sufficient for the mission.

The U.N. has said the road had been declared "green" by the U.N. and cleared for travel without security escorts or armored vehicles.

The WFP says it is cooperating in the Italian, Congolese and U.N. investigations.

Barrow said the U.N. probe would scrutinize the preparatory meetings leading up to the mission itself as well as whether security protocols were followed.

"The main focus of the fact finding mission will be on what security protocols were undertaken, how they were followed and what steps were taken to minimize any sort of risk to any of those who were on this mission," he said.

"And that would include any access to any advance information or contemporary information about the trips."

He said that while the attack had prompted an automatic security review, WFP had no plans to alter its humanitarian efforts in Congo.

It wasn't immediately clear why Attanasio was inspecting the food program since Italy wasn't funding it.

One of the survivors of the ambush, WFP's deputy country director Rocco Leone, said it was incumbent on the surviving four members of the mission to establish the truth of what transpired.

"I am sure that I speak for everyone in saying that I look forward to the facts behind this tragic incident being soon established, and so that the perpetrators of this heinous attack can be brought to justice," Leone said in a statement read by Barrow.

"It is important that humanitarian operations can continue unhampered to save and change the lives of the many needy people whom we are here to serve.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)

Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
New Delhi: Just as the Election Commission of India announced the polling dates for four states and a Union Territory, political strategist Prashant Kishor from West Bengal on Saturday (February 27) said that one of the key battles for democracy will be fought in the state.

The political strategist took it to his official social media handle to share Trinamool Congress's main slogan, "Bengal only wants its own daughter" via tweet.

"One of the key battles FOR DEMOCRACY in India will be fought in West Bengal, and the people of Bengal are ready with their MESSAGE and determined to show the RIGHT CARD - #BanglaNijerMeyekeiChay (Bengal Only Wants its Own Daughter) PS: On 2nd May, hold me to my last tweet," he wrote.

One of the key battles FOR DEMOCRACY in India will be fought in West Bengal, and the people of Bengal are ready with their MESSAGE and determined to show the RIGHT CARD - #BanglaNijerMeyekeiChay (Bengal Only Wants its Own Daughter) PS: On 2nd May, hold me to my last tweet. pic.twitter.com/vruk6jVP0X  Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) February 27, 2021

Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor's company, I-PAC, is actively assisting the West Bengals ruling party in mapping out a strategy to stop the BJPs influence in the state.

ALSO READ: Assembly elections 2021 guide: Voters need to carry THESE documents to cast vote

On Friday (February 26) Election Commission announced that the West Bengal elections will be held in eight phases on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. The results will be declared on May 2. The Election Commission stated that the reason for adding more phases to the assembly state elections was concerns over possible political violence during the polls.

Earlier, Current CM of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee slammed the poll panel for the decision to hold voting in eight-phases.

"Bihar has 240 seats and had elections in three phases. Tamil Nadu has 234 seats and will have election in one day. Why eight phases here? Who is benefitting...This is as per BJP requisition," she said on Friday.

Live TV
(Updates with ambulance service saying shot woman has been wounded not killed, comment from activist)

* Police around the country move to end protests

* Woman shot, wounded in Monwya town - ambulance service

* Ambassador to the U.N. urges 'strongest' action

* Concern over Suu Kyi's whereabouts

Feb 27 (Reuters) - Police launched their most sweeping crackdown in three weeks of protests against military rule on Saturday in towns and cities across Myanmar, and one woman was shot and wounded and dozens of people were detained.

Three domestic media outlets said earlier that the woman shot in the central town of Monwya had died but an ambulance service official said she was in hospital. The circumstances of the shooting were not clear and police were not available for comment.

The violence came after Myanmar's U.N. envoy, saying he was speaking for the ousted civilian government, urged the United Nations to use "any means necessary" to reverse the Feb. 1 coup.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army seized power and detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and much of her party leadership, alleging fraud in a November election her party won in a landslide.

The coup, which stalled Myanmar's progress toward democracy, has brought hundreds of thousands of protesters onto the streets and drawn condemnation from Western countries, with some imposing limited sanctions.

Police were out in force in cities and towns from early on Saturday in their most determined effort yet to stamp out the protests.

In the main city of Yangon, police took up positions at usual protest sites and detained people as they congregated, witnesses said. Several journalists were detained, their media organisations and colleagues said.

Confrontations developed as more people came out despite the police operation.

Crowds chanted and sang then scattered into side streets and buildings as police advanced, firing tear gas, setting off stun grenades and shooting guns into the air, witnesses said.

Story continues

"People are protesting peacefully but they're threatening us with weapons," youth activist Shar Yamone told Reuters.

"We're fighting to end to this military bullying which has been going on for generation after generation."

Some protesters threw up barricades across streets. Crowds eventually thinned but police in Yangon were still chasing groups and firing into the air in the late afternoon, witnesses said. Police detained numerous people through the day and set upon some with clubs.

Similar scenes played out in the second city of Mandalay and other towns, witnesses and media said. Among those detained in Mandalay was Win Mya Mya, one of two Muslim members of parliament for Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), media said.

Aye Aye Tint, a protester in the central town of Monwya said police had fired water cannon as they surrounded a crowd.

Junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing has said authorities have been using minimal force. Nevertheless, at least three protesters have died over the days of turmoil. The army says a policeman was killed in earlier violence.

Uncertainty has grown over Suu Kyi's whereabouts, as an independent media website on Friday quoted officials of her party as saying she had been moved this week from house arrest to an undisclosed location.

Activists called for another day of protests on Sunday.

'PREVAIL'

At the U.N. General Assembly on Friday, Myanmar's Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun said he was speaking on behalf of Suu Kyi's government and appealed for help.

"We need further strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup," he said.

Reuters was not immediately able to contact the army for comment.

U.N. Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews said he was overwhelmed by the ambassador's "act of courage", adding on Twitter "It's time for the world to answer that courageous call with action".

China's envoy did not criticise the coup and said the situation was an internal Myanmar affair, adding that China supported a diplomatic effort by southeast Asian countries to find a solution.

The Myanmar generals have traditionally shrugged off diplomatic pressure. Australia's Woodside Petroleum Ltd said it was cutting its presence in Myanmar over concern about rights violations and violence.

Suu Kyi, 75, spent nearly 15 years under house arrest during military rule. She faces charges of illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios and of violating a natural disaster law by breaching coronavirus protocols.

A lawyer for her, Khin Maung Zaw, told Reuters he had also heard that she had been moved from her home in the capital, Naypyitaw, but could not confirm it. Authorities did not respond to a request for comment.

The lawyer said he had been given no access to Suu Kyi ahead of her next hearing on Monday and he was concerned about her access to justice and legal counsel. (Reporting by Reuters Staff Writing by Robert Birsel Editing by William Mallard, Clarence Fernandez and Frances Kerry)
Housing Advice For Housing Amid the Pandemic

Close



(Photo : Housing Advice For Housing Amid the Pandemic)

Since March of 2020, students in New York and across the country have faced challenges in their everyday lives that ultimately impacted their education. The coronavirus pandemic resulted in young adults losing their jobs and, subsequently, the means to keep up with college expenses. As the nation went into lockdown, students living on campus and student housing units found themselves without a safe space to shelter in place.

While statewide lockdowns were lifted and many universities opened their doors for the fall 2020 semester, student housing remains an issue. Colleges implemented health and safety regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The most significant rule of limiting the number of occupants in dorm rooms and student housing units meant many out-of-state and international students were left with an uphill battle.

Housing Issues For Students

Young adults that generally relied on the universities for shelter had few options. Some colleges were able to secure temporary housing through local hotels. While nightly rates were the same as other housing options, students don't have access to amenities they needed for daily survival. Consequently, this change resulted in higher expenses for already strapped students and their families. While sharing living space and splitting the bills used to be an effective solution, the limited space in hotel rooms reduces the number of roommates students can accommodate.

Finding A Solution

If you or someone you know struggles with student housing, continue reading for a few suggestions on managing during these uncertain times.

Search Outside Of Campus

Don't limit yourself to student housing provided by the university. If you're going to have a place to stay, you may need to look at other living accommodations. Students could consider renting a house or apartment through a vacation rental platform. Depending on availability, you could secure a residence without a lease and live comfortably throughout the school year.

Other housing alternatives are hotels and motels. While some hotels in New York are a bit high priced, there are others within your budget. Just ensure that they have amenities like microwaves and mini-fridges for storing and preparing food. Finally, there are furnished apartments. Students can secure a simple apartment in the city equipped with everything they need to survive the school year. Some companies offer flexible leasing options, so students don't feel locked into a contract should something happen.

Take Virtual Tours

Out-of-state or international students searching for housing in New York face another issue - visiting properties in the middle of a pandemic. Traveling back and forth along with entering multiple properties puts their health at risk. Ultimately, the most convenient way to see a potential house or apartment for rent is to request a virtual tour. Students can view the premises online until they've found one that suits their needs. This concept eliminates the need for frequent travel and keeps them safe during the pandemic.

Choose Roommates Wisely

If your hotel, motel, house, or apartment has enough space, having a roommate will reduce the costs. As you search for the ideal student to live with, remember to take precautions. While financial discipline is a good quality to consider, you must also think about their lifestyle and personality. Are they responsible? Will they be safe when going out in public? Will they follow the guidelines of wearing masks in common areas and meeting company outside of the housing unit? Your roommate's activities have a direct impact on your health and safety, so don't be afraid to ask questions.

From unemployment and affording educational expenses to distance learning and housing trouble, college students are dealing with several problems amid the pandemic. The federal and local governments, along with university administrators, are doing what they can to provide assistance during these uncertain times. As the nation awaits the availability of vaccines for the general public, students are encouraged to use the advice provided above to find a safe place to stay as they continue weathering the storm.

See Now: Facebook will use AI to detect users with suicidal thoughts and prevent suicide

 2017 University Herald, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
The Indian Air Force carried out a long-range precision strike against a practice target to mark the second anniversary of the Balakot Operations, sources said on Saturday.

The strike was carried out by members of the squadron which conducted the air strikes on terror launch pads in Balakot in Pakistan.

Sources added that the strike was in the "very recent past".

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Saturday flew a multi-aircraft sortie with the units to commemorate the occasion along with the squadron pilots.

On February 26, 2019, Indian Air Force fighter jets crossed the Line of Control and destroyed terror launch pads in Balakot.

The strikes were undertaken days after 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed in a terror attack in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14.

Also Read: India, US army officials discuss defence cooperation in Executive Steering Group meet
Queensland Lawyer to Face Court Over US Fraudster

A Queensland lawyer has been asked for information as the United States tries to obtain over $US6 million in restitution owed by a tax fraudster, court documents say.

The United States has applied in a Queensland court for lawyer Steven Miotti and two of his former clients to produce documents and be questioned in relation to the American who was convicted in 2019.

Scott Phillip Flynn avoided paying more than $US13 million in taxes by fraudulently hiding millions of shares in stock he obtained for himself in other peoples names between 2005 and 2011, the U.S. government claims in court documents.

The United States government says Flynn owes more than $US6 million ($AU7.7 million) in restitutionincluding $US652,000 to victims of a criminal fraud schemeafter being found guilty in a trial and later pleading guilty to other charges.

The U.S. government has asked a Minnesota court to find two companies are alter egos of Flynn so their assetswhich include a mansion in that states city of Oronocan be liquidated and the proceeds used to pay the restitution.

The U.S. court has applied in the Queensland Supreme Court for Brisbane-based Mr Miotti, together with a former policeman and his sister, to be ordered to produce documents and be questioned about the matter.

In 2007, Flynn bought the Orono mansion with $US2.7 million the government claims was personal income that was part of his tax fraud schemes, according to court documents.

In the same year he reported $US26,136 of total income on his tax return, the United States claims.

The United States alleges Flynn has concealed significant equity in the Orono mansion using alter egos, including Watertown Property, LLC and Desert Inn Holdings, LLLP, in order to avoid his creditors, including the United States, the documents state. The United States alleges that those entities are fully under Flynns control, and do not function as solvent, functional businesses.

The Queensland court action comes as the United States argues the testimony of Miotti and his two former clients are critical in determining whether the two companies are alter egos of Flynn.

It claims the lawyer recruited the siblings to open bank and stock brokerage accounts that would later be used to transfer large sums of money to Costa Rica and then to the United States in order to, among other things, purchase the Orono mansion, the documents state.

Flynn said in his plea agreement the money used to buy the Orono mansion was run through several off-shore entities in Australia and Costa Rica and was proceeds from his criminal tax fraud scheme

Flynn was sentenced to 87 months in a federal prison after pleading guilty in 2019.

He is denying the two companies are, or were, his alter ego, instead claiming they are legitimate businesses with investors who reside in Ukraine.

Miotti and the two siblings have been ordered to produce documents by Sunday and make themselves available to be examined in the Supreme Court over three days from April 19.

Miotti has not responded to questions sent by AAP on Friday.

By Cheryl Goodenough
Theodore Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, might be one of the most read authors in the English (or, more accurately, the sort-of English) language. Since The Cat in the Hat was published in 1957, generations of American children have sounded out simple words while reading about the eponymous cat and the havoc he wreaked with Thing One and Thing Two on a boring, rainy day. However, the wokerati have now come for Geisel, claiming that his weird, mostly zoomorphic creations are, in fact, racist.

I have a confession to make: except for Green Eggs and Ham, I don't like Dr. Seuss. I hated the anarchy in The Cat in the Hat, and I've always had disdain for the cheating behind his rhyming books. Frankly, it's easy for anyone to rhyme if he can make up half the words as he goes along. If you can't find a rhyme for orange or sugar, just invent a musical instrument called a bomborange or a cooking utensil called a wampgugar. And while I love the song "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch," the Grinch's story otherwise leaves me cold (and again, I hate all those stupid words he created for fake rhymes).

My point here is that I'm not emotionally invested in Dr. Seuss's works and am inclined to be critical  and yet, never in my wildest imaginings would it ever have occurred to me that his vaguely anthropomorphic creations were racist. But just as, to a hammer, everything is a nail, to a wokerati, everything is racist. It was inevitable that Dr. Seuss would end up being run through the left's racial filter.

The Loudoun County school system, in one of Virginia's largest and most affluent school districts, is firing the man who helped generations of children learn how to read because, the district claims, his books have "racial undertones." This decision comes about thanks to input from Learning for Justice, a national educators' group with a decidedly left-wing orientation:

Loudoun County Public Schools, one of the nation's most affluent school districts, announced that it will no longer recognize Dr. Seuss on his birthday. In an announcement obtained by The Daily Wire, the school district said that Dr. Suess's [sic] children's books contain "racial undertones" that are not suitable for "culturally responsive" learning.

If you're part of the literati, as opposed to the wokerati, you know that Dr. Seuss once did an illustrated book for adults complete with decidedly unsexy pictures of naked ladies. And if you're a history buff, you may have stumbled across the fact that, during World War II, Dr. Seuss created anti-Japanese cartoons, along with some anti-German ones, too. Dr. Seuss's depictions of the Japanese were not friendly and traded on the racial stereotype that they had buck teeth and squinting eyes. Additionally, in keeping with Democrat icon Franklin Roosevelt, Dr. Seuss supported interning American citizens of Japanese origin or descent.

Intellectually sophisticated people understand that different times mean different values  and WWII was an extraordinarily bloody war that saw over 111,000 American troops die in the Pacific fighting the Japanese, with another 21,580 horribly tortured in POW camps and over 250,000 wounded. Moreover, with the passing decades, Dr. Seuss became increasingly leftist in orientation, culminating with the anti-capitalist Lorax.

But were Dr. Seuss's post-war children's books, which were mostly populated with odd animal-like characters, really imbued with racial characteristics that spoke to racial animus and degradation?

According to Learning from Justice, yes!

In a magazine article titled, "It's Time to Talk About Dr. Seuss," Learning for Justice cites a study from St. Catherine University that claims Dr. Seuss's children's literature is rife with "orientalism, anti-blackness, and white supremacy." The researchers surveyed 50 Dr. Seuss books and concluded that there is not enough diversity in the children's books, many of which were written in the 1950s. "Of the 2,240 (identified) human characters, there are 45 of color representing two percent of the total number of human characters," the study reads. Of the 45 characters of color, 43 "exhibited behaviors and appearances that align with harmful and stereotypical Orientalist tropes."

Two things are at work here. First, we're seeing again the leftist impulse to erase the past. Fundamentally, leftists never really believe that their leftist utopia will be that great, and they want to ensure that there is nothing against which to compare it. Additionally, to the extent we are witnessing the leftist Religion of Woke in action, that faith has no place for remorse, repentance, and atonement. Once damned, always damned. And with Seuss's shady, racially fraught WWII past  well, "Out, damned Seuss! Out, I say," as Shakespeare, another banned author, might have written.

Image: Leather Cat with added text, by Peter Burka. CC BY-SA 2.0.
Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Republic cannot be a part of Azerbaijan, cannot be any integration, our people cannot live in our own land as Azerbaijani citizens, our realized right to self-determination should be recognized fully and internationally. Artak Beglaryan, Chief of the Presidential Staff of the Artsakh, wrote about this on Twitter, referring to Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyevs statement made during Fridays press conference that the issue of the status of Artsakh should be removed from the political agenda.

The head of the Artsakh presidential administration opposed also Aliyev's claims about the Armenian captives in Azerbaijan that, allegedly, solely terrorists were still detained in Azerbaijan, and Baku had returned all the Armenian captives and the bodies of the dead.

Aliyev lies on captives, as: They keep not only post-war captives, but also wartime civilians (incl women & elderly) & many PoWs with undeniable evidence; Post-war 62 captives werent engaged in any battles; Azerbaijan killed some captives at prison with tortures [i.e., probably referring to the cases of Misha Melkumyan and some others presented by Aliyev], Beglaryan tweeted.

The level of Armenophobia & hatred in Aliyevs speech is continuous, which isnt a sign of peaceful sentiments. Xenophobia against Armenia|ns has deep, widespread & aggressive manifestation in the Azerbaijani society encouraged by the authorities & President himself, stressed the chief of the presidential staff of Artsakh.

If Aliyev says that no evidence was found on involvement of mercenaries by Azerbaijan, then what about the captured mercenaries, their witnesses, the high-level statements by Russia, France, US, Iran & others? Seems he says to the world: we did but you couldnt prove," Artak Beglaryan concluded

And referring to Aliyev's slander over the visa requirement to enter Artsakh, the head of the Karabakh presidential staff wrote: Azerbaijan cannot have any role in the procedures of entry of foreigners to Artsakh/Karabakh Republic. Its our exclusive right/function technically implemented together with Russian peacekeepers from security aspect. No interference is acceptable.
Ms. Pittman said that the ultimate question of a products legality may be dependent on other factors, including how the Delta 8 is produced and sourced. Specifically, the lawyers said, the D.E.A.s rule on the issue seems to suggest that Delta 8 could be illegal if it is made synthetically rather than derived organically.

There are currently lawsuits pending over interpretation of the D.E.A. rule.

Mr. Gilkey said he had paid upward of $50,000 in legal fees to make sure that he will not run afoul of the law. A veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, Mr. Gilkey worked in a counternarcotics unit on boats out of San Diego. He saw some really tough stuff, he said, and wasnt happy about the war on drugs.

He wound up running a business in Austin that sold e-liquid for vaping devices. Then in 2019, he started his current business focused on selling CBD. Late last spring, he said, he started getting calls from customers about Delta 8.

I said, please explain to me what that is, he recalled. Mr. Gilkey, whose company supplies other retail shops around the country with products, saw a huge opportunity. After checking with the lawyers, he started full-scale packaging gummies and vape pens and other products using Delta 8 he said he got from a major hemp supplier.

Its about to go mainstream, he said. And its just the beginning. Theres a Delta 10 in the works.

No matter how good the weather forecast may be in Britain, the prospect of the heavens opening is never far away.

But if you want to maximise your chances of avoiding rain, it seems that your best bet is to head for Southend-on-Sea.

Figures show it is the driest seaside town in England  and youll be less likely to need waterproofs than in many of our more favoured holiday hotspots.

The Essex town  home to the longest holiday pier in the world  has just 1.65in of rainfall and just eight wet days a month, according to experts

There was 2.75in of rainfall in Bournemouth on the Dorset coast, which has ten wet days a month

The Essex town  home to the longest holiday pier in the world  has just 1.65in of rainfall and just eight wet days a month, according to experts.

That compares with 2.75in of rainfall in Bournemouth on the Dorset coast, which has ten wet days a month. Meanwhile, two popular East Sussex reports  Hastings and Eastbourne  typically get 2.44in and 2.6in, respectively. Only Walton-on-the-Naze, also on the Essex coast, comes close to Southend with just 1.77in of rain and nine wet days.

Researchers analysed rainfall figures from the Met Office from 1981 to 2010 to find the average annual rainfall for 42 UK towns and cities with a population over 100,000.

The total number of days of annual rainfall for each place was then divided by 12 to come up with the number of wet days per month.

Southend became a thriving holiday destination following the opening of its famous pier in 1830, which stretches out more than 1.3 miles into the Thames Estuary.

Researchers analysed rainfall figures from the Met Office from 1981 to 2010 to find the average annual rainfall for 42 UK towns and cities with a population over 100,000

Given the towns proximity to the capital, it was particularly popular among Londoners taking a day trip.

But as Southend later declined as a holiday destination, much of the town was redeveloped as a commercial centre.

London Southend Airport on the outskirts of the town was voted Britains best airport for three consecutive years running until 2015. But now with foreign travel in doubt thanks to Covid, perhaps holidaymakers will soon be visiting Southend again for its own charms.

Martin Smith, of ShowersToYou.co.uk, which carried out the research, said: Weather can be a massive deciding factor when it comes to an array of things from relocating to taking trips and holidays.

It is clear that those living in Southend have the best of both worlds  a beach right on their doorstep as well as the title of driest seaside town in Britain.

They have the lowest amount of rain each month as well as the lowest number of wet days, unlike those living in Cardiff, who have the unfortunate honour of having the title of Britains wettest city.

We wouldnt be surprised if Southend-on-Sea becomes an even bigger hotspot for holidays and trips.
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
Kaia Gerber showed off her lean figure in a sporty ensemble as she arrived for a Pilates class with a friend on Friday morning in Los Angeles.

As she strutted down the sidewalk, the 19-year-old model rocked a Henley-style top and black leggings which accentuated her toned physique.

Gerber kept her hair up in two pigtails for the outing, rocking sunglasses and a cloth facial covering to protect from contracting COVID-19.

Daily workouts: Kaia Gerber showed off her lean figure in a sporty ensemble as she arrived for a Pilates class on Friday in Los Angeles

She kept her feet warm in a light blue pair of socks and a cozy pair of Ugg sheepskin booties.

The teen, whose friends include Andie MacDowell's daughter Margaret Qualley as well as model Cara Delevingne, parked her black Range Rover on the street as she headed into the class.

Kaia arrived with her own turquoise water bottle and a small brown leather purse to hold the rest of her belongings.

Fit: Gerber kept her hair up in two pigtails for the outing, rocking sunglasses and a black face amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

Sporty ensemble: She kept her feet warm in a light blue pair of socks and a cozy pair of Ugg sheepskin booties

She appeared to be with a pal, who wore all black and sneakers for their workout session.

Missing in action was her most recent beau, Australian actor Jacob Elordi.

Kaia dated the 23-year-old, who stars in the Kissing Booth film series on Netflix, in 2020 but they have not been pictured together since December.

Independent: The teen, whose friends include Andie MacDowell's daughter Margaret Qualley as well as model Cara Delevingne, parked her black Range Rover on the street as she headed into the class

But she did post a photo of the actor on her Instam Story on Valentine's Day.

Jacob used to date his Kissing Booth co-star Joey King and there were also unconfirmed rumors he was involved with his Euphoria costar Zendaya.

Elordi has embraced Kaia's Malibu life and is enjoying it as much as she does, a source told People magazine this month.

Sweethearts: Kaia posted a rare image of her private relationship with this solo snap of beau Elordi on her Instagram stories for Valentine's Day

They enjoy the beach, go hiking and meet up with friends for dinner, the source added.

In 2019, she had a relationship with Saturday Night Live funnyman Pete Davidson who is seven years her senior.

Reports of their split circulated at the start of last year with an E! News insider saying that Pete was 'taking a break to work on his mental health.'
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday held a roadshow at Ghatal in Purba Medinipur district, considered a stronghold of turncoat Suvendu Adhikari, and said that his spine is not for sale like "some other people".Adhikari, once considered a close aide of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, joined the BJP in December last year.Without naming Adhikari, Abhishek Banerjee described him as a betrayer who "brought disgrace" to Medinipur, the birthplace of freedom fighters like Khudiram Bose and Matangini Hazra.

"You cannot scare me by using the CBI and the ED. I will continue to speak out against injustice and the hate politics of the BJP. My spine is not for sale like some other people who had crossed over to save skin, to stop raids," the Diamond Harbour MP said.

A CBI team on February 23 visited the residence of the TMC youth wing president and examined his wife Rujira in connection with a coal pilferage case. The agency also examined Rujira's sister Menaka Gambhir on the previous day on the same matter.

"Shouldn't people reject those who consider Medinipur (district) and its different areas as their fiefdom? Shouldn't people teach those who have brought disgrace to the holy land of Matangini Hazra and Khudiram Bose and other luminaries by their act of betrayal a lesson?" he asked.

While Khudiram Bose was hanged in 1908 at the age of 18, 72-year-old Hazra was shot dead by the police at Tamluk in undivided Medinipur district in 1942.Banerjee said, "Medinipur is not someone's ancestral property. Medinipur belongs to its people. Haldia, Ghatal, Nandigram, Khejuri and all the places in Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts belong to the people of the areas, not some individuals." Suvendu Adhikari was known as the face of the anti- land acquisition movement in Nandigram during the Left Front rule.The Adhikari family holds sway in a number of assembly seats in several south Bengal districts including two Medinipurs.

Outsiders visiting the district and the state to seek votes will be driven away by voters, the chief minister's nephew said.

They are holding elections in two phases in both Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur. Is it to benefit someone? You are thinking polling will be conducted by outsiders and central forces. Rest assured that all your candidates will forfeit their deposits even if voting takes place in 31 phases for 31 seats, he said.There are 15 assembly seats in Purba Medinipur district and 16 in Paschim Medinipur.Elections to the West Bengal assembly will be held in eight phases. The first and last phase of polling will be held on March 27 and April 29 respectively. Votes will be counted on May 2.

Wondering how the BJP brands leaders of the ruling party of West Bengal as pro-Bangladesh for chanting Jai Bangla (hail Bengal), Banerjee said, Even if you cut my throat I will keep chanting Jai Hind, Jai Bangla. I love my country, my state. You cannot muzzle my voice.

Jai Bangla was a popular slogan during the Bangladesh liberation war.Those opposing such slogans have no connection with the roots, with the ethos of Bengal, the TMC leader said at the end of the roadshow.Standing atop a blue truck with 'Didir Doot' (Emissary of Didi) written on it, Banerjee held the roadshow from Daspur to Ghatal town, covering a distance of over 4 km.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
AN environmental campaigner was shocked by the amount of rubbish she found in the River Thames in Henley.

Lynne Lambourne decided to investigate the condition of the river following the recent floods.

She had been due to join a scientific sailing trip in the Caribbean next month but this was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Lambourne, 46, from Peppard, is an award-winning interior designer who uses upcycled furniture and salvaged materials.

She also founded Warriors on Waste to help reduce the use of plastic and encourage sustainable living.

She visited Henley with her daughters, Grace, 15, and Kate, 12, and spent two hours on the river bank from the Angel on the Bridge pub to Hobbs of Henley.

They found waste including plastic bottles, food wrappers, oil cans, Styrofoam blocks and cigarette ends, which she logged using an online tracker.

Much of it was in the water but they collected rubbish that had been washed up and put in a rubbish bag.

Ms Lambourne said: Because I cant do the scientific research on the ship, I decided to do it on the river in Henley. It showed me that our section of the river isnt as clean as people might think.

Weve got a massive litter problem and most of it was debris from boat maintenance, so it is clearly the people who say they love the river so much and have boats who are polluting. It was quite shocking actually.

The flooding had brought a lot of waste to the surface, so it made it much easier to see and there was a huge amount.

She believes attitudes towards littering and the environment in the UK were improving until last year, when the pandemic shifted attention away from the subject.

Ms Lambourne said: Now were looking at other problems like disposable face masks and plastic food wrappers.

We really need to focus on it again because covid has only heightened the problem and the planet isnt getting any better.

When then restrictions are eased, she intends to hold regular litter-picks along the river and teach more people about following a sustainable lifestyle. Ive made it a bit of a personal mission to go out there and educate people, said Ms Lambourne.

I think so many people view it as being the Governments problem, or a problem that someone else needs to solve, but actually its the other way around  it needs to start with us as we can all make those changes.

Next month was supposed to be taking part in the sailing mission with Exxpedition, a community interest company which organises all-female voyages exploring the impact of solution to plastic and toxic pollution in the sea.

She was due to be on the 1,270-mile leg from St Lucia to

Bermuda.

She applied to be part of the crew last year and was accepted after a long interview process.

She had to demonstrate that she was already involved in helping the environment in her community.

Ms Lambourne said: Ive always loved the ocean but a few years ago I realised that it wasnt as it used to be.

I just thought something had to be done and the more research I did the more terrified I became.

The 15-day trip would have involved carrying out studies in St Lucia and supporting local communities before sailing 700 nautical miles to Bermuda, studying en route.

Ms Lambourne said: There was a crew of 13 and two leaders. We were expected to have four hours of sleep and four hours of sailing and we would be expected to sail the boat and do all the research.

It was not going to be a holiday by any means and Ive never sailed before. We would have four crew members who were experienced and the rest of us would learn on the way.

It would have been an amazing experience.

We would take samples from the sea and air to look at the pollution. A lot of the crew are scientists and environmentalists and the idea is that the crew all start working together and develop a superpower each.

Then we go back into our communities and spread the word and continue the research. To compensate for the voyage being cancelled, crew members have taken part in a series of online events.

They held virtual meetings with representatives from Fiji to learn more about issues affecting the nation of 300 islands.

Fiji uses between 50 and 60 million plastic bags per year and in many areas typhoons have resulted in large amounts of plastic being deposited into the water.

Ms Lambourne has been involved in Zoom sessions with representatives from the Fijian government, discussing possible solutions using data provided by locals.

Exxpedition was founded in 2014 by ocean advocate and skipper Emily Penn. The mission is to change the way people feel by building a global network of women from different backgrounds to carry out research and explore potential solutions.

For more information, visit exxpedition.com

 In 2017, Ms Lambourne received the interior designer of the year award for room sets at Grand Designs Live. Her living room design was based on upcycled furnitute. In 2019 she won a Sue Ryder Women of Achievement Award in the innovation category.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Christopher Diaz distributes political literature with the photo of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to drivers in San Salvador. (Soudi Jimenez / Los Angeles Times )

When traveling the roads of El Salvador, it's common to see light blue ads splashed across billboards and buses, a color that identifies the New Ideas party, which on Sunday will compete for the first time in elections for mayors and members of congress.

Beyond its ubiquitous color, the New Ideas electoral campaign revolves around the figure of Nayib Bukele, the most handsome and cool president in the world, as he proclaimed himself shortly after taking power on June 1, 2019.

Many believe that Sunday's elections will be key to the future of this beleaguered Central American nation, which still is struggling to recover from its calamitous civil war of 1980-92 and the aftershocks of endemic corruption, inequality and drug-fueled violence. If Bukele secures the backing of a majority of legislators, from his own party and his political allies, critics say he will be able to consolidate an executive power that has grown increasingly autocratic, intolerant and militant.

Opposition parties and human rights workers denounced Bukele for dispatching federal troops on Feb. 9, 2020, to the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly to create pressure to approve a loan to purchase new security equipment. The ensuing scenes of armed soldiers invading the chamber stunned Salvadorans who remembered the brutal era when government tanks and helicopters mowed down civilians and guerrilla fighters, leaving at least 75,000 dead.

Tatiana Aleman said President Nayib Bukele's interference in congress on Feb. 9, 2020, revived dark memories of El Salvador's military dictatorship. (Soudi Jimenez / Los Angeles Times )

But like other populists who've come to power in recent years, the 39-year-old president  a former mayor of the capital, San Salvador, who styles himself as a political pragmatist  commands a devoted following among those who distrust the ruling class and believe their country needs an independent strongman to shake up the status quo. According to one recent poll, 68.8% of respondents plan to support Bukele's party in Sunday's races.

"Bukele has a lot of social acceptance, [something] that had not been had before," said Christopher Diaz, 20, who along with several other young people was handing out calendars, fliers and brochures with the president's photo to passersby on a hot afternoon in front of the Plaza El Salvador del Mundo in San Salvador.

Story continues

Jose Miguel Vivanco, a lawyer and director of Human Rights Watch's Americas division, said the Biden administration must play a crucial role in curbing Bukele's personality-driven, lawbreaking leadership. Bukele has disobeyed rulings of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, among them those that prohibited him from confining people in containment centers for violating COVID-related quarantine measures, Vivanco said.

"He has promoted a hostile environment for the independent press and human rights organizations, using social media to attack and stigmatize them," Vivanco added. "If his party wins the majority in the Assembly, my fear is that he will advance with a constitutional reform that allows him to further concentrate power in his hands and be reelected to try to perpetuate himself in office."

Two people in San Salvador hold a sign denouncing El Salvador's president and his interference with the Legislative Assembly. (Soudi Jimenez / Los Angeles Times en Espanol)

In the United States, which for decades has held political and economic sway over the country of 6.5 million, some members of Congress and foreign policy officials fear that giving Bukele more muscle could shatter El Salvador's rule of law and separation of powers.

"I am very concerned about the conditions in El Salvador," said U.S. Rep. Norma Torres (D-Pomona), who closely monitors Central America.

"I know that from the beginning the president has not had the [legislative] support," added Torres, who is of Guatemalan heritage. "But that does not mean that we can abandon our responsibility to promote stability in El Salvador."

Torres said that the Biden White House will pay greater attention to the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, and show greater concern for human rights and the rule of law there, than did the Trump administration.

We have a president who is not going to tolerate dictators, a president who is not going to tolerate just sending money there without having any transparency, without having a security plan" and an immigration plan, she said.

Twenty months after taking office, Bukele is quite popular. According to a survey by the Francisco Gavidia University (UFG) in San Salvador, he received a favorable assessment of 8.8 on a scale of 10 for his handling of the pandemic, and his overall favorability ratings are comparable.

"He is a president who is quite armored," said Oscar Picardo, director of the Center for Citizen Studies at the university. "He has channeled that citizen unrest. He has pointed a finger at those who have been the culprits."

Wary observers say that Bukele has followed a demagogic playbook. A publicist and businessman by profession, he was elected mayor of the small municipality of Nuevo Cuscatlan, in the state of La Libertad, in 2012. Before ending his term, he launched a successful campaign for mayor of San Salvador.

In both contests he ran as the candidate of the left-wing Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) party, which after the civil war ended sprang from remnants of the leftist guerrilla organization that had fought the U.S.-backed government. But Bukele soon adopted an irreverent and critical stance toward the FMLN, an early step in detaching himself from his own party.

At the same time, he was gaining ground with Salvadoran youth through his mastery of social media. His favorite platform was Twitter, on which he founded his campaign to become president at the age of 37, the youngest in El Salvador's history.

After the FMLN expelled him in October 2017, Bukele began laying the groundwork for founding his own party. Through a series of maneuvers, he eventually joined the center-right Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA) party, which backed him for president. He founded the New Ideas party in August 2018.

Between 1989 and 2019, El Salvador was governed first by the extreme-right Nationalist Republican Alliance party, known as ARENA, and more recently by the FMLN. Corruption proliferated under both. Bukele took advantage of electoral apathy in a country sunk in poverty, insecurity and unemployment, the same factors that drive emigration. (According to the Pew Research Center, 2.3 million people of Salvadoran descent live in the United States.)

In the 2019 elections, Bukele got 1.4 million votes and was elected by only 25% of the electorate of 5.6 million voters. Absenteeism was above 50%.

Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, a political science professor at UCLA, said that in the Bukele government authoritarian tendencies are emerging, and that is worrying."

"He is attacking the party process and creating more of a cult of personality, he added.

Maria Esposoria, who lives in the town of Perquin, El Salvador, is a former guerrilla fighter who says she will vote for the party of President Nayib Bukele on Sunday. (Soudi Jimenez / Los Angeles Times )

On Sunday, voters will choose 262 mayors, 20 legislators to serve in the Central American Parliament and 84 legislators in the Salvadoran congress, known as the Legislative Assembly.

Among those casting ballots will be Maria Esposoria, who settled in the northeastern municipality of Perquin in Morazan state, a former guerrilla stronghold near the Honduran border, in 1993, shortly after the bullets and cannons were silenced.

The 57-year-old widow washes clothes for less than $30 a week to feed her children and grandchildren, who live with her in a house made of concrete blocks with a tile roof and no sewage system.

Esposoria and her late husband fought on the side of the guerrillas during the 1980s; she made tortillas during the day and grabbed her M-16 at night. One of her eight children was born in the middle of a shooting. "The mortars were running over it," she said.

But after voting for the FMLN for 10 years, the former combatant did not see any change in her living conditions. In this Sunday's elections she will switch her vote for congress from FMLN red to NI light blue.

Esposoria's vote is yet another that the left-wing FMLN will lose in Morazan. Here, in the 2014 presidential elections, leftist candidate Salvador Sanchez Ceren got 47,232 votes. But in 2019, the ex-guerrilla party received less than half that number, 23,102, while the right-wing GANA party won with 31,649 votes, helping to usher Bukele into the presidency.

"One is not expecting great things, but at least to see a little" improvement, Esposoria said in a resigned tone.

Like other populists, Bukele seeks to depict himself as a law-and-order figure, able to tame El Salvador's terrifying drug gang brutality. In 2020, according to government reports, there were 1,322 homicides in El Salvador, a drop of 45% from the previous year.

"The reduction in homicidal violence is due to the strategy, policy and plan promoted by President Nayib Bukele," said Ricardo Sosa, a criminologist.

Some Salvadorans say that police have indeed stepped up their presence in certain localities under the Bukele government's "territorial control plan."

"Now I see the patrols, the police make tours of the neighborhoods on foot. Before they didn't even get" out of their vehicles, said Christopher Diaz, a student at the University of El Salvador.

However, according to other crime experts and the digital daily El Faro, homicides have dropped, at least in part, because representatives of the Bukele government negotiated with leaders of the MS-13 gang to increase benefits to incarcerated gang members, including not mixing members of MS-13 and its rival Barrio 18 in the same cell.

Further buffing his populist credentials, Bukele has captured the support of faith communities by cultivating an image of deep religiosity in a country where the proportion of self-identified evangelicals (39.5%) soon may overtake that of Roman Catholics (40.5%).

Mario Vega, general pastor of the Elim Christian Mission, suggests that Bukele  a descendant of Palestinian Christian, Catholic and Greek Orthodox grandparents, and whose father converted to Islam and became an imam  has successfully constructed a religious identity that serves his political aims.

"There must be simple people who are impressed by this type of performance," said Vega, who leads an evangelical denomination with some 300 churches throughout El Salvador.

Critics contend that Bukele's habit of concealing his government's intentions and operations has been laid bare during the coronavirus crisis. To address the pandemic, Bukele's administration distributed food baskets and $300 subsidies to some 1.5 million people. But, according to a report by the Court of Accounts of the Republic, $30 million in these government funds went to 100,000 people for unknown criteria.

"The [current] level of opacity, we have not had before," said Roberto Rubio, executive director of the National Development Foundation (FUNDE), an expert on issues of public transparency and access to information.

Danilo Miranda, a political science professor at the Central American University in San Salvador, said Bukele is chipping away at institutions that could hold his power in check, such as the Supreme Court of Justice, the attorney general's office, the Government Ethics Court, the Institute of Access to Public Information and the Court of Accounts of the Republic.

"We are approaching an authoritarian state, even with fascist features," Miranda said.

On the afternoon of Feb. 9, a group of young people with white flags and yellow signs gathered at the Monument to the Constitution in San Salvador. "F9 Never Again" was written on a blanket, referring to the date a year earlier when Bukele sent troops into the legislative chamber.

"This arbitrary act can be classified as an act of bullying by President Nayib Bukele," said Tatiana Aleman, a 30-year-old university student wearing a black shirt and a white mask over her mouth.

When Aleman was born, in 1990, the civil war was winding down and her pregnant mother commuted to her job in the center of San Salvador. "She had to go to work in the middle of the bullets," Aleman said.

To Aleman, Bukele's storming of congress last year evoked her country's bloody and tragic past  and fear that those times could return.

"Those actions that supposedly stayed in the 1970s, and everything that led to the conflict, is now being seen," she said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The typewriter was Hanks idea. Forbrich originally asked him if hed contribute a short video for a fundraiser celebrating the 30th birthday of the theater and he replied back offering the typewriter with his autograph. (Hanks is a typewriter collector and enthusiast, you can see some of the typewriters in his home in a second-long shot during the opening monologue he did for Saturday Night Live last April.) Forbrich, who also is a carpenter, built a folding wood table that will be included in the raffle  also Hanks idea.
An anti-lockdown protester today shot a firework at a police officer's face in Dublin, prompting Gardai to charge at demonstrators headed for St Stephen's Green.

Protesters were met by a heavy police presence before they could make it to the city centre park, which police had closed to the public before the planned demo at 2pm.

Some 23 people have been arrested following the clashes today, as officials confirm police are still carting away demonstrators who 'engaged in attacks' on officers.

Three officers were attacked during the demonstrations, one of whom was taken to hospital, RTE reports.

Footage showed the protesters massing on Grafton Street leading to the green before a man walked towards the police line aiming a stick of fireworks which blew into the face of an officer.

Gardai reacted furiously to the projectile assault, charging with their batons and striking out as people fell to the ground while fireworks exploded around them.

Cans and traffic cones were hurled at officers in the chaos and women were heard shrieking in terror as police forced demonstrators back down the road.

A man (white shirt with arms aloft) is seen approaching the police line with a smouldering firework stick which soon explodes, firing a projectile into an officer's face on Grafton Street. Chaos then ensues as the officers break ranks to charge down the demonstrators

Police drag a protester across the street next to St Stephen's Green in the city centre on Saturday afternoon

Gardai were seen hitting protesters with batons and using snarling German Shepherd dogs to help clear the streets after a firework was shot at one of their officer's on Saturday afternoon

Police officers pin a demonstrator to the ground as they disperse protesters in central Dublin today

Gardai were seen lashing out with batons and using snarling German Shepherd dogs to help clear the streets.

Ireland's premier Micheal Martin slammed the 'thuggish behaviour' and attacks on Irish police, and said he 'utterly condemns' the protests.

Mr Martin said demonstrators posed 'an unacceptable risk to both the public and gardai'.

In a statement, Mr Martin said: 'The large gathering, in the face of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, showed a complete lack of respect to the people who have made huge sacrifices during this pandemic.

'Nor can we tolerate the thuggish behaviour or attacks on gardai, who have the public's utmost respect as they continue to protect and serve our society in difficult circumstances.

'There can be no justification for the march or the violence that unfolded, and I pay tribute to members of An Garda Siochana who moved quickly to make arrests and restore order.'

Police officers were seen clashing with demonstrators. Some protestors held up signs reading: 'Vaccine of death' and 'they are coming to your door'

Three officers were attacked during the demonstrations (the protest, pictured), one of whom was taken to hospital

Gardai were seen clashing with protesters during the anti-Lockdown protest on Grafton Street in Dublin city centre on Saturday

Police were seen with protestors in Dublin today. One demonstrator is seen on the ground

Gardai Commissioner Drew Harris said that up to 23 people were arrested following today's protests in Dublin.

He said that he expects more arrests to be made.

'Very regrettably, people arrived intent on violence.

'They engaged in attacks on members of An Garda Siochana including the throwing of a firework type device. There will be a full investigation into this,' Mr Harris said.

'There were some 23 arrests that we have made already and those arrests are continuing. This operation is not over as we pursue individuals who engage in protest and illegal activity today.

Irish deputy premier Leo Varadkar said he was 'horrified' to see protesters clash with police (some pictured) on the streets of Dublin today

A demonstrator remonstrates with officers in the Irish capital on Saturday

Meanwhile, premier Micheal Martin said he 'utterly condemns' the protests (pictured)

'They had no reasonable grounds for being there in the first place so we will pursue particularly those who formed a very hard core to deal with.

'You don't carry a firework to a protest with any other purpose than to engage in violent conduct. We will follow through with an investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.'

Mr Harris said they were aware that momentum had been gathering on social media in the lead-up to Saturday's protest.

Mr Harris also said that garda officers were 'very lucky' they were not seriously injured when a firework was fired directly at them.

'It was directed at that individual and so we are fortunate they didn't suffer a serious injury, it was only the individual's quick thinking that saved him,' Mr Harris said.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris (pictured) said that up to 23 people were arrested following today's protests in Dublin

'We will follow through with a serious crime investigation into that incident.'

Mr Harris said the demonstrators was a collaboration of groups made up of anti-lockdown protesters, anti-vaccine and anti-facemasks.

'This was groups working in concert together, as a mob,' he added.

Meanwhile, Irish deputy premier Leo Varadkar said he was 'horrified' to see protesters clash with police on the streets of Dublin today.

He said: 'This behaviour on Grafton Street by a selfish few undermines sacrifices that millions have made in the last 12 months.'

Before the violence erupted the demonstrators had walked down Dublin's main thoroughfare, O'Connell Street, to the General Post Office (GPO) where a recording of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic was played.



Protesters holding a Freedom sign during an anti-lockdown protest in Dublin city centre

Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond called the organisers 'self-styled patriots' who preyed upon the fears of the most vulnerable in society with conspiracy theories.

'From the outset, this protest was ill-advised, fuelled by conspiracy theories and championed by individuals seeking to manipulate the genuine fears of many vulnerable individuals,' he told The Independent.

'Some of the eye witness footage circulating is extremely disturbing and every public representative should condemn these awful scenes.

'The footage appears to show a lit firework being thrown at members of the gardai by one protester, which is truly shameful.

'These self-styled patriots are a clear threat to the well-being of our nation. All these Covid protestors have done is bring shame to our capital's streets.'

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris also condemned the chaos.

'Pure thuggery on the streets of Dublin today,' the minister tweeted.

'It's not a 'protest'. It's an attack on our national effort. The abuse directed at the gardai is sickening and shameful. Disgraceful. Thoughts with the gardai and their families.'

Officers pin a young man to the ground, left, and lead another away from the protests, right

Gardai wielding batons march towards anti-lockdown protesters in the Irish capital today

An officer shouts at demonstrators as they clash in central Dublin today

A demonstrator covered in dirt and liquid is held by an officer in central Dublin today

Gardai earlier said they would be operating a 'policing plan' in the city centre, with the Luas (tram) line closed into St Stephen's Green and several other diversions in place.

In a tweet, the police force said: 'A number of traffic diversions and other policing plans are currently in place. Those who are conducting their essential journeys may meet obstructions on their journey and will need to avail of diversions.'

Ireland has been living under draconian lockdown restrictions throughout the winter.

The Level 5 rules currently in force mean you cannot leave your home unless you have a 'reasonable excuse' for doing so and must stay within 3 miles of your home.

Footage shows some protesters bunching up at the side of the street as the police move in to disperse the crowd

An officer is taunted by angry protesters as he holds his baton in the air

Protesters and police face each other on Grafton Street, Dublin, on Saturday afternoon

You cannot have guests at your house and can only meet another household for exercise outdoors.

The country has recorded an average of 27 coronavirus deaths and 693 new cases over the last seven days.

Leo Varadkar said last week that the next interval at which the government would consider easing restrictions would not be until April 5.

As of February 23, 373,280 doses of the coronavirus vaccine had been administered in Ireland, a country of almost 5 million people.

This includes 238,841 first doses and 134,439 second doses.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby speaks during a media briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, in this, Feb. 17 file photo. Kirby announced late Thursday, that the U.S. military conducted airstrikes against facilities in eastern Syria that the Pentagon said were used by Iran-backed militia groups, in response to recent attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq. Kirby said the action was authorized by President Joe Biden. AP-Yonhap



Diplomacy will be at the center for engagement with North Korea but Pyongyang's continued development of weapons of mass destruction does pose a threat to the United States and its allies, a spokesman for the U.S. Defense Department said Friday.



John Kirby also said the U.S. will continue to maintain and develop its joint defense posture with South Korea.



"The president has been very clear that he wants diplomats in the lead and we are supportive of that here at the Defense Department," Kirby told a press briefing.



"But North Korea's continued development of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction represents a threat to U.S. interest and security of our allies and partners," he added.



The Biden administration is undertaking a review of its "entire" North Korea policy that it says will lead to a new approach toward the North.



Kirby said the Defense Department will fully support the anticipated "new approach," adding, "We will have a voice in that and we will take that very seriously."






Rome, N.Y. -- A 52-year-old Oneida County corrections officer has been arrested and accused of forcibly touching two girls, according to the Oneida County Sheriffs Office.

Ronald Carollo has been charged with two counts of forcible touching and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, deputies said.

An investigation into Carollo began Dec. 31 after the Oneida County Child Advocacy Center received a tip that Carollo had inappropriately touched a 12-year-old girl in August 2020, according to deputies. The investigation found that Carollo also inappropriately touched a 13-year-old girl in December 2020, deputies said.

Carollo was released on an appearance ticket in the City of Rome.

Carollo was paid $68,550 by Oneida County in his job as a corrections officer, according to See Through NY, which maintains a database of public salaries.

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.
One year ago, I first realised that COVID-19 would significantly disrupt all of our lives.

My wife flew from London to Hanoi, and several days later she was contacted about several positive cases on her flight. She went into isolation for two weeks (luckily, she was not infected). I have to admit that what seemed a very strict response then, now seems a sensible and normal public health measure. We have all spent the last year tracking infection rates, virus mutations and struggling to accept the terrible number of deaths around the world.

But now, there is a new story of hope to tell in the Year of the Ox. Science is winning this battle with the virus. Just today, February 24, the first batch of a vaccine designed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca was delivered to Vietnam.

It was January 2020 when Chinese scientists made the genetic code of COVID-19 publicly available. Scientists in Oxford (UK) were ready to respond. They had been planning for years for how to use an existing safe and effective vaccine platform to respond to Disease X  the next big pandemic. Some 11 months on, this vaccine has passed through rigorous clinical trials and been approved by the UK regulator.

Recently, it was also approved by the World Health Organisation for global distribution. Traditionally, vaccines have taken a decade to develop and deploy. The speed at which the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, and several others, have been developed is a triumph of science and innovation. It is the outcome of a global effort underpinned by dedicated clinicians, researchers, front-line workers and significant government investment.

The next challenge is to ensure that robust supply chains and delivery infrastructure are in place to undertake mass vaccination around the globe. International co-operation is required on a scale never seen before to ensure that countries with fewer resources are not left behind. This is not only the right thing to do, but critical to preventing a country without access to vaccines becoming a hotspot that could fuel future outbreaks or mutations of the virus.

When it comes to this pandemic, no country will be safe until all countries are safe. This is why the UK is one of the top donors to COVAX, the global multilateral mechanism led by the World Health Organisation to help all countries access a COVID-19 vaccine.

Alongside pledging 548 million in funding, as chair of the G7, the UK has committed to donating the majority of surplus vaccine doses to COVAX. This will help ensure vaccines reach even more priority and vulnerable populations.

Vietnam is already set to receive Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine doses via COVAX. This past week, Vietnam announced the priority list for COVID-19 vaccinations and is working at impressive speed to deliver its plans to immunise 80 percent of its population with international and domestically produced vaccines.

Early data indicates that vaccines are helping us to fight back against COVID-19.

In the UK, over 17 million people have received at least one vaccine dose, with plans to vaccinate all adults by the end of July 2021. The number of new COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths in the UK are falling. The UK is prioritising older and medically vulnerable groups, alongside healthcare and frontline workers. I feel relieved that my parents have had their first vaccine dose.

While vaccines will form an important part of the global COVID-19 recovery strategy, it is unlikely that we will entirely eradicate the virus. There will be challenges ahead. To maintain the efficacy of vaccines, its essential to identify and report new variants of the virus as soon as possible.

Throughout the pandemic, the UK has shared more genomic data with global scientific platforms than any other country, including vital sequencing on the variant B1.1.7, first identified in the UK. We believe that transparent sharing of data will boost global capacity to modify vaccines in response to new variants.

Vietnam is playing its part. Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) is working with Vietnams Hospitals of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on genome sequencing. It was doing this even before the pandemic and we hope to continue collaboration in this area.

Vaccines have the greatest overall impact when they are administered to at least 80 percent of a population. Vaccine hesitancy, when people refuse or are reluctant to be vaccinated, may reduce the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

The UK is working alongside Vietnamese research institutions to support global efforts to tackle vaccine hesitancy and ensure that everyone has accurate and scientifically supported information to make informed decisions about their health.

Looking further ahead, the tough reality is that COVID-19 is not the only threat we are facing to global health security. Diseases transferred from animals to humans represent 75 percent of all emerging infectious diseases, and within the last two decades have also caused outbreaks of SARS, H1N1, MERS and Ebola. We also know that Anti-Microbial resistance (where drugs, especially those against bacteria, are becoming less effective) is caused by over-consumption of antibiotics in humans and animals.

That is why we need a One Health approach, which encompasses human, environmental and animal health. The UK has co-operation programmes to support Vietnam to expand pathogen surveillance, ensure meat production is sustainable, and prevent illegal wildlife trade.

Vietnam has done an impressive job to suppress COVID19 and reduce impact on the health and livelihood of the Vietnamese people. In the Year of the Ox, we can ensure that vaccination overpowers the virus. Working in international partnerships, the UK and Vietnam can make a contribution to global health security, scientific innovation and sustainable growth.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Authored Article By Ravi Kumar, Independent Consultant

With 2020 gone, the world has seen pretty much everything in the last decade. Technology has never had a more avant-garde, yet tumultuous decade in recent history, from Apple releasing the iPad in 2010 to the gradual rise of social media, cloud computing and artificial intelligence by the time we come to 2020. We started with US leading the technical market with IBMs Watson and Instagram taking over Facebook in 2012. These innovations were still to mark their entry in India. 4G networks and the IPv6 launch over the course of 2010-2012 put US in the front seat, with some of worlds greatest advancements under its head. Breaking away from the shackles of recessions, India never looked back. Here we are today, surrounded by AI, in the age of online marketing, boasting to be the third biggest AI-focussed start-up hub among the G20 countries (2016). The AI is exponentially advancing since 2011 at a CAGR of 86% higher than the global average. This is where SEO barges in the scene.

For web centric business platforms, online prominence is imperative and visitors are needed for enterprise branding and to push-up sales, which is possible only through a diligent SEO practice. On its part, SEO undergoes change at swift pace as new updates are implemented by major search engines, especially Google, heres the most prominent updates is the last decade 

Panda 2011, - Duplicate, plagiarized or thin content; user-generated spam; keyword stuffing.

Penguin 2012  Spammy or irrelevant links; links with over-optimized anchor text

Hummingbird 2013  Keyword stuffing; low-quality content.

Mobile 2015  Lack of a mobile version of the page; poor mobile usability

RankBrain 2015  Lack of query-specific relevance; shallow content; poor UX.

Medic 2018  Lack of authority on YMYL websites; weak E-A-T signals

Bert 2019  Poorly written content; lack of focus; lack of context.

Core Updates 2017-till now  SERP and Content Recency

For impressive SEO outcomes, one needs to focus upon a range of factors, such as strong backlinks, traffic arising from it, followed by an enterprises active involvement on popular social media platforms among others. In this article, we have tried to capture some of the trends while eyeing and vying for 2021 in which resides the basis of every SEO strategy. Here are a fistful of key SEO trends that one should aspire for to rank prime in 2021:

1) Automation:

This is the premium AI technology of Artificial Intelligence, which now defines the way users are led towards online content. The AI infected algorithm of Google deserves special attention here. This was exposed to the world by Google just a few years ago and is termed as RankBrainthis has been pivotal in determining ranking in Google listing in the overall context of SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages).

The brain behind such innovative tech amalgamation, Greg Corrado sounds promising when he declares, the other signals, they are all based upon discoveries and insights that people in information retrieval have had, but theres no learning. As such, one can easily and hopefully assume that RankBrain is likely to get better and more advanced as time passes by resulting in AI among the top most trends in SEO field.

This brings us to a pertinent question: How should we approach SEO for RankBrains? Google is not likely to provide any hint upon it anytime soon, but SEO stalwarts and programmers opine that frequent user interaction is like to be a major factor, including the frequency of clicks received on each website as well as the time one spends on a particular website and so forth. Content relevance becomes essential as visitors need to be fascinated with interesting and informative content revealing crucial info. For such a purpose, any on-page SEO checker is likely to be useful in evaluating the worth of a webpage on various grounds such as backlinks, readability etc.

2) Googles EAT Principal is critical for websites to get through:

Time and again, Google has emphasized website content as a major reason to rank ahead in searches. But what exactly counts worthwhile in the eyes of Googles crawlers? The answer lies in the EAT principle, i.e. Expertise Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. By the virtue of this aspect, Google assesses the quality of web content. In certain business fields such as healthcare and finance, the enterprises run under the label of Your money, your life (YMYL).

For business enterprises, there are numerous ways to improve the quality of their website content and initially, we advise creating buyer profiles in a bid to determine the type of content your customer base looks for. Following this, a research should be carried out to capture buyers preference. Finally, such an insight becomes the basis of content that a specific buyer base looks for.

Lets say we are a business that fulfils demands of youngsters. For this video approach will be palatable, but if our product line is for older people, video based content may be that much effective.

Lastly, even while drafting the content, writers ought to keep the EAT principle in mind as well as the statistics. There should be proper backlinks connecting to popular places such as .org, .edu, .gov etc. Truly, when we enjoy links from authoritative sites back to us, which is a supreme way to pacify the EAT criteria.

3) To improve SERPs, opt for lengthy content:

Following the insights that our panel of SEO experts have found, when the content of a webpage ranges up to 3000 words, it fetches 3 times more traffic than the usual while the frequency of sharing is 4 times more. Besides, such content can gather more number of backlinks, say 4% more than the articles which are concluded in just 1000 to 1200 words. As such, it is high time that we should bring detailed and comprehensive content under our focus, in order to improve our SERPs. Apart from this, quality content, enriched with varied insights (which users are able to share further across social media) should remain hooked to your website.

To achieve, we would advise you to split the content into different paragraphs under H2 and H3 subheadings in order to make it more comprehensible. Subheadings bear great importance in case of mobile websites. Besides, it is also essential that we should link to authoritative websites with a stunning PA score. It is also vital that users find our content shareable and to facilitate this, a link should be provided at the beginning as well as the end of the article.

4) Due prominence be given to featured snippets:

It was in 2017 that featured snippets made their way into public arena from Google, as a useful aspect to gain Google ranking quickly. When you type a search query on Google, you would find a box above the SERPs that lies above the real outcome. This is a snippet.

Seeking a snippet is an assured method to get to the first page of Google. Additionally, with snippets we can gather traffic from those in similar business. To draw insights about possible snippets, we can rely upon the people also ask function, while certain snippets are rich with data such as reviews accompanied by stars, price listing, images and other such info. In fact, snippets are an effective feature to reveal a stream of information in organized form, such as Q & A or short bulleted points, or in the form of suggestions etc.

5) Mobile- First Websites will dominate search listing:

Two years back, i.e. 2019, Google specifically emphasized upon mobile-first indexing, focussing how the mobile devices would gain preference. Hitherto this major search engine browser and desktop version was put on the backburner. Such a declaration is deeply arguable as internet is going to be accessed by around 75% people through mobile gadgets of diverse ranges by 2025. As such, it has become essential that businesses assess the mobile-friendly aspect and such test should be done before launching their websites live to the global audience.

While evaluating the user-friendliness, we must see that all of our URLs are easily crawled by Google and for such a purpose, disallow directive should never be activated. Besides, we should also be attentive to Google bots, so that no content is unleashed when user interactions occur like clicks or swiping. In other words, we let Google scan such loosely-loaded content.

Lastly, we ought to enable similar tags of meta-robots on mobile versions of our websites as we do and care for our desktops.

6) Search Queries to be managed by Voice Searches:

A handful of amazing tech breakthroughs in voice search technology have evolved over recent course in the form of Google Assistant, Apples Siri and Amazons Alexa, restructuring the technology from ground up and has been generously accepted. Moreover, by 2022, it is confirmed that over 50% families will have a smart speaker.

Now, to enhance our business website for successful mobile searches, one should pay heed to the major set of keywords. It is for these that competition occurs on popular search engines, especially the long tail phrases common to popular vocabulary as well as commonly used short-forms. For example, instead of typing what are the ways to control air pollution, one can simply type ways to control air pollution.

7) Video Inclusion for an adequate SEO strategy:

Sans doubt, video based information is easy to grasp while viewers get amused as the details are unravelled. To emphasize the point, we can refer to the massive user base of YouTube which stands at around 1 billion. Cisco maintains that videos are likely to get more popularity that any other form of info made in the coming days.

How can the content included in such videos be optimized?

There are umpteen ways, tried and tested, for the purpose ranging from amending the video channel name to managing its description and managing keywords to avoid stuffing and so forth. Besides, one should pay attention to keywords too and while trying for YouTube, which has an auto-complete feature. As we type in the topic, we are flooded with the ideas and suggestions most relevant to the searches in the search field which are just popular keywords that reveal what exactly is held favourite widely among the rising YouTube community.

8) Experts count upon predictive search:

IT was only in 2017 that Google Discover was unveiled wherein user query isnt needed. The tool is powered by AI which simply detects the users habits and frequent activities on the web and develops a possible pattern on such basis, consequently showcasing the most appropriate content post judging popular preferences amongst them.

Interestingly, around 800 million users have already been listed proactive on Google Discover. Google, however, hasnt specified any precise factors for such inclusion. Yet explicit users behaviour, such as search history, location, occupational details, places etc. are some prominent criterion.

9) Searches will be guided by image optimization:

There has been a great emphasis upon visual image in recent months and it is very likely that purchases, queries and discussions will be based solely upon images in the years to come. From Googles perspective, emphasis has long been upon proper image optimization and necessary indication. Hence one can easily conclude that Google prefers images. Unique images are a type of content within themselves.

If you havent optimized the images embedded onto the website, better do it now! Images ought to be high-quality and relevant, while file names should be customized too as images should have labels as per content, accompanied by ALT tags which are identified by crawlers.

Lastly, even the sitemaps need to carry images, as such to become easier to be crawled. We are going to have a specific article on image optimization tips in days to come.

10) Semantic keywords to be given importance:

Until previous year, primary keywords used to gather attention of SEO professionals, but in the coming years, it is claimed that even secondary keywords are going to enjoy similar treatment. This is all a result of semantic search. Google doesnt confine its focus to particular stream of words. Rather content analysis is carried out for the overall query, while emphasizing users inherent determination behind the search. To address this aspect, suitable content needs to be drafted to act like a response to the queries that users put up. Content structure paragraphs and sub-heading should be replete with keywords. Then, data ought to be organized too in a logical way, in sync with primary and secondary keywords. In short, we need to limit our writing for people, not machines.

11) Effective SEO Strategies will be guided by Local Searches:

Generally, we consider internet to be a global entity but there are made local searches too. These cater to goods and services for restaurants, carwash, florists, etc. Here local searches become as crucial as any other search and it is growing too, which is limited to growing number of zero-click searches, a common practice according to the SEO professionals.

Queries from users, in a zero-click search, get answers from SERP itself and any other listing fetched as a search result is not accessed by users. Zero-click searches have also advanced in number because of the growth in featured snippets. Another crucial aspect of zero-click searches is that they are local in nature and the outcome is thus specified to the local pack.

How should you try to get your business into the local pack? For this, one should begin by creating a Google My Business Page, alongside being equipped with strong backlinks. To get an idea, check where your competitors get their links from and try to manage those tactfully.

12) Focus on data and analytics to lead:

With the help of premium analytics, we can easily get to the pulse of our main customers, dwelling upon their preference following craft appropriate marketing campaigns to send them serviceable messages, personalised to their needs. Further, owing to analytics, we can also get to know about a variety of things, such as usefulness of URLs, if they get crawled, sources of referrals, loading time of pages, errors in responses, number of redirects, bounce rates and so forth.

Besides, with data science, we can also select pages which we dont want crawlers to index and deter unusual traffic sources, especially the spam websites which will also damage our EAT score.

How to lay hands on all of this information? To begin with, SEO field is flooded with analysis tools and SEMrush SEO toolkit is prominent and we are equipped with it to accomplish a range of things, such as checking ranks, researching about competitors, On-Page SEO checks, checking and building links among others.

Clearly, by paying heed to the aforementioned factors, one can easily determine their strength and weak areas, addressing the issues which need attention, making positive overtures to amend these. What we have in hand is an efficient, well reformed website.
ALBANY, N.Y.  The world saw video of the death of Daniel Prude, the 41-year-old Black man suffering a crisis who died on a cold Rochester street last March, naked and handcuffed with a spit hood on his head while police put physical pressure on his head and body.

The medical examiner ruled it a homicide, caused in part by asphyxiation, the controversial diagnosis of "excited delirium," and PCP use.

But when assessing the evidence, Monroe County grand jurors reached a conclusion that's common in cases where police use force: They declined to bring an indictment.

Over and over again, New York prosecutors or grand juries have assessed civilian deaths at the hands of police and determined the evidence isn't strong enough to sustain a criminal case against the officers involved.

State Attorney General Letitia James has her own explanation as to why: State law and decades of court precedent give police officers significant leeway when it comes to using potentially lethal force.

"The system was built to protect and shield officers from wrongdoing and accountability," James said Tuesday after announcing the Prude grand jury's decision. "The system too often allows officers to use deadly force unnecessarily and without consequence and that is a system that at its core is broken."

New York Attorney General Letitia James announces that a grand jury has chosen not to criminally charge Rochester police officers whose restraint of Daniel Prude may have caused his death.

The state Attorney General's Office has taken on 42 cases in which police are suspected of causing the death of an unarmed civilian since 2015, when Gov. Andrew Cuomo first granted the office the ability to investigate such incidents.

A handful of those cases  including Prude's  have been presented to a grand jury or gone to trial. None of them have resulted in a single conviction, either because the grand jury declined to indict or because the state lost in court.

James' office issued a report Tuesday explaining the circumstances of Prude's death, which was captured on police body cameras and spurred protests across Rochester and the nation.

Story continues

Want more stories like this?: Sign up for USA TODAY's This is America Newsletter

Because of New York's secrecy laws, James has not been allowed to discuss what evidence was presented to the grand jury, though a Monroe County judge ruled the minutes can soon be unsealed.

But in the report, James' office included a general discussion of the challenges in successfully bringing a case against a police officer who used force.

The report walks through all the long and legally complicated questions prosecutors and a grand jury would have to consider to determine if an officer using force can be criminally culpable for someone's death.

Among them:

Did the officers have legal justification for their actions?

Did the officers intentionally or recklessly cause the death? Were they acting with criminal negligence, meaning they grossly failed to perceive the risk of their action?

Did they use "physical force" or "deadly physical force"?

If they used "deadly physical force," did the officers have a reasonable justification?

Taken together, those questions form a maze grand jurors must navigate, requiring them to try to understand the officers' mindset and intent, which James has criticized as being "subjective."

On Tuesday, James suggested state law is weighted toward the officers and needs to be changed.

No charges in Daniel Prude's death: But grand jury records approved for release. Here's why that matters

Specifically, James said the state laws must shift to ensure the use of lethal force goes from a "subjective, simple necessity to one of absolute last resort, exhausting all other non-lethal means before resorting to deadly force."

More on use of force: Judge questions 'stunning' actions of Canandaigua police officer who shot Sandy Guardiola

Standard of force

In an interview last year, Alvin Bragg, who led the Attorney General's Special Investigations and Prosecution Unit from its inception in 2015 through 2018, said there are "some challenges in the law."

"The standard of force that these cases are assessed under I think needs to be made clearer and less deferential to officers," said Bragg, who is now running for Manhattan district attorney.

"There are some issues on obligations to provide medical care and whether someone is fleeing. I think there are some legal obligations that need to be clarified by the Legislature to make it easier to hold officers accountable."

So far, the Rochester Police Locust Club, the union representing local officers, has declined to comment on the grand jury's decision, promising a full reaction within a week.

Attorneys for the officers at the scene of the Prude incident have defended their clients, noting the "segmenting" technique used  in which one officer put pressure on Prude's head and another put a knee on his body  was an acceptable response when Prude tried to stand up.

"We've talked with experts in the use of these defensive tactics and they say this was in compliance," said Matthew Rich, an attorney for the officers.

Losing faith

At her news conference Tuesday in Rochester, James said she knew the Prude family would be disappointed by the outcome. She promised a "multi-faceted approach" to change laws and policies in the coming months to address what she sees as issues in state law.

"My office presented an extensive case and we sought a different outcome than the one grand jury handed us today," she said. "We made every attempt to demonstrate the facts, but ultimately we have to respect the decision."

A group of Rochester-area state lawmakers have introduced a series of bills in response to Prude's death, including one that would ban the use of "spit hoods"  the head covering placed on Prude to keep him from spitting on police  and another that would create mental health response units to respond to people experience a mental-health or substance-abuse crisis, such as Prude.

'System is broken': Black community expresses anger, fatigue after officers cleared in Daniel Prude's death

Right now, my community is hurting, and we have to put them first," said Sen. Samra Brouk, D-Rochester. "This package of legislation is an important step in responding to both the acute injury and the lasting, generational trauma at the hands of law enforcement that we have experienced here in Rochester."

Mike Johnson, an organizer with Save Rochester  Black Lives Matter, said Tuesday it felt like activists had "been led on for so long and just to see this outcome, its infuriating."

"(It) really makes you lose faith in a future for an equitable America for our children, he said. Its really concerning.

After the decision Tuesday, James met privately with the Prude family as well as a 9-year-old girl who was recently pepper sprayed by Rochester police.

Johnson said James should take more time to hear from local residents who are living in this state of disenfranchisement, who are living in states of poverty" and who are living in neighborhoods with aggressive policing.

He said James offered nice words about being determined to get justice. But, he questioned, Where did that get us?

It seems like it was out of her hands, Johnson said.

Contributing: Tiffany Cusaac-Smith, New York State Team

Follow Jon Campbell on Twitter at @JonCampbellGAN.

This article originally appeared on New York State Team: Daniel Prude died, it was ruled a homicide. So why isn't it a crime?

.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

SANTA FE  A bill that would require New Mexico cabinet secretaries to live in state during their appointed tenures passed its first Senate panel on Friday.

Members of the Senate Rules Committee voted 7-1 to approve the legislation, Senate Bill 357, which now advances to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The issue of cabinet secretary residency flared up during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart spent several months living with his family in Philadelphia.

A PED spokeswoman defended Stewart, saying he was following Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams directive to work remotely to slow the spread of the virus.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

But the remote working arrangement drew the ire of some lawmakers, who said Stewart should have stayed in New Mexico to be able to meet with school officials.

Sen. Jacob Candelaria, D-Albuquerque, a co-sponsor of this years bill, pointed out the state Constitution requires elected officials to reside in New Mexico.

My concern here is about our system, Candelaria said during Fridays debate.

Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, cast the lone dissenting vote against the bill, which would require cabinet secretaries to sign an affidavit and would allow for their removal if they failed to maintain residency within New Mexico.
MORIAH  In the five years before the iron mine closed for good in 1930, miners hauled 400,000 tons of the worlds finest ore out of Barton Hill. When they left to mine in other Adirondack mountains nearby, Barton Hills gutted innards went quiet, got dark and filled with bats.

Tens of thousands of bats.

The conditions inside the closed mine, its long passages still flowing with air, were perfect for hibernating bats, which need a safe place to hang helpless through long Adirondack winters. Even when a strange fungus crept across the ocean and began killing most of New Yorks bats, the bats in the Barton Hill Mine fared better than most.

The old mine, in the Essex County town of Moriah near the shores of Lake Champlain, is now one of the most important refuges for bats in North America. The Barton Hill hibernaculum, as its known, is a winter home to some 50,000 bats, including one of the largest populations of endangered Indiana bats outside of the Midwest. There are more bats in the mine than almost anywhere else in the Northeast.

They may now all be in peril.

Just down the hill, a developer is looking to reopen a pair of mines that closed in the 1970s to create a new hydroelectricity project.

3 1 of 3 Courtesy DEC Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Mary Esch Show More Show Less 3 of 3





The $300 million project, in effect a giant water battery, would use massive subterranean passages to create electricity by pumping water up and down.

Known as the Mineville Energy Storage Project, this could provide energy free of fossil fuels to parts of the North Country. Its also a rare economic development opportunity for this corner of the state.

But federal regulators have taken a dim view of the project because of what it might do to the environment and the bats.

Building the power project would require months of blasting, drilling and construction in an area connected below the surface to the hibernaculum. And operating it would require millions of gallons of water to slosh back and forth underground less than a mile from Barton Hill.

All this could forever alter the subterranean conditions  a near-perfect mix of temperature and humidity  that have made Barton Hill a safe haven for so many bats.

Six species of bats hibernate there, most of them in danger of going extinct. Indiana bats were among the first animals federally listed as an extinction risk, in 1967. There are more than 12,000 Indiana bats in Barton Hill. Three other species found in the mine  little brown bats, northern long-eared bats and tri-colored bats  are either already on the endangered list or soon could be.

Kate Langwig, a Virginia Tech professor who started her career in New York and has studied Barton Hill bats, said the sprawling old mine has a variety of temperatures and humidity conditions, making different parts of it ideal for different species. Together in one place, these microclimates create a hibernating spot that is unlike anything else shes aware of in the eastern part of the country.

The energy storage project is the brainchild of Jim Besha, the CEO of Albany Engineering Corp.

Besha has spent 30 years working on the project  which, if not one-of-a-kind, is probably the largest of its kind.

The project got started back in 1990, when Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. wanted a new way to generate power in the North Country without facing the bureaucratic hurdles other projects have encountered inside the Adirondack Park.

Beshas big idea wont actually generate new power, but it takes an old technology known as pumped storage and buries it. He would build what amounts to a giant battery in a massive underground mining complex that holds two mines, known as the Old Bed and Harmony mines. Because one mine is hundreds of feet above the other, they can generate hydroelectric power underground, using gravity.

Since Republic Steel Co. shut the mines down in the 1970s, 4 billion gallons of water have seeped into the mines, so theres already water there, ready to use.

Hydroelectricity comes from an astonishingly simple fact: As water moves, particularly as it falls, it can spin turbines to generate power.

At some hydroelectric dams, power can be made on demand. Rivers will be bottled up in a reservoir and then released when energy is needed.

In the Adirondacks, though, dam operators face restrictions on how much water they can hold back, in part because their dams are small and in part because environmental regulators want to keep rivers flowing if possible. That means hydropower isnt always available when people need it most. Now that coal and gas are being sidelined to fight climate change, there is a scramble to figure out how to store wind, solar and hydropower.

Pumped storage does that.

The Mineville project would buy power when its not needed and is therefore cheapest, around $40 per megawatt hour, and would use that electricity to pump water from the lower mine to the upper mine.

When electricity prices rise, it would release water from the upper mine back down to the lower mine. As the water falls it would generate electricity that could be sold at, say, $80 per megawatt hour.

Normal pumped storage projects are a nightmare to permit when theyre done above ground. They involve the construction of a new dam and reservoirs, which flood massive areas. Despite rising demand for energy storage, there are only about 40 pumped storage projects in the U.S., and most of them were approved decades ago.

Doing everything underground in an area that has already been mined is an elegant solution that avoids all sorts of destruction and permitting hassles.

If Besha gets the permits, theres already a company, Hull Street Energy, that will put up the money to build the project, as well as another similar project that he has planned for Lyon Mountain in Clinton County.

The Mineville project would be one of the few big developments in the area since the mines closed. Once its built, a project like this can run without much staff, but it would certainly boost local property tax collections.

Its almost a perfect location, Besha said.

At least it seemed to be.

In 2006, the first signs of whats now known as white-nose syndrome were spotted on bats from a cave near Albany.

Across the Northeast, researchers began finding dead bats lying in white snow, tipping them off to a catastrophe in the making. A deadly fungus had traveled from overseas and now it was here.

While bats have a loathsome reputation as nighttime terrors, theyre sewn into the fabric of our world. Researchers have found that bats contribute as much as $50 billion a year to the American farming economy by eating insects, thus reducing the need for pesticides. A single group of 100 bats might eat millions of bugs in a single season.

The bats werent ready for the new disease, which attacks them while they hibernate. During hibernation, bats body temperature drops to about the temperature of their surroundings. Bats save just enough energy to wake a few times from hibernation to fly around to get water or change spots. Waking up too often can be fatal.

White-nose syndrome causes them to expend precious energy to wake up more often and fly around. They lose too much water and the food they have stored up. Then they die.

First they died by the thousands. Then they died by the millions.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service calls the bat fungus one of the worst wildlife diseases in modern times. White-nose syndrome has spread to some 30 states and seven Canadian provinces, killing 90 percent of the hibernating bats in those places.

The disease has killed more than a million bats in New York alone, said Carl Herzog, the state Department of Environmental Conservations top biologist.

Theres at least one place in the Northeast, though, where conditions seem to be good for bats but not so good for the fungus. Its the Barton Hill Mine.

The bats in the Barton Hill mine ... are doing much better in the face of the disease than any other hibernation site that we know of in New York, Herzog said in an email. As a result it is, without exaggeration, the most important bat hibernation site in the region.

Indiana bats, for instance, like humid places with stable temperatures, under 50 degrees but above freezing. The fungus thrives in a nearly overlapping zone of 40 to 50 degrees and humid.

But Langwig, the professor, said Barton Hill provides a Goldilocks zone for bats  too cold and dry for the fungus to grow quickly, but not too cold or dry for bats to hibernate.

Anything that disrupts the delicate balance  the explosions to excavate the mine, closing or opening subterranean caverns, even slight changes in conditions caused by all the moving water  might cause changes that imperil the bats.

Even though Barton Hill is several thousand feet away from where the hydroelectric project would be, the nearby mines are connected in unexpected ways. There is at least one tunnel between Barton Hill and the mines where the hydroelectric project will be, a passageway 3,000 feet below the ground.

Besha, the developer, plans to drill down and seal off the passage to ensure that nothing he does can change what happens at Barton Hill.

The project, we believe, will have no direct effect on bats, he said.

But there are a lot of unknowns. Though biologists have been inside Barton Hill and know its perfect for bats, nobody has been inside the other two old mines for years  theyre closed and filled with water

Besha focuses on the knowns. He has boxes and boxes of diagrams and documents about the mines, including former Republic Steel engineer Patrick Farrells detailed book on Mineville, Through the Light Hole, which Besha said he has read 100 times. He thinks he knows what to expect down there.

Regulators worry he doesnt, and that nobody does. Their focus, on the unknowns, is at very least holding up permitting of the project.

In a draft environmental impact statement, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) said connections between the mine sites are not well understood, so construction work may result in changes to water level, temperature, humidity, and other variables that currently represent suitable conditions for hibernating bats. Regulators concluded that alterations of those conditions may result in unavoidable changes.

If theres one person in New York who has walked the fine line between development and endangerment, its Besha. In the 1980s, he had another run-in with endangered bats while helping build the Glen Park hydroelectric project on the Black River near Watertown.

Then, Besha helped come up with a plan to monitor the bats there before and after blasting began. He put listening devices, an infrared camera, vibration monitors and thermometers into the cave.

Al Hicks, a former DEC biologist who has studied bats as much as nearly anyone alive and was one of the first biologists to deal with white-nose syndrome, was around then, too, and tasked with protecting the bats for the state.

Now, Hicks is an unpaid adviser to Besha and thinks Besha can do in Mineville what he did in Watertown: build without driving off the bats. Hicks, who has been in the Barton Hill Mine 40 or 50 times, said he hates the idea that people think we cant have progress and save the environment at the same time.

I think this project is a low risk, Hicks said. And I appreciate the consequence of it blowing up in their faces, but I think the chances of it blowing up in their faces are so small.

Federal environmental regulators arent so sure Beshas previous success means much, given that the Mineville project is a different project and, because of white-nose syndrome, the stakes are far higher.

Besha said he has an elaborate monitoring plan to make sure the bats in Barton Hill survive. The plan, however, is not public because regulators are concerned it reveals the location and numbers of endangered species. Because the plan is not public, its possible some of the people criticizing the project dont understand everything that goes into it, Besha said.

I suspect some of those people have not looked at the plan or what is being proposed, Besha said. The plan is more detailed than measure and just start doing stuff.

But those who have seen the plan also question whether monitoring is enough.

New York environmental regulators called one version of Beshas monitoring plan of limited value because the monitoring might end up showing bad things happening in a way thats irreversible.

A protection plan must emphasize avoidance and minimization of impacts, not monitoring and mitigation, the department wrote several years ago.

Basically, it wouldnt do much good to have all the cameras and monitors in the world watching the death of endangered bats due to changes in the mine that cannot be undone.

A regional official from the U.S. Department of the Interior, the department that houses the federal Fish and Wildlife Service, wrote in summer 2019 that it is not clear that the measures will be adequate, implemented properly, or adjusted appropriately if needed.

Late last year, Besha ran into a major hurdle.

In mid-December, FERC threw out the projects application because Besha couldnt get state environmental regulators to approve a water quality permit.

Is New York State serious about renewable energy and climate change, or not? Besha said shortly after that happened. DECs lack of action would seem to indicate it is not.

Since then, Gov. Andrew Cuomos office has facilitated numerous communications in an attempt to resolve the water quality issues that held up the project, Besha told FERC.

Besha said he plans to fully understand and address the states concerns, then resubmit his plans for the project.

The bats, of course, know none of this, even as their population shrinks. For years, bats across the country have been threatened by all kinds of human activity  from pesticides that kill the bugs they eat to logging that cuts down the trees they live in during the summer. Their caves have been disturbed by developers and gawkers, including tourists who may have brought white-nose syndrome into America. Even some of the gates that officials put up on caves to keep people away from bats were a problem, since they choked off airflow and harmed the bats they were meant to protect.

In Barton Hill, in one of the last spots they can, thousands of bats rest undisturbed.

Ry Rivard covers water policy for the Adirondack Explorer, a news organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of the Adirondack Park in Northern New York State.
A Lancaster County youth Pastor has recently been arrested for the possession and distribution of child pornography, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said.

Brandon Dasilva, 26, is a pastor of student ministries for Weaverland Anabaptist Faith Community Church in East Earl.

He was arrested Monday and is being charged with four counts of sexual abuse of children for distributing child pornography, 26 counts of sexual abuse of children for possession of child pornography, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility, Pennsylvania Real-Time News wrote.

"The defendant was trusted as a faith leader for young people in Lancaster, but out of the public eye was exploiting children," Shapiro said. "Brandon Dasilva undermined the authority placed in him by his community and betrayed the trust of the young people who believed in him. We will continue to work to protect children and hold those who abuse them accountable."

According to Fox43, the investigation on Dasilva began in April 2020, when an agent with Homeland Security Investigation and the office of attorney general Child Predator Section found an account on Kik, a social media app, with several images of suspected child pornography.

The investigators traced the IP address of the account and it led to Dasilva's home in Lancaster County, according to the affidavit filed against Dasilva.

Shapiro and federal agents arrested Dasilva after conducting a search at his home Monday wherein they uncovered a number of images and videos of child pornography on his electronic devices.

Dasilva, who was present at that time, allegedly admitted that he had been viewing such contents for about a year and a half, the complaint says. He told investigators that he was ashamed and he "hated himself" for displaying such behavior.

Lead Pastor of Weaverland Anabaptist Community Brian Martin posted this statement on the church's website:

"It is with deep sadness that I share with you a situation that came to our attention on February 22. Pastor of Student Ministries, Brandon Dasilva, has been charged by the state's Office of Attorney General with possession and distribution of child pornography. Effective February 22, Mr. Dasilva's credential was suspended and employment was suspended without pay pending the outcome of the charges. We are deeply grieved by the allegations and those potentially harmed by Mr. Dasilva. We are cooperating fully with the state's attorney's office and the ongoing investigation. We are not aware that any of the alleged victims were affiliated with Weaverland Anabaptist Faith Community; however, we encourage anyone with additional relevant information to contact the authorities. We are availing counseling to those impacted by these shocking charges. We remain committed to the safety and wellbeing of our children, students, and families in all our ministries. We invite your prayers on behalf of the many hurting persons in this hour."

The case is, however, still being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General David Drumheller. As of now, charges are mere accusations and defendant Dasilva is innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
A US expert panel on Friday, February 26, endorsed Johnson & Johnsons one-dose COVID-19 vaccine. Also, the FDA is expected to make a final decision soon. This comes after the regulators analysed the vaccine and came up with the conclusion that the single-dose vaccine "offers strong protection" against the deadly coronavirus. The analysis was termed as the first step in FDAs evaluation.

Once the FDA approves, J&Js shot will become the third vaccine authorized for emergency use in the US. After a discussion that lasted for almost one day, the FDA panelists voted unanimously that the benefits of the vaccine 'outweighed the risks for adults'. Further, the shipment can begin by Monday, March 1, if the FDA agrees. As per the analysis, the shot offers the nation a third vaccine option and also helps in speeding up the vaccination process. The FDA researchers have confirmed that overall the vaccine is 66 per cent effective. They also said that it is 85 per cent effective against severe illness, claiming that the J&J shot is safe.

Read: US: Prez Biden Announces Partnership With Private Businesses To Spread COVID-19 Awareness

The analysis

During the analysis, the J&J shot was tested on 44,000 adults in the US, Latin America and South Africa. The analysis cautioned that it is still not clear how well the vaccine works against the different variants of coronavirus. However, it was concluded that the vaccine worked better in the US as it is 77 per cent effective against moderate to severe COVID-19 infections. In Latin America, it is 66 per cent and 57 per cent in South Africa.

Read: US Court Awards $2.3 Billion To USS Pueblo Crew Held Hostage By North Korea In 1968

A vaccine expert at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, who is also a part of the FDA advisory panel that will scrutinize the J&J data, Dr Paul Offit encouraged that one dose of the J&J vaccine appears as good at preventing serious illness as the other two-dose vaccines. He said, "This is a vaccine to prevent you from going to the hospital and dying at a level thats certainly comparable to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines". Dr Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief said, "I was reassured that despite different variants, the J&J shot was still protected against serious illness". He said, "Thats pretty robust data.

Read: US Lawmakers, Civil Society Groups Urge Biden To Support TRIPS Waiver Proposal

Also Read: Pentagon Confident That 'target Was Hit' As US Strikes Iranian-backed Militias In Syria
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan commented on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs February 26 contradictory statements and hate speech targeting Armenians.

ARMENPRESS: Yesterday, at the press conference for foreign media the President of Azerbaijan made a number of statements, including new threats against Armenia, comments on the issue of prisoners of war and the status of Artsakh. How would you comment on those statements?

Anna Naghdalyan: The hours-long press conference of Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev on February 26 was another manifestation of hate speech towards the Armenian people, aimed at diverting the attention of the Azerbaijani society from domestic issues by manipulating the image of the Armenian people as a useful enemy.

Of course, it will be difficult to address all the contradictory statements made in the speech of the President of Azerbaijan within one question. However, it is necessary to emphasize that;

First, the President of Azerbaijan continues the policy of Armenophobia, which is the primary source of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The words Armenians are not Azerbaijans enemies said by the President Aliyev, who has previously declared the Armenian people as number one enemy of Azerbaijan, are dissolved by hostile rhetoric towards the Armenian people, its state institutions, the army, so they cannot be credible.

Second, despite the increasing calls of the international community for the immediate release of Armenian servicemen captured in violation of the first provision of the November 9 statement, the President of Azerbaijan justifies violations of his country's international obligations, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, in fact by threatening with new captives. Moreover, the claim by the President of Azerbaijan that all Armenian captives have been returned was made when the relevant Azerbaijani authorities passed information to the reputable international bodies on the existence of Armenian prisoners of war.

Third, we have repeatedly stated that the use of force by Azerbaijan with the support of Turkey can not be considered a resolution to the conflict. In order to establish peace and security in the region, the consequences of military aggression must be eliminated, the rights of the Armenians of Artsakh must be exercised, including on the basis of the right to self-determination proposed by the Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

Fourth, the Armenian army is the guarantor of the right of the Armenian people to live and create free and dignified life in their homeland, which, at the cost of the self-sacrifice of many Armenians, thwarted the genocidal aspirations of the Turkish-Azerbaijani-terrorist alliance towards the Armenian people. Aliyev's press conference once proved the imperative of rearmement and modernizing of the Armenian armed forces.

The statements of the Azerbaijani leadership demonstrate that Azerbaijan is not ready to undertake steps for peace and stability in the South Caucasus, moreover, its statements nullify any possibility of building trust.

ARMENPRESS: The President of Azerbaijan once again referred to the "corridor" through the territory of Armenia. What corridor is he referring to?

Anna Naghdalyan: We have touched upon this issue more than once, but I will repeat once again that the provision 9 of the November 9 trilateral statement does not contain any provisions on the establishment of a corridor. Any road or communication route passing through the territory of Armenia is and remains exclusively under the jurisdiction of the sovereignty of Armenia.

ARMENPRESS: The President of Azerbaijan made statements on the need for the return of Azerbaijani refugees to Artsakh. Is there any discussion in that direction?

Anna Naghdalyan: The November 9 trilateral statement calls for the return of displaced people to their places of residence under the supervision of the United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Refugees. However, at least four months after the statement, the Azerbaijani side is posing impediments towards the entry of international organizations, including the UN specialized agencies, into Artsakh, disrupting the implementation of humanitarian missions.

It is clear that the people displaced during the recent large-scale war must return in the first place; the November 9 statement is aimed primarily at eliminating the humanitarian consequences of that war. This refers to the residents of Hadrut, Shushi and other settlements fallen under the Azerbaijani control. Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani armed forces not merely prohibit the return of the displaced, but also try to make it impossible by burning and destroying their settlements.

Such behavior clearly indicates that the Azerbaijani leadership is trying to cover up the infamous policy of ethnic cleansing and annihilation of Armenians from Artsakh making announcements on the coexistence between the Armenians and Azerbaijanis.


Protest site More than three months have passed since the farmers agitation began. At present the number of people at the Ghazipur Border appears to be thinning, particularly in the last one month. In fact this has been the case at the sites of protest on Delhi's borders ever since the violence on Republic Day, January 26. At the Ghazipur Border in particular, the numbers have reduced signficantly compared to the same date last month. According to the farmers on the border, the number of agitators at the protest sites keeps changing since the farmers keep coming and going, particularly in the harvest season. When we asked Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) media in-charge Dharmendra Malik about the dwindling numbers, he said: "We are organising a rally at Saharanpur on Sunday in which Rakesh Tikait will also participate. That is why most farmers have gone there. Let two panchayats be over, the crowds will again begin arriving to the Ghazipur border. At present, 20-25 tractors are about to reach the Ghazipur border." Ghazipur Kisan Andolan Committee (KAC) leader Jagtar Singh Bajwa told IANS: "Who says that the crowds have reduced? Please go to the stage and see for yourself. The programme hasn't yet begun, but there are people sitting there already. Since there is a Mahapanchayat in Baghpat, people from that area have gone there. Farmers are also heading to the Mahapanchayat in Rudrapur two days later." Farmer leaders may or may not agree, but the empty tents at the Ghazipur Border provide ample testimony to the fact that the number of farmers in the agitation has come down significantly. Although the numbers used to increase on the weekend, but that is not happening any longer. On the other hand, Rakesh Tikait has begun attending Mahapanchayats at other places. Except the days when he is present, neither do the farmers appear too enthusiastic, nor are their numbers high. On Feb 19, a meeting was called by farmer organisations at Ghazipur Border in which district heads from Meerut, Saharanpur and Muradabad had participated. In this meeting, in light of the dwindling numbers, it was decided that the leadership will try and stop this slide and won't let the movement weaken. BKU national spokesman Rakesh Tikait has also been saying: "More than farming, the focus must be on the movement. To ensure that the farmers' work is not ignored when they come to the agitation a panel has been formed. According to the panel four families will look after his farm when he comes here." With the rising mercury, farmers were not being seen in front of the stage. Now a shed has been built to solve this problem and shield the farmers from the harsh summer heat. Farmers have been protesting against the Centre's three farm laws on Delhi's borders since November 26.




Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on February 14 that everyone in England in the top four priority groups, including those aged 70 and over, had been offered the vaccine (Jane Barlow/PA)

One in five adults in England aged under 70 have had their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, new data suggests.

Provisional figures from NHS England, published on Thursday, show that 16,337,561 Covid-19 vaccinations took place in England between December 8 and February 24, including first and second doses.

This is a rise of 411,146 on the previous days figures.

Of this number, 15,794,992 were the first dose of a vaccine, a rise of 396,937 on the previous day, while 542,569 were a second dose, an increase of 14,209.

Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (PA Graphics)

An estimated 20.3% of people aged 16 to 69 had received their first jab as of February 21.

The estimates show little variation between the regions, ranging from 17.2% in London to 22.3% in north-west England.

Some 94% of residents of older adult care homes in England eligible to have their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine had received the jab by February 21, NHS England said.

Residents are classed as eligible for the vaccine if they have not had Covid-19 in the previous 28 days.

The equivalent figure for staff of older care homes is 71.5%.

But only 54.8% of eligible staff at older care homes in London are estimated to have received their first jab.

Some 54.2% of social care staff at younger adult care homes and domiciliary care providers and 53.9% of staff at other settings including non-registered providers and local authority employed had received their first jab, the data showed.

Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (PA Graphics)

Englands deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam told ITVs Good Morning Britain on Wednesday that healthcare workers had a professional responsibility to take steps themselves to prevent them from being in a position where they could harm patients through infectious diseases they might have.

Asked how he felt about people working in the NHS or in care homes who were refusing to have the vaccine, Prof Van-Tam said the vast majority were getting a jab.

He added: I agree with Professor (Chris) Whitty in that I think healthcare workers have always had a professional responsibility to take steps themselves to prevent them from being in a position where they could harm patients through infectious diseases they might have.

Thats been a very clear position on hepatitis B vaccine and performing invasive procedures, particularly surgery, for decades and decades.

And so I think thats the professional standard that everybody ought to adhere to.

Now, the other way of framing this is saying, if youre a consumer of healthcare, if youre a patient or a relative, would you prefer a healthcare worker to attend you or your relative if they have been vaccinated against Covid, or would you not really mind either way?

Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (PA Graphics)

NHS England has said around 91% of patient-facing NHS trust healthcare workers in England are likely to have had their first dose of a vaccine.

Around one in seven people aged 70 and over in London had yet to have their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at the start of this week, the figures suggest.

An estimated 85.2% of those aged 70 and over in the capital had received their first jab up to February 21  the lowest proportion for any region.

The estimate for the whole of England was 95.9%.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on February 14 that everyone in England in the top four priority groups, including those aged 70 and over, had been offered the vaccine.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
New Orleans' St. Patricks parades have been canceled in 2021, thanks to the coronavirus, but that doesnt mean New Orleans cant celebrate. A new organization has popped up to promote Mardi Gras house float-style decorations with an Irish American focus.

The concept was inspired by a Chicago-based project titled "Shamrock Our Blocks" and transplanted to New Orleans by Brian Moore, who moved from the Windy City to the Crescent City a decade ago.

Moore said that, like New Orleans, Chicagos popular St. Patricks Day parades have been nixed in 2021, so Chicago's Southside Irish Parade Organization conceived a house decorating contest to compensate. Moore said hes unsure if the Chicagoans were aware of the New Orleans house float phenomenon.

+19 Irish Channel St. Patrick's parade organizers say they'll be ready to toss cabbages in 2022 For the second year, tuxedoed men will not swap green paper chrysanthemums for smooches along Magazine Street, and crowds will not catch cabba

When Moore heard of the Shamrock Our Blocks project, he knew it would be perfect for New Orleans after the immense success of the Krewe of House Floats, a startup organization that fostered hundreds of decorated houses during the recent Carnival season.

If theres an appetite for this, for people to use their creativity, Moore said of the Mardi Gras house float craze, then lets do it on St. Patricks Day.

Unlike Chicagos Shamrock Our Blocks project, the New Orleans version will not have an entry fee, nor prize money. It will simply be a loose association of enthusiasts united by a Facebook group.

Moore, who owns a bicycle tour company, said that interest in the plan was immediate. In the first 36 hours, 150 people had joined the Facebook group.

Irish Channel resident Angela Timberlake immediately volunteered to help manage the organization. The Irish Channel may naturally become the focus of the event, Moore said, but he hopes it will be citywide.

If all goes as planned, Shamrock Our Blocks NOLA will produce a map to pinpoint the locations of participating houses and the public will spend St. Paddys Day driving or biking from house to house where some do-it-yourself decorators may toss cabbages.

Interested parties can join the Shamrock Our Block NOLA Facebook group or follow the projects Facebook page.

Attention New Orleans St. Patricks Day house float makers, If youd like to see your house pop up on NOLA.com, please send a photo or two with your name, address, and the house title or theme to dmaccash@theadvocate.com
Supreme Court Says Santa Clara Cant Prohibit In-Person Worship

The Supreme Court on Feb. 26 told Californias Santa Clara County that it may not enforce a ban on indoor religious services in response to the CCP virus pandemic.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court told California that indoor church services cannot be banned because of the pandemic. The justices at the time allowed the state to cap attendance to 25 percent capacity and to prohibit singing and chanting

Santa Clara argued that a ban and limitations on any indoor gatherings should be allowed to stand. The county said its restrictions for churches were the same as those imposed on other establishments, including retail stores, where people can visit but not gather in groups.

The justices unsigned order Friday said that their action was clearly dictated by their order from earlier this month. The courts three liberal justices dissented.

Santa Clara had told the court in a letter Thursday that coronavirus cases in the county have recently continued to decline and that it was already close to lifting its ban on indoor gatherings. If the data continued the positive trend, the letter said, the county expected to allow all indoor gatherings, subject to restrictions, as soon as next Wednesday.

The Supreme Court paved the way for Fridays ruling with two opinions issued earlier this month siding with churches that protested against Californias ban on indoor worship.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote at the time that while there was a scientific basis for barring singing and chanting, there was none for banning indoor services altogether.

The state has concluded, for example, that singing indoors poses a heightened risk of transmitting COVID-19. I see no basis in this record for overriding that aspect of the state public health framework, Roberts wrote. At the same time, the states present determinationthat the maximum number of adherents who can safely worship in the most cavernous cathedral is zeroappears to reflect not expertise or discretion, but instead insufficient appreciation or consideration of the interests at stake.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
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.
University of Minnesota to host webinar - Is COVID-19 changing research ethics?

On Wednesday, March 3, the University of Minnesota will host top national experts to debate how COVID-19 is changing the rules and conduct for research. This webinar on "Conducting Research in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ethics in an Emergency" will tackle huge issues, including:

How can research successfully include the Black, Indigenous, and other vulnerable populations who are being hit so hard by the pandemic? What steps will make research genuinely responsive to the needs of those communities?

How can health professionals simultaneously collect data ethically, try to save each patient's life, and allocate scarce medications? Most currently available treatments are not FDA-approved, and instead are available under Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs). Collecting data is essential, but so are saving lives and allocating medications ethically.

Should we always use randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to determine the safety and efficacy of proposed treatments? RCTs may be too slow in a pandemic. And do trials always need to be placebo-controlled?

How can vaccine research, including pediatric vaccine research and challenge trials, be conducted ethically?

Speakers and moderators include:

Christine Grady, MSN, PhD, Chief, Department of Bioethics; Head, Section on Human Subjects Research, NIH Clinical Center;

Stephen B. Thomas, PhD, Professor of Health Policy & Management, University of Maryland; Director of the Maryland Center for Health Equity; and Principal Investigator (with Dr. Sandra Quinn) for the NIH-NIMHD Center of Excellence in Race, Ethnicity & Health Disparities Research;

Abigail Echo-Hawk, MA, Director, Urban Indian Health Institute; Chief Research Officer, Seattle Indian Health Board;

Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, Regents Professor; McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health; Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy (CIDRAP), University of Minnesota;

Derek C. Angus, MD, MPH, FRCP, Chief Healthcare Innovation Officer, Distinguished Professor and Mitchell P. Fink Endowed Chair, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Health System; Section Editor, Caring for the Critically Ill, JAMA;

Arturo Casadevall, MD, PhD, Alfred & Jill Sommer Professor and Chair, Molecular Microbiology & Immunology; Bloomberg Distinguished Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health;

Jason V. Baker, MD, MS, FIDSA, Chief, Infectious Diseases, Hennepin Healthcare; Associate Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine & Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Minnesota;

Susan M. Wolf, JD, McKnight Presidential Professor of Law, Medicine & Public Policy; Faegre Baker Daniels Professor of Law; Professor of Medicine; Chair, Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences, University of Minnesota; co-lead, Minnesota COVID Ethics Collaborative (MCEC).

"These are vital conversations that will help chart a path forward for policy makers, researchers, ethicists, and anyone interested in how to address the biggest health challenge of our time," said Vice President for Research Christopher Cramer.

"The pandemic is a global emergency. How do we collect data on vaccines and treatments ASAP, while saving human lives, allocating scarce medications ethically, and - crucially - addressing the gigantic health disparities emerging? Any one of these is a challenge. We need to do all of them and under enormous pressure," said Consortium chair Susan M. Wolf.

###

The full Agenda, link to register, and more information is at: https:/ / consortium. umn. edu/ conference/ annual-research-ethics-day-conference-conducting-research-covid-19-pandemic-ethics-emergency . The webinar is part of the University of Minnesota's Research Ethics Week (March 1-5, 2021), when University colleges and departments focus on how to ensure research safety and integrity.

The event is presented by the Office of the Vice President for Research; Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences; Masonic Cancer Center; and Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Minnesota.

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
No bigger irony than questioning valour of country's Army: Rajnath Singh

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Ghazipur (UP), Feb 27: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said there can be no bigger irony than questioning the valour of the country''s Army.

The defence minister said this while talking to reporters at Madaripur of the Saidpur area while attending the wedding of his adopted son Dr Vijendra.

""We are proud of the might of the Indian Army. It is meaningless to doubt our Army. There can be nothing more ironic than questioning the Army. No one should doubt the valour and might of the Army of the country," the defence minister said.

'Caged parrot' Rajnath Singh could resolve impasse if allowed to talk to farmers: Naresh Tikait

Terming the Indian Army as highly valiant, Singh said it is unfortunate that questions are being asked by the Opposition despite China retreating from border points.

The defence minister said it is a moment of great happiness that a poor child adopted by him has turned out a successful human through education.

Every capable person should do such noble work, he said.

Singh said when he was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, he had adopted two children and Vijendra is one of them who is now a doctor in a government hospital.

He blessed the couple on the occasion.

Union Minister Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey was also present on the occasion.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 27, 2021, 22:32 [IST]
The Perspective

Atlanta, Georgia

February 27, 2021

Artwork by Sam Ben-Meir

The Palestinian conflict is dangerously eroding Israels moral standing as the publics alarming complacency is ever growing

Righting the Wrong



As the Israelis will soon cast their vote for the fourth time in two years, they should pause and think where the country is heading under Netanyahus leadership, and what will be the prospect of ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should he form the next coalition government. For too long have the Israelis and Palestinians wronged each other. Mutual hatred, hostility, and scorn have equally been consuming them. Neither side seems to grasp that there is no escape from the other, and the longer they wait to resolve their conflict, the harder and more complex it becomes.

Sadly, if not tragically, the Israeli public has grown passive and indifferent as if the conflict with the Palestinians is from a past era. A majority of Israelis have convinced themselves that the Palestinians are the perpetual enemy and the state of no peace and no wars offers the best of both worlds, while the status quo became a normal way of life. The sadder reality, however, is that the continuing conflict robs Israel of the moral tenet on which it was created, without which it forfeits its right to be free and secure.

The Israelis have largely dismissed their moral obligation to end the occupation as the cost of maintaining it has basically been reduced to dollars and cents. Israel established an extremely tight security and intelligence apparatus, making it nearly impossible for a Palestinian militant to kill an Israeli with impunity. In fact, the number of Israelis killed by Palestinian extremists is minuscule compared to the fatalities caused by traffic accidents.

I asked a friend, a former Israeli ambassador, now that a new election is scheduled, do any of the political parties have a platform that includes a peace plan with the Palestinians? There is no such thing any more, except for Meretz, he said. People are not interested in the content. It is all around the personalities involved.

To be sure, the Israeli political system is fundamentally corrupt. Indeed, coalition governments are not formed based on whats best for the country. No, it is based on what portfolio is assigned to whom and to what party, how much power each minister can muster, and what financial appropriation they can secure, presumably to meets their constituents needsthe religious parties exemplify that to perfection.

One has to only look at how a prime minister who is facing three criminal charges managed to form the last three governments. He held the premiership longer than any of his predecessors, and is now poised to potentially form the next coalition government following the upcoming election, which he engineered in order to stay in power until nature takes its course.

Netanyahu is ravenous for ever more powera narcissist, manipulator, and liar. He keeps no promisesnot to the American Jewry, not to his coalition partners, not to foreign leaders, and not to his own party. He exploits everything that comes his way and chases everything that he can sway.

Should Netanyahu form the next Israeli government, he will severely undercut Israels waning democracy, ensure that the supreme court and the judiciary rule in support of his political agenda, and stifle the press in the name of national security, while rewarding his cronies and punishing his political adversaries.

What does all that say about the Israeli public? About their level of tolerance for corruption, their acceptance of a criminal running the country, and willingness to succumb to his whims? This election offers the public a momentous opportunity to change the guards at the helm and choose new leaders committed to ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Netanyahu has no plan to make peace with the Palestinians under his watch. In fact, when he became prime minister for the first time in 1996, he did everything in his power to torpedo the Oslo Accords. Indeed, only annexation of more Palestinian land occupies his mind, in order to realize his dream of greater Israel.

Its time for every Israeli to think hard before he or she casts their vote and demand from their elected leaders an end to the conflict with the Palestinians and support centrist and left of center parties, especially Yesh Atid, Labor, and Meretz, led by Lapid, Michaeli, and Horowitz respectively. They are disposed to put an end to the 72-year-old conflict and restore the countrys soulyes, because Israels soul is on the line.

The Palestinians have their own critical role to play. They must make it abundantly clear that they are willing and ready to resume negotiations unconditionally and work toward peace based on a two-state solution. Such an unequivocal statement would greatly bolster the electoral efforts of Yesh Atid, Labor, and even Meretz, which are the parties which can pursue peace in earnest.

The longer the Palestinians hold onto their old positions and offer no compromises, the more ground they will lose. Without such a public assertion, the Israelis will have no reason to coalesce around center and left-of-center political leaders who call for peace and negotiate in good faith, which requires some painful concessions.

Having learned from past experience, the Biden administration does not want to plunge into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the hope of forging peace that has eluded every previous American administration. However, the US should still send a message now before the elections that the two-state solution remains the only viable option. But it must be preceded by building trust for a number of years through a process of reconciliation that will lead to that predetermined end. This will further help Israels centrist parties in their appeal to the voters.

Time is of the essence; the Palestinian Authority and the leaders of Israels centrist parties together can drastically change the dynamic of the conflict and right the wrong which they have shortsightedly inflicted on one another for more than seven decades.

About the Author: Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies.

[email protected] Web: www.alonben-meir.com
Denton, TX (76205)

Today

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Police van torched in Barcelona protest against rapper's jailing A Catalan police van is hit with a Molotov cocktail during a Barcelona protest against the controversial jailing of a rapper

A police van was torched and looting broke out on Saturday as police and protesters clashed in the latest demonstration in Barcelona, 11 days after the jailing of a Spanish rapper in a highly contentious free speech case.

Spain has been rocked by angry protests since police jailed rapper Pablo Hasel on February 16 for nine months over tweets in which he glorified terrorist attacks, likened former king Juan Carlos I to a mafia boss and accused police of killing demonstrators and migrants.

Since his jailing, protesters have turned out most nights, with the demonstrations broadening to include other social causes, such as the EU's unemployment rate and increasing rent prices.

Several hundred people demonstrated on Saturday in Barcelona, the capital of Hasel's home region of Catalonia, according to an AFP journalist.

But in the evening the protest degenerated into acts of vandalism and the looting of bank branches, one of which was set on fire, according to Catalan police.

The Catalan police condemned "hooded rioters" who attacked "shops, and particularly banks", adding that one of their police vans had been torched, along with many rubbish bins.

Around 10 people were arrested during the clashes, one of whom was "involved in torching the van", the police said.

More than 110 protesters have been arrested since the arrest of 32-year-old Hasel, which sparked protests in cities across Spain, with the most pronounced in Catalonia.

It has also provoked a debate about freedom of expression, and driven a rift between Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialists its junior coalition partner the hard-left Podemos, which has supported the protests.

vid-mig/fjb/dl/har
Marking two years of the fierce Balakot Airstrike, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a re-run of the mission against a practice target on Friday, sources reported. The IAF carried out a long-range precision strike on the occasion of the second anniversary of the aerial assault which was carried out by India on February 26, 2019, to avenge the death of 40 CRPF jawans that were martyred in the Pulwama terror attack. The operation on Friday was carried out by members of the same squadron which led the Balakot Airstrike in 2019.

#WATCH: IAF carried out a long-range precision strike against a practice target to mark the second anniversary of the Balakot Operations. The strike was carried out by members of the same Sqn who carried out the actual operations. pic.twitter.com/CPMhfQZaZt  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2021

As per sources, Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Bhadauria flew a multi-aircraft sortie with the same unit that carried out the Balakot Airstrike. The Air Chief Marshall flew with the squadron pilots on Saturday morning.

READ | Home Minister Shah Salutes Valour Of IAF Fighters On Balakot Air Strikes Anniversary

#WATCH: Indian Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria took multi-aircraft sortie with the units to commemorate second anniversary of the Balakot Operations along with the Sqn pilots who carried out the actual operations. pic.twitter.com/8Cy1hh1DfT  ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2021

IAF destroys JeM camps

This airstrike which was the brainchild of National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and carried out under the watchful eye of Prime Minister Narendra Modi destroyed several Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps operating from the ground in Pakistan. At around 3:30 am on February 26, 2019, 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and destroyed the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Pakistan's Bakalot. Codenamed as "operation Bandar', the strike was conducted by the seventh and ninth squadrons of the Indian Air Force. The IAF had used the upgraded Mirage 2000s to carry out the attack inside the Pakistani territory.

READ | 2 Years Since IAF's Balakot Airstrike; Nowshera Residents Recall Fireballs In The Sky

Just before entering Pakistan, the Mirage 2000s, along with Su-30 MKIs, formed 3 separate formations. The Su-30s had played a major role in the strike as they caught the attention of Pakistani radars. In response to the formation of the Indian Su-30s, the Pakistani force scrambled a group of F-16 fighter jets and at the same time, the Mirage 2000s, which were heading towards Balakot dropped Israeli-made Spice 2000 bombs on the terror facility in Balakot.

HM Shah salutes IAF

Marking the second anniversary of the Balakot Airstrike, Union Home Minister Amit Shah saluted the valour of the Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters and said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the security of the country and the soldiers is paramount. "On this day in 2019, @IAF_MCC had made it clear the New India's policy against terrorism by giving response to the Pulwama terror attack," Shah tweeted. "I remember the brave martyrs of Pulwama and salute the valour of the Air Force. Under the leadership of @narendramodi ji, the security of the country and our soldiers is paramount," he added.

READ | 2 Years On From India's Balakot Airstrike, Here's How IAF Had Struck Pak Terror In 2019

READ | J&K Police Recovers 7 Kg IED; Major Terror Attack Averted On 2nd Anniversary Of Pulwama
The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot

Oil marketing firm IndianOil Corporation (IOC) is expanding its Panipat refinery's capacity from 15 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) to 25 MMTPA at a cost of Rs 32,946 crore.

The expansion will include installation of a polypropylene unit and a catalytic dewaxing unit. The project is expected to be commissioned by September 2024.

The state-owned company's board of directors has accorded approval for capital investment.

"The capacity expansion will improve operational flexibility of the refinery to meet domestic energy demand and also enhance the petrochemicals intensity," it said in a statement.

"The increased production of petrochemicals and value-added specialty products will not only improve margins but also de-risk conventional fuel business of the company."

The Panipat refinery meets demand of petroleum products in Haryana and northwestern region including Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

IndianOil is a diversified integrated energy major with presence in almost all the streams of oil, gas, petrochemicals and alternative energy sources.

It accounts for nearly half of India's petroleum products market share with sales of 78.54 million metric tonnes in 2019-20.

.

(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.)
Every morning before sunrise, Damian Morffet arrives at San Franciscos most distressing street corner. There, at Golden Gate Avenue and Hyde Street, each dawn looks bleaker than the one before.

Dealers hawking fentanyl have already staked their territory. Those addicted to their wares are already high, splayed unconscious at the dealers feet. People huddle around makeshift campfires to keep warm or cook their drugs. Trash litters the sidewalk.

Like a Sisyphus of the Tenderloin, Morffet will spend the next 11 hours pushing forward the chaos, keeping the perimeter of 101 Hyde St. clear, even though he knows the misery will be back as soon as his shift ends.

He and his fellow security guards earn a combined $17,500 a month from La Cocina, a nonprofit thats five years into its quest to open a food hall inside the building and needs the outside passable.

People every day who live in this neighborhood come up to me and say, Thank you for being out here and doing what you can. And I dont really think were doing anything, Morffet said, while adding that City Hall does even less. Its been a big, giant wound for a while, and they basically put a Band-Aid on it, and its still overflowing with blood.

Finally, the city may begin to staunch the bleeding. Supervisor Matt Haney, the budget committee chair who lives two blocks from that miserable corner, will propose a package of fixes on March 17 designed to ease the citys fentanyl crisis.

He wants more effective prosecution for dealers and their suppliers, more outreach to people who use drugs on the streets and better oversight of people addicted to drugs who live alone, and often die alone, in single-room-occupancy hotels.

The goal is to lessen the overdoses that killed 699 people in San Francisco in 2020 and 61 more in January alone.

Without a plan like this, were just pushing people around, which isnt working, Haney said. We need to try some new things. Otherwise were on pace to have a worse year  more awful and deadly and ghastly  for our city than last year.

Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle

The package, still being finalized, would cost in the ballpark of $6 million to $7 million a year, Haney said. About a third would go to District Attorney Chesa Boudins office for a new unit devoted to fentanyl. Six new prosecutors and two new investigators would focus on fentanyl dealing and try to build larger cases against the drugs suppliers.

Boudin has repeatedly said he needs kilos, not crumbs to fight the fentanyl trade, even though a kilo of fentanyl is enough to kill more than half the city of San Francisco. He mostly releases dealers after their arrests with stay-away orders from particular blocks or corners  orders they often ignore.

If the misery at Golden Gate Avenue and Hyde Street is any indication, other legal efforts  including City Attorney Dennis Herreras effort to keep the most prolific dealers out of the neighborhood entirely  arent yet making a difference. The city settled a lawsuit over conditions in the Tenderloin with UC Hastings last year, but the dealing persisted.

Haney wants to hire outreach workers on foot and in vans to encourage people addicted to drugs to enter treatment as well as to test their drugs to ensure theyre not unwittingly getting a product laced with fentanyl.

Haney also wants to expand an SRO overdose prevention program that was started by Mayor London Breed in 2019 but never fully implemented as the pandemic struck. He wants all staff in SRO hotels and supportive housing complexes trained in overdose prevention, administering Narcan and connecting people to treatment.

His package of proposals also includes accelerating the expansion of the citys new Street Crisis Response Team, which sends teams of three  a paramedic, a clinician and a formerly homeless or drug-addicted peer  to respond to mental health crises.

Haneys proposals seem smart, if long overdue. But wont it be deeply satisfying if its a team of immigrant women with mean culinary skills  and not politicians  who really help turn around that corner in the Tenderloin? After all, economic development is one of the best ways to fight poverty and hopelessness.

Eventually, the city intends to develop 101 Hyde St. into affordable housing, but anybody who follows that process in San Francisco knows progress is somehow always years away. La Cocina has a lease through 2025 in the meantime.

The corner represents whats broken in San Francisco, but La Cocina represents whats working. Its a Mission District nonprofit that helps women  mostly people of color and many of them immigrants  establish food businesses. Some participants live in the Tenderloin and sell food in their SRO hotels.

The inside of 101 Hyde feels like paradise compared with the outside. Woven baskets line shelves, and portraits of neighborhood residents hang on a pink wall. The kitchen is built. The tables and chairs are in place. The seven booths where the women will sell their food  always with one meal option available for $5 or less  are ready. An eighth booth will feature rotating pop-ups.

Caleb Zigas, executive director of La Cocina, said the coronavirus has delayed an official public opening until the summer, but the women are already using the space to cook for nearby SRO residents.

Our hope is that the city and other folks understand that, long-term, patient investment in a space like that can have deep, positive impacts for the whole neighborhood, he said.

Zigas said that when La Cocina agreed to open the food hall, the conditions on the corner werent as dire as they are now. The nonprofit invested $5 million to improve the building, using its own reserves plus government and private help, and is spending $300,000 a year in operating costs.

And thats before its even open to the public, demonstrating just how hard it is to start a small business in San Francisco  even though outside, an illegal, deadly business is allowed to proliferate and reap rich rewards.

And thats where Morffet comes in. The 57-year-old San Francisco native cant believe his city has become a place where people die of overdoses at a rapid clip, while nobody seems to do much about it.

I love my city, but its ugly, he said. Theres no compassion out here at all.

Sporting an orange vest, he kindly but firmly tells people to move. Soon, theres a wall of dealers and people using drugs in front of the building next door.

For now, Morffets sidewalks are clear.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf Instagram: @heatherknightsf
Sacha Baron Cohen has called Australia home since last year.

On Saturday, the British comedian, 49, was looking nothing like his famous Borat character when he showed off his fit physique during a swim at a Sydney beach.

The actor emerged from the water on what was a warm but gloomy day with his muscular form on full display.

Phoar-rat! Sacha Baron Cohen (pictured) was looking nothing like his famous Borat character when he showed off his fit physique during a swim at a Sydney beach on Saturday

Looking relaxed and blending in with the locals, Sacha strolled from the water without a care in the world.

He had on a pair of black shorts that were just above knee length and went shirtless for his swim.

The comedian strolled along the sand before towelling off when he was back on dry land on the beach.

Rig! The actor emerged from the water on what was a warm but gloomy day, his muscular form on display

Earlier, the Ali G star had looked quite concentrated he swam in a breaststroke through the calm water.

He spent some time enjoying the tide and got in some good exercise before returning to shore.

The English superstar and his Australian wife Isla Fisher have been living in Australia for several months.

Swim fan: Earlier, the Ali G star had looked quite concentrated he swam in a breaststroke through the calm water

Isla and Sacha relocated from Los Angeles to Sydney, along with their children, in December.

And while it's been widely speculated that they moved Down Under to escape the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the US, new reports claim they were actually fleeing America's tumultuous political climate.

'They didn't want to raise their kids in Trump's America,' an insider told The Sydney Morning Herald of the couple's decision to move to Australia.

The Telegraph

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, was closer than ever on Sunday night to finally leaving office. A series of extraordinary political twists have produced a diverse coalition containing left-wing parties, right-wing parties that support the West Bank settlement movement, centrist parties, and the party that represents the Islamic Movement in Israel, whose voters are mostly Palestinian-Israelis. What they all have in common is their revulsion for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on a string of corruption charges. The government has not yet been sworn in, and the Israeli political system is used to seeing Netanyahu wriggle out of every political crisis at the last minute. But this time, most of the players believe, his chances are slimmer than ever. The change coalition, as it is known, looked like a non-starter a week ago. Its designated leader, former defence minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the Yamina right-wing party, announced that the renewed fighting with Gaza and the riots in Israel between Arabs and Jews had convinced him that this coalition stood no chance. A few days ago, it became clear once more that there was no chance of Netanyahu establishing a right-wing government, and Bennett resumed talks with the chief architect of the alternative government-in-waiting, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid. On Sunday night, Bennett appeared on live TV and said that he would form a positive-minded government that would appeal to all Israelis, and which would be more right-wing than the current government. He thanked the left for its generosity, but promised that the new government would not relinquish territory or pursue unilateral withdrawals. From these remarks, it is easy to understand the challenges facing the new government: it brings together progressive left-wing parties with a religious right-wing party, all headed by a prime minister who will control just six seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This government patently is making no pretence of pursuing a peace process with the Palestinians, and it is also clear that it cannot propose sweeping reforms in the domain of religion and state, a critical issue for so many Israelis. The fall of Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be chalked up to the strength of the Israeli centre-left, which remains a minority in Israeli society, but to the rise of the a conservative right which opposes his rule, and identifies his brand of leadership as Bibism: a cult of loyalty to the leader himself above all other ideological principles. Israel has been dragged through four election cycles in the last two years, and in none of them did the bloc of parties that support Netanyahu manage to obtain a majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. In the last election, a centrist party joined forces with Netanyahu to form a government that was supposed to include a rotating premiership between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz; but Netanyahu violated the agreement the moment he signed it and pushed the country toward elections, because he refused to relinquish his seat  not even in two years time. In the fourth elections, it turned out that again that Netanyahu had no majority, and two right-wing parties announced that they would not support him. They have just been joined by the party of the prime minister-in-waiting, Naftali Bennett. These right-wing parties decided to abandon Netanyahus bloc for a host of reasons, but the commonly cited reason is their leaders intense lack of trust in Netanyahu, their sense that the country has had enough of his long rule, and a consensus that his government is crippled by chronic decision-making difficulties and that it sows division  and that preventing a 5th election in two years is of paramount importance. If a new government is indeed formed in the next week, it will turn out that Netanyahu was not replaced because of the left, but because of a growing agreement on the right flank of Israeli politics that its time for change. Nadav Eyal is a leading Israeli journalist and columnist for the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot
Mass MoCA will place 11 concrete cylinders in an arc east of Joe's Field.

Conservation Commission OKs Art Installation, Charging Stations at MoCA



An artist's rendering of what the concrete tubes will look like. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The Conservation Commission on Tuesday approved an art installation of 11 concrete cylinders within the 200-foot buffer zone of the river at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

The 10-foot diameter precast tubs will be arranged in an arc between Buildings 19 and 25, just east of Joe's Field, and are designed to resonant with sound or music. They're the creation of artist Taryn Simon, whose "A Cold Hole and Assembled Audience" made a splash at the museum in 2018.

The commission's concern dealt not with the art but the construction on land near the Hoosic River. Brad Dilger, project manager at Mass MoCA, said the installation would be located on a grassy site where a previous Sprague Electric building had been removed.

"That was torn down and filled back in so we would be disturbing only the soil necessary for this installation," he said, which is estimated at about 1,875 square feet. "Everything will be replanted with grass, after construction

is finished. And for the square footage we are disturbing, we would we are applying some of the 'bank's' square footage from our previous meetings."

Dilger was referring to the construction of the Marshall Street park last year. The museum removed the parking lot and was allowed to "bank" the new permeable area against work on the museum campus proper, which includes the new James Turrell exhibit approved last year in the water tank off the festival field.

Jeff Randall of Hill Engineering said the installation would be about 105 feet from the river located in the flood chute behind Building 18.

The commission gave the OK for the project with regular order of conditions for the Wetlands Protection Act but also asked about using the "bank" for another project it had just approved for Mass MoCA -- the installation of four electric vehicle charging stations also in the buffer zone.

The charging stations would be placed on a concrete pad 2 feet wide, about 60 feet long, and 6 inches thick, that was on grade. A grassy area would be lifted to install the piping conduit for the electrical service. The representative for Apex Solar Power of Queensbury, N.Y., said he had not been in contact with the museum or Hill Engineers about using the bank to trade off the footprint.

"I'll use the term de minimis impact to the riverfront, de minimis impact wetlands," said Commissioner Andrew Kawczak, sitting as chairman. "Obviously, it's the flood control chute, I understand that, but we don't have absolute liberty to dismiss the requirements of the Wetlands Protection Act, relative to construction activities that are 10 feet away from the defined edge of the river."
Swedish defense minister demands explanation from Denmark over spy scandal

Acting Deputy PM: Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss issues within logic of "corridor"

Armenia Central Electoral Commission determines numbers of political parties for elections

Armenia 2nd President visits Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri (PHOTOS)

Opposition Armenia bloc representative: We're running in elections to win

Azerbaijan MFA comments on calls for release of Armenian POWs with infinite hypocrisy

EC: Vaccinated citizens should be exempted from tests, quarantine when traveling within EU

Armenia Ombudsman discusses rights of 6 captured Armenian servicemen with ICRC Delegation head

EU ready to use all the tools at its disposal to change Turkey's behavior

Yerevan court obliges to abolish violation of rights of Armenia Supreme Judicial Council ex-chairman

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in June on sidelines of NATO summit

Armenia Central Electoral Commission to set up 2,008 polling stations for snap parliamentary elections

Iranian companies to participate in reconstructing territories under Azerbaijan's control

Opposition Armenia bloc's representative on acting PM's invitation to debate with 1st and 2nd Presidents

Armenia acting FM dismissed upon presidential decree

Body of brother of Armenian criminal authority "Don Pipo" found under bridge

Armenia Prosecutor General holds consultation

Digest on Armenian local news, EU is ready to help Armenia, Azerbaijan with border issues, 31.05.21

Relatives of missing Armenian servicemen open Heratsi Street in Yerevan

Armenia acting PM to pay working visits to Paris and Brussels

Armenia bloc representative on FM's resignation and National Security Service

Armenia Investigative Committee: Fatal road accident, criminal case opened

Armenia deputy FM submits resignation

Chinese authorities allow families to have 3 children

Dollar devalues in Armenia

Stepanakert: Azerbaijan creates bridgeheads for pressure on Karabakh, expansion towards Armenia

Sergey Lavrov says Russia is ready to disconnect SWIFT

Armenia MFA spokesperson resigns

Republican Party of Armenia Vice-President: Our ratings are growing, but we have greater pretensions

Armenia acting PM's spokesperson responds to ex-FM

Armenia parliament majority leader: Refusing to debate with acting PM is manifestation of low self-confidence

Armenia State Revenue Committee, US Department of Justice sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Vardevanyan: Attempts made to create false grounds for obstructing Armenia bloc election offices legal activities

Lavrov says Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO

Armenia opposition MP on FM's resignation

India records lowest increase in COVID-19 cases in 50 days

Bright Armenia faction in parliament: No response to acting PM's proposal to deploy observers along Azerbaijan border

Ruling bloc MP: Acting premiers proposal does not limit Armenia in terms of cooperation with CSTO

Acting PM is proud of Armenian servicemens heroism, says parliament majority leader

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
QUITO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2021) Ecuador is interested in Russian investments that include the transfer of technologies, leftist presidential candidate Andres Arauz told Sputnik.

On February 7, Ecuador held the first round of the presidential election, with Arauz having won it with over 32 percent and qualified for the runoff scheduled for April 11.

"Of course, we are interested in foreign investments, Russian investments with the transfer of technologies, so that Ecuador could retain its production capabilities," Arauz said on late Friday.

The presidential candidate believes that the trade between Russia and Ecuador could significantly rise.

He also stressed the potential for developing bilateral educational and health care cooperation.

Arauz also expressed his satisfaction with the course of the talks with Moscow on purchasing Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus.

'We are very glad over the progress in the talks reached to date," the presidential candidate added, without saying how many doses of the vaccine may be bought by Quito.

Ecuador has already reached contracts on the deliveries of vaccines developed by Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 17:24:59|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LAGOS, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Scores of students and school staff abducted by unidentified gunmen about a week ago from a boarding school in Niger state, north-central Nigeria have finally regained freedom, according to a spokesperson of the state governor on Saturday. Enditem
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Maryland lawmakers on Friday approved giving lump-sum payments to low-income noncitizens, including undocumented immigrants, becoming one of the few states in the nation to extend stimulus benefits to people without Social Security numbers.

The legislation - which Gov. Larry Hogan, R, will let become law, his spokesman said - qualifies all taxpaying residents, regardless of immigration status, to receive the state's Earned Income Tax Credit for the next three years.

Advocates who pushed for the bill say it will give a crucial cash boost to taxpaying immigrants who are often essential workers and have largely been shut out of unemployment, federal stimulus and other government-run safety net programs, including during the coronavirus pandemic.

"This is saying to hard-working immigrants who pay taxes, who contribute to the fabric of our community - and certainly to the fabric of our economy - that they matter," said Cathryn Paul, research and policy analyst with the immigrant advocacy group CASA.

Hogan previously balked at extending benefits to noncitizens as part of the state's recently passed $1.1 billion coronavirus stimulus package, warning lawmakers that including it in that legislation would jeopardize the entire bill.

But his spokesman, Michael Ricci, said Friday that Hogan will not veto the stand-alone measure that will accomplish the same goal. It passed both chambers with veto-proof majorities on a largely party-line vote. Ricci said the governor will allow the bill to become law without his signature. He declined to comment further.

In the recently passed stimulus bill, Maryland expanded its Earned Income Tax Credit to become most generous in the country. The measure, which is modeled after the federal credit by the same name, gives cash payments to the working poor on a sliding scale. Larger benefits go to families with multiple children and lower incomes.

To qualify, families must earn less than $56,800 a year, and individuals must earn no more than $15,820. The maximum benefit amounts to several thousand dollars each year.

It is widely viewed as one of government's most effective anti-poverty tools and is popular among both Democrats and Republicans. On average, beneficiaries in Maryland increase their earnings enough after three years that they no longer qualify for the credit, according to a legislative review of its impact.

But Republicans in the legislature were reluctant to extend the tax credit to noncitizens, saying they were opposed to offering a benefit to undocumented residents and concerned that doing so would encourage more undocumented people to move to the state.

House Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga, R-Baltimore County, encouraged lawmakers to donate to charities that benefit immigrants and other people in poverty rather than using taxpayer money to offer refunds.

"The question is do you give the aid from your own pocket book? Or from taxpayers?" she said. "You take it from your own pocket. . . . We have to respect other people's money."

Other Republicans argued that the state's retirees should get additional tax benefits before they are extended to a group of people that include undocumented immigrants. An amendment to do that failed.

Maryland's median income is among the highest in the country, but the state also has a large low-income population. In 2019, nearly one in seven Maryland tax-filers - 440,000 households - qualified for the credit.

The expansion given final approval Friday by the House of Delegates would make an estimated 60,000 more people eligible for about $60 million worth of credits. It allows those who file taxes with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, to qualify.

People who owe taxes but do not have a Social Security number, including people on work visas, student visas, protective status and undocumented immigrants, use taxpayer identification numbers.

Federal rules bar them from many federal benefits, including the earned income credit. Mixed-status families who have an ITIN-filer on their tax returns are also barred from the tax credit, effectively blocking citizens from receiving the benefit.

California and Colorado have allowed ITIN filers access to earned income benefits since before the coronavirus pandemic.
YEREVAN.  Past daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: Armenia finally responded to [Azerbaijan president] Ilham Aliyev's statements. But it was done ... by the office of the RA third president [Serzh Sargsyan]. "He (Aliyev-ed.) does not lag behind his current Armenia counterpart in lying shamelessly and irresponsibly," the statement said.

Some time ago, RA second president [Robert Kocharyan] also had given a harsh response to Aliyev, saying in particular: "Aliyev would never have dared to start a war, he would never have dared. Now he has become cocky, he has the right to become cocky now. But if his father [the late Azerbaijan president Heydar Aliyev] were alive; he, by the way, was a smart man. He [Heydar] would have pulled [Ilhams] ear, say [to him] take it easy."

This is noteworthy from the point of view that especially after the [recent Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] war; [Armenian PM] Nikol Pashinyan has never opposed [Ilham] Aliyev, who consistently makes shameful statements not only against Pashinyan himself, but also against Armenia and Armenians.

Moreover, according to our information, he [Pashinyan] does not allow the MFA to respond either; moreover, not only regarding Azerbaijan, but also Turkey. In particular, according to our sources, the RA MFA was to respond to Turkeys MFA statements condemning the "coup detat" attempt in Armenia, as well as the statements of other Turkish officials. Even a [respective] text was prepared, but Pashinyan forbade it to be disseminated on February 25; this once again caused great anger within the [Armenian] diplomatic corps.

By the way, this is not the only reason. So, according to our information, the patience of most of the representatives of the [Armenian] diplomatic corps has run out. We were receiving information last night that a number of diplomats, including ambassadors, will demand Pashinyan's resignation.
JERSEY SHORE  A Lycoming County man has been accused of having sex with three girls, all of them younger than 16.

Dartagnan Hezik Zuback, 20, of Jersey Shore, was arraigned Friday on charges that include rape of a child and committed to the county prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.

One of the girls was 12 at the time and the other two were 14 and 15, Jersey Shore police say.

A 13-year-old reported Zuback had sex with her in Clinton County, so the information the girl and her mother provided was forwarded to authorities with jurisdiction in that county, police said.

According to the arrest affidavit, the 12-year-old told police Zuback forced himself on her in his apartment on Dec. 19 or 20, after he came out of a shower. She told police he apologized following the assault, the affidavit said.

Police said the two had met last summer, and that he knew her age and hung out with her friends. When he was interviewed by police, Zuback claimed he did not know her age, and said that she showed up at his apartment and instigated sexual activity, but that he pushed her off, the affidavit said.

The 14-year-old told police the sex occurred last summer after she was invited to his apartment. She admitted having feelings for him at the time but did not want to have sex because they were not dating, the affidavit states.

Zuback admitted to police having sex with her twice, the document states.

The 15-year-old told police they had sex on her birthday in September when she invited him over and they had watched movies together.

He admitted that occurred and claimed the sex in Clinton County was consensual, police said.

Besides rape of a child, Zuback is charged with three counts of statutory sexual assault and two counts each of indecent assault, indecent exposure and corruption of minors.

Online court records show Zuback was sentenced Feb. 1 in Clinton County to 18 months probation on charges of corruption of minors and conspiracy to commit burglary.

A charge of statutory sexual assault was dismissed in the corruption case.

More from PennLive:

Man IDd in Lancaster County fatal crash: police

No charges will be filed after 10-year-old accidentally kills brother with revolver: DA
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  St. Simons Episcopal Church has a hidden gem below the church, a parishioner says.

The time capsule is currently behind the cornerstone at the bottom of the churchs bell tower, Janice Metcalf told the Advance/SILive.com.

St. Simons Episcopal Church, originally called St. Simons Free German Chapel of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was founded in 1854. The first service was held in a small building on Targee Street in Stapleton.

Once the parish became independent, the congregation moved to a new location in 1960. The present building is 1055 Richmond Road.

The building that formerly housed St. Simons Episcopal Church is being prepared for demolition. The new developer plans to build single-family homes on the site, the Advance has learned.

The property was sold in December 2020 for $6 million, according to Zillow.

City Building Department (DOB) records note the Great Kills-based Oak Developers filed an application on Jan. 13 to demolish the existing church building. But it has yet to be approved, according to DOB records.

Time Capsule History

The building that formerly housed the 167-year-old St. Simons Episcopal Church in Concord is being prepared for demolition by a developer planning to build 19 single-family homes on the site, the Advance has learned. According to Zillow, the property was sold in December 2020 for $6 million.

Father Forsyth was one of the leaders of the church during the 1950s and decided to create the time capsule to honor and preserve the churchs memories. In more than 70 years, no one has opened it.

Janice Metcalf and her daughter Dina Terlizzi are pictured standing with St. Simons Episcopal Church youth group in the 1980s. (Staten Island Advance/Jane Metcalf )

Janice Metcalf has been a parishioner of St. Simons Episcopal Church for 70 years and said she was present the day the time capsule was created and buried.

Metcalf recalls the community placing a large collection of memorabilia of the churchs history into the capsule. According to Metcalf, the time capsule contains information on members of the church, the youth group and old prayer/hymn books.

Over 90 percent of the parishioners of St. Simons Episcopal Church have passed on, said Metcalf. The rest have moved to different states throughout the country.

The remaining parishioners would like access to the time capsule and different pieces of the church before it is demolished, she said, adding that shed like a brick from the church, if possible.

Im sorry the church closed. Metcalf lamented. It was apart of everybodys life. Its hard to see it go.

The Episcopal Church did not return calls from the Advance/SILive.

Anyone with information pertaining to the time capsule is asked to email Jodie Bonhometre.
BRIDGEPORT  A registered nurse who claims he was put out of work by the pandemic was charged after police said he threatened to shoot employees at a Stratford credit union.

Robert Farrington, 45, of Kossuth Street, was charged Thursday with threatening and three counts of second-degree breach of peace.

Stratford police said Farrington allegedly threatened to get a shotgun after he was told his account at the Sikorsky Credit Union was closed for inactivity.

Ive worked as a nurse for 20 years but Ive been unemployed until I can get a COVID shot, Farrington told Superior Court Judge Peter McShane through the bars of his cell in the lockup of the Golden Hill Street courthouse Friday.

State records confirmed Farrington has been a registered nurse since 2003.

The judge, while stating he found the allegations against Farrington to be serious, nonetheless agreed to release him on a promise to appear in court.

You are not to be within 1,000 yards of the Sikorsky Credit Union. If you go back, I will raise your bond and you will be back behind bars, the judge warned.

He continued the case to May 5.

According to Stratford police, shortly before 4 p.m. Thursday, officers were dispatched to the Main Street branch of the credit union.

Police said the tellers told them a man later identified as Farrington had come into the bank and stated he wanted to close his account there.

When told his account had been closed for inactivity, police said Farrington became irate, complaining he had $5 left in the account. They said he walked to the door where he compared his height to the measurement markings on the door and then allegedly declared he was going to get a shotgun. He then walked out of the credit union.

Police said an alert was put out for Farrington and a short time later officers spotted him walking at the intersection of East Main Street and Wilcoxson Avenue.

Police said Farrington admitted that he may have mentioned getting a shotgun while in the credit union but told officers he is a jokester and has no guns.
The Congress aims to attract more of unemployed educated youths and students from universities to the party. (Representational image : PTI file photo)

ADILABAD: The Congress is all set to intensify protests through its youth wing against the anti-people policies of the state and central governments.

After noticing that the BJP is mobilising its youth, the Congress has chalked out a similar plan to organise youths and enliven the protests against various governmental policies. The Congress aims to attract more of unemployed educated youths and students from universities to the party.

For instance, Youth Congress activists will stage protests across the state against the hike in the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas, and demand a monthly dole for the unemployed youth as also large-scale recruitment for government jobs in Telangana. The Congress youths will also demand a reduction in the retirement age to 57 from 60 for government employees.

Recently, the Youth Congress had conducted a training camp here for its leaders drawn from across Telangana. Top leaders from Delhi came and addressed the camp. The move came in the context of the elections for two MLC graduates constituencies in the state.

The Congress youth wing plans to hold protests across the state under the guidance of senior leaders in the first week of March.

Rupesh Reddy, Adilabad district general secretary of the Youth Congress who attended its meeting in Hyderabad, said the leaders who came from Delhi enlightened the youths on various issues and gave them directions for their future action plan.

He said serious efforts were being made to strengthen the frontal organisations of the Congress party to expose the anti- people policies of the state and central governments.

District presidents of the Youth Congress have been asked to submit details of their plans for protests to the party high command as part of an attempt to revitalize the Youth Congress from the grassroots level.
CHELSEA, MI  Just feet from the citys iconic clock tower theres a hot new restaurant in Chelsea serving up burgers, sushi and upscale entrees.

Seven years ago, Jason and Suzei Povlich, who also own the Rumpus Room craft beer bar and several local Jets Pizza franchises, resolved to bring a sushi restaurant to their hometown. When Chelsea Alehouse relocated in 2018, they saw an opportunity and opened The Grateful Crow.

Probably the biggest thing I hear is that Chelsea needs another good restaurant thats different, Jason Povlich said. So you know, we went to town with it.

They gutted the space and redesigned it from the ground up, catering to their own moody, romantic gothic tastes with quilted leather booths, dark chalkboard walls covered in murals and an industrial-chic concrete bar bathed in warm light from steampunk-style fixtures.

Povlich drew inspiration for the restaurants name from two of his favorite bands - the Grateful Dead and the Black Crowes. Modern rock rings throughout the indoor dining space, which is decorated with original paintings, murals and a looming sculpture of two crows that towers over one end of the bar. Suzei, who led the design of the space, drew inspiration from the work of Edgar Allen Poe.

The couple drew inspiration for their menu from a vacation visit to a small cafe in a West Virginia town that advertised a weekly burger-and-sushi special.

The Grateful Crows burgers start off as a half-pound Black Angus beef patty served on a brioche bun and can be topped with everything from caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms to crispy pancetta and braised pork belly. Customers can also have a Wagyu, bison, or a veggie patty.

The heavy-hitting Hard to Handle features a crispy chicken patty, half-pound beef patty and a cut of pork belly served with sauteed mushrooms, lettuce and coleslaw.

Guests can order sushi from a menu featuring 22 different rolls, ranging from the familiar California and Philadelphia rolls, to the Jealousy roll, which features shrimp tempura paired with granny smith apple. Customers can also choose from an assortment of sashimi and nigiri.

Jason Povlich said hes happy to see the community - especially those whove never tried sushi - warming up to the concept.

Whats happening - its crazy - people are coming here and saying, Im going to try sushi for the first time at the Grateful Crow, he said. We have gateway sushi... People are turning.

In addition to the burger-and-sushi concept, the restaurant offers seafood entrees, like Chilean sea bass and shrimp scampi, as well as a cut of USDA prime ribeye served with potato confit, asparagus and roasted tomato and shallots.

Related: Ann Arbor outdoor dining poll winner has enticing dishes, great ambiance

Just weeks after The Grateful Crow opened in October, the restaurant confronted the statewide shut-down of in-person dining. Jason Povlich called on a friend - the owner of Great Lakes Yurt Company - to fast-track the addition of an outdoor dining area, which had originally been planned for fall 2021.

In 18 days, the patio was up and running with six Michigan-made fire-heated tents for customers to reserve. Even with the return of indoor dining, the outdoor yurts are a popular option, Jason Povlich said.

Related: A Michigan-made yurt village can be found at this spot in Chelsea

These kept about 30 people working, he said, adding he credits his staff with adapting quickly to the restrictions and, in spite of the challenges, helped bring his staff together.

It showed us who we were, he said. Weve cried together, weve fought.

Now that indoor dining business is growing again, the restaurant is hiring for 10 new positions.

(Customers are) coming from Detroit. Theyre coming from Grand Rapids. Theyre coming from Traverse City. Theyre coming from Ohio. We get a lot from Saline, which is closer, and Ann Arbor, Jason Povlich said I think people really like it. Honestly, I think people are blown away.

The Grateful Crow, 420 N. Main St., is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Call 734-562-2903 or visit thegratefulcrow.com to order or make a reservation for indoor or outdoor dining.

More Washtenaw County local eats:

Local Eats: L.A.s Bao Boys bring steamed-bun sliders to Ann Arbor via food truck

Local Eats: Goras Grill continues vegetarian tradition in Ypsilanti fast-casual space

Local Eats: Childhood friends, EMU alums open Halal burger joint in Ypsi

Local Eats: Ann Arbors Earthen Jar pivots from buffet style to Thali feast on a plate

Local Eats: Sip a cocktail or try steak on toast at Ravens Club in Ann Arbor

Local Eats: Try a taste of authentic Turkish cuisine at Ann Arbors Ayses Cafe

Local Eats: Miss Kim serves a taste of Korean zing in Ann Arbor

Local Eats: Gabriels Cheese Steak Hoagies has been serving sandwiches for 60 years

Local Eats: Taco Tuesday, margaritas keep Maiz Mexican Cantina lively in Ypsilanti

Local Eats: Old Town Tavern has served downtown Ann Arbor for nearly 50 years

Local Eats: Jamaican Jerk Pit serves a taste of the Caribbean in downtown Ann Arbor

Local Eats: Relish Red Hawks comfort food in Ann Arbor

Local Eats: Savor a bowl of ramen at Slurping Turtle in Ann Arbor

Local Eats: Seva serves up savory, sweet vegetarian dishes in Ann Arbor

Local Eats: Angelos still serves homemade bread after 60-plus years in Ann Arbor

Local Eats: Try cauliflower wings, soups or vegan sweets at Detroit Filling Station in Ann Arbor

Local Eats: 24th CheeseCakerie makes Kool-Aid, pumpkin and honey pear-flavored sweets

Local Eats: Chapala offers southern California Mexican food, tequila, Pedialyte on tap in Ann Arbor

Local Eats: Try high end bites at Ann Arbors Blue LLama Jazz Club

Local Eats: Grab a pizza or sub or try the monster challenge at Thompsons Pizza in Chelsea
A Jersey City Police officer was arrested Friday afternoon after he drove to Atlantic City with the intention of having sex with two young girls, authorities alleged.

Stephen Wilson, 34, of Bayonne, was charged with conspiracy to commit human trafficking, attempted aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, according to a statement from the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office.

Wilson was arrested in a parking area in Atlantic City where he agreed to meet adults who offered him access to two girls, ages 10 and 8, to sexually assault in exchange for $200, the office said. He set up the encounter through an incest chat app, authorities alleged.

The officer agreed to bring condoms if he intended to have sex with the children, and when he was arrested, he had condoms and more than $500 in cash, officials said.

Wilson was arrested following an investigation by the New Jersey State Police, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and will be lodged in the Atlantic County Jail pending a detention hearing, according to the statement.

A spokeswoman for the Jersey City Police Department said Wilson was suspended without pay.

No defense attorney was listed for Wilson.

Wilson has a salary of $109,756 and has been with the department for 13 years, according to state pension records.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
For Subscribers Why South Dakota county officials are shirking state-given water rights

Grant County could be the thirteenth county to repeal their drainage ordinance in the past decade.
The year 2020 tested us beyond measure; however 'Hope' is the power that gives us the confidence to start afresh. Catch Salt & Spices set the theme of optimism for 2021 with a year-long campaign, Umeedon Ka Saal, a salutation to positivity of new beginnings. The brand will be introducing exciting offers and initiatives to engage with the consumers round the year. Umeedon Ka Saal will be driven to uplift the overall sentiments of consumers, employees and the trade partners with an essence of coming together and experiencing the joy of better things. The theme will be central to all brand activities that will keep the consumer involved - engaged and cheerful, all through 2021.

The campaign kicked-off with a digital film, Catch Umeedon ka Saal that is being promoted across social and digital platforms. The film showcases the play of emotions expressed beautifully through cooking various dishes for the people we love. It captures the Happy Home Moments, revolving around food that addsn taste and excitement to our lives. It promises that whenever someone hopes from the heart, we will add flavours to the experience with the finesse of our brand Catch.

Commenting on the campaign, Mr. Rajneesh Goel, Business Head, DS Spiceco Pvt Ltd, said, UMEEDON KA SAAL, will help the brand create a stronger bond with the current as well as potential consumers. The brand will fulfil the culinary expectations of the consumers by bringing them a plethora of offers to enhance the flavours and taste of their dishes with unmatched deals from Catch. This campaign reinforces our commitment to our consumers that in the year of hope, we will stand with them with our range of quality products and matchless offers .

The brand will reach out to its consumers by leveraging different media platforms like TV, Digital, Radio, Print and through on-ground activations all-round the year . As a part of the 360 degree campaign, the Catch portfolio would also be amplified with exciting new products to keep the spirit of optimism kindled.

The spice box is an integral part of Indian cooking and it contains myriad spices which vary from region to region across the entire country. Culinary tradition in India reflects the quality, freshness and aroma of spices which lend a unique flavours to the dishes. Catch is committed to this quest for quality. With a presence of nearly three decades in India, Catch Spices is today a household name, synonymous with and quality and innovation. From pure spices to whole ones, sprinklers to blended spices, Catch covers the entire spectrum for home and professional cooking in India.

Today, the Catch brand offers an enviable range of whole, pure and blended spices, sprinklers and grinders for Indian dishes and international cuisine. The Catch spices are rich in aroma, freshness and adhere to the highest quality standards which involve the best processes of production, packaging and delivery to customers.
Ukraine waiting for reaction of partner countries, intl organizations to shelling in Donbas on Feb 26 - delegation to TCG

The Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) awaits the reaction of partner countries and the leadership of international organizations to shelling by Russian occupation forces in Donbas on February 26.

It is noted that 11 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were wounded on February 26.

"Yesterday, on February 26, as a result of the shelling by Russian troops of our positions near Vodiane, nine servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were injured (another serviceman was wounded in another area as a result of an explosion on an unidentified explosive device), and then another got a bullet wound to the leg," the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG said on Telegram.

It is noted that the condition of the wounded is satisfactory, they received medical assistance.

"The Ukrainian side of the JCCC has sent the relevant notes to the OSCE SMM. We are also waiting for the corresponding reaction of the partner states and the leadership of international organizations," the report says.
Refinery 29 UK

I felt like my body had betrayed me, the doctors had lied to me and I just felt hopeless. Kenny Ethan Jones, 27, is a London-based model, activist and entrepreneur. As a trans man, his relationship with his period has always been fraught. Long before he started hormone blockers at 17, hed felt a strong disconnect when he had his period  It was automatically like a red alert was going off in my body, he says  but hed believed that as he got further along in his transition, his menstrual cycle would eventually stop. And it did at first, when he started hormone blockers. But once he started testosterone, the bleeding came back. When I started taking testosterone, theres a period in which your body is basically adjusting, Kenny tells R29. So I started to have a regular but temporary bleed. It probably lasted around six months, which I adjusted [to], but I think that was when I was hopeful and I was feeling happy about where I was in my transition. For me, that was the end of periods as far as I was concerned, and I was always looking forward to that. Five years later, however, he started having full-on periods again. Doctors dont really have an explanation why, he says, because theres never been enough research into trans bodies. The doctors checked his testosterone levels to make sure everything was alright on that front, which it was; beyond that, they couldnt offer an answer as to why this was happening. So now I still have on and off periods but theyre not as predictable  I wouldnt say its a regular monthly cycle. Im just coming to terms [with the fact] that as long as I have my womb, thats going to be a part of my journey and my existence. Periods are a part of life for many (but not all) people who were assigned female at birth (AFAB), a group that includes cis women, trans men, trans masc people and non-binary and genderqueer people. Yet what we are taught in school and what we can infer from the culture around us severely limits how we see menstruation and who we think experiences it. Our understanding of the menstrual cycle is limited to a monthly bleed and how it functions in the reproductive system, often eliding the messy reality and firmly establishing it as a womens problem. Meanwhile understanding and education about gender beyond a strict gender binary is still reserved for the margins of society. This all compounds to further exacerbate the shame that already surrounds periods for everyone who experiences them. And for AFAB people who arent women, that shame exacerbates their complicated feelings around periods. Jamie Raines, 27, is a trans activist and content creator from Essex. Like Kenny, he says that his experiences of bleeding before transition felt completely wrong without fully understanding why. On the one hand, people had told me that [my period] was going to happen so of course, thats whats happened, he explains. But on the other hand, it just felt so at odds with how I felt inside. Its such an abstract concept to describe, but it just made me feel like my body was doing something wrong. While he acknowledges that no one who experiences periods likes them particularly, he found them incredibly triggering for his gender dysphoria. [Periods] were something that I struggled with, he adds, and I didnt realise why until I found out I was trans, and there was this extra layer of internal difficulty I was having with accepting that this is what my body was doing. Once he was out, the difficulty shifted. I still had all these internal things but there were all these outward messages [conflicting with my experience]. There were no [sanitary] bins in mens public toilets, all the pads smelled really flowery and theyre all aimed towards women. So it felt like this extra [barrier]. Not only am I telling myself that this shouldnt be happening but Im being told by the outside world [that] it shouldnt be happening as well. There were no [sanitary] bins in mens public toilets, all the pads smelled really flowery and theyre all aimed towards women. So it felt like this extra [barrier]. Not only am I telling myself that this shouldnt be happening but Im being told by the outside world [that] it shouldnt be happening as well.Jamie Raines Jamie doesnt experience bleeding anymore but he does still experience other symptoms associated with a menstrual cycle as he hasnt had a hysterectomy. Ive been on testosterone for over nine years now and I still feel like I go through some kind of cycle (though not as regularly). I still experience some of the things I used to experience when I had a period in terms of cramping and things like that, and I notice with my partner we sometimes match up a little bit on our moods. Likewise, Kenny has what he calls internal periods as well as minimal bleeding. The emotional swings, bloating, fatigue: all of those things that I was having when I had a regular period pre-medication is still whats happening now. The struggle comes not just with navigating the symptoms but the fact that there is no medical understanding as to why this is happening to him, or any accessible support. Even when Im explaining it to my doctor and going to trans specific clinics, they cant give you the answers because they dont know. They want to support you in the best way and theyve tried putting me on [a version of] the pill that doesnt contain oestrogen which has slowed down the bleeding, but Im still having leakage here and there. Kenny says that this is a fact of life for trans people. There is no research into trans bodies, very limited access to medical support  the ongoing scandal of the waiting lists for access to Gender Identity Clinics in the UK, with the NHS currently booking appointments for people who were referred to the service in October 2017, affects trans people for life, not just when they start to transition  and sparse representation of what you should expect your life to be. All you are told, says Jamie, is that taking testosterone should stop your period and if you dont have a hysterectomy after five years, you should get a scan every two years to check for ovarian cysts. This can coalesce into an expectation that transitioning will put a stop to your period and your menstrual cycle. I think a lot of people go into starting testosterone thinking that theyre never going to have another period again once they take their first shot of T or get their first prescription, says Jamie, not realising that even if it does stop quite quickly for you, its probably not going to happen within the first few months. And as in Kennys case, theres no guarantee that it wont come back in some form. It just feels like an area in which I thought there would be more support, because this would never be acceptable for cis bodies but it is for trans bodies, Kenny adds. And no one wants to put the money in to actually do the research to find out. DashDividers_1_500x100 When it comes to menstruation, we are a long way from breaking the taboos or alleviating period poverty on a societal level. In some ways, its no surprise that discussions around periods are so lacking for people who arent cis women  the discussions are fundamentally lacking for cis women, too. But when we position periods as something integral to womanhood and something that only women experience, it does nothing to support women. It just makes life harder for everyone. If we were to take trans people out of the conversation and just talk about cis women experiencing periods, no cisgender woman is always going to experience a period, says Kenny. He points to pregnancy, menopause, endometriosis and eating disorders as examples of things that change or stop a persons periods  and by the period = woman logic, that would stop them being a woman. But it doesnt. This is not to dismiss people who feel that menstruation ties them intimately to their womanhood; as Kenny puts it: If thats what feels comfortable for you and you want to align yourself with that narrative in terms of saying that a period makes you a woman, who am I to take that away from you? It only serves to point out that trying to define womanhood as tied to periods and therefore suggest that periods can only happen to women is far too narrow a definition. Clearly, there needs to be a change in how we talk and think about menstruation for the sake of everyone who experiences periods. That change doesnt come by erasing the idea that periods are experienced by cis women  it comes from broadening the conversation and showing the range of experiences. I think its about creating different narratives and allowing people to choose what narrative fits well for them, says Kenny. For me, I dont see periods as a womans thing, I just see it as a bodily function that I happen to experience because of my gender. But I think the more stories, the more narratives that are out there, the more that people can align with the version that feels right for them, and that makes them more comfortable and that just leads to better mental health. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Freda (@myfreda) Part of broadening those narratives is to remove explicitly gendered language, particularly when it comes to menstrual health products. A big first step that we can take is neutralising the language used in conversations around periods, says Jamie. He points to product lines like Cycle by Freda, which has completely neutralised packaging, as a great example. I think by stripping it back, sending out something thats neutral and not specifically for a certain group of people, sends out the implicit message that periods are experienced by a broader range of people than we initially thought. Including all people who experience periods in products and advertising is part of a subtle shift in how periods are viewed. And that can positively impact everyone who feels alienated by the more delicate, floral, explicitly feminine branding of period products  from butch women to genderqueer people to trans men. These kinds of changes are not antithetical to fighting for period justice but a part of it  by destigmatising periods for all, we can push for better access to products and help to alleviate the shame that still clouds menstruation. Whats more, it will add to the pressure to put more money into researching and supporting trans bodies when on a basic level more people recognise that periods dont just affect women. As for those who think broadening the conversation is taking up womens space? The kind of argument I always hear is when you go neutral, it becomes about men, Kenny says. But men are never going to be the centre in a conversation about periods, its never going to happen, statistically. Trans people are only 1% of the population. He continues: Opening a door to gender and accepting people for who they are I dont know what they think is gonna happen. I just think that people will be happier. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?The Phrase 'Coming Out' Doesn't Work AnymoreThe Women Who Don't Have Periods (NSFW)Gender Critics Used Us To Attack Trans People
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

TORONTO, Feb. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fairfax India Holdings Corporation (Fairfax India or the Company) (TSX: FIH.U) has completed its previously announced offering of US$500 million in aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Notes due 2028 (the Notes).

Fairfax India intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay most of the indebtedness currently outstanding under its secured term loan facility.

The offering was made solely by means of a private placement either to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) who are also qualified purchasers (as defined in Section 2(a)(51) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), or to certain non-U.S. persons in offshore transactions pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Notes have not been and will not be qualified for sale under the securities laws of any province or territory of Canada and may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly in Canada or to or for the benefit of any resident of Canada, except pursuant to applicable prospectus exemptions.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Any offers of the Notes have been made only by means of a private offering memorandum.

Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (Fairfax Financial), directly or indirectly, acquired approximately $58.4 million aggregate principal amount of the Notes (representing approximately 11.7% of the Notes), which is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). The Company has relied on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a), respectively, of MI 61-101 in respect of Fairfax Financials participation in the offering. The Company did not file a material change report 21 days prior to the closing of the offering of the Notes as the details of the participation of related parties in the offering were not known at such time.

Fairfax India is an investment holding company whose objective is to achieve long term capital appreciation, while preserving capital, by investing in public and private equity securities and debt instruments in India and Indian businesses or other businesses with customers, suppliers or business primarily conducted in, or dependent on, India.

For further information, contact:

John Varnell, Vice President, Corporate Affairs

(416) 367-4755

Forward-looking information
South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed above 400 on Saturday, the second day of mass vaccinations, as sporadic cluster infections continued to linger throughout the nation. Yonhap



Daily new COVID-19 cases in Korea stayed above 400, Friday, following the start of the government's mass vaccination program, as sporadic infection clusters continued to linger nationwide.



The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 415 more coronavirus infections, including 405 local ones, raising the total caseload to 89,321.



The daily cases mark a rise from 406 tallied Thursday. The figure reached a weekly low of 332, Monday, before gradually increasing throughout the week with some ups and downs due to the infection clusters.



Ten more fatalities were also reported, raising the death toll to 1,595.



South Korea launched its first vaccination campaign Friday starting with health care workers and patients at nursing facilities and hospitals nationwide with the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca.



The AstraZeneca vaccine is deemed more convenient for mass inoculations as it can be stored at between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, compared with the Pfizer vaccine that requires ultra-cold chain storage.





Korea announces innovative syringe method to increase vaccine doses Front-line medical workers get 1st Pfizer vaccines in Korea About 18,500 Koreans get COVID-19 vaccines on vaccination Day 1 Medical workers at hospitals treating patients with COVID-19 started receiving the Pfizer vaccine  the first batch acquired through the World Health Organization's global vaccine COVAX Facility project  Saturday.



The government is targeting herd immunity for the country by November.



Meanwhile, the administration decided to keep the current level of social distancing for another two weeks through March 14. The regulations were originally planned to run through Sunday.



The capital area, home to around half of the country's 52-million population, is currently under Level 2 distancing, the third highest in the five-tier system. Restaurants and bars in the capital area are allowed to remain open for an hour longer until 10 p.m.



Bans on the gathering of five or more people, however, are still in place nationwide.



Next week, the draft of a new social distancing system will be unveiled to allow the government to receive public opinion on it before finalizing the plan.



Of the 405 locally transmitted infections, 130 cases were reported in Seoul and 166 in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, 40 kilometers west of the capital, added 27 cases.



There were 10 cases from overseas.



The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 142, down two from the previous day.




Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
On this private day trip from Bled, you'll have the opportunity to visit one of the oldest castles in Slovenia. As your guide leads you through Rajhenburg Castle, you'll be able to learn about its history and the Trappist monks who lived there from 1881 to the 1940s.

Afterwards, you'll head down the road to Hisa trt, vina in cokolade Kunej (The House of Vines, Wine and Chocolate). The winery has been run by the Kunej family for five generations and is known for its Chocolat Imperial  a red wine infused with dark chocolate. The tour will conclude with a wine and chocolate tasting.
Congress leader and former AICC president Rahul Gandhi has charged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) has destroyed the free press and institutions in the country in a systematic manner over the past six years. He was addressing a meeting of advocates at VO Chidambaram college hall, Tuticorn, on Saturday.

He said the nation is held together by institutions including elected institutions like Lok Sabha,Vidhan Sabhas and Panchayats and institutions like the judiciary and a supporting free press. Pointing out that all these institutions and a free press hold the nation together, Rahul Gandhi stated that democracy in India is dead. He went on to say that democracy does not die in a day but in a systematic manner and alleged that the RSS was instrumental in destroying the democracy of the country.

Rahul Gandhi, who is an MP from Wayanad constituency in Kerala, said that the RSS combined with capitalists has destroyed the balance of the country. He also charged that when the institutional balance of the country is lost, states don't have equal say.

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly, he said "The question is not that the PM is useful or useless but to whom is he useful? It's like Hum Do Hamare Do".

On the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Congress leader said that it is discriminatory and added that the farm laws passed by the parliament, are against the poor farmers of the country.

Rahul Gandhi also said that the people cannot rely on the institutions to protect democracy and added that people's power is the only power that can protect democracy and democratic institutions.

The Congress leader is on a three-day visit to Tamil Nadu where assembly elections are being held on April 6, along with Puducherry and Kerala. He had visited Puducherry before embarking on the Tamil Nadu visit.

It may be noted that the Congress party has been staking claim to contest in 45 assembly seats in the DMK-led alliance but the DMK has been sticking to its stand of allowing only 22 assembly seats to the grand old party.

Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was deputed by the Congress high command to have a one to one meeting with DMK supremo MK Stalin but a consensus was elusive even in that meeting.
Former Saskatchewan premier Brad Walls new report on two controversial Manitoba Hydro mega-projects is mostly a rehash of an old political battle; it shed little, if any, new light on what Manitobans already knew.

Former Saskatchewan premier Brad Walls new report on two controversial Manitoba Hydro mega-projects is mostly a rehash of an old political battle; it shed little, if any, new light on what Manitobans already knew.

The report, released Friday, is largely a synopsis of previous reports, including a 2018 probe commissioned by the Public Utilities Board.

Wall said cost overruns for the construction of the Keeyask generating station were driven by several factors, including "cost reimbursable" contracts (which left Hydro with all the risk), poor oversight and a failure to explore alternative construction models. The focus of the project  to exploit U.S. electricity markets  was not properly communicated to the public, nor based on a sound business plan. Manitobans became "involuntary venture capitalists" and were left with billions in Hydro debt after electricity markets south of the border dried up.

The Bipole III transmission line was originally supposed to be built on the shorter, less-expensive east side of Lake Winnipeg. However, the former NDP government intervened and for reasons that were not supported by evidence, switched it to the longer, more expensive side of the lake.

The result: Manitoba Hydro has taken on crushing levels of debt, severely eroding its bottom line. Government should improve its financial oversight of all Crown corporations, the review found.

Thats the gist of Walls report; theres nothing really new to it.

The Bipole III transmission line was originally supposed to be built on the shorter, less-expensive east side of Lake Winnipeg. However, the former NDP government intervened and for reasons that were not supported by evidence, switched it to the longer, more expensive side of the lake. (Supplied)

Wall acknowledged during a virtual news conference his "commission" drew mostly from past consulting reports on Keeyask and Bipole III, all of which were widely reported. In addition, he and his staff interviewed almost 70 people, none of whom are named in the report. Wall said he was able to glean more from Hydro staff and others by offering them anonymity. They also reviewed government documents, including records of cabinet meetings and other internal correspondence. They interviewed former Manitoba premier Gary Doer, which must have been interesting. However, neither that, nor any of Walls other undertakings, appear to have added much to the historical record.

What it did do is provide Manitoba Tories with additional ammunition against their political opponents. Its no secret the former NDP government was a poor steward of the provincial treasury. The Keeyask and Bipole fiascos form part of that legacy.

The Wall Commission will be a useful reference point for Tories in future political debates.

Governments hire like-minded former politicians to pen reports because they know what to expect from them. Wall gave the Pallister government exactly the kind of report it was looking for. It has just the right amount of politically charged language (such as accusing the former NDP government of making decisions based on "ideology") while still appearing to be politically neutral.

Independent, in that the commission wasnt micromanaged by government, maybe. But impartial and unbiased? No. Reports written by retired politicians are rarely, if ever, impartial or unbiased.

Wall insisted Friday his commission was "independent and impartial."

"Were unbiased in our findings," he said.

Independent, in that the commission wasnt micro-managed by government, maybe. But impartial and unbiased? No. Reports written by retired politicians are rarely, if ever, impartial or unbiased.

Walls report includes commentary about the importance of using public-private partnerships to build future mega-projects (where private companies share project risk and sometimes take on asset ownership). He also said "socio-economic" objectives should not be part of Hydro business plans.

Those are not impartial observations.

Wall also recommends that Crown corporations should be treated more like government departments so that elected officials can keep closer tabs on them. It was an odd recommendation considering the former NDP government was accused of being too close to Hydro.

None of Walls recommendations or recycled findings will affect how Hydro operates. As a public entity, it will be directed by whoever is in government. The best Manitobans can do is elect a government they trust the most to run it.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
With devastating familiarity, the shrill ring of the telephone brings news of tragedy and disbelief and a community is, once again, shaken to its very core.

Amid the horrific circumstances of violence and sudden death, neighbours and friends spring into action, finding ways to rally round and provide vital comfort for those left behind to grieve.

Helpless shock gives way to bustle and the organisation of practicalities, with the arrangement of funerals. Covid has made all this so much harder.

The people of Cork are no strangers to difficult times, and to rallying around to help those plunged into darkness. So when news began to break of an overnight tragedy in their midst, they no doubt felt completely helpless.

Instead of signalling the gathering of their community, they can now only stand back, powerless to assist in the ways that they would wish to. This latest blow to the community is the second in just a few short months.

In October, devastation came with a double suicide-murder that had been premeditated to "inflict as much suffering and heartbreak on a wife and mother deliberately left behind".

Anne O'Sullivan (60) saw her eldest son Mark (25) ambushed in his bedroom and shot by his father Tadg (59) and younger brother Diarmuid (23), at their farmhouse at Assolas, outside Kanturk.

After shooting Mark with seven bullets from their rifles, the pair walked with apparent calmness to a nearby field and took their own lives.

Mark had been a trainee solicitor and the murder followed by double suicide was sparked by the inheritance of a 2m farm.

At his funeral, Kanturk parish priest Canon Toby Bluitt said the entire community was left devastated by the scale of the heartbreaking tragedy.

"The shock, the numbness, the devastation, was impossible to imagine and the unfolding news of the loss of three lives was incomprehensible," he said.

Not withstanding Cork's status as the largest county in Ireland, it seems that it has been forced to endure a disproportionate number of tragic instances. How much hardship is a community expected to endure?

Tragedy struck the county numerous times before that. In 2013, farmer Martin McCarthy drowned himself after taking his three-year-old daughter, Clarissa, into the sea.

A major land and sea search was launched for the duo when a note addressed to Mr McCarthy's American-born wife, Rebecca (26), was discovered in the milking parlour of the family farm outside Ballydehob in west Cork on March 5 of that year.

Mr McCarthy changed his will just over a week before his death, deliberately excluding his California-born wife, who was 24 years his junior, from inheriting major assets and instead leaving them to family and friends.

In 2010, John Butler (43) took his own life by crashing his car into a ditch after earlier killing his two daughters, Zoe (6) and Ella (2) at the family home in Ballybraher, Ballycotton.

He had been suffering from mental illness and depression for some time.

On the morning of November 16, 2010, Butler was seen buying petrol for a five-gallon drum. One witness said he saw smoke in the car Butler was driving before it crashed into a ditch.

The bodies of the two girls were then discovered in the family home. Ella had been smothered while Zoe had died by strangulation.

Their mother, Una, later spoke of the difficulty of living with someone with mental illness and said partners and spouses should be involved in their treatment, with the first concern being the welfare of children.

The shock death of 11-year-old Robert Holohan came as a body blow in January 2005. The child was killed by his 21-year-old next-door neighbour Wayne O'Donoghue.

His disappearance led to one of the largest searches ever mounted for a missing person in Ireland.

Wayne O'Donoghue joined the search parties combing the local landscape.

Eight days later, Robert's body was found in a ditch near Inch strand, 12 miles from his home.

Within 24 hours of his funeral, O'Donoghue admitted his involvement in his death. He denied murder but admitted manslaughter.

Stretching further back, the notorious murder of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier in 1996 traumatised the community of west Cork after her badly beaten body was discovered at the gate of her holiday home in Drinane outside Schull two days before Christmas.

Ian Bailey has always denied any involvement in the killing and claimed that gardai tried to frame him.

Today, once again, the people of Cork find themselves facing troubled times.

The most difficult times lie ahead and the comfort of tightly knit communities will struggle valiantly to make itself felt amid the lockdown which has made things even harder.
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.
Sinn Fein has called on controversial party councillor Paddy Holohan to remove a Facebook post in which he tells people to get behind the beauty salon owner who was arrested for opening her business in breach of Covid-19 restrictions.

In a post on his Facebook page, Mr Holohan described C&N Beauty Room owner Christine McTiernan as inspiring after she was arrested by gardai for opening her business during the highest level of restrictions.

Mr Holohan said: I feel its important we all support each others mental health and spiritual health during these testing times for the world.

We need to get in behind and support people anyway we can while of course making sure guidelines are encouraged, the South Dublin county councillor said.

In another Facebook post, Mr Holohan said you can bet your house gardai would not attend a meat plant in the same numbers as those who attended Ms McTiernans beauty salon. Aldi has 100s of People a day pass through, this shop probably wouldnt see 100 a month, he said.

Read More

Were (sic) the TDs that claim they support the people and the workers, he added.

Off picking lowing hanging fruit is were (sic) they are.

Mr Holohan added that not all but large percentage of TDs in the Dail are snakes.

A Sinn Fein spokesperson said Mr Holohan should remove his Facebook post in support on Ms McTiernan.

Expand Close Christine McTiernan, who defied Level 5 restrictions and opened her premises at C&N Beauty Room, Balbriggan, Dublin, to the public. Photo: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Christine McTiernan, who defied Level 5 restrictions and opened her premises at C&N Beauty Room, Balbriggan, Dublin, to the public. Photo: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin

This is a position completely at odds with the view of the party, the spokesperson said before adding: he should remove this. Mr Holohan has not responded to a request for comment.

Ms McTiernan was arrested after she opened her salon in Balbriggan, North County Dublin on two days in row this week.

She was charged with the breach of Covid restrictions and is due back in court on March 25.

She claimed she had a constitutional right to open her beauty salon during the pandemic and insisted she was taking a stand against government restriction aimed at stopping the spread of the virus.

Mr Holohan was previously suspended from Sinn Fein for derogatory comments he made about women and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar

Speaking on a podcast before the last general election, Mr Holohan said Mr Varadkar is separated from the history of this country.

"Leo Varadkars blood obviously runs to India. His great-grandfather is not part of the history of this country. Now Leo obviously is. Hes an Irish citizen but his passion doesnt go back to the times when our passion goes back to, he said.

He later apologised and said his comments were taken out of context. On the same podcast he said there are some f****** scum women out there before claiming underage girls were blackmailing men. After these comments emerged he was suspended from Sinn Fein.

In a shocking incident, a 17-year-old boy was admitted to the AIIMS Trauma Center in New Delhi with stab wounds after he was attacked by three men.

The incident was reported from the Kalkaji area of the national capital on Friday.

As per the police, the boy was beaten up and stabbed for allegedly opposing three boys who were stalking his sister and passing "indecent remarks" on her.

Representative Image -Stutterstock

The victim's sister said that while she was with her brother, three boys followed her and passed indecent remarks on her. When her brother objected to it, they all started beating him and one of them stabbed him in the abdomen and fled the spot, a senior police officer said.

He was shifted to AIIMS Trauma centre and is still unfit for recording his statement.

Multiples cases registered

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) RP Meena said, "We have registered a case under Indian Penal Code sections 307 (attempt to murder), 354 D (stalking), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and further investigation is going on."

BCCL

Efforts are being made to trace the accused who are residents of J J camp, Giri Nagar in Govindpuri area, the DCP said.

The recently released data by Delhi Police had shown that the national capital saw a significant decline in the number of crimes against women reported in 2020, compared to 2019.

Reuters

Delhi reported 1,699 incidents of rape, 2,186 of molestation and 65 cases of sexual assault against children in pandemic-hit 2020.

In 2019, the figures stood at: 2,168 rapes, 2,921 incidents of molestation and 109 POCSO cases.
A small time actor from Texas who appeared in an episode of Friday Night Lights has been charged with using a crutch to beat a cop during the Capitol riot.

Luke Coffee, 41, was seen in photos and video using the crutch to assault the officer as he protected the federal building as chaos ensued on January 6, according to a criminal complaint, the Daily Beast reports.

The Dallas native has worked on post-production for a few television shows and has appeared on a few projects as an actor, including brief stints on Friday Night Lights and Las Vegas.

According to the complaint, Coffee is seen on footage on the steps of the Capitol close to the Lower Terrace tunnel entranceway. Prosecutors say Coffee was wearing a brown cowboy hat, camouflage jacket and a blue bandana.

Luke Coffee, 41, was seen in photos and video using the crutch to assault the officer as he protected the federal building as chaos ensued

According to the complaint, Coffee is seen on footage on the steps of the Capitol close to the Lower Terrace tunnel entranceway. Prosecutors say Coffee was wearing a brown cowboy hat, camouflage jacket and a blue bandana

Video shows the man making 'several statements' to rioters as they try to breach the building, though it is unclear what he is saying.

The complaint states that these rioters were part of the group that brutally attacked cops with blunt objects and threw items at them as well. A cop at that particular section was even 'violently dragged down the Lower Terrace steps by protesters.'

Coffee held the crutch over his head before charging the police officers, according to the complaint.

Additional bodycam footage shows that as Coffee was pushed back, he charged at officers and used the crutch 'as a blunt object weapon by positioning the crutch directly toward the officer's upper chest/head area.'

The Dallas native has worked on post-production for a few television shows and has appeared on a few projects as an actor, including brief stints on Friday Night Lights and Las Vegas

Two D.C. officers were needed to hold Coffee and his weapon back. The crutch was seen being used by several rioters as they attacked officers.

Local Texas site Central Track reported that Coffee documented his trip to the Capitol. On the morning of the riot, he is said to have posted a photo alongside a fellow rioter.

'Historic Day for 'Merica!!' Coffee captioned the photo on Facebook.

Several witnesses tipped the FBI off to Coffee's participation at the riots, including a 'college classmate who happens to be a Special Agent'

Coffee was charged with assault of a federal law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon, interference with law enforcement officer during civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, unlawful entry on restricted grounds and disorderly conduct.

Several witnesses tipped the FBI off to Coffee's participation in the riots, including a 'college classmate who happens to be a Special Agent,' according to the complaint.

Another witness recognized Coffee because he was wearing 'attire that stood out,' noting that Coffee had been in a YouTube video last October where he 'discussed several conspiracy theories.'

Coffee told federal authorities during a January 13 interview that he drove to the Capitol on the day of the riot. The actor acknowledged that he 'held up a crutch over his head' outside the building, but 'Coffee stated he did not engage in any type of physical confrontations with the police while at the Capitol Building,' the complaint said.

Another witness recognized Coffee because he was wearing 'attire that stood out,' noting that Coffee had been in a YouTube video last October where he 'discussed several conspiracy theories'

Coffee told federal authorities during a January 13 interview that he drove to the Capitol on Jan. 6. The actor acknowledged that he 'held up a crutch over his head' outside the building

Following the riots, Coffee would appear in a number of videos where he continued to spew conspiracy theories. He admitted to attacking police in a now-deleted Facebook video.

'Those cops I fought, uh, I was pushing against, I grabbed a crutch. And I went in and pushed against the line. I pushed all against the line and was, like, trying to drive them back, and God gave me some supernatural energy, and they sprayed in my eyes,' Coffee said in the video, Central Track reports.

Coffee described the violence as an 'antifa false flag attack,' and added that he was 'ready to die' with 'patriots' who were exercising their right of freedom of speech.

'I was ready to die last night. We thought we were, we were totally gassed. And I literally thought I was getting gassed to death like I was in Nazi Germany, a Jew getting gassed to death. Okay,' he said.

IN NUMBERS: Over 16,000 fresh cases reported

India reported 16,488 fresh infections on Saturday, taking the cumulative caseload to 1,10,79,979, according to a report in the Scroll. The country saw 113 deaths due to the pandemic, taking the death toll to 1,56,938, according to central health ministry data. The total recoveries have surged to 1,07,63,451 while the active caseload is at 1,59,590. As many as 14.2 million healthcare and frontline workers have been inoculated since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Read more here

Will try to 'convince' govt to bring back Pfizer vaccine: chief

India's top scientific research body could play a mediator between the central government and US drugmaker Pfizer to bring the firm's Covid vaccine to the country, a report in ThePrint said. The director-general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Shekhar Mande told ThePrint that he would try to "convince" the central health ministry to initiate discussions with Pfizer. Mande added that the Modi government should also consider asking Johnson & Johnson and Moderna to bring their vaccines to India. Read more here

India accounted for just 6.7% of global Covid research: Study

According to a new study, India accounted for only 6.7 per cent of global scientific research on Covid-19 despite recording the second-highest number of cases, a report in ThePrint. The study, published in the Scientometrics Journal earlier this month, said 87,515 publications were pushed out until 5 October of last year in total. The study classified the publications into three periods: the first period between 1 January and 8 April 2020 (4,875 articles); the second period between 9 April and 12 July (39,138); and the third period between 13 July and 5 October (43,502). According to the study, in the first period, India accounted for 2.9 per cent of articles published on Covid-19. This rose to 6.7 per cent in the second period and remained steady at 6.8 per cent during the third period. Read more here

Second wave inevitable: Experts

Experts believe there is no reason to think India will not to have to tackle a second wave of Covid infections going by the trajectory of cases in other countries, a report in The New Indian Express said. Countries that are three to four months ahead of India in terms of the pandemic have seen their second wave, Dr V Subramanian, infectious diseases specialist at Apollo Hospital said at a panel discussion on the novel The second wave will come to India too, but will be milder and hopefully will fizzle out faster than the first, Subramanian added. Read more here

No vaccination sessions today and tomorrow

Vaccination sessions will not be held today and on Sunday as the central government's flagship platform to manage the vaccine rollout Co-Win is undergoing an update, a report in the Quint said. The health ministry said the platform is transitioning from Co-Win 1.0 to Co-Win 2.0. The update comes ahead of the second phase of the programme that will target the elderly and those with preexisting conditions. Read more here
[February 26, 2021] FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL INVESTIGATION INITIATED by Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates the Officers and Directors of First American Financial Corp. - FAF

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 First American Financial Corp. ("FAF") (NYSE: FAF). On May 24, 2019, KrebsOnSecurity.com reported a massive data exposure by FAF involving approximately 885 million customer files. Then, on October 22, 2020, FAF disclosed that, in relation to the 2019 data security breach, "[i]n September 2020, the Company received a Wells Notice informing the Company that the [Securities and Exchange Commission] enforcement staff has made a preliminary determination to recommend a filing of an enforcement action by the SEC (News - Alert) against the Company." The Company has been sued in a securities class action lawsuit for failing to disclose material information, violating federal securities laws, which remains ongoing. KSF's investigation is focusing on whether FAF's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to FAF's shareholders or otherwise violated state orfederal laws.



If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of FAF 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-faf/ 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/20210226005669/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
In a decision that will only further escalate tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, members of Japans ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) announced Thursday that the government had confirmed a reinterpretation of a law to allow Japans coast guard to fire upon foreign vessels attempting to land on disputed islands, namely the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. The move is aimed at China as Tokyo, Washington, and their allies in the region increase their efforts to militarily and economically subordinate Beijing to their interests.

Japan Coast Guard vessel Yashima (Source: Wikimedia)

The meeting between government officials and the LDP members was held by the partys National Defense Division. Previously, Japans coast guard was authorized to fire on foreign vessels only in self-defense, as attacking another countrys ships is in violation of Article 9 of the constitution, which explicitly bars Japan from waging war or using other forms of military aggression. This change significantly increases the chances of an armed clash with China over the disputed territories in the East China Sea.

Tokyos immediate justification for the change is Chinas own new law allowing its coast guard to use their weaponry against vessels in territories it claims. Beijings legislation took effect on February 1, but was drawn up towards the end of 2020, after four years of increasingly belligerent provocations by the Trump administration in Washington.

Trump, backed by the Democrats and Republicans, repeatedly antagonized China by calling into question the status of Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province. The US supplied Taipei with large amounts of weaponry and increased official state visits to the island. Beijing has stated that any recognition of or attempt by Taipei to declare independence would trigger a Chinese military response.

Japan claims that last year Chinese ships sailed into the waters around the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands approximately twice per month and with the passage of the Beijings law, twice per week. Tokyo also claimed that Beijing sent more than 1,100 ships over the course of 333 days, both record highs, in 2020 into the so-called contiguous zone near the islands.

Parroting Washingtons line, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Thursday, I firmly believe that it is a free and open order based on the rule of law, not force or coercion, that will bring peace and prosperity to the region and the world.

Tokyo and Washington have both deliberately inflamed what were once minor regional territorial disputes in order to put pressure on China. This included Japans nationalization of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in 2012.

The Biden administration in the US is deepening its confrontational approach to China. During a press conference last Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby stated, We hold with the international community about the Senkakus and the sovereignty of the Senkakus, and we support Japan obviously in that sovereignty. This is a shift from Washingtons previous public position to not take a side in the territorial dispute.

When Biden took office in January, his administration quickly assured Tokyo that the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands fell under the US-Japan security treaty, meaning Washington would support Japan in a military clash with China over the uninhabited islands. This position was first put forward in 2014 under the Obama administration, in which Biden served as vice president.

There is also deepening military cooperation between Tokyo and Washington. Last year Japan increased the number of Self-Defense Forces (SDF) missions providing protection to US ships on military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region to 25up from 14 in 2019. This included spy missions during which US naval vessels collected intelligence on ballistic missiles and other military activities of countries that almost certainly included China. Tokyo did not disclose where the operations took place just that they contributed to the defense of Japan.

Japans 2014 constitutional reinterpretation under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and related military legislation passed the following year have allowed Japan to engage in so-called collective self-defense, or to conduct military operations overseas in the aid of an ally, primarily the US. Were the US to stage a provocation against China, for example, during one of these joint missions, Japans SDF would be given the green light to join the attack.

Such US provocations against China include so-called freedom of navigation operations in and around Chinese controlled islands, where the US sends naval ships into these waters claimed by Beijing. At the same time, however, Washington and Tokyo both denounce China for sailing in or flying over international waters near Japanese controlled islands, or those with ties like Taiwan.

Tokyo hopes to use claims of Chinese aggression against Taiwan to also further its own imperialist interests. Masahisa Sato, who leads the LDPs Foreign Affairs Division, announced in early February the creation of a Taiwan project team to explore how to deepen relations with Taipei. Following in Washingtons footsteps, LDP lawmakers called for a law similar to Washingtons Taiwan Relations Act. Under the 1979 act, Washington does not officially recognize Taiwan, but continues to provide the island with military support.

Since 1979, the US has given de facto support to the one China policy, which states that Beijing is the legitimate government and that Taiwan is a part of China. However, Washington stated in August that it was making significant changes to its Taiwan policy and the meaning of one China. A similar law in Tokyo would almost certainly further challenge Beijings claims to Taiwana former Japanese colony.

Sato stated that Tokyo would consider increased diplomatic contact between lawmakers from Japan and Taiwan. LDP members have suggested 2+2 dialogues between the Japanese foreign and defense ministers with their counterparts in Taipei, undoubtedly encouraged to do so by Washingtons own push to increase official diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Sato also stated, We want to bolster our diplomatic prowess through a two-pronged approach, using our human rights and Taiwan project teams. Like Washington and imperialist countries, Tokyo is seeking to exploit unproven claims of genocide in Chinas Xinjiang region as well as Beijings crackdown on Hong Kong, to justify ramping up military tensions against China.
An Irish-American poet is set to discuss her County Derry ancestry and how it has affected her current work in an online lecture this evening.

The lecture, run by Limavady Area Ancestry and presented by Stephen McCracken, Rev Rhys Jones and Fiona Pegrum, will also include a 10-minute talk on John Steinbeck by former Head Belfast Linen Hall Librarian John Gray.

Julie Kane is the great-grandchild of John OKane of Magilligan. A past Louisiana State Poet Laureate and Fulbright Scholar, she has published five books of poetry, the most recent of which is Mothers of Ireland (LSU Press, 2020).

Of that book, critic Annie Finch has written : What a labor of love this book is: love for place and roots, for family and ancestors, for poetry and its traditions, for healing and survival.

Mysteries of time and lineage, family tales and traumas, ancient ballads and Kanes signature villanelles interweave like Celtic knots in an heirloom piece of jewelry.

Awards for Kanes poetry include an Academy of American Poets Prize, National Poetry Series selection, and the Donald Justice Poetry Prize.



Her poems appear in more than sixty anthologies including Best American Poetry 2016 and The Book of Irish American Poets from the Eighteenth Century to the Present.



Professor Emertitus of English at North Western State University of Louisiana, she currently teaches in the low-residency poetry MFA program at Western Colorado University.

Julie Kane will speak about her OKane family members in Magilligan and Limavady and their descendants in the U.S., including silent film star Gail Kane and 101ST US Airborne Battle of the Bulge veteran and national radio/TV newscaster Edwin J. Kane.

She will also discuss how her poems have been influenced by family stories and research into her Irish ancestry.

The lecture can be accessed using Zoom ID 81380035540 or via the following link: https://zoom.us/j/81380035540.
Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) has admitted that she wore the same tank top for days while quarantining in a Sydney hotel.

Posting to Instagram on Saturday, the 33-year-old posted a throwback photo of herself after putting together a State of Liberty Lego set.

'Quarantine achievement! Also didnt change my T-shirt for a few days,' the mother-of-three captioned the post.

Relaxed; Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) has admitted that she wore the same tank top for days while quarantining in a Sydney hotel

In the photo, which was taken during a mandatory hotel quarantine stay in January, Lara beamed as she held her masterpiece in her hands.

She was sporting a bare-faced look, while her hair was tied up in a pony tail.

Earlier this year, Lara returned to her hometown of Sydney after living in Los Angeles with her husband of seven years, actor Sam Worthington.

The genetically blessed couple are parents to sons Rocket, five, and Racer, four, and their 11-month-old who's name is yet to be announced.

Welcome home: Last year, it was reported that Lara planned to move back to Australia with her husband-of-seven-years, actor Sam Worthington, and family

Lara and Sam have been based in the US with their family for years.

According to Who magazine last year, the couple decided to relocate back to their native Australia for an 'extended stay.'

The publication reported that the pair will be temporarily moving Down Under while Sam performs in the Sydney Theatre Company's production, Appropriate.

Keeping mum: Sam and Lara share sons Rocket, four, Racer, three, and welcomed their most recent addition, a baby boy, whose name is yet to be revealed, in 2019

The production will take place in March, and along with Sam's Avatar commitments in New Zealand, 'a more permanent move Down Under doesn't seem totally off the cards just yet'.

In an interview with Marie Claire, the doting mum said that she thinks her body was 'meant to have kids' and she would 'happily' have more in the future.

Since her return Down Under, Lara has showed off her impressive physique in a number of beach-side photoshoots.

CEO of MyPillow, Mike Lindell, fired back at Dominion Voting Systems after they filed a lawsuit against his company, saying "What are you hiding?"

Dominion Voting Systems, one of the largest makers of voting machines in the US, sued Mike Lindell, chief executive of Minnesota-based MyPillow Inc. and a supporter of former President Donald Trump, on February 22.

The complaint alleges that the businessman had defamed their company with "false accusations" of rigging the 2020 elections for Joe Biden and questioning the integrity of Dominion's voting machines.

They sued Lindell and his company in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking more than $1.3 billion in damages, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Dominion Voting Systems also claimed that Lindell has no credible evidence to support his claims and that it is all a "big lie."

"He is well aware of the independent audits and paper ballot recounts conclusively disproving the Big Lie," the complaint states. "But Lindell...sells the lie to this day because the lie sells pillows."

But Mike Lindell asserted in an interview Tuesday that he has "100 percent evidence" of the misconduct done by Dominion, who has accused him of defamation and sued his company, during the 2020 election.

"They sued my company, which had nothing to do with this and there are 2,500 plus employees," he stated. "It's shameful what Dominion has done to our country, and go to the private sector level and attack my company."

Lindell said that despite the lawsuits filed against him, he will continue to speak out against voter fraud and he is putting "everything on the line" just to give American people the truth they deserve, One America News Network wrote.

He also said that he will continue to fight regardless of the physical danger he's into and having incurred massive financial losses. He asked Dominion to allow machine inspections to verify the truth and said, as a business owner himself, he understands the need for transparency and would gladly open up his business for inspection if someone were to question the integrity of his product and company.

"So Dominion I ask you, and I've asked this, what are you hiding? I know what you're hiding," Lindell said. "They want to suppress me, cancel me out, get rid of Mike Lindell because this is what's gonna take down that election and this is the hope that we have in this country."

Lindell went on to stress that electoral integrity should not be a partisan issue as it is the right of the citizens to know the truth. He also added that the lawsuit filed by Dominion is actually serving the American people because it provides him the opportunity to legally release previously unseen pieces of evidence which will be put into the public record.

"This problem runs so deep and this cancel culture...it's not just Dominion and not just Smartmatic, but look at the machine," he continued. "They're all part of this attack on our country."

Lindell warned people why the need to reform the current system is essential, because if not, "the USA as we know it, will be gone."
Nissan has announced that it has achieved a 50 percent thermal efficiency for its next-generation e-Power hybrid technology. As RoadShow explains, most modern gasoline engines have a thermal efficiency of around 40 percent  in other words, only 40 percent of the energy they create upon burning fuel is transformed into motion. The rest gets turned into waste, such as heat and emissions, which means its technology can potentially lead to lower emissions.

The automaker was able to achieve a higher thermal efficiency, because its e-Power system doesn't work like conventional gas engines  it doesn't power the car itself and instead acts as a dedicated electricity generator for the technology's e-powertrain. That means the engine can run at its most efficient range all the time, allowing it to efficiently burn a more diluted air-fuel mixture at a high compression ratio. In conventional engines, the air-fuel dilution varies depending on various operational conditions.

Toshihiro Hirai, senior vice president of Nissan's powertrain and EV engineering division, told reporters:

"It took 50 years to increase thermal efficiency (of conventional engines) from 30% to 40%. But with e-Power, we can increase it to 50% in several years. That has been the target for the engineering community, he said, describing that level as the "ultimate, challenging goal'."

Nissan previously said that it's aiming to have an electrified version of all its new models in major markets by the early 2030s and that it's hoping to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. "Nissan's electrification strategy promotes the development of e-powertrains and high-performance batteries for EVs, with e-Power representing another important strategic pillar," Hirai said. The company has yet to announce when it would launch the e-Power system with 50 percent efficiency, but it launched the all-new Note powered by the current version of e-Power in Japan back in December.
RTHK: US blames Crown Prince for Khashoggi death

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved of an operation to capture or kill dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in 2018, according to a declassified intelligence assessment released on Friday in a manner choreographed to limit damage to US-Saudi ties

Khashoggi, a US resident who wrote opinion columns for the Washington Post critical of the crown prince's policies, was killed and dismembered by a team of operatives linked to the crown prince in the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.

Riyadh has denied any involvement by the crown prince, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler.

"We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in the report.

The intelligence agency based its assessment on the crown price's control of decision-making, the direct involvement of one of his key advisers and his own protective detail, and his "support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, including Khashoggi," it added.

"Since 2017, the Crown Prince has had absolute control of the Kingdom's security and intelligence organizations, making it highly unlikely that Saudi officials would have carried out an operation of this nature without the Crown Prince's authorization," the report said.

In declassifying the report, President Joe Biden reversed his predecessor Donald Trump's refusal to release it in defiance of a 2019 law, reflecting a new US willingness to challenge the kingdom on issues from human rights to the war in Yemen.

However, Biden is treading a fine line to preserve ties with the kingdom as he seeks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with its regional rival Iran and to address other challenges including fighting Islamist extremism and advancing Arab-Israeli ties.

Washington choreographed events to soften the blow, with Biden on Thursday speaking with the crown prince's 85-year-old father, King Salman, in a call in which both sides said they reaffirmed their decades-old alliance and pledged cooperation.

The Biden administration will announce sanctions and visa bans on Friday targeting Saudi Arabian citizens over the Khashoggi killing, although it will not impose sanctions on the crown prince, US officials said.

As it reasseses relations with one of its closest Arab allies, the United States is also considering the cancellation of arms deals with Saudi Arabia that pose human rights concerns while limiting future military sales to "defensive" weapons, sources familiar with the administration's thinking said.

A State Department spokesperson said the US focus was on ending the conflict in Yemen even as it ensures Saudi Arabia has everything it needs to defend its territory.

The declassified intelligence echoed a classified version of a report on Khashoggi's murder that Trump shared with members of Congress in late 2018.

Trump's rejection of demands by lawmakers and human rights groups to release a declassified version at the time reflected a desire to preserve cooperation with Riyadh amid rising tensions with Iran and to promote US arms sales to the kingdom.

Biden's new director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, has committed to complying with a 2019 bill that required her office to release a declassified report on Khashoggi's murder.

Khashoggi, 59, was a Saudi journalist living in self-imposed exile in Virginia who wrote opinion pieces for the Washington Post critical of the policies of the crown prince  known to some in the West as MbS.

He was lured on October 2, 2018, to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul with a promise of a document that he needed to marry his Turkish fiancee. A team of operatives linked to MbS killed him there and dismembered his body. His remains have not been found.

Riyadh initially issued conflicting stories about his disappearance, but eventually admitted that Khashoggi was killed in what it called a "rogue" extradition operation gone wrong.

Twenty-one men were arrested in the killing and five senior officials, including the deputy intelligence chief, Ahmed al-Asiri, and Saud al-Qahtani, a senior MbS aide, were sacked.

In January 2019, 11 people were put on trial behind closed doors. Five were given death sentences, which were commuted to 20 years in prison after they were forgiven by Khashoggis family, while three others were given jail terms.

Asiri was tried but acquitted "due to insufficient evidence," the prosecution said, while Qahtani was investigated but not charged.

As part of Biden's rebalancing of ties with Saudi Arabia, he will only communicate with King Salman, the White House has said, a move that may allow Washington to put some distance between itself and the crown prince, aged 35.

That will restore protocol broken by Trump and his son-in-law and top aide, Jared Kushner, who maintained a direct channel to the crown prince.

MbS has consolidated power since ousting his uncle as heir to the throne in a 2017 palace coup, seeking to win public support by overseeing popular economic and social reforms.

But he also has had opponents and women's rights activists detained and pursued risky foreign gambits, some of which backfired, like the intervention in Yemen, where a war between Saudi and Iranian proxies has created a humanitarian crisis. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.


Burma Myanmars Anti-Regime Protesters Urge Asian Counterparts to Unite for General Strike

Tens of thousands of protesters take part in a huge sit-in protest against the military regime on Feb. 22, 2021, in the 22222 general strike. / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  Myanmars pro-democracy activists have called for the anti-Chinese Milk Tea Alliance in Thailand, Hong Kong, India, Taiwan and Indonesia to support a second general strike against Myanmars military regime on Sunday.

The call came after Thailand received U Wunna Maung Lwin, the foreign minister appointed by Myanmars military regime, on Wednesday to meet Indonesias Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi for talks in Bangkok. Thousands of young activities in Myanmar called for solidarity from the Milk Tea Alliance, a loose, online coalition of activists largely based in Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan using the hashtag #MilkTeaAlliance. The coalition points to the variety of types of milk tea consumed across the region and opposes the increasing influence of China.

Messages were posted in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean and Thai calling on activists to pressure their leaders to recognize the results of the Nov. 8 general election in Myanmar, which the National League for Democracy won by a landslide. International observers reported that the election was free and fair.

The online democratic solidarity movement grew up in Thailand in response to Chinese trolls and nationalists opposing pro-democracy activists on social media. It has since emerged as a multinational protest movement, advocating democracy and human rights.

In a statement, the Milk Tea Alliance in Myanmar said the countrys fight for democracy and the strength of its young population was at its peak and brewing to fight for freedom on their own terms.

We believe it is the time we join hands to revolt against the oppressors and to gain our sovereignty back, the Milk Tea Alliance in Myanmar said.

Allies in Thailand and Hong Kong say they are preparing to march on Sunday.

Alliance members in Thailand said they will march against their military-dominated government, to demand limits on the power of the monarchy, to expel the armed forces from politics and reduce inequality with a universal welfare state.

Ei Thinzar Maung, a human rights activist who is a protest leader in Yangon, called for action across Myanmar on Sunday.

Millions joined the countrys first nationwide general strike against the regime which was called the 22222 uprising because it took place on Feb. 22.

You may also like these stories:

Arrests, Detentions, Threat of Dismissal Fail to Stop Myanmars Civil Disobedience Movement

Myanmar Military-Appointed Administrators Rejected by Local People

Two More Anti-Myanmar Regime Protesters Die in Mandalay
Using artificial intelligence to hunt for breast cancer

The centre is part of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). With the help of microscopy and artificial intelligence, the "E-Morph" test reliably identifies substances that can have oestrogen-like or even opposing effects, according to the research team's report in the specialist journal "Environment International". "E-Morph is a milestone on the way to, one day, replacing animal experiments currently required to detect hormone-like effects," says BfR President Prof. Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel.

Link to the specialist publication (ScienceDirect): https:/ / www. sciencedirect. com/ science/ article/ pii/ S0160412021000350

Link to the article in BfR2GO, the BfR science magazine: https:/ / www. bfr. bund. de/ cm/ 429/ 16_protection_of_laboratory_animals. pdf

The test is based on the observation that substances with an oestrogen-like effect can loosen the connection between cells in the mammary gland. This makes it easier for breast cancer cells to detach themselves from the tissue - a crucial step in the spreading (metastasis) of tumours. In the E-Morph test, a test substance is given to cultured human breast cancer cells. The cells are then examined to detect whether the cell contacts loosen as if under the influence of oestrogen. This effect is easy to observe under the microscope and can be evaluated fully automated using artificial intelligence. The robot-assisted test including evaluation is quick and enables many substances to be tested in short time. Potential future uses of the test include testing chemicals that have already been marketed as well as those that are about to be launched. The test can also be used to develop new drugs, improve diagnostic tests to detect breast cancer, and optimise therapies.

###

About the BfR

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) in Germany. It advises the German federal government and German federal states ("Laender") on questions of food, chemical and product safety. The BfR conducts its own research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.

About Bf3R

The German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R) was founded in 2015 and is an integral part of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). It co-ordinates all activities nationwide with the goals of restricting animal experiments to only those which are considered essential, and guaranteeing the best possible protection for laboratory animals. Moreover, it intends to stimulate research activities and encourage scientific dialogue.

This text version is a translation of the original German text which is the only legally binding version.

This story has been published on: 2021-02-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
ORLANDO, Fla.  Sen. Ted Cruz has decided to own it.

Appearing at the Conservative Political Action Conference, known as CPAC, just days after he was caught fleeing to Mexico for a vacation in the midst of a deadly snowstorm in Texas, Cruz tried to make light of his lapse in judgment.

I gotta say, Orlando is awesome, he said while opening his speech. Its not as nice as Cancun  but its nice!

Cruz, a potential candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, had been roundly criticized by prominent Democrats for abandoning his constituents in a time of strife. But here, the moment made for a winning laugh line.

Much of Cruzs speech went this way, with the Texas senator, his voice at times sounding like a growl, entreating the left and the media to lighten up about many of the issues that have defined the U.S. in the past year.

NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here

Shortly before Cruzs speech, CPAC organizers had been jeered by the audience when they paused the program to plead with them to wear their masks. Still, Cruz went ahead in making fun of pandemic-era rules like wearing masks in restaurants, and he also joked about the protests against police brutality that spread across major cities last summer, some becoming violent.

There had been no such demonstrations in Houston, he said, because lets be very clear: If there had been, they would have discovered what the people of Texas think about the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. The audience laughed.

Cruz, who had been scheduled to speak on the Bill of Rights, Liberty, and Cancel Culture, offered little by way of a positive vision for the future of the conservative movement. His speech reflected the general tenor of the event up to that point, with other speakers decrying the media and cancel culture, amplifying falsehoods about widespread voter fraud, and promising, above all, to fight.

But as Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida appeared to suggest, this was the future of the movement. In his brief remarks to kick off the conference Friday morning, DeSantis, another potential 2024 candidate, avowed that conservatives would never return to the failed Republican establishment of yesteryear.

Now, anyone can spout conservative rhetoric, DeSantis said. We can sit around and have academic debates about conservative policy.

But the question is, he added, When the Klieg lights get hot, when the left comes after you: Will you stay strong, or will you fold?

SUBSCRIBE TODAY: Stay informed with accurate reporting you can trust on HoustonChronicle.com

Mike Pompeo, the former secretary of state, and Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota will anchor the lineup Saturday, and former President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak at 3:40 p.m. Sunday, his first public speech since he left office under the cloud of a second impeachment.

Though Trump may well tease that he remains interested in running in 2024, the list of other prominent speakers includes many who hope to become the partys standard-bearer: In addition to DeSantis and Cruz, they include Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Rick Scott of Florida and Josh Hawley of Missouri.

But who isnt speaking at CPAC this year is as telling as who is.

The most notable absence is former Vice President Mike Pence, who has kept a low profile since Jan. 6, when pro-Trump rioters called for his execution.

Also missing from the list is former Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina, another possible 2024 candidate, who served under Trump as ambassador to the United Nations and whose absence may signal an attempt to occupy a more moderate lane in the party in the years ahead.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Medical Examiners Report on Capitol Officer Sicknicks Death Not Yet Complete

Update: Sicknick died of natural causes, according to the chief medical examiner for Washington.

The cause of death isnt yet clear for U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, the agency said on Feb. 26.

The medical examiners report on Officer Brian Sicknicks death, which followed the attack on the Capitol on January 6, is not yet complete. We are awaiting toxicology results and continue to work with other government agencies regarding the death investigation, the U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement.

Officer Sicknicks family has asked for privacy during this difficult time and that the spreading of misinformation stop regarding the cause of his death. The Department and the Sicknick family appreciate the outpouring of support for our fallen officer.

Sicknick, 42, died on Jan. 7, the day after the breach of the U.S. Capitol in Washington during a joint session of Congress.

The Capitol Police originally said Sicknick was injured while physically engaging with protesters before returning to a division office and collapsing. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was said to have succumbed to his injuries.

Citing anonymous sources, news outlets had reported that Sicknick was struck on the head. House Democrats promoted the claims during the second impeachment trial against former President Donald Trump. But Sicknicks mother, Gladys Sicknick, recently rebutted the claims.

An honor guard carries an urn with the cremated remains of U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick and a folded American flag up the steps of the U.S. Capitol to lie in honor in the Rotunda, in Washington, on Feb. 2, 2021. (Alex Brandon/ Pool/AP Photo)

He wasnt hit on the head, no. We think he had a stroke, but we dont know anything for sure, she said on Feb. 22. Wed love to know what happened.

The death is being investigated by Washington police officers and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Two other officers also died after the Jan. 6 events. Both Howard Liebengood, a Capitol officer, and Jeffrey Smith, a Metropolitan Police Department officer, committed suicide.

More than 100 officers suffered injuries on Jan. 6, officials have said. Injuries stemmed from being beaten by rioters and trying to corral unruly protesters, among other incidents. Over 250 people have been charged for crimes related to the Capitol breach.

Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman told lawmakers in a hearing last week that officers faced operational challenges officials are working on addressing, but to stop a mob of tens of thousands requires more than a police force, it requires physical infrastructure or a regiment of soldiers.

Sicknicks family in January called on people not to politicize his death.

Many details regarding Wednesdays events and the direct causes of Brians injuries remain unknown, and our family asks the public and the press to respect our wishes in not making Brians passing a political issue, Ken Sicknick, the mans brother, said in a statement at the time. Please honor Brians life and service, and respect our privacy while we move forward in doing the same.
Police in Illinois said they are trying to find the owner of a "belligerent" and "foul smelling" guinea fowl found wandering loose in the town.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Swansea Police Department posted a photo to Facebook of what the department misidentified as a "missing chicken," but commenters pointed out was actually a missing guinea fowl.

"Loud. Belligerent. Non-cooperative. Foul smelling. Won't leave," the post said.

The department is asking anyone missing a guinea fowl to get in touch with police to claim their bird.

"Serious police work here folks," police wrote.
COLUMBIA  The former Wells Fargo bank building in Five Points is up for sale, offering a major redevelopment opportunity that could bring new apartments to the neighborhood.

Colliers International-South Carolina began marketing the building and property at 705 Saluda Ave. with a $4.275 million asking price.

It's a 1.22-acre site featuring 64 parking spaces, which makes it a much larger single parcel than has been available near the heart of Five Points in years. The current two-story building has 7,800 square feet of office space.

Wells Fargo posted signs in November that it would leave the building in February and close its bank branch, while its ATMs would continue to be available.

A new apartment building to replace the current building seems a likely use of the space, said Craig Waites, the Colliers vice president who is leading the site's marketing.

It's a site that would have enough parking for a small apartment structure that would comply with the zoning that caps new construction at five stories or 50 feet, Waites said.

"We are certainly hopeful that it gets a lot of attention," Waites said.

Those in the neighborhood who have been thinking about the site as a project location have been considering loftier ideas, however.

The site could be a great place for a taller structure that includes additional parking spaces, said Steve Cook, the owner of Saluda's restaurant in the district who is chairman of the Five Points Association.

That could be some apartments that would bring more full-time residents into the district or even some office space that would be attractive to tech companies, Cook said.

Sign up for our Columbia business and real estate newsletter. Get all the latest industry happenings from the Midlands, plus exclusive development news and more in your inbox each week. Email

Sign Up!

Those projects likely would require an exception to the height limits on Five Points construction, but they might be the best use of such a sizable and valuable site, Cook said.

"It is an absolutely great spot to go vertical," Cook said.

Because the site is toward the edge of the neighborhood, a taller building would be less intrusive there than elsewhere, especially if it were set back from Blossom Street toward the railroad overpass, said Richard Burts, a redeveloper of properties who has an office in Five Points.

A new building would be a great chance to both boost the area's parking and to possibly bring a boutique hotel into Five Points, Burts said.

A hotel, tech company offices or business incubator would bring more daytime traffic foot to the area, which would be good for business, Burts said. Either way, the big site is a chance to increase the number of people doing business in Five Points.

More foot traffic would be an incentive for more retailers to come to Five Points, according to Rox Pollard, who oversees retail real estate for Colliers. Bringing more retailers to the neighborhood has been a goal for some who are looking to change the district's profile as a college hangout.

Retailers tend to follow new residential growth rather than go first before housing, Pollard said.

The Five Points Association will be working to bring those involved together in discussions of what the neighborhood wants to see there in the coming weeks, Cook said.

It's clear to Cook that there's one use of the site that would be a tough sell: a new student housing tower.

That likely would not be welcomed either by the current Five Points residents or neighbors, especially as disputes continues over the behavior of college students who visit the area's bars, 11 of which are having to go to court to pursue their liquor license renewals.

Whatever use a developer finds for the site, it should be something that improves Five Points for decades to come, Burts said.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 07:04:53|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The famed tapestry of Pablo Picasso's 1937 anti-war painting "Guernica" is now missing from its prominent site outside the UN Security Council, as its owner has asked for it back, a UN spokesman said Friday.

"Nelson Rockefeller, Jr., who owns the tapestry, recently notified us of his intention to retrieve it," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "The tapestry was returned to Rockefeller earlier this month."

The "Guernica" tapestry had been offered on loan to the United Nations by the late Nelson Rockefeller in 1984. It had been outside of the Security Council since 1985.

"Guernica is a timeless, universal symbol, vilifying the implacable and criminal destruction of war, and opening artistic debate on the representation of armed conflict," the UN Arts Committee said. The original Picasso grey, white and black "Guernica" painting, unveiled in 1937, is on display at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid.

The tapestry was commissioned in 1955 by the owner's father, Nelson Rockefeller, the committee said on its website. He was a former U.S. vice president under President Gerald Ford and a governor of New York State.

It was woven by Atelier de la Baume-Durrbach, in the Department of Var in Southern France, under the artist's supervision.

"We of course thank the Rockefeller family for having loaned this powerful and iconic work of art to the United Nations for so long," Dujarric told a regular press briefing. "On a personal note, I think like all of you, I feel a little sad and a sense of loss looking at the empty wall that was recently graced by the tapestry."

The approximately 3-by-7-meter artwork had been hung at what is known as the Security Council Stakeout outside the council chambers.

"The tapestry was not only a moving reminder of the horrors of war but, because of where it stood, it was also a witness to so much history that unfolded outside of the Security Council since 1985, standing side by side with generations of journalists reporting world-changing events that took place at the stakeout," he said.

"I can tell you that the secretary-general and others tried very hard to keep the tapestry here, but we were not successful," Dujarric said. There were exchanges of letters and telephone calls between the Rockefeller family and senior UN officials before returning "Guernica" to its owner.

The UN Arts Committee will review art options for display in the place of "Guernica", he said. Enditem
About 15 minutes later, a 44-year-old woman with gunshot wounds also showed up at a hospital. Police said they were notified that she was driving a different vehicle near the shooting location. She also was expected to survive.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us

We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.
Censorship the Biggest Problem Republicans Face Right Now: Rep. Nunes

Censorship of people by Big Tech is probably the biggest problem that we face right now in this country, as a party, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) said Friday.

People being kicked off websites such as Facebook and Twitter leave them without a communications architecture and struggling to communicate, Nunes told The Epoch Times Crossroads at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida, with exceptions for the ghettos of the Internet.

Noting The Epoch Times is available but has been targeted by Big Tech, Nunes also mentioned Rumble, a video sharing platform, and Parler, a competitor to the large social media services.

The Californian said he foresees in the future conservatives being removed from services like iTunes.

Thats whats probably coming. And so were in for a long fight. And people are asking, What can we do? You have to tell your congressman and your senators that this has to end, so that pressure comes on to these tech oligarchs, because thats essentially what they are, and then also at the state legislative level, the state legislators are going to have to pass new laws like Gov. DeSantis was talking about today, about how  if youre going to censor somebody, youre going to be fined in the state of Florida. So hopefully, that can pass, he added.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, unveiled legislation earlier this month that would let Big Tech companies like YouTube be fined or sued for some moderation decisions, effectively sidestepping the contentious protections they enjoy under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996.

Googles New York office in lower Manhattan on Jan. 20, 2021. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

DeSantis told reporters in the bill announcement that social media companies are applying standards unequally in a discriminatory way.

Can you imagine tolerating this kind of behavior in banking or in health care or in other industries? he asked.

Former President Donald Trump and some Republican lawmakers in the last Congress tried altering or doing away with Section 230 but were blocked by the majority of members.

Trump himself was banned by Twitter and Facebook last month while still in office, a decision that many supporters described as a new low for the companies.

Trump recently appealed the Facebook decision to its independent oversight board, which is mulling overruling the California-based company and ordering it to reinstate the Republican.

Trump has also floated creating his own platform.

Were negotiating with a number of people, and theres also the other option of building your own site. Because we have more people than anybody, he told Newsmax in an interview this month. I mean you can literally build your own site.

Petr Svab contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-27 20:03:34|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

People visit the Old North Market during the Lunar New Year holiday in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 14, 2021. (Xinhua/Yang Qing)

It was the effective anti-pandemic measures and emergency relief for businesses that helped the Chinese economy to recover at a fast pace, said a professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.

ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic offers inspiration and experience worth learning to other countries striving to revive their pandemic-hit economies, an expert said on Friday.

"Africa and the rest of the world can learn from China's recent experience in economic revitalization in many ways," Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, said in an interview with Xinhua.

Despite suffering a severe blow to its economy, China still achieved a 2.3-percent increase year on year in its gross domestic product (GDP), becoming the only major economy to grow in 2020. On Thursday, China officially declared the success of its poverty alleviation campaign.

Inspired by China's achievement in eliminating absolute poverty, Costantinos said that "nations need to bolster income and promote employment opportunities."

A staff member checks the temperature of a customer at a cinema in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 23, 2021. (Photo by Zhang Tao/Xinhua)

Costantinos, also former economic advisor to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, noted that it was the effective anti-pandemic measures and emergency relief for businesses that helped the Chinese economy to recover at a fast pace.

"China's recent GDP records show the economy has almost stabilized, even if this is the bottommost rate of annual growth in more than four decades for the miraculous economic titan," he said.

Even though the stringent lockdown of people and businesses led to contraction of the Chinese economy in the first quarter of 2020, China soon reinvigorated its economy by boosting investment and global trade after largely containing the pandemic, the scholar explained.

China's success indicated that to revive the economy, countries need to develop more value-added industries and focus on the more competitive and efficient service sectors, said Costantinos. 
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House approved a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill that was championed by President Joe Biden, the first step in providing another dose of aid to a weary nation as the measure now moves to a tense Senate.

The new presidents vision for infusing cash across a struggling economy to individuals, businesses, schools, states and cities battered by COVID-19 passed on a near party-line 219-212 vote early Saturday. That ships the bill to the Senate, where Democrats seem bent on resuscitating their minimum wage push and fights could erupt over state aid and other issues.

Democrats said that mass unemployment and the half-million American lives lost are causes for quick, decisive action. GOP lawmakers, they said, were out of step with a public that polling finds largely views the bill favorably.

I am a happy camper tonight," Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said Friday. This is what America needs. Republicans, you ought to be a part of this. But if you're not, we're going without you."

Republicans said the bill was too expensive and said too few education dollars would be spent quickly to immediately reopen schools. They said it was laden with gifts to Democratic constituencies like labor unions and funneled money to Democratic-run states they suggested didn't need it because their budgets had bounced back.

To my colleagues who say this bill is bold, I say it's bloated," said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. To those who say it's urgent, I say it's unfocused. To those who say it's popular, I say it is entirely partisan.

The overall relief bill would provide $1,400 payments to individuals, extend emergency unemployment benefits through August and increase tax credits for children and federal subsidies for health insurance.

It also provides billions for schools and colleges, state and local governments, COVID-19 vaccines and testing, renters, food producers and struggling industries like airlines, restaurants, bars and concert venues.

Democratic Representative Angie Craig of Iowa voted for the bill and issued this statement:

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heartbreaking number of lives and livelihoods. Health experts as well as economists are in strong consensus that we must take bold action to accelerate the distribution of our vaccines and support those individuals and businesses impacted by the economic crisis. The American Rescue Plan takes bold action to address the needs of the American people and Im proud to advance this legislation to the U.S. Senate.

Moderate Democratic Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregon were the only two lawmakers to cross party lines. That sharp partisan divide is making the fight a showdown over whom voters will reward for heaping more federal spending to combat the coronavirus and revive the economy atop the $4 trillion approved last year.

The battle is also emerging as an early test of Biden's ability to hold together his party's fragile congressional majorities  just 10 votes in the House and an evenly divided 50-50 Senate.

At the same time, Democrats were trying to figure out how to assuage liberals who lost their top priority in a jarring Senate setback Thursday.

That chamber's nonpartisan parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, said Senate rules require that a federal minimum wage increase would have to be dropped from the COVID-19 bill, leaving the proposal on life support. The measure would gradually lift that minimum to $15 hourly by 2025, doubling the current $7.25 floor in effect since 2009.

Hoping to revive the effort in some form, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is considering adding a provision to the Senate version of the COVID-19 relief bill that would penalize large companies that don't pay workers at least $15 an hour, said a senior Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations.

That was in line with ideas floated Thursday night by Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a chief sponsor of the $15 plan, and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to boost taxes on corporations that don't hit certain minimum wage targets.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., offered encouragement, too, calling a minimum wage increase a financial necessity for our families, a great stimulus for our economy and a moral imperative for our country. She said the House would absolutely" approve a final version of the relief bill because of its widespread benefits, even if it lacked progressives treasured goal.

Republican Representative Jim Hagedorn of Minnesota voted against the bill and issued this statement:

For all their talk of unity and bipartisanship, Democrats abused a process to ram through a partisan payoff to the left. In the past year, Republicans and Democrats have worked in bipartisan fashion to pass five COVID-19 relief measures. But this bill is not about ending the pandemic, restarting our economy, or reopening schools across the nation."

Democrats bailout package would inflate the already massive federal deficit by nearly $2 trillion, despite $1 trillion in unspent funds remaining from previous bipartisan measures. In fact, theyll only dedicate nine percent of the new money to combating COVID-19 through public health efforts. The Biden Administration and congressional Democrats have constructed this disastrous legislation with the intent of funneling money to poorly managed blue states, rescuing union pension plans, propping up Obamacare, and funding arts and humanities grants as well as a transit tunnel to benefit Nancy Pelosis district."

What the American people need right now is targeted, commonsense relief that will help distribute and administer vaccines efficiently, safely reopen schools, and get small businesses and their employees back on their feet. Those are the priorities that I will continue to strive for with my Republican colleagues. I sincerely hope that my friends across the aisle will live up to their previous promises and join us in those efforts.

While Democratic leaders were eager to signal to rank-and-file progressives and liberal voters that they would not yield on the minimum wage fight, their pathway was unclear because of GOP opposition and questions over whether they had enough Democratic support.

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal, D-Mass., sidestepped a question on taxing companies that don't boost pay, saying of Senate Democrats, I hesitate to say anything until they decide on a strategy."

Progressives were demanding that the Senate press ahead anyway on the minimum wage increase, even if it meant changing that chamber's rules and eliminating the filibuster, a tactic that requires 60 votes for a bill to move forward.

Were going to have to reform the filibuster because we have to be able to deliver, said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., another high-profile progressive, also said Senate rules must be changed, telling reporters that when Democrats meet with their constituents, "We cant tell them that this didnt get done because of an unelected parliamentarian.

Traditionalists of both parties  including Biden, who served as a senator for 36 years  have opposed eliminating filibusters because they protect parties' interests when they are in the Senate minority. Biden said weeks ago that he didn't expect the minimum wage increase to survive the Senate's rules. Democrats narrowly hold Senate control.

Pelosi, too, seemed to shy away from dismantling Senate procedures, saying, We will seek a solution consistent with Senate rules, and we will do so soon.

The House COVID-19 bill includes the minimum wage increase, so the real battle over its fate will occur when the Senate debates its version over the next two weeks.

Democrats are pushing the relief measure through Congress under special rules that will let them avoid a Senate GOP filibuster, meaning that if they are united they won't need any Republican votes.

It also lets the bill move faster, a top priority for Democrats who want the bill on Biden's desk before the most recent emergency jobless benefits end on March 14.

But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an incidental impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. MacDonough decided that the minimum wage provision failed that test.

Republicans oppose the $15 minimum wage target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs.
MOSCOW -- Several thousand people commemorated the sixth anniversary of the death of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov in central Moscow.

Opposition supporters laid flowers on the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge -- a short walk from the Kremlin -- where Nemtsov was gunned down on February 27, 2015.

Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister who was once seen as a potential successor to President Boris Yeltsin, was an ardent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Prominent opposition figures who participated in the memorial included: Yabloko co-founder Grigory Yavlinsky; Moscow district council member Ilya Yashin; Moscow City Duma Deputy Yulia Galyamina; activist Vladimir Kara-Murza; presidential Human Rights Council member Nikolai Svanidze; former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov; and the wife of imprisoned opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya.

"We come together in this place on this day every year to show the authorities that we have not forgotten and will not forget," Kasyanov told AFP on February 27 at the memorial site.

"I am sure that what Boris fought for -- freedom for Russians, their well-being and a dignified life -- will soon come about.

The ambassadors of several Western countries, including the United States and Britain, were among those who attended the commemoration.

The anniversary is usually marked with a march through central Moscow. But due to restrictions on mass gatherings because of the coronavirus pandemic, opposition activists gathered at a makeshift memorial site on the bridge.

The Bely Schyotchik organization, which tracks attendance at public rallies, estimated the turnout at more than 10,000 people as of 9 p.m. local time with more people still arriving.

Nationwide Memorials

Smaller memorial gatherings were held in other Russian cities, including in Nizhny Novgorod where Nemtsov served as the popular governor in the 1990s.

In St. Petersburg, several hundred people paid their respects to Nemtsov in front of a large contingent of riot police.

In Krasnodar, municipal workers cleared away a makeshift memorial less than half an hour after it was installed. Several memorial participants were reportedly detained.

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Ross tweeted that U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan had marked the "brutal murder" of Nemtsov, whom she described as having been "dedicated to pursuing a better future for his country."

"He remains an inspiration to many who strive for justice, transparency, freedom," she tweeted.

"As we remember Nemtsov, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. "We remain deeply troubled by the Russian government's growing intolerance of all forms of independent expression."

The anniversary of Nemtsovs death comes after Russias jailing of opposition political leader Aleksei Navalny and a crackdown on his allies.

Last week, a Moscow court upheld a 2 1/2 year prison sentence imposed on Navalny earlier in February for a parole violation related to a previous embezzlement conviction.

The Russian opposition called on supporters to gather at the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge to pay tribute to Nemtsov, but not to rally.

Navalny's allies have declared a pause on protests until spring after authorities responded forcefully to a wave of national demonstrations, detaining more than 10,000 people in dozens of cities and filing administrative and criminal cases against many of them.

Last week, a Moscow court upheld a 2 1/2 year prison sentence imposed on Navalny earlier in February for a parole violation related to a previous embezzlement conviction.

The opposition said it planned a memorial event, not a rally, to pay tribute to Nemtsov on February 27.

WATCH: Battle Goes On For 'Nemtsov Bridge' Memorial

Moscow authorities rejected a request for opposition supporters to hold a commemorative march due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On February 27, the Boris Nemtsov Foundation For Freedom awarded Navalny the Boris Nemtsov Prize for Courage.

In a statement, it said Navalny has not only demonstrated incredible personal courage, but has also made an outstanding contribution to exposing corruption and increasing citizens engagement in Russias still-existing political procedures.

The foundation called for the immediate release of the 44-year-old.

Supporters of Nemtsov have maintained a makeshift memorial on Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge 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.

Five Chechens have been found guilty of involvement in his killing, but the Russian authorities have failed to determine who ordered it.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP


MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth says he won't run for the U.S. Senate seat being given up by longtime incumbent Richard Shelby next year.

The first-term Republican announced on social media Friday that he'd decided against running because his three children need a father who's present and involved in their lives.

Ainsworth says he plans to continue serving on the state level rather than in federal office.

Shelby announced earlier this month that he won't seek a seventh term. Several other people are considering campaigns, but only former ambassador and businesswoman Lynda Blanchard has announced a run.
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.
Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, More Michigan Students Graduate High School

Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, More Michigan Students Graduate High School

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Feb. 26, 2021

Contact: Lauren Leeds, 517-242-7919

Lansing  During the COVID-19 pandemic, which closed schools for in-person learning last spring, Michigan high schoolers statewide graduated at a slightly higher rate in 2019-20, according to data released today by the Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information.

The 2019-20 4-year graduation rate improved to 82.07%, a .66 percentage point increase from 2018-19. The year-over-year graduation rate increase from 2017-18 to 2018-19 was .77 percentage points. The dropout rate fell to 7.77%, a .59 percentage point decrease from the 2018-19 rate.

Regardless of the pandemic, Michigan high school students continue to graduate at a higher percentage each year, said CEPI Executive Director Tom Howell, although closely analyzing the data shows that the year-over-year percent increase was slightly smaller than in 2018-19.

Throughout the past decade, the graduation rate has increased 7.74%, with higher rates compared to the previous year in nine out of 10 years. More than half of school districts (51.99%) across the state showed a graduation rate increase for 2019-20.

Below is the statewide four-year trend for on-time four-year graduation and dropout rates:

2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 4-Year Graduation Rate 79.65% 80.18% 80.64% 81.41% 82.07% 4-Year Dropout Rate 8.91% 8.65% 8.73% 8.36% 7.77%

Given the advent of the pandemic last March, its good news that our graduation rates continued to increase, said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. Its a tribute to the hard work last spring of educators, students and parents.

Its also good news that the gaps between African American and Hispanic students on the one hand and white students on the other have declined over the last decade, Rice added. For 2011, four-year graduation rates were 57.02%, 62.60%, and 80.14% for African American, Hispanic, and white students, respectively. For 2020, the gaps had narrowed, with four-year graduation rates of 70.37%, 75.48%, and 85.44%, respectively. While we still have significant room to improve with all groups of students, graduation rate increases and narrowing of the gaps in the last decade are welcome signs of improvement.

Gaps associated with five-year graduation rates have narrowed even more. For 2011, five-year graduation rates were 62.56%, 68.31%, and 84.81% for African American, Hispanic, and white students, respectively. For 2020, the gaps had narrowed substantially, with five-year graduation rates of 74.11%, 80.06%, and 87.42%, respectively.

The statewide 5-year rate increased .65 percentage points to 84.44% and the 6-year rate grew to 84.48% percent, a .52 percentage point increase.

Of particular note, Early Middle College students (who take an extra year to graduate high school while earning college credit) consistently have 5- and 6-year graduation rates that exceed 97%. Similarly, EMC students have some of the lowest dropout.

Graduation and dropout rates can be found on CEPIs MI School Data website (www.mischooldata.org). Under the sites K-12th Grade Students section, visitors can select a school or district or compare one district to another.

A bureau within the State Budget Office, CEPI facilitates the collection, management and reporting of public education data required by state and federal law. CEPIs MI School Data website is Michigan's official education data portal to help residents, educators and policymakers make informed decisions that can lead to improved success for our students.

###

Washington:

The standoff between India and China at the Doklam area of the Sikkim section has enormous consequences for the world, including America, so the Trump administration should have its diplomacy at the ready, a former CIA analyst said on Wednesday. Bruce Riedel, who is now working with the Brookings Institute, a Washington-based think-tank said both India and China have built up their conventional forces facing each other in the Himalayas. "China and India are now nuclear weapons powers with nuclear-armed missiles targeting, respectively, New Delhi and Beijing. Both are huge economic powers with considerable trade between them," Riedel wrote in an op-ed in the Daily Beast.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in Doklamfor 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area. "This is a face-off with potentially enormous consequences for the world. Neither side has asked for American intervention but American interests are very much at stake," he said.

The Chinese incursion into Bhutan coincided with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi?s visit to the White House, probably a deliberate move by Beijing, he wrote. "Washington should have its diplomacy at the ready. We need experienced hands in the State Department South Asia bureau. We need the best possible ambassadors on the scene.Our military ties to India need to be on watch.

JFK was ready in 1962, we should not be caught off guard today," Riedel said. In 2015, Riedel wrote a book 'JFK's Forgotten Crisis: Tibet, the CIA, and the Sino-Indian War Hardcover', whose paperback edition is coming out soon. The book gives an account of how the US president John F Kennedy came out in support of India during the 1962 war with china.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
The federal government is giving more than $8 million to two New Jersey towns to elevate flood-prone homes, including a Jersey Shore resort dealing with the effects of rising sea levels.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday said it approved more than $5 million for Fairfield in Essex County, and more than $3 million for Ocean City in Cape May County.

Elevating homes is one part of a many pronged approach vulnerable areas are employing in flood-prone areas. Other measures include constructing man-made and natural barriers, and buying out and razing buildings in areas that repeatedly flood.

The elevation of flood-prone homes is an important part of New Jerseys long-term resiliency efforts and provides families much-needed peace of mind, said U.S. Sen. Cory Booker. This federal investment will strengthen New Jersey communities, help mitigate against future disasters, and save lives.

The Fairfield money will pay to elevate 22 homes, and the Ocean City funding will elevate seven multifamily buildings in the Ocean Aire Condominiums, totaling 52 units.

The money came from a grant application the city submitted in 2019 on behalf of the condominium association, Doug Bergen, an Ocean City spokesperson, said.

The units are all classified as severe repetitive loss, based on having flooded multiple times, he said.

Ocean City for decades has been dealing with flooding caused not only by coastal storms but also by rising sea levels.

From 2014 through 2025, the city will have spent more than $87 million on flood control and drainage projects.

It recently intensified an island-wide effort to improve drainage. That includes laying more drain pipes, building additional pumping stations, elevating roadways and sidewalks, and repairing bulkheads.

The citys latest five-year plan will cost $25 million for six projects.
Prince Philip has begun his second weekend in hospital in what is now his longest ever stay as he battles an infection.

The Duke of Edinburgh, 99, was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London last Tuesday evening as a precautionary measure after feeling unwell, and walked into the building unaided.

Buckingham Palace said last Tuesday that Philip was 'comfortable' and 'responding' to medical help.

His son Prince Edward also said this week Philip was 'a lot better' but 'looking forward to getting out' with the Royal Family were keeping their 'fingers crossed'.

Today, the Duke passed his longest hospital stay as he continues to get treated for the infection for a 12th day.

He previously spent 11 days in hospital in 2013 after an operation on his abdomen.

Prince Philip, pictured in 2018 at Harry and Meghan's wedding, begun his 12th day in hospital today

It is now his longest stay in hospital. Pictured is Philip in 2013 after leaving hospital after 11 days following an abdomen operation

Photos from outside the hospital this morning show police officers standing guard.

A royal source said yesterday it did not expect to make any updates on the Duke until at least next week.

At the time of Philip's admission to hospital, the palace did not disclose the reason, but then said this Tuesday he was being treated for an infection.

Edward, who said he had spoken to his father on the phone, suggested the Duke, who is known for his 'no fuss' attitude, was a little frustrated at remaining in hospital.

The palace said on Tuesday: 'The Duke of Edinburgh remains at King Edward VII's Hospital where he is receiving medical attention for an infection. He is comfortable and responding to treatment but is not expected to leave hospital for several days.'

Edward was asked about his father by Sky News' royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills, while she was filming a separate interview with him his Bagshot Park home in Surrey.

He replied: 'He's a lot better, thank you very much indeed, and he's looking forward to getting out, which is the most positive thing, so we keep our fingers crossed.'

Asked whether Philip, who turns 100 in June, was frustrated to be in hospital, Edward laughed and replied: 'Just a bit.

'I think that gets to all of us, and then you can only watch the clock so many times and the walls are only so interesting.

'We've had some brilliant and lovely messages from all sorts of people and we really appreciate that and so does he, I've been passing them on. It's fantastic, thank you.'

Philip was initially due to spend a few days under medical care for 'observation and rest', but last Friday it emerged he was likely to remain in hospital into this week.

Police officers stand outside King Edward VII's Hospital, where Prince Philip is being treated

A royal source said yesterday it did not expect to make any updates on the Duke until at least next week

Philip's 11th day in hospital came as his grandson Prince Harry was interviewed by James Corden on the Late Late Show in America.

During their chat, Harry revealed how Philip does know how to use Zoom - but simply slams shut his laptop to end calls instead of pressing the Leave button.

The Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen have called the Sussexes a 'few times' and even seen Archie 'running around', Harry added.

Prince Charles made a 200-mile round trip to see Philip in hospital last weekend, which royal experts claimed may have been to reassure the Duke about Harry and the continuing turmoil caused by Megxit.

Charles's surprise visit to Philip's bedside on Saturday afternoon is likely to have touched on the 'momentous' events since he was admitted to hospital.
New Delhi, Feb 27 : In a major development, the Delhi Police on Saturday arrested two persons for allegedly conspiring to assassinate Kashmiri activist Sushil Pandit.

According to the Delhi Police, Sukhwinder (25) and Lakhan (21) were caught by the RK Puram Police after they received intelligence inputs that the two were planning the assassination.

The staff of RK Puram police station arrested Sukhwinder, 25 and Lakhan, 21, both acquaintances from Punjab who were sent to Delhi on the instructions of one Prince alias Tuti.

"During interrogation, it came out that Prince is facing a murder trial in Faridkot Punjab and is a childhood friend of Lakhan. The duo was offered Rs 10 lakh to assassinate human rights activist and CEO of Hive Communication India Sushil Pandit. They were provided with 4 pistols and 4 cartridges and a mobile phone containing a photo of Sushil Pandit," said DCP South West, Ingit Pratap Singh.

A case has been registered under sections of Arms Act, 120 B, 115 at RK Puram police station.

"Considering the seriousness of the case and the possibility of foreign involvement, the case is now transferred to the special Cell," the officer added.
Mr Sloan was a well-known member of the band community in Northern Ireland. (Photo: Protestant Boys East Belfast Flute Band).

Tributes were paid today to a popular bandsman who died after a three-vehicle crash in Co Antrim.

Motorcyclist Stuart Sloan died at Loughanlea Lane outside the village of Ballycarry on Friday.

He was from the local area.

Shortly before 1.35pm yesterday, police were called to a collision involving a Citroen Berlingo, a Ford C-Max car and a motorcycle close to the small village.

PSNI Inspector Colin Ash said: "Tragically, the motorcyclist died at the scene following his injuries.

Mr Sloan was a well-known member of the band community in Northern Ireland, and had previously been a member of Protestant Boys East Belfast Flute Band.

It posted: Stuart was a lifelong bandsman and an absolute gentleman. He and his family are all in our thoughts. God bless.

Ulster Grenadiers Flute Band posted: Stuart was a member of the Ulster Grenadiers for many years and was one of the main characters throughout his time in the band. A funny, witty guy who, no matter how far he stretched the boundaries, he did it with a smile.

Others paid tribute to a true gentleman and a great laugh.

Tributes were also paid by fellow members of the motorcycling community.

A community Facebook page serving the village was flooded with messages of condolence after the tragedy. One woman wrote: "Devastating news today after an accident just outside the village.

"Thoughts and prayers from everyone in Ballycarry to all the family of a much loved young family man from Islandmagee. Also thoughts to those on the scene today."

Another said the motorcyclist was a "true gent and an 'Island' man to the core". "He will be sorely missed. Thoughts and prayers to the whole family," they added.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said they received a 999 call following reports of a crash at Loughanlea Lane.

Two emergency crews and two rapid response paramedics were dispatched to the scene, but the motorcyclist's life could not be saved. The charity air ambulance with a HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) crew on board was also tasked.

"Following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, no one was taken to hospital," an NI Ambulance Service spokesperson said.

Inspector Ash said: "The Hillhead Road remains closed at this time and motorists are advised to avoid the area.

"Enquiries are continuing and police would appeal to anyone who witnessed the collision or who may have dash-cam footage available, to contact police on 101 quoting reference 912 26/02/21."

Yesterday's death brings to nine the total of road users to lose their lives on Northern Ireland's roads so far this year - three of them motorcyclists.




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 has said that through the airstrikes in Syria, President protected personnel and facilities, and deterred the risk of additional attacks "over the coming weeks".

On Thursday, airstrikes in targeted facilities belonging to a powerful Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, reportedly killing one fighter and wounding several others.

The strikes came in the wake of recent attacks on interests in Iraq, including a rocket attack last week which killed a civilian contractor and injured a service member and other coalition troops.

"The president is sending an unambiguous message that he's going to act to protect Americans, and when threats are posed, he has the right to take action at the time, and in the manner of his choosing," Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.

"He also is going to take these actions in a manner that's deliberative, and that has the objective of de-escalating activity in both and Iraq," she said.

Asked if the airstrikes influences reopening talks with Iran, Psaki said the status of that, at this point in time, remains that the US is open to having these diplomatic conversations.

Right now the Europeans have issued an invitation and "we are waiting to hear back, she said.

Responding to a question on the legal authority of conducting the strikes in Syria, Psaki said as a matter of domestic law, the president took this action pursuant to his article two authority to defend US personnel.

"The targets were chosen to... correspond to the recent attacks on facilities, and to deter the risk of additional attacks over the coming weeks. As a matter of law, the US acted pursuant to its right to self defence as reflected in Article 50-1 of the UN Charter. The strikes were both necessary to address the threat and proportionate to the prior attacks, Psaki said.

She added that the national security team conducted a legal review in advance.

At a separate news conference, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that in the last 10 days there were multiple occasions attacks on American people, positions, interests that took lives and injured others.

"So we had both to respond to those attacks but also to an ongoing threat that was very clear," he said.

"We took this action that I think was focused, proportionate, but also effective in degrading some of the capacity that the militia in question had to perpetrate new attacks, and also to be very clear, notably to Iran, that they cannot act with impunity against our people, our partners, our interests. I think and expect that the message was clearly received, Blinken said.

Congressman Adam Smith, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said that the Syrian strike should serve as a reminder that the US will always defend its partners, allies and interests.

This strike against an Iranian-backed militia was defensive in nature, following multiple rocket attacks against our forces in Iraq. The strike was proportional and appropriate given the recent, regrettable actions by Iran-backed militias who have targeted our forces in Iraq, whose mission is to assist the Iraqi people in their fight against ISIS, Smith said.

Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna opposed the attack.

"This makes President Biden the seventh consecutive US president to order strikes in the Middle East. There is absolutely no justification for a president to authorize a military strike that is not in self-defense against an imminent threat without congressional authorisation, Khanna said.

We ran on ending wars, not escalating conflicts in the Middle East. Our foreign policy needs to be rooted in diplomacy and the rule of law, not retaliatory air strikes without Congressional authorization, he said in a tweet.

The US needs to extricate from the Middle East, not escalate. The president should not be taking these actions without seeking explicit authorisation, Khanna said.

He said that he had spoken "against endless war with (former president Donald) Trump, and I will speak out against it when we have a Democratic President".

(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.)